Jusso's 120 Grande

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

Hi folks,

I wasn't going to bother doing another build thread as I wasn't sure whether I'd just be posting that I'd done everything that everyone else has done but I want to record what I've done somewhere so I might as well do it here. Who knows, at some stage I might do something that nobody has posted yet.

In July 2014, we bought a (late) 2004 Prado Grande V6 4.0L Auto in Pearl White which had done about 196,000kms but never been off-road. It had the odd scratch here and there but I purposely didn't want something in perfect condition or I'd never want to use it for what it was designed for, ie. off the black stuff exploring this fabulous place we live in. The only other non-standard thing it has is a HR tow bar with 7 pin flat socket.

Here's what it started out looking like:


I'd factored in doing a fair bit to it straight away so things will be happening pretty quickly. My plan is to do as much of the changes as possible myself. As well as saving some coin, I'd like to get familiar with as much as possible just in case I need to do any repairs while out and about.

What I've done so far:

- Hilux jet install
- Bonnet struts (nearly got hit by the bonnet one day)
- Color coded ARB Deluxe bar with optional fog lights
- Tigerz11 Domin8r winch with Dyneema rope
- Rear wheel spacer with light pole from AMTS
- Replaced cigarette lighter with USB charger - post #5
- Voltage meter for main battery - post #5
- LED interior light replacements
- Kenwood DNX-5310BT (purchased refurbished for $670 delivered)
- Hercules complete recovery kit
- Combo shovel
- Replaced the stupidly tinny horns with $6 pair from eBay - post #12
- AMTS replacement gear lever pin (to avoid failure out and about)
- Recovery points (for a 150 series due to ARB bar mounting plates) - post #11

Things waiting in the garage to go in:

- Safari snorkel
- ARB CKMA12 on-board compressor (awaiting AMTS bracket)
- Uniden UH8060NB CB radio
- Uniden iGo Cam 320 (free with above)
- old set of Hella Comet 450 or Cibie Oscar+ driving lights (they'll do for now)
- Kings KTFR-101H springs (front)
- Bilstein BE5-A712/BE5-A713 shocks
- Airbag man OA6011 lifted rear suspension air bags
- Waeco CFX-65DZ fridge/freezer
- Mud mats

Things yet to get/do:

- Parking sensors
- Reversing camera
- Rear head rest monitors (to keep the kids entertained on log trips)
- Rhino rack cross bars
- Side awning
- Autosafe cargo barrier - on order
- Mickey Thompson ATZ P3 - 265/70R17 (to replace the weird mish mash of rubber that was on there when we got it)
- Aux battery setup
- Custom rear drawers
- Rear door table

Down the track:

- Full bash plates
- Front and Rear lockers
- Sandgrabba mats
- Electric brake controller (possibly the RedArc Tow-Pro controller)

I'm not sure how many progress photos I'll be posting as I usually get stuck in and forget to get the camera happening but I'll see what I can do for things that haven't been thoroughly covered by others.

The other big expense we are looking around at, not directly Prado related, is a camper trailer. I'll do a post on this just in case anyone is interested.

Thanks for reading,
Justin.

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

Here is what the front bar looks like. It is a color coded ARB Deluxe winch bar. Bolted to the back of it is a Tigerz11 Domin8r winch with Dyneema rope.

Installing the bar was pretty straight forward following the instructions that came with it. The give you step by step pictures on what to do and is quite achievable by anyone in about half a day. The biggest hassle was picking it up. Fortunately I had access to a 7' x 5' trailer as I'm pretty sure the pallet wouldn't fit in a standard 6' x 4' trailer.

This is how it looks:


The only hurdle I faced, although nothing to do with the bar itself, is that I got a set of Roadsafe recovery points for the front to mount at the same time as the bar. What I discovered was that due to the design of the extra mounting brackets that go on to support the ARB bar, it prevents installing the recovery points that are designed for the 120 series. After some research, I found that the recovery points designed for the 150 series fit around the ARB bracket and bolt on without modification to anything. I'll post a photo once I actually put them on. A couple of the nuts for the ARB mounting are actually on captively held on sticks and aren't designed to have the bolts taken out without falling inside the chassis somewhere. Due to knowing that I would have to take the bolts out to install the recovery points, I siliconed the nuts in place. Fingers crossed it all stays in place.

[fido666 Banned Find all posts View Profile Close fido666]

Seems like you've already done a fair bit Justin. I notice you have a set of Rhino Rack cross bars on your wish list, Roof Rack and Box in Oakleigh (on Dandenong Rd near Chaddy) were advertising 20% off Rhino Sports bars on their Facebook page. Don't know if they have Prado ones available but might be worth calling them if you're ready to buy some. I have no connection with them other than as a customer, they gave me a good deal on a Pioneer Platform.

