Toyota Land Cruiser - How Much Can I Fit In Back?

[onewhippedpuppy]

So I need something to haul stuff. I've always been a sucker for the Land Cruiser, and with high gas prices they're dirt cheap. So, how much stuff can I haul in a '90s (FJ??) Land Cruiser? 4x8 sheets? Lumber XX feet long? I'd rather drop $3k on a LC than a beat American truck, with the bonus of a LC having back seats and off-road ability. Plus, they're just cool looking.

[mattdavis11]

4x8 sheets of plywood, dry wall, 2x4x8 studs fit if you raise the rear seats and lower the tail gate. Side to side, a 4x8 sheet fits fine. The rear, with the seats up, is roughly 4x6.5. The tail gate is 1.5 feet. If you want to go 10 foot then you are going to have to either rest them on the center console or to the passenger side, or you can always run them out the windows diagonally. I've hauled lots of stuff.

If you want me to take some measurements, let me know, I've two FJ80's right outside.

[TerryH]

Planning a run to/from Mexico? I'm thinking 1/2 ton contraband and 10 illegals.

[Rot 911]

Matt, why not just use the minivan? Oh I know, its been 2 months since you have bought a car.

[mattdavis11]

ooops, the rear is 42.5 to 43 inches between the rear wheel wells. 4x8 sheets go in angled to one side fine.

[89911]

a 3k Landcruiser thats cool looking. Got any pictures?

[craigster59]

Originally Posted by 89911

a 3k Landcruiser thats cool looking. Got any pictures?

Right here. It's on craigslist for $3700, but I'll give the old Pelican/Good guy deal. You can fit 4x8 sheets flat in the back resting on the tailgate.

[notfarnow]

Originally Posted by craigster59

Right here. It's on craigslist for $3700, but I'll give the old Pelican/Good guy deal. You can fit 4x8 sheets flat in the back resting on the tailgate.

yoiks

If that was a BJ or HJ, I'd fly out and drive the ####er home, no kidding. Then again, if it was a BJ or HJ, it'd be ~7-8k

I managed to look at one hj60 before buying my 4runner, but it was a hopeless rustbucket. The only decent one within a day's drive is 8k, and it had issues too.

man they are great trucks.

[vash]

i love those!!! kinda gutless, but a friend and i couldnt get one stuck. it went everywhere. it was ratty, offwhite with black rims. very safari looking and he never ever washed it. i loved it.

[craigster59]

It's a nice truck, I love it but with my commute it doesn't make sense fuel wise. I can get a used diesel engine from Spector Offroad but it won't do me any good in California. This is the 3rd time I've had it for sale (always chickened out, I really like it) but this time I'll follow through.

You can pick one up cheap right now, they're sitting on the market 6-8 weeks. I'd keep it but I really need to thin the herd.

[look 171]

No it would not fit. the wheel wells are in the way. My FJ 80gets 11-12 mpg with a tail win. I will say this, they don't break.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Matt, so on the FJ80 there's about 43 inches of width between the wheel wells? You said that there's about 6.5 ft length inside with the seats folded forward, but the tailgate gives you an additional 1.5 ft? So I could haul studs laying flat with the seats folded forward and the tailgate down, correct? And 4x8 sheets will fit, but they require angling the sheet?

89911, I've seen multiple FJ80s for $4k and under. Typically around 200k, but clean and rust-free.

Craigster, that's a sweet FJ60! Do you have more pictures, details, etc? So a 4' sheet will lay flat in back? CA is a long ways away, but.........

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by Kurt V

Matt, why not just use the minivan? Oh I know, its been 2 months since you have bought a car.

I'm getting the itch........

Actually, we have. I can haul a few studs in the minivan, but more than 20 starts getting cumbersome, as they stack between the front seats. 4x8 sheets would require loading at an angle, with probably 16" hanging out the back and the end gate bouncing in the breeze. Not to mention the scratches on the interior of our very clean van, which agitates my OCD.

An older SUV would be cheap, still haul my kids when I need to, but also haul stuff. With my basement almost ready for sheetrock and spring plans for serious landscaping and a new deck, I'm starting to consider something to haul/tow stuff. Cheap American trucks are plentiful, but then I can't carry the kids if necessary. Plus, they aren't made by Toyota.

