Rear axle weight on a vdj 79 landcruiser

Submitted: Sunday, Feb 19, 2017 at 18:41
ThreadID: 134325 Views:19248 Replies:17 FollowUps:35
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Have just fitted a Travelander camper on my vdj79 double cab , full fuel water and ready as if I was off camping .
The vehical has been fitted with 8+2 rear springs from west coast suspension which put my gvm up from 3300kg to 3600 kg , one of the other readers put this on his 70 series carrying a Travelander .
I put my vdj 79 over the pits to see how the weights sat with the vehical , the
GVM 3760kg
Front axel 1220 kg
Rear axle 2540 kg
So vehical is over gvm and rear axel I am told on these vehical max is 2360 kg
So 140 kg over on the rear axel , anyone looked into this I can't find a lot on the rear axel capacity. Any feed back welcome and yes I have been looking at ways to take weight off .
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Reply By: Baz - The Landy - Sunday, Feb 19, 2017 at 19:05

Sunday, Feb 19, 2017 at 19:05
Most GVM upgrades on this vehicle are to a maximum of 3,780kg. I say most, but there are some, like Lovell's that have an approval to 3,900kg.

The 3,780kg is not a coincidental number, it is the maximum combined axle limitation of the vehicle. Front 1,480kg and rear 2,300kg.

Under a GVM upgrade to 3,900kg the Lovell's kit will enable an increase in the front axle weight to 1,540kg and rear to 2,360kg. My experience with an upgrade to 3,900kg was that you are hard-pressed to get vehicle to maximum GVM without exceeding the rear axle limitation of 2,360kg.

Putting that aside your issue is that your rear axle weight is well above the OEM's limitation and also well above the rear axle weight that might be achieved by one of the GVM upgrade kits that are commercially available.

This leaves you with the prospect of needing to go through an approval process to get the axle weights increased, and this won't be an easy challenge.

I suggest you contact an engineering signatory and work with them on what is realistically achievable and what will be involved in getting the approvals.
I have written a blog on my experience with GVM upgrades and vehicle weight and you the link follows.

GVM Upgrade VDJ79

Good luck with sorting it out.

Baz - The Landy
AnswerID: 608712

Follow Up By: Clayton C1 - Sunday, Feb 19, 2017 at 20:05

Sunday, Feb 19, 2017 at 20:05
Thanks Baz
Wish I had this information when I did the suspension up grade , thought the guy at west coast could of put me a little more in the direction you went .
Have moved the camper forward by 150 mm by removing the head board so will put over the pits and see if I have moved the weight forward .
Thanks for the in depth reply . Clayton
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Follow Up By: vk1dx - Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 07:49

Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 07:49
A question to Baz;

If you install one of the "approved" GVM kits (Lovells etc) do you know if you still have to go to motor registry and get the GVM upgrade inspected and officially signed off? This may be close to being off topic but if it is true then it may be of worth to Clayton.

We did, but then again we went through a mechanical engineer who inspected what we had already done, stipulated what extra was required, then road tested the car(an interesting ride in the passengers seat) and provided all the necessary engineering paper work for the motor registry. We did not install an approved kit.

However, I was wondering if the "pit visit" would still be required.

Phil
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Follow Up By: Baz - The Landy - Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 09:27

Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 09:27
Hi Phil

An approved GVM upgrade kit fitted still requires an engineer's sign-off in NSW (can't speak for elsewhere.

Cheers, Baz

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Follow Up By: vk1dx - Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 09:55

Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 09:55
Thoughts the same here Baz. I have read that some drivers do not believe this is the case.

It has to be noted on the registration data that the various motor registries maintain. The police aren't in a position to accept a bit of paper from the makers as approved. I hope people don't get caught.

Phil
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Reply By: Mick O - Sunday, Feb 19, 2017 at 23:00

Sunday, Feb 19, 2017 at 23:00
It's a dilemma indeed....what to do with the GVM and load of the 79 series.
I had Multidrive Technology in Geelong extend mine by 500mm in the chassis and also fitted their rear diff extension (I was the test unit for the project). This gave me a certified upgrade to 3720 kg. Since then I've reworked the suspension and had an EFS upgrade with a 12 leaf rear spring pack, rolling sleeve airbags and a set of Toughdog big bore adjustable shocks (If I had the room, I'd have fitted a double shock system if I had the room believe me).

