Hello all,
Long time lurker here, finally clicked that register button. I've wanted a Landcruiser for a few years now, but being in Canada and 80's being hard to find without importing, I was just breaking up with the idea. Started looking at 1st gen Tacomas, but that was frustrating as this area uses road salt so nearly every frame I've seen was rotten and in need of major repair or rotting and on it's way to needing major repair. Then as I was about to make a decision on a Taco, this 3 x locked LX450 came up.
Sidebar, I've been messaging the former owner for about a half year. Found him on social media in a single post where he was joking about selling his, and I slid into his DM's. He finally was willing to let me see it, although very reluctantly, and when I read about the build I thought there was no way I could afford it. Turns out his price was just in line with my upper limit, and after he took some time to consider my offer he sold it at my upper limit once he knew it was going to a home that will treat it well. He and I both knew that I was under the value on it, I never expected to take it home. Great guy, and I do believe him to be a member here.
My experience mechanically is mid, basically everything I've learned has been in recent years through on job experience. The plan is to maintain this myself to the best of my ability and only hire a professional for the things that are beyond my capability in knowledge, tools, or workshop space. I intend to limit that knowledge gap and wrench on it as much as possible.
This thing had a single code which he disclosed up front, P0401, which in my search on this forum appears to be an EGR temp sensor issue. I don't detect an issue, so my plan is to remedy this with the HuddExpo kit and remove the check engine light for this code rather than chase the rabbit on this one.
He also gave me most of the original parts, which some will be going back on. Such as the front sway bar, which I'll likely be asking a few questions about here if the FSM doesn't provide the answers. Once that's back on my intent is to hit up @LandCruiserPhil for a sway bar disconnect so I can have road manners on the way to the trail, then disconnect for the fun stuff.
Downloaded all of the FSM's and relevant LX450 / FZJ80 manuals and will be going through them prior to reaching out to the Ih8mud hive mind. For the lurkers out there, these downloads available to members are worth the time to register.
Rear locker is tricky to engage, I'll have to figure that out. It did engage a couple of times during my test drive, and I intend on getting it out and testing soon. Hopefully it's just that it hasn't been engaged in a bit and a bit "sticky".
As seen in the pic below is how it's built by the previous owner, who kept meticulous records back to 1997. It's going to stay like this for a bit as the budget is blown this year, and I want to take it slow and plan out my changes rather than have buyers remorse by rushing into something. Some of the build includes:
35x12.5 R16 Interco TrXus MT tires.
Cruisin offroad rear dual swingout bumper. Going to figure out a better closure system for it. At this moment it just slams shut and I've been told is a pain in the winter.
Air lift load managing airbags in the rear.
Custom built roof rack. This is very RTT oriented, which I'm deciding if it fits the family needs. But that's low on the priority list.
OME 2850J/2863J J-coil heavy spring coils
JDM polished side steps. Considering if I want rock sliders, but the JDM side steps are very nice and give good clearance.
10000lb winch behind the factory front bumper.
CDL switch in the dash. Not sure if this is a LX450 thing or aftermarket, but happy to have it.
2.5" mandrel stainless steel exhaust, routed out rear passenger side.
And a bunch more but I'll stop there so as to not geek out too much
. Needless to say I'm very happy with it.
Happy to be here and I hope to learn a lot from this community.
Long time lurker here, finally clicked that register button. I've wanted a Landcruiser for a few years now, but being in Canada and 80's being hard to find without importing, I was just breaking up with the idea. Started looking at 1st gen Tacomas, but that was frustrating as this area uses road salt so nearly every frame I've seen was rotten and in need of major repair or rotting and on it's way to needing major repair. Then as I was about to make a decision on a Taco, this 3 x locked LX450 came up.
Sidebar, I've been messaging the former owner for about a half year. Found him on social media in a single post where he was joking about selling his, and I slid into his DM's. He finally was willing to let me see it, although very reluctantly, and when I read about the build I thought there was no way I could afford it. Turns out his price was just in line with my upper limit, and after he took some time to consider my offer he sold it at my upper limit once he knew it was going to a home that will treat it well. He and I both knew that I was under the value on it, I never expected to take it home. Great guy, and I do believe him to be a member here.
My experience mechanically is mid, basically everything I've learned has been in recent years through on job experience. The plan is to maintain this myself to the best of my ability and only hire a professional for the things that are beyond my capability in knowledge, tools, or workshop space. I intend to limit that knowledge gap and wrench on it as much as possible.
This thing had a single code which he disclosed up front, P0401, which in my search on this forum appears to be an EGR temp sensor issue. I don't detect an issue, so my plan is to remedy this with the HuddExpo kit and remove the check engine light for this code rather than chase the rabbit on this one.
He also gave me most of the original parts, which some will be going back on. Such as the front sway bar, which I'll likely be asking a few questions about here if the FSM doesn't provide the answers. Once that's back on my intent is to hit up @LandCruiserPhil for a sway bar disconnect so I can have road manners on the way to the trail, then disconnect for the fun stuff.
Downloaded all of the FSM's and relevant LX450 / FZJ80 manuals and will be going through them prior to reaching out to the Ih8mud hive mind. For the lurkers out there, these downloads available to members are worth the time to register.
Rear locker is tricky to engage, I'll have to figure that out. It did engage a couple of times during my test drive, and I intend on getting it out and testing soon. Hopefully it's just that it hasn't been engaged in a bit and a bit "sticky".
As seen in the pic below is how it's built by the previous owner, who kept meticulous records back to 1997. It's going to stay like this for a bit as the budget is blown this year, and I want to take it slow and plan out my changes rather than have buyers remorse by rushing into something. Some of the build includes:
35x12.5 R16 Interco TrXus MT tires.
Cruisin offroad rear dual swingout bumper. Going to figure out a better closure system for it. At this moment it just slams shut and I've been told is a pain in the winter.
Air lift load managing airbags in the rear.
Custom built roof rack. This is very RTT oriented, which I'm deciding if it fits the family needs. But that's low on the priority list.
OME 2850J/2863J J-coil heavy spring coils
JDM polished side steps. Considering if I want rock sliders, but the JDM side steps are very nice and give good clearance.
10000lb winch behind the factory front bumper.
CDL switch in the dash. Not sure if this is a LX450 thing or aftermarket, but happy to have it.
2.5" mandrel stainless steel exhaust, routed out rear passenger side.
And a bunch more but I'll stop there so as to not geek out too much
. Needless to say I'm very happy with it.Happy to be here and I hope to learn a lot from this community.
