What Did You Do with Your 80 This Weekend? (71 Viewers)

[Vulkyn]

Got this tool and its just great, makes cutting looms, bundled cables and old heatshrink a breeze.
The red side protects the wires and the rest just splits it open. Its great when you have a lot of rewiring to do (which is my case lol)

I'm sure its not new but figured to share my 2 cents

 

[KZN130Alabama]

Take it off and get it in a good upright position. The first time I left it on and you just can’t get a good enough angle to keep the paint wet as you’re working so the center of the hood comes out way too dry and like 40 grit sand paper. I had to block it back down with 800 and redo it.

Good advice. I only wish I would have seen it before because this exact thing happened. I didn't get good coverage on the base at all so it's splotchy but not terrible. I saw a good opportunity to practice with the clear so I went ahead with that. The clear came out great (Spraymax 2K). I'll block it down and do again one of these days but for now it's much better than it was.

 

[Marco Lau]

Weekend with Jeepers and pups..

 

[Brocephusmax]

First time caller, long time listener. Joined the club. Bought a 1994 over the weekend. It's at the mechanics this week so they can go thru it and get the inspection up to date.

 

[DirtyPepper]

This weekend I set up an appointment for the windshield gasket to be replaced. Thankfully, the shop who will be doing the work doesn't believe the glass will need to be swapped out since it's Toyota factory glass, never been replaced, and with no chips, cracks, or pits. The shop has two techs who are VERY familiar with the 80 series gasket R/R and have been recommended by my LC shop.

That being said...I'm gonna complain for a few lines mostly because I see everybody updating and I have a serious case of "the wants"...I've owned her for seven years and I'm just now in a position to update things, financially...and in that time she's gone from 200K miles to 221,xxx miles.

I came to the slow realization that it's going to take me longer than I want to get my LC anywhere past stock appearance. While she's more than capable in this state, I have a number of issues to baseline before updating (which I know is common for a 25 year old vehicle)...and it's always been, even back when I was a teen working on my first project WAaaaaaay back in 1993 (a 1973 Dodge Power Wagon 4x4): Make sure she's mechanically sound before adding any update or mod.

I have some electrical gremlins that need to be chased (unknown cost and potentially my largest cost in front of me at this moment)
I have to replace the windshield gasket - 11/14 (Not expensive - $70 OEM Gasket and $150 Labor R/R)
I have to update the front wheel bearings (Might as well rebuild the knuckle seals at that time and add new Tie Rods; Birfs are fine but might as well do those since I'll be in there) - Approx $2,500 unless I do the work myself.

THEN I can begin to save and update with a lift, suspension, heavy bumpers, tire swing out, etc.

But man, the cost of materials is getting so high...a full ARB bumper and then rear swing out tire carriers are getting so expensive.

Yeah, I could max out my credit cards but I'm also trying to save for a house. I had a house ready to buy in February but the agent screwed up and then Ukraine/Russia happened and Fannie Mae pulled everything.

A buddy of mine told me over drinks this weekend, "Just sell the the damn thing and get something not as expensive,"

I wanted to slap the drink out of his hand for such sacrilege and blasphemous words.

I'm happy to keep her stock but man...I'd really like to get her updated. If I go with just OEM springs and shocks, yeah, that'll add some height and I can dump on 285's (Or maybe go with 305's) but I can't add an ARB Bull Bar or swing out (as far as I know) due to weight. Or am I wrong in that assessment? I'm not looking for a rock crawler but something that can get into areas that most other vehicles can't...and she can now, but I'd like a little more of an advantage.


Eh, I'm just complaining. If you got this far, thanks for "listening".

 

[landcrshr]

Removed the steering gear for service.

It would have gone a lot quicker had I realized the bolt holding the U-joint for the steering shaft needs to be fully removed before it will slip off.

I used an electric transfer pump to evacuate the fluid from the system. My Shortbus bumper has a convenient spot for the collection bottle.

 

[jpoole]

@DirtyPepper

I agree that it can be hard to manage the build envy if you spend much time on the forum but it does get easier with time and practice . You've had your 80 long enough that you know all of that, and have probably considered all the angles and put a lot of thought into your build so responses to your venting are probably not helpful.

