Locking Diff question and ...

[yosemitesamiam]

OK, my understanding is that locking diffs was a option only on FZJ80s. I was just reading on off-road.com and they said this...

"Locking Differentials

Locking differentials were available as options in all 80 series. From 94 on, they were standard in North America. The operation of the lockers is very elegant. When the differential lock dial is turned to the "Locked" position, it switches on a small electrical servo. The servo pushes on a dog clutch which is meshed with the splines on the axle shaft. The dog clutch slides along the axle shaft and engages on the side of the differential carrier. The axle is then completely locked. They were offered from the procuction date 8/92 onwards."

Ummm...did they say standard from 94 on in North America? Is that a joke/typo or what??

 

[alaskacruiser]

Time for the newbie guide:

http://sleeoffroad.com/newbie/newbie100.htm

Approx. 7% of FZJ80s (93-97) have F/R difflocks. All have center difflocks, which activate automatically in low-range, and can be used in high range with the addition of a center difflock switch.

 

[yosemitesamiam]

well yeah...I knew that. I've read that. I couldn't figure out why a website touting themselves as "off-road".com would slip up and say all of them have it. And they were not talking about the center diff...because the previous topic, same page, had covered that.

 

[Bear80]

Well '93 with the full float rear end was the first year for the locking diffs in the US. Only about 7-10% made it to the US with lockers, and it was called an "option" but if you know Land Cruisers, it was whatever was on the dealer's lot is what you got.

 

[yosemitesamiam]

so basically what you are telling me is this: If I find a FJ80 with factory lockers and it is in decent shape, I should allow myself to look even though it may have 50K more miles on it than one without lockers? Or would it be cheaper in the long run (engine maintenance) to find one without the lockers, and fewer miles, and then spend the 3K or so upgrading to ARBs, using a factory switch on the dash?

 

[Romer]

You are placing a scenario were you are comparing two vehicles with different miles. What I did was made a list of what I wanted in an 80, including miles: It was the following:

No Rust
No Major Accidents
Lockers
Uner 100,000 miles
No mechanical issues upon inspection
Clean interior
pass the Slee check list
Under $14K - This was 2 years ago

I searched until I found an 80 or an LX450 that met that criteria. If I bought one with more miles than I wanted, I know I would have said over and over, "it had more miles than I wanted" and been bothered by that.

I found my LX450 in Dallas and a friend here looked it over for me. I told them I wanted it, flew down, looked it over and drove it home.

Hope that helps. Set your criteria ahead of time, be realistic and wait for it.

 

[reffug]

Set your criteria ahead of time, be realistic and wait for it.

True dat brotha..................

 

[yosemitesamiam]

You are placing a scenario were you are comparing two vehicles with different miles. What I did was made a list of what I wanted in an 80, including miles: It was the following:

No Rust
No Major Accidents
Lockers
Uner 100,000 miles
No mechanical issues upon inspection
Clean interior
pass the Slee check list
Under $14K - This was 2 years ago

I searched until I found an 80 or an LX450 that met that criteria. If I bought one with more miles than I wanted, I know I would have said over and over, "it had more miles than I wanted" and been bothered by that.

I found my LX450 in Dallas and a friend here looked it over for me. I told them I wanted it, flew down, looked it over and drove it home.

Hope that helps. Set your criteria ahead of time, be realistic and wait for it.

Cool man...I appreciate it tons! I'll do that right away.

Sam