Tuesday, Apr 08, 2003 at 23:27
Guys, just what is your mechanical background, and how many 80 series have you seen??? The reason mining companies use Toyotas is because of there cost savings when purchased in the hundreds. Thats wat toyota banks on when pricing there passenger vehicles, they give big discounts to fleets, and govt depts, so as to appear to the public as being the vehicle of choice, at the expense of realistic pricing for the public market. Hence the reason why so many landcruisers never go offroad, because the people who buy them only want the most expensive vehicle in its class, so to feel more "important" than the purchasers of other makes, and it does not bother them that it isnt the most practical, capeable, or reliable offroader. As far as gearboxes and axles are concerned, just last weekend i saw an 80, on a moderate
test track, snap a rear axle, and beleive me, i have seen many others. When it comes to gearboxes, have you ever seen, or tried to move a gearbox out of a GQ patrol??? They are huge, heavy, but bloody stong!! When placed next to a landcruisers, it makes the tojos look like it belongs in a festiva!!! In many cases i have seen, the gearboxes and transfer cases, are to light duty to cope with the loads placed upon them, and just give way, especially with the wear and tear from the fulltime four wheel drive system. Just look at all the competiton trucks. If i am not mistaken, in the whinch challenge series held last year, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd
places were filled with Nissans, and something like 6 out of the top ten ended up being nissans, and i know for fact that these guys are running near standard nissan drivelines. i think there was only 1 or 2 toyotas in the top ten. Now i dont want to sound like I am completely biased, because beleive me, i have tried and seen alot of things, but after trying a Nissan, i just cant go back!!!!
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