Hi Everyone!!! Need a bit of Advise...

[AnnoymousUser]

Hey Guys!

I'm looking to buy a 80 series LC, but wondering what are the prices that our owners here got for thier LC? What are the problems that usally come up with these trucks after 100,000? I've test drove a few but they feel kinda weak. Here is what I noticed

- Oil leaks top and bottom
- Diff have a bit of dry oil w/ dust.
- A bit of knocking noise w/ one of them, but not sure where, but it has the front and rear grill.
- interior Shift lights was out

These are the problem occured with few of them that I test drove. I heard repacking the bearing is a big job, but when do you need it?

Please let me know if there is any other things that the LC I might need to pay attn to.
Thanks in advance! Hope I'll be able to find one soon.

 

[cruiserdan]

Start here: http://www.sleeoffroad.com/newbie/newbie100.htm

 

[Sandman]

I have never heard of a LC being described as weak, sluggish maybe but definitely not weak. These trucks are durable but need regular service for long life (my opinion). Oil seepage on a motor with over 100,000 on it is normal and not a big deal. I learned the hard way that a "spotless" motor probably means that someone steam cleaned it to hide problems. Look for service records. Repacking bearings is not that big a deal but repacking birfields is. With the write-ups on this forum and other internet sites the repack is doable and help is available. Service intervals for the birfs has been a source of lively discussion on this forum. I did mine with 115k and I think that was too late. I had grease in my diff fluid and the birfs are worn and make a little noise when steering is at full lock and under load. I am saving for oem replacements for the next repack that I will do around 150k. Toyota recommends every 60k but the dealers never seem to do them as part of the major service. I think it is because the service writers don't want to give anyone a heat attack when they quote them on a routine service. I searched a whole year for my truck and the wait was worth it. Also make sure you check the coolant for sludge and read about the head gasket maladies that plague the mighty FZ . A truck with some surface blemishes but a good service history is a better value than a "cream puff" that has been ignored (my opinion). Also the 80's that are out there are getting "up there" in years and the bodys and paint will look new but the exhaust may be rusting and need repair. The stock exhaust parts are big $. Make sure the truck you are buying will pass emissions. The cats on trucks with over 100k are a possible weakness and very expensive. Figure on doing the starter contacts (good pm) or you may have to replace the starter on the road like I did 400 miles from home. Do a search. Be warned that these trucks use a lot of gas. As for brush guards..remove them and sell on E-bay and use the $ to get an ARB or Slee bumper, or an OME lift. Speaking of Slee..the link that C-Dan posted was one of the first things I read before I started my search, Good Hunting! My "D" light has been out for years and the truck still runs fine.

 

[landtank]

Welcome A-User. You sound very familiar to another forum member. My suggestion is to do a wide open search in the 80s forum with the only criteria being author = E9999. Start by reading his oldest post til the present. Once familiar with his saga you should be up to speed in what to expect and what else to obsess over.

 

[AnnoymousUser]

Thank You all very much for your input so far. I'm starting to get use to all the functions on this forum. Thanks for your kindness and I'm sorry sandman, I didn't mean the LC was weak, but the ones I test drove didn't have much power due to lack of care. The quest for a good LC continues....

Thanks again!

 

[cruiserdan]

<<<<"Service intervals for the birfs has been a source of lively discussion on this forum. I did mine with 115k and I think that was too late. I had grease in my diff fluid and the birfs are worn and make a little noise when steering is at full lock and under load. I am saving for oem replacements for the next repack that I will do around 150k. Toyota recommends every 60k">>>>>>

Not exactly correct.

Toyota does not publish a Birfield service or a "knuckle job" interval. It it considered by them to be an as-needed repair as opposed to a maintainence procedure. The point can be argued at length as to who is right. The bulk of the available evidence suggests that inner axle seal life becomes a crap-shoot after about 60k miles.

 

[AnnoymousUser]

How can you tell if the brif is going out? Does it make a whine noise? One of the LC I test drove have this funny sound that sound like a loose timing chain. Any ideas?

How can you tell the differences on the grease from the brif and bearings from the long term stains from oil leak?

Thanks again guys!

 

[semlin]

it is difficult to reliably diagnose a birfield problem. Even if the housing looks ok, I strongly recommend you do this as preventative maintenance based on mileage alne. If it has not been done before I would do it after 80k. After 100k you are definitely gambling.

