HZJ73 need to knows / necessary mods

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adonisdsa

adonisdsa

Joined
Mar 9, 2025
Threads
3
Messages
12
Location
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
hello all!

Finally took delivery of a 1997 HZJ73 a couple of weeks ago from Japan, it has 278,000 kms on it and it runs smooth. Just wanted to know what things I should look at first for maintenance.

And what things I should look to upgrade, I still want to keep it stock / in original condition.

IMG_0348.webp
 
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Welcome to the madness.
Nice truck.
Can you share a bit more on its history? Any maintenance records?

Usual first measures I would suggest:
- Get a factory service manual (FSM). There is the manual section here in the forum.
- Crawl under it.
... check k for anything suspicious: Corrosion, leaks, i.p. on the engine ..
... Inspect the undercarriage and fuel- and brake-hardlines for corrosion.
... Check front axle knuckles spheres: Should be covered in a light coat of grease. If a grayish mixture of grease and oil leaks, you are due for a knuckle job (search the forum to learn what that means).
- Check steering linkage/ suspension and swaybar bushings and tierod ends for excessive wear / play.
- Replace all fluids -all- (Coolant, engine oil & oil filter, diff oil, gearbox & transfer case oil, brake hydraulic fluid and clutch hydraulic fluid (also in the lines)).
--- Check levels before draining: Any excess or shortage?
--- Check the condition of the liquids drained: Sings for water in gear oils or oil in coolant?
--- Filter oils when draining and check magnetic plugs: Any signs of excessive wear or even debris?
- Do a grease job, including knuckles (square plugs on top).
- Replace fuel filter.
- Open brakes and check for wear and leakages. Replace and adjust as needed.
- Check wheels / wheel bearings for play and smooth rotation/ no grinding.
- Check / balance tires. Check wheel lugs and studs.
- Check for brittle hoses (all) and replace as needed.
- Open dash, remove side panels and
... check cavities for rust.
... check wiring harness for dodgy PO 'improvements'.
- Thighten all bolts and nuts on suspension as well as axle U-bolts.
- Check the axle and gearbox breathers for proper function.

- Test the vehicle systematically. Drive ut! Go from any findings.

Specific actions on the engine depend on its recent service history and any findings. No need to fix what's not broken, though.
1HZ engine?
At some point you should consider to open and inspect / grease the knuckles and wheel bearings, but this may be not that urgent, unless a knuckke job is due anyways.
Valve adjustment may also be advised at some point.
Have fun and enjoy your rig!
Ralf
 
I have a thread call “height of your 73” - would you mind adding the data for your truck? I’d be interested in seeing the set up, as it looks not as tall as many of the others. Thanks!
 
Other than things like seats (sometimes) or suspension (often) there isn't really anything to "upgrade". Keep your truck stock for reliability. Japanese trucks sort of have the rep of being scrupulously maintained, so you probably have that going for you. One common actual upgrade is headlights - Toyota makes a superior LED set up you can get easily. Don't ask the 1HZ to do things it wasn't meant to do, change the oil every 5K km's, etc. and you'll have a great vehicle for decades. To my eyes it looks like you have electronic hubs, and some people eventually swap those out for manuals. Others don't, and do just fine. You live pretty much in Land Cruiser heaven so there should be literally hundreds of mechanics and DIY guys around that know that truck inside and out.

I'm just curious why you imported a vehicle from Japan when you must have pretty limitless options in Australia.
 
Felde and TJ pretty well covered it. Brought a '97 JDM to the US a couple years ago myself. Definitely look into what electronics were added in Japan. Both my rigs had some questionable wiring and we seem to see that a lot in JDM rigs.

Look at your seals. Replaced a lot of mine mostly because those are the things I fear disappear first from the parts book.

Doubt there is much helpful stuff up in there... but here is the 'build' thread on my '97.

