MYBO's Charcoal 120 GXL

[mybo Member Find all posts View Profile Close mybo]

Here’s my rig build to date:

2008 Charcoal 120 GXL - D4D Auto with Option Pack – this means side and curtain airbags, traction control and the 4WD select system from the VX.
Purchased early 2012 with 80,000 k’s on the clock. No extras other than the Sovereign bull bar, Lightforce 170 Striker driving lights and standard Toyota aero racks on the roof rails.

Here’s pics from soon after purchase, and now:







List of additions (in rough time order), with a bunch of pics to follow:
- New tyres – Cooper A/T3 in 265/65/R17 (Now done 60,000 km+)
- Dual battery system – Piranha DB140 isolator and flooded cell deep cycle battery *Since replaced
- Electronic Brake Controller
- Custom rear drawer and fridge slide *Since modified
- Suspension kit – Old Man Emu 2” lift – Rear: 895 springs and N141 shocks, Front: 884 springs and N140S struts.
- UHF radio
- Stereo Upgrade – see thread:
http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread...-inch-Speakers
- Custom voltmeter
- LED Light Bar – 30” Aurora single row *STOLEN!
- Custom roof racks and Rhino steel basket *Since modified
- Worklights, awning and shovel holders
- Modified rear drawer system – x2 drawers + fridge slide
- DC-DC Charger and Dry cell battery – Redarc BCDC1225 and 105AH AGM Dry Cell
- Fuse Blocks – x2 Narva fuse blocks, one each side of engine bay
- Stereo Upgrade #2 – Kenwood DPX-U5130BT Head Unit, Soundstream Lil’ Wonder 620.4 Amp, 12” Sub
- DIY headlight wiring loom upgrade – see thread:
http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread...-by-Step-Guide
- Air Compressor – ARB CKMA12 on-board compressor in AMTS bracket
- Modified Rhino steel basket into a platform
- TJM side airbag compatible steel sidesteps
- TJM underbody protection
- Bailey's Diesel Group injectors & inlet manifold clean
- Provent Catch Can
- Stanadyne Fuel Manager FM100 secondary fuel filter
- Safari Snorkel
- Cosmoblaze 30 inch 150 Watt LED Lightbar
- TG150 Transfer Case Guard from PP member Brains
- Custom PWR top mount intercooler - See thread:
http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread...rade-questions

[mybo Member Find all posts View Profile Close mybo]

The first big trip we did in the Prado was Adelaide - Albany, returning via Esperance and Israelite Bay. Only additions at this stage were AT tyres, dual battery and a custom drawer setup that I built. Was a great trip, and put the car through its paces in plenty of different terrain - and got bogged in sandhills and a nice clay mud puddle.. managed to get myself out both times

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Pic of the Hayman Reese Electronic Brake Controller - mounted in front of the driver left knee:



Before and after pics for the OME lift. I agonised between the 895 and 896 springs for the rear, and ended up with the 895's. The ride and handling have been great, but I now carry some more weight permanently, and am contemplating changing to the 896 springs in the future..

Before:



After:

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Pics of the UHF radio installed - simple Uniden unit with separate face plate.






I built my own little voltmeter using a cheap 12V LED display and a switch to read the start and aux battery voltages. This has been extremely useful, and now with the DC-DC charger for the auxillary battery, I can see what state of charging the second battery is in (i.e. boost, absorption, float) by the voltage level. Total cost around $10.

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Here's a pic of me bogged down the Coorong, in SA. I ended up dropping tyres down to 8 PSI and driving out of this, it was just a bit nervy with the steep sloping beach and tide starting to make.. anyway, this is the only pic I have of the Rhino steel basket mounted; Awning, shovel holders, worklights and PVC tube to hold fishing rods were all mounted to the steel basket.



I had thought about removing the factory roof rails and replacing them with three roof racks, but in the end I decided to do a custom job of fitting four cross bars to the existing rails, and then bolting the steel basket to them. The pic below shows how the cross bars are mounted to the rails using aluminium angle with aluminium spacers. The angle is secured to the rail using the normal Rhino rectangular threaded mounts that they use on the pioneer platforms, slotted into the roof rail.

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Pics of fuse blocks, Redarc BCDC1225 charger and dry cell battery all installed:

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More pics:
The new Kenwood Head Unit (love this)



The modified drawer system with fridge slide



The Rhino steel basket cut down to a platform, with awning, shovel holders and worklights all re-mounted (I did this to reduce wind drag for better fuel consumption - yes it did make a difference - and also so I can once again get the car into undercover car parks)



The ARB air compressor mounted with the AMTS bracket

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

Nicely set up.

[mybo Member Find all posts View Profile Close mybo]

Thanks Terry.

On the weekend I got around to installing my TJM sidesteps and underbody protection - a few pics and comments below:

These pics show how the sidesteps are put together, and the construction of the mounts. You can see that they are a single length of steel tube, and the mounts are steel channel, rather than RHS. I'm guessing this is to provide for the required behaviour in the case of a side impact for the airbags to deploy.





When fitted they sit nice and high to the sills to provide excellent clearance. Of course SWMBO is not impressed by having to step up higher to get into the car..

[mybo Member Find all posts View Profile Close mybo]

The steps bolt to the chassis rails with a backing plate for the front mount, and using existing captive nuts for the rear mount. The last couple of bolts for the rear mount are inserted from inside the chassis rail by way of welded on wires to allow you to poke them in through a nearby hole.









I'm not sure I'd trust the mounting system to enable you to jack the car using the side-steps, but I'm reasonably confident they'll handle some rubbing while stepping over rocks, ruts, ledges, etc.

[mybo Member Find all posts View Profile Close mybo]

The underbody protection is a really straight forward bolt on job. 3mm folded steel, with service holes for accessing sump plug and transmission drain plug.

Comparison to the old factory plates:



The old front plate was nicely mashed:



The rear TJM plate bolts to chassis cross members at the back, and centre - I'm a little concerned the bolt-heads at the centre of this plate are exposed because they are in a position that may see some rubbing - I may see about adding some bolt head protectors soon.

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The pics below just show the access to the sump plug and the cutout for the diff. The diff cutout allows the plate to sit as high as possible - I assume there's no real chance of copping damage to the diff through this little cutout.





One thing I'm not that happy with is the use of long spacers on the bolts at the front edge of the rear plate. I would have thought that folded steel brackets could have been welded on (as is done on the front guard in the later photos). The front guard does however overlap the leading edge of the rear guard, so I guess that provides sufficient strength.

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Last couple of pics just showing the front TJM guard. This seems to be really well put together, with recessed brackets to protect the bolt heads. I also like that it is plain black - no point having fancy paintwork and lettering on something that's gonna get abused over time.

[jamieprado Member Find all posts View Profile Close jamieprado]

Nice build mate! awesome photos.

You have the pick of the bunch I think, D4D GXL with Option Pack 1. It was my last ride until I wrote if off.

Jamie

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The pics below just show the access to the sump plug and the cutout for the diff. The diff cutout allows the plate to sit as high as possible - I assume there's no real chance of copping damage to the diff through this little cutout.

Not sure if TJM intentionally deleted the front diff protection plate but it should look like this
http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread...l=1#post288444