Toyota Land Cruiser

scifi · June 2003

At the Chicago auto show the toyota rep said a new V-8 engine will be introduced in 2005 - he didn't talk about body redesign though.

fj100 · June 2003

I have heard that the LC will go away and the Sequioa will be the top model yota and that even the top of line lexus will be based on the sequioa. They both will have the new 5.5l v8. Imagine the profitiability of this, insane. The LC will come back as an off roader aka concept FJ.

Frankly, I think this absolutely sucks. The LC should be offered in wagon format and we should get the world vehicle, like we do today. The sequioa is a ford expedition in toyota clothing, a LC is a LC is a LC.

Luckily they will bring the 100 series in for 2004 so there will be used ones around for a while. The 2003 models are awesome with all the factory features that they should have had since '98.

Later,'

Andrew
Raleigh, NC
ARB Winch Bar
OME Lift
Sway away torsion bars
bfg AT's 285's
PIAA Fogs
Black Lab hair
baby gear
cheerios

bryan28 · June 2003

let's get a look at your rig, sounds nice. What are sway away torsion bars? Where did you buy them, how much? Thanks

fj100 · June 2003

Here you go. These are some cheesy pictures taken after a snow storm.

http://www.pbase.com/roane10

Mine is the one under AR-LC. There are also some other modded 100 series up there. The green one is now running 35's.

Sway away torsion bars are heavier duty torsion bars used to raise the front in. I purchased them at www.sleeoffroad.com, look under products, suspension.

Later,

Andrew

bryan28 · June 2003

what do you know about the black one? how much lift? what tire size? thanks

jtsang2000 · June 2003

I'm looking to buy a 1996 Land Cruiser or any other model years ranging from '95 to '97, I've did alot of research and browsing on the internet and found serveral high mileage 1996 LC's with about 90k to 120K for about $13000 to $17000. Can any one give some opinion on which is the best model year form '94 to '97. Is mileage over 100K on a 96 or 97 model worth looking into? How much should I paid for these high mileage model years?

Thanks for the help.

fj100 · June 2003

I think he is running 305's or 315's. Same lift as mine, 1.5 inches. I need bigger tires. I did not know the bigger ones would fit. 315's barely rub at full flex.

fj100 · June 2003

O yeah, he is running 315's with GY MTRs which look much better than bfg at's.

ruking1 · June 2003

#2828

I have the 96 and until just recently, the 97 models. I also have the 94 model. I have a friend that has the 95 model. 94,95,96,97 models have performed very very well. If you want to buy on price go for the earlier models, if you want to buy on mileage that is ok also.The 80 series has been know to consume brakes (fronts) faster than say the 60 series. I could get 60k from a 1987 TLC and for the 80 series 45 is about tops.

jamesbass1 · June 2003

OK Steelcruiser, looks like you're correct. Name your poison pardner.

If Toyota wants to kill the Golden Goose that helped build the company, then so be it. I just find it hard to believe these rumors. The Land Cruiser has been winning awards, Edmunds Editor's Pick, and God knows what else acolades from auto critics. It simply does NOT make sense to kill off an extremely popular model that took many years to develop a rock solid reputation. This has me scratching my head...go figure.

steelcruiser · June 2003

James--I'm all the way over on the "left" coast, so collecting will be hard

My spin on the LC here is......lots of rumors are saying no more, but these same rumors were around toward the end of the 80 series run and we got the 100 series. And as you say, why would Toy/Lexus get rid of such a legendary vehicle? They sell lots of them worldwide, so it's not like they've got to re-tool to make just a few for the US. My hunch is, we'll see a next generation LC here with a bigger engine, side air bags, nav sys, 18" wheels, rear viewing TV camera etc, etc as an '05 or '06 model. They may dribble in a few 100s in '05 and make the new series an '06?.

If the LC sales were so lousy, I think we'd be seeing some LC advertising and incentives. Don't know about your area, but here in CA, I've never seen any ads ala RR for the LC. Toward the end of the model year, I've occasionally seen 1 or 2 LCs discounted in a dealer's ad, but that's pretty rare.

Another thing, I don't think that Toy would just give up the luxury SUV market to RR. I've heard talk of Toy splitting off their truck/SUV lines for separate sales facilities. To me that "FJ" concept will be another vehicle in the Toy lineup.

I'm very guilty of inserting my own wishes here, but I hope I'm right and we'll see a next generation LC.

