Noobie, please help!! (1 Viewer)

[sarahab419]

I’m new to this forum, and owning a Land Cruiser in general. I bought my 1991 Land Cruiser HJ80 while I was overseas in Japan and absolutely love it, but it needs some work. I met a guy while over there who rebuilds them for a living and he taught me the basics; maintenance, best oil brands, little tweaks I should make (and BIG tweaks), etc. He also mentioned that my rear axle is too small. I have NEVER owned a vehicle that I needed (or WANTED) to make adjustments to and I need some serious advice. Which rear axle would be best?? A guy from advanced auto parts said many people were switching them for Chevy 2500 series axles, and I’d really love to convert to disc rather than drum. But I also don’t want to spend money on something that just won’t work. Please be nice, I’m not very knowledgeable in vehicle repair/upgrades but that’s why I’m here, I want to learn.
Arigato!

 

[landtank]

"your axle is too small" that's a new one! Are you sure he was referring to the truck?

 

[Irish Reiver]

Welcome to the mayhem

Not sure i understand what your mechanic buddy meant by the axle being too small. Ok so it is not a full float but not sure that makes a huge difference in the 3FE but with the big tires you are running it might tip the balance. Having disc brakes is a good reason to swap the axle but you could just grab one from a later model (93 -97). Those are full float axles and disc brakes and direct swap i believe.

 

[sarahab419]

Welcome to the mayhem

Not sure i understand what your mechanic buddy meant by the axle being too small. Ok so it is not a full float but not sure that makes a huge difference in the 3FE but with the big tires you are running it might tip the balance. Having disc brakes is a good reason to swap the axle but you could just grab one from a later model (93 -97). Those are full float axles and disc brakes and direct swap i believe.

Like I said, I’m new. I think he meant it’s too small for the tires I’m running and it’s ****ing with the brakes because when I parked on a slight decline (ass-end facing down the hill) with the parking brake engaged, it started to grind and roll backwards. I found an axle on Car-Part an hour or so from here, it’s an axle from a Lexus LX450, would that work? Or I found a 1995 LC axle about three hours away.
thanks!

 

[landtank]

there is nothing wrong with your truck's axle as delivered to you from Toyota. That's not to say that nothing is wrong, but you don't need a bigger axle.

 

[Irish Reiver]

Like I said, I’m new. I think he meant it’s too small for the tires I’m running and it’s f***ing with the brakes because when I parked on a slight decline (ass-end facing down the hill) with the parking brake engaged, it started to grind and roll backwards. I found an axle on Car-Part an hour or so from here, it’s an axle from a Lexus LX450, would that work? Or I found a 1995 LC axle about three hours away.
thanks!

I'm with Rick (@landtank ) on this one. Nothing wrong design wise with your axle. If your truck is rolling down a hill with the handbrake on then you need to fix the handbrake- not complicated. If you want to upgrade to disc's at the rear then swap in a later model axle but unless the handbrake is serviceable on the replacement axle it will also roll down the hill.

 

[Fj80Ringo]

Hey, Semper Fi!! Cool purchase. I think something was lost in translation when you heard your axle is too small. Maybe your mechanic buddy could clarify for you. There is a ton of help to be had here on the forum. Are you back stateside with your rig or still overseas?

 

[REKCUT]

there is nothing wrong with your truck's axle as delivered to you from Toyota. That's not to say that nothing is wrong, but you don't need a bigger axle.

What he said

 

[Irish Reiver]

@Sarah i meant to say earlier that i really love the look of your truck. I picked up a '96 in April and i am aiming for an almost identical look. What size tyres are you running?

 

[Rusty Marlin]

Welcome to MUD!

The LX450 is identical to the 96/97 LC in everything that matters. So yes the rear end will drop right in if you want to upgrade to disk breaks.
Good looking rig you've got there.

Have you looked up the Old North State Cruisers (ONSC) yet?

 

[Comet]

Advance Auto advice. Avoid that advice. Look up ONSC, they are a great group. They play nice with others.

 

[toyotaaddict83]

I am wondering if the "your axle is too small" was suppose to be a statement about the differential gearing instead, especially as there are bigger tires involved in the equation! I bet it was intended to be a "you will 'need' to re-gear your axle to match the bigger tires." Also, THANK YOU for your service but also be mindful of the steel on a Land cruiser! They dent easily and rust even faster! Cheers and welcome!!!

 

[sarahab419]

Hey, Semper Fi!! Cool purchase. I think something was lost in translation when you heard your axle is too small. Maybe your mechanic buddy could clarify for you. There is a ton of help to be had here on the forum. Are you back stateside with your rig or still overseas?

I’m back stateside! And I can’t get in touch with him anymore because I was messaging him on Line while I was over there, with my Japanese phone. I got an American iPhone when I got back and stupidly wiped the old one to sell it before I logged into all my apps He was a contractor or retiree that stayed in Japan. I’m located in eastern NC now and if anyone is in this area, I’d really love the help!

 

[Squash]

If she's manual always leave in 1st or Reverse, never completely trust a handbrake.

 

[LandLocked93]

I’m back stateside! And I can’t get in touch with him anymore because I was messaging him on Line while I was over there, with my Japanese phone. I got an American iPhone when I got back and stupidly wiped the old one to sell it before I logged into all my apps He was a contractor or retiree that stayed in Japan. I’m located in eastern NC now and if anyone is in this area, I’d really love the help!

So he is American who turned Japanese? Confused. But surely he was talking about gearing, not axle size.
If those are 35's, doubly so. Not an immediate concern tho if there are real issues with the truck.
Looks great btw.
Should'a brought back a few sets of non-aerodynamic headlights and Turbo badges. Kind of a thing here. lol

 

[Mark W]

As everyone has said, there are always things that can be improved, including axles, but there is nothing wrong with the axle you have. Your friend's comment was most certainly meant to indicate that you could use steeper gearing with the larger tires. (Front and rear axles BTW.) And never never never take advice about your Cruiser from any random parts store guy. Some are very good. But the vast majority of them know less about a Land Cruiser than your average moose turd does. The guy who suggested that you swap in an axle from a Chevy 3/4 ton truck definitely falls in the moose turd catagory.

Mark...

 

[White Sheep]

I’m back stateside! And I can’t get in touch with him anymore because I was messaging him on Line while I was over there, with my Japanese phone. I got an American iPhone when I got back and stupidly wiped the old one to sell it before I logged into all my apps He was a contractor or retiree that stayed in Japan. I’m located in eastern NC now and if anyone is in this area, I’d really love the help!

@sarahab419 as @Rusty Marlin and @Comet said, hit up the ONSC group. I'm a newish member (also military). We'd love to help with your rig, and it'll be a LOT cheaper than trying to find a mechanic.

The group is super welcoming and always working on something. Almost every weekend I'm at someone's house working on theirs, others, or my cruiser. These guys have done it all, and a few of us have imports from Japan.

North American Clubhouses - East Region

East of the Mississippi River

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[richardlillard1]

You’re getting a ton of information thrown at you, but here’s something a little different:

The inner hood structure is affixed to the outer skin via seam sealer. Applying weight to the top of the hood will break that sealer, leading to the hood flopping around and potentially breaking; I’ve got one in the back of my shop right now where the support ribs are all sagging by up to half an inch from the skin and needs repair as it doesnt always want to latch properly without slamming it.

Please don’t stand on your hood.

 

[sarahab419]

If she's manual always leave in 1st or Reverse, never completely trust a handbrake.

Not a manual, couldn’t find one for less than 25,000. They’re in ridiculously high demand right now over there.