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Was an 80-Series the right choice for me? Having second thoughts...

MikesVX80

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Firstly, hi all! My name's Mike (just in case my username didn't give it away), and a few months ago I bought a 1993 Landcruiser 80-Series, a 4.2 12-valve TD manual in VX trim.

However, I’m having second thoughts about my 80-Series LC purchase, and wondering if I should have bought a 100-Series from the outset. I bought it because everyone on this (and other) forums raves about them, and the missus and I are planning a significant overland trip in a year or so’s time, so it seemed like the ideal vehicle: solid, spacious, (reasonably) basic and thus reliable, good spares support, etc. However, having owned it for a couple of months now, a few 80-Series flaws are starting to show though, and I either need to remedy them or change the vehicle if I am to be happy driving and living in it for many months at a time. Compared to the Range Rover Classics I have owner previously (of the same era), it is nothing like as refined to drive, and this irritates me.


One of my main complaints is with the ride and handling; it is completely standard bar a matching set of BF Goodrich A/T tyres. I have been looking at an Ironman 2” lift kit with foam cell shocks and an uprated steering damper, is this likely to drastically improve the handling characteristics and ride quality? Currently it crashes over fairly minor road imperfections and potholes, you get quite a lot of shake through the steering wheel when you do, and the ride quality is, IMO, pretty poor. The steering is also exceptionally light, and thus a little vague; I’m not expecting sports car handling or feedback, but I don’t like the current vague feel of the vehicle. Would an uprated steering damper make much difference to the excessive feedback I get from the bumps, and help dampen-out the extra unsprung mass of the bigger tyres? And does the Ironman 2” lift kit improve ride quality and body control, or just raise the centre of gravity (making handling worst) and make the ride even harsher?

Secondly, power; mine is a 4.2TD 12 valve manual, but 70-80mph seems to be a real struggle; it seems happiest at around 60-65mph, which feels painfully slow to me, particularly for a 4.2 litre engine. 70mph is around 2,500rpm I think - is that typical? Short of changing the gearing (sounds expensive) or adding an intercooler (is expensive), is there much I can do to improve this? The tyres are larger than standard (285/75/16/s I think?), so using a GPS 70mph on the clock is exactly 70mph GPS–verified. It’s not like it can’t do 70mph, it can, it just feels like you’re stretching the engine to do it, and I would much rather it was doing around 2,000rpm to achieve 70mph in 5th, a much more relaxed (and economical) cruise.

So, are these “common” complaints for an 80-Series, or am I just expecting too much from a 20+ year old vehicle? If the above points can’t be resolved at reasonable cost (or at all), I think I may need to sell up and get a newer, more refined 100-Series LC (or even an Discovery 3/LR3!) instead, although finding a decent manual diesel one of those is partly why I picked up this 80 when it became available – they are few and far between!

Thanks in advance!
 
Thats doesnt sound good mike. You shouldnt be getting shaking when hitting bumps at speed. One of my friends took my 80 for a drive and came back saying his disco which i thought was dangerous drove better and less tractor like. So you might be onto something.
I drove a 100 manual today and that felt slower and more sluggish then my 80.

Dont give up and may be get it looked at by someone that knows these vehicles.

Where abouts in the country are you so someone might chip in to help you.

Wheres you overland trip going to be we like details and begore clive asks pictures please!!!!

Good luck
Stu
 
Mike, sounds like your 80 need a sort out. Fill out the location details. If you near me come and have a drive of my 12v auto. 70? I barely notice that as I go past it. I can beat other cars off the line at the lights. My missus loves it what does that tell you. It is a 20 year old car yes. But it doesn't mean it's stuffed, it means it need updating. It basically needs looking through top to toe. Just just start bolting bits on in the vain hope it will suddenly be cured.
 
With Chris. When the 80's are set up properly whilst not quick they certainly get a move on. also there can be a lot of worn components on a 20 year old truck especially if it has not been maintained by an enthusiast that'll give the rattles and shakes. good luck with getting it sorted.
 
A sorted 80 series will make an unstoppable overlanding vehicle. Many of us have successfully achieved this objective.
Will it be as comfortable as a 100 series .... No it won't.
Will you have to spend money to achieve your aim, without doubt yes.

