Suspension upgrade

[Whitey]

Wow, great detailed reply Mark. Thanks for that.
I'll call Platinum Automotives. Have you dealt with them before ?

Hey,

I lived nearby for a while, and I have dealt with them before, they are great mechanics and know Prados well! ...I'm not sure who is a local distributor for Bilsteins though...give Quadrant Suspension a call in Melbourne, they'll sort it for you!

Best

Mark

[maulbeagle]

Wow, great detailed reply Mark. Thanks for that.
I'll call Platinum Automotives. Have you dealt with them before ?

[Whitey]

Pedders have a reputation for recommending unneeded work done.

I second that motion!

[Whitey]

Hi everyone,
I've searched but haven't found anything similar. Sorry if I've missed it.

I'm looking to increase the ride height of my 2014 150 GXL V6. It currently has factory suspension.
The vehicle has a TJM steel bar, dual batteries, brush bars, 4mm underbody protection plates, no winch yet but planned for future.
I get stuck in sand way too easily. Looking at the sand after recovery shows the bash plates etc under the center of the car dragging.

I don't want to spend a fortune if I can avoid it, but do want something decent so I don't have issues. I don't want massive lift, I guess 50mm is the standard ? Still running factory tyres, will be replaced soon, probably with MT ATZ P3's around the same size.

Main uses for the car (apart from on-road daily driving) are touring, not massive on off road stuff but will be moving up north to Karratha for a couple of years in the next couple of months. We will be driving up there so looking forward to that 1600 km trip ! Like to go on sand for fishing, camping etc. Not huge on mud.
We also tow a camper van when we go away, which currently sees the rear of the car droop.

Any recommendations ? Also installers in the Perth area ?

Thanks !

Hey,

Those WA beaches are soft and mushy, particularly after winter storms, the beaches there can be super soft with dangerous high tide drop offs. I've seen lifted 4wd's bogged just as easily as factory setups. Been there, done that, got the sticker!

Your best bet is a 2" lift, there's no point lifting higher as you just loose droop after 2".

As you do mostly touring and tow, your best bang for buck will be Bilsteins/Dobinsons, and I would be looking at as much suspension travel as you can get. For keeping close to the factory IFS setup (high rebound/very stiff coils) on the 150, I would look at a 24-173032/C59-352 combo on the front, with a 24-217897/C59-327/airbag setup on the rear. The airbags will help you level the rear, which will always be sagging under load in the Prados.

As you're in Canning Vale, give the guys at Platinum Automotives a call, they know their way around a Prado.

Regarding some of the other suspension options mentioned in this thread; the TJM setup tends to use close to OEM strut lengths on the front and lift by using spacers, and I've seen front TJM Prado setups with limited droop. Same deal for BP-51, they are short travel, and you'll have limited droop in a lifted geometry. You'll also need a second mortgage to pay for BP-51 suspension, just not worth the money in my opinion due to the limited travel.

Watch out for those mushy WA drop offs, and good luck with your first after market suspension setup on the 150!

Best

Mark

[Black150]

OME BP-51. Has performed well in all situations.

[Goggo]

I have got TJM Gold 50mm lift and find it doesn't seem to change the ride quality at all and I tow a 16.5ft caravan without any sagging at the back.

Pedders have a reputation for recommending unneeded work done.

[Nova]

I would guess $$$

[maulbeagle]

no not Pedders...

why raydes ?

[raydes]

no not Pedders...

[REN470]

Ive got a set up similar to yours: ARB bar, Winch, Dual batteries but D4D and I went the OME 30mm option and I think its great. Much less wandering and nose dive than STD and I travel about 500 kms to the Snowy Mts each way every fortnight and it runs the freeway really well and go out to the lake on trails etc and works a treat. I sometimes tow the jet ski or a bike trailer and it doesn't sag at all and I took the softest rear springs as obviously a jet ski or bike trailer doesn't weigh all that much.

Cheers

[maulbeagle]

drwormy ... to have chosen those threads i'd need to have already decided on Bilsteins, which obviously I haven't otherwise I wouldn't be asking for recommendations.

[drwormy]

Anyone ?
Should I just go down to the local Pedders and ask them ?

How far down the list did you look?

http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread...kings-lift-kit

This has more information in it than the Britannica

http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread...hs-and-Valving

[DrK]

Hey mate,
That setup was $2700 installed. Higher price was cause of the more expensive Bilstein shocks and airbags.
The original quote with Dobinsons shocks and no airbags was around the $1700-1800 mark.

[pradoprime]

Ive just had a 50mm OME kit installed and it made a hell of a difference cost $1800 installed, i have all the gear you have but not the winch or bettery.