"New" HZJ73 - Maintaining and Improving (12 Viewers)

[dosequisrex]

I've been on and off the forums now for a few months and finally decided to post and introduce myself and my car.

I recently inherited a 1991 HZJ73 with 218k km on it, left hand drive (I believe Japanese spec). This is my first Land Cruiser.
I love it and want to do what I can to learn everything about it and ensure I can keep it going for a long time.

(my cat decided to join, for scale)

I've spent hours pouring over the forum to understand the information I can and plan to post updates here on the status of what I'm doing for others to see if interested.
(similar to what BCM did as well - BCM's HZJ73: Maintenance & Mods - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/bcms-hzj73-maintenance-mods.1271349/)

Planned maintenance now that I have the time:

Coolant flush & thermostat replacement - thermo (16346-66020), and gasket (16346-66020), Toyota Red Coolant. I've read a few methods here (hose flush, just drain, run with water, etc) I plan to pick one, just haven't yet. (coolant fluid change - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/coolant-fluid-change.599682/)
Oil Change - AMSOIL signature series 15W-40 Synthetic Diesel Oil - filter (90915-30002), plug (90341-18021) <- thanks OGBeno, and gasket (90430-12031)
Front & Rear diff oil change - Amsoil 75W-90, fill & drain plug (90341-18021), and gaskets (12157-10010 x2)
Transmission Oil change - Amsoil 75W-90, fill & drain plug (90341-18021), and gaskets (90430-18008 x2)
Transfer Case oil change -Amsoil 75W-90, fill & drain plug (90341-18021), and gaskets (90430-18008 x2)
New air filter - (17801-61930)
New fuel filter - (23303-64010)

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Now to the headscratcher...
After reading around I'm still trying to understand my back seat. I cannot for the life of me figure out how to install seatbelts (it has a single center one only). I assume since I do not have a roll bar, or even the mount points for it that only lap belts are a possibility, but I also don't really see those install points. I must be missing something here.

Additionally, I noticed the rear door windows are all attached and so are the front so if I decided to take the top off, I figured it would look kind of odd with those still on and the windshield down.....is this normal? do people mod this?

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And now to my worst fear.....
I noticed that on both left and right sides in the same spots (rear panels) that the paint had "split"? and its starting to crack more. I'm trying to keep water away from it but need to understand maybe what is happening here and what my options are. I assume I need a body shop to simply strip it away in that area and redo it, but is that just something they can do with these older cars and still match the paint? I'm in Southern VA (US) and assume I can find a decent shop around here.

I'm pretty worried about this and it keeps me up at night, so honestly its priority #1 for me, the rest of the car is rust free from what I can tell so I want to keep it that way.

Anyways thank you to everyone on here, the information so far has been tremendously helpful. I have manuals from the links I've found here and those are helping me understand more and more.

I look forward to more posts and I work and hopefully improve her.

 

[JuanJ]

Hello,

Welcome to the madness.

If you want to take the top off, you need half doors. These doors have removable window frames, and are a bit expensive to source. You can get an extra set of used doors and chop them, or you can set up a soft top like @FJBen or @bottombracket did.

Your truck does not have a roll bar. Because of this, you can install lap seat belts only. They are available from Toyota.

Sometimes, body steel becomes fragile with age and breaks. It is a rare occurrence in some early 1990s 73 Series. It is better to patch the broken part, or replace the panel.

You can get side panels from vendors here in 'Mud.

Hope this helps.





Juan

 

[Gun Runner 5]

Would love to see your new ride at this fall’s 70 Series event in East Tennessee.

 

[dosequisrex]

Thanks Juan!

Really appreciate the info. I will keep the top on for the time being and do more research.

I will look to source the lap belts and figure out where they can install.

Ugh I was hoping it was just paint but that makes more sense that its the panel I guess. I will research some vendors here and see if I can get it patched and painted locally otherwise.

 

[jblueridge]

I bought replacement panels from joekatana here on mud.
I had to really search for a shop that would install them.

 

[Eurasiaoverland]

The Japanese do not drive left-handed cars, so unless it has been modified, that is not a Japanese spec vehicle. The ID tag on the engine compartment bulkhead will reveal all.

