80 series landcruiser chassis extension

Submitted: Wednesday, Apr 09, 2014 at 19:25
ThreadID: 107166 Views:10295 Replies:4 FollowUps:6
This Thread has been Archived
Hi guys,

Looking at selling our 04 prado, and building up a strong ,powerful and functional tourer.
This has been done many a time in the past on this model cruiser, but want to get some info on where the cut is , pics would be great.
And how people how found the extension
Pros and cons.
I'm looking for added space of the big tray , and also the practical side of a dual cab.
Already have a motor in the shed ready to go, with a bucket load of power, so the extra weight is not an issue.
Pics
Pics
Pics
Myself and a good friend will carrier out the fab work as he is a successful race car builder.
Don't want to waste his time would like to go there with half an idea of the involvement to save his valuable time.
Back Expand Un-Read 0 Moderator

Reply By: Peter_n_Margaret - Wednesday, Apr 09, 2014 at 20:36

Wednesday, Apr 09, 2014 at 20:36
I suggest you get your approvals engineer involved before you cut steel.

Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 Motorhome.
AnswerID: 530189

Follow Up By: John and Regina M - Wednesday, Apr 09, 2014 at 22:38

Wednesday, Apr 09, 2014 at 22:38
X2
Legislation has changed a lot. So much now requires engineering approval. And chassis mods are particularly challenging. Lots of design work required. Money money money. ..
0
FollowupID: 813086

Reply By: Aussi Traveller - Wednesday, Apr 09, 2014 at 21:59

Wednesday, Apr 09, 2014 at 21:59
TryTHIS Mob
AnswerID: 530194

Reply By: Batt's - Thursday, Apr 10, 2014 at 00:13

Thursday, Apr 10, 2014 at 00:13
Have you figured how long an extension your looking at I bought a GQ over 3 yrs ago with an 850mm ext with a 2.1 mtr tray on 33" tyres to do up for touring it's my every day driver as well. It's my ninth 4WD I done lots of hard stuff over the yrs so I have a fair idea of it's limitations it also has a very big turning circle. I have a 50mm lift kit but will be going to 100mm later on and 35" tyres I reckon a max of 450mm ext would be a good length depending on where your planning to go. I have a winch on the front and will be putting one on the rear later because I expect I will need it every now and then. The benefit of the twin cab is being able to easily fit long range fuel tank, water tank, air tank and tool boxes underneath . Great around town for picking up furniture ,going to the tip without needing a trailer. The only real downside besides mine being a bit to long for harder tracks I've checked with the motor registry and the GVM can't be upgraded on GQ's so the extension plus all the extra gear you can fit will bring your gvm up a fair bit so it's worth checking if your gvm can be upgraded.
AnswerID: 530200

Follow Up By: ken w4 - Thursday, Apr 10, 2014 at 11:36

Thursday, Apr 10, 2014 at 11:36
Thanks a lot for that info was thinking around 550 ,600mm extension . Not to concerned on turning circle as it won't be a daily drive,
Have you got any pics of your rig/setup. Have owned many gq's was thinking an 80 series as I love my prado and like toyota.
But hey my gq's never let me down.
Love the idea of extra tanks as you say , and big tray for all the kids /wife's gear, as I will be towing a trailer as well, love being organised.
Don't plan on hard 4wding just touring really offroad of course.
Pics would be great.
0
FollowupID: 813128

Follow Up By: Batt's - Thursday, Apr 10, 2014 at 11:54

Thursday, Apr 10, 2014 at 11:54
Unable to post pics here because I'm not a financial member which is a bit behind the times because other sites let you post pics etc.
0
FollowupID: 813130

Follow Up By: ken w4 - Thursday, Apr 10, 2014 at 12:06

Thursday, Apr 10, 2014 at 12:06
Could ya email me a few, ken.miller@city-holdings.com.au
0
FollowupID: 813132

Follow Up By: Aussi Traveller - Thursday, Apr 10, 2014 at 12:12

Thursday, Apr 10, 2014 at 12:12
you don't have to be a financial member to post photos.

Just copy the url of the photo image from a site like photo bucket or similar and paste it into the insert image button at the bottom of the post window.
0
FollowupID: 813133

Reply By: Bob Y. - Qld - Thursday, Apr 10, 2014 at 13:44

Thursday, Apr 10, 2014 at 13:44
Ken,

A company I used to work for had a number of 100 series wagons converted to dual cabs.

The one we got had either 300 or 500mm extension in chassis, and a tray about 2M x 2.1M. Was done by Creative Conversions in Brisbane. Tray by Steelware in Mt Isa.

Was an excellent vehicle for what we needed, carry 6 staff legally, 3 motorbikes and gear plus even a drum of Avgas. Conversion and cut and shut of chassis was excellent, but we had some fiddly things that cost us a few grand to put right.

Rear wiring was like a can of spaghetti, with much of the loom not required, and constant dramas with rear lights not working. $1,100 to have an auto sparky tidy it all up.

Filling rear tank was near impossible.......took nearly a day to get all the inlet pipes working properly.

With extra, short tail shaft, it had a centre bearing and don't know whether it was our road conditions, but renewing the centre bearing become an annual event. (Toyota Dyna centre brg - CB-10, FYI)

Rear springs weren't heavy enough at first, and we later changed to EXTRA heavy duty coils from TJM(made by King Springs) Due to weaker springs and bottoming out regularly(ever seen unsupervised teenagers driving on station roads???) we had the rear of chassis, a broken cross-member, repaired by local welder. Airbags were a failure!!!!!





If I were setting one of these up, would definitely exchange the rear tank for a 160L a/m tank. Also would fit the lightest tray available, so you weren't too close to GVM. That tray in pics is heavy but very strong, and the aforementioned teens couldn't kill it.

A turbo would also be a "must" for touring, as the 1HZ, on overtaking duties, is near suicidal. But back to these teens again, we went to town one day, teens in the above vehicle and myself in turbo ute. they were only a few minutes behind us.

And finally, the conversions without the chassis extension, were just people movers. There was bugger-all room in the tray by time you put a 200L drum and ONE motorbike in there.

Bob.

Seen it all, Done it all.
Can't remember most of it.

Lifetime Member
My Profile  My Blog  My Position  Send Message

AnswerID: 530235

Follow Up By: ken w4 - Thursday, Apr 10, 2014 at 19:56

Thursday, Apr 10, 2014 at 19:56
Thanks heaps for all that info and the story that goes with it haha, that's pretty much what I'm wanting to archive.
Really appreciate that.
Good info.
0
FollowupID: 813181

Sponsored Links