But you could also achieve a successful outcome with a Land rover, Mercedes G wagen, or any other 4X4.

Only you know what you will like and feel comfortable in. What ever you do, enjoy the experience and if you stick with an LC, we will all try and help & give guidance as much as we can.
 
Hey Mike welcome I am glad you came over. As mentioned there is slot of info on the forum with many hundreds if not thousands of years of cruiser knowledge so you are in safe hands.

Where in the UK are you and what are your spannering skills like so people can make the appropriate recommendations. No good telling you to rebuild the front end if you go to halfords to change a light bulb if you get my drift.

Like you my cruiser is also an 80 but slightly younger in model and it's no slow coach. It will happily cruise at 75/80 but hey getting there is part of the journey in my opinion so don't rush from A to B.

Oh you will also find the forum is very active and I don't mean keys in s fishbowl active but rather you will get a response much quicker here than on the overland forum as its mostly American over that way.
 
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Mike I had a "classic Range Rover" which I built from 1973 bits and pieces and registered as a new vehicle in 1978. The road holding and ride were absolutely stunning, nothing like my 80 which has harsher suspension on bumps and goes off line round a bend if you hit a large defect in the road. Also the 80 gets "scuttle shake" which the Range Rover never had. Obviously you could check your 80 over though or drive another for comparison. Sounds like your engine is down on power.
 
Hi Mike, first a simple thing, what tyre pressures are you running on the BFG's? They are a great tyre and are my first choice but if the pressure is anything more than about 30 psi they do tend to be a bit course on the ride. Suspension bushes could be worn, they are cheap to replace with softer materials.

Power wise get it checked out by someone savvy with 80's. Mine is capable of nailing the speedo needle against the trip reset button and at the speeds you mention I consider it at it's best, a recent long trip running at around 75-80 often had me creeping over 90 MPH without realising it!

Steering wise I agree they are a little light but you can adjust the steering box, this tends to make the vehicle more direct.

I note you say it is standard however, when buying a car that has a few years/owners on it they are rarely 'standard'. Over time people adjust, fiddle, modify and replace parts with inferior quality components, the result is a car that appears 'standard' but in reality is far from being how it left the factory.

The Range Rover was the quieter and more refined than the Discovery and IMO in the same way the 100 is more refined than the 80 but, the 100 is the top of the slippery slope to refinement over capability, the 80 being the last of the true off roaders. IMO the 100 is definitely more quieter and actually smoother on rough surfaces (IFS), I prefer the tank like 'feel' of the 80.

The Land Rover designers have forgotten what a Land Rover badge stands for, who on earth would believe "the electric handbrake needs cleaning every 50 off road miles"....a quote from the users manual!!! I have two LR3's on my books and I get to drive them regularly because they need attention REGULARLY! they are fantastically comfortable and fast (both are V6 man 6 speed diesels) but, I spend more time on them sorting niggling (but expensive) electronic repairs, air suspension glitches, clutches, front differentials leaking, gearbox sensors forgetting what gear it is in WTF!! And of course the aforementioned handbrake...blah...blah, great car but would I have one..no way.

Try to get in contact with some other 80 owners and see if they would let you drive their car so you can compare, it could be yours is a little tired and needs some parts replaced/adjusted.

regards

Dave
 
The 80 series will always give a harsher ride than any Range Rover IMO. I had a Disco 300Tdi which gave a 'better' road ride but I put that down to the whole vehicle having a softer setup, springs, dampers, bushes etc. My 80 is standard with OE springs and (new) dampers but is still a harsher ride than the disco but, as in Dave2000's case, I like the 'solid' feel of the 80 series. 99% of my driving is road work so I guess a 100 series should probably suit me better but I still prefer the 80. It sounds like your 80 could be down on power slightly for whatever reason but keep a realistic perspective, they are not quick vehicles. I would expect a V8 powered RR to be quicker by a margin. Toyota claimed a true top speed of 106 so, speedo and gearing errors aside, this is what you should expect. 70 at 2500rpm sounds about the same as mine in 5th. JMO
 
Hi Mike, glad you found your way over here from the " other " forum, i couldn't direct you here as the dictator on the other forum censors private messages, as others have said yours needs a bit of fetteling to bring it up to scratch, power wise your pump probably needs a bit of adjustment, the import 80 i had was no slowcoach & would pull a ton without puffing & surprised boy racers away from lights, 2500rpm's at 70 is about right, if yours is slow have you thought of the brakes may be binding ?
 
