[Jesco]

Hi Everyone,

My first post here...

I picked up an LJ80 ute a couple of months ago, basically all original (from what I can tell) other than the 3K motor.
Absolutely love the thing, goes anywhere and cheap to run!

Anyway, the one big downside is that the gearing is awful for on-road use over 60KMH, I thought I'd post here and ask what are my options to solve this problem. I recall years ago you could buy a Fairey overdrive for old Landys etc, is there anything like that available now? Thanks for any advice, cheers.

[want33s]

What do you call awful?
Your car originally had an F8A that would easily sit over 4000RPM all day cruising, fitting a 3K means 500 more cc's but it also still needs to do the same revs.
Your solution may be as simple as fitting larger tyres.

[joel]

if its a ute, isnt it an lj81?

[sideways]

want33s wrote:

What do you call awful?
Your car originally had an F8A that would easily sit over 4000RPM all day cruising.

A bit more than that! Mine sits on 5500 at an indicated 110. It'l do it all day unless there's a hill or a head wind.

Is your 3k mated to a 4 speed gearbox? If so, find a 5 speed and it'l be a bit better. There's no such thing as an off the shelf over drive for an LJ, back in the day you could get higher transfer gears but that was 20 years ago.

The best thing you could do is rip the boat anchor out and fit an F10a from a 1l Sierra with a LJ gearbox. You get used to doing so many revs, and it'l sit on 110 quite easily.

How big are your tyres? Many LJs wound up with Sierra wheels and tyres which are about 2.5" smaller than standard, going back to standard size will drop the revs a bit.

Put some pics up!!

[Jesco]

Hi All,

I should start by saying this is my first Suzuki, let alone a LJ, so I know next to nothing about them.

Thanks for the replies. I don't have a tacho on it but I'm pretty sure it'd have to be doing 5500 to 6000 RPM at 80KMH by the sound of it... I mean, it's really revving it's arse off. I don't even like taking it over 60KMH. I have no history on it so I have no idea what has been done to it, other than obviously the 3K engine. It appears mostly to be stock to me. Yes, 4 speed box. It does have 31 10.5 R15s, which rub on the springs, the turning circle is woeful at the moment Yet another of many issues I have to sort out... she needs a lot of attention.

LJ81 noted... I believe it was also called a Stockman.

Took her out today looking at some old gold mines, apart from the poor turning circle she's unreal in the bush, better than my Landcruiser in that it'll fit in places the cruiser won't and I don't need to engage 4WD half as much. The fuel gauge has barely moved either

I did take a photo of her today, I'll see what I can do about uploading some pics. Cheers

[Jesco]

A couple of piccies...

[sideways]

Providing the gearing is stock, you'd be doing 5000rpm at 110 with that setup, even if someone has fitted LJ50 gearing it'd be 6000 at 110. The lack of carpet (let alone sound deadening!) and tinny panels makes LJs engines sound much more stressed than they really are.

Yours is an LJ81k stockman. To give you a bit of a break down of the model code.... LJ=the body shape these are, so a Sierra is an SJ, a Jimny is an SN ect. 8=the 4 stroke, 0.8l model. 1=LWB. k=factory fitted Suzuki tray.

A Stockman is the later, updated version. The most notable visual difference is that the headlights are further down. The main differences are they have a stronger back diff (26 spline axles), bigger brakes, different unis, an AM radio and the heater controls inside the car instead of under the bonnet. It's a common misconception that a Stockman is a ute, all models of LJ8x where available as stockmans.

Mine rubbed on the springs with stock wheels and tyres so you're going to have no chance with tyres almost twice as wide as standard and wheels with such little offset. LJs kick arse offroad, my LJ81 is the best stock vehicle I've ever driven in technical stuff.

Awesome looking LJ, you don't see many in Sirrus green, it's a good colour for them! I wish I could get an alloy bar like that for mine. If it hasn't already got them, you can quite easily swap to Sierra disc brakes and free wheeling hubs by mating the CV from a 1l Sierra or Jimny to an LJ axle. It's a worthwhile upgrade. LJ brakes are deadly and LJ CVs are weak, I broke one on standard (28.6") tyres!

Have you got any plans for it? It looks to be in very good condition for an LJ!

[want33s]

Jesco wrote:

I'm pretty sure it'd have to be doing 5500 to 6000 RPM at 80KMH

Buy or borrow a tacho and fit it so you know the revs, even if you only use it for comparing changes to tyre size, gearing etc then remove it. They are only usually 3 or 4 wires.