Maybe the marketing "problem" here is the fact that to some shopping for a Toy SUV, there isn't anything that separates the LC from the larger Sequoia?

hank14 · June 2003

With regards to tire rotation, what advantage is there to a 5 tire pattern vs. a 4 tire pattern, other than approx. 25% longer interval between replacing tires? My 99 LC recommends the 5 tire pattern. What do you do if you have to replace a blown or bad tire with, say 10-25K miles, since they should all match? Would you then go to the 4 tire rotation pattern?
Also, has anyone tried the Bridgestone Revo A/T tires? I am looking for a more aggressive off road pattern than the Michelin LTX M/S or Cross Terrains for snow, sand, and mud in the mountains. Tirerack doesn't give many other optioins. What is the equivalent tire size for the LC in the standard measurements (ex.: 33 X 10.5 X 16) to the stock 265/70/16? Thanks.

jamesbass1 · June 2003

Steelcruiser, I too hope you're correct on the future of the Cruiser here in the US. How are the prices on Land Cruisers in CA? In my immediate area, we have a smaller dealership that gets in one Cruiser every blue moon, and doesn't deal much on their vehicles. I doubt I'll be buying another Toyota from them, but at least their Service Dept. has been good to me over the years.

joeeblow1 · June 2003

I do a 5 tire rotation to keep the tires roughly the same size. I don't want to put a new tire on after a flat and have the diameter be much larger than the other 4. It tends to make my locker and transfer case upset. It gets more interesting as I'm running directional tires.

Stock tire size is ~31x10.5.

steelcruiser · June 2003

James. Prices here are pretty steady, in that you can find a particular year is generally within a fairly standard range. e.g. 00s 30 to 33, 01s 34 to 38, 02s, 39to 43 etc. 94 to 97s 9 to 19 or 20K. This a generalization based on asking prices that I see in the LA Times. Again, LCs seem to be in their own "world", as ads for new or used ones are (relatively) few. LCs have (IMHO) a strong and loyal following. New or used, they don't seem to last long. The market, at least here, is very strong for them within the context of the "loyalists". Hopefully, the Toy marketing types know and realize that. My impression is that LC fans tend to snub newer LC models--at first, then to embrace them near or at the end of the model run. The 80 series is becoming more and more popular with long time LC people as they learn of their capabilities. I suppose the 100 series will be getting more attention now that it's almost at the end of its run.

bryan28 · June 2003

My manual calls for 90w for the diffs, all I see at the local part stores is 80-90 or 75-90... Do I need to buy from Toyota? I even went on the Amsoil site and found 80-90 only. Any help would be great, thanks.

bryan28 · June 2003

Thanks Steelcruiser, I guess pure 90 isn't out there...

hicaira · June 2003

Hank, I think a 5 tire rotation is the better way to go: if you blow one then go to a 4 tire until replacement time. I wish I had gone to a 5 tire from the start, actually. A recent shredding of a Perelli Scorpion with only 25,000 on the set necessitated a complete set (4) change over. Oh well, rocks happen. Am now running the AT Revo's but they are still too new for me to provide any feedback of value. Heading to the San Juans and then Moab in a few weeks and I'll have something to say about them after that. Hopefully something good.

BTW: 275-70/16's are stock. You can run up to 285-75's without any suspension changes. No reason to go to flotations since there are quite a few decent off-road tires now available in LT metric.

HiC

steelcruiser · June 2003

Bryan. I haven't found a straight weight gear lube oil in synthetic or blend.

Also, a tip on changing out the diff/Tcase. Loosen the fill plugs first, then the drain plugs. You don't want to drain the oil if you can't get the fill plugs loose.

(24mm) As mine is lifted, I can access all of these without jacking, though the front one's pretty tight.

fj100 · June 2003

Hey guys,
The best FREE off road mod for the 80 or 100 series is having a driver selectable center diff lock. Go under the truck, unplug one wire on top of the transfer case, tape up the end of the wire and tape up the connector on the transfer case.

This mod allows the driver to select center diff lock in high range or low range. In low range with the center diff unlocked, the vehicle turning radius is just like normal. This is crucial in tight offroad spots with these large vehicles.

2 Notes

1. Do not forget to engage the cdl when in normal low range situations.
2. If your 80 series did not come with cdl button, it can easily be added. The switch is $50 bucks and the install takes about 10 minutes, just make sure you tape up the end of your flathead screwdriver before prying the dash apart.

Later,

Andrew

steelcruiser · June 2003

This is std on my ('02) 100. Didn't have this feature on my ('94) 80 though. It's a great feature.

bryan28 · June 2003

thanks for the tip! It looks like I have to pull the plastic under engine cover for the front. Thanks again, Bryan

steelcruiser · June 2003

bryan--yep. The tip is something I learned the hard way, which is usually the way I learn most things

)))

hank14 · June 2003

HiC and Joeeblo1-
Thanks for the response. That is exactly why I asked the question and the benefit I see of 5 tire rotation. I will probably try the Bridgestone Revo's unless something better comes along.

fj100 · July 2003

Here are some pics from yesterdays lunch time wheeling. There is a powerline trail about 2 minutes from my office. There are two good ditch crossings and the rest is pretty tame.

http://www.pbase.com/roane10/slater_rd_plt

Regards,

Andrew

dabobt · July 2003

Andrew - thx for putting up those pics.

