Fzj80 Vs Defender
- Thread starter audaciousduo
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
Its hard to compare locked vs non-locked. I did not realize we were comparing completely stock vehicles on a site dedicated 4x4s and mods. If so, my stock 4x4 tractor will leave all but the Mog in the mud. Old tech is not alway bad. Solid axle is old tech and everyone wants Toyota to go back to that.
Brakes - I'm more concerned with pulling e-brake lines off while offroad than having my truck slide away because the e-brake is on the tail of the T-case. The R D-shaft e-brake doesn't bother me on the Defender and it never bothered me on the FJ40s I've owned.
- Thread starter
- #23
A fully locked TD5 Defender would be an absolute monster off road. I hope both Land Rover and Toyota stick with their roots and continue to make the toughest 4x4's in the world. The Stock FJ80 is lacking in ground clearance compared to the Defender. My FJ80 has the OME 2.5" and just sits even with the stock 110.
this is a pretty good tech discusion...
myself being a changed man.
I said i would not own an import unless i had to.
buddy o mine had a lifted and locked 40 all though highschool and i always said my jeeps were better...
one day i seen the waggy sittin at his house thought it was cool (all i had owned was xj cherokees) he said it was for sale and two days later i gave him som money and had the keys and drove off with a s*** eating grin on my face. I absolutly love my truck more than any of the other 10 vehicles i have had. i also want to own an fzj80 as well as a 40 and maybe a 72, 45 the list goes on and on.
bottom line toyota has done things right and at a reasonable price for what you get. why buy anything else? dont get me wrong i would still love to swap a SBC in my waggy and i still love chevy trucks. but for the offroad and the money i have invested into my rig nothing at all could touch me on the same budget (except for maybe a sprung over sammy which i also want).
the 80 series land cruiser was the IMOP the Best "out of the box" wagon built. optional front and rear lockers, solid axles, great street manners, nice interior, coil springs all around and looks Great.
myself being a changed man.
I said i would not own an import unless i had to.
buddy o mine had a lifted and locked 40 all though highschool and i always said my jeeps were better...
one day i seen the waggy sittin at his house thought it was cool (all i had owned was xj cherokees) he said it was for sale and two days later i gave him som money and had the keys and drove off with a s*** eating grin on my face. I absolutly love my truck more than any of the other 10 vehicles i have had. i also want to own an fzj80 as well as a 40 and maybe a 72, 45 the list goes on and on.
bottom line toyota has done things right and at a reasonable price for what you get. why buy anything else? dont get me wrong i would still love to swap a SBC in my waggy and i still love chevy trucks. but for the offroad and the money i have invested into my rig nothing at all could touch me on the same budget (except for maybe a sprung over sammy which i also want).
the 80 series land cruiser was the IMOP the Best "out of the box" wagon built. optional front and rear lockers, solid axles, great street manners, nice interior, coil springs all around and looks Great.
Can you put 35s on a stock 110?
- Thread starter
- #26
I had 33's on my 110 ......35's may be pushing it with out a lift.
- Thread starter
- #28
WOW, you would think the crawl ratio would be sacrificed with that increase in diameter. I would think an axle gear change will have to happen in the near future.
cool discussions about cruiser vs. rovers
being from south africa we have always had this back and forth before, it never ends.
these are the reasons i dislike land rovers.
1) rated and officially ranked as the MOST UNRELIABLE vehicles on the road. (1984-2007) doesnt matter how great it is offroad if you cant leave the driveway because its broke!
2) british electrical wiring, mmmmmm thank god they are finally using bosch wiring now.
my teachers landrover had some wiring issues that whenever he used the brakes it would turn off the headlights. good feature for driving in africa at night!
3)my friend in south africa has had a few defenders. his last gem used to overheat right from the showroom whenever he drove up a hill. the landrover mechanics could not figure it out for 3 years. when he was towing a boat to tanzania he cooked the engine in the desert while going uphill with boat in tow. guess what they found. 1 of the 6 cylinders had not been machined all the way so it was not cooling at all and thats why on uphills under load it would overheat.
nice quality control!
i could expect that on a kia or a hyundai, no wait, i couldnt, even they are more reliable.
stick with yotas on and offroad, you cant go wrong.
being from south africa we have always had this back and forth before, it never ends.
these are the reasons i dislike land rovers.
1) rated and officially ranked as the MOST UNRELIABLE vehicles on the road. (1984-2007) doesnt matter how great it is offroad if you cant leave the driveway because its broke!
2) british electrical wiring, mmmmmm thank god they are finally using bosch wiring now.
my teachers landrover had some wiring issues that whenever he used the brakes it would turn off the headlights. good feature for driving in africa at night!
3)my friend in south africa has had a few defenders. his last gem used to overheat right from the showroom whenever he drove up a hill. the landrover mechanics could not figure it out for 3 years. when he was towing a boat to tanzania he cooked the engine in the desert while going uphill with boat in tow. guess what they found. 1 of the 6 cylinders had not been machined all the way so it was not cooling at all and thats why on uphills under load it would overheat.
nice quality control!
i could expect that on a kia or a hyundai, no wait, i couldnt, even they are more reliable.
stick with yotas on and offroad, you cant go wrong.
Let's not forget what service techs all know. Check your history. What nation held the largest and longest lasting empire in history, and lost it all when militaries mechanized and solders quit riding horses? Do you really want to buy a car from these people?
Granted, the British have built some tough 4x4 chassis at times, and often have built some very stylish cars as well. But reliability has always been poor.
Granted, the British have built some tough 4x4 chassis at times, and often have built some very stylish cars as well. But reliability has always been poor.
My brother has a 97 Kia Sephia, barely 100,000 miles on it and it's breaking everywhere.
