An eternal car in the 21st century: is it worth buying a Toyota Land Cruiser 70 for 4 million rubles

In front of you is a regular ignition key. It is not assigned any other functions other than opening the door locks and turning on the ignition. It's as simple as the car it fits. To remotely control the locks, use the alarm key fob, which the car owner installed himself.

Today, when almost all manufacturers have curtailed the production of full-fledged SUVs, the Toyota Land Cruiser 7 Series remains almost the only one in its class. This rugged vehicle, which has gained popularity all over the world, is essential for a country where the quality of the road network leaves much to be desired. Therefore, it is natural that Chavez put forward such an ultimatum.

What's good about a square Kruzak? The Land Cruiser 7 Series can be called one of the most successful SUVs in the world. The simple and robust design and relatively low cost of the machine made it popular not only among geologists and travelers, but also among the military. The Toyota Land Cruiser is in service in the armies of many countries. In our country, as well as in Russia and some other countries, the Toyota Land Cruiser 7 Series is loved by athletes and tourists. At various off-road competitions, these cars make up almost the majority among all participants.

Examining the Toyota Land Cruiser 7, you immediately understand that this technology is alien to those who are accustomed to comfort and gloss. The rough, angular body is not very appropriate in the city. Unless you scare away other road users.

1 / 6

The interior and dashboard are very simple, there is nothing superfluous. Airflow deflectors will make you smile - it’s as if they were borrowed from an ordinary hair dryer

Fruits of evolution: the speedometer received a digital odometer, but the dashboard never acquired a tachometer

The climate control unit has not changed in the last 30 years. Classic! On the right is the indicator of the Toyota Security anti-theft alarm, which was disabled due to its stupid function

Small deflectors perform the function of heating the knees. The orange toggle switch connects the heating of the fuel line, and the green button connects the fuel filter heaters. We still don’t have the Sahara

This simple button turns on all-wheel drive.

Manual throttle - this thing is not superfluous both when warming up and when driving off-road

1 / 6

The interior, despite the loud Japanese name of the car, is more than spartan. The door upholstery is leatherette, as are the seats, which have only two adjustments. The only luxury is air conditioning with simple controls. That's all! No computers, climate controls, navigation or multimedia systems for you. For many, this may seem almost savage, a return to the Stone Age with caves and a tribe around a fire. But if we judge by expeditionary standards, then these extra details increase the risk of accelerating the transition from a motorist to a Neanderthal sleeping by the fire.

1 / 4

Two people can ride in the front passenger seat, although it’s more pleasant if the second passenger is a girl. Closely

This handrail, installed above the glove compartment, is the only thing that will help keep the passenger in place when driving along gullies.

The rear benches are more designed to carry infantry than pampered city dwellers

No, an armrest is not provided even at an additional cost. Say thank you for at least screwing the handle on

1 / 4

During our first acquaintance, we were not able to appreciate all the delights of the Land Cruiser 78, namely, getting into difficult areas of our planet, but we were able to experience the driving performance. In motion, the heavy SUV, despite the fact that there is a huge engine under the hood, is disappointing. The very torquey engine pulls almost from idle, but at the “top” it does not show joyful emotions. Smoothly, like a steam-powered locomotive, it picks up speed throughout its entire operating range. And he has neither failures nor catches. Because of this melancholy, there is no desire to drive while driving. On the contrary, it is better to do everything sedately, with self-esteem. This is very good for driving on the pampas. But in the city, with its traffic, which requires constant acceleration and deceleration, such thoughtfulness of the engine is annoying. The only consolation is that other drivers, the same ones who create this traffic, frantically move out of the lane, making way for the tank-like iron monster.

1 / 5

The snorkel allows you to dive to a depth of up to one and a half meters

180 l is good. But 270 liters is much better. The installed additional tank with a volume of 180 l increased the power reserve to 2,000 kilometers

Such a power step can withstand lifting a car with a hijack

Martini in one tank, vodka in the other, please. Mix but do not shake. In total, the tanks will hold 270 liters

Power bumper with guardrail and side rails provide good protection when driving through windbreaks

1 / 5

The suspension is rigid and quite energy-intensive. The wheel travel is considerable, but I would like more. On off-road, a short-travel suspension can greatly limit the range of use of a vehicle, especially such a large one, which has huge overhangs and an almost three-meter wheelbase.

