AJ120s 2009 D4D and DIY camper trailer

[Case Member Find all posts View Profile Close Case]

trailer looks awesome. decent size drawbar to!, love the car
if you dont mind me asking how much do you think you have spent doing the Prado up to what it is now
Kc

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

trailer looks awesome. decent size drawbar to!, love the car
if you dont mind me asking how much do you think you have spent doing the Prado up to what it is now
Kc

Thanks Case, yep no accident that the drawbar is long enough to open the rear door on the Prado without unhooking.

I haven't really kept track of the costs, probably too scared to find out exactly how much. I know i took $8K worth of gear of my first Prado and swapped it onto the current one, A very rough add up of my list on the first page (which i need to update but can't because of the photo limit on the new forum) puts it over the $15k mark but under 20, probably will top 20 before i am finished though.

If i work that back to the time I bought the first Prado it works out at about 50 bucks a week, but I don't drink, I don't smoke,and I don't gamble. Plenty of people I know spend far more than $50 a week on those vices, so its cheap really, thats what I tell the missus anyway.

Will add a few pics of the Prado out and about here due to the 4 picture limit in each post, might whack a few in other posts with no pictures, just because I can.










Cheers Andrew

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

I think the greatest cost would be the time you have spent, if you were to charge that out per hour.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

I think the greatest cost would be the time you have spent, if you were to charge that out per hour.

Especially if I count all the "Research Time" on PP.

I have added a few pictures to one of my posts above that didn't have any pics, due to the 4 picture per post limit I might slip a few in of the Prado out and about in my posts here without pics.









Cheers Andrew

[120D4D Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close 120D4D]

Especially if I count all the "Research Time" on PP.

I have added a few pictures to one of my posts above that didn't have any pics, due to the 4 picture per post limit I might slip a few in of the Prado out and about in my posts here without pics.



Cheers Andrew

This second photo looks great Andrew, was that on the centre track on your way home for Border Track the other week? Nice work, also quite like the thrid photo on your previous post too.
Cheers
Micheal.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Hi Micheal, If you look closely at that second Photo you can see the firewood on the roofrack and Matty's scrub bars just sticking out a bit, so it was taken in the morning before I met you guys for the border track trip. It was taken on South bore track in Sunset NP, where I rolled out the swag the night before, you can't tell from the picture but it was minus 2 degrees when i took it! The other pics are a combination from Wyperfield NP, the high country and the border track. Heading back out to Sunset tomorrow, leading a club trip! Might take a picture for you Micheal before I get her dirty again and Email tomorrow night.

A few more pics, The 4th picture is of the track I took home after i peeled of from the border track convoy and headed back up through Ngarkat. the Baan Hill track.










The others are high country pics, waiting for some good action shots from the high country trip that are on someone elses camera.

Cheers Andrew

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Another little DIY project complete.

I have now installed my diff drop kit. All of the kits I have seen for sale are 1" drops, Not having a lift over 2" a difff drop isn't essential, however, I do believe that I have now returned my CV's to an ideal angle (almost straight), and also given me the option of tweaking the front suspension a bit if I choose to down the track.
The kit I made is a 16mm drop, partially due to this being enough, partly due to having some scrap aluminium 16mm thick and also it minimises the amount I need to space down the bash plates which will make you loose clearance, which neagates why you lifted it in the first place. I reckon when I get my custom bash plates finished I will not have lost any clearance at all.

As I said I had some scrap alloy for the spacers, the original bolts are 14mm high tensile, an unusual size. As luck would have it I was given the job at work last week of cutting up an old truck for scrap, a 1957 Albion Riever to be exact, anyway the steering box bolts on the Albion just happened to be the exact size I needed and even of a higher grade bolt than the originals, so rather than blowing them off with the oxy I unbolted them (covered in grease so still good as new) and recycled them on the Prado.

Total cost $zero, gotta be happy with that price.







The diff and the support arms are looking a bit shabby in the pics, both diffs are coming out in a couple of weeks to have the pneumatic seals in the air lockers replaced, apparantly they had a bad batch and mine were in that batch; and oil has been leaking back through the solenoids on the compressor. Anyway might supply the mechanic with a can of paint to tidy them up before they go back in.

Cheers Andrew

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

Nice job Andrew!
Does the diff drop alter the front prop shaft angle with any significance?
I guess not or this mod would be pointless, just curious?
Cheers Troy

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Nice job Andrew!
Does the diff drop alter the front prop shaft angle with any significance?
I guess not or this mod would be pointless, just curious?
Cheers Troy

The changes to the angles of the uni joints on the front propshaft are minimal, but the angles are actually improved ever so slightly from standard!

And a few more pics out and about!









Cheers Andrew

[120D4D Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close 120D4D]

Nice work Andrew.

After seeing you and Rob on the Border Track i have now booked in the rear locker!,Put the compressor in yesterday (only a part DIY job though..not touching the rear end!) A fiddly job that took me far longer that it should have but thoroughly enjoyed myself, the personal satisfaction is great!

I'll have those photos and instructions back to you this week..
Micheal

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

Awesome build up Andrew...inspired me to do more with mine now

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Well I can't take any credit for this one, 120D4D did all the technical bits and Trish transferred the information onto the GPS SD card, so now I have a custom startup screen for the GPS




If you want to know how to do this have a look here http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread...ions-GPS-Units

Thanks Micheal

Cheers Andrew

[Boomslang Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Boomslang]

I like your new start up screen. Any chances of a dedicated thread on this topic?

[120D4D Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close 120D4D]

Looks good Andrew, the images will also change (to their negative) if pressed!

Hi Boomslang, looks like i'll have to start my first ever thread! Leave it with me and I'll see what I can knock up.

Micheal

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Well I certainly don’t want to start a debate here about recovery points and what’s rated and what’s not, this has been covered extensively elsewhere, and I have made my opinions clear in other threads. Suffice to say that I am not a big fan of loop style recovery points. Also the loops on the ARB bar leave a bit to be desired IMO. So after much looking and thinking I decided to fabricate entire new brackets to replace the ones that have the ARB “recovery points” attached.

The ARB brackets are made from 5mm steel, I upgraded to 6.4mm so nearly 30% thicker / stronger, as with the ARB loop I have doubled the thickness and so mine are almost 13mm thick at the recovery point, added to this I have extended the double thickness section further back to give it more sideways strength, also I have welded both sides of the gussets, and even I do say so myself, my welding is far superior to that on the original ARB points.

The outback ideas style recovery points that many are familiar with are attached with 2 bolts, the ARB brackets are attached with 3 bolts, mine will be attached with 4 bolts giving me what I believe to be a very strong recovery point with a “10,000lb rated” recovery hook attached.








And my 10,000lb RATED recovery hook




The brackets are going to the powder coaters tomorrow along with my latest batch of sliders. I will post some more pictures of them when fitted, and also explain my unique system for fitting the 4th bolt.

Cheers Andrew