Is the 150 showing any signs of cracked inner guards

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

SkyWalker I did actually read all those posts, most of which I had read before. I simply don't think that it is a single issue so we can agree to disagree. My 120 with an Ironman steel bar (that wasn't anywhere near as heavy as either a TJM or ARB bar, I know I hefted all 3 before I made a decision) wobbled like crazy like all the bars do. I cannot see the sides of my T3 bar on the 150, in fact I can barely see it at all so no idea whether it does the same but I guess it does. Might have to mount a GoPro on the bar and go for a drive. I would have expected that the wobble would become a problem with fatigue on the crush cans long before it would translate any of that to the chassis and then the inner guards. Extra weight over the front is an issue and exacerbates the up and down flex of the chassis but I never saw much of that on my 120. And if I was to give the bar a good whack it would wobble laterally but not discernably up and down at the chassis mounts. My opinion is it is a combination of things. I am also not sure that you can read much into the problem is mostly with ARB either, I would think that ARB had the majority of fittings to deep bush 120s and 150s but I could be wrong. If you have the majority of the product in the marketplace and there is a problem then it will show up. We have to be careful not to jump to conclusions or make sweeping generalisations.

As for weight the revised rear seats will make a bit of difference too. Did we ever establish whether the kerb weight includes full tanks or not? Mind you that is only 25kg or so of fuel.

[SWR Banned Find all posts View Profile Close SWR]

Gday mjrandom

Did we ever establish whether the kerb weight includes full tanks or not? Mind you that is only 25kg or so of fuel.

Kerb weight is full fuel and all engine fluids etc but not cargo or person's.

Cheers

[SWR Banned Find all posts View Profile Close SWR]

Hi Guys

Here is a link below on kerb weight etc

Kerb weight. With or without fuel/oils and coolant? #1

And here is the other link worth a read!

Kerb weight. With or without fuel/oils and coolant? #2


Cheers

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

Wow, what a thread. I never thought this topic would create so many campfire arguments. Vehicle manufacturers are not designing their vehicles with the view that their owners will be fitting another 200-300kg of aftermarket accessories. Their focus is on making the car safer and more efficient.

Most of the posts revolve around accessories that add weight or stiffen the ride to carry more weight. There is no hard evidence to show that any of these accessories are to blame. I think it shows that no matter how much R&D is carried out by aftermarket suppliers, there will never be a guarantee that you will not come into problems down the track- especially when the vehicle is used in extreme conditions. We all must realize that we are taking a risk when adding bars, winches, batteries etc, and never think for one second that it is not altering or effecting the vehicle in some way. Just because everyone sells it, or everyone's has it, it does not mean it is proven and tested.

Give it a couple of years and their will no doubt be a crack down on aftermarket suppliers and their endless list of products. The band on electronic rust protection devises in the US is a good example of a product that has no real evidence that it actually works.

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

You can add two stock standard 150 Prados, a GX and a GXL, to the list of cracks on the passenger side (left) guard.

Have a mate visiting at the moment and he was telling me how p*&sed off he was having just discovered that his Prado 150 GX has a crack on the passenger side guard . Took me outside to show me on another Prado where his was cracked and found a crack on the passenger side guard in exactly the same spot and exactly the same size. Both the cracks look like they've been there for a while as there are signs of rust.

For all those people speculating about modifications playing a part, both the Prados are bog standard apart from being dual battery. The crack IS NOT on the dual battery (driver's) side. Both done some dirt driving, in my case it is really pretty minimal some corrugated roads and a bit of off-roading every now and then.

I've included a picture below, details of the vehicles are:
11/2010 (reg 02/2011) Prado 150 GXL, 58,000 km - 3cm crack on passenger side (left) guard
3/2011 (reg 04/2011) Prado 150 GX, 80,000km - 3cm crack on passenger side (left) guard

His dealer has admitted liability and says the repair requires removal and replacement of the whole guard, which includes some welding.

The picture below is taken looking down inside the engine bay next to the fuse box on the passenger side. The black plastic in the top of the picture is the fuse box. The crack can also be seen from under the guard but is not quite as clear.

[Steve M Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steve M]

Steve is that picture taken from under the wheel arch ?? ... Cheers Steve

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

No, it's looking from inside the engine bay next to the fuse box. You can also see it from under the guard but its not as clear.

Being a qualified Mechanical Engineer (that's Uni and 30 years of work experience to save any questions) and having had a very good look at it, it is plain and simple a design flaw as the fracture has occurred in an area that would be subject to stress from loads on the guard but where there are no stress raisers ie the guard is not up to the task or is not sufficiently isolated from stress raising loads.

Incidentally, the new Prado has a completely different double skin guard design. Toyota generally don't change things without a reason so why did they change this?

[Steve M Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steve M]

Cheers Steve, I will let a couple of people know (friends of mine) who are not on here but have 150's and do use them off road. One is stock standard the other with ARB steel bar. Will report back if any cracks with pictures....Cheers Steve

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

Having looked at what the guard does and how it is attached, I cannot see how bull bars or engine types have any bearing on the problem. The cracks will be related to weight placed directly onto the guard, types of roads /terrain travelled and consequent impact/vibration. Suspension, tyre pressure and driving style will also have some bearing on the problem.

Like I said before, Toyota would not have changed the design and strengthened the guard if it wasn't a design problem.

[rob_macca67 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close rob_macca67]

Geez, this is a worry..... Just checked mine and it's all OK. Just wondering if it would be wise to bend up & shape a thin piece of sheet metal to the inner guard shape and bolt it in place.....

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

Geez, this is a worry..... Just checked mine and it's all OK. Just wondering if it would be wise to bend up & shape a thin piece of sheet metal to the inner guard shape and bolt it in place.....

The solution is that simple. The new one just has a double skin. Have a look at one.

It's not really structural, but also not sure how far it will crack.

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

Just took the kids down to the park and saw a 150 in the carpark. Had a look and both guards cracked, took photos. Looked like it had done some dirt work.

Common factor might be dirt roads, the two Prados with cracks have done regular trips on corrugated roads.

[Guest Close Guest]

When you say the new one has a double skin, are you referring to the facelifted 2014 model?

[rob_macca67 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close rob_macca67]

Just took the kids down to the park and saw a 150 in the carpark. Had a look and both guards cracked, took photos. Looked like it had done some dirt work.Common factor might be dirt roads, the two Prados with cracks have done regular trips on corrugated roads.

I reckon u hit the nail on the head here... A friend of mine use to work for a Hire company that hires vehicles to the mining companies..... he showed me a couple of prado pics where the whole LHS battery tray was ripped clean from the inner guard and swinging in the breeze.....Letting tyre pressures down if you're crossing corrugated roads for hours on end is the key i reckon too....

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

When you say the new one has a double skin, are you referring to the facelifted 2014 model?

Yep, had a look today. Whole new design.