LS1FJ40
SILVER Star
I've pulled semis out of the ditch with my 3FE powered 80 in Low. Like they weren't even there.
Is this goodbye?
- Thread starter MDarius
- Start date
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I've pulled semis out of the ditch with my 3FE powered 80 in Low. Like they weren't even there.
- Thread starter
- #42
Everybody likes carnage. I've added new pics to the Google photos album.
https://goo.gl/photos/oG6XVgFw4J67vDpP9
In anticipation of the parting out questions:
The truck is in my driveway now and I've sold it to a friend locally for him to salvage what he can. I'll keep the tires, new shocks, and ABS sensors. The interior is shot. If you are interested in parts I can IM you his info. I don't have a garage and I don't love wrenching in the snow, so, there's that.
*Edit: Insurance salvage value was set at $800.*
https://goo.gl/photos/oG6XVgFw4J67vDpP9
In anticipation of the parting out questions:
The truck is in my driveway now and I've sold it to a friend locally for him to salvage what he can. I'll keep the tires, new shocks, and ABS sensors. The interior is shot. If you are interested in parts I can IM you his info. I don't have a garage and I don't love wrenching in the snow, so, there's that.
*Edit: Insurance salvage value was set at $800.*
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- Thread starter
- #43
I don't know if anyone is following this or not, but I thought I'd update. Today I was working to remove the new-ish shocks, ABS sensors, and tires and found this: (I'm struggling to attach a photo. Link will have to do.)
https://goo.gl/photos/TNnfoyAeC2mzsVJF9
"Well there's your problem!"
Also, with the front wheels off the ground I can't get them to budge left or right. Well, they are as far right as they can go... I've applied a significant amount of leverage and no go. Something else isn't right.
https://goo.gl/photos/TNnfoyAeC2mzsVJF9
"Well there's your problem!"
Also, with the front wheels off the ground I can't get them to budge left or right. Well, they are as far right as they can go... I've applied a significant amount of leverage and no go. Something else isn't right.
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The steering stop on the axle is all mushed to hell too - my guess is the steering stop and busted sector shaft happened during the wreck, but were not the cause of it (not sure if that's what you were thinking?) Maybe there is something busted up inside the knuckles (like the birf, or trunion bearings or something) that is causing the steering to bind?
- Thread starter
- #45
Yeah, that's what I'm thinking. I think my 17 year-old driver in the slush panicked when the slush pulled the wheel a bit and he over-corrected, combined with ice and slush, lost control and busted it up. I didn't see the broken sector shaft until I rested my hand on the rod and it fell.
That was a pretty good hit.
That was a pretty good hit.
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It sounds like you don't have the time or resources or you just don't care to keep a 80 properly maintained and that this one was about run into the ground. 
Nothing wrong with that, but it doesn't really make sense to me. Sounds like something along the lines of a toyota highlander or some other crossover would suit you better or some sort of other throw away car that can be wrecked and tossed aside for another easily and that can do some rough dirt roads as your pictures show. Maybe something with more airbags and modern vehicle stability control and better abs. Doesn't make sense to buy toyota's version of a jeep rubicon only to drive it on the street and run it into the ground. Thats like asking a worlds strongest man contestant over to help you dust your house and only giving him bread and water.
Nothing wrong with that, but it doesn't really make sense to me. Sounds like something along the lines of a toyota highlander or some other crossover would suit you better or some sort of other throw away car that can be wrecked and tossed aside for another easily and that can do some rough dirt roads as your pictures show. Maybe something with more airbags and modern vehicle stability control and better abs. Doesn't make sense to buy toyota's version of a jeep rubicon only to drive it on the street and run it into the ground. Thats like asking a worlds strongest man contestant over to help you dust your house and only giving him bread and water.
- Thread starter
- #47
I can see how it might sound that way. I haven't posted every aspect of my use of the vehicle or circumstances here. I'm not really offended, but you also don't have the whole story.
