Hilux front struts and 80 series landcruiser shocks????

[Cruzin Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Cruzin]

Ok so this is my very first thread so go easy on me, here is the story:

Have been reading this forum/ looking around for a good suspension kit to put into my Prado. Was after a kit that could provide a 50mm (2") lift, heavier duty struts and springs to compensate for the bulbar and duel batteries in the front and give me 150-200kg extra in the rear.

Originally went for a TJM setup, paid the deposit and some but got stuffed around something shocking and shopped around again and went to another mob who set me up with a Bilstein and King Spring combo.

Talking to the salesperson he said there is a 'long travel' kit he sells that no one nearby does. Didn't think there was such a thing but thought why not (It was the same price as a 'non long travel kit' which I suppose would be with the proper struts etc for a Prado).
Fitted the new suspension on yesterday (looks awesome, should have done it earlier!), seams to ride much better then before but noticed on the fitment sheet the part numbers for the Bilsteins are different to all other kits suited to a diesel prado.

The front strut part numbers are: BE5-D56 3
Front coils are: KTFR 101H
Rear shocks are: B46 1478S
Rear coils are: KTRR102

From what I can gather is the struts are mainly for a current model Hilux and the rear is for a 80/100 series landcruiser.
My main question is has anyone else seen a setup like this?

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

Running 80 series shocks is not unheard of, I run them and so do a few others, they certainly give extra travel especially when add extended sway bar links.

Not so sure about the Lux struts, I recall researching them but didn't go that way, I can't remember the reason though.

Cheers Andrew

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

Apparently the Hilux struts and 80 series shocks is what Caloffroad sell as an extended travel option for the 150, although they say theirs are re-valved (and labeled) to suit the 150's weight. A few on this forum have the Caloffroad 3" kit fitted which uses the Bilstein shocks and Dobinson springs.

Any chance you could confirm with your installer that these are the off the shelf parts without valving changed as I am looking to change my "normal" Prado Bilsteins over?

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

The Hilux strut is about 14mm longer when fully extended (and the same compressed length) when compared to the Prado strut.

The valving is different; According to the Bilstein catalogue the Hilux strut is for "Standard rate/raised" applications while the Prado unit is for "Heavy duty" applications.
Of course they don't give away exact valving specs in their catalogue!

Mick

[t303 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close t303]

Am I right in understanding that you can't go too nuts on the lift/front strut length because of the chance you will either pop out a shaft or stuff a CV joint due extreme shaft angle? The rear wasn't a worry and I think I looked at 60series front shocks for the rear of my 90series

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

A 2" lift will maintain CV angles albeit going uphill rather than down. Beyond that without a diff drop you start to lose CV life. I think Mick and amts do diff drop kits.

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

The 80 series rear Bilstein shock is not that long, it is approx 591mm extended, where the OME 2" Prado shock is approx 605mm. The 80 Series OME shock is is another 15mm longer again somewhere around 620mm.
I am not to sure about the Hilux front shock but I understand that Caloffroad reduce the travel in these shocks / struts so that they do no harm he CV's on the Prado.
I am using Dobinson coils with his Bilstein 80 series (Caloffroad) shocks. I achieved approx a 3" lift. I am left with very little down travel in the rear, even with the 80 Series shocks. Adding the longer 620mm shocks would be great, but I would probably run out of coil travel.
I think a good solution would be to use Dobinson Flexy coils which have a longer free height and the 620mm shock. A 2.5" lift with the travel of 4" lift. I am not sure if Dobinson make a Flexy coil for the Prado though

[Anth120playdo Banned Find all posts View Profile Close Anth120playdo]

Some ppl use Hilux struts to get longer travel, as stock they are longer & therefore aftermarket even longer again.
The spring seat is around 15mm difference so you have to take that into account when selecting your coil.

Hiluxes, c/v are definitely something you have to watch, prados are much better. Not as much angle. Hiluxes break a lot more.
If you have too much travel in a Prado you are more likely to have issues with UCA hitting or getting in coil. Also upper ball joint can bind up.
There are so many brands & so many different lengths, it amazes me they all have such different ideas.

[crliin Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close crliin]

CalOffroad use a specific front strut for the Prado. A Hilux one will fit but the down travel is much longer and will cause other issues with Cvs etc. On the rear CalOffroad use a shock body similar to the 80 series but is valved different and has a bush configuration setup for Prado 150