Athertons 2010 Prado 150 GXL D4D Build

[Atherton Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Atherton]

Time for an update of the original post, below are the mods that I've done so far and the upgrades that are hopefully coming up when time/ money permit. I'm happy where the car is at the moment, I've kept it a comfortable everyday ride that is still able to tackle some pretty serious tracks- At this point in time I'm sure the car is much more able than the driver!


Mechanical Mods:

• 2 inch lift - Bilstein Shocks/ Struts with Dobinson Coils (fitted by John Zordo)
• BFGoodrich KO2's in a 265/70 R17 (Note that my wheel cover DOES fit over the tyre when deflated to around 20 pound)
• TJM rear diff locks (air).
• Roadsafe Recovery Points on the front, Ironman Tow Hitch recovery point on the back
• Kaon Automatic Transmission Cooler
• Ozbush EGR Kit
• Dual Batteries
• Redarc Tow Pro Elite
• Redarc BCDC Charger

Interior Mods:

• Kenwood 6 inch Andriod auto compatible head unit
• Secondary Android headunit mounted lower for Torque Pro and Hema
• GME XRS UHF with Unidin 6db and 2 db aerial
• Compressor
• Engle Plug in the rear cargo area
• 40L Engle
• Sandgrabba Floor Mats
• Rear Drawers (Titans- custom fit from 120 kit)

Exterior Mods:

• 9 inch Spotlights
• Anderson 40 amp plug for trailer/ caravan etc.
• Rhino Rack Pioneer platform 2100x1236
• 42inch Lightbar
• Safari Snorkle
• ARB Winch Bar
• Runva 11XP Premium Winch (dynema rope)
• Foxwing 270 degree awning

Future mods:

• Underbody protection
• Scrub rails and rock sliders
• Inverter and misc. electrical work for drawers
• Exterior camping lights
• Replace blanks on bullbar with spotties

Thanks for any advice and It's great to be here, loving my new car as it's a fair step up from an old 80 series

[juz Member Find all posts View Profile Close juz]

Yes, bring on the photos!

I reckon those ECB bars look horrible too mate. Each to their own though. I'm looking at new tyres soon also and the BFG KO2's in that same size is on my list too. Or Goodyear duratracs. I'll probably go with the BFG's though. With a 2 inch lift you'll be fine with CV angles. I've got dobinson springs and ironman foamcell pro shocks (custom valved by Whitey). They are a fantastic combination.

[Atherton Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Atherton]

Here's a few Pics, I've done virtually nothing to the outside except the spotties. As I said previously, suspension is probably the next mod after tyres-I busted one today on a track, so that purchase is going to be taking place sooner than I'd anticipated.

[juz Member Find all posts View Profile Close juz]

Nice warm day?

Its gonna look and perform so different with a lift and tyres. My 150 looks a little NQR with stock road tyres and a lift. Really needs 265 70 17's.

[Atherton Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Atherton]

Haha, just another beautiful day in QLD Those photos were all taken at the same time so that's 36 at about 6pm. And yeah, I understand what you mean about the lift sans tyres. I'm intending to get them done pretty much at the same time. Also, just found an ARB color coded bullbar on gumtree for 800 bucks, so that'll be going on there as soon as I can coax one of my mates into helping me do it- I'm adverse to cutting panels on my car, makes me feel ill.

[juz Member Find all posts View Profile Close juz]

Those photos were all taken at the same time so that's 36 at about 6pm. A.

ya clocks' wrong then

[Atherton Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Atherton]

Haha, it sure is mate. I d/c'd the batteries to run power to my UHF, only just saw it was out yesterday as I was driving (those pics are all taken at the same time, with the obvious exception of it in our quarry-which was taken a day or two after I purchased it).
I picked up a second hand ARB Colour Coded bullbar yesterday from the GC, time will tell if I got burned with it (Gumtree Purchase). But I paid bugger all for it, so it owes me very little. While I was down that way I also picked up a spare stock tyre and rim for 100 bucks (it'll be getting a bigger shoe put on it to bring it up to size with the others). In addition, I paid a visit to Superior Engineering and have purchased a 2 inch lift kit comprised of Bilstein struts and Dobinson springs. By the look of things on this forum it's a popular match and I've heard from quite a few people that they're a really good combination. Tomorrow the car goes in to get a new set of bigger shoes- Some BFG Ko2's in 265/70 on the standard rims. I've got a few mates coming around for some camping and shooting on the Australia day weekend so I'm planning to get a bit of slave labor out of them giving me a hand to fit up the lift. Will be posting more pics when and as the mods are added.

[juz Member Find all posts View Profile Close juz]

I achieved a 2 inch lift using dobinson springs just before Christmas. Love 'em. How much are your KO2's costing? It's next on my list.

[Atherton Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Atherton]

335 each from Advance Tyres Gympie.

[VKPrado Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close VKPrado]

Nice build up you have going on there.

Always great to see what others are doing and then sharing that information.

[Atherton Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Atherton]

New boots today for the big girl, didn't realise how meaty those Ko2's were until I got them fitted. Things look pretty bloody mean, and half funny on the stock suspension- They sure fill up the wheel arches. As previously asked in other threads, the 265/70's fit on stock rims with no contact issues on anything under the car that I can see (Despite advice to the contrary from several tyre shops in town- Again shows the value of a forum like this where you can talk to people who actually drive the car).

EDIT: My Tyre cover does fit on with the tyre at 20 pound, but I've seen other people on here who say that theirs doesn't- So I guess it's a case of YMMV with them fitting or not.

[brogers Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close brogers]

New boots today for the big girl, didn't realise how meaty those Ko2's were until I got them fitted. Things look pretty bloody mean, and half funny on the stock suspension- They sure fill up the wheel arches. As previously asked in other threads, the 265/70's fit on stock rims with no contact issues on anything under the car that I can see (Despite advice to the contrary from several tyre shops in town- Again shows the value of a forum like this where you can talk to people who actually drive the car).

EDIT: My Tyre cover won't go back on, but I've seen other people on here who say that theirs does- So I guess it's a case of YMMV with them fitting or not.

In my opinion you are better off without the stock tyre cover anyway If you ever get a flat its a pain to get off...but even more of a pain to get back on if the tyre is distorted..hence why you see the occasional stock spare wheel cover strewn about...so I had a black, vinyl cover made up, with an inbuilt zippered pouch and a hole for the reverse camera...works a treat, and the stock spare wheel cover will remain in the shed until..pristine...until its time to sell the car.

[Atherton Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Atherton]

In my opinion you are better off without the stock tyre cover anyway If you ever get a flat its a pain to get off...but even more of a pain to get back on if the tyre is distorted..hence why you see the occasional stock spare wheel cover strewn about...so I had a black, vinyl cover made up, with an inbuilt zippered pouch and a hole for the reverse camera...works a treat, and the stock spare wheel cover will remain in the shed until..pristine...until its time to sell the car.

Absolutely, I can see your point. My plan was to keep it on when driving around town, but on any offroad excursion it would be coming off to let me put a canvas bag over it. I'll probably end up getting some sort of soft cover just to keep the tyre out of the sun. I'm intending on rotating them around anyway to ensure that they all wear evenly.

[juz Member Find all posts View Profile Close juz]

Looking good mate. Your speedo would probably be more accurate with the bigger tyres. Are the K02's noticeably noisier?

[mjrandom Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close mjrandom]

Have a talk to John at Zordos about suspension. Worth a trip to the big smoke.