What is the brand on the boonie bar or whatever you call the black metal bar on the frond of your LC?

Thx. Bob.

fj100 · July 2003

Bob,

It is an ARB Deluxe Winch Bar.

CHeck it out at www.arbusa.com

bryan28 · July 2003

Thanks for the pics and the link. ARB makes the best looking gear from what I've seen. Did you order through the internet or did you find a local retailer? Bryan

steelcruiser · July 2003

Bryan. Man-A-Fre in Simi Valley is an authorized distributor for ARB, OME etc. That's where I got my stuff.

They're on the web too.

03cobra · July 2003

Anyone ever had a sound like an "spitting" noise heard outside the vehicle while the engine is under load. It sounds like an exhaust leak to me. I hear it either with the window down as I am starting to accelerate, or standing on the drivers side away from the vehicle as someone else drives away. I saw some info on a manifold problem, and was wondering if it included any strange noises. The dealer looked for the cause and couldn't find anything, so they called it normal. It is not normal. Thanks for any help.

jamesbass1 · July 2003

Steelcruiser, thanks for the info. I've always been partial to buying vehicles in their late model run. I just feel more comfortable buying a vehicle after I've seen some mileage on them, and Toyota always seems to be tweaking their autos for the better in any particular model run.

steelcruiser · July 2003

James--I do the same thing. Also, I think the tweaks toward the end of the run give you a hint of what will probably be standard on the next generation.

I've never gotten the first year of any car I've ever owned

cruiserlust · July 2003

I can find pricing for 2002 models on several websites and pricing for new 2003 models. But I can't find pricing info for used 2003's.
I'm trying to figure out a fair offer for a used 2003 and I don't know what rationale or formula to base it on.
Thanks

stever · July 2003

for the '03's to hit our "used" pages.

Some people deduct a number per mile. Anywhere from 15 cents to perhaps 50 cents.

You could ask the dealers who hang out in Real-World Trade-In Values. They'd know. Read back a page or two in there to learn what info they need to give you a good guess (miles, color, zip, etc.).

Steve, Host

bryan28 · July 2003

when removing the rear diff filler nut it sounded like air pressure was releasing, kind of like what you hear sometimes with your gas cap but less air. Is this normal? I am going to pull the breather hose to see if it's clogged... Thanks for any info. Bryan

jgravel · July 2003

I washed my wife's LC this weekend and noticed the "door guard" trim strip that starts behind the back wheels was missing. Anyone know where I can find this on-line?

Thanks

jgravel · July 2003

In 2861 it should read " side moldings", not door guards. I hunted around on-line for awhile today and came up blank. I could just take it to the dealer and have him get the part but I'd rather do it myself.

any help here would be appreciated.

idahodoug · July 2003

jgravel,

When seeking parts or sources, it's a good idea to divulge year, model and country as there are some models that require specialty vendors some on the board may know of.

Bryan,

What you heard was most likely a vacuum being released as opposed to a pressure being released. When a sphere of warm air such as a hard working differential is submerged in cold water such as a stream or river crossing, a vacuum is formed that would pull water into the diff vent if it were submerged. Toyota put a one way valve atop the rear diff vent to prevent this.

Personally, I do not agree with this approach, as if there is a worn seal somewhere else on the rear axle it will pull water in instead. But I digress.

What this means is that both the one way valve on the breather, and the other seals on your rear axle are in good shape since clearly they did not even allow air in - essentially showing such integrity that they held a vacuum. No worries.

IdahoDoug

jgravel · July 2003

Morning, I'm looking to buy side moldings for a black 2000 LandCruiser. The LandCruiser was purchased in New England.

Thanks for the help,

bryan28 · July 2003

Thanks for your reply, that's good news.

