Is the 150 showing any signs of cracked inner guards

[Schniff Member Find all posts View Profile Close Schniff]

Don't put dual battery systems, well the second battery in the engine room. Do it more like Derek has got. Check this out :
http://www.sidewinder.com.au/page133.html
Don't let ARB drill holes in the guard there to install compressors, etc.. Use only existing holes, and that goes for anything including catch can installs on that left hand guard there. No extra holes drilled in the guards fellows and no extra weight from a second battery.
Strengthening the panels can actually lead to the cracking as well. It really needs to be thought out by an auto engineer or a structural engineer in my opinion. One of the problems here is that we pay so much for the vehicle in the first place and as expected, these things should not happen. I think Gordon is right, what did he call steel bars, I think it was an expensive boat anchor or something like that. It's not my opinion alright, but it does raise the question and that is, are these vehicles designed to take such a heavy bar?
Boy, do they look good though with the T13 bar fitted, especially in black, the bar that is.
The Roo.

No second battery may not save you. Mine cracked on the OEM side as did the example in the picture Rob recently posted. I recently saw a 120 Prado hire car which was stock except for an ARB bar. It had cracking on the OE battery side but not on the driver side. Simply put, both sides of the guard are not strong enough to take any batteries, even the factory one when subjected to Australian touring conditions.

So lets see, to 100% avoid the issue:
- Move the starting battery to the cargo area (!)
- Don't go off road,
- Don't fit a bullbar,
- Don't fit any accessories whatsoever,
- Don't fit aftermarket suspension.

Good one Toyota.

If you are like me and find the above rediculous then you will come to a different conclusion:
- BUY SOMETHING ELSE!

Good to hear that Toyota is going to repair Rob's guards. It doesn't look like I will be so fortunate, despite having similar mods.

[Schniff Member Find all posts View Profile Close Schniff]

Hmmm... What did the Toyota man say to the new 150 customer when he bent over? Well, I see you are going to have a good relationship with your new vehicle, you look the same from that end.
I know Schiffy, just puttin it out there. Mate, why is Rob's vehicle being repaired and your is not? Opportunity knocks there I reckon Schiff. Toyota Australia being a bit inconsistent don't you think? Bit like the injector problem in the 120 models. I would be bringing this up with them if I was you.
The Roo.

Roo,
As it is a goodwill repair, the last thing I want is for it to backfire and them tell Rob his guard won't be repaired after all, so I'll wait out on this one. In any event, with goodwill repairs there is a fair amount of discretion for individual customers without setting a precedent as they go to lengths to explain that the repair is not an admission of fault.

As an aside, I recently heard back from the guy with guard cracks who has no bar, stock suspension and a small second battery. He has had his claim denied for 'exceeding the limits of the vehicle'?!?!? What is wrong with this company?

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

Roo,
As an aside, I recently heard back from the guy with guard cracks who has no bar, stock suspension and a small second battery. He has had his claim denied for 'exceeding the limits of the vehicle'?!?!? What is wrong with this company?

What did he exceed?

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

Roo,
As it is a goodwill repair, the last thing I want is for it to backfire and them tell Rob his guard won't be repaired after all, so I'll wait out on this one. In any event, with goodwill repairs there is a fair amount of discretion for individual customers without setting a precedent as they go to lengths to explain that the repair is not an admission of fault.

As an aside, I recently heard back from the guy with guard cracks who has no bar, stock suspension and a small second battery. He has had his claim denied for 'exceeding the limits of the vehicle'?!?!? What is wrong with this company?

Thanks for that.... The plan is to have it repaired at the beginning of October..... Then to give me the best chances for this not to happen again, I might fit a smaller battery or even look for ways to relocate it somewhere else.... At least it will give me a place to mount the 12v compressor then . Not sure where else u can fit the Aux Battery.... maybe it's something I put in a battery box and only fit it in the car when on holidays....?

Now after having this happen to me and knowing what I know now, if I had a job or lived in a place that req'd me driving over corrugated roads on a daily manner, then there is no way I would buy a modern Hilux or Prado (I assume the same would go for all make of 4wds these days).

Looking a the Prado, I still wonder if the soft body mounts are a cause of the cracks developing due to metal fatigue.... and having a large "Heavy" Battery not only as a main battery but also in the Aux also adds to the metal fatigue. "If " I leave the aux battery where it is, I'll certainly be changing/reducing the size of the Aux Battery b4 our outback journey. I also spoke to their Panel beater and asked about reinforcing plate to be welding in there and agreed as well but also said that all it could also mean that the crack may appear somewhere else.....

I don't really want to have to sell our Prado, but if it doesn't allow us to go to the places we want to go over the next 3yrs, then it leaves us with little option but to sell it and look at going back to a older type vehicle that will at least be able to handle the conditions of where we want to go......

rob

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

""He has had his claim denied for 'exceeding the limits of the vehicle'?!?!? What is wrong with this company?"" what, he exceeded it by adding another battery ??? What a load of shit Toyota are feeding him. I'd be taking that a lot further then accepting that bullshit excuse. And I thought Nissan had a shit back up when it come to warranty, Toyota getting just as bad. I was behind a 200 series going to Forster on the weekend and I now know where the oil is going, talk about blowing blue smoke under throttle pulling through the hills, and this was the newer model as it had the led lights in the front headlights so they obviously havn't fixed the issue there either. I maybe changing brands next time round. Im really loving the new Dmax ute...............Cheers Steve

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

How can Toyota say he "exceeded the limits" without any mods, no bullbar and standard suspension. I saw that guys vehicle, the cracks (plural) were on both sides and second battery was small. That's a joke from Toyota considering the prado comes with a second battery in Europe.

