Some advice on an Japanese Import 80

[kamaangir]

I have been searching since the morning on the forums and found the answers to most of my questions but 2 are still eluding me!

The back story..... I had my heart set on a UK 80 24v manual with difflocks, I was going to start looking for one seriously in May.

An acquaintance happened to mention that he has one for sale but its a 1993 4.2 VX Limited import Auto!!

It has a few issues that need sorting, patchy exhaust and a failed "rear diff oil seal" have been mentioned.

1-Is the rear diff seal expensive to sort out?
2-how much to have the BEB's replaced at a garage?
3-Is not having 3 difflocks that big a deal for occasional off roading?

On the plus side its got 170k km and has zero rust. Also comes with a full length ali roof rack and ladder and has BFG's all round.

Oh and its that silver over red 2 tone paintwork that I can't stand!
I thank the collective in advance

 

[Chris]

1. Rear diff oil seal, dead easy, not very much. I have a couple in my spares box. I'm guessing sorta £20 mark.
2. BEBs at a Garage or at a dealer? But why? If you are wanting a 24v you don't need to mess with them. Bearing £80, bolts £70 Oil and filter £40. Add the labour on top. Say 4 hours.
3. No as long as you go with another 80 to pull you out. These are big vehicles and if you are stuck, you could be very stuck. Occasional light off road, fine. Occasional heavy duty off road, err... But this depends more on your tyres. You can always fit a winch just in case. My view is that BFG on an 80, off road don't offer enough grip in mud. Great on a 90 and fine most of the rest of the time for an 80. Occasional off road - well that's how it always starts out ...... I'd just try and avoid that off road to begin with or it will consume you. Ha ha.

 

[kamaangir]

Thanks for your advice Chris, the one offered is a 12v and not a 24v, also its an import so I am guessing the BEB's will need to be done before they fail.

As for off roading, was doing it, riding in the back of pickups when I was 7 in my uncles 40 series cruiser!

Winch and some winch training is certainly on the cards! But are they really that bad offroad?

I will be driving around the Balkans a lot, I go there 3-5 times a year and drive often. In the winter it snows quite a lot so would be handy. I also have some overland ambitions for 2015/6!

 

[Chris]

Where did I say they were that bad?

Is an 80 with lockers better than one without? Yes. So does that mean that off road an 80 without lockers may not be capable of crossing some obstacles that the other one could? Well, yes. If you get stuck in ANY vehicle you'll need a plan to get unstuck. All I was saying is that in an 80 with no lockers on AT's (other than the CDL and rear LSD) you are more likely to be stuck than in an 80 with aggressive tyres and full lockers.

My point was that once you get into the mud it gets addictive and you push deeper and harder. But clearly you are very experienced at this, so that won't be an issue.

 

[kamaangir]

Hi Chris thank you for taking the time to explain all that, I think I may have not expressed myself correctly! What I meant to ask was is the 80 with out 3 locking diffs a lot worse off road than one with?
From what you have said, I suspect for me probably not!

I am actually (despite having had 4 off roaders!) not that experience in mud, most of the offroading I have done have been done either in snow or dry rocky terrain, So any advice is gratefully received!

Regards

 

[clivehorridge]

IMHO it's all about "insurance" being the amount of reserve options you have to hand when off-road.

Rarely, no two trips are the same even in the same direction on the same route at different times, weather conditions etc.

There's a regular run I do which when it's wet, I find I just can't get up the muddy part without at least the rear locked, often needing both and that's with sharp BFG Muds.

But that doesn't mean to say an import wouldn't get up there especially if it had an LSD on the back and CDL in.

In any event, nobody should go off-road without some reserves, maybe a winch, rope, straps, waffles, shovel, wife and all sorts of other kit to help you out of a situation. Lockers really are just part of the "optional" off-road kit. (like the wife )

I wouldn't be without mine TBH (lockers that is .... oh and the wife ) but I think if I had never had them, my style of driving would have evolved differently, that's all.

You drive with what you have, just look where the Lada Nivas can go!

 

[Chris]

Gotcha.

Well it's still hard to say. A non lockered 80 with good LSD and CDL could do better than a full locker version on rubbish tyres you know? Are lockers better yes of course. But are lockers NECESSARY no they aren't. So, on a forecourt, two 80's side by side. Both identical in every way. You love them both. Same price, same mileage. You want one to go over landing down to Capetown. Salesman says, same price, just pick one. Flip a coin. Oh by the way, the one on the left has full working lockers.

Which would you pick?

Tough isn't it. You don't need them but you'd have them anyway. In case you did. If they performed the same, you might just flip that coin. But they don't. For me it's about not getting stuck. Once you are stuck things can deteriorate quite quickly. Time can be against you! Now if you are off roading and there's loads of people about it doesn't matter other than you may spend more of your time being pulled out than the other guy. That's all. Lockers make life easier, not better.

Even with just the CDL and a working LSD it's a mighty capable vehicle. Don't be put off by me. I go into stuff that is pretty serious. I do that with no lockers and no LSD, jut the viscous coupling doing its thing. Then the CDL goes in, and ooops sometimes the rear locker. But there are times when that's not happening either. So two full lockers in and I am still in trouble. Then that front locker comes in and you can feel it haul itself up. It's magic. If not, it's a tree and the winch. Lockers do take a lot of the strain out of drive components if used correctly. They save all that thrashing

 

[stumog]

My friend has a 80 in SA goes all over through tough terrain and only has a cdl and viscous. we towed a trailer full of very hard wood not like something we get here and that really shocked me so much i came home and started looking for a 80.
stu

 

[grantw]

Also remember I think the UK market is the only one were the lockers came as standard including much harsher places such as Australia and Africa.

 

[Chris]

Yes, bonkers isn't it.

 

[clivehorridge]

Yes, bonkers isn't it.

Certainly is!

Mine is "European" spec whatever that may mean and I had no idea what I was buying when I got my 80. Only since have I come to realize that I picked up one of the best 4x4s ever made, and it has all three lockers!

It was one of six identical GX vehicles bought by the Canadian Embassy in Bucharest in 1995.

 

[Gary820]

Pre 80 days I didn't have lockers, went places people with lockers went. Then fitted lockers and proceeded to get stuck more, winch got worked hard lol.

Now with the 80 lockers go in if needed (which isn't very often tbh, that includes cdl) and I've only had to winch out a handful of times.

 

[kamaangir]

Thanks for the input guys, I am going to have to think long and hard about it!

Cheers

 

[Ben]

If you opt to buy an 80 without factory lockers you could always fit them at a later date.

Something like ARB air lockers.

OK it would never be as nice as having factory lockers, but it is an option. So maybe if you buy the 80 without lockers and then over time decide you want/need them then get them fitted.

 

[karl webster]

I have used an 80 import on the lanes in the uk.
Given the choice an 80 with lockers I think would be better. The import though having the limited slip in the rear works VERY well. I was quite surprised when I went to a pay and play day just how good it was.
I don't think you would be disappointed if you bought one.
12v would need the bearings done as a safety measure to be honest. I've not opened a 24v engine up to change any yet but looking forward to getting them done in my personal one to see what they look like.

 

[warrenpfo]

i have just bought an import so will let you know how I get on. Karl keep me posted on the Bebs as its some thing I had thought I would do at some time.

 

[karl webster]

Will do Warren.
Ive seen a few of the 24v trucks that have gone bang also I have a 03 100 that spat a rod through the block. I haven't had a look at that yet though.