Kevdebbi's 120 V6 Grande

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

Kevdebbi,

(From September last year)

I'd take that dry powder fire extinguisher out and replace it with Co2 if I were you.

Yes, powder is marginally more affective for electrical fires, but the residue will ruin anything it touches.

Spray that stuff inside your engine bay and you will kill every wiring harness and sensor it comes into contact with.

It would end up cheaper to let your vehicle burn to the ground.

Hi Draino,

thanks for the heads up, I didn't realise it could cause so much damage. I guess if you car is going to burn to the ground then spraying this won't do any further damage. I still think anything to help minimise or slow a fire is a good thing, might make the difference between life and death or getting your gear out of the car before it goes up. Hopefully I will never need it.

Where is the best place to get a CO2 extinguisher? I haven't really noticed them for sale.

I do agree CO2 would be better suited to general automotive use.

[draino Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close draino]

..

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

Hi kevdebbi, I'd just like to say that your build up is awesome, informative and really detailed. There's a fair bit of stuff that you've done that I'm going to replicate, I've only got a few months left before I head back up to Cape York with a couple of good mates I've met off this forum, so I'd better pull my finger out..

Cheers,

Mike.

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

Hi kevdebbi, I'd just like to say that your build up is awesome, informative and really detailed. There's a fair bit of stuff that you've done that I'm going to replicate, I've only got a few months left before I head back up to Cape York with a couple of good mates I've met off this forum, so I'd better pull my finger out..

Cheers,

Mike.

Thanks Mike, thats the great thing about forums like this one, heaps of good ideas and info. The Cape sounds like a great trip is is defiantly on my bucket list. Nothing like a dead line to get the mods going. We are going to Tasmania for Christmas, I need to make new rear draws, back door table and spare wheel carrier for my rear bar.

Time to get busy.

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

iPad USB chargers

The kids have been complaining about not having a place to charge their iPads. I have installed a pair of USB outputs and a standard 12v outlet on the rear of the centre console, which is in easy reach of both kids.



I made up a bracket out of some alloy sheet which was attached to console to hold the outlets. Happy Kids!!

I originally used twin USB outlets whish were rated to 2.1A and 1A but found the iPads would only charge at approximately 0.93A. After a little research I found iPads are a bit too smart for their own good and limit the charge current on non-genuine or approved chargers.

I found a mob in WA (The 12V Shop) https://www.12volt.com.au/ who sell an outlet specifically designed to be compatible with iPads.


“Don’t be fooled by the rated output; it is the COMPATIBILITY that matters. YIS Marine designed our chargers so that iPad recognises them and allows max (2A) charging current input.”

Whilst they claim a full 2Amp charge the best I could achieve was 1.6Amp, still a substantial increase.

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

Nice work! Do you want to make another bracket?

What seat back storage thingys do you have?

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

Kings Seat Organiser

Nice work! Do you want to make another bracket?

What seat back storage thingys do you have?

Hi mate,

its a "Kings" organiser, I have one for each kid. Reasonable quality but could be better, but at $25 each delivered I was happy. I have modified them slightly, I have put a stitch at the very top of each retaining strap which is to pull the top in closer to the seat. I also ran stitching

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

Thanks, how does the top stay straight/square? Does it have a rod in it? I have a similar style but the top corners fold in.

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

Thanks, how does the top stay straight/square? Does it have a rod in it? I have a similar style but the top corners fold in.

Yes there is a 6mm rod which keeps the top nice and straight. There is also a rod running down each side which helps keep it nice and flat on the seat back, even when loaded up.

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

Perfect, do you have a link for where you got it?

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

Perfect, do you have a link for where you got it?

4WD Supa centre http://www.4wdsupacentre.com.au/prod...rganisers.html

Not on sale at the moment, I regularly get their email offers and got the pair for $50 delivered. I have seen similar at versions 4WD shows around the place so that could also be a good option.

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

We are currently touring around Tasmania and despite having the car check out by the mechanic before leaving it seems our shock are cactus the Bilsteins had about 70k and must have been on their last legs. They were fine normally when the car was empty but fully loaded with our camping stuff was too much for them. The car was a real hand full to drive, especially at high speed and really started to get bouncy. Not good on the Tasy windy roads. ARB was able to get some Old Man Emu in for me so I changed them over this morning in the caravan park. Lucky the campers next to us had a high lift jack I could borrow, took about 3 hours and the car is so much better now.

I installed Prado OME Nitrocharger Sport 9000 shocks in the front and 60071 80 series shocks in the rear. The 80 series apparently give better travel with a open length of 625mm and closed length of 378mm. The standard Grande shock is 575 and 386 so they are better in both directions with a potential of an extra 50mm down travel. Obviously the swaybar links and brake lines need to be addressed at the same time to achieve the extra travel. I currently have standard swaybar links (soon to be modified) and have already fitted extended braided brake lines. When we get home I will lspend some time sorting it out and hopefully perfecting it.





Sent from my iPad

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

That's bad luck, good effort getting and fitting replacements.

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

I also had one of the fan belt pulleys seize solid. Luckily I had a spare and could change it over with no dramas. It's was a bit strange, I replaced all the bearing in the pulleys just before I left, the one that seized was a bit different to the others and had a metal seal instead of the plastic, it was a NACHI 6302ZE. I believe Toyota use a very uncommon size so I had a stainless bush made and pressed in. In have bit the bullet and ordered genuine through Toyota as spares. The spare I had was from a Nulon set but I was not happy with their quality so replaced the bearings in the original pulleys and reinstalled them.

[AussieAndy Find all posts View Profile Close AussieAndy]

Bummer about the failure, but lucky you had a spare on board.

I see you have made the big move up here to the sunshine state, you'll have to make sure you come along to a steak night now