Using a mate of mine at VicRoads porta weighs, I cam up with the following figure without (unladen) and with (laden) my aluminium camper fitted.

UNLADEN LADEN DRY WEIGHT
Unladen Laden
RHF 825 RHF 800
LHF 850 LHF 800 2855 3380
RHR 750 RHR 1050
LHR 700 LHR 1000 CAMPER 475kg
3125 3650

If you are in Victoria, I'd suggest a an enquiry with 4x4 Obsession in Melton. Brett builds many of the comp rigs you'll see about the place and can provide good solutions and engineering for GVM upgrades. You've hit the nail on the head though in your reply to Baz. ....."If only I'd known at the start!"

Baz had a bit of an advantage in that he asked around before building. Always a good thing.

The best of luck with it.

Mick
AnswerID: 608723

Reply By: splits - Sunday, Feb 19, 2017 at 23:59

Sunday, Feb 19, 2017 at 23:59
Your axle is over its maximum capacity but don't forget that is only static weight. You would only have to drive over a car park speed hump and as the back wheels drop off the hump, the load coming down onto the axle housing will be well in excess of what you have now. It will be about ten times worse the moment you get out onto dirt roads.

This is why so many axle housings as well as chassis, wheels and wheel studs break in the bush.. Here is a few axle photosbroken housings

GVM upgrades should come with an upgraded axle housing, chassis. clutch, engine cooling system and just about everything else except the gear lever knob. The car manufacturer would do that if they wanted the car to carry or tow more.

The chassis could be your next problem but that will depend on how much heavy material you have back behind the axle. The distance between the axle and the tow ball or rear end of the tray is a lever. The further back you put heavy items the more the stress on the end of the chassis and the more weight you will put on the axle. bent chassis

That magazine story shows one dual cab Cruiser with a slight bend. Another photo in the magazine shows a much more noticeable bend in another one but the photo is not on the net.

How much weight is your camper putting on the tow ball? Camper trailers are notorious for damaging cab/chassis utes for two main reasons. 1. They often have far too much ball weight for something so short in length. They don't have long heavy ends to swing around like big caravans so they don't need huge ball weights to assist with stability. 2. They also usually operate in the roughest conditions so the end of the car chassis is constantly flexing up and down behind the axle.

No aftermarket springs or air bags can stop the far end of the car from being thumped down behind the axle and jerking the front up or having to instantly lift all of that heavy material whenever the front of the car drops down. The rear axle acts like the pivot point on a see saw.

The front axle does the same but you rarely if ever see any problems up that end because the distance between something like a heavy bull bar and winch back to the axle is very short so you don't get the severe leverage effect that you get at the rear end.

The maximum carrying and towing capacities of cars are for good sealed roads only. Loads should be reduced as the conditions deteriorate. The editorial in that magazine said you should have a 30 to 40% reduction in off road conditions.

A car designed to carry or tow the maximum for sustained periods in any conditions would most likely cost at least twice as much.

Another point with towing is have a look in the towing section of your owner's handbook and see if Toyota says anything about the use of a weight distributing hitch. They say one is essential for some of their models above a certain ball weight and yours may be the same. These hitches lever the far end of the chassis up taking weight off the axle housing and transferring some of it back onto the front wheels to assist with steering while the remainder goes onto the wheels of the trailer. Heavier springs or air bags can't do that.

The big problem with these hitches though is if the angle between the car and the trailer exceeds a certain limit, they can not be used because they can damage both the car and the trailer. Exceeding that angle is very easy to do in the bush.

I don't know what you are going to do now. The safest and most reliable way to travel around the bush is to buy a car that will tow and carry whatever you want without any modifications and with plenty left in reserve.

If everybody did that there would be a lot more happy holidays and the bush repair workshops would be out of business.
AnswerID: 608727

Follow Up By: terryt - Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 07:09

Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 07:09
Don't think he is towing anything from my reading.
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Follow Up By: Baz - The Landy - Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 12:04

Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 12:04
Splits…

Whilst some of the points you raise are important considerations and should be taken into account when looking at modifying a vehicle’s GVM, I think the picture you portray is somewhat distorted.