My cruiser... nearly 240,000 miles, and the seats and dash are a little worn.
True Toyota reliability. I will never buy anything else....well, maybe a Nissan...
Last edited:
alia176
SILVER Star
Slightly off topic but my buddy is selling his D110
http://110forsale.googlepages.com/home
I wonder if I can bring him over to this side....
Carry on....
http://110forsale.googlepages.com/home
I wonder if I can bring him over to this side....
Carry on....
WOW!!!
New engine, transmission, transfer case, and rear axle with just 125000 miles!!!
I think I will stick with my Cruisers....
- Thread starter
- #35
55,000, WOW thats five FJ80's......or a life time supply
It's a Queen's truck. 'nuff said.
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2003
- Threads
- 65
- Messages
- 4,479
- Location
- Sunnyvale, CA
- Website
- www.george4wd.taskled.com
Defender - hah I f@rt in their general direction.
Have a mate that had a 110. In his words if you own a rover you have "The mechanic" who sees your rover at least as often as you do and the rover spends at least as much time in "The shop" as in your driveway.
My mate was visiting the US (as the best man) a bunch of years ago. His wife was back in Oz and was driving the 110. While he was over here she calls to say that the gear stick (manual) sheared off!
She was in town, stopped at a light. Light changes and she takes off in 1st, goes to shift to 2nd and the gear stick sheared off at the gear box leaving her in neutral. Funny thing is that it happened right in front of the main police hqtrs in the city. She called "The mechanic" who drove out, used a screwdriver to force the lever to get into 2nd and drove all the way to "The shop" in 2nd.
What a POS! Needless to say my mate called it a day soon after & sold the POS for a Mazda 4wd and then a couple or so years later bought a Prado.
My old man had a series III L/R (in good nick) SWB for a few years - it was fun & had 'character'. I bought my nissan patrol a few years later and I'd often trade vehicles for the 'fun' of driving the series III. Mate & I went for a w/end trip just north of Perth to play in the sand & pine plantations. Had fun. The next w/end we went in my Patrol (old leaf sprung SWB) - boy was it night & day. Where the L/R made everything "interesting" the old Patrol just cruised through with no issue. Convinced me then that there's more to a 4wd than looks or past reputation...
cheers,
george.
Have a mate that had a 110. In his words if you own a rover you have "The mechanic" who sees your rover at least as often as you do and the rover spends at least as much time in "The shop" as in your driveway.
My mate was visiting the US (as the best man) a bunch of years ago. His wife was back in Oz and was driving the 110. While he was over here she calls to say that the gear stick (manual) sheared off!
She was in town, stopped at a light. Light changes and she takes off in 1st, goes to shift to 2nd and the gear stick sheared off at the gear box leaving her in neutral. Funny thing is that it happened right in front of the main police hqtrs in the city. She called "The mechanic" who drove out, used a screwdriver to force the lever to get into 2nd and drove all the way to "The shop" in 2nd.
What a POS! Needless to say my mate called it a day soon after & sold the POS for a Mazda 4wd and then a couple or so years later bought a Prado.
My old man had a series III L/R (in good nick) SWB for a few years - it was fun & had 'character'. I bought my nissan patrol a few years later and I'd often trade vehicles for the 'fun' of driving the series III. Mate & I went for a w/end trip just north of Perth to play in the sand & pine plantations. Had fun. The next w/end we went in my Patrol (old leaf sprung SWB) - boy was it night & day. Where the L/R made everything "interesting" the old Patrol just cruised through with no issue. Convinced me then that there's more to a 4wd than looks or past reputation...
cheers,
george.
alot of rover bashing here. I guess you can expect it on a Toyota enthusiast board.
I think the defenders look really sweet. Put the body of one on the chassis of a 80 and you got something.
I will add that i had a really good friend of mine who always wanted a rover. Finally got a good job making good money and went down and bought a brand new disco II off the showroom floor. I rode in it about a week after he got it and i admit, it was really nice.
Few weeks later we met for a beer and he was in his wife's car. Said the rover was in the shop! Said it was having electrical issues.
Few weeks later, we met again for a beer. He was in his wife's car. Said the rover was back in the shop! he said the power window motor's stopped working.
A month later he calls and asked how much i paid for my 80 and if i knew where he could get one. I was amazed and asked what the deal was with his Disco. He said it's in the shop again. He said to date he had signed off on almost $16,000 in warranty repair. They had basically replaced every computer, motor and wire in the rig and it still wasn't right.
He said he was dumping it as soon as he could and not completely lose his ass.
I think the defenders look really sweet. Put the body of one on the chassis of a 80 and you got something.
I will add that i had a really good friend of mine who always wanted a rover. Finally got a good job making good money and went down and bought a brand new disco II off the showroom floor. I rode in it about a week after he got it and i admit, it was really nice.
Few weeks later we met for a beer and he was in his wife's car. Said the rover was in the shop! Said it was having electrical issues.
Few weeks later, we met again for a beer. He was in his wife's car. Said the rover was back in the shop! he said the power window motor's stopped working.
A month later he calls and asked how much i paid for my 80 and if i knew where he could get one. I was amazed and asked what the deal was with his Disco. He said it's in the shop again. He said to date he had signed off on almost $16,000 in warranty repair. They had basically replaced every computer, motor and wire in the rig and it still wasn't right.
He said he was dumping it as soon as he could and not completely lose his ass.
- Thread starter
- #40
I had lots of series land rovers as well. I broke lots of axles with the monster 60 hp engine as well. The problem was the always broke at the differential and not out at the hub making for a tough repare on the trail. When 60 hp can break a rear axle you know you are not doing an engine conversion.