The cracks in your paint are where body filler (aka bondo) has been put on a poorly prepared surface, or has been put on too thickly. Either way the result of poor work, so I'm afraid to say that horrors likely lie beneath that.

 

[sark]

The Japanese do not drive left-handed cars, so unless it has been modified, that is not a Japanese spec vehicle. The ID tag on the engine compartment bulkhead will reveal all.

The cracks in your paint are where body filler (aka bondo) has been put on a poorly prepared surface, or has been put on too thickly. Either way the result of poor work, so I'm afraid to say that horrors likely lie beneath that.

Yeah - LHD, side marker light, points towards EU origin.

 

[Eurasiaoverland]

Yeah - LHD, side marker light, points towards EU origin.

On Euro-spec vehicles they are indicator side repeaters - orange side marker lights are a (North?) American thing.

 

[sark]

On Euro-spec vehicles they are indicator side repeaters - orange side marker lights are a (North?) American thing.

Yeah that's what I meant

 

[Felde]

Front & Rear diff oil change - Amsoil 75W-90

Check your rear axle: If it has a Limited Slip Differential, it needs special LSD oil / additive.

Looks like a EU spec. Maybe you post the VIN Tag from the engine compartment, so we can check.
Side panel looks like bondo. But its seeping rust already. You need to bite the bullet and just poke into it.
You may also remove the inner trim panels to have a look at the back of the side panel.
Good Luck Ralf

 

[JuanJ]

Thanks Juan!

Really appreciate the info. I will keep the top on for the time being and do more research.

I will look to source the lap belts and figure out where they can install.

Ugh I was hoping it was just paint but that makes more sense that its the panel I guess. I will research some vendors here and see if I can get it patched and painted locally otherwise.

Hello,

Thank you for your kind words.

There are captive nuts for the seat belts in the body and in the rear seat.

This is the layout for the rear seat belts.

Your seat is the one on the right. I may be stating the obvious here, but the numbers are torque values, in kg cm, ft lb and N m.

As mentioned above, your truck is likely a Europe spec 73 Series. In some European markets, 70 Series trucks were sold as two-passenger work vehicles.

Hope this helps.





Juan

 

[FJBen]

Would love to see your new ride at this fall’s 70 Series event in East Tennessee.

 

[dosequisrex]

Thanks all for the info. I don’t know why I assumed it was Japanese, it even has a service sticker in it from Norway. My brain just assumed that it was shipped there, but what you’re saying makes sense!

I did a full coolant flush yesterday following Cary’s procedures:
Coolant Flush Process Verification - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/coolant-flush-process-verification.107438/post-1354427

I will begin the inspection of the body today, and investigate the rear axel too for a LSD.
And look to order seat belts.

Photos to come.

Thanks guys!

 

[Redline70]

Thanks all for the info. I don’t know why I assumed it was Japanese, it even has a service sticker in it from Norway. My brain just assumed that it was shipped there, but what you’re saying makes sense!

I did a full coolant flush yesterday following Cary’s procedures:
Coolant Flush Process Verification - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/coolant-flush-process-verification.107438/post-1354427

I will begin the inspection of the body today, and investigate the rear axel too for a LSD.
And look to order seat belts.

Photos to come.

Thanks guys!

 

[Redline70]

View attachment 3928513

Check this against your axle code on the engine bay plaque that also has your VIN number

 

[joekatana]

Those rear quarter panels look like they have been repaired with a patch panel . You will need to redo this and preferably with a full qt replacement, I have some available here in Texas .

 

[dosequisrex]

More accomplished this weekend!

I just got done with the fuel filter replacement and whoever put the old one on did NOT hand tighten. I ended up removing the entire housing and doing the screwdriver twisty method. New one is a happy camper (Toyota part 23303-64010).

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Ralf - I took your advice since honestly what's the harm at this point, and poked at it......and it came off. Please be kind if this was a HUGE mistake but I am storing her in a garage until I can get this repaired and assume no matter what it has to come off.

