andy replied:

Hi Ray,

I have just sold a 60 series that had the diffs done up on it recently. I was advised by the company that did the reco that it is true 6o series diffs front and rear are exactly the same and are interchangeable. For a vehicle that is rarely used in 4WD that can be a bonus as when the rear diff gets a bit noisy you can change the front and rears over and have a near new rear diff again for the cost of some labour.

I was also advised that the 80 series and late model 75 series utes and troopies have a hilux front diff and the front and rears are not interchangeable.

I had a HJ61 factory Turbo diesel in my 60 series and that engine gave me 360,000 kms with full oil and filter changes every 6 months regardless of kms travelled. The car still burned no oil and had the grunt of a V8 even with that milage. It made no difference to milage or performance even when towing heavy laden trailers. Most of these models have probably clocked up a lot of Ks however I have been advised that this engine was the best that Toyota made and they even are outlasting 80 series Turbos with similar milage.

The only negative that I had found when looking at 60 series was that they suffer from rust in the area around the front floor pans and sills under the front doors. Roof gutters get a bit rusty too.

The advantages of the 60 over the 80 series is that most models come with free wheeling front hubs which saves a packet on worn front diffs, cv joints, uni joints and tyres. As far as the rest goes they are mainly the same in size, weight etc.

Oh by the way my standard 90 litre tank in the Turbo got me 850 km's around town consistently for 5 years. That is approx 30 miles per gallon. The same or better on the highway.

The 60 is worth a look if you get a low ks one that has been looked after. The non Turbo 2H is a good option however the engine is a slug in comparison.

Andy

Member - Nigel replied:

If you go for a 60 series, remember you now have the option of a coil over leaf conversion to make the ride more comfortable. Add some aftermarket seats and you've got one tough comfortable 4WD.

Derek replied:

Ray. I have just had a detroit locker fitted to the rear diff of my 80 series by a Brisbane diff and transmission specialist and I asked him the same question as I had heard the same rumour re Hilux diffs in front diffs of cruisers. He said the front diff in a cruiser is different to that of a Hilux and they cannot be interchanged. They do however, have the same ratio and this is where the myth is perpetuated. The diffs of an 80 series cannot be interchanged either. I'd go for an 80 series if the budget stretches that far. They ride far better than the 60 series and perform better off road. Hope this helps.