Vehicle manufacturer’s will find the price, cost, and design inflection point and work towards that. And it is for this reason I think it is far too simplistic to say if the vehicle manufacturer wanted it to carry more they would have built it that way in the first instance. And equally it doesn’t mean that after-market engineers can’t work with the original product and build alternatives that complement the original.

Driving off-road requires a change in driving behaviours versus on-road. This includes a reduction in speed commensurate with the surface and terrain and the load being carried. Understanding what the vehicle is capable of is key…

And without doubt there are examples of vehicles that have a bent chassis and this is possibly a reflection that more was being asked of the vehicle than it could deliver, possibly combined with inappropriate driving technique. What you don’t see is pictures of modified vehicles that do the job being asked of them.

In terms of buying something more “fit for purpose” – there is very little available that will suit the general travel requirements of most so that means looking at modifications to existing vehicles. The key is to find a suitable base vehicle to work with and it is no surprise the Toyota 70 Series in its numerous variants is a popular one of choice.

I have field tested mine extensively and I am pleased to say it has passed the test to-date with over 100,000klm of outback travel, much of it extreme, with flying colours. But adding an acknowledgement that outback driving conditions can be extreme, requiring careful vehicle selection and preparation along with good driving technique and even then there is no guarantee given of trouble-free travel…

That is my experience and I accept you may have a different slant on it, noting I am sharing my point of view to demonstrate it can be done…

Cheers, Baz – The Landy

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Follow Up By: splits - Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 13:21

Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 13:21
Baz

"Vehicle manufacturer’s will find the price, cost, and design inflection point and work towards that. And it is for this reason I think it is far too simplistic to say if the vehicle manufacturer wanted it to carry more they would have built it that way in the first instance."

They build it to do a certain job. If they want it to do more then they go back to the drawing boards and redesign it. They have been doing that since the T Ford days.

" And equally it doesn’t mean that after-market engineers can’t work with the original product and build alternatives that complement the original."

It is not the aftermarket products that break. It is the standard axle housings, wheel studs and chassis that do. What have the aftermarket engineers done to stop that happening?

"I have field tested mine extensively and I am pleased to say it has passed the test to-date with over 100,000klm of outback travel, much of it extreme, with flying colours"

A lot of people with GVM upgrades, air bags etc could say the same thing but I have yet to hear any of them say how much extra stress their cars have been subjected and how much more they can take before something fails.

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Follow Up By: splits - Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 13:33

Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 13:33
terry

You are right. I thought it was a camper trailer.

Have you ever seen a slide on that when loaded does not put too much weight on the car? There are warnings all over the net about those things.

The best way is to remove the tray or tub and have one built to bolt directly onto the chassis. You start with a car that could be a hundred or more kilos lighter then
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Follow Up By: Baz - The Landy - Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 14:13

Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 14:13
Splits...A couple of things to add,

My point is that reputable after-market engineers will take into account the suitability of OEM's parts - I sought and and used someone reputable on the modifications I have undertaken.

And on field tests, stress on vehicles and parts can be managed. My experience on failures in the field is less to do with vehicle components, but more the way they are treated through inappropriate driving techniques or not driving to the conditions and vehicle loading...

All food for thought, and your points are well noted both in this instance and on other ocassions you have expressed them with regard to this issue...

Cheers, Baz - The Landy

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Follow Up By: Baz - The Landy - Wednesday, Feb 22, 2017 at 13:45

Wednesday, Feb 22, 2017 at 13:45
Adding, depending on the model variant (GXL or Workmate) the GXL has upgraded diff housing out of the factory...

Cheers, Baz
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Reply By: duck - Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 08:37

Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 08:37
Clayton

Twenty years ago I tried all different ways to solve this & ended up going a 6 wheeler conversion 4500gvm & it was the best decision & after 650,000klms I sold it & bought a new one & again did about the same klms

you will hear a lot of bad reports of 6 wheelers & there are some real bad conversions done by so called experts but if there done right there great mine was great with a load & was not a problem traveling & it went everywhere & hard tracks & I seemed to tow more out that me being towed or winched, but empty it was a trap due to the weight spread over 6 wheels

good luck but beef up the chassie


AnswerID: 608733

Reply By: Peter_n_Margaret - Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 15:50

Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 15:50
G wagon GVM = 4,490kg.
http://www.mercedes-benz.com.au/content/media_library/australia/mpc_australia/passenger_cars_ng/specifications/australia/g-professional_specs.object-Single-MEDIA.tmp/2016.12-G-Professional_AU_WWW.pdf
Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome
AnswerID: 608739

Follow Up By: Clayton C1 - Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 16:01

Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 16:01
Ha like it but wanting a double cab , light years ahead of the old landcruiser .
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Follow Up By: Baz - The Landy - Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 16:06

Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 16:06
You'll need to write a cheque for $120K, before you get it out of the dealership, and then some...

