Toyota Landcruiser 80 Series Sahara, modified.

Harry’s Toyota Landcruiser 80 Series Sahara is finally on modified, this is one well used and ‘been everywhere’ type of vehicle in terms of overland and 4 wheeling travel.

The experience Harry has with this vehicle is up there in the scheme of things and many of these mods have a purpose and good reason for being on there.

As you will already have seen this 80 series Landcruiser is built and setup for remote travel and doesn’t have unnecessary big 35’s with 4 inch lift etc. It has 2 inch lift and 33’s which fit well from stock and doesn’t kill the fuel range and economy.

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Plenty of clever DIY on this Toyota Landcruiser 80 Series which is a big part of why I like this build.

With a nick name of ‘Brick’ Harry does actually like to take care of his ‘fat 80’ as he would put it but will most certainly put Brick through its paces. There are plenty of good stories about Brick on some wild adventures some even involve the mysterious Rhonda…

You may have seen Brick in recent videos too, some links at the bottom…

Vehicles factory stats (NOTE* modded details below):

Make model: Toyota HDJ80 Landcruiser Sahara

Engine: 1HD-T 4.2 (factory) Turbo Diesel

Drive train: Constant 4wd, Automatic, Twin Locked Diffs (factory)

Suspension: Coils front and rear

Harry’s mod list for his Toyota Landcruiser 80 Series

Engine:

· 1HD-T 4.2l inline 6

· Factory Turbo diesel (CT26 Turbo)

· Cross Country top mount intercooler

· 3” mandrel bend turbo back exhaust (mild steel)

· Manual boost controller

· Dyno tuned to 15psi, conservative tune to 129kw (173hp) and 432nm

Electric upgrades:

· New factory 105 series alternator (110a nominal, 140a peak)

· Redarc BCDC1240 battery charger

· 180w of solar panels (charge through the BCDC)

· 1x 100ah Caterpillar deep cycle battery (under bonnet) – charged by Redarc

· 1x 140ah AGM deep cycle battery (in boot) – charged by Redarc

· Lots of 12v plugs, screw in Engel plugs for the fridges etc.

Lights:

· 240w 42” light bar on the roof

· 75w HID spot lights on bullbar

· 36w spread side lights (both sides – individually switched)

· Rear telescopic light pole with 2x 10w spread and 1x 48w spot LED lights, individually switched.

Comms & GPS:

· Commercial Motorola UHF (120ch), 4.5db and 3bd whips on spring base

· 3G and 4G/LTE mobile phone booster antenna (6.5db) connected to strike booster cradle for iPhone.

· Aftermarket AM/FM 4.5db whip on bullbar

· Hema and Mud Maps 1 running on iPhone and iPad (iPad mounted on RAM base)

Frame:

· Ladder chassis, braced on the front under the steering box – they crack there

Driveline:

· F&R solid axles, stock ratios

· Full time 4wd with factory transfer case

Suspension:

· Front OME HD 3” lifted coils

· Rear Ironman HD 3” lifted coils (sits overall at 2-2.5” lift)

· Amada Extreme 3” lifted Remote reservoir shocks

· Stock bump-stops

· Superior Engineering F&R extended sway bar links

· Homemade reinforced rear chassis mounts for sway bars

· 2” castor correction bushes

Tires:

· BF Goodrich KM2 Mud Terrain 285/75R16

· 16x8 zero offset 80 series GXL steel rims

· 2 spares – one on wheel carrier, one in standard spot underneath

Bar work and exterior mods:

· Unknown brand high/low mount winch compatible steel bulbar

· Modified K&N rear bar (from a Hilux Surf, widened, strengthened and trimmed to fit)

· Custom wheel carrier and jerry can swing away arms

· Custom 3” sliders

· Custom aluminium ladder

· Full length aluminium roof rack

· ARB Awning (2.1x2.5m)

· Rear sail track for awning.

Tanks:

· Standard 90l Main and Aux 55l

In the driver’s cabin:

· Stock centre console fridge with ice maker

· Stock sunroof

· Electric windows, mirrors, remote central locking

· Stock Sahara electric seat (re-padded and re-covered)

· Custom canvas seat covers

· Boost gauge

· Alpine head unit

· Sony 6.5” splits in the F&R doors

· Voltage gauges

· Engine watchdog to monitor block temperature, with alarm

· All but the roof is covered in Dynamat

· Polaroid picture of me with Brick when I got him – a reminder of when he was skinny.