Builds - 97 HZJ73 - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/97-hzj73.1310057/
 
Felde said:
Welcome to the madness.
Nice truck.
Can you share a bit more on its history? Any maintenance records?

Usual first measures I would suggest:
- Get a factory service manual (FSM). There is the manual section here in the forum.
- Crawl under it.
... check k for anything suspicious: Corrosion, leaks, i.p. on the engine ..
... Inspect the undercarriage and fuel- and brake-hardlines for corrosion.
... Check front axle knuckles spheres: Should be covered in a light coat of grease. If a grayish mixture of grease and oil leaks, you are due for a knuckle job (search the forum to learn what that means).
- Check steering linkage/ suspension and swaybar bushings and tierod ends for excessive wear / play.
- Replace all fluids -all- (Coolant, engine oil & oil filter, diff oil, gearbox & transfer case oil, brake hydraulic fluid and clutch hydraulic fluid (also in the lines)).
--- Check levels before draining: Any excess or shortage?
--- Check the condition of the liquids drained: Sings for water in gear oils or oil in coolant?
--- Filter oils when draining and check magnetic plugs: Any signs of excessive wear or even debris?
- Do a grease job, including knuckles (square plugs on top).
- Replace fuel filter.
- Open brakes and check for wear and leakages. Replace and adjust as needed.
- Check wheels / wheel bearings for play and smooth rotation/ no grinding.
- Check / balance tires. Check wheel lugs and studs.
- Check for brittle hoses (all) and replace as needed.
- Open dash, remove side panels and
... check cavities for rust.
... check wiring harness for dodgy PO 'improvements'.
- Thighten all bolts and nuts on suspension as well as axle U-bolts.
- Check the axle and gearbox breathers for proper function.

- Test the vehicle systematically. Drive ut! Go from any findings.

Specific actions on the engine depend on its recent service history and any findings. No need to fix what's not broken, though.
1HZ engine?
At some point you should consider to open and inspect / grease the knuckles and wheel bearings, but this may be not that urgent, unless a knuckke job is due anyways.
Valve adjustment may also be advised at some point.
Have fun and enjoy your rig!
Ralf
Click to expand...
Hey Ralf,

don't have much to go on in terms of maintenance history, was purchased through a dealer in japan and there's sadly no service manual that was provided.

Only things I have had done on it since it touched down in AU was whole new leaf spring suspension system put in as the original was rusty and cracked.

And the tie end rods were pretty much seized - so got that removed and replaced.

I've just been driving it over the past couple of weeks to get a feel for it - and looking to get a first service done so I'll definitely keep all of this in mind!!
 
Tennessee Jed said:
Other than things like seats (sometimes) or suspension (often) there isn't really anything to "upgrade". Keep your truck stock for reliability. Japanese trucks sort of have the rep of being scrupulously maintained, so you probably have that going for you. One common actual upgrade is headlights - Toyota makes a superior LED set up you can get easily. Don't ask the 1HZ to do things it wasn't meant to do, change the oil every 5K km's, etc. and you'll have a great vehicle for decades. To my eyes it looks like you have electronic hubs, and some people eventually swap those out for manuals. Others don't, and do just fine. You live pretty much in Land Cruiser heaven so there should be literally hundreds of mechanics and DIY guys around that know that truck inside and out.

I'm just curious why you imported a vehicle from Japan when you must have pretty limitless options in Australia.
Click to expand...
Yeepp! seats might need a look at some point - the foam in them aren't as cushiony as they probably once used to be! Although the actual fabric looks like it's holding up pretty well!

Oh yeah there's endless selection here! Just wanted to change it up and stand out from the crowd ;)
 
Guyute said:
Felde and TJ pretty well covered it. Brought a '97 JDM to the US a couple years ago myself. Definitely look into what electronics were added in Japan. Both my rigs had some questionable wiring and we seem to see that a lot in JDM rigs.

Look at your seals. Replaced a lot of mine mostly because those are the things I fear disappear first from the parts book.

