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

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Lots of good stuff here. I have a couple of questions...

1) Lots of people say they would have put 37s on their rig right out of the gate. I am curious what you guys are using your LCfor that you want such big tires, and how much lift do you need to accommodate them?

2) Several people have said they would not buy the EMS exahaust. What would you buy instead?

3) What are sliders?

Sliders go where your running boards normally would go. But they are heavy steel to protect your rockers from getting damaged by rocks when you slammed in to them on a trail.
 
Lots of good stuff here. I have a couple of questions...

1) Lots of people say they would have put 37s on their rig right out of the gate. I am curious what you guys are using your LCfor that you want such big tires, and how much lift do you need to accommodate them?

2) Several people have said they would not buy the EMS exahaust. What would you buy instead?

3) What are sliders?
1) I would'nt go to 37's out of the gate, 33's sure, I would recommend 35's. It purely revolves on what you are trying to roll over.
2) EMS is dead, why the need for exhaust replacement?
3) Like mentioned they protect your rockers from ummmm rocks, rockers (thin metal under your doors are thin metal and expensive to fix0
 
I've been thinking a lot lately about the 861/862 combo and a body lift like @GW Nugget used to run. And I wish I had bought 17's and done 285/75/17. Really want to keep the spare under the truck. Maybe I'll cut out my crossmember and weld up something with a little more room for a 315 spare.
 
Lots of good stuff here. I have a couple of questions...

3) What are sliders?

These are sliders. Key is to enjoy them with a beer.

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1. I would've joined MUD a long time ago.
2. After messing up our first 80, I would have only Toyota or Slee do my mechanical work.
3. on LC 2 and 3, we did spend more money for a better rig. My wife's LC is in pristine condition, but we paid dearly for it. Something I don't regret.
4. kept up on preventative maintenance more often. now on LC 2 and 3, we're doing just that.
5. Baseline any old/used machine we buy. I spent 7k the last few months having Slee baseline everything underneath, in the months to come, I'll have the engine tightened up a bit too.
6. Locate and find a supercharger. Should've gotten one a while back. I'm trying to convince slee to do the turbo version they had a while back.
 
I would have got something with a diesel or v8. maybe an 80s body style blazer with A/C and a diesel. I would remove the axles and transfer case and replace them with the parts from a cucv truck. 14 bolt rear and dana 60 front... I love my 80 but its just lacking in some areas... the engine was a really bad idea...
 
If I were to do it all over again I'd choose a different platform. Unless you find a pristine 80 that has been properly maintained they are getting just too expensive to maintain at this point. And parts harder to find. That said my only regrets building mine are:

Not going straight to a 4" suspension with good shocks
Not Supercharging it when they were available
Not buying a shortbus bumper vs ARB
Not buying something else to DD sooner rather than mile up my 80.
 
If I was to do it all over again... wait... I did! More than once!
When I bought my second 80 I did buy a higher priced rig that was much cleaner than my first one. Immediately had the seats reupholstered. I tried to keep it simple, 285's, 2.5" lift, ARB front bumper, winch, and sliders is all I really wanted. That quickly morphed as I kept pushing myself further and further away from society into more remote areas. Tube bumper, 4" lift, 37's, 4:88, aussie locker, and more and more stuff... It is difficult to find a platform that is a do all vehicle, but for my needs the 80 suits most of them.

Yes, a mild modded 80 can go MOST of the places I go. But I do it much more easily, with less stress on the truck and me.
 
No regrets, really. Sure, as the 80 ages, parts are going to be harder to get. Maybe some strategic replacement part purchases are on the horizon as I have no intention of getting rid of mine. Mine's in a state of being both a good daily driver and also a good vehicle for moderate offroading and out-of-the way camping needs. I'm probably done with the days of seeing how far I can push it into more and more extreme offroad situations - it's more than capable of my needs there anymore.

Simple, reliable and fun are all I'm after today.
 
1) I would'nt go to 37's out of the gate, 33's sure, I would recommend 35's. It purely revolves on what you are trying to roll over.
2) EMS is dead, why the need for exhaust replacement?
3) Like mentioned they protect your rockers from ummmm rocks, rockers (thin metal under your doors are thin metal and expensive to fix0

Thanks. I get the feeling that most of the guys who put 37's on their rigs are into mud and hardcore rock crawling? The only reason I would go taller is for deep snow. I am going to be taking it up to Tonasket this weekend, so I will get a good idea of what it can handle.