As far as the clunk goes I have more info. I was reading in the Tacoma board and they talk about "Axle wrap" which is the axle torquing after a hard stop and giving a clunk when starting again. Also someone said that they put the tranny in neutral prior to going than no clunk, I tried this and it's true. If I come to a semi-hard stop and put the tranny in neutral I can feel some tension being released and then back in drive (very smooth no clunk). Does this tell you anything about my 99 TLC? Thanks, Bryan

law2lett · July 2003

I have a 97 LC I'm having trouble with the gear selector it gets jammed.I have to use a screwdriver to release it from park.I went to a Toyota dealer they sad I needed a brake sensor which I purchased and installed.I still have the same problem stuck in park and no brake lights. Can anyone suggest anything?

idahodoug · July 2003

Law,

You have an electrical problem that I think warrants taking the vehicle to a reputable auto electric shop for diagnosis. If the shift interlock does not get the signal (from the brake lights) that you have your foot on the brake, it will not let you come out of park. Probably not telling you anything you don't already know, but in my experience an electrical problem is best solved by a pro.

Bryan,

As you likely know, the Taco has a part time system, transfer case and shares no drivetrain components with the Cruiser's full time/center diff system. That their system also has a similar clunk lends credence to my feeling this is a normal characteristic of a 4WD system - slight binding after a brisk stop is relieved upon startup and causes a clunk wherever there is slack. And every system has slack.

The neutral thing is an interesting and simple step I'd never thought of. Had my head spinning trying to figure out what part of the system would be under tension and why it could not relieve itself without removing engine torque briefly. Interesting. Off the top of my head, I think the binding is in the differential(s).

Stop your truck briskly as would normally cause a clunk on startup. Apply the parking brake firmly. Let off the brake pedal. See if you feel that same tension being released, and have no clunk on startup. I'm just curious, so don't extend yourself or inconvenience yourself to do it.

Regards,
IdahoDoug

philg87 · July 2003

Can any one tell me how much water a 02 TLC can take on?Do to the fact that the mid west has had so much rain when I travel in Chicago we have under passes that tend to flood between 10" to 18" I have no plans on driving through water that will flood the inside of the car just trying to get some kind of ideal. thank you.

hicaira · July 2003

I've forded many creeks with over 2 feet of water without concern.

Some Toy lit I have from when I got my 98 says up to 30". I guess that's doable - the air intake is inside the left front fender at least 30" off the ground and has some protection from wave splash and temporary (very temporary) submersion. Sucking water in the air intake can equal instant engine death so never enter any water unless you are sure of it's depth.

HiC

trout14 · July 2003

Can someone let me know if the TLC will hold 2 car seats side by side, in the 2nd row, and still be able to fold down the smaller section to enable a bike to be held or other gear stowed there.

Thanks

scifi · July 2003

You can do it, but they have to be narrow seats. I have held on to two older "narrow" child seats just for this reason (much to my wife's dismay). The actual "seat" for the child isn't smaller vs. the newer seats, its just the newer seats have wider arm rests or additional plastic on this sides, making them wider.

ukroma · July 2003

I own a 1998 Landcruiser and I recently encountered my first flat (Right Rear Pirelli scorpion S/T). Because the tyre was completely flat, I was unable to fit the jack supplied in the vehicle between the road and the rear axle. It was too long/tall (Had I been offroad I could have dug a hole to accomodate the jack). Luckily, a passerby had a shorter jack. I am planning to purchase a hydraulic jack and have 2 questions:

1. Would a 2 ton floor or hydraulic jack suffice?

2. I'm wondering if there is a better jack point or if anyone else has run into this situation. Having enjoyed every other aspect of this robust vehicle, I feel sure that Toyota must have designed a jack capable of fitting under the vehicle and raising a flat tire off the ground. Please reassure me that I'm not wrong.

Thanks.

bryan28 · July 2003

Thanks for your reply. I tried the parking break idea and still get the clunk. I don't feel the same tension release as I do when put into neutral it's more of what you would expect to feel, ie the front wheels pulling a bit nothing else. Bryan

idahodoug · July 2003

Bryan,

That's interesting. I'll have to give that some thought.

Ukroma,

Are the wheels stock? That does seem very un-Toyota ish. Was this on absolutely flat pavement, or were the right wheels in a runout area? Interesting.

A 2 ton jack would be enough, though if you can find another one with a higher rating that's still able to fit you'll have a safety margin.

Of course if it were to happen again you might gently run the flat onto a board, pile of gravel or small rocks placed in front of the tire to lift the axle enough for clearance.

IdahoDoug

ukroma · July 2003

Idahodoug,

The wheels and tires are stock, as is the entire vehicle. I was parked on the road surface, at the side of the road - there was the usual camber designed to channel rain water towards the gutter. I could have jacked the left (inflated tire) wheel easily by placing the jack to one side of the differential EXACTLY AS ILLUSTRATED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL. It simply would not fit under the other (deflated tire) side. I'd be more than happy to demonstrate this apparent shortcoming to any TLC designer in the Malibu area.

Thanks for the tip on jack specs.

I'd really appreciate your thoughts on this matter.

Toyota Land Cruiser

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