Re: Zero's Land Cruiser Prado 150 series

zerosecta · Feb 20, 2013

Hi Folks,

Figured - I may as well start a vehicle thread since I tend to get up to a few things that people may like...

Pics below are actually a tad old as I have since changed wheels so I'll post some new ones up tonight

List of Mods so far:

DIY Dual Battery Setup - 80AH All Rounder under Bonnet
Pirhana DBM180s
ARB Large Air Compressor under Bonnet
A few Tatt's to break up the white a little
Kaymar spare wheel extension Bracket
BFG AT 275\65\17's
Pro-Comp 7005 Series Cast Black Alloys
P3 Brake Controller
GME UHF
Hella and Cigar Sockets in the cargo bay
Dual Battery Monitor in the cargo bay
Wrapped interior trim with Carbon Vinyl to pretect from scuffing.
DIY Rear Mud Flaps
DIY Rear Work Light
Two Baby Seats on the Middle Row

Here are a few Pic's

Enjoy

Aux Battery:

12v Sockets in Cargo Bay

Dual Battery Monitor in Cargo Bay

Tatt's

Scuff Protection

GME Location

P3 and ARB Compressor Switch Location

Finally got round to Doing a little Mod I've been dying to get into...

Modification so that I can Manually switch on the camera when ever I want and also switch between a few cameras on the single display (rear, Caravan, Front)

I have installed two mini two way switch's just below the screen, The one on the left is setup so that when over to the left the camera operates as per normal and only comes on when the reverse gear is selected, but when flipped over then it switches the camera on no matter what gear is selected.

The other switch is not funtioning yet but I will be wireing it up so that I can select to view one of two camera's - Rear for now and when fipped it will show the van or front camera (if i decide to fit one) but probably just either Rear of car or Van.

Pretty easy mod to all of about 20 Mins

Centre piece removed ready for holes to be drilled - how people you know drilling into the center console of 150 Prado's

Holes Drilled - One switch in to check fitting

All done and switchs fitted - decided to remove the red covers

Only the one switch wired up for now - The other one will be done when i get another camera

Switch in standard position - No camera as car is in Park

Note the switch is now flipped and camera is now on and car is still in park

Anyone one want further details feel free to ask - Cheers

Millsy · Feb 20, 2013

Nice looking rig mate, and a great list of mods. The carbon wrap looks great, and all the accessory installs look nice and neat.

Cheers
Shane

Holden_man · Feb 20, 2013

Hi zero,
Nice Prado mate, any plans on putting a bullbar on. We are planning a trip to Uluru and down the oodnadatta track then back to brissy and am giving a bullbar for our Prado some significant consideration before setting off in June. I like the ARB but have heard some say they vibrate badly, have also heard ARB build quality is superior to TJM.
Any thoughts?

Jas

zerosecta · Feb 20, 2013

How's it mate, yes Bullbar, this a a bit of a sour subject for me

Reason being that I can't believe that 50 years down the track bull arms from arb etc still look practically the same... Seriously look at the front of an fj40 then a prado 150 and tell me how the bar haven't go through a dramatic style change...

That said , if I was going to get one then it would be an arb Sahara bar...

That said. Watch this space.... I am about to in the morning, take my front bumper off and fab up a hidden winch mount that will house a winch inside the original bar... So no need to replace it.

Holden_man · Feb 20, 2013

All's well up here mate, bloody wet though. You guys have fires and I'm starting to get the timber together for the bloody Ark. And bugger the animals, need to make sure there's room for the Prado

I agree with your design comments, i think that's why I haven't rushed out and got one, can't make up my mind. My Prado is black, so from the pics I've seen I don't mind the TJM T15 alloy deluxe.
I want something for the long UHF antenna but mainly think it will help us stay mobile if we bounce a big bunny of the front during the trip. I don't think the STD bumper will cope to well and we'll end up stuck in the middle of nowhere and end up thumbing a lift by some Pajero driver, that will kill me..... :behindsofa:

Want to go and see a T15 alloy in the flesh

Interesting idea with the winch, will be good to see how it works out.

Jas

zerosecta · Feb 20, 2013

And to every Project there's a step 1

Pull off front bumper

Antman · Feb 20, 2013

Holden_man said:
Hi zero,
Nice Prado mate, any plans on putting a bullbar on. We are planning a trip to Uluru and down the oodnadatta track then back to brissy and am giving a bullbar for our Prado some significant consideration before setting off in June. I like the ARB but have heard some say they vibrate badly, have also heard ARB build quality is superior to TJM.
Any thoughts?

Jas

Hey Jas
I would seriously get a bar for that trip. When we did ours, i hit a bloody big eagle. Those things take off damn slow. I slowed down and all and he still couldn't get out of the way. No damage to my prado thanks to the bar. Otherwise, I would have been looking at a new headlight and guards I dare say.

Cheers
Ants

:focus:

Antman · Feb 20, 2013

Hey Zero

Nice car. Great list of mods. I think those toggles look like they should be launching some missiles or something

I do think that Prados need a bar or some description to look right. I personally don't like the look of them without a bar. Just my opinion.