I grew up with landys and range rovers. Not much can come close to the comfort and refinement of a range rover. I refuse to wear rose tinted specticals over my cruiser, they have there faults.but once base lined they are very reliable. You will get 200000 plus miles out of most of the components which you wont on a rover. This is the sort of reliability you want on a overland trip.
The overlight steering is probable because the knuckles are full of diff oil mixed with moly grease.

my cruiser grew on me. Now its like a best mate :)
 
I bought it because everyone on this (and other) forums raves about them
I wouldn't buy any vehicle, bike or car, reading forums. Drive a few first and see if it is what you want.
80s are certainly not for everybody.

I also wouldn't spend any money on a raise kit until you get yours sorted first as it will only make any existing problems worse.

I also drive an '93 manual daily with 35" muddies on and it will sit happily 70+ all day long and still blasts up hills no sweat.
It certainly won't have the road manners of a 100 or any modern vehicle which was maybe what you were hoping for.

If your happy with wrenches then give he old girl a good base-lining. Has it had a good service lately -filters etc...
You really need to keep on top of the maintenance on these to run at their best.

Plenty of good advice on here if the 80 grows under your skin.

Dave.
 
My 81 was a tad sluggish after its journey from Japan. It needed a good clear out and has been driven hard ever since. Cruises effortlessly at true 70 with more in reserve. Will leave other cars standing (auto box) and easily powers round corners. Goes even better when I take the 300kg of tools out of the back. [emoji4]

In short, yours doesn't sound like the cruiser I know and love.
 
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Ride too hard- Put a cushion on your seat. I too have a 93 12v manual with a slight mod to the fuel pump. Wait until you have added a few hundred kiloso of overlanding gear to the truck and then see what the suspension etc feels like. Also you'll still be doing 65-70 at 2500 rpm with a full load and no change in fuel efficiency. Your 12v Manual will return 30mpg on a run and has max torue @1400rpm. Also, consider that these are one of the most reliable trucks in the world. I wouldn't fancy loading up a landrover or Classic RR with its weedy 2.5td engine and working it across the desert. Smaller capacity engines will have to work harder for the same payload. African and aisan countries have a more ready supply of 80 series parts should you need them. They are the choice of overlanders mainly for the above reasons not because they are silky smooth. DO your timing belt, big end bearings and give your suss the once over. The 100series has independent suss up front and this is not as favourable in extreme offroad situ, plus its already 300kg heavier and mpg will start at about 24

Take your truck to lincomb and speak to some of the real experts and try a few different setup to see if you notice any improvements. I think some here did a Fox Slinky install and that may be the way to go if ride and handling bugs you still.
 
I grew up with landys and range rovers. Not much can come close to the comfort and refinement of a range rover. I refuse to wear rose tinted specticals over my cruiser, they have there faults., but once base lined they are very reliable. You will get 200000 plus miles out of most of the components which you wont on a rover. This is the sort of reliability you want on a overland trip.
The overlight steering is probable because the knuckles are full of diff oil mixed with moly grease. my cruiser grew on me. Now its like a best mate :)

I'm with most replies on this, especially CG above. Before you start on lifting and such, have your suspension mounts checked. When first purchased, mine rattled and shook over any terrain, and found most of the rubbers shot to pieces. Of course stiffer springing will firm it up, but steering "feel" is something you shouldn't be complaining of too much. Mine is set up well now and it's great "driver's" truck.

But it is a truck, no escaping that, it's not a limo and never will be. Mine is an HZJ without turbo and it cruises at 120 kph happily, and I still feel there's more to come if I could find someone to set the pump up better.