Even so, I'll throw out that for the first few years that I had my 80 I was budgeting for front/rear bumpers, winch, dual batteries, roof rack etc. Over time and as I used the 80 more those plans changed and I'm really glad I didn't take the plunge on all that spend and all that weight added. I did still add sliders (the bior step sliders) which add good protection and are useful getting/in out of the 80 but I've learned that I prefer the 80 to be as light and empty as possible. I've come up with a minimal recovery setup that I find effective (has been tested at this point) and that fits in the tailgate and quarter panel storage without weighting the back-end that much, etc. The overall build I've gone with has kept the center of gravity a little lower, the weight between the wheels and keeps the 80 as a bare platform for whatever types of adventures I take it on from people hauling (yep, I actually use the 3rd row pretty regularly) to grocery runs to multi-week camping trips.

20k is enough miles to have learned about what you want but I just wanted to re-iterate the opinion of some on this forum that closer to stock can be a better setup even if it's not as photogenic or rich in creating build material for the forums.

Your 80 looks nice as it sits but a little rattle can silver on those wheel center caps and some hammer/dolly then paint work on that front bumper are two low cost improvements that may scratch the itch and bring some satisfaction while you wait on larger mods.

 

[Njck22]

Comparison is the thief of joy. I stay off instagram and facebook.

 

[DirtyPepper]

@DirtyPepper

I agree that it can be hard to manage the build envy if you spend much time on the forum but it does get easier with time and practice . You've had your 80 long enough that you know all of that, and have probably considered all the angles and put a lot of thought into your build so responses to your venting are probably not helpful.

Even so, I'll throw out that for the first few years that I had my 80 I was budgeting for front/rear bumpers, winch, dual batteries, roof rack etc. Over time and as I used the 80 more those plans changed and I'm really glad I didn't take the plunge on all that spend and all that weight added. I did still add sliders (the bior step sliders) which add good protection and are useful getting/in out of the 80 but I've learned that I prefer the 80 to be as light and empty as possible. I've come up with a minimal recovery setup that I find effective (has been tested at this point) and that fits in the tailgate and quarter panel storage without weighting the back-end that much, etc. The overall build I've gone with has kept the center of gravity a little lower, the weight between the wheels and keeps the 80 as a bare platform for whatever types of adventures I take it on from people hauling (yep, I actually use the 3rd row pretty regularly) to grocery runs to multi-week camping trips.

20k is enough miles to have learned about what you want but I just wanted to re-iterate the opinion of some on this forum that closer to stock can be a better setup even if it's not as photogenic or rich in creating build material for the forums.

Your 80 looks nice as it sits but a little rattle can silver on those wheel center caps and some hammer/dolly then paint work on that front bumper are two low cost improvements that may scratch the itch and bring some satisfaction while you wait on larger mods.

Thanks! I appreciate the words. And you're right in a lot of respects.

Recently I've bounced between the good looking and capable build to a more stock look but with a bit more of a stance. There's a white cruiser in this thread that still has the running boards and no aftermarket bumper (front or rear) but has the yakima bars on top; I do want to build a cargo/sleeping deck for those places the pop up trailer I have can't go. Not really keen on a RTT, but that was mainly because of the up and down at night (unless using a bottle) for the restroom, but sleeping in the back would be just a couple of steps less, haha.

Yeah,. the PO bumped something and creased the bumper...with wanting to get a different bumper, I never went looking for a stock replacement. And that photo is from about five years ago...she looks much better, to be honest but at some point I'm going to have the wheels blasted and redone. I really like the look of the factory wheels but they were not maintained by the PO and there is some type of corrosion on them that I can't power wash off and I don't want to use something too harsh and cause more damage.


I've driven an 80 with a 6" lift and 40" tires and that's decidedly not for me; saw another one recently and it solidified it for me. I'm also not into doing a regear unless I absolutely have to.


Here's a more recent pic while in the shop...


Thanks,

 

[jpoole]

@DirtyPepper

That's a great looking 80 and since it's the single stage black paint a little polish/wax should keep it looking great based on the condition of the paint/body work in those pictures.

I'm no expert but have had some luck with cleaning, sanding and clear coating wheels to clean them up and make them easier to keep clean. My front bumper was also damaged and as a temp fix I hammered it back out and painted it. Having the front end of your 80 look clean would likely have a big impact on your satisfaction with it, based on my experience at least.