*Edit*
Short version: Let's go wheeling together then you can judge. The 80 is the perfect truck for me and my family and lessons learned can't be taken away. If it makes you feel better, my next 80 will probably be an LX, so I'll have the
badge. Ed is going to a "save the 80's" foundation. My friend has over 20 of them and will make better use of him than I can. So, suck it up buttercup! I'm addicted.
*Edit over*
Long version:
I'm not a purist. I was on the 60 forum last night and one of the guys bought a dirty 60 in 2014. Within 3 weeks he had polished it and replaced things and made it a show piece. That's not me. My passion is finding the best tool for the job, whatever that job is. Then I use it. My sister has refused to allow any consumables in her vehicles besides water. It makes for miserable road trips, but her cars stay perfect. Her house is immaculate, but her kids can't wait to get out of it.
There's a balance between sucking the marrow from the bones of life, sliding sideways into the grave and making sure your "things" are kept nice and not living. They're just "things". I lean more to marrow sucking and less to having so many restrictions that life is sucking.
My kids climbed in and out the windows, sat on top to watch the Milky way and drive in movies, ate French fries in the back, climbed in wet from the lake, walked over seats with their shoes on (got yelled at for that, usually), etc.
I drive over curbs and medians to get where I want. If we're on a road trip and I see a dirt road I jump on it to see where it goes, and I don't drive slow. I take "short cuts" across the desert that add hours to the trip but unforgettable memories. I took it places other than mild roads you've seen in my pictures. I'm driving, my wife is scared, and I don't have anyone to take a picture. It doesn't mean I didn't go there.
I wheeled this rig as hard as it could handle with my care. I never took it on a cruise Moab trip. I felt like I would be deemed "not worthy". There are a lot of really good people on the forum, but there are also some judgmental pricks. Ain't nobody got time For that.
Life changes. Circumstances change. I maintained the rig pretty well, really well in fact, until my daughter started driving it and the abuse went to a new level. As I added up the cosmetic repairs alone it was cheaper to buy a cruiser in good shape than it was too replace seats, door panels, stereo, speakers, headliner (the dog ate that), seat belts (dog again), and fix the damage from her fender benders. When maintenence went downhill life had gone upside down and doing and baselines all the fluids and adding a bull bar were less important than paying bills. It happens. So, maintenance went to the minimum required to keep it running. I always knew one of my kids would destroy it, probably the one that actually did. Why put money into it?
I'm self employed so can't get a mortgage at this point, so we don't have a garage while we rent our house. That won't always be the case.
I learned how to take care of an 80 by making mistakes. Now Ed's front end is pushed over. The frame is bent. The fan is in the radiator. Who knows what's busted in the axle! I'm not going to fix that when I can buy a better vehicle for less than the cost of repairs. I may not be Icon or Cristo, but I'm not stupid. I'm also not sending it to the scrap yard. My friend builds Cruisers. He'll use it much better than I could.
If you worship the cruiser you'll say I'm not worthy. I don't worship it, I love it for the life it let's me live. I live my life for me and my family, not the cruiser. If a "thing" meets an untimely demise but my kids have their first driving experiences in the safety, durability, capability, and versatility of an 80, I'm ok with that. You don't have to be.
*Edit*
Short version: Let's go wheeling together then you can judge. The 80 is the perfect truck for me and my family and lessons learned can't be taken away. If it makes you feel better, my next 80 will probably be an LX, so I'll have the
badge. Ed is going to a "save the 80's" foundation. My friend has over 20 of them and will make better use of him than I can. So, suck it up buttercup! I'm addicted. *Edit over*
Long version:
I'm not a purist. I was on the 60 forum last night and one of the guys bought a dirty 60 in 2014. Within 3 weeks he had polished it and replaced things and made it a show piece. That's not me. My passion is finding the best tool for the job, whatever that job is. Then I use it. My sister has refused to allow any consumables in her vehicles besides water. It makes for miserable road trips, but her cars stay perfect. Her house is immaculate, but her kids can't wait to get out of it.