Can i ask where you got your dual battery monitor from? Looks great i think i need one. Haha.
Also, is it an Auto? Are you putting a tranny cooler on?

Ants

chartrock · Feb 20, 2013

Parking the car on its roof makes it easy to work on the underneath. :madgrin:

zerosecta · Feb 21, 2013

Antman said:
Hey Zero
Nice car. Great list of mods. I think those toggles look like they should be launching some missiles or something
I do think that Prados need a bar or some description to look right. I personally don't like the look of them without a bar. Just my opinion.
Can i ask where you got your dual battery monitor from? Looks great i think i need one. Haha.
Also, is it an Auto? Are you putting a tranny cooler on?
Ants

Hi Mate, yip its an auto but not putting auto cooler in just yet - I have been keeping an eye on trans temp with a scan gauge and so far not seen anything that would make me do this in a hurry...

Current project is fabricating a hidden winch mount to fit a winch in the original bumper

Dual battery monitor was something I found on eBay

Antman · Feb 21, 2013

zerosecta said:
Hi Mate, yip its an auto but not putting auto cooler in just yet - I have been keeping an eye on trans temp with a scan gauge and so far not seen anything that would make me do this in a hurry...

Current project is fabricating a hidden winch mount to fit a winch in the original bumper

Dual battery monitor was something I found on eBay

Thanks mate I will look on ebay.

I would be interested in how your temps go especially whilst towing.

Enjoy looks like a nice car im envious.

BTW - which part of South Africa you from?

Cheers
Ants

The Alberto · Feb 21, 2013

Holden_man said:
Hi zero,
Nice Prado mate, any plans on putting a bullbar on. We are planning a trip to Uluru and down the oodnadatta track then back to brissy and am giving a bullbar for our Prado some significant consideration before setting off in June. I like the ARB but have heard some say they vibrate badly, have also heard ARB build quality is superior to TJM.
Any thoughts?

Jas

zerosecta said:
That said , if I was going to get one then it would be an arb Sahara bar...

Hey blokes,

Firstly Zerosecta, love the Prado - looks great, especially the carbon bits.

Have you given any thoughts to the TJM T3 bar? I am a huge fan of ARB gear and almost went the Sahara Bar, but I just put a T3 on my Prado as I preferred the lines and the profile of the bar - and I am very happy with the end result. Can't fault the build quality of the TJM, it seems every bit as well built and sturdy as the ARB. As for the bars moving, on the 150s apparently they all do. It is to do with the fact that the bar bolts to the chassis which remains firm. Then the body is mounted to the chassis on rubber mounts, therefore what you are seeing is actually not the bar shaking but the body of the car. This was explained to me by Toyota, TJM and ARB - I had trouble believing this at first, but then every 150 I have been in does the same.

Here are a few pics of mine....

Might not be your cup of tea, but just another option.

Have a good one!

zerosecta · Feb 21, 2013

That's awesome Mate - I actually do like this one better than the ARB - it does have much better lines

Robert.Smith · Feb 21, 2013

That is a nice looking bar - Damn you people - I've already overspent on my van.... next it'll be the car!

zerosecta · Feb 22, 2013

Got to love it when a plan starts coming together

Option1. Recover point

Option 2. Tow hitch for caravan and boat parking etc. or just because

There will be one of these provisions either side. With the winch tucked away nicely in the middle

Holden_man · Feb 23, 2013

Antman said:
Hey Jas
I would seriously get a bar for that trip. When we did ours, i hit a bloody big eagle. Those things take off damn slow. I slowed down and all and he still couldn't get out of the way. No damage to my prado thanks to the bar. Otherwise, I would have been looking at a new headlight and guards I dare say.

Cheers
Ants

:focus:

Hi ants,
Yep I think you are right, just need to convince the Minister for War and Finance now. Will take her for a walk around the upcoming 4x4 show in a couple weeks, that should convince her or bore her to death, one of the two

Jas

Holden_man · Feb 23, 2013

The Alberto said:
Hey blokes,

Firstly Zerosecta, love the Prado - looks great, especially the carbon bits.

Have you given any thoughts to the TJM T3 bar? I am a huge fan of ARB gear and almost went the Sahara Bar, but I just put a T3 on my Prado as I preferred the lines and the profile of the bar - and I am very happy with the end result. Can't fault the build quality of the TJM, it seems every bit as well built and sturdy as the ARB. As for the bars moving,
on the 150s apparently they all do. It is to do with the fact that the bar bolts to the chassis which remains firm. Then the body is mounted to the chassis on rubber mounts, therefore what you are seeing is actually not the bar shaking but the body of the car. This was explained to me by Toyota, TJM and ARB - I had trouble believing this at first, but then every 150 I have been in does the same.

Here are a few pics of mine....

Might not be your cup of tea, but just another option.

Have a good one!

Hi Andrew,
Mate I really like the bar on your Prado. My only concern is I would like a bit of protection over the lights. Would only protect the car from birds i reckon like ants mentioned. Anything bigger will damage the car anyway. I like the steel and alloy combo though. Looks good. Have you seen any of the TJM alloy deluxe models in the flesh. For me I would like your bar with the extra alloy wings over the light, not sure if such a combo exists.

Jas