If I was to start all over again, I would...

[Dokken]

If I had to start over I would completely pull the engine out and do every hose, gasket, o-ring, replace old nuts and bolts with new ones, New main seal, belts, filters, spark plugs, emissions deleted, mill the head for better compression, and lastly use ARP head studs.

 

[TexasJack]

I bought mine in 1997 and I didn't know a locking differential from an oil can. I had noted on the news channels how the reporters all loved the LandCruisers for their off-road prowess and decided I needed one for a hunting rig / daily driver.

I drove it stock from 1997 till 2010 when I joined Lone Star LandCruisers. I put most of my after market stuff on in 2010/2011. It would have been nice to know in 1997 what I know now. I would have gone to many more interesting places during that time frame and probably would have avoided sticking my truck in the mud several times!

 

[JCruse]

What "costly mistake"?

Well... I haven't finished mine yet, but my dual battery/solar hookup/three way switch/Auxiliary fuse box project won't be finished for a couple more days, but I'll let you know how costly it gets.

Word on the street says the odds are 3 to 1 that a fire will be involved.

 

[TZ62]

I'd keep it as simple as possible:
- quality shocks/springs to handle the heavy loads and give some lift without all the tweaks needed for a big lift
- maximum 33" BFG AT's which do great on and off road
- rip off the running boards and the flares
- not add fender bars
- find one with minimal electronics, like my old 60 series
- not obsess/worry over every rattle and squeak as I roll along the trail
- more time driving, less time tinkering

 

[onedaatmc]

I'd keep it as simple as possible:
- quality shocks/springs to handle the heavy loads and give some lift without all the tweaks needed for a big lift
- maximum 33" BFG AT's which do great on and off road
- rip off the running boards and the flares
- not add fender bars
- find one with minimal electronics, like my old 60 series
- not obsess/worry over every rattle and squeak as I roll along the trail
- more time driving, less time tinkering

Yeah I agree ! ... my last yota I lifted 5.5 " , 5:29's, lockers F/R, Marlin 4.7 Tcase, 36's Downey header, custom chrome moly driveshafts, yada yada yada..............That's why when I got this LX .... I thought .... Phuck that... do as minimal as possible and just enjoy it ...

 

[ReformedJeeper]

I'm on 37s, 4.88s, marlin t case gears, custom bumpers, ipor skid plate, Sliders, 6 inch lift, bilstein 7100 shocks, factory elockers.

I would have installed offroad and rock lights much sooner. Seeing at night is great!

Know the limitations of the 80. I ended up buying a 1st gen 4runner that I'm turning into a rock crawler. If you want to run the hard trails in the 80 it can be done, but it's messy and difficult due to the lack of low gearing options.

If I had to do it all over again, I'd put a 2.5 inch OME lift or no lift, get 35s and cut whatever needs to be cut to make them fit. The lockers let you get away with not having excessive flex. 80 is a great all around rig with 3 rows of seating. I would have just planned on having 2 trucks from the get go, and not building the 80 up so much to try and rock crawl. It's poorly suited for that task mainly due to the lack of truly low gearing.

 

[NLScooby]

I'm looking at an 80 and am glad I found this thread! A lot to think about...

 

[onedaatmc]

I'm looking at an 80 and am glad I found this thread! A lot to think about...

I've had 3 built trucks in the past ( 89 yota , 5:29's, 6" lift, locked front / rear, Marlin 4.7 t case, 36's, etc. , 98 8" Lifted, Chevy 4:88's, 38's, rear locker, 86 K20 6" lifted Diesel suburban , full floaters, 5:13's, 36 swampers) ... but none of those wheel like my now stock 80 ... It blows my mind after all those $$$$ and modifying those other rigs , how my stock as a rock lx450 ( 80 ) ... does everything I want it too, with out batting an eye ! I know alot of folks build them , but they are Bad A$$ right from the factory ! I couldn't be happier ! Good luck on your decision , but pick an 80 up , you'll be way happy !!!

 

[socallove]

Yep, my 80 did everything my 98 civic did, love it!!! But I do miss the 33mpg.

 

[NLScooby]

I've had 3 built trucks in the past ( 89 yota , 5:29's, 6" lift, locked front / rear, Marlin 4.7 t case, 36's, etc. , 98 8" Lifted, Chevy 4:88's, 38's, rear locker, 86 K20 6" lifted Diesel suburban , full floaters, 5:13's, 36 swampers) ... but none of those wheel like my now stock 80 ... It blows my mind after all those $$$$ and modifying those other rigs , how my stock as a rock lx450 ( 80 ) ... does everything I want it too, with out batting an eye ! I know alot of folks build them , but they are Bad A$$ right from the factory ! I couldn't be happier ! Good luck on your decision , but pick an 80 up , you'll be way happy !!!

Thanks for the encouragement! There are definitely a few modifications I'll want to make, but my budget (wife) doesn't share my enthusiasm for vehicles and it's great to know I can still enjoy the truck without spending a fortune. I've already done that on some other rigs...(pre-wife/kids) and we have a nice 200 series as the family hauler that I'm worried about altering it with mods to the point of changing its dreamy drivability and comfort.

