Triple-locked vs. non-locking FZJ80 (1 Viewer)

[GREY59]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to the forums and to the world of Land Cruisers so I apologize if this question has been asked before. I would really like to buy an FZJ80 at some point and was wondering, besides the locking diffs, if there are any differences between triple-locked and non-locking 80 series? I know triple-locked 80 series are harder to come by and more expensive as well. The truck would mainly be my daily driver but I would like to take it offroading every now and then.

 

[jfz80]

Different motors and transmissions through the years. General consensus is buy the cleanest best maintained 95-97 that you can find/afford and budget another 1-2k in baseline funds for solid dependable driver.

Good start right here. And he is a long time hobby/site supporting vendor as well.

80 Series Newbie Guide - Slee Off Road

As soon as the excitement of the purchase starts to fade, the questions start popping up. What modifications can I make? What are those 4 bolts on the back

sleeoffroad.com

 

[Comet]

Occasional off-road. What @jfz80 said.

 

[OffRoadScott]

91-92 Have the smaller motor and semi-floating rear axle, Late model 93 and up have the larger motor and a full floating rear axle. If brakes make a difference to you the 94+ have 4 wheel disc brakes. Where the earlier FJ80 has a front disk and rear drum brakes. They say the full axles are stronger as well.

I have wheeled some off-camber trails and never had any issues and mine is not triple locked. On that same trip, there was some 5th Gen 4Runners with the rear locker having issues with the same obstacle would just walk over. A lot of it has to do with the line you take. Articulation of your front and rear axle can make a difference too. If you are staying in contact with the ground while wheeling you are going to have a lot fewer issues.

I am not familiar with the PA. If most of the wheeling you do is forest service roads no reason for a locker. But if you are climbing obstacles etc I would at least recommend a rear locker if you end up buying a non-triple locked version.

 

[Irish Reiver]

Mine is triple locked. I do my fair share of off roading. I think i have used my rear lockers twice. I do not recall ever using my fronts. It's lovely to have them and they add value to the truck - but that works both ways. My head says i wouldn't hesitate to buy a LC with no lockers....my heart says different....

 

[wagonteeth]

A little correction- 93 started the 4.5L 24 valve I-6 and full floating rear, along with triple locked. Mine is a 11/92 mfg date and is so equipped.

 

[greentruck]

Mine is triple locked. I do my fair share of off roading. I think i have used my rear lockers twice. I do not recall ever using my fronts. It's lovely to have them and they add value to the truck - but that works both ways. My head says i wouldn't hesitate to buy a LC with no lockers....my heart says different....

Been wheelin' for over a half century, plenty of bad places to test driver and truck, never been in a stuck where a locker would've made much difference. They do make getting over things a little less sweaty, but if you pick your lines wisely in an 80 lockers are mostly bling on the option sheet at sale time. Nice, but far from obligatory.

 

[Squeegee]

I wouldn’t worry about the lockers to much. 35s and airing down will take you mostly anywhere and a 300 Aussie locker will probably take you the rest of the way. I was in a similar situation and I decided that I should probably learn how to wheel without lockers before I started to think about lockers. And locked 80s are going for waaaaaaaay to much right now anyway.

 

[mudgudgeon]

Been wheelin' for over a half century, plenty of bad places to test driver and truck, never been in a stuck where a locker would've made much difference. They do make getting over things a little less sweaty, but if you pick your lines wisely in an 80 lockers are mostly bling on the option sheet at sale time. Nice, but far from obligatory.

That may be true where you've been, but to say lockers don't make much difference is kind of ignorant.

I grew up wheeling loads of different vehicles with open diffs, and quicky learnt about the importance of wheel placement.
I've had two wheel drive vehicles through trails I've been told would require lockers.

When I bought a rig with front and rear lockers I was amazed at the difference.

Lockers let you get through more difficult obstacles without beating your truck unecessarily.
They will get you places you can't even contemplate taking a rig with open diffs.
They prevent damage to your truck and prevent damage and erosion to trails.
They can get you out of that hairy situation you didn't anticipate, and they can get you deeper into the poo than you are prepared for.

