Project Evergreen Part 1 – Introduction
Backstory
In 2015 I was bit by the Land Cruiser bug. Having “just” my 2011 Toyota Tacoma to play in, and it being a somewhat expensive vehicle to damage offroad, I decided a second rig was in order. While Land Cruisers are legendary for their reliability, the 80 Series is perhaps the pinnacle of Toyota’s offroad engineering efforts. Overbuilt in virtually every aspect, sporting a solid front axle with birfields, and a full-floater rear axle, they are extremely tough and capable. In my opinion, the combination of capabilities, reliability, and comfort in the 80 Series is simply hard to beat at any price point. I quickly found a 1993 Triple-locked FZJ80 with 234k miles and all the goodies already installed. I went ahead and bought the rig, and the seller has since become a friend of mine, that will become an important fact later in the story.
Buying an 80 Series Land Cruiser
I get asked a lot about my FZJ80. Many of those questions are from folks looking at getting one for themselves. The decision to go out and buy a 20 year old vehicle is one that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Not only should you consider it’s current condition, but also its maintenance and usage history. While those may seem the same, knowing the maintenance and usage history can give a great picture of what MIGHT give you problems, where the current condition just gives you a snapshot of right now. Thankfully, this topic has been covered in great detail so without getting to thick into the discussion, here are some of excellent starting points for those looking at adding an 80 series to their vehicle stable!
Old rigs need love too…
Sometimes you just need to suck it up and commit. Wanting the 1993 FZJ80 to be a reliable family vehicle, there was some money that needed to be spent. After the brake caliper failure and subsequent trashing of a rotor, it just made sense to replace the entire system. I knew the front axles seals needed replacement so while everything was pulled, may as well do those and a full knuckle rebuild to include bearings. Then a bunch or reliability work to address old hoses and leaks. Finally, make the CEL turn off! Lol. Yeah, that one had been bugging me for awhile. So after getting up with the good folks at RnR Auto, it was time to start!
Here’s a more or less complete what the the old girl got on this round of servicing:
Trail Therapy
Well, not exactly dirt road, but at least fun trail therapy! After spending Saturday installing the Engo 12000s winch, and receiving the majority of my new recovery gear, Sunday was a day to play. Arriving at the meeting point at 10a, myself and our buddies at 4 Wheels and a Motor headed off to the Windfield Offroad Club for a easy going day of trails and conversation. The 4WAAM Jeep had a variety of upgrades since the last trip, as well as a new passenger, a dog. Time to test it all out!