 

[outfitter taco]

Having owned Land cruisers for 10 years, this is what I've learned.
-Be patient and find one with service history and rust free
-For my application, don't fiddle with a gas engine. Buy a factory 80 with 1hdt
-I always wanted a 70 series, bought one, modded it to work in today's highways and roads. More often than not, I drive the 80. The 70 is fun, but the 80 is way more comfortable, just as capable and roomier. I end up using it WAY more. Both are sitting in the driveway, and the 70 sits way more
-Upgrade the turbo with a Gturbo, installed an intercooler, auto trans vavle body, straight pipe, gauges, Espar, moderate OME lift, roof rack, drawers and a fridge.
-i dont do any rockcrawling, so no real need for protection, but i have a front bumper - more for deer strikes
-the upgraded turbo and intercooler, as well as the valve body, allow me to maintain 110km/h all day long. No matter the grade and load in the truck (I pull a drift boat). Low EGT's and water temps
-I get 19-20 mpg unloaded at that speed, and pulling I get 13-14mpg
-I'm currently running 315s, put will go to 255s when these wear out
-baseline all fluids and oil change religiously with OEM filters, fuel filters too
-dont be scared of right hand drive. It literally takes two block of road to figure it out. The only time it is a moderate inconvenience is when at the drive thru, or when passing vehicles without a passenger.

 

[Hilndr1701]

At the moment I have a 3" or 4" lift with 315s. If I were to do it over I would get a 2" lift with 33s. Everything I had to spend extra money on was in direct correlation to the larger lift and tires. Going up hills and in the wind is a pain in the rear and I think the smaller tires would have helped with power and gas mileage. Plus I could have used the extra money on more PM and less headaches. Don't get me wrong though, I still love the way it looks and handles off road but I think it would have been better a little lower with smaller tires.

 

[richardlillard1]

Having owned Land cruisers for 10 years, this is what I've learned.
-Be patient and find one with service history

Mine had that little sticker on the windshield from the last oil change, does that count?

 

[landcrshr]

Not counting the initial lift and tires, I first added the winch/bumper, then the locker, and most recently the OBA.

Considering the frequency with which I use each of these, I'm thinking my priorities may have been a little backwards.

Going way back though, I would have never started with a flat fenderd Heep. That thing took all my money and gave back NOTHING in return. I bought my first Toyota 4WD new in '94 and never looked back. I still drive that pickup every day, but the maintenance has been lacking ever since I got the Cruiser in '09. I guess that's something else I should have done differently, I should have done the work on the pickup before ever buying the 80!

 

[Box Rocket]

I'm on my second 80 and I did most of my "learning" on the first one. My first truck was unlocked and eventually got an aussie locker. I went through a few different suspension setups.

Doing it again on the second cruiser the only real change was starting with a truck with factory lockers. As for mods, I'd start with sliders instead of a lift/tires. Like someone else mentioned I'd have bought a welder much sooner.
I would have gone for 37's but the 35's are probably better suited for how I use the truck most.
Stick with OEM parts for most things.

Everyone's goal for their 80 is a bit different. Some guys are more hardcore rock hounds, others stick to more exploration stuff. IMO, the best all-around 80 setup is a 4-5" lift, 35's, 4.88's, lockers, bumpers, sliders, winch. It's a setup that is still very street friendly and big enough to still tackle most rock trails but not so big that it's tougher to use on the road or on the overland trips. I think 37's are still acceptable on an all-around rig but beyond that the bigger tires just aren't ideal for the stuff other than the rocks and you end up changing stuff enough to work with the big tires that you start having to be more concerned about maintenance and reliability. If you set up the truck smaller on 33's or less, it may work great on the road and for the mild exploration but you start to get limited if you venture into the hard stuff. So that's why I think the rig I described is the way to go for anyone looking to build an all-around wheeler.

I'm making a slight edit to my "ideal" setup that I posted earlier. Since making that post I've changed suspension and went from ~5" of lift down to about 3.5" with no change in tire size etc. The lower ride height is all around better IMO. The only potential drawback here is a bit less clearance at the rock sliders, but otherwise I'm much happier from a performance standpoint. I love the look of big 80s with big lifts and big tires but for real-world use for the majority of us I think a more modest size lift is prefereable, especially when you can still run decent sized tires.

 

[paladek]

I would have bought a new Taco or Runner instead ....????!!!!!...I just have to admit it......

 

[TexasJack]

I'm making a slight edit to my "ideal" setup that I posted earlier. Since making that post I've changed suspension and went from ~5" of lift down to about 3.5" with no change in tire size etc. The lower ride height is all around better IMO. The only potential drawback here is a bit less clearance at the rock sliders, but otherwise I'm much happier from a performance standpoint. I love the look of big 80s with big lifts and big tires but for real-world use for the majority of us I think a more modest size lift is prefereable, especially when you can still run decent sized tires.

I agree. I run 35s on a Slee heavy 4 inch lift. Just enough lift and just enough tire. Not tippy at all but anymore and it would be.

 

[retrofive]

I agree. I run 35s on a Slee heavy 4 inch lift. Just enough lift and just enough tire. Not tippy at all but anymore and it would be.

Yup on both account. 35's and 3.5-4" lift seems to be a sweet spot for an 80 IMHO.

 

[LINUS]

Yup on both account. 35's and 3.5-4" lift seems to be a sweet spot for an 80 IMHO.

Agree.

The Slee 4" coils & 315's are what is on my black "latte wagon" & I've been there / done the 5.29's & 37"+ Intercos on the Lexus. If I kept it long-term, I bet a set of Longfields & - few other goods would have robbed my wallet.

I only gripe about my OME shocks, may change to King at some point but bottom line the 3.5-4" lift & 315's seems the sweet spot if you still want ro run 65-70 MPH down a highway.

That said, it's pretty cool what my locked 40th does & all it has is ~285's BFG new gen AT''s - no winch so I just run logging / DNR roads mainly but there's something to be said for doing 5-10K of experience before going nuts on lift & big rubber.

More than 3" lift & you're doing alot of correction parts, let alone the 3rd member gears for that league of rubber.

 

[GW Nugget]

I agree on the 4" lift, but it also can be achieved through a 3" suspension & a 1 " body lift. Staying at 3" or below avoids the all the extra costs to prevent vibrations. Also running a 1" body lift will allow one to run without bump stop exstension allowing that needed uptravel in the front with 315s.