They aren't a magic bullet, but combined with awareness of your rigs limitations, good wheel placement, and a calm head behind the wheel they are a fantastic tool.

Learning to drive well without lockers is key to developing solid driving skills off-road.
You can carefully pick lines, and get through a lot with finesse, or try to stomp it and steer and force your way through and destroy your rig in the process of getting nowhere.

 

[Ntgm37]

I wouldn’t worry about the lockers to much. 35s and airing down will take you mostly anywhere and a 300 Aussie locker will probably take you the rest of the way. I was in a similar situation and I decided that I should probably learn how to wheel without lockers before I started to think about lockers. And locked 80s are going for waaaaaaaay to much right now anyway.

What is a 94 triple locked going for?

 

[greentruck]

When I bought a rig with front and rear lockers I was amazed at the difference.

That's good if you get that option. If given the choice, I'd surely tick that box. And I could see getting much more use from lockers in a place like Australia. Here, you have to go looking for those sorts of places and I'll admit I'm no longer that adventurous. But when I was, I made do and never felt their lack as a limit.

That said, not having lockers was far less of a factor than not having a Land Cruiser in limiting my adventures. I've been places where it would've been nice to have them, but I still managed. And as you note, they can get you in deeper if you're not careful. Not dissing the lockers, just pointing out they're really an option, rarely a necessity.

 

[half k cruiser]

@GREY59 locked or unlocked shouldn't need to be too big of a factor in your search, just buy the cleanest one you can afford. There's not a lot of places you can't get to with an unlocked one if your creative and you have some friends with you. Plus you can always add lockers later if you feel it necessary.

Also, 96-97 are preferable in that they have OBD ii which allows you to better monitor engine diagnostics with something like a Scanguage. They are also less prone to head gasket failure due to the redesigned gasket. However, your talking about a 23+ year old vehicle so it's likely going to go out anyway if it hasn't already been taken care of.

 

[FJBen]

Find the cleanest one you can find with the best records if possible. I'd stay 93 plus if possible.

OEM lockers are great, but don't let that sway you into buying a premium and smaller vehicle pool for them. ARBs work fantastic and have some PRO's/CONs over an OEM locker.

Lockers are great, and it's possible you don't need them. I've used mine plenty wheeling and have had both OEM and ARB on 80 series.

Sand, mud, ditches, snow...lockers aren't only about rock crawling.
I got stuck turning around in a ditch with wet grass, a little mud and a super flexxy 80 series on 35's. spinning tires.... Locked in and walked right out.

 

[sogafarm]

What is a 94 triple locked going for?

Lockers add about $3k to the value over stock, some more, some less depending on location, miles, and condition. You could also add aftermarket lockers for about the same price.

 

[chap79]

Buy the cleanest, well maintained truck you can afford. It will all come together after that. As other have said the later years are preferred as they had all the refinements. I had a ‘96 and a ‘97 that both started live with open diffs, went all kinds of places in them before they got lockers installed. Wouldn’t hesitate to buy a clean unlocked FZJ80.

 

[DiscoCam]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to the forums and to the world of Land Cruisers so I apologize if this question has been asked before. I would really like to buy an FZJ80 at some point and was wondering, besides the locking diffs, if there are any differences between triple-locked and non-locking 80 series? I know triple-locked 80 series are harder to come by and more expensive as well. The truck would mainly be my daily driver but I would like to take it offroading every now and then.

If you're just doing trails, sand dunes, gravel roads, etc, you don't need lockers. I have been doing a whole lot more than that stuff without lockers for many years with several different 4WDs.

Now I have an 80 with lockers. Do I need them? No. Are they nice to have? You bet they are.

What's more important than an 80 with lockers is a clean 80 to begin with. So much easier to live with a classic vehicle (I mean come on guys these are 23-30 years old now) that doesn't have old car problems so you can just do the fun stuff like suspension, tires, bumpers, and aftermarket lockers if you want.

Don't get too hung up on lockers. TLDR, find a clean 80 first, if it has lockers, great. If not, no biggie.

 

[Heckraiser]

Buy the best 80 you can afford. If it doesn't have lockers, don't sweat it. You can add them later if you so desire. Being in PA, I would say priority number one should be rust, everything else, even mechanical condition, being secondary.

