nickw
Adventurer
But in N America parts availability for these rigs is getting very slim vs Africa & S America where they are everywhere and people are familiar with the rigs to repair.
High mileage and trips
- Thread starter MOAK
- Start date
plh
Explorer
Exactly correct. US Gov't publishes on the road survivability rates by year. 1997 Model Year Light Duty Trucks (last FZJ80 sold new in USA) it is estimated that 15.3% remain registered. Perhaps the percentage of Land Cruisers is slightly higher, but probably not by a lot.
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alanymarce
Well-known member
My (failed) intention was to suggest that it's a good idea to make the trip, but to expect to have to fix stuff. If this is within your abilities then it's a matter of access to the spares, if not it's both spares availability and competent people to hire.
I do appreciate that the situation in the USA and Canada is not the same as it is in much of Africa, Australia, etc., so this means that parts availability and experienced workshops will be more limited and hence that the time one might spend waiting on spares will be longer on average and that the distance to a competent workshop may be greater. Even so, courier services from suppliers (such as amayama.com) mean that spares can be shipped in days, whereas in Africa (for example) it may take weeks, for local reasons.
I do appreciate that the situation in the USA and Canada is not the same as it is in much of Africa, Australia, etc., so this means that parts availability and experienced workshops will be more limited and hence that the time one might spend waiting on spares will be longer on average and that the distance to a competent workshop may be greater. Even so, courier services from suppliers (such as amayama.com) mean that spares can be shipped in days, whereas in Africa (for example) it may take weeks, for local reasons.
Peneumbra2
Badger Wrangler
If you don't want to worry about any mechanical issues, you could always take
Greyhound. Or hitchhike...
Greyhound. Or hitchhike...
I'd check the fluids, the lights, and the tire pressure and roll. Granted I'm the guy about to roll my '99 D1 back up into to Ontario for a funeral in January because I don't trust my wife's newer Audi Allroad so far as I can throw it regardless of how much time or money I or a master Audi technician spend with it on the lift. Current issue seems to be communication of the fan control module which really makes me appreciate the 'rover's simplicity.
plainjaneFJC
Deplorable
The greyhound could break down- it probably has more miles on it than the cruiser..
tacollie
Glamper
UPS for parts. FJ80s are super simple to work on. I would rather work on a FJ80 then my F250. F250 parts are heavy?
Newer vehicles can have similar headaches. My buddy had a '18 F150. He was leaving town with his wife and 2 kids heading to Mexico when his truck went into limp mode. His truck sat in the dealer lot for 8 weeks waiting for parts which ended up not fixing the issue. I guess you could argue he at least got a free Lincoln suv loaner. They took the loaner to Mexico. The dealership was pissed ?
Newer vehicles can have similar headaches. My buddy had a '18 F150. He was leaving town with his wife and 2 kids heading to Mexico when his truck went into limp mode. His truck sat in the dealer lot for 8 weeks waiting for parts which ended up not fixing the issue. I guess you could argue he at least got a free Lincoln suv loaner. They took the loaner to Mexico. The dealership was pissed ?
BritKLR
Kapitis Indagatoris
Well cared for Land Cruiser = Send it!
It's an LC......duct tape, welding rods, jumper cables, bailing wire, tools, JB weld, tire repair, gas, oil, water, etc. and good to go.......you won't need any of it but, you"ll have a great adventure.....
My 87 FJ60 with a over a quarter million on it is still the go to travel/adventure rig.
It's an LC......duct tape, welding rods, jumper cables, bailing wire, tools, JB weld, tire repair, gas, oil, water, etc. and good to go.......you won't need any of it but, you"ll have a great adventure.....
My 87 FJ60 with a over a quarter million on it is still the go to travel/adventure rig.
Peneumbra2
Badger Wrangler
Yes, but YOU won't have to fix it.
T-Willy
Well-known member
I have two J80s, one with a pop-top. The key is preventative maintenance. If you've done preventative maintenance across all of the systems, then it should be good to go with a significantly reduced risk of unforeseen failures. I still do long remote trips in mine, Baja being my favorite, where there is effectively *zero* parts availability. There's a particular satisfaction to returning home after three weeks of remote touring in a 30 year old truck.
The j80 is uniquely suited to carrying large payloads and multiple people on technically difficult and brutal/jarring dirt roads to outdoor living destinations, like in Baja. If I were choosing a rig for two people traveling to AK, which is all paved and maintained dirt roads, it'd be a leveled single cab long bed F-150 FX4 with an ecoboost (mileage), a 36 gallon tank (range). a payload package, and a lightweight pop-top slide in (heater and indoor living space).
The j80 is uniquely suited to carrying large payloads and multiple people on technically difficult and brutal/jarring dirt roads to outdoor living destinations, like in Baja. If I were choosing a rig for two people traveling to AK, which is all paved and maintained dirt roads, it'd be a leveled single cab long bed F-150 FX4 with an ecoboost (mileage), a 36 gallon tank (range). a payload package, and a lightweight pop-top slide in (heater and indoor living space).
