The Toyota Landcruiser Owners Club

[boonie]

buy this months total offroad,has some info on underbody protection,and comes with seperate mag on overland preperation.

[Google]

[LiquidLAN]

Hi all, new here, but this seems like as good a place for my first post as any...

how tough are they?  seriously tough!

I've been lucky enough to have driven the 120 in a number of countries around the world, both manual and autos

as far as I'm concerned these are proper off-road vehicles with good on-road comforts.

I've driven a standard LC3 in Iceland and went pretty much everywhere the steriod injected big foot trucks went (well almost everywhere - limited by tyres not the vehicle).  drove up to one of the glaciers and p***ed off the locals who'd been charging tourists what it cost to hire the LC3 for just a single day trip; they couldnt believe we got up there.

I've driven one all over the South Island in New Zealand on and offroad without ever having any concerns

Great vehicles for towing and recovery - I've used mine and others to pull all sorts out of the mire

I think my only concern about using one for a big adventure is that it might just make it too easy I also ride a BM 12GS Adventure, forget about the Long Way Down, I think biking it would definately put you more in touch - the 120 will be a breeze

[uk_vette]

Hi Liquid,

Some good comments there.

So they can handle the cold, as well as the hot !

As far as I know there are very few people in UK that give them a serious work-out.

probably because they are still new and rather expensive.
unless your  "6 numbers" just came in recently.

So a run down from England to Cape Town, would not pose too much of a problem to the 120?

I was briefly concerned about all the electronic gubbins, but after speaking many times to guy's in West Africa who have them, they also come back and say the electronics seem to be rather bullit proof.

[LiquidLAN]

Morning Vette, dont get me wrong, I'm no hardened off-roader, but I bought the LC because I'd had good experience of them abroad, they do everything they claim to and really do seem built to last.

I've hired them twice in Iceland and on both occasions they did everything required of them without missing a beat.  We even use one to pull a Ford Bronco up out of a drainage ditch - stuck nose first into the side of the road.

Mine was taken up to North Wales when it was two weeks old and used on the off-road course up there (much to the surprise of the instructor)

I'm not sure I would claim mine gets a serious workout, but she handled all the floods around here with ease - though it was a bit nerveracking for me as I've got first hand experience of what happens when fording goes wrong

from my understanding and experience you shouldnt have a problem.  I think the one area that they might suffer is from dust intake - I know the one in Iceland got caked in it inside and out and stupid things started playing up locks sticking etc but a good dose of WD soon fixes that kind of thing

I guess the biggest thing with anything like this isnt so much the vehicle as the number of vehicles you take - one vehicle, no matter how good, can always leave you stuck - always good to plan to have at least two equally match vehicles so one can recover the other if needed

anyway, when are you off???

[uk_vette]

Would this be you?

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[uk_vette]

or this one ?

[Phoenix]

Great pics Vette

Looking at them I am stunned at the level of water that the car is coping with I am sure that I read somewhere that the 120 model can only cope with water that is no more than 700mm deep

What is the opinion of everyone if a car without a snorkel tackles water deeper than 700mm Is there a chance of water ingestion and then hydro-lock

I'm sorry if this seems a daft question but it confuses me.... mind you that is quite easy to do

[LiquidLAN]

nope on both counts...

opinions... mine would be that who-ever was driving that was lucky to get out the otherside under their own steam and I must keep a note of the reg number as I'd never want that car

the air intake as standard is at the top inside of the wheel arch - I've been told there is enough air in there for a short completely submerged run - but as I've said I know what happens when you flood an engine with water and I'd never try it with my own vehicle

great shots all the same!

[LiquidLAN]

lol... actually I just remembered a red LC4 or 5 I saw over at Toyota in Cheltenham... apparently one careful lady owner thought they when anywhere and prompty drove through the floods in Gloucestershire

results, new engine and what ever electrics got fried in the process

snorkel is cheaper

[Landcrusher]

When we had the 'Great Floods' last year, I took my 120 through a ford that was that deep, with the water up the windscreen - several times. As long as you aren't in there too long and you keep a bow wave going, you'll be fine. If it's muddy and there is a chance that you could 'stick' then the intake would certainly fill up. 700mm is the stated wading depth - the highest on the market. It was disturbing to see so many people in 4x4s during the floods, queuing to drive around water that was no more then 6" deep!
Whoever it is in the picture "Good on yer!"

Was at Tom's farm this week end. Fantastic to see a convoy of Jap machines ploughing a huge furrow right on top of the hill. Awesome sight, didn't have time to get my camera out.

LC
_________________
HDJ 80 but still a 90 owner at heart (yeah right!)

[uk_vette]

A quick check on the insurance database says it is still on the road.
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I have since found out that this is an LC5, and was just 3 months old when it went serious "off-roading"
In another thread, i heard the guy rolled it several months later, and was repaired!

graham

[Phoenix]

[LiquidLAN]

[quote="Phoenix"][quote="uk_vette"]
I have since found out that this is an LC5, and was just 3 months old when it went serious "off-roading"
In another thread, i heard the guy rolled it several months later, and was repaired!

graham[/quote]
Sounds like the owner of the LC5 has a little more money than sense  [/quote]

lol... yet another good reason not to touch it with a bardge pole

[jojo1]

Hi All,

Best bit of advice I got was from a French Toyota dealer on the dockside in Marseille. We were off to Tunisia and he was off to Libya. The inner wings can split LHside just between the gas strut mount for the bonnet and the fuel pump, and also mid way along the inner wheel arch. LHside and RHside( I've seen this happen)Their solution - take a second inner wing and tack on to make a double skin. Not too difficult once you remove the outer wing.

I have to say that my 05MY 120 has a hard life. It's got 120,000kms on the clock and has had more than it's fair share of Sahara corrugations.

Also check out ball joint play on front upper suspension control arm. The ball joints wear and you have to replace the whole arm €300 + labour. Also bottom control arm bushes wear/go soft.

Happy trails,

Jojo

[uk_vette]

Well, now I can answer my question myself.
They are tough.
they might look pretty, but, when the right tyres are on, and you drop into 'bottom box' they are almost unstopable.
I had a great day out with a mate off Difflock.
My 120 was really quite surprising.
I was climbing up steep slippy enbankments, wit boulders protruding 18 inches in places.
Well in low, with rear diff locked , the 120 didn't dissapoint !
She just kept on going upwards, almost too effortlessly !

The steep downhils were just as easy.
At the top, before decent, just selected low box, selector into 1st, and she just crawled down in her own good time.
No interaction from me, just a firm hands on the steering wheel as she climbed over the rocks and boulders.
Just as well I had my seat belt on, as I would have been slipping forward off the seat in places !

And the best thing is  .  .  .  .  NO DAMAGE, NOTHING FELL OFF, NO SCRAPES,

The tow bar took a fair old whack as she dropped off a ledge of about 2 foot, 'that rock is scared for life '


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All in all the technical ability if the 120 is good, so very well behaved.
I didn't get pic's of the more serious places as it was almost too steep to stand.

'vette