Doubt there is much helpful stuff up in there... but here is the 'build' thread on my '97.

Builds - 97 HZJ73 - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/97-hzj73.1310057/
Click to expand...
Yeah looks like they butchered the wiring when they had fitted the head unit in Japan so took a bit to fit a new one here in AUS.

They also added an aftermarket LED kit so will most likely swap that out at some point as well
 
adonisdsa said:
And what things I should look to upgrade, I still want to keep it stock / in original condition.
Click to expand...
Either you keep it original, or you upgrade. You can't do both.

The only upgrades I would do would be headlights and suspension. And a manual transmission if it came with an auto.

I'd personally also put it back to its original colour, and check if that paint job is hiding anything nasty.

Replace what is needed, use only genuine parts.
 
Tennessee Jed said:
Other than things like seats (sometimes) or suspension (often) there isn't really anything to "upgrade". Keep your truck stock for reliability. Japanese trucks sort of have the rep of being scrupulously maintained, so you probably have that going for you. One common actual upgrade is headlights - Toyota makes a superior LED set up you can get easily. Don't ask the 1HZ to do things it wasn't meant to do, change the oil every 5K km's, etc. and you'll have a great vehicle for decades. To my eyes it looks like you have electronic hubs, and some people eventually swap those out for manuals. Others don't, and do just fine. You live pretty much in Land Cruiser heaven so there should be literally hundreds of mechanics and DIY guys around that know that truck inside and out.

I'm just curious why you imported a vehicle from Japan when you must have pretty limitless options in Australia.
Click to expand...
HZJ73 is Europe and Japan only , KZJ73 was Europe only even . The MWB models only went to certain markets
 
joekatana said:
HZJ73 is Europe and Japan only , KZJ73 was Europe only even . The MWB models only went to certain markets
Click to expand...
The HZJ73 was sold in Australia in 1990/91, models HZJ73RV-MNQ and HZJ73RV-PNQ (manual and auto versions respectively). The Q at the end of the model code signifies Australian market.
 
Eurasiaoverland said:
The HZJ73 was sold in Australia in 1990/91, models HZJ73RV-MNQ and HZJ73RV-PNQ (manual and auto versions respectively). The Q at the end of the model code signifies Australian market.
Click to expand...
Is this from a internet page or did you actually see some as I have only seen ex jdm hzj73’s in Auss ?
 
Eurasiaoverland said:
The HZJ73 was sold in Australia in 1990/91, models HZJ73RV-MNQ and HZJ73RV-PNQ (manual and auto versions respectively). The Q at the end of the model code signifies Australian market.
Click to expand...

Hello,

A few were sold in Australia before Toyota focused on the 75 Series. The long wheelbase models were better suited (and more profitable) for that market.

One or two of them have appeared in 'Mud in the past. I remember reading that the owner of one of them sold it and then dealt with the new owner's delay in updating the registration data.

I guess it is a situation where there are very few surviving examples. Those available for sale are scarce, while the rest are firmly attached to their owners.






Juan
 
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joekatana said:
Is this from a internet page or did you actually see some as I have only seen ex jdm hzj73’s in Auss ?
Click to expand...
From the Toyota model/parts database. I've never seen one in person, but then I've never lived in Australia and it's not a model I've ever wanted to buy, or buy parts from, so that does not mean much. But Australian market models have come up occasionally in the Australia-based MWB Land Cruiser FB group. They are acknowledged there as being rare, so I guess very few were sold.
 
Eurasiaoverland said:
From the Toyota model/parts database. I've never seen one in person, but then I've never lived in Australia and it's not a model I've ever wanted to buy, or buy parts from, so that does not mean much. But Australian market models have come up occasionally in the Australia-based MWB Land Cruiser FB group. They are acknowledged there as being rare, so I guess very few were sold.
Click to expand...
It’s only the most versatile 7x ever made with the most reliable drivetrain ever offered by toyota . I am driving middies since the early 90’s
 
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