I consider lockers necessary for my usage, but honestly, I'm lucky if I truly need them two or three times a year (means I'm getting out on some good trails). I went many years without and I got by with a tow strap and help from other folks on the trail. I've used most of the different types of lockers over the years. Don't assume the toyota locker is the end-all best. Even cheap lunchbox lockers are great---again, if you determine you need them down the road.

 

[ExpoGeorgia]

Don’t get caught up in the trends OP.. buy the cleanest example you can afford and add as you go. I did all of Chocolocco in an open diff 80, choosing your line and using the brake/gas method help.. and once you figure out you need one buy a cheap Aussie locker, that’ll take you just about anywhere

 

[LandLocked93]

I wouldn't consider an 80 without all 3 lockers, from the factory. So '93 and up.
In fact, I see little reason to choose an 80 over any other "4x4" vehicle which, lets be honest, most are really only 1x1 in the best of circumstances, and only in lo-range for some, without lockers.

An 80 with a center diff lock and two wheels off the ground will give you 1x1 maximum, and not the 1x1 you need don'tchya know. (not knocking the 80, just the open diffs). The viscous coupling helps, but under even moderate strain it too will send power to the ungrounded wheels.

Lockers are *the reason* to choose an 80, or a G-Wagon, or a Rubicon (and whatever other Jeepies-come-lately with 3, heavily-computerized locks). The only difference is how much you want to spend - now, later, and over long-term ownership.

Simply put, lockers separate vehicles forthwith. There is no substitute for them. Having them grants you the knowledge and confidence that there is no greater mechanical ability to motivate the vehicle than to have all 4 wheels mechanically connected directly to the power plant and turning at the same speed. If 4 powered wheels do not overcome an obstacle, there is no further trying or guessing to be done. Pick a different line or pick a different route.

Now I know the haters with open diffs (if any) will argue differently, but I'm here to tell you THEY ALL have discovered their limitations far, far, far sooner than those with lockers, regardless of their willingness to admit it. To argue the contrary simply has no basis in reality.

With that out of the way, given your intended use...seems like a standard SUV will do the trick. Anything relatively cheap to operate and maintain. And probably much newer as well.
Maintenance costs for locked and unlocked 80's will be the same, and that's what makes a triple-locked 80 far more worth the effort and cost to keep running (+resale on the back end), *imo* (shameless plug for the basement-dwelling opinion judges out there).

As such, I'm not sure the costs (maintenance+fuel at minimum) will make sense for you.

edit:is it 2x2? Clarification 1x1=only one wheel on each axle is "connected to/powered by" the engine. Usually the wheel with the least rotational resistance as compared to the other wheel on the same axle in an open differential. Call it 2x2 if you rather. lol

 

[mudgudgeon]

I'm a huge fan of being triple locked. No one can argue they don't increase the vehicles capability a lot.
My current 80 is un-locked. It takes me most places I want to go, but i understand it's limitations, so i don't push my luck. I'm currently contemplating fitting lockers to my current rig. My occasional use doesn't really justify the dollars, but they will save me getting stuck, or will prevent damage when I push my rig behind it's current capability.

Now I know the haters with open diffs (if any) will argue differently, but I'm here to tell you THEY ALL have discovered their limitations far, far, far sooner than those with lockers, regardless of their willingness to admit it. To argue the contrary simply has no basis in reality.

For a novice, it's highly likely the capability of a fully locked rig will exceed their experience, judgement, and capability as a driver
A locked rig can take a newb far beyond there capability to self rescue if things go bad.
When you can't progress with lockers, you're likely to be in a situation that will require some serious winch recovery, or assisted recovery. Both of which require experience and caution.
I've witnessed this on the trail, and had a buddy who "upgraded" from a fairly standard Zuke, to a built, lifted and locked rig, then proceeded to scare the shìt out of himself coming on a hard core trail run he wasn't prepared for and sold it shortly afterwards.

Lockers are great, but I do agree with others, overall condition is more important.
In the future when you find your use justifies the cost, fit lockers then.