Reliablility of an Fj60 (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter McClaskey
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Reliability is subjective. If you do your regular maintenance and replace parts as they wear out, it is a very reliable vehicle. The only times mine left me stranded was when my alternator went out (Napa part which was replaced for free) and when my battery went out and needed replacing. Both not indicative of the vehicle as much as the current owner and previous owner, in my case.
They are reliable as crap, but they all have a lot of miles on them and you never know how much deferred maintanance you will have to deal with. Oh, and dont expect any better mileage over the explorer.
Man, I have had mine for about 9yrs now. SUPER reliable, its been a daily driver, traveling vehicle, and wheeling truck. Its always there for me, and the problems I do have are just simple stuff. Fuel pump went out... alternator, battery. Nothing major.
In '85 my parents bought their first 60. Today it has well over 300k clocked.
It been abused and is horribly rusted thanks for summers at OBX. It leaks and burns oil and to be honest, was not properly maintained the last 3-4 years.
It still starts fine, and after its warm, runs like an absolute champ.
Go for it!
It been abused and is horribly rusted thanks for summers at OBX. It leaks and burns oil and to be honest, was not properly maintained the last 3-4 years.
It still starts fine, and after its warm, runs like an absolute champ.
Go for it!
wow. I thought he was kidding about the whole thing when he was talking about the exploder.
I have had my cruiser since new in 90, and it has never left me stranded anywhere. My grandpa bought an exploder the same week as the cruiser, and it died 8 years later.
Cruiser is going strong. from your avatar I assumed you were a 40 owner and familiar with cruisers.
I have had my cruiser since new in 90, and it has never left me stranded anywhere. My grandpa bought an exploder the same week as the cruiser, and it died 8 years later.
Cruiser is going strong. from your avatar I assumed you were a 40 owner and familiar with cruisers.
land crusher
Morgen, morgen nur nicht heute...
If I had to pick one vehicle to get me across the continent with one chance to save the world from total annihilation, it would, without a doubt, be a Land Cruiser.
I am a self-taught mechanic. Most of the important stuff I've learned is from here on MUD. Despite my ignorance, and often stupidity, my cruiser has always gotten me home. It's broken for sure, it has lots of miles on it. I've been replacing worn out stuff on it, and the more I learn the more reliable it is. The more I learn about it, the more reliable it becomes. Yes, to a certain extent this is a symbiotic relationship.
Looked at another way, the cruiser is like a long-haul truck. All the parts are replacable or rebuildable. Do PM appropriately, and it won't ever fail on the road. If you have the personality to stay ahead of the curve, then you'll be rewarded with one of the most reliable vehicles known to man.
Looked at another way, the cruiser is like a long-haul truck. All the parts are replacable or rebuildable. Do PM appropriately, and it won't ever fail on the road. If you have the personality to stay ahead of the curve, then you'll be rewarded with one of the most reliable vehicles known to man.
Theese folks are AMAZING, and so is their trusty FJ60 Landcruiser.
http://www.weltrekordreise.ch/a_starte.html
http://www.weltrekordreise.ch/a_starte.html
In the year and a half I have had my 62, I've gotta say it is probably one of, if not thee, best rig I have ever owned. I have done some normal repairs and maintenance. Full tune and all new belts when I got it, but that was PO's lack of maintenance. I have done front brakes, replaced the alternator, and the starter. And I still say the starter was a fluke. It just kinda went one day, with no pre-warning or symptoms. Before my cruiser I had a 92 4WD Blazer, a rig 4 years newer and with more modern "convienences" that I ended up dumping to some poor college kid for 1500 bucks because I was tired of fixing the POS. I take my Cruiser camping, hunting, fishing, tow boats with it from time to time, and take her wheeling, and never once have I worried about whether or not she will get me back home.