Cheers, Baz
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Follow Up By: Peter_n_Margaret - Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 17:39

Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 17:39
So it is just a question of money then? :-)

Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome
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Follow Up By: Member - Boobook - Tuesday, Feb 21, 2017 at 06:03

Tuesday, Feb 21, 2017 at 06:03
Perhaps a Helicopter is the right solution to a GVM upgrade then?
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Follow Up By: garrycol - Tuesday, Feb 21, 2017 at 13:17

Tuesday, Feb 21, 2017 at 13:17
Or a 6x6 Turbo diesel Perenti
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Follow Up By: duck - Wednesday, Feb 22, 2017 at 12:12

Wednesday, Feb 22, 2017 at 12:12
The Aust army are now going to the new g wagon & are having plenty of problems with them & look a what happen when they tried to do the CSR
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Reply By: Member - Andrew & Jen - Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 19:11

Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 19:11
Hullo Clayton
Friend of mine has a Travelander on a late model 79 series with a Lovells GVM upgrade.
When heading off he never loads up full water and fuel until he is out in the sticks as he is over the max GVM.
When I looked at various brands of slide on campers a while ago I recall that Overlander were the heaviest and that there was hardly a ute around that could legally carry them (putting aside the big ones from the US - eg, Ford, Dodge and Chev, etc)
Unfortunately, your cheapest (and best) option may be to cut your losses by the selling the Overlander and buying one that does meet the GVM requirements, for example, Tailgate Campers from Benalla , Vic. They make an excellent well thought out model and would be my choice ( btw, no affiliation)
Just as a matter of interest, did the people selling you the Overlander know what vehicle you were using? If they did, they were not selling you a product that was "fit for purpose"
Cheers
Andrew
AnswerID: 608743

Follow Up By: Clayton C1 - Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 20:24

Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 20:24
Thanks Andrew
Got it second hand they had it on a BT 50 I know the weight is up the top end of the campers but others of the same layouts are all within 100 kg , I thinks with the move forward of the camper 150 mm and fit the second AGM battery I have in the tray forward to the engine compartment I should be able to get it working within the specs required . May have to bite the bullet and look at the GVM 3900kg
Up grade like BAS ( Landy)has done, his post was very helpful appreciated.
Clayton cheers
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Follow Up By: Member - Andrew & Jen - Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 20:52

Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 20:52
i hope you can get it sorted - very frustrating for you to get this far and then get stuck!
Cheers
Andrew
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Reply By: Member - Timnivo - Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 20:47

Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 20:47
Something that no one has mentioned yet. The 78 Dual cab is a very poor load carrier as far as the tray is concerned. Virtually the whole tray is behind the axle, For a better distributed load Toyota should have extended the chassis by at least 300mm. As usual for most car companies they took the quick and cheap method of using the same chassis length as the single cab 79. A 300mm chassis extension and 3900kg GVM upgrade along with some judicious weight loss measures would see you with a good setup. Good luck. Timnivo.
AnswerID: 608744

Reply By: rocco2010 - Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 21:01

Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 21:01
Gidday

Quite by accident today I came across a YouTube video from last week by the South African 4WD traveller Andrew St Pierre White in which he announced he was ditching a plan to build a new camping vehicle based on a dual-cab Land Cruiser.

Big call because he had only bought it a week or two before.

His reason? He did his numbers again and whatever he was building for the back was going to be too heavy and he could not get a suspension upgrade to cope.

Not much consolation for you Clayton I know. Hope you can get it sorted.