[craigster59]

Matt, The FJ62 (same as 60 but w/ power windows, mirrors, auto trans and fuel injection) have a split tailgate where if you pop up the top of it with the window, the sheets sit on the bottom tailgate (still closed) at an angle and you still have room to spare on the sides.
I can get more in there than I can in my Tacoma. Also, VERY easy to work on, lots of room. The major drawback is that it would cost you $3700 in gas to drive it back to Kansas.

Think "Hummer Lite", drives great, just as many fill ups.

[mattdavis11]

Matt, there is 42-43 inches between the wheel wells on the FJ80, and FZJ80. The total length that I guessed earlier was wrong. With the rear seats folded up and tail gate down, you have 7 feet, the tail gate down adds 18 inches, so 5.5 feet inside. I imagine if you took the rear seats out for hauling you'd get 8 feet. The FJ60 and FJ62-->Craigster59, have more room between the wells.

There are many ways you can haul the 4x8's. I'm sure I've laid them where they were angled, and have also hauled where the inside part of the load rest on the floor while the ends rest on the tail gate when it's up and they clear the wheel wells. I can't remember which worked out best, probably the latter.

Anyway, I guessed earlier, I was a foot off, but it sure does seem like there's that much room. For load weight, I don't think you are going to break the axle, so as long as the front tires are still on the ground..........

As far as usage goes, both the are fantastic for hauling kids, but the 80 gives you two more seats over what the FJ60 & 62 have. Off road, the 80 is better, but that doesn't mean I'm saying the 60 & 62's are terrible, they are not, they are far superior to any other vehicle built for a similar purpose. My brothers have a couple of FJ60's and one FJ62. We've hunted the snot out of these vehicles on some of the nastiest terrain, and it's like being in a cadillac rolling down the freeway. One thing I do like about the FJ62 is the throttle cable, it can act as a cruise control when rolling along chasing the white tails, it's very nice. The only real difference between the FJ62, and the FJ80 (91-92) is the full time 4wd, and the coil spring front suspension on the 80. The rest is body panels and interior. The 62 is still leaf spring, and in my opinion is not quite as smooth off road. The displacement of the engine in the 80's series went form 4.0 to 4.5 liters in 1993 (known as the FZJ80), but people seem to have head gasket problems on the 1FZ motor (4.5), however, the two in our family have not and both have over 240K. The 3FE (4.0) in the FJ62 and FJ80 are bullet proof, IMHO.

Craigster59, you have a very nice example, sorry to hear you are unloading it. Someone will be very happy to have it.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Thanks for the feedback guys! Craigster, you're correct in that CA is probably too damn far, even for me. Matt, sounds like an FJ80 or FJZ80 would work well for me. I know I've read that the 4.5 is superior to the 4.0 due to the power increase, and is the one to have (short of a V8). Can you comment on the difference?

[VincentVega]

While the FJ's are cool trucks and I'd love to find a diesel, it's hard to pass up a Suburban for your needs. 4x8 sheet inside no problem and it seats the entire basketball team. Oh right, better MPG and cheaper parts too.

[Gordo2]

My FJ60 has been a workhorse for projects, loading everything from a bunch of bags of concrete to sheets of wood. They are also great for camping trips and such. Just a great all around vehicle, giving meaning to the sport utility vehicle class.

Not really intended as a pitch but I'm selling mine. I just bought a 05 4Runner limited (I'm on the highway too much for the Cruiser - I don't mind the Cruiser's MPG (13-14), but the truck just isn't made to roll with I-95 traffic around northern Virginia. The 4Runner is great, but it's much smaller than the Cruiser and I doubt it will be as durable.



Good luck with your search.

Gordo

[craigster59]

Chris Martin- Suburbans are nowhere near a Cruiser, nice try

Gordo- Sell me your front bumper and I might keep mine

[tcar]

Coolest looking.

'The Moose'.

http://photos.ebizautos.com/5384/3396003_7.jpg

Sorry, couldn't get it to load.