Is the 150 showing any signs of cracked inner guards

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

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.

No.... they didn't replace the guard as I knew they wouldn't with Toyota paying....

When they repaired yours, what did they actually do.... Did they cut the section out or just weld it up or added some reinforcing, etc ?

rob

[Schniff Member Find all posts View Profile Close Schniff]

They welded and added some plate reinforcement.
Did a real good job, you couldn't tell anything had been done. It cracked again not that far from where it had been repaired.

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

They welded and added some plate reinforcement.
Did a real good job, you couldn't tell anything had been done. It cracked again not that far from where it had been repaired.

Thanks for the heads up..... will look at relocating battery then....

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

They welded and added some plate reinforcement.
Did a real good job, you couldn't tell anything had been done. It cracked again not that far from where it had been repaired.

Hey Schniff.....

Was your cracks on the RHS or the LHS..... I seem to remember yours being on the LHS (not that really makes a difference I suppose)

Just thinking out loud here..... but if yours was on the LHS under the original battery its probably a bit hard going to a smaller/lighter MAIN battery.... But if I went to a smaller/lighter AUX battery for the RHS, do u reckon that would help reduce the chances of it happening again?? Probably clutching at straws here......

rob

[Schniff Member Find all posts View Profile Close Schniff]

Hey Schniff.....

Was your cracks on the RHS or the LHS..... I seem to remember yours being on the LHS (not that really makes a difference I suppose)

Just thinking out loud here..... but if yours was on the LHS under the original battery its probably a bit hard going to a smaller/lighter MAIN battery.... But if I went to a smaller/lighter AUX battery for the RHS, do u reckon that would help reduce the chances of it happening again?? Probably clutching at straws here......

rob

Mine was passenger side.

I'm not an expert but I reckon it would lower the threshold, but you are still going to spend every trip worrying about it. With metal fatigue, once it starts to go it generally doesn't stop. Remove the battery, remove the problem and sleep well.

For the starting battery you could go an Optima red top that punches 720 CCA and only weighs 14.4kg, that's 7-8 kg less than the oem battery. I reckon anyone with a Prado that does hard yards should consider this option and relocate the aux to the rear. Anyone considering buying a prado for doing hard yards in comfort should instead save their pennies for a Landcruiser 200 GX IMHO or Disco 4 if you can live with Land Rover.

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

OK..... picked up the Prado today after repairs done..... reasonably happy with the results. Just got to decide what / where to put the 2nd battery. I'm thinking of 2 types of setups depending on the type of trip I plan to do.....

For any black top touring with the van in tow, I plan just to install a ARB battery carrier and a smaller battery back into where the space is provided on the drivers side.....
For more remote touring (tenting) where corrugated roads will be encountered, I thinking of relocating the Aux battery to the rear of the car and mount the 12v compressor in its place under the bonnet. Just need to have an easy way of swapping over between battery and 12v compressor. It's just an idea for the moment as I don't really trust having the Aux battery under the bonnet when driving on heavily corrugated roads. Majority of the time, the 2nd battery will be under the bonnet as our outback trips only happen once every 1>2yrs at the moment. This is just my thinking for the moment......

Pics:

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

Looks good. I hope it holds

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

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

Yes I do have a ARB dual battery system installed. Not sure of the weight but it is a N70 battery. 60k km. Adelaide

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

Yes I do have a ARB dual battery system installed. Not sure of the weight but it is a N70 battery. 60k km. Adelaide

Are u sure its an ARB one and not a Piranha Brand as they sell both. The ARB battery Carrier I've got would not fit a N70 battery in. A N70 batteries are usually 300mm long and the MAX battery that I can fit into my ARB carrier is 265mm in length.

Have or do u drive along many corrugated roads?

Just got ours back from being repaired by Toyota..... time will tell how things go from this point onwards....got the car for the next 3yrs b4 I have the option to change vehicles if I decide to (possibly a older 100's)

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

Just check the battery. It is a Century N70X. I haven't been on many corrigated roads. Well nothing I would call extreme or even close to it. Most of the K's have been on sealed roads.

[downunder Find all posts View Profile Close downunder]

I wonder if the reason for the cracking is how the battery is only supported from the bottom, the TJM battery tray also suppports from a brace off the front top support on the battery. This might stop they cyclic rocking that may be the cause of the cracking.

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

I wonder if the reason for the cracking is how the battery is only supported from the bottom, the TJM battery tray also suppports from a brace off the front top support on the battery. This might stop they cyclic rocking that may be the cause of the cracking.

U might be onto something there...... any chance of getting some pics of the TJM battery carrier so I can compare the differences?

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

Just check the battery. It is a Century N70X. I haven't been on many corrigated roads. Well nothing I would call extreme or even close to it. Most of the K's have been on sealed roads.

Now, that's a worry if u haven't been over any corrugated roads.... Do u do much 4wdriving, etc.....

I'd like to compare the differences in battery tray designs between the various manufacturers out there.... Any chance of getting a couple of pics of your setup?

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

I have had the car for just over 2 years. In those 2 years I have done approx 6 trips. Anywhere from 3 days to 2 weeks at a time. Some of the trips do include Simpson Desert, Birdsville, Oonadatta Track, Dalhousie Springs.

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

I have had the car for just over 2 years. In those 2 years I have done approx 6 trips. Anywhere from 3 days to 2 weeks at a time. Some of the trips do include Simpson Desert, Birdsville, Oonadatta Track, Dalhousie Springs.

OK.... that's where I reckon my cracks came from too. The road out to the Painted Desert was very corrugated in places..... What have Toyota said in regards to picking up the tab for the Repairs? Have you contacted ARB at all for some advice/help??

rob