Yes, the quality of the Land Cruiser is excellent, but it is not stock. On this minor note we parted. Time has passed. Land Cruiser 78 rose from the ashes and, like a clear phoenix, was reborn at the editorial gates. During the time that we did not see each other, our test subject managed to get used to the modernized suspension manufactured by an Australian company specializing in the production of components for tuning SUVs.

Today, the changes are not global: only the suspension is affected and the sound insulation of the cabin has been improved. But behind these meager lines lies a whole layer of changes. The car became quieter. The annoying rumble at high speeds has noticeably decreased, and the engine is also quieter when idling. But sound insulation is only a comfort parameter. And for an SUV, comfort, although important, is not paramount. Much more important is the work of the main components, especially the suspension.

The new suspension has greatly changed the behavior of the car. By the way, the reinforced chassis had little effect on the smoothness of the ride. It doesn’t shake, but you can’t call the Cruiser 78 soft either. But what is immediately felt is the noticeably reduced roll when cornering. The suspension became collected and elastic. This is noticeable when driving on uneven roads. Elastic elements effortlessly absorb all irregularities without transmitting shocks and vibrations to the body, which allows you to rush along gravel roads at speeds of up to a hundred without the risk of breaking the suspension or turning the car over - the chassis takes care of everything.

Did not like:

• Utilitarian salon
• Very large dimensions
• Weak dynamics
• Lack of normal seats for rear passengers

Side view Andrey Kukushkin Car owner.

When I saw the car in person, it seemed slow and difficult for the city. But the first operating experience showed that the car feels good in tight traffic, and there are no inconveniences while driving. And all this is due to a very soft hydraulic booster, I would say, of the American type. This, of course, affects the steering feedback, but it is very easy to turn the steering wheel in the city, and due to this the car turns out to be maneuverable. The only discomfort arises in the parking lot - with 5-meter dimensions, parking is not very convenient.

The engine here is successful. I have driven many 70 series models, most of all the very simple 2.8 liter engine without a turbine. Compared to the engine on today's car, it is completely different, although the difference in power is small. Toyota has released a good engine, it pulls from the very bottom, which is a big plus off-road, and in the city it is convenient because it does not require frequent gear shifting, allowing you to move in 3rd gear at a speed of 20 km/h. In cold weather, the diesel engine warms up quickly enough, despite its volume of 4.2 liters, and constantly maintains operating temperature, keeping the interior warm.

If we talk about the purpose, the machine was bought in general for two tasks. The first is for participation in any long-distance car rallies. I needed a large car with a large luggage compartment, but not a pickup truck. The open body is not entirely suitable for travel - it would have to be covered in any case to protect the luggage from strangers. And here there is a large volume, a high ceiling, and besides, the cargo compartment is suitable for transporting people and resting on the road, i.e. much more versatile.

Just the second task of the car is to provide me and my hunting or fishing companions with shelter from the same rain and the opportunity to organize sleeping places in it. For the city, naturally, I have a different car - a passenger car. And so far, deep, with things and cargo - Land Cruiser 78. True, only two people will feel comfortable on the road in such a large car. The rear benches in the back are completely uncomfortable; you only have to sit there sideways and quite low - passengers quickly get tired of such a position.

After upgrading the suspension, the car has changed a lot. Still, simple native shock absorbers do not provide such comfort off-road as the new suspension from Australia. Factory ones are reliable, simple and cheap, but very tough. The car on them is uninformative. The new suspension is very energy-intensive and, even under heavy load, does not allow breakdown, absorbing shock and load. The speed of movement across the steppes has doubled! After tuning the suspension, the ground clearance also increased, the car was raised by 5 cm. But more details about the modifications and their features will be in future issues, but for now I will say that the “seventy” is the most successful car for use on rough terrain. Yes, it doesn’t have any bells and whistles, but that means there’s nothing really to break. I drove the 72nd series for 10 years, and nothing broke on it (!), although the exploitation was very cruel. Another interesting fact is that the car as a model has been around for many years, and Toyota never ceases to improve it. This, of course, says a lot.