Birfields can fail either from the original grease going dry or from gear oil contamination from the inner axle diluting the grease. The latter is more common and usually pretty easy to see unless the vendor cleans up the knuckle. The proper grease is thick so anything oily or slimy on the outer knuckle ball and seals is a sign of contamination. A dry birf can be tough to spot because there is a plug on top of the knuckle housing that accepts replacement grease but this grease stays in the outer housing and lubes the seals but does not reach or replenish the birfield itself. If someone replenishes this grease in the outer housing regularly the seals and ball will look fine (greasy), but the birfield may run dry. This is what happened to me at 122k right after I bought the truck. My seals looked fine to me and my mechanic but my birfield cage actually broke during normal driving because there was no grease in there.

I would say that if you are buying an 80 in the 100,000 mile plus range you are gambling if you do not repack the birfs. You may not actually have birfield explode but the first symptom of a seriously failing birfield is a clicking noise during turns indicating metal on metal inside the birfield. Unfortunately, the clicking may be irreversible even if you repack it. Although a clicking birfield once repacked will probably run for a very long time, trust me when I tell you that this can be very annoying and difficult to live with. A new OEM birf is about US$500 and there is no good aftermarket source. If you are like most people, you will not spend this money until you have first at least tried repacking the clicking birf (and swapping sides).

What all this means is that even if you escape major damage to the birf, you might end up doing the birf job twice and spending an unnecessary US$500 unless you repack the birf before it starts clicking.

There are a few gamblers on this site and many 80s that people have bought that have made it into the mid 100's without a problem.

 

[lurker]

it is difficult to reliably diagnose a birfield problem. Even if the housing looks ok, I strongly recommend you do this as preventative maintenance based on mileage alne. If it has not been done before I would do it after 80k. After 100k you are definitely gambling.

Birfields can fail either from the original grease going dry or from gear oil contamination from the inner axle diluting the grease. The latter is more common and usually pretty easy to see unless the vendor cleans up the knuckle. The proper grease is thick so anything oily or slimy on the outer knuckle ball and seals is a sign of contamination. A dry birf can be tough to spot because there is a plug on top of the knuckle housing that accepts replacement grease but this grease stays in the outer housing and lubes the seals but does not reach or replenish the birfield itself. If someone replenishes this grease in the outer housing regularly the seals and ball will look fine (greasy), but the birfield may run dry. This is what happened to me at 122k right after I bought the truck. My seals looked fine to me and my mechanic but my birfield cage actually broke during normal driving because there was no grease in there.

I would say that if you are buying an 80 in the 100,000 mile plus range you are gambling if you do not repack the birfs. You may not actually have birfield explode but the first symptom of a seriously failing birfield is a clicking noise during turns indicating metal on metal inside the birfield. Unfortunately, the clicking may be irreversible even if you repack it. Although a clicking birfield once repacked will probably run for a very long time, trust me when I tell you that this can be very annoying and difficult to live with. A new OEM birf is about US$500 and there is no good aftermarket source. If you are like most people, you will not spend this money until you have first at least tried repacking the clicking birf (and swapping sides).

What all this means is that even if you escape major damage to the birf, you might end up doing the birf job twice and spending an unnecessary US$500 unless you repack the birf before it starts clicking.

There are a few gamblers on this site and many 80s that people have bought that have made it into the mid 100's without a problem.

I have a 83 LC with 240,000 miles and I don't have a clue what the PO did or didn't do with the birfields.

No clicking, but I do have a noticable whirling sound while driving upto 20 mph from the front end.

Maybe a birfield?

Anyone with a clue?

 

[landtank]

I have a 83 LC with 240,000 miles and I don't have a clue what the PO did or didn't do with the birfields.

An 83 would be a part time system and all bets are off when you start comparing need of service to that of an 80 series which is a full time system.

 

[e9999]

Welcome A-User. You sound very familiar to another forum member. My suggestion is to do a wide open search in the 80s forum with the only criteria being author = E9999. Start by reading his oldest post til the present. Once familiar with his saga you should be up to speed in what to expect and what else to obsess over.

eh!

E

 

[lurker]

An 83 would be a part time system and all bets are off when you start comparing need of service to that of an 80 series which is a full time system.

That would be a 93 as in 1993 FJZ80, the 83 was a typo.

 

[Gumby]

If you have 230k and have not serviced the axle seals, your whining might be from lack of axle oil, or toasted wheel bearings.