There's a balance between sucking the marrow from the bones of life, sliding sideways into the grave and making sure your "things" are kept nice and not living. They're just "things". I lean more to marrow sucking and less to having so many restrictions that life is sucking.
My kids climbed in and out the windows, sat on top to watch the Milky way and drive in movies, ate French fries in the back, climbed in wet from the lake, walked over seats with their shoes on (got yelled at for that, usually), etc.
I drive over curbs and medians to get where I want. If we're on a road trip and I see a dirt road I jump on it to see where it goes, and I don't drive slow. I take "short cuts" across the desert that add hours to the trip but unforgettable memories. I took it places other than mild roads you've seen in my pictures. I'm driving, my wife is scared, and I don't have anyone to take a picture. It doesn't mean I didn't go there.
I wheeled this rig as hard as it could handle with my care. I never took it on a cruise Moab trip. I felt like I would be deemed "not worthy". There are a lot of really good people on the forum, but there are also some judgmental pricks. Ain't nobody got time For that.
Life changes. Circumstances change. I maintained the rig pretty well, really well in fact, until my daughter started driving it and the abuse went to a new level. As I added up the cosmetic repairs alone it was cheaper to buy a cruiser in good shape than it was too replace seats, door panels, stereo, speakers, headliner (the dog ate that), seat belts (dog again), and fix the damage from her fender benders. When maintenence went downhill life had gone upside down and doing and baselines all the fluids and adding a bull bar were less important than paying bills. It happens. So, maintenance went to the minimum required to keep it running. I always knew one of my kids would destroy it, probably the one that actually did. Why put money into it?
I'm self employed so can't get a mortgage at this point, so we don't have a garage while we rent our house. That won't always be the case.
I learned how to take care of an 80 by making mistakes. Now Ed's front end is pushed over. The frame is bent. The fan is in the radiator. Who knows what's busted in the axle! I'm not going to fix that when I can buy a better vehicle for less than the cost of repairs. I may not be Icon or Cristo, but I'm not stupid. I'm also not sending it to the scrap yard. My friend builds Cruisers. He'll use it much better than I could.
If you worship the cruiser you'll say I'm not worthy. I don't worship it, I love it for the life it let's me live. I live my life for me and my family, not the cruiser. If a "thing" meets an untimely demise but my kids have their first driving experiences in the safety, durability, capability, and versatility of an 80, I'm ok with that. You don't have to be.
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It stillmsounds like you don't have the circumstances to maintain an 80 to me. They can be a lot to take care of,they are all 20 years old now! No one's trying to offend you. If all you do is go on a off-road trail once in a blue moon, you can rent a Rubicon for the weekend. Yes it's nice having a good tool. It just sounds like don't have the time or something anymore to maintain it right now. It sounds like your family needs a more modern vehicle with more safety features to protect them in n accident or from getting into an accident in the first place. Yes an 80 is a tank, but it's safety features are prehistoric. If your family members are having a difficult time with a 80 on the road, maybe get them something that has more developed abs and stability control. Then when they learn to drive in wet conditions better, and you have the circumstances to get an 80 then go get one. As far as driving over medians and curbs, you can do that in a sequoia or gx. They have a lot more airbags and more refined safety controls for the street.
- Thread starter
- #49
I'll be brief:
My wife won't drive anything else.
To be fair, you make a lot of good points. Logically there are better options for my family. In reality car choices are rarely about logic.
I had her test drive a 2016 4Runner, 2 Sequoias, a Nissan Armada. We looked at other vehicles. Nothing was as good as a 20 year old, abused, smelly Land Cruiser. Period.
My wife won't drive anything else.
To be fair, you make a lot of good points. Logically there are better options for my family. In reality car choices are rarely about logic.
I had her test drive a 2016 4Runner, 2 Sequoias, a Nissan Armada. We looked at other vehicles. Nothing was as good as a 20 year old, abused, smelly Land Cruiser. Period.
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My parents love 'em for the same reasons. The kids trash 'em, with PM they NEVER break, never have to worry about bad weather, too slow to be recklessly driven, drive wherever on whatever, etc.