As far as needing exhaust, l do not...l just noticed a trend, so l thought l would ask, in case l need it down the road.
 
Stuck with the first set of 285 ATs I put on. I got caught up in mud tires and wanting bigger. Went quickly to 255 Muds and then eventually back to 285 ATs. With a winch and lockers I just think Muds got me into more trouble than I really needed.

This is good to know. 285 AT's are what l have on my rig l just bought
 
I have somewhat abandoned "building" my current 80, as it serves me too well as a DD, so in that role the winters are very hard on things around here despite lots of rinsing and fluid film.

That said I am looking casually for a good clean body, and decent int 80 from a dry place that is not suffering from the landcruiser badge / Hippster tax to much to procure and park in the shop and do something along the lines of what Citadel did with his 80 project, though maybe not quite to that extreme, as mine would be a DD in all but the heart of winter.

Would be very similar build to what I have now over all just done with better parts and less cobbled and hacked together and cleaner, would likely build the same drawer and attic rack set up, would put in a set of Harrop's on a factory switch, if not factory locked, and for sure add some modern touch screen entertainment, with heated seats (wife loves them rides around in july with them ON). A diesel swap is very intriguing to me, but likely not practical at all......
 
I have somewhat abandoned "building" my current 80, as it serves me too well as a DD, so in that role the winters are very hard on things around here despite lots of rinsing and fluid film.

That said I am looking casually for a good clean body, and decent int 80 from a dry place that is not suffering from the landcruiser badge / Hippster tax to much to procure and park in the shop and do something along the lines of what Citadel did with his 80 project, though maybe not quite to that extreme, as mine would be a DD in all but the heart of winter.

Would be very similar build to what I have now over all just done with better parts and less cobbled and hacked together and cleaner, would likely build the same drawer and attic rack set up, would put in a set of Harrop's on a factory switch, if not factory locked, and for sure add some modern touch screen entertainment, with heated seats (wife loves them rides around in july with them ON). A diesel swap is very intriguing to me, but likely not practical at all......


$1500 body and frame!

Body Tub + Frame No Rust 1994 Toyota Land Cruiser | eBay
 
Lots of good stuff here. I have a couple of questions...

1) Lots of people say they would have put 37s on their rig right out of the gate. I am curious what you guys are using your LCfor that you want such big tires, and how much lift do you need to accommodate them?

2) Several people have said they would not buy the EMS exahaust. What would you buy instead?

3) What are sliders?

2) 80 Series Stainless Exhaust
 
The 80 Series came with stainless exhaust from the factory. If the PO washed it a couple of times a winter it should be in decent shape.

Most are ruined because of not washing or banging on rocks. The 95-97 hang below the frame and get beat up. 91-94 tuck up above the frame. Both my 92s and my 93 are original. Look like new.
 
Hindsight is 20/20 so, yes, their are things I would do differently if I were to start over but then the journey wouldn't be what it's been. Knowing what I know now, I would go directly to a 4' lift using dual rate coils and 37's rather than playing musical springs and wasting time and money on 35's.
Over the past few months I have contemplated doing a 3 link front suspension because most of my wheeling is rock crawling. This is a huge consideration and very involved and time consuming not to mention spendy and most of all permanent. The 80 does most all I ask it to do quite easily even if I do lift a front wheel once in a while. I keep reminding myself why I sold my last trailer queen and moved into an 80; it's the most versatile and arguably reliable and durable vehicle in it's class to ever roll over American soil and it keeps proving this to me trip after trip. So, I have to ask myself, do I really need a 3 link? No. The want is harder to control though especially now that a couple of our more R&D oriented members have proven that there is a way to incorporate anti-rock sway bars at both ends.

Oh yeah, and I would remember to mix the can of catalyst into my first one gallon coat of Monstaliner. Imagine my surprise when I went to mix up the second gallon and there sits two cans of catalyst. I hope the neighbors didn't hear me. It seems to be holding up despite my mistake. Perhaps catalyst from the second coat was able to affect the first coat.
 
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