Auto-Craft Bilstein Suspension Setup

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

well Darren has assured Darren that my kit will be there for me so I am booked in for the 01 July to get the ATS Premium kit put on.

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

well Darren has assured Darren that my kit will be there for me so I am booked in for the 01 July to get the ATS Premium kit put on.

Mav - great news. Im still waiting for my "new" front billy's so now that you have a date, maybe my date is also immiment.

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

well Darren has assured Darren that my kit will be there for me so I am booked in for the 01 July to get the ATS Premium kit put on.

Mav - great news. Im still waiting for my "new" front billy's so now that you have a date, maybe my date is also immiment.

Well you can only hope for the best there MJ. I have to go on blind faith cause I am driving down from Alice on the Sunday and she is due to have the lift done on the Tuesday.

I thought about the Polyairs but as I don't have a camper trailer as yet I have decided to hold off doing that for now. I might get them put in next time I am in Newcastle.

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

go the poly airs....i did and havent regretted it.

i CANNOT wait unit the ridepro and billy fronts are in so i can have a decent setup all round.

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

I thought about the Polyairs but as I don't have a camper trailer as yet I have decided to hold off doing that for now. I might get them put in next time I am in Newcastle.

Mav,
You should be able to save some cash by getting the polyairs fitted at the same time as the springs, check with your installer.

Cheers,
Kevin

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

Ok - New Billy's and ridepro's arrived Fri (yah!).

Took the beast to a GREAT dealer down south (TTT) - to exchange the 2nd hand billy's and lovelle springs.

My goodness....a HUGE improvement. a lot stiffer, near zero bounce and a bit higher (which may settle).

Guys - go get the ridepro's and Billy's.....

As a side issue, we had 2 wheel studs shear off (1 completely and 1 started to turn). This was at about 80Nm. Spec has about 100-110Nm for wheel nuts.

Anyone had this issue b4?????? TTT - said this is the 3rd Prado they knew of (although the 2 other ones were older and out of warranty).

Rang my toyo dealer....they asked who was the last one to touch the wheels. Oh - dear....the games begin.

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

Ok - New Billy's and ridepro's arrived Fri (yah!).

Took the beast to a GREAT dealer down south (TTT) - to exchange the 2nd hand billy's and lovelle springs.

My goodness....a HUGE improvement. a lot stiffer, near zero bounce and a bit higher (which may settle).

Guys - go get the ridepro's and Billy's.....

As a side issue, we had 2 wheel studs shear off (1 completely and 1 started to turn). This was at about 80Nm. Spec has about 100-110Nm for wheel nuts.

Anyone had this issue b4?????? TTT - said this is the 3rd Prado they knew of (although the 2 other ones were older and out of warranty).

Rang my toyo dealer....they asked who was the last one to touch the wheels. Oh - dear....the games begin.

Well I will be going there in 8 days time so hopefully my studs wont suffer the same fate. I cannot afford any down time with the car.

[yetiboy01 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close yetiboy01]

Ok - New Billy's and ridepro's arrived Fri (yah!).

Took the beast to a GREAT dealer down south (TTT) - to exchange the 2nd hand billy's and lovelle springs.

My goodness....a HUGE improvement. a lot stiffer, near zero bounce and a bit higher (which may settle).

Guys - go get the ridepro's and Billy's.....

As a side issue, we had 2 wheel studs shear off (1 completely and 1 started to turn). This was at about 80Nm. Spec has about 100-110Nm for wheel nuts.

Anyone had this issue b4?????? TTT - said this is the 3rd Prado they knew of (although the 2 other ones were older and out of warranty).

Rang my toyo dealer....they asked who was the last one to touch the wheels. Oh - dear....the games begin.

The studs breaking are quiet common, happens on all our new Hiluxs, apparently the tyre shop had been over tighting them with a rattle gun, one vehicle lost a back wheel at a 100kph on a dirt road going around a bend, lucky it didnt roll, all the studs had sheared off.

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

Yikes :shock: - Mav - You may want to get some spare studs as there are none in SA (suprise suprise...).

TTT - didnt have any - otherwise they would have fitted them. As for my Toyo dealer, they just rang to confirm they have been ordered and should arrive mid week. No mention as to whether covered by warranty or not...

Prado owners....be aware of this!!!!

:x :x :x

[leachy_9 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close leachy_9]

I've snapped one front wheel stud and two studs on the spare wheel carrier. The ones on the spare carrier where snapped taking them off not tightening and I'm 100% certain they arere not crossed threaded on.
The front one was simple to replace by the ones for the spare wheel were more work as it required the old ones to be cut off and new studs welded on.

leachy

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

Anyone had this issue b4?????? TTT - said this is the 3rd Prado they knew of (although the 2 other ones were older and out of warranty).

Common fault on Patrols.... maybe Toyota and Nissan are using the same supplier?

Mind you those of you that get your tyres rotated by dealers: insist they use a wheel brace nd torque wrench.... kids with rattle guns Vs wheel studs and alloy wheels :shock: ..... no contest

Mick

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

yep - BJT-Mart who fitted BFGs and TTT both used wheel brace and torque wrench.

Not sure about factory tho.....

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

Mav & Others,

Few points from my experience -

1 - Be careful with the rear wheels, cross thread it or break the stud and you will be up for nearly 2 hours of labour, its a pain to reach the broken stud.

2 - As recommended by Matt previously, I would also recommend getting the wheel alignment checked out after about a months driving (better after an off-road drive). The lift height is still the same, but found alignment was slightly out from day of change over to now.

3 - Get your mechanic to call Cliff at ATS. The tightening of bolts and alignments is crucial for a comfy ride and of course tyre wear.

Hope this helps.

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

I wouldnt call Cliff, he wouldnt know what setting they should be, as he has never done an alignment, or fitted suspension :wink:

If the alignment is done correctly, and the height doesnt change, the vehicle alignment should not change.

I have done many many prado's with chnaging settings to fix left hand tyre wear issue, and driving straight etc, while I was at ATS, and now I have moved on, at my own shop, and as long as everything is done correctly, and tight, nothing should move.

Only someone who wasnt sure they got it right first ti9me would want you to come back soon after to 'check" it.

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

update on broken wheel stud....

Toyo dealer repalced it "gratis" - and checked all others (incl spare). Funny, they didnt notice my old chopping board wedged on the back door...

They couldnt find the spinning RHS front one.....hmm....they have added all of this to the warranty records and kept the busted stud. Tightened all other nuts to spec and no issues. Even w'shop manager witnessed this whole job.

As a precaution, they sent an advisory note to their service shop about using rattle guns on lowest setting and then wheel brace and torque wrench to tighten. They agree it looks like material defect.

cant be too carefull....