My new 1995 80 (with lockers!)

[tone33]

I purchased my first Land Cruiser yesterday! It's a white 1995 80 series - drove from Nashville, TN area up to Louisville, KY (8 hr round trip). I'm looking to build it up as an expedition rig to haul my family in (wife + 4 kids).


The Good:

• low miles - 140K
• paint still good - no wear spots
• engine/trans good
• single owner/lady driven
• never offroaded
• never been used for towing

The Bad:

• needs a muffler
• has been smoked in (for years i think)
• a few dents/dings/wallops - but no paint is chipped
• lockers don't seem to engage (or maybe I'm not doing it right?)
• front seats do not slide - motors work, but tracks broken
• some surface rust on the undercarraige

 

[mickeyt]

You can purchase a new headliner or used I should say, clean the leather really well and the smell will probably be gone

 

[thisbugger]

Score!!!

 

[LCHardriver_02]

Nice rig. Congrats!

I hope you can get the smoke smell out. On the lockers, remember to be in 4-Low; verify that the center diff lock light is on, and then engage. Because it has not been used for quite some time, if ever, you may have to exercise the lockers to get the to engage readily. I had to do this when I first got mine.

 

[tone33]

Nice rig. Congrats!

I hope you can get the smoke smell out. On the lockers, remember to be in 4-Low; verify that the center diff lock light is on, and then engage. Because it has not been used for quite some time, if ever, you may have to exercise the lockers to get the to engage readily. I had to do this when I first got mine.

I am in 4low, the cdl light does not come on. I don't think the previous owner ever even put it in 4low. Searching around I found some good threads on what to try - figure 8s, some paperclip thing on the cdl switch (or some wiring behind the dash)... but my first goal is to get it washed/waxed, cleaned, tuned up, etc.

 

[tone33]

You can purchase a new headliner or used I should say, clean the leather really well and the smell will probably be gone

Is Lexol the best cleaner to use for leather? Any other suggestions?

 

[LCHardriver_02]

Good plan. Yeah, you want to be sure that the center locks, because if you do not get that feedback, your front or rear will not lock. I bought mine with the idea of my son inheriting it... I am now not so sure. I really like driving it!

 

[arndog123]

Nice.

 

[bryantcw]

Leatherique is considered the best, even the smithsonian uses it on leather.

For cleaning out the smell, I would probably make a baking soda solution, wet down the everything fabric inside, agitate those areas with a brush, and use a wet dry vac to pull it back out. Get some duct cleaner and follow the directions, something like Auto Air Duct Cleaner - Product Reviews - Duct Cleaner would work.

For all the hard plastic parts just a simple green solution (or whatever all purpose cleaner you like) and wet down real good, agitate with a brush, then dry off after a minute or two. A small paint brush works wonders for getting into the vents, between panels, around knobs switches and handles etc

The biggest thing for smells and stains is letting enough chemical work on it for enough time. A little spray and wipe isn't going to do anything, you need a little bit of soaking and then pull the dirt out with a wet dry vac in order to get rid of it.

Good luck!

 

[tone33]

@bryantcw - awesome advice - thanks!

 

[mercfan]

Is Lexol the best cleaner to use for leather? Any other suggestions?

Home Page | Leatherique Restoration Products - I've restored my Mercedes leather from a cardboard like condition to nice supple soft leather... it took 2 months of soaking and treating in a warm room but it worked wonders.

 

[mercfan]

Carpets and headliner...

I've just cleaned my headliner - I used a solution of water + OxyClean detergent - sprayed it on with a spray bottle, worked out all stains with a small/large brush combo, then cleaned off with a wet rag. Need to be careful that you don't leave the overspray on plastic for too long - makes for white stains that are hard to clean off. OxyClean restored my headliner to near-new condition.

For the carpets - I pulled out all the seats and removed the carpet - it's quite a job but once it's out you can spray it all out with the hose and use the brush to really get it clean. You then have the extra advantage to clean out under the carpets and collect buckets of change and other treasure accumulated over the years... I did...

Another added advantage once the carpets are out is that you can add additional sound proofing if you'd like to make the cabin more quiet and identify any hidden rust spots in the floor boards - especially on the edges near the rocker panels.

I also fixed my seat belt re-tractors while I was at it and washed my seat belts (they were filthy though you wouldn't know it by just looking at 'em).

To unlock the lockers (mine were stuck too) - you can try the following. Remember, you need to get the CDL (Center Diff Lock) to engage first - this is the prerequisite to having FR/RR lockers engaging. No CDL lock, no diff locks so try this:

1) Shift the lever between Low, Neutra, Low, Neutral, etc about 50 times to exercise the switch that deactivates the ABS and activates the CDL - that's what's usually stuck from lack of use. Follow this by finding a dirt parking lot and start doing tight figure 8 while having the locks engaged - that can get them unstuck too.

2) If still no luck, go to Sleeoffroad.com and try their fix - it worked for me:
Slee - Fixing a Center Diff Lock Indicator (Toyota 80 Series Land Cruiser)

3) Use the paper clip method from sleeoffroad first and then get in the cabin and exercise the L,N,L,N until they engage. I'm pretty sure that's all that you'll need to get it unstuck. You could try removing the switch that's mounted in the transfer case - I was about to do that but didn't have to go that far... chances are you won't have to either. Just give it some exercise.

Good luck and congrats on a nice purchase!

 

[yohavos]

You can always go the windex route!


https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/477768-quick-easy-headliner-cleaning-carpet-deodorizer.html

 

[Tyler93]

I bought my 80 from a smoker and rented an ozone generator from my local rental place. cost was about $25 and reduced the smoke levels by 90+%. Two years later now and I forget that it had ever been smoked in. Congrats.

 

[tone33]

I bought my 80 from a smoker and rented an ozone generator from my local rental place. cost was about $25 and reduced the smoke levels by 90+%. Two years later now and I forget that it had ever been smoked in. Congrats.

I have a fancy air purifier which I think does the same thing. I'll try that, but I have also read on these forums not to let them run too long as ozone can damage plastic.

 

[93Chewbacca]

Excellent find!

 

[lispeej]

Damn. That's a nice find. Welcome to the club.

 

[fzj80 locked]

nice, welcome and congratulations on your purchase best color to ( white) my favorite color and with k294 you never go wrong, im sure you are very happy.,,,, but smell of cigarettes in your rig is so hard to get rid of it just be patient with it...and live with it ha...ha...ha

 

[tone33]

nice, welcome and congratulations on your purchase best color to ( white) my favorite color and with k294 you never go wrong, im sure you are very happy.,,,, but smell of cigarettes in your rig is so hard to get rid of it just be patient with it...and live with it ha...ha...ha

lol oh it's going to come out one way or the other. even if i have to strip the entire interior down and put it all back in, or replace it.

 

[fzj80 locked]

you are absolutely right bruuuuuddderrrrr.....LOL