[joel]

thats a cool looking ute,
easiest fix would be install a cd player, set it to loud!

[Jesco]

Some Zook-porn...

[sideways]

Fuck yeah.

[christover1]

I'm in lust

[Blkfxx]

Awesome paint!

[Millsy]

Where in Tassie are you, I was snooping around some old gold mines last week!

[Ace]

sideways wrote:

Fuck yeah.

^^ This

[ZukinLao]

Never seen one of those before and I am extremely jealous... hmmm... wonder if I could get a volunteer to switch the steering and send it over here for me... I'll throw in a case of... well whatever...

[Jesco]

want33s wrote:

Jesco wrote:

I'm pretty sure it'd have to be doing 5500 to 6000 RPM at 80KMH

Buy or borrow a tacho and fit it so you know the revs, even if you only use it for comparing changes to tyre size, gearing etc then remove it. They are only usually 3 or 4 wires.

Good idea, that.

[Jesco]

edit, wrong reply

[Jesco]

sideways wrote:

Mine rubbed on the springs with stock wheels and tyres so you're going to have no chance with tyres almost twice as wide as standard and wheels with such little offset. LJs kick arse offroad, my LJ81 is the best stock vehicle I've ever driven in technical stuff.

I must say I'm mightily impressed where my little LJ81 will go, it wasn't until last weekend that I actually needed to engage 4WD. It's gone where I couldn't even physically fit my Cruiser, tracks barely big enough for a quad bike.

Any tips/advice on solving the wheel rubbing problem would be most appreciated - the one thing that is a problem right now is a VERY bad turning circle... it'd be nice to maintain the same tyres (I don't mind finding new wheels with a better offset).

sideways wrote:

Awesome looking LJ, you don't see many in Sirrus green, it's a good colour for them! I wish I could get an alloy bar like that for mine. If it hasn't already got them, you can quite easily swap to Sierra disc brakes and free wheeling hubs by mating the CV from a 1l Sierra or Jimny to an LJ axle. It's a worthwhile upgrade. LJ brakes are deadly and LJ CVs are weak, I broke one on standard (28.6") tyres!

I think she was originally a red/orange colour, someone has painted it camo style and I have no plans to change that, I reckon it looks great as-is. That's great news about the Sierra brakes and hubs - would I need to also change the master cylinder?

sideways wrote:

Have you got any plans for it? It looks to be in very good condition for an LJ!

I haven't decided how far to take things... I do know would prefer to maintain its current appearance.

I do want to add disc brakes, new suspension (preferably without lifting it any higher though), hopefully do something about the gearing and basically get her registered. Rust isn't too bad, both floorpans have had rough repairs done and the tray needs attention. Otherwise I don't think there's any major rust in her.

I'm going to have a million questions regarding the above, if anyone knows of a good place for such info that'd be great :)
This site is a great start of course, cheers!

[Jesco]

joel wrote:

thats a cool looking ute,
easiest fix would be install a cd player, set it to loud!

LOL.

[Jesco]

ZukinLao wrote:

Never seen one of those before and I am extremely jealous... hmmm... wonder if I could get a volunteer to switch the steering and send it over here for me... I'll throw in a case of... well whatever...

Haha, not likely as I kept an eye out for one of these for a couple of years before this one turned up... and I've practically fallen in love with the thing I love how basic and cheap to run it is. I put 30 litres in her about 8 weeks ago and on the last outing was starting to wonder of the fuel gauge was faulty... it took weeks to go under half a tank! It's already gone places I can't get my Landcruiser too...

[Jesco]

Millsy wrote:

Where in Tassie are you, I was snooping around some old gold mines last week!

I'm in the Fingal valley

[Jesco]

hillbilly wrote:

sounds like you definatly need the 5speed gearbox, those carby 3,4,5k engines rev to 5500 easily, there a long stroke engine , so they love a load on them,check your transfer case , it does sound like someone has dropped a lj50 in it (especialy if your running bigger tyres )i'm running 33'' tyres on my lj80 (5k injected)....i cant remeber the last time i drove it in 5th in high (100 klm in a 30 year old vehicle ,thats 8ft long = temporary australian) on the down side , if you gear up to lj80 transfer case you'll be forever riding the clutch when your on steep 4x4....think about reduction gears in a sierra transfer (100kph+....and crawler gears)

Thanks Hillbilly, I'll have to investigate my transfer case more closely and see if I can determine if it is from an LJ50... thanks!