harrygrey382
Addicted to ArboristSite
Actually Nissan was the last to use a traditional non ecu engine, theTD42 and TD42T, but that's gone ta ta's now too.
Toyota have the market by the throat here thanks to brilliant marketing and supposed back up with their dealer network, although a mate of mine is a mechanic in the mines at Kalgoorlie and he reckons it's routine to have to wait for parts to come from Japan for the 'Cruisers, yet he can get OE bits overnight for his Defender, and Land Rover's dealer network sucks big time here.
Toyotas diffs have gone backwards since the old 40 Series, although their Achilles heel was the t/case, and to a lesser extent the g/box, although the 4 speed was pretty bullet proof.
They used to crack chassis pretty regularly too, and the ride was abysmal, as was any leaf sprung Japanese four wheel drive unless you ran OME or Ultimate Suspension.
The current GU coil sprung Patrol cab chassis cracks its chassis behind the rear axle in extreme use, although Nissan have beefed it up in that area, and the leaf sprung rear (1300kg payload) cab chassis used to crack rear spring hangers in Telstra use, but the 78/79 Series Cruisers were cracking front diff housings and wrecking gear boxes and t/cases, and Defender 130's were cracking front diffs and pulling axle tubes out of the Salisbury rear axle :jawdrop: Land Rover responded with the UK Army Wolf rear end (just for Telstra use) which is braced to the extreme, but uses the relatively weak Rover centre, as opposed to the Dana 60 based Salisbury....
Telstra techs drive em like they stole em over the worst roads imaginable.
I'm hearing mixed reports on the new V8 turbo diesel Cruiser in the 79 Series.
They do take well to modding, but people forget they are detuned from the factory for a reason, it's still the same g/box, t/case and rear diff as the old six.....
That old diesel was a goodun
My stepfather had an HJ47 Troopie that Mum nicknamed 'The Pregnant Duck' as it used to waddle the outback tracks.It was a bloody good old bus.
They finally opted for comfort and upgraded to a 110 wagon, then a 130 Crew Cab Defender, and now a Series II Disco with the TD5.
Surprisingly where they are (Alice Springs) there are a hell of a lot of Landies running around thanks to an excellent dealer there.
Good friends of ours have an FJ47 Troopie in excellent condition that I borrowed a couple of years ago for a week and it really brought back some memories. I wanted to play around with the old 2F, they really take well to exhaust and carbie mods, but Pammy and John wouldn't be in it.
OK Rick, I think I may conceded to someone more experienced here. I must admit the majority of my 'cruiser experience is with 40s and 60s, with my 70 and patrol experience limited... I'd just caught the tail end of A LOT of cruiser worshipping, and liked the idea of the 70 series starting off where the 40 series left off. Glad we're even on the 40s though... Here's a pic of my baby
she's done southern highlands to Derby (Kimberely) and southern highlands to lake mungo and back, all no dramas. Plus a lot of very rough and abusive off roading, pulling and firewood hauling and has never missed a beat. Needing a new injector pump diaphragm right now though
