Is lockers worth buying if only mild offroading? (1 Viewer)

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South Point, OH
Supposed to pick up my first Cruiser this week--97LX450 actually. Anyway, its low miles and in mint condition..BUT, it doesnt have the heavily talked about OEM Lockers F&R. So, for someone like me who may do some mild off-roading but nothing too serious, is the factory setup without lockers good enough? Or, would you (if you were me) hold out for a low mileage Cruiser w/lockers (which is like hitting the lottery it seams)? I am a newbie, so forgive me but I dont want to make a big financial decision to backfire on me down the road. Because this vehicle has very low miles and is in perfect condition, I really dont see myself rockcrawling anytime soon. But, I may do some mild trails and such. And, I may down the road decide to add some lockers possibily as it gets more miles and less "perfect". Bottom line, its easy to find a cruiser (expecially a LX450) w/ really low miles and in near perfect condition but with NO LOCKERS. So, is it worth getting one like these w/out the lockers and add aftermarker later, or get one w/ 50-75K more miles and fair condition w/lockers? I have done some searches and it appears that most everyone in this forum swears by the lockers even if you only use them occasionally. SO, am I making a HUGE mistake here? HELPPPPPPPP! :frown:
 
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Lockers are awesome....but cruisers w/out them are also awesome. For the use you describe, you won't need lockers. If some day you decide that you need lockers, and ARB selectable locker is available. You'll need lots of mods before the locker though (suspension, tires, etc.)

Buy cruiser, drive cruiser, be happy. Locker envy, not good. Cruiser karma, very good.
 
paulphilly said:
Supposed to pick up my first Cruiser this week--97LX450 actually. Anyway, its low miles and in mint condition..BUT, it doesnt have the heavily talked about OEM Lockers F&R. So, for someone like me who may do some mild off-roading but nothing too serious, is the factory setup without lockers good enough? Or, would you (if you were me) hold out for a low mileage Cruiser w/lockers (which is like hitting the lottery it seams)? I am a newbie, so forgive me but I dont want to make a big financial decision to backfire on me down the road. Because this vehicle has very low miles and is in perfect condition, I really dont see myself rockcrawling anytime soon. But, I may do some mild trails and such. And, I may down the road decide to add some lockers possibily as it gets more miles and less "perfect". Bottom line, its easy to find a cruiser (expecially a LX450) w/ really low miles and in near perfect condition but with NO LOCKERS. So, is it worth getting one like these w/out the lockers and add aftermarker later, or get one w/ 50-75K more miles and fair condition w/lockers? I have done some searches and it appears that most everyone in this forum swears by the lockers even if you only use them occasionally. SO, am I making a HUGE mistake here? HELPPPPPPPP! :frown:

In a word...no. For mild off roading you will be just fine. Want some proof? This is my stock - no lift, stock tires - at Lone Star Land Cruiser's Roundup in Katemcy, Texas back in March. I plan on doing the same thing at ICBM in September. Oh I did take off the running boards. :D Have fun...no worries!
 
YES. I don't plan to wheel my 80 and I would have never ever considered buying one without lockers. Now I have wheeled the 80 alittle but never had to use the lockers. Well except the time I burried it to the frame in the mud with slick street tires just to see what lockers could do and you better believe the lockers pulled me out, well with alot of rocking. Any 80 is nice to have but IMO the 40th is the one to have, just because of it is a way to stand apart from other 80s. Or the LX450 for the same reason.
 
You're not making a mistake. Get the LX 450 you're looking at. Don't sweat not having lockers.
 
TX_TLC, I actually spotted you on one obstacle on Aggie Highway, was *very impressed* after finding out you weren't locked!
 
Exiled said:
TX_TLC, I actually spotted you on one obstacle on Aggie Highway, was *very impressed* after finding out you weren't locked!

:bows:

Thanks...

I owe it all to the tires... those dunlop grandtreks are SWEEET! ;)
 
Paul

I addressed this in your previous thread, but you evidently did not believe me :)

Given how important condition (scratches, dents etc) are to you at this point, I cannot see you needing lockers anytime soon!

Your stock cruiser will amaze you. Go with some experienced guys, air down, have fun.

Maybe in a couple years you'll put the lockers in. But you'll probably want to do the suspension and tires first.
 
With a lift , good tires, and the CDL pin 7 mod you can easily do 3 and 3.5 rated trails. I learned that a Land Cruiser will do way more than a newbie wheeler thinks it will. :cheers:
 
Paul,

I was a newbie just like you only a year ago. I found a nice 94, 160k miles for $7900 with no lockers. Little did I know that hanging around here would soon change me. I recently ended adding front and rear ARB lockers and gears total cost $2900. Would have been easier for me to just find a LC with lockers but I didn't. In my experience I would just find one with lockers and get it over with. just my .02 cents
 
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It should be the other way around because if you are going to wheel hardcore you'll be swapping your gears anyway so putting in lockers becomes almost a non cost factor at least from a cost perspective.
 
good point. many will swap out gears -- either to 4.56 or 4.88. If you get lockers installed then, the installation price is then pretty much negligable.
 
After what Biff and I did this weekend, wait for one with lockers! I too never, never thought I'd need or use mine. Wrong! What an education.
 
A super low mile, cherry, spotless otherwise perfect cruiser beats one with lockers and higher miles and a thrashed interior any day of the week. But that's just me...
 
NorCalDoug said:
A super low mile, cherry, spotless otherwise perfect cruiser beats one with lockers and higher miles and a thrashed interior any day of the week. But that's just me...

No argument with that logic whatsoever! :D
 
I wouldnt buy an 80/450 without them, but that's just me. I'd wait till I found what I like WITH them.

If I had to have one without them I'd install ARB's front and back. But then that's me.
 
I don't have lockers (yet :flipoff2: ) and i feel like my rig does very well off road.
Picture 037 (Small).jpg
 
IMO what seperates 80s from most other 4x4s is the factory locker option. I personally would never buy one with out them, as to me they are what make it stand above xterras and the bunch.
 
Errrrr.....

I'm not so sure that I'm smart enough to know when I'm suppose to engage the locker switch. Apparently my environment will not indulge me, at least up to this point?

Anyone got an alternative planet, possibility meteorite pot-marked?
 
wb1948 said:
IMO what seperates 80s from most other 4x4s is the factory locker option. I personally would never buy one with out them, as to me they are what make it stand above xterras and the bunch.

A lot of ppl seem to share this sentiment, and it is true that you basically get lockers for free if you are buying a used 80, but buyers with experience in the recent market for 80s know that if you are looking for a low-miles, pristine 80 first and foremost, lockers are very tough to find. This makes sense when you consider that (by the stats on this board) 93% of 80s in the US do NOT have lockers. I'd take a mint 80 w/o lockers over a questionable one with. I did so 3 years ago, and I'm very happy with my decision- I plan to retrofit lockers in the future.

Most importantly, while factory lockers may separate cruisers from other SUVs, they don't mean a thing if you don't plan to do the type of wheeling that will require them. The way you plan to use your vehicle should factor in *greatly* in this decision. IMHO bottom line: get the best condition 80 you can find.
 
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