[shamozzle Find all posts View Profile Close shamozzle]

I've been thinking about this a little myself and without knowing much about this problem thought that perhaps a second inner guard layer over the first, press welded or seem welded may alleviate the problem, like I said I don't know much about the whole physics of the way the guards flex and stuff but I'd be willing to follow it up even for myself. I had the same problem with the old surf I had, mind you it had seen 18 years of offloading and touring and the cracking was not as bad as some of the pics I've seen.

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

I've been thinking about this a little myself and without knowing much about this problem thought that perhaps a second inner guard layer over the first, press welded or seem welded may alleviate the problem, like I said I don't know much about the whole physics of the way the guards flex and stuff but I'd be willing to follow it up even for myself. I had the same problem with the old surf I had, mind you it had seen 18 years of offloading and touring and the cracking was not as bad as some of the pics I've seen.

This is "probably" what Toyota did in the good old days back when u could rely on them to make a tough 4wd... I'm not sure (I'll have to check) if they even have a double skin where the batteries are mounted.....Speaking to one of the fellas at teh local ARB store and he indicated that Prados have always had this issue.... from the 90s right through to the current 150s.....The worst stories he was telling me was with the 120s

[150gg Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close 150gg]

Just found a crack in my RH side inner guard. 2010 150 series GXL. Took it to my Toyota dealer. He took photos, weighted the car etc. When I asked what happens from here he said its up to Toyota but the Prado's aren't designed for these steel bars (ARB)!! I said well you guys put it on!! If the Prado's aren't designed for the ARB bar then way did you put it on? I can guess what is going to happen here! Hopefully Toyota will stand by their 4WD's. Is it still Landcruiser country????

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

I know there are issues and there shouldnt be, and alot of people are saying the prado's are becoming soft !!! I had an 89 hilux you know the unbreakable one that got dropped from way in the sky and kept going, it had cracks on the inner guard on the passengers side and should have been fixed before I sold it but never worried about it, the old girl did some serious 4wdriving and did 3 laps around and through so did a lot of klms off road, it was a known problem in the LN106 hilux's.

Still not acceptable on a 60K plus vehicle (prado) and I would be extremely pissed off as well but this shouldnt be happening at such low klms. Mine had done 300k when I sold it but crack appeared just after 200k.

And the bullbar, well my old lux had the ARB bar as well so maybe this extra weight off the front end is stressing some how ?? Luckily for you they put it on the prado. Maybe why the FJ is only rated to what ?? 40 or 50kg off the front end so no bullbar allowed even though ARB make one for it as well ?? totally avoids your warranty if you have one fitted so I have read/heard...

Lets see what bullshit they come back at you with but I would imagine at the end of the day they fitted it, there problem to fix it...Cheers Steve

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

Your the 2nd one on here that has reported a crack on the RHS, most on here seem to be on the LHS where the main battery is...... Just curious, but do u have a dual battery and if so, what is the physical size and weight of it? What sort of Battery tray do u have??

You don't state how many kms u have on your car.... or your location ???

rob

Just found a crack in my RH side inner guard. 2010 150 series GXL. Took it to my Toyota dealer. He took photos, weighted the car etc. When I asked what happens from here he said its up to Toyota but the Prado's aren't designed for these steel bars (ARB)!! I said well you guys put it on!! If the Prado's aren't designed for the ARB bar then way did you put it on? I can guess what is going to happen here! Hopefully Toyota will stand by their 4WD's. Is it still Landcruiser country????

[Schniff Member Find all posts View Profile Close Schniff]

150gg, if Toyota won't cover it the dealer will have to pay for it to get it repaired. I dare say there will be some interesting words between the dealer principle and Toyota Australia.

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

Well.....

The Prado went in for its repairs today.... hopefully should get it back by the end of the week..... while its there its getting its 50k service as well. I had a look under it b4 dropping it off and notice a small wet patch of grease over the rubber on the rhs lower ball-joint. Looks like there might be a small pin size hole in the rubber.... we will see if they replace that as well.....

After dropping off the car to Toyota I went around to visit the people who will be repairing it. The guy was an older fella who's been in the game a long time.... He was VERY surprised to see the crack and in his opinion, he reckons it a design fault in the way the inner guard is shaped in that area.... He suggested some ideas on how to prevent it but in the end it will be a experiment as to whether it will work or not.....


ON A SIDE NOTE: The front suspension (top arm mainly) looks very much like the same top suspension arm on the 100's series which has been known to have the top ball joint rip out when the vehicle is lifted too high and it looses its downwards travel... can anyone tell me if the arms are the same or not??

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

went down to the panel beaters today to how a look at how the repairs are going..... well, I must say I'm happy with what they've done and the re-inforcing that they've put in to strengthen that area..... Should get it back tomorrow. I think I will reduce the size battery that I use there as well just in case.....

Now.... Just got to plan our next outback trip to test the repairs out b4 lease and warranty runs out....

[Schniff Member Find all posts View Profile Close Schniff]

They didn't replace the guard?? May I strongly suggest you move the battery all together. Strengthening the area will just transfer the weakness elsewhere and just cause it to crack twice as fast.
Found that out the hard way.