Body to Bullbar Clearance

[Duff Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Duff]

I have been monitoring the body mount threads and have found no-one with a simular problem to mine.

When I brought my Prado (12months ago with 70ks) the bullbar and front end was lined up well, with no large gap. After 12months of general use and a few trips down some rough roads I have noticed the bullbar and body have a gap of around 40mm. You dont have too look too hard, you can put your fingers pretty far under the headlight there is that much room between the body and the Soverign bar. Not to mention between the flares and the bullbar trim. It definately seems like the body has lifted up and makes the car look pretty untidy.

I have contacted Toyota and will get it checked next week as its nearly out of warranty, but (as a fitter who does all my own maintainance) dont much like other people working on my car. I have a mate in a Toyota service department that I did my time with (apprenticeship not jail!) who normally looks after me but he is currently overseas. I can only think they will give me some bs story or get underneath and tension the front mounts only, which could cause the inner gaurd cracking problem.

Has anyone else had this problem? I know a few people have said they have the standard body shake that makes the bullbar look loose, but has anyone had the gap open up like this?

Cheers.

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

Re: Body to Bullbar Clearance

Hi Duff
I too was concerned about the amount of clearance under the Headlights and flair to trim gap on the sides.
Our 2003 GXL 120 had about 37000 klms on the clock when purchased and now has 61000, this gap has not changed.
I was curios to see if there was any adjustment on the mounting of the sovereign bar, none was found of course.
While under the vehicle I gave the front body mounts a bit of a shake, to my surprise both left and right bolts seemed to have had a lot of movement to them.
The Wife took the Prado into the dealer service department (was still under used car warranty) and they adjusted the mount bolts and checked the bar out, all was normal with the bar.
I have been monitoring other Prado's with the Sovereign Bullbars and notice the clearances are average.
The bar seems to shake quite a bit when we are driving in the rough stuff but this is due to it being mounted independently of the body, (ie. to the chassis)
At the end of the day Duff these bars are designed to carry a 9500lb winch with the winch cradle, and be used to recover the vehicle with said winch.
Look forward to reading other opinions on this topic.
Cheers Troy

[Duff Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Duff]

Re: Body to Bullbar Clearance

Im not so worried about the gap itself, just the fact it has gone from minimal to quite large after a few corrogated tracks.

Seems to me the mounts have settled or loosened and the body has lifted slightly, I have looked at some photos of our first couple of trips away and it has grown.

Also, my bullbar/body shake is quite noticable on the highway and roads over small bumps and vibrations, not just tracks (to be honest I havent looked while out bush). That may point to the mounts possibly being loose.

[Hutch Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hutch]

Re: Body to Bullbar Clearance

I have been monitoring the body mount threads and have found no-one with a simular problem to mine.

When I brought my Prado (12months ago with 70ks) the bullbar and front end was lined up well, with no large gap. After 12months of general use and a few trips down some rough roads I have noticed the bullbar and body have a gap of around 40mm. You dont have too look too hard, you can put your fingers pretty far under the headlight there is that much room between the body and the Soverign bar. Not to mention between the flares and the bullbar trim. It definately seems like the body has lifted up and makes the car look pretty untidy.

I have contacted Toyota and will get it checked next week as its nearly out of warranty, but (as a fitter who does all my own maintainance) dont much like other people working on my car. I have a mate in a Toyota service department that I did my time with (apprenticeship not jail!) who normally looks after me but he is currently overseas. I can only think they will give me some bs story or get underneath and tension the front mounts only, which could cause the inner gaurd cracking problem.

Has anyone else had this problem? I know a few people have said they have the standard body shake that makes the bullbar look loose, but has anyone had the gap open up like this?

Cheers.

It should be about 20mm, you might need to get some adjustment. have a look at my avator.

[Guest Close Guest]

Re: Body to Bullbar Clearance

Hi Duff,

Adjustment works as follows:

The bolts that attach the crush cans to the chassis are used for left right adjustment.

The bolts that attach the bullbar to the crush cans allow for up down adjustment.

Shims are placed between the bottom mounting bolts of the bullbar to allow for angular adjustment ie get the
bull parrallel to the mud guards.

Adjustment of the bullbar is a real pain in the a@#e as the bull tends to move as you torque the bolts.
I also found the there was no adjusment possible on mine for left right using the rear bolts due to poor
manufacture of the bullbar, had to use the front bolts for both up down and left right and couldn't get it spot
on but was better than when the dealer fitted it. Dealers hate them as they say it can take a full day just to get
them right and I believe them! Friend had three fitted before he got one that was acceptable.

There are 8 bolts mounting the bull bar to the crush cans and about 12 from memory fixing the crush cans
to the chassis along with several braces!

I'm surprised the bullbar has dropped, possible the bolts weren't torqued correctly to start with or maybe the crush
cans have sagged though I would not have thought so as they are quite a heavy guage.

I have just fitted a winch myself, the winch mounting braqcket weighs about 40K and the winch and the same you
wouldn't expect the bullbar to sag just by its self.

Mind you the way they wobble around makes you wonder if the chassis is that rigid, someone told me the bullbar
doesn't move the panels move instead, either way doesn't bode well

Cheers

LeighW

[Duff Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Duff]

Re: Body to Bullbar Clearance

Thanks for that.
I dont think the bullbar is the issue, it still solid. The amount the gap has changed the bullbar would be on the floor by now if it had come loose.

Has anyone got a workshop manual that gives a torque setting or procedure to tension the body mounts correctly?

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

Re: Body to Bullbar Clearance

I know this thread is asking a different sort of question, but anyone with an ARB deluxe bar, are you able to measure how far it is from the front of the chrome bonnet grill to the front of the bullbar?

I wanna upgrade from my alloy bar but wanna make sure the extra length doesn't push me out of the garage.

This is the closest thread I could find to my question...

[MickL Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close MickL]

Re: Body to Bullbar Clearance

I know this thread is asking a different sort of question, but anyone with an ARB deluxe bar, are you able to measure how far it is from the front of the chrome bonnet grill to the front of the bullbar?

From the center of the grill to a straight edge running across the two rubber bumpers it's approx 240mm.

Mick

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

Re: Body to Bullbar Clearance

Mick you're a champ!

Thanks a heap!

Now I just need to convince the missus we need an ARB bullbar and sell my ECB big tube bar and it'll be sweet! Not sure which of those 2 will be more difficult...