Flat tow damage (1 Viewer)

[captaindean]

Aloha everyone I am new to the threads here is my question
There is a 2003 land cruiser for sale where I live and they say it was flat towed at some time and damaged something so they disconnected the drive shaft and front shafts drives fine now but possible transfer case damage or front diff. Does anyone know what is more likely to be damaged ?
The vehicle drives fine in 2wd. I want to buy it but not if it’s crazy expensive to repair. They are selling it for $10,500

 

[nissanh]

Why it cannot be driven with rear shaft installed? Does it grind or won't move?

When towing, the transfercase has to be in neutral position. If not, the transmission will turn without automatic transmission pumping fluid inside the transmission. Heated fluid could damage the components inside the transmission as well. It's an AWD truck, so towing with rear shaft removed will spin the center diff and transmission.

 

[captaindean]

I have not driven it yet but post says it drives just fine now but they had to remove the front drive shaft and the front CV shafts to drive in 2wd

 

[shane431]

Doesn’t sound like it’s worth $10k.

 

[e9999]

well, if you want to be safe, you have a perfect bargaining position. Offer whatever the truck is otherwise worth minus the trans, transfer case, and front drivetrain replacement costs since you don't know which of those is bad. Likely, that will be a negative number. Perfect, they will have to pay you to buy it. Which possibly, they could afford to do if they made a claim against a towing company since they would have hit the jackpot... Unfortunately, for that to be the case it would have to be a pretty incompetent tow truck driver, so not very likely. More likely it was a hack tow. But yea More seriously, try to find out how that happened cuz if they were likely made whole, they might be much likely to go lower, this may just be a high ball asking price.

Alternatively, you will have to invest time and perhaps some money to find out what is likely bad. You would have to ask the seller what were the symptoms and then trust him to be truthful. And then negotiate based on all the info, but short of drive tests with everything connected, which likely the Seller won't allow, or a deep dive inspection, you won't know.

Whatever may be, it is safer to assume that it will likely be (many?) thousands to fix. Now the market in HI may be very different, but here at least it seems to me that $10K with that level of problem/uncertainty is a wildly optimistic figure for a Seller to hope for.

I would suggest that you think about your possible involvement: are you a DIYer or want a big project to have fun with? Then offer a few/couple thousands that as a backup you can recoup in parting it out if you hit a roadblock in fixing it. Are you a dealer-fixes-it type? Then one of 2 things: you are betting that you will be extremely lucky and it will cheap to fix (unlikely) or you are not normally extremely lucky in which case I'd pass if I were you.

If you are not familiar with the Cruisers, you need to remember that those were top of the line luxury very expensive trucks and the parts / repairs costs reflect that. It's not a Lambo but this is also not a 2003 Chevy you're talking about here. Likely the Seller knows he has a very costly repair on his hands and is keen to pass the nightmare to somebody else.

Or figure out what an average 2WD SUV of that vintage is worth and offer that, you may come out ahead. You may get a nice comfy (gas-guzzling) commuter, but don't expect a LandCruiser out of it then.

 

[jLB]

To me, it sounds like the front differential is blown. Pulling the front driveshaft and CV axles isolates the front differential, the transmission and transfer case are still active and turning.

I wouldn’t recommend someone that’s not pretty familiar with the 100 series platform purchasing it.

If I were trying to purchase it:

1) I’d be looking for chunks of metal on the front differential drain plug.

2) I’d want to make sure all of the “pulled” parts are still with the vehicle.

3) I’d expect to have to do front wheel bearings, drive flanges, CV axles, and front diff. With the current pandemic related supply chain issues, some of these parts may be hard to come by. On the mainland, you might be able to find some of the parts (front diff) at a salvage yard, but in HI, that’s probably not very likely.

I’d expect that it will take at least a few thousand dollars to make that vehicle “right” again, and more if you’re hiring someone else to do the labor.

 

[nukegoat]

I'd buy it. Can't be that bad

 

[captaindean]

I am a diy kinda guy I can fix just about anything so I am seriously thinking of buying this thing. Thank everyone for your input

 

[MountaineerLC]

Doesn’t sound like it’s worth $10k.

I agree. I don't know what LC prices are like in HI, but I wouldn't pay $10k for a LC with a blown front diff or other unknown driveline issues. Seems several thousand dollars overpriced to me.

 

[J1000]

Sounds like all it needs is a front diff.

 

[hoser]

I agree. I don't know what LC prices are like in HI, but I wouldn't pay $10k for a LC with a blown front diff or other unknown driveline issues. Seems several thousand dollars overpriced to me.

There are very few Land Cruisers in Hawaii. Highest cost of living in the US too. IMO, it could be a good deal, granted the front diff is the only issue.

 

[shane431]

I didn’t realize it was Hawaii! That changes pricing quite a bit.

 

[2001LC]

There are some very old thread you can search 100 tech section for Christo Slee posted. He flat towed his 100 series as I recall. Seems they tore into to it at his shop, to see what if any damage. Don't recall if he shifted Transfer case to N.

