Towing with Prado Standard Suspension

Thanks olcoolone,
What variation in measurements is allowable before an upgrade is required?
Cheers Peter

Peter, you can get the hitch that lifts up and down (cant remember there correct name) so that you can get the exact height to suit drawbar, Some necks you can turn either way to give you the correct height. I use to have to do this when I had my hilux, when towing my skiboat as it was extremly low at the front I had to have the ball obviously a lot lower to the ground and when towing off road camper I had to turn it back up the other way, remove the towball and fit the treg hitch to the neck. As olcoolone said you need to put the van on the back first and go from there. You may find its all spot on first go. but as mentioned dont forget to fill fuel tanks as if your factory suspension has already possibly sagged a bit, with 90L of fuel in the rear tank will drop the bum off the prado down an inch on its own before you even load the prado up. I find with the OME the ride quality is totally different and I feel more in control as the vehicle rides extremely well and doesnt bob up and down like a cork on those floaty type roads. Personally I think you will find you will need to upgrade to at least airbags or springs. I have only ever gone medium duty OME springs on previous prados as I dont want it to ride like a gocart when Im empty running around town......................

Kimba, the adjustable hitch your talking about was what this Prado in the Flinders had, the Prado had standard suspension and they were towing a on road Jayco camper with small wheels.

Thanks Kimba,
My Prado is a 2008 GXL Diesel D4D. One of the upgade options Trakmaster have suggested is installing Coilrite airbags inside the standard coil springs(rear). At this stage I am collecting comments before deciding what to do.Initially most of my travel will be on the tar with some dirt roads (slowly). Cheers Peter.

Personally at the moment the airbags would be the first stage. See how they go. If you find its too floaty or still sags then springs would be the next step. I think for the type of roads you will be taking the airbags will suit you down to the ground. Remember with the airbags even when not needed (as in not towing) you still need to keep at least 5psi in them to stop them getting pinched between the coils. I would also have independent air valves for each airbag, better set up I think then one feeding both. The sweet spot for the two valves in the 120 prado is just in behind the cargo door. When you open the rear cargo door on the black strip on top of the rear bumper bar in the middle is a little plastic cap/flap just infront of rubber seal. lift it out and mount your two valves under neath. Then keep the black plastic cap/flap and put back in when finished. You will need to remove the flap to get to the airvalves (easy done) but it stops extra dirt and crap getting to them and also stops any lowlifes from playing with the valves and keeps them out of harms way...........

Thanks Kimba10
Cheers Peter.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2rfd_fEyxc Dosent really show anything but it happens at the 3 minute 40 seconds on the clip.............

Thanks Kimba10,
Cheers Peter

Thanks Hairs & Fysh,
One of the upgade options Trakmaster have suggested is installing Coilrite airbags inside the standard coil springs(rear). Cheers Peter.

Hi Andrew, do you know if there was ever any follow up in regards to these towbars snapping ?? I have the same factory towbar on mine and have towed car trailer with car on numerous times. Obviously I havnt had an issue BUT I wonder if Toyota will accept this as been a dodgy part ?? I have rang them up and no one has heard of any issue with the towbars. This is obviously not a one off. Wonder if there is any other way of following this up ?? Also is this only caused by using the extra towing aids ?? or have both these towbars snapped just by purely having some thing hanging off the towball BUT still with in legal weights/set up by toyota for their towbars ???.........

Hi Andrew,

thank you very much for your reply.

I have been very concerned about the strength of my genuine Toyota cast towbar since seeing the post and photos about 6 months ago. However, I had the genuine Toyota towbar installed when I got the Prado two years ago.

My new van manufacturer,Trakmaster, is suggesting that I do not need a WDH when towing the Trackmaster Kimberley poptop.

I have used a small WDH for 20 years when towing a Jayco Dove camper and then a Avan Aliner (both less than 1000kg loaded) with a Falcon. The small WDH helped with steerability and stability when towing with the Falcon.

I have had the Prado for two years now and have normally been towing the Avan with a small WDH. However, on some occasions I have towed the Avan with the Prado without a WDH. The rig seems to be fairly stable without a WDH.

Initially I will probably trial towing the Trakmaster (loaded 2000 kg) without a WDH and then consider getting a HR WDH if necessary. I know that I cannot use a WDH when off road.

If I have to use a HR WDH I may have to consider getting a HR towbar fitted to my Prado.

However, I will consult Toyota before making my decision.

Cheers Peter