Diff lock question from a noob

[SD FJ80]

Hey all!

Just bought myself a 97' FJ 80 in desert dune Been wanting to buy one of these for years and found a killer deal on one. I am new to off road vehicles and know what diff locks do essentially, but don't know the difference between 1x,2x,3x lockers etc.

My real question is I want to know if mine has lockers. The seller said it does and I googled the vin and the toyota factory specs say "COUPLING CENTER DIFFERENTIAL FR & RR"

Does this mean my cruiser has lockers? And if so, what kind are they?

 

[REKCUT]

Look for a switch on the panel left to the steering wheel. Twist knob. FR RR

 

[REKCUT]

Also panel on door post will have info. 294 means locker, 292 Small silver plaque with weight and build info.

A/TM K294/A343F locker
A/TM k292/a343f no locker

 

[SD FJ80]

I have to pick truck up in Denver, my dad picked it up for me. So I guess my question is, without being able to see the car for another two weeks, the factory specs from searching the VIN on Toyota's website say "COUPLING CENTER DIFFERENTIAL FR & RR"

So with that in mind, unless they were somehow removed, does that mean that my cruiser should have factory lockers?

 

[Zjohnsonua]

Only ~7% of US market trucks got diff lockers. They're rare, but that doesn't mean yours doesn't have them. I'm not aware of a way to have the VIN tell you if you do or do not have them. The door sticker that @REKCUT mentioned tells you definitively what axles it had when it left the factory. If you need the info urgently, I suggest having someone photograph that sticker and send the photo to you. As for the switch he referenced, it SHOULD indicate what you have; however, there are nefarious people out there that will put a switch in K292 trucks to dupe buyers.

 

[SD FJ80]

Ah this helps. Then I guess it may be a longshot. I was just wondering what that "coupling center differential fr and rr" option means then?

 

[Zjohnsonua]

They all had the option. Whether or not it was selected at the time of order is what's in the air here.

I've never tried asking, but I would think a dealer's computer could tell you what options yours was built with if you provided them with the VIN. It's worth a shot asking anyway.

 

[SD FJ80]

Thanks for all the help. Did not know factory locked cruisers were so rare in the US. Either way, for what I'm using it for lockers are not essential but was just curious if there was a way I could tell without seeing it. Maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised.

 

[ppc]

A very good primer to explain differentials and lockers:

Welcome to Land Cruiser Owners On Line

 

[clx16]

If you used this and it told you that,then yes you likely do.

Vehicle Specification

www.toyota.com

Find other vins and compare. But you will find some vins it itemized the lockers front and rear from the center diff.

But if it came that way from the factory it will say it on there. If yours is a Lexus I don't think it will work for you.

 

[bencallaway]

7% have lockers? That seems a little low...

 

[Zjohnsonua]

It may be. That's parroted from what I remember being a reliable Mud source. I also remember that being an average, with some years getting more than others.

 

[REKCUT]

If you used this and it told you that,then yes you likely do.

Vehicle Specification

www.toyota.com

Find other vins and compare. But you will find some vins it itemized the lockers front and rear from the center diff.

But if it came that way from the factory it will say it on there. If yours is a Lexus I don't think it will work for you.

VIN is not going to tell you anything you cant easily find on the door post as far as lockers go. Not sure why you would want to take the time to look up the vin when the info you want is there in black and white. K294 or K292.

Neither of these will tell you if the lockers have been added or deleted. Mine came as a K292 but i took the axles out of my last rig and moved them over so I now have a locked truck even though the documentation states it came without

 

[clx16]

Not sure why you would want to take the time to look up the vin when the info you want is there in black and white. K294 or K292.

He only has the VIN, he can't look at the sticker right now. But you are right this only tells him how it came new, not how it is now

 

[REKCUT]

He only has the VIN, he can't look at the sticker right now. But you are right this only tells him how it came new, not how it is now

Then I can understand why you would want to look up vin info.

 

[REKCUT]

Interesting reading

1997 Land Cruiser Anniversary Editions Explained....

Several have asked me to provide these numbers, so I'm sharing with the entire 80 community. Here are the actual sales numbers and an in-depth breakdown for 40th Anniversary and Collector Edition Land Cruisers. · Toyota Sold a total of 14,981 of the 1997 model year Land Cruisers. ·...

forum.ih8mud.com

"Of the 3,946 - 40th Anniversary models, 1,604 were equipped with factory diff locks for a total of 41% install rate.
· Of the 2,616 Collector Edition models, 822 were equipped with factory diff locks for a total of 31% diff lock install rate."

"Of the non-special edition Land Cruisers, only 2,449 were equipped with diff locks.
· For the 1997 model year (all LC including special editions) Land Cruiser, 4,875 were equipped with factory diff locks for an install rate of 33%."

 

[-Spike-]

7% have lockers? That seems a little low...

percentage of 80's with locking diffs

 

[bencallaway]

percentage of 80's with locking diffs

Yea so that thread is pretty worthless. I'd guess 30-40% have them but I don't care enough to look in to it any further.

 

[-Spike-]

Yea so that thread is pretty worthless. I'd guess 30-40% have them but I don't care enough to look in to it any further.

You're pretty worthless. The guy who answered the question in that thread has some decent bona-fides, might have a clue.

 

[BILT4ME]

Yea so that thread is pretty worthless. I'd guess 30-40% have them but I don't care enough to look in to it any further.

No, actually that thread is quite accurate, as the person stating the TMS numbers is none other than cruiserdan, the guru of the Land Cruiser and particularly, parts. He hung up his parts cleats a few years ago, but remains the most knowledgeable on the subject. His apprentice is none other than Beno, and he is now the active authority on this information, but lets you know in a much more direct way than Dan.

Hang around a while and you'll see......