How light can you get an 80 series? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter woytovich
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BlueCruiser84
SILVER Star
This 80 still weighed 4800lbs with me in it (I weigh 170). That’s not even a full cage and the floor of the bed is plywood. Winch, 37s, fj cruiser wheels, aftermarket manual seats, no carpet, no AC, no abs...
Unless you go full buggy I’m not sure how much lighter you could make it.
Unless you go full buggy I’m not sure how much lighter you could make it.
whitey45
SILVER Star
My Pork:
4300ish with sides n tailgate.
4200ish with them removed.
8000lbs Sugga bodied 80series redheaded stepbro project,......
4300ish with sides n tailgate.
4200ish with them removed.
8000lbs Sugga bodied 80series redheaded stepbro project,......
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Volvo Sugga "the Sow" speedo is a thing of beauty:
for an 80...... 4000lbs is doable on 35s with spare/winch/ and a b-pillar 2" dom hoop.
The 1fz/a442 is a beast at 4200lbs. turns 35s with stock gears real well. most of the weight comes off the rear so for a dedicated trail rig youd need to shift fuel/ dual batteries/ winch and B/C hoops/cage rearwards to get suspension to flex and get back to 50/50 weight ratio.
front of my fzj55 lost 6" of length/overhang......and rear lost 15" of rear frame/crossmember overhang. so 21" shorter than stock.
The 1fz/a442 is a beast at 4200lbs. turns 35s with stock gears real well. most of the weight comes off the rear so for a dedicated trail rig youd need to shift fuel/ dual batteries/ winch and B/C hoops/cage rearwards to get suspension to flex and get back to 50/50 weight ratio.
front of my fzj55 lost 6" of length/overhang......and rear lost 15" of rear frame/crossmember overhang. so 21" shorter than stock.
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- Thread starter
- #9
Wow... Soooo cool
I tried REALLY hard to keep this one under 4000lbs when I built it, but eventually the weight just adds up. I ended up about 4300lbs with my normal load out. With me and gear for a long trip it is more like 4900lbs. This is a 1996 LX450 chassis, 2013 GM LC9 Aluminum block 5.3 engine, 6l80E automatic, Land Rover LT230 transfer case, 40" tires on aluminum beadlocks, etc.
If I stripped all the extra stuff out.....tools, parts, the thick rubber barn floor mats, took all the window panels out and left them at home, removed the drawer under the bed for the upper part of the doors, pulled the 1/4" thick 6061-T6 belly pan, etc. I might be able to get it under 4K
I can say, that at 4300-4500lbs it is EXTREMELY capable and doesn't really feel like it needs to be lighter.
- Thread starter
- #14
the point of an 80 would be that its very driveable vs needing to tow. if you are going to want to tow something.......you might as well start with a better platform than an 80....ie lighter, more flex etc.
all of the downsides of the 80 as a trail rig is what makes it so good onroad and an all around versitile rig, once you decide to tow.......you d be better off getting something that simply doesnt have all the shortcomings of the 80 as a trail rig to start with -and will be lighter and easier to tow.
for a tacoma.....towing something like a built Sammie would be much more ideal. (lighter/cheaper to build stronger and more capable etc.
Or.....lighten up an 80 to 4300lb pickup/tow rig......and tow a lightweight built taco with it
It sounds like you already have a nice tacoma double cab (too nice to chop up)--and maybe a beater 80 that you arent sure what to do with, My guess is given the prices of even beater 80s......youd be better off offloading it and putting that money into a Sammie/truggy/or other built trail taco as an easier load to tow with your tacoma.
OR- just get a cheap Cummins or Tundra based tow rig........and tow whatever u want to build and run on the trails vs using a tacoma as a tow rig and really sorta starting behind the 8-ball.
all of the downsides of the 80 as a trail rig is what makes it so good onroad and an all around versitile rig, once you decide to tow.......you d be better off getting something that simply doesnt have all the shortcomings of the 80 as a trail rig to start with -and will be lighter and easier to tow.
for a tacoma.....towing something like a built Sammie would be much more ideal. (lighter/cheaper to build stronger and more capable etc.