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

Thanks fido666, I be sure to check them out. I have been waiting until someone has them on special so this might be it.
Much easier to convince SWMBO if I don't have to pay full price

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

I don't have any use for the cigarette lighter and, due to there being a separate 12V socket just under it, I decided to get rid of it. The most common use for our cigarette lighter socket is for a USB charger for phone, iPad, etc. so I replaced it with a permanent USB source.

I ordered a plate with USB charger and voltage gauge from eBay (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/400721709611). I then removed the cigarette lighter socket (I had the center console apart to replace the head unit) and used my Dremel equiv. tool with circular sanding belt to slightly increase the size of the hole. I removed the USB charger from the eBay plate (by simply undoing the large nut on the back) and slipped it into the hole where the cig lighter used to be, securing it with the nut it came with.
From the plug that was on the back of the cigarette lighter, I removed the housing for the spade terminals and then the terminals just pushed straight onto the back of the USB charger (having put heat shrink on the positive connector).
Job done, it was pretty straight forward.



Next, having been amazed by a lack of voltage gauge on the instrument cluster, I wanted to be able to see what was happening voltage wise (eg. battery state, alternator charging behaviour).
I used a holesaw and drilled into the center console (eek) next to the transfer lever. I can't remember what size but it was a bit smaller than needed for the gauge to fit through and then increased it to the right size with the Dremel tool. I had to cut out a very thin rib from the under side of the center console where I wanted the gauge to go. I then wired it up to the back of the USB charger (above) and another job done. I left enough room so that I can put another gauge under it when I put a second battery in. Much cheaper than the $100+ dual battery gauges available.
The only problem I have with it is that it is difficult to read when there is a lot of light on it. I am going to try cutting a piece of red transparent plastic and putting it on top of the display area which should fix that.




I was pretty happy with how neat these came out. I showed the other half and her response was pretty much Meh, and?... At least it made me happy!

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

I was pretty happy with how neat these came out. I showed the other half and her response was pretty much Meh, and?... At least it made me happy!

Thats a very similar response that I get from my other half, when I show her stuff I do to the Prado...

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

Thats a very similar response that I get from my other half, when I show her stuff I do to the Prado...

Maybe that's why this site is so popular.

[SandStorm.au Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close SandStorm.au]

Build list looks great Jusso, watching with lots of interest!

Cheers,

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

Nice mod with the USB outlets replacing the ciggy outlet Jusso. Might put that one on my list also!

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

Nice mod with the USB outlets replacing the ciggy outlet Jusso. Might put that one on my list also!

Thanks Craig. I'm glad I found something different I could contribute although that's not much compared with what I've absorbed off here. It's an awesome source of sharing.

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

So, the weekend just gone saw me finish wiring the indicators and parking lights for the bull bar and installed the front recovery points.
As mentioned earlier, I originally bought a pair of standard 120 series Roadsafe recovery points but they are useless when installing an ARB deluxe winch bull bar as the reinforcing plate uses the bottom recovery point and has a right angle piece at the bottom of it (refer second photo below).
I swapped them at Marks 4x4 Adapters for a set of recovery points for a 150 series which, with a small amount of filing, did the trick.

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

During last week, I replaced the rather tinny, embarassing horns with a set more suited to the size of a Prado. Although a set of twin shell shaped horns (which I've used before) are around $40-$50 at Repco etc, I picked up a pair (exactly the same) from eBay for $5.99 delivered (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/281388537387).
They fitted in place of the original horns perfectly. The only thing I had to do was make an earth wire as the original earthed through the horn body, these have a separate terminal. The picture below shows what I mean. The earth wire in the picture is normally covered by the plastic cover that goes over the top of the radiator and cross member.

[Mattfunk 120 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Mattfunk 120]

A couple of the nuts for the ARB mounting are actually on captively held on sticks and aren't designed to have the bolts taken out without falling inside the chassis somewhere. Due to knowing that I would have to take the bolts out to install the recovery points, I siliconed the nuts in place. Fingers crossed it all stays in place.

Hey Jusso did you pump silicone into the small square hole just behind the captive nut to hold that stick in place. I'm a bit nervous about not being able to get that bolt back in
Thanks Matt

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

Hey Matt,
I put the silicone right along the stick that holds the captive nut, but I did it when I installed the bull bar. That isn't much help to you though.
If you or someone that you know can weld/oxy solder, you could just get the appropriate nut (mine are M12) welded/soldered onto the end of a piece of thin steel bar and feed it in through the elongated holes behind the ones in question. The steel bar will stop the nut spinning inside the chassis rail while you do up the bolt.
Regards, Justin.