I bought my 60 about 8 months ago +/- and have put a lot of work into it, a lot! It was not maintained at all for guessing 8 years or so as i bought it from a hippie who owned about 6 cars and just drove wihichever one worked. I love my beast, it works soooooo well, even when it is broken. Even with major problems, it has gotten me home every time. Another great thing about a 60 is that any average jackass schmoe mechanic (me ) with a Stanley 200 piece "mechanic toolset" like me can fix damn near anything on the vehicle with a 10mm, 12mm, 14mm, 15mm, voltmeter, roll of vacuum line, hammer, chisel, jack grease, towstrap, come-a-long, ratchet strap, angle iron, drill, bolts, screws, hose clamps, and some other misc. hardware. I love it, I sold my 98 2.7 taco just to have this vehicle so I could fix it in my driveway or on the side of the road without needing a 20 ton press and a fancy puller just for a fricken wheel bearing. Buy an emissions FSM, even though I never did, I regret it, and even with a desmog, I will probably still buy it, because the essentials are still there. Just get one, pay attention to it, love it, fix it, and never look back.
) with a Stanley 200 piece "mechanic toolset" like me can fix damn near anything on the vehicle with a 10mm, 12mm, 14mm, 15mm, voltmeter, roll of vacuum line, hammer, chisel, jack grease, towstrap, come-a-long, ratchet strap, angle iron, drill, bolts, screws, hose clamps, and some other misc. hardware. I love it, I sold my 98 2.7 taco just to have this vehicle so I could fix it in my driveway or on the side of the road without needing a 20 ton press and a fancy puller just for a fricken wheel bearing. Buy an emissions FSM, even though I never did, I regret it, and even with a desmog, I will probably still buy it, because the essentials are still there. Just get one, pay attention to it, love it, fix it, and never look back.
I paid $1800 for my 1986 60 with 187k on the clock. My friends with $500 car payments all laughed at me. Now I'm approaching 200 with no problems whatsoever. One friend's Avalanche just dumped transfer case at 50k miles. Another has a an Audi Allroad that lost its tranny at 49,9XX miles (he was REALLY lucky- 50K mile warranty) and still has numerous electrical gremlins. He drives his '96 4runner now.
I'm happy to stroll along at 65mph and never have to worry about anything breaking.
Now I have an optima battery and second I'm waiting to install, a Warn XD9000i sitting on my living room floor, some OME heavy springs on order and 33's sitting at the tire shop. There are much cooler ways to spend that car payment!
My parents have a '96 Exploder sitting at a getaway home in GA. I'll spare you the whole story, but what a lemon!
I'm happy to stroll along at 65mph and never have to worry about anything breaking.
Now I have an optima battery and second I'm waiting to install, a Warn XD9000i sitting on my living room floor, some OME heavy springs on order and 33's sitting at the tire shop. There are much cooler ways to spend that car payment!
My parents have a '96 Exploder sitting at a getaway home in GA. I'll spare you the whole story, but what a lemon!
- Thread starter
- #15
The deal with my 40 is it was my great granpas, He died and so the title to it is mine in April. It s a 64 and is really a project. Right now I dont need a project. I need a reliable rig that isnt complicated to fix and I can trust that if I go up to the hill willin, that the 4wd wont break and leave me stranded for 5 hours(bad experience)...Im looking at a 60 right now
You guys make me feel alot better about mine.I've only had it a short time.Mine developed engine problems soon after I bought it.I had it rebuilt plus a new radiator, hoses and belts.I runs awesome now.Someone thinks I went overboard on it but I want something that is going to be running and getting me around for the next 15 years.
Let's see...mine since new (Feb 86)
getting ready to pass 440,000 miles....
'failed to start' 6 times in all those years: three times cause I killed battery ( need gizmo that ding-ding when I leave headlights on), two times cause battery died (shuda seen it comming), once cause battery cable failed ( 3 months ago, again my fault, I knew I was living on borrowed time).