Standard car sleeping bag for Toyota Prado 78

Despite the fact that this configuration of the car sleeping bag
for Toyota Prado 78 has the word “standard” in the name, it is the strongest and most reliable in terms of load distribution.

Sleeping area

for the Prado 78 it means not only a full-fledged camp bed for a car traveler, but also a full-fledged organizer that allows you to place much more things in the luggage compartment than was initially possible.
We get the same luggage area
on the top plane of the sleeping bag + a huge amount of internal space, which can easily accommodate sleeping bags, a set of tools, pots, camp stoves and other fishing rods. All the necessary camping equipment for a fisherman, hunter or weekend tourist in Lite mode

Side elements

car sleeping bag are designed in such a way as to maintain access to the space in the area of ​​the wheel arches. This ensures unhindered access to the jack and other access hatches.

Sleeping bag boxes

for Toyota Prado 78, as well as other models of car sleeping bags coming out of the Spalnik4x4.ru workshop, as standard, are made without the use of any plywood, using a connecting profile specially developed by IronPin and special connectors.
This method of assembling drawers ensures the ideal geometry of the product - all angles are always 90°. The closed profile strengthens the entire structure, and special guides
attached to the bottom of the drawer allow you to abandon the use of short-lived telescopic ball guides.

All surfaces of the car sleeping bag

for this pad, they are laminated with a special wear-resistant plastic, which greatly facilitates the care of the sleeping place even during the most severe use.

In the transport position, the sleeping place for the Toyota Prado 78 is compactly located behind the backs of the second row of seats. At the same time, we get the same 5 seats provided for this car by the manufacturer

Latch handles used in car sleeping bag for Toyota Prado 78

were specially developed by IronPin in accordance with the requirements of the Spalnik4x4 workshop.
Latch handles securely lock the drawers in the closed position, while we have developed a design that allows the handle to be grasped both from below and from above. Since access to the drawers is provided not only from the rear hinged doors, but also from above, we abandoned the use of locks with keys. The keys, as a rule, were lost while using the sleeping bag, and the locking mechanism itself could be opened with any available tool. So, being honest in our intentions with our customers, we spent time and money but got rid of those unnecessary elements that were used on similar pens. Our Latch Handles
are specially designed for use in car sleeping bags.

When creating a car sleeping bag, we use a special material with a rubberized base - even if the brains of crucian carp caught while fishing leak, all this life-giving fluid will not penetrate

inside the sleeping bag.
We use two centimeters of foam rubber as a damping layer
, which allows you to use a car sleeping bag without additional inflatable mats, mattresses, travel foam and other things.
However, if necessary or desired, you can always use an additional mattress, but it is worth remembering that sleeping on an inflatable product as a sleeping bag in winter is not the best solution, your kidneys will definitely not thank you ⚒ ORDER ⚒

History and Evolution

1 / 4

1985: Toyota Land Cruiser (BJ71V)

1990: Toyota Land Cruiser (J78)

1999: Toyota Land Cruiser (J78)

2007: Toyota Land Cruiser (J78)

1 / 4

The Toyota Land Cruiser 7 Series has been produced since 1985. This series was immediately offered in two versions: a lightweight version (light) and a heavy one (heavy).

In 1990, the light version was restyled. At the same time, five-door modifications with an extended wheelbase debuted. In addition to the appearance, the design has undergone minor changes: the axle mounting levers have changed, the front shock absorbers have moved inside the spring.

In 1996, the last units of the light series rolled off the assembly line, while the heavy Toyota Land Cruiser 76 and 78 are produced in Japan and Australia for the third-country market to this day.

Many versions

The Land Cruiser 7 Series has been around for more than a quarter of a century. During this time, it has multiplied in more than a hundred main modifications, among which there are even six-wheeled pickups.

Toyota Land Cruiser can be divided into two groups: light (light) with spring suspension and small-displacement engines and heavy (heavy), which were equipped with engines of 3.5 liters and above and spring suspensions.