Or.....lighten up an 80 to 4300lb pickup/tow rig......and tow a lightweight built taco with it
It sounds like you already have a nice tacoma double cab (too nice to chop up)--and maybe a beater 80 that you arent sure what to do with, My guess is given the prices of even beater 80s......youd be better off offloading it and putting that money into a Sammie/truggy/or other built trail taco as an easier load to tow with your tacoma.
OR- just get a cheap Cummins or Tundra based tow rig........and tow whatever u want to build and run on the trails vs using a tacoma as a tow rig and really sorta starting behind the 8-ball.
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- Thread starter
- #16
No I don't own a Tacoma or an 80 series. Currently I tow my somewhat built fj60 with a Yukon XL, as seen in my signature line. I'm considering swapping all that out for a tow rig, Toyota, that can be an expedition vehicle as well.I considered the tundra as the tow rig/expedition vehicle but I'm a little afraid it's too big to take into anything other than wide trails.
In any case other than a tundra I would need a very light trailer and Wheeling rig.
In any case other than a tundra I would need a very light trailer and Wheeling rig.
Tank5
SILVER Star
I had a 2009 Tundra that was my daily driver and tow rig. I felt like it was too big to take to some of the places I like to go. I sold it and bought an 80 series with a 6bt Cummins in it. It towes well enough for my needs and gets better mileage than the Tundra did. It may not be practical for everyone but it fit my needs well. Down side is you can't just go get a Cummins 80 from a dealer.
well i like Toyotas. so unless your 60 is pink and has an american engine in it......i would start by keeping your 60series Toyota.
a built 80 isnt going to be markedly better than your built 60. and just like you can make an 80 4000lbs trail only,l.....you can do about the same with a 60. If a 60 isnt working for you as a trail only rig....an 80 isnt going to work much differently.
Yukon is a tad short for a tow rig.....and its not diesel. So that would be where id start. Sell the puke-on and dump those $ straight into a proper cummins based tow rig. Get much better mileage - pull hills - and stop well - and most importantly tow safely.
-then if your 60 is fairly uncut and clean- and you dont need a 4 door family load carrying trailability of a full sized rig......you might consider what the options are if you can get good $ for your 60 and want to get into something "toyota/2seater" that is more trail only.
for most people.....55/60/80 4 doors and added capacity are about "trailing" with family and stuff to the trail.... while the smaller Toyotas are about loading all that stuff into your tow rig and doing trails from your basecamp tow rig point- ala toss everyone and everything in the Cummins and head to Moab with your trail ride in tow.
deciding how much of a hillbilly you are and if you need to carry a smoker -6shotguns and 6 kids from 3 sister wives usually dictates what kind of trail rig u need.
a built 80 isnt going to be markedly better than your built 60. and just like you can make an 80 4000lbs trail only,l.....you can do about the same with a 60. If a 60 isnt working for you as a trail only rig....an 80 isnt going to work much differently.
Yukon is a tad short for a tow rig.....and its not diesel. So that would be where id start. Sell the puke-on and dump those $ straight into a proper cummins based tow rig. Get much better mileage - pull hills - and stop well - and most importantly tow safely.
-then if your 60 is fairly uncut and clean- and you dont need a 4 door family load carrying trailability of a full sized rig......you might consider what the options are if you can get good $ for your 60 and want to get into something "toyota/2seater" that is more trail only.
for most people.....55/60/80 4 doors and added capacity are about "trailing" with family and stuff to the trail.... while the smaller Toyotas are about loading all that stuff into your tow rig and doing trails from your basecamp tow rig point- ala toss everyone and everything in the Cummins and head to Moab with your trail ride in tow.
deciding how much of a hillbilly you are and if you need to carry a smoker -6shotguns and 6 kids from 3 sister wives usually dictates what kind of trail rig u need.
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or just sell all your rigs and get an f40 Cherokee and head to Costco and "load er up"
or just bite the bullit and go all-in-one...........Rockwells RV'n :
or just bite the bullit and go all-in-one...........Rockwells RV'n :
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