Nice tire choice in my opinion (285s?) they fit your ride height well I think.

 

[69 Pigboy]

This great! Does it take all the space ? I have the sub fuel tank and 2nd spare tire and was thinking of removing the tire extending the fuel tank and adding a water tank as well.

I have my spare mounted on the bumper and my long range tank is in front of the rear crossmember. There’s a trade off between capacity and hanging so low that it impacts your departure angle.

 

[DirtyPepper]

@DirtyPepper

That's a great looking 80 and since it's the single stage black paint a little polish/wax should keep it looking great based on the condition of the paint/body work in those pictures.

I'm no expert but have had some luck with cleaning, sanding and clear coating wheels to clean them up and make them easier to keep clean. My front bumper was also damaged and as a temp fix I hammered it back out and painted it. Having the front end of your 80 look clean would likely have a big impact on your satisfaction with it, based on my experience at least.

Nice tire choice in my opinion (285s?) they fit your ride height well I think.

Thanks!

She gets dirty easy BECAUSE of the black...but I don't mind. Around mid-September I washed, ran a clay bar over her, and then polished her along with cleaning the dash surfaces with a detail brush and cleaner, including the console and such...made a helluva difference (I'd been watching a lot of AmmoNYC videos to be honest)

I'll try hammering out the bumper crease, thanks!

And she's wholly stock, except for the stereo (Which is installed but with no power currently...different story in another thread) - and those are Cooper Adventurer 265/75R16's. Honestly, the PO had TWO DIFFERENT sized tires on her! 265 and a 275 on the front and then the same on the rear. I have no idea how long they ran different sized tires on her, but she was immediately swapped into used tires after I got her. At the end of this most recent May, I opted to put the 265's on since the idea was to lift in the next year. Looking back, I should have put 285's on.

At a bare minimum, she needs OEM springs and shocks after 25 years

 

[69 Pigboy]

Replaced the gear oil in my diffs. No metal on the magnets so that’s a plus. Rear oil looked like honey, front was dark gray. Looks like grease has gotten into the diff. Will check the breather and see if it’s clear but there might be a front axle rebuild in my future. No seepage past the wipes at the knuckle.

 

[nigelsiam]

This weekend I set up an appointment for the windshield gasket to be replaced. Thankfully, the shop who will be doing the work doesn't believe the glass will need to be swapped out since it's Toyota factory glass, never been replaced, and with no chips, cracks, or pits. The shop has two techs who are VERY familiar with the 80 series gasket R/R and have been recommended by my LC shop.

That being said...I'm gonna complain for a few lines mostly because I see everybody updating and I have a serious case of "the wants"...I've owned her for seven years and I'm just now in a position to update things, financially...and in that time she's gone from 200K miles to 221,xxx miles.

I came to the slow realization that it's going to take me longer than I want to get my LC anywhere past stock appearance. While she's more than capable in this state, I have a number of issues to baseline before updating (which I know is common for a 25 year old vehicle)...and it's always been, even back when I was a teen working on my first project WAaaaaaay back in 1993 (a 1973 Dodge Power Wagon 4x4): Make sure she's mechanically sound before adding any update or mod.

I have some electrical gremlins that need to be chased (unknown cost and potentially my largest cost in front of me at this moment)
I have to replace the windshield gasket - 11/14 (Not expensive - $70 OEM Gasket and $150 Labor R/R)
I have to update the front wheel bearings (Might as well rebuild the knuckle seals at that time and add new Tie Rods; Birfs are fine but might as well do those since I'll be in there) - Approx $2,500 unless I do the work myself.

THEN I can begin to save and update with a lift, suspension, heavy bumpers, tire swing out, etc.

But man, the cost of materials is getting so high...a full ARB bumper and then rear swing out tire carriers are getting so expensive.

Yeah, I could max out my credit cards but I'm also trying to save for a house. I had a house ready to buy in February but the agent screwed up and then Ukraine/Russia happened and Fannie Mae pulled everything.

A buddy of mine told me over drinks this weekend, "Just sell the the damn thing and get something not as expensive,"

I wanted to slap the drink out of his hand for such sacrilege and blasphemous words.