Rear of wagon:

· Outback Accessories drawers from a 100 series - cut to fit

· MSA DS60 drop slide

· Waeco CF80-DZ fridge/freezer

· Homemade fridge cage with removable lid

· Lots of power points (12v and 240w)

· 1,000w inverter

· Spare parts inside quarter panels

· Homemade pantry

· LED lights

· Fire extinguisher

· Briefcase with magic in it

· Tools, electrical parts, belts, hoses, fluids etc.

Recovery gear:

· Smittybilt x20 10,000lb winch with rope

· 11t snatch strap

· 9t snatch strap

· 2x 3.2t bow shackles

· 4x 5.7t bow shackles

· 28m 10mm dyneema rope (10.3t)

· Drag chain

· Tree trunk protector

· Winch block

· Tyre repair kit

· 2x inner tubes

· Hi-Lift jack and bulbar attachment bracket

· Long handle shovel

· Short handle shovel with pick

· 4x rated recovery points.

Harry’s top 3 trips in the Toyota Landcruiser 80 Series

The Kimberley – 28 days going through the middle of WA (through Rudall River etc) to the Kimberley, as far as the NT
Albany – using private property as a base and exploring the area for 9 days
The Pilbara – watch the YouTube video on Ronny’s channel.

Unstoppable moment in the Toyota Landcruiser 80 Series :

Dragging a backpacker’s Hilux Surf that had a blown diff up the big hill at Yeagarup (you know the one), overtaking 3 cars on the way up and being the only person in the last 15 minutes to make it first go.

Most scary situation in the Toyota Landcruiser 80 Series :

Getting stuck on tidal a mud flat in croc infested waters in the Kimberley with a blown front diff, no body to pull me out, a buggered starter battery, original (weak) alternator and the only tree being 100m away, behind me. I winched out on a horrible angle using every strap I had access to – the lights would die and I had to hold it at 3,800rpm for the alternator to give the winch enough power to move me.

Top 3 tips with the Toyota Landcruiser 80 Series :

1 Drive it in stock form for as long as you can, they are amazingly capable and it will teach you what you really need.

2 Put good shocks in it – remote res ideally. The suspension geometry is great and quality shocks will make offroad touring 10 times more enjoyable.

Things to look out for if buying a Toyota Landcruiser 80 Series

Rust under the carpet around the footwells and on the bottom of the firewall

Chassis/panhard mount cracks around the steering box

Autos slipping or burnt smelling fluid

Manuals falling out of gear or bad syncros

Excessive driveline backlash

1HD-T head gasket problems

High Km 1FZ-FE on LPG burnt valves

Aftermarket turbo 1HZs with loose drivelines

Broken A/C – expensive to fix, especially for a sahara

Make sure the pump isn’t too old in a 1HD-T or 1HD-FT, they do about 250k on a pump

Camping in a Toyota Landcruiser 80 series Sahara.

Best 3 mod/s you have done to the Toyota Landcruiser 80 Series and why:

1. Electrical system – I have no worries running 2 fridges, chargers, lights etc. totally relying on solar. I also have tons of backup if I ever get a flat starter, including using solar as a charger to get me going.

2. Pantry – no more lifting heavy food boxes in and out, I can see everything all the time (clear drawers), everything is organised and it doesn’t take up any of my table space

3. Stainless tailgate – I don’t carry a table any more, this does everything: cutting up bait, food prep, greasy mechanical jobs, electrical work, a seat, a stand for me to reach the roof etc. So easy to clean and so tough.

What made you decide to choose this vehicle?

· F&R solid axles with coils

· Solid, reliable, powerful and relatively economical factory TD motor

· Factory F&R lockers

· Twin fuel tanks

· Comfortable interior

Best thing about the 80 series:

· Comfort and capability off road

Worst thing about the 80 series:

· Handle like a boat

· Getting quite old, so they have more issues and parts are harder to find