Modifications LC 120 for expedition in Africa, Romania etc.

[prettorian Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close prettorian]

Hi, I have a LC 120 3.0 D-4D, made in 2005. Now we are thinking about replacing by newer one so I am thinking some offroad modifications of this LC 120.
Many people told me this car is not so good for hard expedition and they recommended me LC 80 because it has front solid axel, better engine which can handle also worse diesel etc.
What do you think? Would you recommend me LC 120 for these types of expeditions? And which modifications should I make?
Thanks a lot.

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

Re: Modifications LC 120 for expedition in Africa, Romania etc.

what do you rate as hard expedition.
might be easier if we had more details.
rocky, desert long trails, this type of info

[karrathaprado2 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close karrathaprado2]

Re: Modifications LC 120 for expedition in Africa, Romania etc.

Attach some pics of your ride so we can make some suggestions along with what type of enviroment you will be traveling in.

[prettorian Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close prettorian]

Re: Modifications LC 120 for expedition in Africa, Romania etc.

something like this... http://www.offroadguide.eu/transylvanie ... otogalerie and also desert if Africa
I am worried because I have air suspension i back.

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

Re: Modifications LC 120 for expedition in Africa, Romania etc.

could you fill-in your location in your profile.
looking at the pictures from that link, you would be able to use a LC 120, be it a little modified.
couple of mods that would help/suit those conditions,
F&R lockers
lifted soft suspension
F&R bars
mud/aggresive tyres
and i think your would stand a gooder chance of keeping up with most of the vehicle shown.
there are lots of other little mods that would aslo help i'm sure, just answering your question, whether it could do the job. yes

[prettorian Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close prettorian]

Re: Modifications LC 120 for expedition in Africa, Romania etc.

could you fill-in your location in your profile.
looking at the pictures from that link, you would be able to use a LC 120, be it a little modified.
couple of mods that would help/suit those conditions,
F&R lockers
lifted soft suspension
F&R bars
mud/aggresive tyres
and i think your would stand a gooder chance of keeping up with most of the vehicle shown.
there are lots of other little mods that would aslo help i'm sure, just answering your question, whether it could do the job. yes

But what about Africe? There is often bad quality diesel, they often mix it with watter and this could be a problem for my engine. Older engine in LC80 are able to manage this but engine in LC 120 is much more sensitive.
And how can I lift suspension when I have AHC in back? I need it remove but I don't know anyone who did this (with air suspension).

[ozwapet2 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close ozwapet2]

Re: Modifications LC 120 for expedition in Africa, Romania etc.

Have a look at this site

http://www.melbournetolondon.com

or more particularly about the car prep.

http://melbournetolondon.com/2008/06/10 ... r/#more-13

This guy Jon Faine is a breakfast host on local ABC radio. He did this trip Melbourne to london via Asia and all the countries ending in "stan" in a 120 Prado Deisel. From my memory he only had standard mods like a lift and steel rims, plus lockers. The car had no problems at all.

[prettorian Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close prettorian]

Re: Modifications LC 120 for expedition in Africa, Romania etc.

Have a look at this site

http://www.melbournetolondon.com

or more particularly about the car prep.

http://melbournetolondon.com/2008/06/10 ... r/#more-13

This guy Jon Faine is a breakfast host on local ABC radio. He did this trip Melbourne to london via Asia and all the countries ending in "stan" in a 120 Prado Deisel. From my memory he only had standard mods like a lift and steel rims, plus lockers. The car had no problems at all.

Wow, it is really nice. I am not worried about car as a whole if I replace air suspension for OME, but I am worried about diesel engine in Africa. I talk to people who were in Africa and bad quality of diesel is really problem. They are mixing it with watter to earn more money and it can be disaster for engine. And then what, let the car in Africa and sit on a plane?
Maybe some aditives to diesel can help, I don't know.

[jonfaine Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close jonfaine]

Re: Modifications LC 120 for expedition in Africa, Romania etc.

hi Prado fans, nice to see someone mention our trip... "www.MelbourneToLondon.com" tells the story.... i just wanted to respond about dirty fuel.... we went through all sorts of remote and difficult terrain and always found reliable supplies of diesel wherever we went... with a Prado we -and you - had the luxury of 180 litres of capacity and huge range [between 1200 and 1400ks] but i always filled up from the most reputable supplier in any town, even in Mongolia, Timor, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan and so on.... follow the truck drivers, they do not want contaminated fuel any more than you do. Never buy from someone selling out of a barrel, and do not buy the cheapest, but instead look for the best. Why risk breaking an engine to save a few bucks on a trip that you can only ever do once in your life and is already costing a fortune!!!

also you can - and must - get a water/fuel seperating filter funnel, available through aviation suppliers if nowhere else. it is like a conventional fuel filler funnel, but as well as a very fine copper sieve to filter out impurities it also has a recessed gutter that separates water and diesel as you fill the tank.... not expensive and will save your trip if you are in very awkward territory

the only trouble we had in our 40 000 ks trip of six months was that the 6 stacker CD player jammed - but we were usng an ipod anyway. The Prado was a brilliant choice, and just as home wandering down the Champs Elysee at Christmas as it was thumping across the Gobi desert.