80s aren't for everyone, but once hooked you won't be happy with anything else. If it doesn't hook you, then move on. You'll be hard pressed to find a tougher and more capable off-roader, once you have it set up nicely, and there's a bundle of helpers on here to assist with that.

Welcome to the club, BTW!

Pictures? Well, always welcome, eh Stu? :lol:
 
My 80 could do 120mph when I got it, it was too soft aswell. I too had RRs before the 80 yes its not the same ride. But with work it is better and better off road. Dont change anything untill you get everything else sorted for overlanding, then take it to a public weigh bridge. Then order the right springs and shocks.
 
Mike, I may have the answer to your sluggishness. Now I really don't want to seem sexist here but in your intro thread you say your truck had one lady owner for the last 21 years. Well, I wouldn't mind betting she has a light touch to her right foot. I've worked on what I've been told many times that diesels love being thrashed. So, in your situation, I would get a hold of some of the Wynns diesel injector cleaner and totally disregard the instructions on the back. Run the truck till it's almost empty and pour at least half the 1litre can into the tank. Don't worry, I'm told that mechanics will disconnect hoses and run direct off the can in bad cases. Then take out your air filter and drive the nuts off it, heavy right foot to the max, holding in lower gear till higher than usual revs. Just as long as it's in mechanically good condition (no BEB issues and cam belt is done) and you are not driving like a loonie then you should soon find it start to perk up. Once you've run that partial tank down to vapour, pour the remainder of the Wynns (Eco Diesel I think it is) in and fill up. Continue driving it hard and it should reward you. Don't forget to pop your air filter back in and avoid really dusty areas, deserts and the like, while its out. It's probably coked up to the gunwales and you should see lots of various colour smoke come out the back, mostly black and sooty. Keeps tailgaters at bay [emoji6], have fun and see how it goes. Mine was slow when it came in from The Land of the Rising Sun.
 
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Assuming it's mechanically sound, a good 'workout' can certainly do the engine some good if it's been lightly driven for a long time, especially short distance commuting etc but you don't need any magic potions IMO. You're just as well filling up with Super Diesel or a commercially available Bio Diesel if you can find some locally. When routinely changing my air filter I've found all sorts of debris in the air box from leaves/bits of straw to sand and grit particles so I personally wouldn't recommend running without a filter under ANY circumstances, no matter how short the journey but maybe that's just me being paranoid. Just change it for a new clean one which will offer no restriction to an engine in standard tune. JMO
 
I ran mine without a air filter for a few days and it stopped smoking and also went like a scolded cat. completly differnt vehicle. I wouldnt run for long but fine for a day or some in the uk winter.
 
Mike, I may have the answer to your sluggishness. Now I really don't want to seem sexist here but in your intro thread you say your truck had one lady owner for the last 21 years. Well, I wouldn't mind betting she has a light touch to her right foot. I've worked on what I've been told many times that diesels love being thrashed. So, in your situation, I would get a hold of some of the Wynns diesel injector cleaner and totally disregard the instructions on the back. Run the truck till it's almost empty and pour at least half the 1litre can into the tank. Don't worry, I'm told that mechanics will disconnect hoses and run direct off the can in bad cases. Then take out your air filter and drive the nuts off it, heavy right foot to the max, holding in lower gear till higher than usual revs. Just as long as it's in mechanically good condition (no BEB issues and cam belt is done) and you are not driving like a loonie then you should soon find it start to perk up. Once you've run that partial tank down to vapour, pour the remainder of the Wynns (Eco Diesel I think it is) in and fill up. Continue driving it hard and it should reward you. Don't forget to pop your air filter back in and avoid really dusty areas, deserts and the like, while its out. It's probably coked up to the gunwales and you should see lots of various colour smoke come out the back, mostly black and sooty. Keeps tailgaters at bay [emoji6], have fun and see how it goes. Mine was slow when it came in from The Land of the Rising Sun.

I cured my 20 odd year old Ford transit in much the same way , i was just waiting for something important like a wheel or a door to fall off before scrapping it but a bottle of wynns and a bloody good thrashing to get everything hot saved it , so impressed was i with the result she's undergone a full respray , underbody sealed and the tipper body deck has been replaced :thumbup:
 
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