On our way across Tibet...Land Cruiser 80 series...axel question.

[jrueppel]

Posting this in the Cruiser section but I'd like to understand just what's going on here for general education purposes. Thanks for reading along...

Just back from 3 week journey across Western Tibet and add me to the list of firm believers in how tough the 80 series cruisers are. On the way to Everest basecamp one of the drivers clipped a rock while negotiating a tight passage on a narrow road. A hundred meters farther and we knew something was definitely weird with the way the vehicle was handling and then clunk, one of the axels came flying out. After some quick discussion we reloaded gear and clients into the other cruisers and one driver took the damaged cruiser back down the mountain and out 70 miles back to the nearest place to get it fixed. The photos below do a better job of explaining it then I ever could.



Damaged Wheel Minus Axel With a Rag Stuffed In To Keep Dirt Out


Drivers Having a Smoke and Debating What To Do


Axel Recovered And Ready For the Ride Back Down


Gratuitous Cruisers In Tibet Shot. Enjoy!

My real question is how does this work on the Cruisers that you can drive one off with just 3 axels and not do any more damage to differentials and drive train parts? And what other 4x4's can do the same thing? I pretty much don't really understand how the different parts of the wheel assembly are all held together. Hoping someone out there can explain this for me and what to do in a real world situation if it happens again to a different vehicle. I got the sneaking suspicion that my Jeep wouldn't be so happy driving back down the mountain with a missing axel.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

Full floating axle...the rear assembles similar to the front where there is no load on the axle shaft itself and mounts to a spindle. Engage the center diff lock and drive away under the drive of the front axle.

You are correct this will not work on a jeep. The wheel of a jeep bolts to the axle

Most 3/4 and up vehicle use full floating rear axle. A Land Cruiser 80 series is over built in that way with axles the same dia as most 1 tons.

A friend never knew much about Land Cruisers until he spent a year in Tibet. Today he will not own anything else but a Land Cruiser:sombrero:

 

[Jay17]

Where do I get the seat covers?

Gotta get me some.

JJ

 

[Sergio Castro F]

Tibet Cruisers

One of the reasons why Land Cruisers are among the favorites cars in third world countries....

 

[Viggen]

I need a full float for my 60

 

[Sergio Castro F]

Ff

I need a full float for my 60

Specter Off Road

 

[lt1fire]

The CDL is the answer here with the FF rear end. Both axle shafts could come out and you could still drive away happy.
If it has a rear locker it will also keep power going to the one shaft still in there.

 

[jrueppel]

Gotta get me some.

JJ

The seat covers were style'n. Not sure where they got them but I wanted some too. Unless you care about wearing seat belts. Because they didn't have holes in them for getting the belts through them. But doesn't matter because no one in Tibet wears belts anyways. It's a hang on and pray kind of place to go for a drive.

And thanks to everyone for all the mechanical info. Starts to make sense now. And how in a pinch, free floaters and lockers can be used together on the 80 when you're a couple of axels short to keep moving.

 

[Scott Brady]

Great story. Enjoy the adventure!

 

[MoGas]

I don't know how those Cruisers can make it out there.........265s???? No lift?????

Do you know if they were gassers or diesel?

 

[Skrewball]

most likely the wheel bearings were real loose.

 

[jrueppel]

Good drivers and constant repairs keep them moving.

This was a pretty constant sight at the end of the day.


...and in the middle of it.


And it's all (95% at least) Land Cruisers out there.


Unless you count the big Chinese Trucks which don't always make it down the passes...


...and surprisingly a couple of JKUs which made my inner Jeep child happy to see.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

You've identified one of the major perks of the FF axle on a Land Cruiser rear... the ability to fix a broken shaft (or axle) back at camp or home rather than on the side of the trail in the dirt. Its 100% acceptable to travel with the one shaft removed as an emergency fix, while not ideal with a locked rear diff its not going to cause any undo problems either. Broken pinion? Pull both shafts and drive it in front-wheel-drive. Broken shaft or studs? Pull the shaft, put a cover on and drive it home. A front Land Cruiser drive flange will bolt on the back, keeping your wheel bearings nice and clean.

We've bought a dozen plus 60 Series rear FF axles from SOR in fact as of last they had no more available In a single year a group of 6-8 or us went through a dozen semi-float rear shafts, 3 on one Rubicon trip alone with the Wasatch Cruisers. Since updating to the FF's (knock on wood@) none of us have had a repeat failure And now there are more options for chromo rear FF shafts available from Just Differentials, I got one of the first sets in a few weeks ago, sweeet

 

[hieronymus]

I don't know how those Cruisers can make it out there.........265s???? No lift?????

You'd be surprised how far a standard 80 (no lift, normal tires) would get you.
We all love to do all kinds of mods to our trucks, hardly any of them being really necessary!

 

[MoGas]

You'd be surprised how far a standard 80 (no lift, normal tires) would get you.
We all love to do all kinds of mods to our trucks, hardly any of them being really necessary!

I was kidding. I am a firm believer in "It's the archer, not the arrow" I flogged my 80 relentlessly in stock form. The only thing that bigger tires, lockers and lift gets you is that you can dumb down your line of action. You actually have to stop and think in a stock rig.