I'm happy to keep her stock but man...I'd really like to get her updated. If I go with just OEM springs and shocks, yeah, that'll add some height and I can dump on 285's (Or maybe go with 305's) but I can't add an ARB Bull Bar or swing out (as far as I know) due to weight. Or am I wrong in that assessment? I'm not looking for a rock crawler but something that can get into areas that most other vehicles can't...and she can now, but I'd like a little more of an advantage.


Eh, I'm just complaining. If you got this far, thanks for "listening".

View attachment 3155605

You are killing yourself thinking you need different bumpers, swing-out, etc. You really don't and if you do think you need them it should be after you've done some exploring with a slight lift (2" dobinsons is really nice, easy, quick and no other mods needed) and with 285s. That's what I have and have been to tons of great places. Before the bumpers and stuff I would get rock sliders. Save your money for land and/or a house.

 

[Katsuo70]

Ran the Lockwood Creek trail to the Miller Jeep Trail with the So Cal TLCA guys. My second time out with the LX450, and it did great. Had a blast. But it was not without some carnage - albeit not the kind that ends your day.

This trail is pretty much just a tight, steep, rutted-out and sometimes rocky fire road to the top of a mountain. There are two true obstacles right at the top, which are not that hard to get through with some good spotting. I was able to clear them both without drama. But once I made it past the final obstacle, I stopped paying attention for just a second, and plowed right into a chunky rock sitting in the middle of the trail. It hit my right radius arm on the underside and put a nice gouge on it. It was a pretty sold hit, it basically stopped me cold in my tracks. I didn't really notice it at the time, but I bet the impact popped my right shock off at the axle mount. Once we started heading down the hill on that fire road, I did notice a tendency to nose dive on hard left turns and the few bumpy sections did cause some pretty nice clunks to occur. But I made it home without noticing what happened. It was only today when I went under the rig for a look-see and to check some bolts that I saw what had happened.








I'm still pretty new to Cruisers and offroad mechanical work in general. So I could use some advice on how to proceed to fix this. The threads on the shock shaft are pretty buggered-up. Should I attempt to remount the shock as-is, or is this a remove and replace kind of thing?

 

[OffRoadScott]

Ran the Lockwood Creek trail to the Miller Jeep Trail with the So Cal TLCA guys. My second time out with the LX450, and it did great. Had a blast. But it was not without some carnage - albeit not the kind that ends your day.

This trail is pretty much just a tight, steep, rutted-out and sometimes rocky fire road to the top of a mountain. There are two true obstacles right at the top, which are not that hard to get through with some good spotting. I was able to clear them both without drama. But once I made it past the final obstacle, I stopped paying attention for just a second, and plowed right into a chunky rock sitting in the middle of the trail. It hit my right radius arm on the underside and put a nice gouge on it. It was a pretty sold hit, it basically stopped me cold in my tracks. I didn't really notice it at the time, but I bet the impact popped my right shock off at the axle mount. Once we started heading down the hill on that fire road, I did notice a tendency to nose dive on hard left turns and the few bumpy sections did cause some pretty nice clunks to occur. But I made it home without noticing what happened. It was only today when I went under the rig for a look-see and to check some bolts that I saw what had happened.








I'm still pretty new to Cruisers and offroad mechanical work in general. So I could use some advice on how to proceed to fix this. The threads on the shock shaft are pretty buggered-up. Should I attempt to remount the shock as-is, or is this a remove and replace kind of thing?

Looks like you sheared the threads, only option if that is the case replace the shock.

 

[FloridaCruiser22]

Camped out at Rainbow Springs State Park over the weekend

 

[nigelsiam]

Camped out at Rainbow Springs State Park over the weekend

View attachment 3156005
View attachment 3156009

Looks like a nice habitat for some Crocs! ....the animal...not the shoes. Or both I guess

 

[ColoradoBoy]

Well, the last 2 weeks:
Refurbished fuel injectors, new gasket for valve push rod cover, misc. wire harness care, DESMOG. Running much better, still have a slight low idle issue; I'll swap out the O2 sensors & see if that does it. Would still like to re-adjust the valves, just to make sure.

 

[SeaJay]

I had been having exhaust smell in the cab for a while, replaced tailgate seal, seals around the tail lights ect. Turns out there is 4 inspection holes about 3in squarish with plastic covers up above the towbar/bumper part No. 64745-60010 three were missing