Been in the shop, ummm, 3 times: factory recall on gas tank, recall on rear seat lap belts, 1st clutch at 301,xxx miles. I'll do next clutch...whenever it goes.
Engine & tranny is all factory...of course, alternators, water pump, fuel pump, radiator....but that's to be expected...
getting ready to pass 440,000 miles....
'failed to start' 6 times in all those years: three times cause I killed battery ( need gizmo that ding-ding when I leave headlights on), two times cause battery died (shuda seen it comming), once cause battery cable failed ( 3 months ago, again my fault, I knew I was living on borrowed time).
Been in the shop, ummm, 3 times: factory recall on gas tank, recall on rear seat lap belts, 1st clutch at 301,xxx miles. I'll do next clutch...whenever it goes.
Engine & tranny is all factory...of course, alternators, water pump, fuel pump, radiator....but that's to be expected...
If you dont mind maintenence, the 60 is great. Everything is fairly straight forward to work on. Parts are readily available.
Mine has 207,000 on it and it is my DD. It has never left me stranded. Ive had to limp it home twice, once when the clutch slave went out and I just sych shifted it to get home. The other time my starter solenoid started going and everytime I started it I had to beat the solenoid with a pair of pliers. $12 worth of rebuild parts and the problem was fixed.
Mine has its quirks and leaks oil, but Id take it cross country today (if gas wasnt $2.50 a gallon). My 60 vs. Exploder... 60 hands down.
Hodag
Mine has 207,000 on it and it is my DD. It has never left me stranded. Ive had to limp it home twice, once when the clutch slave went out and I just sych shifted it to get home. The other time my starter solenoid started going and everytime I started it I had to beat the solenoid with a pair of pliers. $12 worth of rebuild parts and the problem was fixed.
Mine has its quirks and leaks oil, but Id take it cross country today (if gas wasnt $2.50 a gallon). My 60 vs. Exploder... 60 hands down.
Hodag
Cruiserdrew
On the way there
As others have stated-it's as reliable as the best ever made, but they are 20+ years old, so reliability is a moving target. I've owned my 60 about 6 years and 50K miles. When something needs attention, I generally replace everything connected to it, meaning a bad radiator meant the water pump and thermostat also got replaced. New front brakes meant new calipers, new wheel bearings, and a knuckle rebuild. At this point, the truck runs fine. Everything is meant to be serviced from the factory, so systems can be rebuilt over and over. The difficult part is that lots of pm is needed constantly. I see that as OK, since you will work on it mostly at home, in your own driveway and not beside the road.
As long as for you, reliable does not mean trouble free, you'll be fine.
As long as for you, reliable does not mean trouble free, you'll be fine.
i don't have much to say for i concur with all of the previous posts. however, if you do make the plunge, don't fall for the low priced, "needs some work" variety. a neglected FJ60 can get very expensive very fast.
if you are a do-it-yourselfer, these are great for with the FSMs and a decent set of tools, you fix just about everything. if you aren't and plan on taking your rig to a mechanic every time something goes awry, (which isn't often if maintained,) this can get pricey.
the first year i owned mine, i spent a lot of time sorting things out and generally renewing/replacing things that were worn out and/or on their way. since then, the truck's been bulletproof.
caveat: do not expect to be speed racer. explorers are slow but FJ60s are even slower but that's all just part of the FJ60 experience.
basically, you can't go wrong with a well maintained 60.
if you are a do-it-yourselfer, these are great for with the FSMs and a decent set of tools, you fix just about everything. if you aren't and plan on taking your rig to a mechanic every time something goes awry, (which isn't often if maintained,) this can get pricey.
the first year i owned mine, i spent a lot of time sorting things out and generally renewing/replacing things that were worn out and/or on their way. since then, the truck's been bulletproof.
caveat: do not expect to be speed racer. explorers are slow but FJ60s are even slower but that's all just part of the FJ60 experience.
basically, you can't go wrong with a well maintained 60.
