I am considering to purchase a 98 100 series cruiser. the miles are 170 K . are there any things i need to know as pros and cons for the 98 model. I haven't looked at it yet but wanted your opinion before i make the trip.
Slee Offroad's website has a listing of most if the differences in features from year to year as well as things to look for when purchasing. The Sticky section here also has a lot of good information.
I'd be looking for service history, condition of interior & exterior, the power steering rack, CV boots, timing belt & water pump, if the windshield was replaced was it done properly (can be a mess if not done right), check body & underbody for rust, etc
Really depends on what you want to use it for. I didn't rock crawl with my 98 but I did do a lot of 4 wheeling and drove it all over north and south america, as well as used it as a daily driver. From personal experience, if you find one with a full service history that was loved and cared for it will last forever. 170k is just broken in. I sold mine at 331k after 16 years of ownership not because anything was wrong (it definitely wasn't) I was just ready for a new 200.
well the deal fell through. my only concern about the 98 would have been the two pinion front diff. if a two pinion diff fails can you replace it with a four pinion diff?? I don't crawl rocks but it would be used on a ranch where the roads are un improved and could be expected to serve some rough service from time to time.
Most probably go aftermarket to replace the two pinion. Was just reading a few threads on this subject - many seem to have gone with ARB, some with TJM. There has also been some discussion around Eaton entering NA for the UZJ100.
The only time I have ever seen a front diff break is after hopping the front of the truck when climbing ledges. Bounce the front wheels, break the front diff. Deep mud won't do it. Sand and snow, neither. Seems to be a robust design for 99.9% of the uses.