Also, “Kruzaks” are divided into three subgroups, differing in the length of the base. Modifications from 70 to 75 inclusive are three-door. The 70th body has the shortest wheelbase, the 73rd is 30 cm longer. And the longest wheelbase for heavy SUVs of modifications 76 and 78 are three- or five-door SUVs with leaf spring suspension at the rear (there are options with springs all around). The three-door Land Cruiser 78 does not have full seats in the back - their role is played by folding benches stretched along the sides - the level of comfort can be easily assessed from photographs.

Interior panels for the luggage compartment of Prado 78

Interior panels, also known as interior cards, in cars of the last century were usually made of pressed paper, which is not very durable or reliable. As a rule, the choice of material from the manufacturer is determined by the low cost of these components. Alas, but the decibels of even native audio speakers, vibrations, the humid climate of picnics, hunting and fishing, or the skillful hands of interior improvers and tuners lead to the fact that these interior elements fail. Toyota Prado 78 is by no means a young car, so replacing elements of the luggage compartment interior is in most cases an urgent need

In our workshop, we reliably fasten door panel trim and interior elements for Toyota Prado 78 or Toyota Land Cruiser 76 with M6 bolts; I do not use plastic clips, because the weight of newly manufactured interior elements is already different from the original paper ones

Ventilation grilles, born in the bowels of the Toyota concern for the pradica of the last century, are made of plastic, which, having reached the present day, begins to break and crumble. I have not seen a single Prado 78 with living plastic elements of the luggage compartment interior panels. Therefore, we do not even try to restore or preserve these plastic elements - we mill ventilation holes directly into the body of the panel itself. This way, the ventilation ducts retain their functionality and acquire practicality and utility, so valued by Prado owners of these years.

When manufacturing new reinforced interior elements, we provide access to the jack and washer reservoir in the same places where they are normally located in the trunk of the Toyota Prado 78

Luggage compartment trim panels can be manufactured with or without holes for standard audio speakers

⚒ ORDER ⚒

Transmission cases

From the very beginning, the 7 Series Land Cruiser received a simple Part Time transmission that did not include a center differential. Therefore, you cannot drive with all-wheel drive on asphalt - the front axle hub couplings, crosspieces and splined joint of the propeller shaft are broken, and breakdowns in the transmission are possible. Unlike most cars with a similar transmission solution, the Land Cruiser of this series has a slightly confusing algorithm for engaging front-wheel drive.

The connection is carried out in two stages: first, a special button on the instrument panel is pressed to turn on the freewheels on the front wheels. After this, you need to press the front-wheel drive enable button. However, this solution is not available on all machines. Sometimes there are versions in which the clutches on the hubs must be engaged manually when leaving the car. There are also “Kruzaks” with non-disconnectable axle shafts. To turn on all-wheel drive, you need to press a button in the cabin. This is exactly the solution for our experimental Land Cruiser 78.

Range of engines

A lot of different engines were installed on the Land Cruiser 7, starting with the weak 2LT with a volume of 2.4 liters and a power of 73 hp. to gasoline units with a volume of 4.5 liters and a power of about 220 hp. The letters LJ, BJ, RJ, HZJ, PZJ, etc., which designate the model, indicate the type of engine installed under the hood. For example, the letters LJ indicate that under the hood there is a 2LT diesel engine with a volume of 2.4 liters or a 3L diesel engine with a volume of 2.8 liters. The letters BJ correspond to 3V 3.4 L or 13W 3.5 L diesel engines with a turbine. If a 2.5 liter 22R petrol engine is installed under the hood, then the letters will be RJ.

Our most popular turbodiesel 1KZ is designated by the index PZJ. And heavy vehicles with a 4.2 liter 1HZ diesel engine installed on them are designated HXJ.

Specifications

Folding table on the rear door for Toyota Prado 78

The rear doors of the Toyota Prado 78 allow you to upgrade the door cards in such a way as to significantly expand the functionality. A folding table on the rear right door allows you to have a camp tabletop at any stop.

The fittings specially developed by IronPin make using the folding table extremely convenient. One click is enough to bring the table into working position.

⚒ ORDER ⚒