Land Cruiser 80/Lexus LX450 Differential Question

I'm trying to figure out what to buy to replace my old dying 4Runner. I'm
looking at getting a Land Cruiser 80 series or Lexus LX450, with the front
and rear locking differentials. But in looking at ads I'm having a hard
time figuring out which vehicles have this option. And looking at the web
and archived news groups has left me more confused, with lots of
conflicting information.

Is there any easy way to identify the locking diff option, without going
under the thing to look for the actuators? A certain button in the cabin
or something? Is the option code printed on the sticker inside the door
frame? I've also seen them listed as "optional," but also claimed to be
"standard," even for the same date. Were they ever standard in the US?

Is there an easy way to retrofit the factory lockers onto a series 80?
I've seen lots of info on throwing them into other vehicles, but not for
the series 80, where they I think they started out in the first place.

As a side question, has anyone had any problems with the LX450 as opposed
to the TCL? I know that they're mostly the same, but didn't know whether
there were some gotcha's when doing suspension mods, etc.

Thanks for any help on the subject!
-Rhett

Rhett wrote:
>
> I'm trying to figure out what to buy to replace my old dying 4Runner. I'm
> looking at getting a Land Cruiser 80 series or Lexus LX450, with the front
> and rear locking differentials. But in looking at ads I'm having a hard
> time figuring out which vehicles have this option. And looking at the web
> and archived news groups has left me more confused, with lots of
> conflicting information.
>
> Is there any easy way to identify the locking diff option, without going
> under the thing to look for the actuators? A certain button in the cabin
> or something? Is the option code printed on the sticker inside the door
> frame? I've also seen them listed as "optional," but also claimed to be
> "standard," even for the same date. Were they ever standard in the US?
>
> Is there an easy way to retrofit the factory lockers onto a series 80?
> I've seen lots of info on throwing them into other vehicles, but not for
> the series 80, where they I think they started out in the first place.
>
> As a side question, has anyone had any problems with the LX450 as opposed
> to the TCL? I know that they're mostly the same, but didn't know whether
> there were some gotcha's when doing suspension mods, etc.

I know the rear locking diff will have the "RR Diff Lock" button on the dash, at least in the Toyotas. Not sure what the front diff is labelled as.

You may be able to identify the locking diffs via the model information sticker, not sure what the codes would be for the newer models, but this page may help:
http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/ToyVIN.shtml

--
Roger

Looking through some 80 series info, I finally happened upon this picture:

http://www.sleeoffroad.com/technical/tz_locker.htm

I don't know whether this is also what's in the LX450, but at least it
gives me something to look for. Maybe it'll help someone else searching
for the same info.

BTW, lots of interesting and useful 80 series stuff on the Slee site, for
those who are just starting like me.



Rhett <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> I'm trying to figure out what to buy to replace my old dying 4Runner.
> I'm looking at getting a Land Cruiser 80 series or Lexus LX450, with
> the front and rear locking differentials. But in looking at ads I'm
> having a hard time figuring out which vehicles have this option. And
> looking at the web and archived news groups has left me more confused,
> with lots of conflicting information.
>
> Is there any easy way to identify the locking diff option, without
> going under the thing to look for the actuators? A certain button in
> the cabin or something? Is the option code printed on the sticker
> inside the door frame? I've also seen them listed as "optional," but
> also claimed to be "standard," even for the same date. Were they ever
> standard in the US?
>
> Is there an easy way to retrofit the factory lockers onto a series 80?
> I've seen lots of info on throwing them into other vehicles, but not
> for the series 80, where they I think they started out in the first
> place.
>
> As a side question, has anyone had any problems with the LX450 as
> opposed to the TCL? I know that they're mostly the same, but didn't
> know whether there were some gotcha's when doing suspension mods, etc.
>
> Thanks for any help on the subject!
> -Rhett
>

Roger Brown <[email protected]> wrote in news:[email protected]:

> Rhett wrote:
>>
>> I'm trying to figure out what to buy to replace my old dying 4Runner.
I'm
>> looking at getting a Land Cruiser 80 series or Lexus LX450, with the
front
>> and rear locking differentials. But in looking at ads I'm having a hard
>> time figuring out which vehicles have this option. And looking at the
web
>> and archived news groups has left me more confused, with lots of
>> conflicting information.
>>
>> Is there any easy way to identify the locking diff option, without going
>> under the thing to look for the actuators? A certain button in the
cabin
>> or something? Is the option code printed on the sticker inside the door
>> frame? I've also seen them listed as "optional," but also claimed to be
>> "standard," even for the same date. Were they ever standard in the US?
>>
>> Is there an easy way to retrofit the factory lockers onto a series 80?
>> I've seen lots of info on throwing them into other vehicles, but not for
>> the series 80, where they I think they started out in the first place.
>>
>> As a side question, has anyone had any problems with the LX450 as
opposed
>> to the TCL? I know that they're mostly the same, but didn't know
whether
>> there were some gotcha's when doing suspension mods, etc.
>
> I know the rear locking diff will have the "RR Diff Lock" button on the
dash, at least in the Toyotas. Not sure what the front diff is labelled
as.

Not a button for the axle diff's, but a rotating knob, left of the steering
wheel. The only real push button on the (center of the) dash is for the
center diff lock, yet only present on non-ABS(=non-visco-center-diff)/pre-
93 vehicles (on post-92/abs/visco models the visco unit took over in high-
range, while default locking in low range (the latter equal to pre-93).
(center diff lock button for high-range can be retrofitted, while pulling a
plug on the T-case to optionally/selectable obtain an open center diff in
low range)

> You may be able to identify the locking diffs via the model information
sticker, not sure what the codes would be for the newer models, but this
page may help:
> http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/ToyVIN.shtml
>



--
Bye,

Willem-Jan Markerink

The desire to understand
is sometimes far less intelligent than
the inability to understand

<[email protected]>
[note: 'a-one' & 'en-el'!]

Rhett <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

>
> Looking through some 80 series info, I finally happened upon this picture:
>
> http://www.sleeoffroad.com/technical/tz_locker.htm
>
> I don't know whether this is also what's in the LX450, but at least it
> gives me something to look for. Maybe it'll help someone else searching
> for the same info.
>
> BTW, lots of interesting and useful 80 series stuff on the Slee site, for
> those who are just starting like me.
>

Join the 80-series Mailinglist too, Christopher (Slee) must have that link on
his homepage somewhere, otherwise try here:

http://www.a1.nl/phomepag/markerink/main_4x4.htm



--
Bye,

Willem-Jan Markerink

The desire to understand
is sometimes far less intelligent than
the inability to understand

<[email protected]>
[note: 'a-one' & 'en-el'!]