4x4 -Land Cruiser II (LC2)

By
t.wong@tcompent.com

 A rugged, retro styled offroader which is American in many ways. Land Cruiser II is a light duty passenger 4x4. Suspension is coil spring all round with Solid Front and Rear 8 inch Axles and is available in two variants; i.e.: 2.4L petrol and 2.8L normally aspirated diesel engines. In Malaysia, back then in the early 90s, the 2.4L and 2.8L were priced somewhere around RM90K and RM100K respectively.
Off-road capabilities

Most of the old surviving Land Cruisers (I am referring to those 70 Series brought in by UMW Malaysia) are equipped with Rear Limited Slip Differential (LSD). With LSD, the system can send about 20 percent of its torque to the opposite wheel when one of it’s two wheels looses traction (Note: Not every LSD is created equally). The imported version (aka the 70 Series Prado, please do not mistaken it for the 90 Series Prado) incorporates a Rear Lockable Open-Differential and a 2.4L turbo-charged diesel engine.

The 70 Series Heavy Duty Edition (with a 4.2L six cylinder motor, Rear Leaf Springs and a set of 9.5 inch axles) found in some big countries around the world may be equipped with both Front and Rear Lockers (these lockers make them so incredibly capable off-road). When an axle locker is engaged, both wheels on the same axle will be rotated at the same rpm. Mercedes G-Wagens (seen in Jurassic Park) have them lockers too. The 40 Series Land Cruisers come with Open-Differentials from the factory, no lockers of any kind were installed. Without them lockers make these Cruisers a lot less capable off-road.

Land Rover Defenders (both the locally assembled single and double cabs) have All-Wheel-Drive with Low-Range gearing and manual transmission. Some military Defenders else where have 3.9 engines in them. Both the Defender Station Wagon and Short Wheel Based (TD5 onwards) are fitted with Traction Control (which is great on slippery roads). But, these models are very rare over here. A traction control system actually applies the brakes to the slipping-wheel.

Two distinct categories of 4x4
They are the Comfort Oriented series and the Offroad Oriented series.

Offroad Oriented series include 70 Series Land Cruiser and Land Rover Defender. These 4x4s are offroad ready straight out of the showroom floor. Equipped with a Solid Front Axle, you can get a lot more Wheel Travel and Articulation compared to an Independent Front Suspension system (IFS). And, the steering systems on these vehicles are stronger than rack-and-pinion systems but aren't responsive enough compared to the latter. These Offroad oriented 4x4s come with motors that are built more for torque. 


The 70 Series Land Cruiser has a Part-Time 4x4 system which means 4-High and 4-Low should only be selected when driving on slippery/loose surface. An All-Wheel-Drive system (or Full-Time 4x4 like the one found in a Defender) has a center differential which allows the Front and Rear driveshafts to rotate at different rates when neither 4-High or 4-Low is selected. Putting it in either 4-High or 4-Low actually locks the center differential and when locked, both drive shafts will be driven at the same rpm, which when driven on hard surface will wind up the drive line.

Comfort Oriented series (aka SUVs) include: 
  • Ones with Low Range Gearing and good ground clearance; i.e.: 80 Series Land Cruiser and Toyota Fortuner
  • Ones without Low Range Gearing and are Car-based; i.e.: Older Nissan X-Trail and Honda CRV.
If you are looking for a great off-road car (One that is comfortable, with Automatic Transmission, Low  Gear as well as All Wheel Drive, And, LSD and is truck-based), check out the 1st Generation Fortuner 2.7. It’s the only available four wheel drive that has all the above. People have driven them (the 2.7 All Wheel Drive, Automatic Transmission version without snorkel, fitted with just standard sized tires) all the way from Indonesia to Italy. But they have winches mounted behind the stock bumpers though. Try not to install a snorkel on it because the 2.7 is a petrol engine, you may look silly with one. For your information its air intake inlet faces backwards making it less vulnerable when driving through flood water. Most (if not all) full fledged 4x4s (only those with Low Range Gearing and reasonably high ground clearance) are capable of wading through water as deep as anything between 1 to 2 feet.

Expedition vehicle
I reckon it is more practical to turn a station wagon into an expedition vehicle. But pickup trucks (particularly those double cabs) have evolved over the years, from work tools to taking the family on vacation. With a pickup truck, one can ferry large pieces of gear. In addition, it offers a higher payload capacity..

Upgrades
  • Not for me, I will stick to the manufacturer’s specifications in order for it to be the best it can be. To me, Doing things correctly (even when faced with challenging issues) makes a world of difference; i.e.:
    • Use correct air pressure. By airing down, you are increasing the tires' footprint for more traction off-road as well as allowing the weight to be distributed over a larger area (which can result in better flotation). Lower tire pressure also allows the tires to flex better letting them bite rather than slip.
    • Use correct gear. For example, traversing muddy and rocky patches is best done in 2nd gear because it helps you to maintain enough momentum to keep moving forward continuously.  
    • Last but not least, it's Decision Making. We often forget that we ourselves have limitations too.
  • Go with manufacturer recommended tire size. Using taller tires will result in sluggish acceleration and poor fuel economy. May even get you into a argument with a Height-restrictor barrier and shorten the life of your wheel bearings. Note: Up-sizing requires you to change the gears in your differentials. If you are looking for a serious offroader with great ground clearance (straight out of the showroom), checkout the early 90s Hilux. With a leaf spring on top of the axle type of setup, you are getting an extra few inches clearance. 
  • Don’ts: Off-road capabilities will be compromised if its cooling fan and/or air filter were “upgraded”.  I mean modified to something more car like.
  • Keep the stock exhaust pipe to maintain vehicle’s low-end power. 
  • Upgrade to a Toyota 1KZ engine (a reputable 3L turbo charged power plant) if you think the stock engine is not good enough for you.

Finally
Toyota won't short change you on anything. It has a proven reputation for reliability, quality and safety. So, the next time you go for wildlife (should I just say wild?) adventures, go in a Cruiser.... I mean Land Cruiser.... a BFF to many around the world. 

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