Around OZ..suspension

Submitted: Thursday, Dec 04, 2008 at 13:38

ThreadID: 64022 Views:3623 Replies:6 FollowUps:4

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Jock69

Hi all am just planing a 12mnth trip and have a 2002 diesel Prado, could someone please let me know if I need to do anything with the suspension before I go..as I will be towing about 1300kgs of camper and do plan to go off road..

Thanks

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Reply By: Markymark - Thursday, Dec 04, 2008 at 14:13

Thursday, Dec 04, 2008 at 14:13

We did 6 months in our 1998 Prado towing similar weight to yours, plus home made drawers in the back with recovery gear, fridge etc. We already had medium duty Old Man Emu springs and shockers and loaded up she sank a bit. I had some Polyair bags put in the back and that worked well.

I did think about sticking in some heavy duty springs instead but now we're back home and driving around relatively empty, I'm glad I didn't do that!

I had a Tregg hitch so couldn't used the weight distribution bars I previously used on our old wind-up camper.

Cheers,

Mark.

AnswerID: 338226

Follow Up By: Ozrover - Thursday, Dec 04, 2008 at 16:25

Thursday, Dec 04, 2008 at 16:25

Gerday MM,
Why couldn't you use the ride levels with the treg? I just lopped the dangly bits off the receiver & bolted the lot to the tow bar, this was suggested to me by a caravan repair man in Broken hill & has worked fine ever since. The ride levels are a PITA but are a necessary evil as far as I am concerned, when going off road I just remove the bars!

FollowupID: 605772

Follow Up By: Markymark - Thursday, Dec 04, 2008 at 22:28

Thursday, Dec 04, 2008 at 22:28

Jeff do you have any photos of that? I hadn't thought of chopping bits off one to weld onto another and would like to see how it is done. The reason you mentioned about taking them off is why I left them behind. I wasn't going to take 2 different tow connections to switch between bitumen and off-road.

Cheers,

Mark.

FollowupID: 605842

Follow Up By: Ozrover - Friday, Dec 05, 2008 at 08:33

Friday, Dec 05, 2008 at 08:33

Mark, here are some photos, I didn't bother welding them together they don't move anyway.

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FollowupID: 605865

Follow Up By: Markymark - Friday, Dec 05, 2008 at 09:06

Friday, Dec 05, 2008 at 09:06

Brilliant, so simple! Now I'm scratching my head thinking "why didn't I think of that?".

Thanks Jeff,

Mark.

FollowupID: 605873

Reply By: Jock69 - Thursday, Dec 04, 2008 at 14:16

Thursday, Dec 04, 2008 at 14:16

Tanks mate

AnswerID: 338229

Reply By: Markymark - Thursday, Dec 04, 2008 at 14:35

Thursday, Dec 04, 2008 at 14:35

I should add we had 2 kids too, so LOTS of extra stuff! Every nook and cranny was filled in both car and trailer, jerry cans with fuel and water, another fridge in trailer...We were self sufficient when needed.

A family member went for 1 month, just him and his partner, in standard Prado towing a trailer from Vic up to the Centre. They mainly stuck to the highway but came home on the Oodnadatta track and didn't have any worries.

Cheers,

Mark.

AnswerID: 338231

Reply By: Member - Mick O (VIC) - Thursday, Dec 04, 2008 at 15:42

Thursday, Dec 04, 2008 at 15:42

I'd definitly look at beefing up your suspension prior to departing. I did the trip round the block in 06 towing a off road Tambo camper behind the Navara. Upgrading to suspension was one of the most sensible things I did. Can reccomend Ironman products. Great service and products at a very reasonable price compared to many other aftermarket suppliers.

Cheers

Mick

''We knew from the experience of well-known travelers that the
trip would doubtless be attended with much hardship.''
Richard Maurice - 1903

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AnswerID: 338242

Reply By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Thursday, Dec 04, 2008 at 16:37

Thursday, Dec 04, 2008 at 16:37

I used to have the same model Prado, and carried lots of extra fuel and water, but didn't tow.

I upgraded the springs, added rear polyairs and kept the factory shocks because they are usually more reliable than the aftermarket shocks on Prados. If yours is 6 years old now, you'd probably want to replace the shocks as well - they are cheap from Toyota.

AnswerID: 338261

Reply By: westskip - Thursday, Dec 04, 2008 at 21:29

Thursday, Dec 04, 2008 at 21:29

Hi Jock

We,ve just got back from a 6 month trip towing a 16' van with a 2001 diesel Prado and had absolutely no trouble. Had air bags installed in the rear springs and even then the back would drop a bit but not too badly considering the amount of gear and water we were carrying.

Good travelling

John

AnswerID: 338316