Cheers
AnswerID: 608745

Follow Up By: Clayton C1 - Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 23:25

Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 23:25
Hi Rocco
Yes watched that he was able to carry the weight with GVM upgrade but didn't want to carry that weight in hard 4x4 terrian. I did ask him to put up the weight of the weight bridge but he has not replied. Think I am on the right track from some the the ideas put forward so hope to get around it ,will post when I have it sorted right or wrong . Thanks
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Reply By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 22:09

Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 22:09
Just a few questions:
Do you use the rear seats for kids or passengers? If not. what do you put there, and is it possible to move the water storage and maybe fridge forward to that area?
Where are your spare tyres and can they be brought forward (?roofrack)
AnswerID: 608749

Follow Up By: splits - Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 22:55

Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 22:55
Good point Phil. I usually mention seats in dual cabs but forgot about it this time.

I doubt if many owners see them as load bearing areas but they must take their full share if you are going to fully load the car. That means five large adults.
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Follow Up By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Tuesday, Feb 21, 2017 at 07:36

Tuesday, Feb 21, 2017 at 07:36
We often remove the centre row of seats in our 200series (as I did with previous vehicles) and put in a cargo barrier or a cage behind the front row.
The centre row on the 200 weighs 75kg and the third row 37kgs, so plenty of weight savings, then extra water and fuel can be brought forward and kept low.
But I expect the 79series rear seats don't weigh as much, but putting a cargo barrier behind the front seats gives you plenty of good storage for heavy stuff.
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Reply By: splits - Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 22:51

Monday, Feb 20, 2017 at 22:51
Clayton C1

Another possibility is to put a lot of your gear in a little trailer. I am currently building a small one for that purpose.

My wife and I have done a lot of desert travelling including remote Beadell roads and the like but we always travel very light. We have a home made camper on a single cab. Fully loaded the stock standard car is always around 200 kg under GVM.

We want to take a lot more with us but not for desert trips. This will be for long stays in mountain camping areas along the Great Dividing Range. The trailer measures 1600 x 1200 and is divided into many separate different size compartments. Some of the items in it are not all that heavy but they would take up too much room in the car.

The spare wheel is suspended by a ute spare wheel winch up under the floor in front of the axle.

The chassis is steel but the box section is plywood. We have used all plywood and meranti campers all over the country for decades and have yet to break one.

The axle is hollow and 60 point something mm outside diameter.

Some things in it will be taken out of the car further reducing its weight.

The finished trailer will be around 280 kg and will carry about 200kg

The car will now be even further under its GVM and the trailer will be miles under the maximum towing capacity.

That may be the best way out of your situation.
AnswerID: 608751

Follow Up By: TomH - Tuesday, Feb 21, 2017 at 11:42

Tuesday, Feb 21, 2017 at 11:42
Isnt taking stuff out of the car and then having to add the ball weigh within the GVM a bit self defeating. In the OP's case he is already over GVM
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Follow Up By: Malcom M - Tuesday, Feb 21, 2017 at 12:49

Tuesday, Feb 21, 2017 at 12:49
How do you find the hollow axle?
Looking at doing this to reduce the unsprung mass with o/all weight reduction being a bonus. I can't see any negatives to it but also have not met anyone who has one to ask.
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Follow Up By: splits - Tuesday, Feb 21, 2017 at 20:13

Tuesday, Feb 21, 2017 at 20:13
Isnt taking stuff out of the car and then having to add the ball weigh within the GVM a bit self defeating. In the OP's case he is already over GVM
-----------------------

That depends on how much can be taken out of the car. Ball weights on box trailers can be next to nothing.

In this case it may not be possible. If this is the camper that he has then you have 530 kg out the back.CAMPER That may already be over the limit for the rear end of that particular dual cab so there is no point in thinking about a trailer.

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Follow Up By: splits - Tuesday, Feb 21, 2017 at 20:42

Tuesday, Feb 21, 2017 at 20:42
How do you find the hollow axle?
---------------------------
I have not finished the trailer yet but I have used hollow axles under six trailers. One was a 3 meter long four wheel car carrier with no springs.

The first was a 6 x 4 box back in 1964. I bought a length of mild steel pipe and used a lathe at technical college to turn down the king pin boss on the front stub axles from a FJ Holden. They fitted snugly into each end of the pipe then I welded them on.

That trailer had the stuffing thrashed out of it until 1975 then I sold it to a relative 500 ks away in a rural area and he did the same thing with it. I never had any problems with it.

Everybody built trailer and caravan axles like that in those days.
My other trailers used short pieces of turned down solid steel bar for the stub axles. Today Al-Ko and many other manufacturers still do it that way..TUBE AXLES

They work and they cut down on a lot of unsprung weight.