Our book 'From Here To There' will be out around the middle of 2010, publisher Harper Collins, thanx for the chat, best wishes, Jon Faine, Melbourne, Australia.

[prettorian Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close prettorian]

Re: Modifications LC 120 for expedition in Africa, Romania etc.

hi Prado fans, nice to see someone mention our trip... "www.MelbourneToLondon.com" tells the story.... i just wanted to respond about dirty fuel.... we went through all sorts of remote and difficult terrain and always found reliable supplies of diesel wherever we went... with a Prado we -and you - had the luxury of 180 litres of capacity and huge range [between 1200 and 1400ks] but i always filled up from the most reputable supplier in any town, even in Mongolia, Timor, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan and so on.... follow the truck drivers, they do not want contaminated fuel any more than you do. Never buy from someone selling out of a barrel, and do not buy the cheapest, but instead look for the best. Why risk breaking an engine to save a few bucks on a trip that you can only ever do once in your life and is already costing a fortune!!!

also you can - and must - get a water/fuel seperating filter funnel, available through aviation suppliers if nowhere else. it is like a conventional fuel filler funnel, but as well as a very fine copper sieve to filter out impurities it also has a recessed gutter that separates water and diesel as you fill the tank.... not expensive and will save your trip if you are in very awkward territory

the only trouble we had in our 40 000 ks trip of six months was that the 6 stacker CD player jammed - but we were usng an ipod anyway. The Prado was a brilliant choice, and just as home wandering down the Champs Elysee at Christmas as it was thumping across the Gobi desert.

Our book 'From Here To There' will be out around the middle of 2010, publisher Harper Collins, thanx for the chat, best wishes, Jon Faine, Melbourne, Australia.

are you using some special water sedimenter filter?
because as i wrote above, there should be this filter in Prado 120 in basic, in every Prado 120.

[karrathaprado2 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close karrathaprado2]

Re: Modifications LC 120 for expedition in Africa, Romania etc.

They are not standard on the Australian models see below

[prettorian Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close prettorian]

Re: Modifications LC 120 for expedition in Africa, Romania etc.

They are not standard on the Australian models see below

I think water separator is inside the standard fuel filter. Many people told me that. It is used also in old tractor, lorry etc.

[Auto-Craft Inactive Find all posts View Profile Close Auto-Craft]

Re: Modifications LC 120 for expedition in Africa, Romania etc.

If overloaded, and doing many rough roads, the Prado will encounter more stress cracks etc over a long journey, and the engine can be more temprimental with fuel grades, but starting with a newer vehicle has its pluses over an old 80 as well.

How reliable the vehicle is will depend alot on how its loaded, how its driven, how its set up, and how its managed.

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

Re: Modifications LC 120 for expedition in Africa, Romania etc.

If overloaded, and doing many rough roads, the Prado will encounter more stress cracks etc over a long journey, and the engine can be more temprimental with fuel grades, but starting with a newer vehicle has its pluses over an old 80 as well.

How reliable the vehicle is will depend alot on how its loaded, how its driven, how its set up, and how its managed.

Good point above about individual driving style, loading etc, but comfort is also a biggy on my list too, especially on long trips. Having driven a mine spec 80 series for five years, I know what uncomfortable is. Prado wins hands down in my books.

[ozwapet2 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close ozwapet2]

Re: Modifications LC 120 for expedition in Africa, Romania etc.

hi Prado fans, nice to see someone mention our trip... "www.MelbourneToLondon.com" tells the story.... i just wanted to respond about dirty fuel.... we went through all sorts of remote and difficult terrain and always found reliable supplies of diesel wherever we went... with a Prado we -and you - had the luxury of 180 litres of capacity and huge range [between 1200 and 1400ks] but i always filled up from the most reputable supplier in any town, even in Mongolia, Timor, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan and so on.... follow the truck drivers, they do not want contaminated fuel any more than you do. Never buy from someone selling out of a barrel, and do not buy the cheapest, but instead look for the best. Why risk breaking an engine to save a few bucks on a trip that you can only ever do once in your life and is already costing a fortune!!!

also you can - and must - get a water/fuel seperating filter funnel, available through aviation suppliers if nowhere else. it is like a conventional fuel filler funnel, but as well as a very fine copper sieve to filter out impurities it also has a recessed gutter that separates water and diesel as you fill the tank.... not expensive and will save your trip if you are in very awkward territory

the only trouble we had in our 40 000 ks trip of six months was that the 6 stacker CD player jammed - but we were usng an ipod anyway. The Prado was a brilliant choice, and just as home wandering down the Champs Elysee at Christmas as it was thumping across the Gobi desert.

Our book 'From Here To There' will be out around the middle of 2010, publisher Harper Collins, thanx for the chat, best wishes, Jon Faine, Melbourne, Australia.

are you using some special water sedimenter filter?
because as i wrote above, there should be this filter in Prado 120 in basic, in every Prado 120.

I think he is referring to a filter/funnel device that inserts into your fuel filler, like a normal funnel. You take it out after filling up.
It's not a permanent installation under the bonnet.
this sounds likek a good device, I wonder where you get them ? you there johnFaine ?