Honestly I'm not even sure what I'm looking at here (I don't have bodywork experience) But the rust on the panel seems very cosmetic, ie I could just almost wipe it off, and these splits only developed over the past 5 months-ish.
Here is the shot from the inside where it looks like two different panels welded together, but no rust or signs of "issues"

Obligatory Helper photo:

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Check this against your axle code on the engine bay plaque that also has your VIN number

The Axel code is
K082 - from your chart looks like 9.5", 4.111, 2 pinion, so not LSD.

Sourcing the Oil for the Engine and the rest of the parts too for next weekend. Also, I'm going to deep dive in the manuals but I was curious about greasing the joints and if this car has specific grease gun spots?

 

[Felde]

Hi
One can never judge rust by pics only, but it doesn't look too bad, concerning the metal. The layer of bondo however is THICK. That's why it came off (+ poor prep).
Seems you digged into it just in time, before more harm is done by the rust. Now you can mitigate the rust and go from there.
As @joekatana said: If you want it nice, replace the panel. But you are due for a paintjob on this anyways. If that is not an option right now 🛠 $$$, you can still conserve it, monitor it and attend to it later.
But as the rig has this 'repair', you should go over it and look for more things like this. Remove all trim panels and flooring and inspect all cavities with a bore cam. There is a cover plate next to the front lower seat belt mounting, which gives access to the sills.
There is a cover plate in the inner wheel housing (rear) that gives access to the filler neck. (Also a prime rust spot).
Yours (like mine) is actually a 2-seater workmans vehicle. The rear seat is not original and so are the mounting points and latch brackets in the floor. Check these; might be hack jobs.
Axle is K082: 9.5", 4.111 ratio, 2 pinion, *no LSD*
More spec of your rig here: ToyoDIY.com - https://www.toyodiy.com/parts/q?vin=Jt1vhzj7308000346
It's a nice one, love it
Cheers Ralf

 

[sark]

More accomplished this weekend!

I just got done with the fuel filter replacement and whoever put the old one on did NOT hand tighten. I ended up removing the entire housing and doing the screwdriver twisty method. New one is a happy camper (Toyota part 23303-64010).
View attachment 3928570

---

Ralf - I took your advice since honestly what's the harm at this point, and poked at it......and it came off. Please be kind if this was a HUGE mistake but I am storing her in a garage until I can get this repaired and assume no matter what it has to come off.

View attachment 3928561

Honestly I'm not even sure what I'm looking at here (I don't have bodywork experience) But the rust on the panel seems very cosmetic, ie I could just almost wipe it off, and these splits only developed over the past 5 months-ish.
Here is the shot from the inside where it looks like two different panels welded together, but no rust or signs of "issues"

View attachment 3928562

Obligatory Helper photo:

View attachment 3928563

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The Axel code is
K082 - from your chart looks like 9.5", 4.111, 2 pinion, so not LSD.
View attachment 3928569

Sourcing the Oil for the Engine and the rest of the parts too for next weekend. Also, I'm going to deep dive in the manuals but I was curious about greasing the joints and if this car has specific grease gun spots?

Leaf spring bushings, front and rear drive shaft u-joints, tie rod ends, knuckles (square-headed plug)... off the top of my head. Get yourself the manuals in pdf - either from the resources section from the 70-series main page (FAQ - Online Repair Manual Sources - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/online-repair-manual-sources.185322/post-15422227), or from Land Cruiser Factory Service Manuals (FSMs) - https://www.cruisercult.com/factory-service-manuals Owners manual, engine, transmission, chassis, electrical, etc.

 

[dosequisrex]

Leaf spring bushings, front and rear drive shaft u-joints, tie rod ends, knuckles (square-headed plug)... off the top of my head. Get yourself the manuals in pdf - either from the resources section from the 70-series main page (FAQ - Online Repair Manual Sources - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/online-repair-manual-sources.185322/post-15422227), or from Land Cruiser Factory Service Manuals (FSMs) - https://www.cruisercult.com/factory-service-manuals Owners manual, engine, transmission, chassis, electrical, etc.

View attachment 3928734
View attachment 3928735

Awesome! I appreciate this, yeah I had a few but obviously not the right ones, I was scratching my head with the repair manual but I’ll be more vigilant. Plan to do this soon as well.