What to watch for? Looking for a '97 LC

[KevinNY]

I'm looking for '97LC for my wifes daily driver and family camping/light wheeling rig. We have a baby on the way in a month and her BMW is coming off lease. I have a '91 Range Rover for her to use for a couple of months until we find the Toyota we want. My background is Land Rovers and the similarity of a LC construction to that of a Discovery 1 or Range Rover classic is not lost on me, I figure maintaining the drivetrain, brakes etc. will be easy for me to figure out. What I need to know is what are the "Gotcha's" with the new vehicle? Are there any known issues that I should address right away? Is there a particularly expensive fix I may not see coming on a 100k plus vehicle etc.? Maintenance item that is commonly put off?

 

[ChuckB]

All your answers here Good Luck!

 

[Pskhaat]

95-97 are very much similar vehicles.

Don't worry about mileage. Seriously, just use it as a price lever.

Check for know issues (resolvable) of leaking head gasket. You may need to repack the CVs. The rest is your preference.

 

[Hedge]

...My background is Land Rovers and the similarity of a LC construction to that of a Discovery 1 or Range Rover classic is not lost on me, I figure maintaining the drivetrain, brakes etc. will be easy for me to figure out. What I need to know is what are the "Gotcha's" with the new vehicle? Are there any known issues that I should address right away? Is there a particularly expensive fix I may not see coming on a 100k plus vehicle etc.? Maintenance item that is commonly put off?

Known issues are the potential for head gasket and pesky heater hose (PHH) failure. The PHH is easy to fix by replacing a rubber coolant hose with a silicone hose. Someone on 'mud has a site (1fzfephh.com) that sells a pre-cut piece with quality clamps, shipped to your mailbox. The head gasket has a tendency to fail, generally well past 100,000 miles. Some replace it pre-emptively, and many just wait for signs of impending failure before replacing. There are tests you can run while test-driving to avoid buying an already-leaking head gasket.

If you are happy to turn a wrench, you can service everything yourself with a Toyota Factory Service Manual (FSM) and a little help from the 80-series tech section on ih8mud.com.

The front birfield ("swivel ball" in Roverese) service is a commonly neglected item, but it is easy to DIY with a weekend and ~$250 in parts and consumables versus ~$1200 for a mechanic to do it for you.

"Idahodoug" on ih8mud sells a head gasket R&R DVD that supplements the information in the FSM; many have replaced their own head gaskets in their garages.

There is a tremendous wealth of knowledge in the ih8mud.com technical section, including a number of links to potential buyers' guides.

If your wife doesn't mind the ride of a solid-axle vehicle, you will probably love having an 80.

 

[jgolden]

If you can, find one with factory lockers.

 

[KevinNY]

Good stuff Hedge, thanks. She loved our DiscoveryII so I am sure the ride of the LC will be fine by her.

I am only interested in one with the lockers.

 

[sundaypunch]

Buy one from an enthusiast that has already fixed everything. I would highly recommend finding one that someone has already replaced the head gasket.

 

[KevinNY]

Found one, I pick it up next week. New Mexico truck, totally rust free.

 

[Hedge]

Nice desert climate find. If you're going through Albuquerque, you could stop at American Toyota to get any parts you need from Cruiserdan at his "ih8mud" discount. Hope you have an enjoyable road trip.

 

[Reata Rover]

Where/how did you find one so quickly with the lockers? Any special sites you were searching that another guy like you might look/shop?

I have had and loved my 2004 Disco since I took it off the showroom floor. I have spent a lot of hours and $$$ readying it for Overlanding, have been on two trips and at 53,000 miles have just been advised that the cam shaft bearing has slid requiring me to get a new motor. While it is apart, I will be doing the top end as well.....but, I am a little frustrated with it needing such major repairs with just 53,000 miles on it. So, i am starting to look for my next ride and unfortunately not looking forward to the $$$ I am going to have to spend on bumpers, African outback drawers (I may go to Adventure Trailer Drawers this time, but love the AO Drawers), ARB fridge, and RTT can transfer over to the 80 or 100. Ham Radio and CB will transfer over with some pain, as will stereo, but not the springs and shocks obviously.

Any suggestions on where to shop for a clean one would be welcomed.

 

[Hedge]

...
Any suggestions on where to shop for a clean one would be welcomed.

First, buy from the south or southwest, where there isn't any road salt in the winter. Buy an unlimited carfax subscription to make sure it hasn't spent any time in a rust belt state before you look any further into it. Be prepared to hop a flight to find it. Set Autotrader and eBay to automatically notify you of any new listings. Peruse newspapers' online classifieds. Maintenance records are nice. Also, check the 'Mud classifieds--they have a high concentration of FZJ80s and LX450s for sale. Good luck!