LAND CRUISER - FRONT & REAR LOCKING DIFFERENTIALS

May have been optional extra in some geographic areas.

Huw

The Land Cruiser that I know of only has a locking Center Differential. It can go from what is effectively All Wheel Drive to 4 Wheel Drive. The difference being that all wheel drive can be left on -- or is on -- all of the time, and 4WD can only be used on dirt or snow and ice -- surfaces where traction is "compromised" and the tires can slip and slide to release the stress of going different speeds and distances.

That version is full time 4wd with a locking centre diff. It was also available with either a limited slip rear diff or an electrically actuated mechanical diff lock on the rear and a similar diff lock on the front. This is with rigid axles all round. It could also have a semi floating or a full floating rear axle type.

The independently sprung front end models that have been available since '98 also have a centre diff lock with many having a rear diff lock as well. Some have electronic traction control available.

Also available in many areas still is the rigid axle models, some with part time 4wd where road work is accomplished with drive to the rear end only.

There are currently two petrol engines fitted that I know of, a straight six and a V8. There are also three diesels, an old indirect injection naturally aspirated 4.2, an electronically controlled 24 valve turbo/intercooled

Huw

I had a 1949 but it did not have a locking differential

mike hunt

You mean the Land Cruiser gets an electric locker, like what they put in the TRD Tacomas?

Since I do not know what they put in TRD Tacoma I cannot answer your question. The original poster and I can confirm the availability of both front and rear differential locks which have electric motor actuation on Land Cruisers.

Huw

Forgive my ignorance. The only Land Cruiser I know of that isn't from the '70s, and only has a locking Center Differential Button. It does not lock the axles, either of them.

Land Cruisers were definitely available in the U.S. with locking ceneter, front, and rear differentials. Alas, I don't remember what years.

It would be the 80 series and they were built from 1990 to early '98. Over here in the UK they had three locking diffs fitted as standard for the whole time. Other option choices were available in other geographical areas.

Huw

Yup, those are the ones. I remember now that the locking diffs were standard here in the U.S. as well.

The Land Cruiser that I know of is from this range, and it only has a locking Center Diff. I know it only has the locking center diff because I helped him get unstuck one day, and he had diagonal tires spinning uselessly while he was high centered on a pile of dirt.

They have to be engaged by the driver ;-) The centre diff may be engaged by a button and the rear and then front on a rotary dial down by the drivers knee. The axle diffs also take a while to engage and lock in my experience and if not regularly used may not work at all.

Huw

in article snipped-for-privacy@individual.net, Huw at hedydd[nospam]@tiscali.co.uk wrote on 1/26/06 2:17 AM:

Most of the 80-series cruisers from the mid-90's don't have the locking front and rear differentials. I know because I really wanted them, and never could find one with them anyone near to me! And there were many, many of them for sale. Since then I've seen a couple for sale; they do exist, but they are the exception to the rule.

I haven't pushed my '95 hard, but what wheeling I've done it did great. Hit some mining roads in SE Oregon that would have eaten an Explorer for lunch.

-jeff

Yes, but if the driver points out the Center Diff Lock button to me, and uses it, then it is safe to say that the diffs did not lock. I have Detroit Lockers on my Jeep precisely to cure the problem this guy had -- spinning diagonal tires.

in article fZKdnehVTI snipped-for-privacy@ez2.net, Jeff Strickland at snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com wrote on 1/29/06 6:51 PM:

Putting an 80-series land cruiser, ANY of them, in 4-low locks the CENTER differential (IE, the transfer case). It's viscous-coupled in 4-hi, mechanically locked in 4-lo.

Aside from that, a small minority of Land Cruisers have electric front and rear locking differentials, similar to an Electrac, made by the same company that makes your Detroit locker. The Cruiser you pulled out obviously didn't have the front and rear lockers. They all have the locking center differential though.

Make sense?

-jeff

They don't have a centre diff [or therefore a centre diff lock] in all market regions. In some places they had part time four wheel drive and only drive the rear wheels unless 4x4 was selected. These may or may not be fitted with front free wheel hubs. There are many more optional configurations than most people realise and some may not be available in all regions.

Huw