Glen's 95 series Prado getting broken in

[MDST Member Find all posts View Profile Close MDST]

Your signature says: Next: Rims ( wider track )

Look at this: http://www.americanracingwheelsinfo....lon_Mojave.htm

I like a lot those rims. Many off road vehicles use them.

And, your other Next maybe: ARB front locker ( I think is very important to consider ). Read the last post in the first page and hole second page:

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/off-ro...formative.html

Cheers

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

Hello Glen!!

You can honestly say if was worth regear for 255/85 ( 33" ) Tires???

This I read before in some important pages:

"All new gear sets require a break-in period to prevent damage from overheating. After driving the first 15 or 20 miles you must let the differential cool for 30-40 minutes before proceeding. Drive 500 easy miles before towing. Tow for very short distances (less than 15 miles) and let the differential cool before continuing during the first 45 towing miles. Change the gear oil after the first 500 miles. This will remove any metal particles or phosphorus coating that has come from the new gear set."

I think makes perfect sense and it is best to follow this advice. You may already know that je je!

Cheers

Worth it? For me, yes. I was already having a rear locker fitted so it made sense to consider spending a little more at the same time (and I saved a lot by importing the gears from USA). The main reason I wanted to change the gears was to improve the automatic's ability to accellerate and control power (via the torque converter). With larger tyres, the torque converter tends to remain unlocked more frequently, so it's being overworked, and creating more heat (bad). Now the t/c locks up more, and I get better power response. Additionally, I tend to tackle rough rocky tracks, so I want a slower crawling speed.

Yeah the break in procedure is important - I think I'll be going through some diff oil over the next few weeks.

Your signature says: Next: Rims ( wider track )

Look at this: http://www.americanracingwheelsinfo....lon_Mojave.htm

I like a lot those rims. Many off road vehicles use them.

And, your other Next maybe: ARB front locker ( I think is very important to consider ). Read the last post in the first page and hole second page:

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/off-ro...formative.html

Cheers

Rims - I like your taste! The ones I'm seriously looking at are very similiar...

Allied "Thunder" Black (custom offsets available!):


Others I'm considering:

Allied "Thunder" Polished:


Allied "Savana"

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

Got the front diff back today with 4.88's, solid pinion spacer and all new bearings/seals.

Front diff is a bit of a prick to install due to weight, but she's in.

Still waiting on a replacement front CV axle. It was due today, but the warehouse dude dropped it and damaged the spline - nice one!

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

Got the new CV today but couldn't get it in past the snap ring; no matter how much I hit it with the brass or sledge (lucky I have spare axle nuts).

Given the driver side went in easy yesterday, I dismantled the driver side all over again, removed that CV and tried it on the passenger side; whack, whack, popped straight in. Took the new CV to the drivers side, whack, whack, whack, whack popped in. Sweet

Got all the necessary bits on by 10pm, took it for a test drive; Very nice take offs now with the 4.88's.
100km/h with overdrive off is around 3,000 RPM.
110km/h with overdrive on is a tad over 2,500 RPM. I like

[MDST Member Find all posts View Profile Close MDST]

Got the new CV today but couldn't get it in past the snap ring; no matter how much I hit it with the brass or sledge (lucky I have spare axle nuts).

Given the driver side went in easy yesterday, I dismantled the driver side all over again, removed that CV and tried it on the passenger side; whack, whack, popped straight in. Took the new CV to the drivers side, whack, whack, whack, whack popped in. Sweet

Got all the necessary bits on by 10pm, took it for a test drive; Very nice take offs now with the 4.88's.
100km/h with overdrive off is around 3,000 RPM.
110km/h with overdrive on is a tad over 2,500 RPM. I like

Nice!!

Now you should make it easy to change a cv axle.

This mod looks very very interesting:

http://www.tacomaterritory.com/forum....php?p=2210392 (this is the best and durable but is a litle more complicated I think)

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-ge...-cv-boots.html

Cheers

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

Thanks MDST,
I had plans to do the glue method at some point in the future, but those other options look much quicker! I have a spare CV now so I'll give it a go one day.

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

I've had the rear diff ratios in for 460km's now, so I decided to change the oil. It came out sorta dark gray and had loads of fine particles of metal. It'll be interesting to see how it looks in another 500km's.

Didn't touch the front diff ratios 'cause it's only done 250km's so far.

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

Well if nothing else your thread title certianly is precise now ..

"Breaking in" a pair of diffs

I hope the oil stays "clear" now otherwise something might be a tad tight

Lee

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

How are them diffs breaking in? You must be keen to test them. Maybe Wheeney Creek could be a good testing ground!

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

How are them diffs breaking in? You must be keen to test them. Maybe Wheeney Creek could be a good testing ground!

I changed the front diff oil a few days ago, at 500km's, and it came out brown with metal particles. Not as much metal as the rear diff had though. I'm heading up the coast over the weekend - so the break-in will be complete, and I'll do a final oil change next week with some expensive Penrite 80-140 sinthetic.

Then yes - we have to do some rock crawling!! You must have read my mind; I was already considering Wheeney, Ourimbah, or Mt Walker. I'll post in the the day trip thread.

[libraboy Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close libraboy]

hey glen, i am new here, just got my own little 3 door prado. been following your build ever since i found it. looks good! hopefully mine can become as good as your in time =D

Got a qustion for you regarding your skidplate, from your profile picture and a few pictures on the front of this thread it looks really good and would like to fabricate one myself, is it possible to take a few pictures so that it willl be a litte easier for me to fabricate it =D

it kinda got bashed the last time i went into the forest + the previous owner brought it into the sea =( salt + metal not a good combination

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

hey glen, i am new here, just got my own little 3 door prado. been following your build ever since i found it. looks good! hopefully mine can become as good as your in time =D

Got a qustion for you regarding your skidplate, from your profile picture and a few pictures on the front of this thread it looks really good and would like to fabricate one myself, is it possible to take a few pictures so that it willl be a litte easier for me to fabricate it =D

it kinda got bashed the last time i went into the forest + the previous owner brought it into the sea =( salt + metal not a good combination

Hi libraboy and thanks for the comments.

My front bash plate is just the original two piece which came with the car. I can take some photos for you next week but it has curves so would be quite hard to replicate. I would recommend that you look at the Macquarie 4x4's bash plate which Declan has on his Prado (see links below). It's stronger and would be easier to build. I'd like to get one of them one day, but for now, mine is still holding up.

http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread...l=1#post313672

http://www.macquarie4x4.com.au/index...=Bash%20Plates

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

Here's a video of the first decent test run of the ratios/dual lockers on a steep and knarly hill climb:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFOxkiNTUB0

[MDST Member Find all posts View Profile Close MDST]

Good info Glen!

Your Prado sounds very good!!

The rear locker was enough to climb that hill or you really need the front locker?

Cheers

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

Thanks MDST
I think that climb could be done with just a rear locker, but I didn't want to take that chance given we didn't have a backup vehicle or recovery equipment.