Prado - KDJ120R - Does it need lifting
Submitted: Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 09:32
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Member - Peter R (QLD)
First off excuse my ignorance but is the KJJ120R the 2007 plated Prado which replaced the KD-FTV 2982 (T/D), and is referred to on other threads as the 120 model?
The following query is based on the assumption that it is
Thread re lifting by Anthony
Anthony said he had lifted his Prado 120 and as,I will be purchasing a Prado 2007 plated later in year , am interested to know if it is necessary to lift them or not.
I have a driveway that is impossible to use to back in Jayco Freedom , and with my old 80 series needed to drive partly across footpath (one wheel on and one on road) and jacknife the van over the gutter.
80 series had gas fitted and vehicle was lifted to take weight of gas tank (super salesman made suggestion was told later).
Will mainly use the bitumen , and interested to get the wisdom of this
forum as to whether it is necessary and the alternatives available for lifting.
Pedro
Reply By: Member - Oldplodder (QLD) - Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 09:44
Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 09:44
Sorry, couldn't get the link to work.
But if I was mainly using the prado on bitumen and the highest obstacle to drive over is a 150mm high gutter, I think I would be lowering it to get better on road dynamics. I know of a landcruiser that was lowered and low profile tyres put on for better bitumen performance and it corners and handles a lot better.
At least leave it stock height to see how it goes.
AnswerID:
228506
Follow Up By: Member - Peter R (QLD) - Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 10:17
Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 10:17
Try this link
Pedro
FollowupID:
489249
Follow Up By: Member - Oldplodder (QLD) - Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 16:12
Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 16:12
Thanks, a lot better :o
Still wonder why you think you need to lift the prado?
FollowupID:
489312
Reply By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 09:45
Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 09:45
Thousands of mums with Prados drive over gutters every day, and don't even realise they've done it :-))
The 120 series was released early 2003, and the diesel model (KZJ120) had the indirect injection 1KZ-TE motor. Then late last year, the motor was updated, so its now the KDJ120 with the 1KD-FTV.
Suspension hasn't changed AFAIK. Standard
suspension is OK for a 4wd, but you'll need stronger springs if it sags front or rear from all the stuff you may bolt on.
If you are offroading, then you'll need the lift.
AnswerID:
228507
Follow Up By: Member - Peter R (QLD) - Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 13:43
Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 13:43
Thanks Phil for explaining the background to 120 Prado .
I will be carrying a Waeco 110l in back of Prado and this together with the weight of van is what is making me think about the need to lift.
Is there a pump up product that would lift the back of vehicle in need ?
Pedro
FollowupID:
489286
Reply By: Member - Kiwi Kia - Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 10:16
Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 10:16
Have you thought of putting a tow ball on the front of your vehicle (removable receiver fitting). It makes manouvering to park a van easy as.
AnswerID:
228514
Follow Up By: Member - Peter R (QLD) - Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 13:28
Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 13:28
I have thought of that KK but my problem is not so much the backing as the clearance.
May still do that for ease of backing in tight situations.
Pedro
FollowupID:
489282
Follow Up By: Member - Kiwi Kia - Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 13:42
Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 13:42
Pedro, I have never really thought about it much as to why, but the front does not seem to dip as much as the rear when pushing the van. We used to drive in a
gate way, unhook and swing the van around, reverse car and re-attache the van in the front then push it up
hill, round an elbow and onto a pad till it was next wanted for a trip. The transition from the flat drive to the uphill bit would bottom the tow bar if trying it in reverse but it never bottomed when hooked to the front of the car.
FollowupID:
489285
Follow Up By: Member - Peter R (QLD) - Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 13:56
Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 13:56
KK,
That is very interesting .
My problem with using the driveway is the camber of the road , combined with the camber of driveway, combined to make the van bottom out at the rear.
This is a little different to your situation where your tow bar bottomed , but it might still be worth while investigating with someone who has a tow bar on front.
Pedro
FollowupID:
489289
Follow Up By: Member - Oldplodder (QLD) - Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 16:24
Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 16:24
If your problem is the back of the van bottoming out, don't you want to lower the towbar height of the car to lift the back of the van? Not lift the back of the car?
I used to have this problem getting our trailer sailor out.
Back of the trailer used to scrape.
Ended up putting a bit of timber laid along the gutter so the trailer wheels didn't drop in the gutter as much. Kept it handy just behind the fence. Bit of 100x50 worked
well.
FollowupID:
489317
Follow Up By: Member - Peter R (QLD) - Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 17:32
Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 17:32
Oldplodder,
Thanks for that.
The problem I had backing in up the driveway was not the trailer wheels, but the rear wheels of the L/C which could not reach the actual gutter without the back of van bottoming.
The trailer wheels were over the gutter and on the upward slope when grounding occured.
The L/C had been raised so perhaps what you say might not occur with the Prado .
Pedro
FollowupID:
489332
Reply By: Anthony - Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 13:23
Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 13:23
Hi Pedro,
I changed
the springs & shockers for two reasons. The first being the standard rear springs sagged from a combination of the 150kg ball weight from the camper (a Jayco Dove Outback) and the gear loaded in the back. I could have selected higher rated springs that did not rasied the 4WD.
The second reason for the new springs is for offroad clearance. I wouldn't raise yours unless offroad clearance is an issue.
Cheers Anthony (Vic)
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Peter R (QLD) - Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 13:47
Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 13:47
Thanks Anthony,
As I won't be using it offroad looks like no need to do the lift.
Would be interested to learn about the higher rated springs .
Also how did you go with ARB re the caster correction kit?
Pedro
FollowupID:
489287
Follow Up By: Anthony - Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 14:36
Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 14:36
Hi Pedro,
I called ARB earlier today. They said they don't do a camber kit for the 120, but suggested that I first
check that the wheel alignment is in spec. If that is ok, then they suggested that I bring the 4by in to
check that the shockers are working ok and that I have the correct rating sprngs in the front, to suit the extra gear fitted up front.
I had a reply from LC_120man, he said the scrubbing problem is due to the Grandtrek tyres.
I had the wheel alignment done 2 months back and while I didn't get a printout, they didn't say to me that the alignment for the camber / caster was out side of the spec.
On the rear springs, which I'm very happy with, I'll
check tonight which ARB OME rated springs were fitted and let you know - cheers Anthony (Vic)
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Member - Arkay (SA) - Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 14:16
Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 14:16
We have 6 year, 150000km, Toyota Roadside Assist with our 2006 120 Prado. Better than our state motoring equivalent as they will come & get you anywhere so long as they can get a 2 w/d tow truck (or equivalent) in. The state top option is 200km from their nearest depot. We had an incident (auto trans) on our previous Jackaroo 150km up the
Birdsville track, and learn't our lesson then. Anyway, personally I am very hesitant about any
suspension mods and we may get knocked back on a claim depending on what goes wrong. Diffs, frive shaft, shocker mounts, etc. We tow a 1900kg caravan (about 220kg on the ball), lots of 4WD & camping gear + 50 lites water in the back of the Prado and it sits fairly evenly with the weight distribution hitch. For what it is worth......
AnswerID:
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