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What do these controls in my Land Cruiser mean?

Ramdaddy

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So i recently just got my license and my dad is letting me drive his 2002 100 series. so i have some questions about the 4 wheel drive controls. So there's the Main gear stick to put it in Drive, Park, Neutral etc. on That stick theres also a 2 and an L. can anybody tell me what those are for and on what type of terrain i would use them for. Also to the right of the gear stick theres the 4wheel drive control stick with High, Low, and Neutral on it. again in what terrain would i need each one for and whats the purpose of having a Neutral and Low, on that stick, aswell as on the main gear stick. also theres 2 buttons to the left of the main stick one says "2nd start" and the other says "ect power" what are those for? sorry guys i know these are probably some really stupid questions, but none the less i have no idea what there for.
 
Hi.
Right to answer one by one:
2 locks in 2nd gear and wont allow changes up or down. Useful for towing heavy loads up long hills or when in low range in mud or deep sand where you need to keep the engine revs higher, not changing gear in the middle of an obstacle. Can also use when going down steep hills for engine braking.
L; I think locks in 1st but allows change up to 2nd.
The 100 series is permanent 4 wheel drive and has a low range option used for off-roading. That is the second stick it does not control 4 wheel drive but in Low engages Low range which greatly reduces speed but gives you all the gears in a lower range for mud and rocky scenarios. High is normal road driving and N is no drive at all, quite useful as a sneaky anti theft trick. There is usually a switch on the dash that also allows you to lock the centre differential (CD Lock) and this is locked automatically when you engage Low Range. this means you need a wheel from each axle to lose traction (up in the air) before you stop drive. If unlocked any single wheel can stop drive. For off road there is also a rear differential lock on some models, only useful in fairly extreme conditions and not to used on firm surfaces. Some models have traction control which automatically puts the brakes on a spinning wheel to give traction to the others. This can be disengaged by the ATRAC (I think) button. Some models have both.
It sounds like you have the facelift model with 5 speed autobox. Mine is slightly older with 3 speed and overdrive and the other buttons are different but my understanding is the 2nd start means it selects second from pull away, useful in snow and icy conditions but then allows change up. The ect power i suspect is the same as my sport / economy options. This tells the computer to alter when the gears change up or down i.e. engine revs higher or lower in same gear.
You also probably have AHC (auto height suspension) which also has comfort/sport settings. This changes the firmness of the suspension from soft for off road to sport for stiffer cornering and ranges in between.
No such thing as stupid questions .... only stupid answers :)
Hope this helps.
 
Last edited:
Thanks that helped a lot. mine doesnt have the auto height suspension or and differential locks, but it does have traction control and a overdrive, which i hear is good for going up steep hills
 
Overdrive is just like an additional top gear, so no benefits except lowering engine revs and saving fuel.
Traction control basically operates the ABS on a spinning wheel thus maintaining drive to the others. To get the best performance out of traction control off road it is recommended to use a bit more momentum for obstacles to allow it to engage. Nothing beats diff locks for the really tough stuff as they are permanently locked when engaged and you can take obstacles at much lower speeds which allows more control and limits damage risks, but they can also seriously impede steering as the vehicle wants to go straight line more, so they need to be used with caution especially a front locker.
If you do play off road then the best and cheapest first step to improve your capabilities is to lower tyre pressures considerably, this applies for rocks, mud and sand. Around 1.2 bar I've found gives good performance without high risk of de-beading a tyre. In really soft sand some go lower. This is all the Arabs do in Dubai for their desert tours in Cruiser 100 series, just normal road tyres in Low Range 2nd and boy can those guys make those Cruisers talk in the sand :)
 
Overdrive is just like an additional top gear, so no benefits except lowering engine revs and saving fuel.
This is all the Arabs do in Dubai for their desert tours in Cruiser 100 series, just normal road tyres in Low Range 2nd and boy can those guys make those Cruisers talk in the sand :)
does "low range 2nd) mean i put the gear into 2nd and the 4wd on low? also i was mistaken, my truck doesent have Overdrive, but rather an Overdrive Off button
 
Yes you engage Low on the smaller gear stick then you have the full range of gears on the main stick.
The 100's up to 2002 had 3 speed autobox with overdrive acting as the 4th gear. Later models had 5 speed box but not sure if that was also 4 + overdrive.
 
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I am also a newbie, just planning to buy an LC100. I will check it out on Sunday so your explanations are really helpful for me.
I wouldn't like to be impolite and interrupt Ramdaddy's topic, but I hope my questions will also be helpful to him.

1. is it possible to have differentials and ATRAC together?
2. can ATRAC be installed/fitted on 2002-2003 LC100 models which are originally not equipped with it?
3. can differentials be installed on post 2004 LC100 with ATRAC?
4. do you maybe know when VSC has been introduced in LC100 models and how can someone tell if the car is equipped with VSC?
5. can VSC be installed at a later time to NON-VSC models?

Thank you!

Yes you engage Low on the smaller gear stick then you have the full range of gears on the main stick.
The 100's up to 2002 had 3 speed autobox with overdrive acting as the 4th gear. Later models had 5 speed box but not sure if that was also 4 + overdrive.
 
Vencel
It is the accepted norm of this type of forum that one question leads to many answers and additional questions. That is the beauty and no one will consider it impolite.
To try and answer your questions:
1 Yes some model 100's had both. Centre diff lockers are essential and standard in permanent 4 wheel drive configurations. Part time 4 wheel drive Cruisers (some 80 and 100 series models)do not have centre diff locks but you engage 4 wheel drive on the second gear stick and have to lock the front hubs.
2 Atrac is a poor second choice to axle diff lockers, so no one would ever consider fitting it but rather go for the lockers, which are available in kits but not cheap.
3 Answered by 2
4 If VSC is installed there is a VSC over-ride switch and warning lamp when off. It is also disengaged when Low Range is selected (AFAIK)
5 Not sure, I guess i depends if the computer is programmed.
 
Hello Ken,Thanks a lot for your kind reply.Does it mean that if there is VSC light on the dashboard then VSC is installed in the car? Where should I finn the override button?Thanks again!
 
Waking this up to ask a few things--noob here. Looking at purchasing a 100 series '02 with 148k miles as a 3rd vehicle / beach fun truck. I'll be seeing it in person in the next week or so. Any recommendations on things to look out for, dealbreakers, etc.? I plan on taking it to at least the dealer for a lookover, and ideally to my mechanic before the purchase.
 
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