This new trailer has a much larger diameter axle. I used that size so I could use U bolts off a car. It also has shocks that go straight up through holes in the floor.
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Follow Up By: Malcom M - Wednesday, Feb 22, 2017 at 06:38

Wednesday, Feb 22, 2017 at 06:38
Thanks Splits
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Reply By: Baz - The Landy - Tuesday, Feb 21, 2017 at 08:01

Tuesday, Feb 21, 2017 at 08:01
Clayton,

Drop me an email, address in profile.

Cheers, Baz
AnswerID: 608754

Reply By: nickb - Tuesday, Feb 21, 2017 at 22:20

Tuesday, Feb 21, 2017 at 22:20
An acquaintance recently got his brand new GU Patrol fitted with a GVM upgrade, part of that was to weld bracing to the rear diff (parallel to the axles) to support the extra load.

Do they offer something similar to this for the Toyota?
AnswerID: 608781

Follow Up By: Clayton C1 - Tuesday, Feb 21, 2017 at 22:30

Tuesday, Feb 21, 2017 at 22:30
Hi Nikb
Interesting I have not heard of that done on the landcruiser but if engineered can't see why not .
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Follow Up By: splits - Tuesday, Feb 21, 2017 at 23:14

Tuesday, Feb 21, 2017 at 23:14
Interesting I have not heard of that done on the landcruiser but if engineered can't see why not .
------------------

Bracing axle housings is common in off road racing or drag racing although drag racing is to stop them bending under acceleration.

Many years ago I removed the fairly light Dana 27 rear axle from a mid 1960s International Scout 4x4 and replaced it with a narrowed 9" Ford from an F100. That axle would have supported a lot more weight but that was not the reason I used it, Scouts had an annoying habit of snapping the ends off their axles.

You can easily change axles or whatever but don't forget nothing is going to save your chassis if you have too much heavy material too far back behind the axle. It all comes down to physics and levers. Springs can't stop the back going down resulting in the car rocking on the axle and lifting the front.
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Reply By: 9900Eagle - Wednesday, Feb 22, 2017 at 08:02

Wednesday, Feb 22, 2017 at 08:02
just saw the results last week of a new new V8 cruiser ute that had a a gvm upgrade and was over max gvm when this incident happened.

LH rear u-bolts broke taking out the airbag and cracking the RH axle housing between the spring and the axle.


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Follow Up By: Clayton C1 - Wednesday, Feb 22, 2017 at 08:49

Wednesday, Feb 22, 2017 at 08:49
Hi Eagle
Got any photos or a link to the web . Thanks
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Follow Up By: 9900Eagle - Wednesday, Feb 22, 2017 at 11:31

Wednesday, Feb 22, 2017 at 11:31
No, not on the web, vehicle left it's mark on the driveway as owner hasn't had time to get the housing welded up as it is a work vehicle. I don't know if he has photos but I won't be seeing the owner for about 3 weeks.

It happened in the Kimberley and he was lucky that a ranger had a spare set of u-bolts for the same size spring pack, 8 leaves if my memory serves me correctly.

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Reply By: garrycol - Wednesday, Feb 22, 2017 at 10:19

Wednesday, Feb 22, 2017 at 10:19
The 79 Dual Cab cruiser used in the 4wd show "All For Adventure" clearly is a heavy duty vehicle carrying a lot of weight and also towing a lot of weight so it might be worthwhile contacting them to see what the actual specs of their vehicle is and what was done to achieve their load carrying capacity.
AnswerID: 608791

Follow Up By: cruza25 - Wednesday, Feb 22, 2017 at 15:16

Wednesday, Feb 22, 2017 at 15:16
Jason's truck went to Creative conversions to be cut in the middle and then a 300mm section was welded in. This effectively moved the rear axle 300mm backwards to sit under the middle of the load
https://www.all4adventure.com/our-adventure-gear/simons-truck/

Scroll down to creative conv and watch the video
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Reply By: cruza25 - Wednesday, Feb 22, 2017 at 13:21

Wednesday, Feb 22, 2017 at 13:21
http://danaperformance.com.au/dana-performance-for-landcruiser/

Dana sell a heavy duty axle which also matches up the track width to the front wheels

Not sure on the price but sounds like it fits the requirements for off road heavy loads etc.

