Hilux issues

I hit some big pot holes out west in our Hilux DC, so much so that the Tub moved enough to make the canopy leave big scratch marks on the back of the cabin. The gap from memory is normally about 2cm so thats a fair bit of movement. As to the chasis bending, maybe the mounts have bent where they attach to the tub etc?

Cheers,

Glenn.

As yet not seen a HiLux bend a chassis except where instant stops occur, like when a tree is used, have on the other hand seen lots of tubs on Luxs as well as others move or break thier mounts. Even a snatch so violent the Hilux, which was being streched between a 60 Series and a GU, ended up a 90 degrees to where it started, didn't even bend it. Did make the driver real angry though.

Possibly the tub mounting bolt were a bit loose, allowing the tub to vibrate/walk itself backwards with bodyflex???

I've had the mounting bolts work loose on my DC Hilux. And I would imagine that when loaded up, with the extra weight, there is a good chance of bending mounts etc when hitting large bumps etc.

Very uncommon for a hilux to bend the chassis but the boys from Africa tell me it can happen if grossly overloaded and abused. The hilux gets one hell of a battering in Africa As others have said the tub has probably moved. I wonder what ball weight was on the trailer though.

A wee bit off track Eric so I hope you don't mind me posting this but Tuff60 mentioned crashing a lux into a tree which reminded me of the BBC's efforts with testing the unbreakability of an old hilux. Can't really draw any conclusions apart from the fact that this particular truck didn't want to die and it makes interesting reading. There is some video of it floating around the web somewhere.
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As you maybe aware the BBC's weekly motoring programme Top Gear recently
decided to test how tough these 4X4s are as the vehicle appears everywhere
in news reports serving a mutlitude of various roles all over the world

The base vehicle was a 15 year old heap purchased for about £1,200.00 less
that $2,000.00 from a farmer where it had had a hard life having clocked up
over 130,000 miles and the body work was showing it......

Test 1
Drive it at 30mph into a tree ( front right courner - driver's side in the
UK )
Result - Bent bull bar, broken light & front panel damage
Truck carries on

Test 2
Drive it around Bristol, an old industrial town.
Trough tight streets where it ripped out huge stones from 150 year old
walls, down lots of steps & generally bash it about
Result - some more panel damage
Truck carries on

Test 3
Drop it 30 foot from a crane
No damage
Truck carries on

Test 4
Drop a caravan on it from 30 feet
Result - Top lip of bed is bent
Truck carries on

Test 5
Trash the truck
No apparent Damage
Truck carries on

Test 6
The Wash
Strap the vehicle down to the pier in the Bristol Channel
This has one of the Strongest and fastes Tidal Flows in the British Isles
and wait for the tide to come in
Initial Damage
Windows blown out by tide
Then
The 3" diameter mooring ropes ( used by the Royal National Lifeboat
Institution ) tethering down the vehicle break under the strain and the
vehicle is swept out to sea.
Several hours later when the tide has gone out the vehicle is found several
miles away partially burried in the estury bed.
Vehicle is righted and after drying out & a bit of water dispersing oil &
some petrol poured directly into the carb it starts up.
Truck carries on
New windscreen put in so it can be driven legally on the road to.....

Test 7
Wrecking ball
Bash it around by swinging a wrecking ball into it.
Result - severe dent to rear tail gate.
Truck carries on

Test 7
Fire
Set light to interior & bed then stand well back
Return to truck after fire has gone out.
Result - Interior blackened - new windscreen cracked
Some minor tinkering & truck starts
Truck carries on

No major parts were replaced during or after any of the test.
Oils were checked & topped up if necessary
Only minor tinkering by 1 mechanic with the most basic tools was allowed

This week

Test 8
Demolition
Place the same battered old truck near the top of a 20 storey block of
flats
Then
Blow it all up
Truck falls over 150 feet along with building it is on
Wait for dust to settle
Unearth truck ( rather roughly with digger ) which is on its roof and roll
( several times ) it to the bottom of the pile of rubble some 30 feet
Result - Major body damage
Cracked chassis frame. Body work is holding vehicle & frame together
Some minor tinkering and truck starts
Truck carries on
&
Drives into Studio

The presenters suggested retiring the truck & putting on a platform as a
statue to its toughness which the whole audience agreed with.

was he carrying anything fairly heavy in the back of the tub ? fairly common for them to move around lots when loaded, so he may have just bent the mounts. Ditto - find it hard to believe bending the chassis. ( i have seen what our little hilux has carried in its time - 1200kg+ - and no dramas there )

Gidday,On a trip to the Cape I have come across 2 Hi-Luxes with bent chassis.They were bent at the front of the rear spring hangers.At the time they looked hilarious with the headlights pointing down and the tray pointing up at the sky.They were straightened ,gusseted and they went on their way.I expect it cost a small fortune to repair,but they do bend.I might add both these utes were well loaded.
Seeya Locallaw

I would not have thought towing would have any effect as the towbar forces are backwards from the Chassis, and the tub sits on the chassis. Unless the towbar was fitted directly to the tub there should be any towing forces on it.

Eric,

Had a leased hilux d/cab last year that we cancelled the lease on. Had sent one of the young blokes out to tow a fuel tanker up to another job. Didn't think of tow ball weight at the time, but the hilux ended up with a bent chassis. This young bloke was suspected of being a lead foot, and his interpretation of "taking it steady", was probably a lot different to ours.

We drove it for about 12months with bent chassis, and only thing that appeared to improve things, was when it driven over tight creeks, and the rear of chassis slammed down on creek bank. Did straighten a liitle.

Ray's tale of the pommy hilux, certainly wouldn't be one of the later IFS models!!! They're not made for the "great outback" anymore.

Hooroo...