Towing behind RV.

 

[Boss Hog]

Like many others have said, it seems overpriced. It certainly is for Colorado.

I paid that much for a well-running 2000 with no obvious issues other than brake pads. Any idea why it was towed in the first place? Is there some other issue?

 

[jLB]

Doesn’t sound like it’s worth $10k.

I agree. I don't know what LC prices are like in HI, but I wouldn't pay $10k for a LC with a blown front diff or other unknown driveline issues. Seems several thousand dollars overpriced to me.

Like many others have said, it seems overpriced. It certainly is for Colorado.

I paid that much for a well-running 2000 with no obvious issues other than brake pads. Any idea why it was towed in the first place? Is there some other issue?

It’s amazing that y’all can set a price with so little information. I don’t recall anything being posted about mileage or condition, other than it sounds like the front diff is blown, and instead of fixing it the current owner did a half assed work around.

If it was originally sold in HI, it’s likely a US mainland 03+ “unicorn” without navigation.

HI isn’t that big, if it was originally sold in HI, it could be low mileage.

It would also seem that you can’t get too far from salt water in HI, so it could be a rust bucket basket case.

Or is this the typical ‘mud “if I’m buying, all 100 series are worth ~$5k (or less), but if I’m selling my 100 series, it’s got to be worth at least $35k”?

 

[Boss Hog]

It’s amazing that y’all can set a price with so little information. I don’t recall anything being posted about mileage or condition, other than it sounds like the front diff is blown, and instead of fixing it the current owner did a half assed work around.

If it was originally sold in HI, it’s likely a US mainland 03+ “unicorn” without navigation.

HI isn’t that big, if it was originally sold in HI, it could be low mileage.

It would also seem that you can’t get too far from salt water in HI, so it could be a rust bucket basket case.

Or is this the typical ‘mud “if I’m buying, all 100 series are worth ~$5k (or less), but if I’m selling my 100 series, it’s got to be worth at least $35k”?

I think it’s the typical “ask an opened ended question and get a variety of responses”.

$10,500 is a lot of money to spend knowing you’re potentially going down a bunch of different rabbit holes chasing a problem.

I think most of us (certainly me) were just trying to look out for the gentleman. Clearly you took it differently…

Does anyone know what is more likely to be damaged ?
The vehicle drives fine in 2wd. I want to buy it but not if it’s crazy expensive to repair. They are selling it for $10,500

 

[jLB]

I think it’s the typical “ask an opened ended question and get a variety of responses”.

$10,500 is a lot of money to spend knowing you’re potentially going down a bunch of different rabbit holes chasing a problem.

I think most of us (certainly me) were just trying to look out for the gentleman. Clearly you took it differently…

I’m not sure that I took it differently, I explained what I would expect to find, with the provided description, and suggested without some familiarity with the platform, it would probably be a “very bad idea”.

It still seems to me, that setting a price, with the provided information, is little more than a wild assed guess.

It was also maybe a bit of commentary on BAT/Covid pricing where a low mileage, “rare” 100 series, is approaching what I paid for my LX470 new. Not to mention the typical ‘mud “I pay $5k, I sell $35k” mentality.

(From a guy that has spent ~$70k on a LX470, and ~$5k on a LX470)

 

[e9999]

If not yourselves already, it may be best if somebody who is really familiar with the drivetrain (I'm not) would discuss the tech side of what is likely to have gone wrong. I'm not so sure I would automatically only suspect the front diff as suggested above. If the TC were in N, the front diff and front driveshaft would still spin I guess, so, not having been in N, seems like that would have transferred some rotation to the transfer case and center diff. If I were to (strictly) guess, I would think it's perhaps as (or more) likely something went bad there than in the front diff. But that is strictly conjecturing with little knowledge TBH and I may be completely wrong. And if they had to remove the axleshafts as well as the front driveshaft, then there is indeed likely something wrong up front in any case.

Whatever the answer is, I would bet that the solution won't be inexpensive. But if OP is handy, knowledgeable, and has time, then why not if the price is right (but that may not be $10K). And as I said, if he gets it for the price of a 2WD and it drives OK as is, then he can't go too much wrong at the right price. (Assuming that the center diff is capable of handling full-time lock for a long time)

 

[D21FJ60]

I have a front diff, transmission and all the goodies for sale. But shipping will probably cost as much as your own parts car.
I agree with others, but have limited knowledge of the HI used market- def not worth $10k, see if you can do $4k.

 

[medtro]

I have a front diff, transmission and all the goodies for sale. But shipping will probably cost as much as your own parts car.
I agree with others, but have limited knowledge of the HI used market- def not worth $10k, see if you can do $4k.

I don't think he will need transmission or transfer case or whatever that will cost $10k to ship. The vehicle is running fine now with front drive shaft and CV shafts removed. Shipping a front diff and CV axles can't be that expansive.