Cheers
AnswerID: 608795

Follow Up By: Baz - The Landy - Wednesday, Feb 22, 2017 at 13:34

Wednesday, Feb 22, 2017 at 13:34
MDT Engineering in Geelong also do a modification for the rear offsett - they've sold hundred's...!

Cheers, Baz - The Landy
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Reply By: Batt's - Thursday, Feb 23, 2017 at 08:30

Thursday, Feb 23, 2017 at 08:30
Personally I would always be worried about loading these Toyota twin cabs because the axel is way to far forward if it a poorly designed vehicle just aimed at cashing in on the ever expanding twin cab market. If the rear axel was positioned correctly near the centre of the tray you probably wouldn't need any spring up grade and it would be a safer vehicle to drive if you loaded it sensibly. I work with a fellow who put 350kg springs under his and with his canopy fitted their not heavy enough to support the weight safely that's mind blowing because that's 350kg over what the original springs are rated at whatever that is so when does common sense kick in and say maybe this it really getting to dangerous to drive now he's looking to see how much more he can spend in modifications to his expensive toyota ute with it's massive rear tray over hang just following in the footsteps of others who have purchased the wrong vehicle to suit their needs.
AnswerID: 608826

Follow Up By: Baz - The Landy - Thursday, Feb 23, 2017 at 09:00

Thursday, Feb 23, 2017 at 09:00
My experience differs, noting it is my perspective and point-of-view.

My VDJ79 Dual Cab has been tested under harsh and extreme conditions in full off-road conditions over the past three-years covering a distance of circa 100,000klm.

Much is made about the overhang on the tray and the position of the rear axle, perhaps in a totally perfect world the boffins at Toyota might change this - but there are lots of things that could be changed on modern vehicles.

My VDJ79 Dual Cab works perfectly for me in its current and modified configuration and is a very safe platform for Outback travels...

When it comes to any vehicle modification, especially those that involve suspension and GVM upgrades, the best advice I can offer is to know what you want to achieve, the load you intend to carry, how that load may vary, and can it be done safely.

Importantly, seek out and find an organisation that is fully competent to do the work - and this won't usually be your local TJM or ARB store (with all due respect to both organisations).

And don’t buy on price – good service, quality advice, and best-of-breed parts don’t come cheap. Better to pay over the odds to ensure the right outcome the first time around…

The key to vehicle modifications is engagement with an approved vehicle engineer long before any modification work is undertaken and to work through the proposed modifications to ensure the finished vehicle will be safe and suitable for its intended purpose and use.

But on wrong vehicles, I researched many vehicle options three-years ago and unless I was willing to go the route of something like an IVECO or a "real truck", there were not too many options available that suited my requirements.

The Toyota 79 Series Dual Cab stood out, despite some of the known shortcomings.

So what is right and wrong when it comes to vehicle choice and modifications...?

I believe if you go through a process similar to the one I have outlined then you give yourself a very good chance of ending up with the right vehicle set-up that is safe and that suits you and your requirements best…


Cheers, Baz - The Landy
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FollowupID: 878576

Follow Up By: Member - Blue M - Friday, Feb 24, 2017 at 05:22

Friday, Feb 24, 2017 at 05:22
Batts, the guy you work with maybe should have bought a single cab.

If I had a twin cab and put 350kg springs under it and it still didn't do the job, I would be having a serious think about what I am trying to put on it's back.

Cheers
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FollowupID: 878603

Follow Up By: Batt's - Saturday, Feb 25, 2017 at 19:35

Saturday, Feb 25, 2017 at 19:35
Yes Blue M the single cab may have been the better option.
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FollowupID: 878634

Reply By: The Bantam - Saturday, Feb 25, 2017 at 12:37

Saturday, Feb 25, 2017 at 12:37
This group of issues comes up time and time again.

The whole slide on camper proposition is fatally flawed, even on a single cab 4wd, as soon as you say the words "dual cab" ....... it's pretty much an impossibility.

so here we have a GVM upgraded vehicle that will be even then near or over weight AND it will be used on other than smooth improved surfaces.

And a horrificaly high centre of gravity

The whole concept is is a disaster.

sorry

cheers
AnswerID: 608878

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