['72 Bullet]

Originally Posted by DirtyDan

Starting about 25 years ago the auto industry began pushing diesels as a partial answer to the petroleum energy crisis (rightly or wrongly). They had to overcome diesel's poor public image of stinky, loud, shaking contraptions. Damping, CRD, new turbo technology, advanced ECU programs/ignition programs, all came out of that.

Interesting that engineers would opt for expensive damping when adding a few bolts would SEEM to be the common sense solution.

Question is bolt on to what? Bolting on to the chassis or other parts of the vehicle will only serve to transmit vibrations to the vehicle.

[khan_sultan]

Last weekend had a fun outing with friends in Kerela and had taken the Prado along. Can safely say that it was one of the more comfortable long distance drives in a 4x4 I have had. AC/PS & creature comforts do make a difference in reducing driving fatigue.

On straight roads, the ride/handling is good enough for a lifted vehicle with no excessive roll or pitch. On broken roads, the rear has a little bit of harshness and unsettling nature. On ghat roads with uneven/tilted/broken surface also the same pattern.

I plan to address the same by replacing ALL the bushes in the rear. Each and every rubber bush will be replaced and that should make the rear suspension taut again. There are some 20+ odd bushes to be replaced and have already sourced the complete set of rear bushes from Australia. Will get it done in coming days and update



Took the Prado to the trail also and was again impressed with the torque and 4x4 capabilities. It made light work of the trail and did everything that a jeep/gypsy could do. Put it 1st Low and you can do tickover, put in 2nd and you can do same with bit of momentum + more than enough torque. Put in 3rd low and you can build up sufficient speed with reasonable torque.







At times, did get into ruts and had to back out. Good thing is that the lift/clearance + the torque allows you to just get out of the rut easily without drama.

The articulation is also good but when it lifts, oh boy, it does lift and holding on to a 1.7 ton beast is not a joke:-)





However, all the trail was dry so the characteristics will change in a slush/wet trail and what works in dry may not work in a wet trail.

Prado width in narrow trails is an issue and I did end up losing part of the bumper due to the narrow trail width at places. The below shows the bumper part I lost


Overall very satisfied with the performance of the vehicle. However have also identified 2 areas that I will need to address in future

#1: I see a 'boom' noise (kind of resonance noise) in all gears at greater than ~2K RPM and upto 3K RPM. Below that it does not exist and above 3K RPM it reduces a LOT. At those RPM, if I put in neutral or depress the clutch, the boom noise vanishes.
Previously, when there was leak in silencer, this boom noise was much much more pronounced. Now with the silencer gaskets replaced, it is a lot less but still there.

Need to find out why/where it is coming from and how to remove it. Is it from silencer, or transmission or maybe that dynamic balancer. (I can see that the dynamic balancer rubber has cracked with age )

PS: It is not a whining/bearing/grinding noise. It is a distinct boom noise and kind of creates a pop in ears also

#2: Black smoke. It is still there on hard acceleration. Need to get to the root of this also.

[harjeev]

Khan, Good to see that you've taken the Parado where it belongs, in the wild country. And I know that having an AC & PS is surely a blessing. During my duty as a DS Marshal having done 2010 in the Gypsy and then 2011 in the TLC, the difference was like night & day. In the gypsy it was like at the end of the day I was longing for a bed at night for all the 7 days. However in the TLC I didn't even come to know when the 7 days were over. They're simply too comfortable.

One query though. You already did install the Ironman Suspension Kit. So didn't that come along with the suspension bushes for the vehicle?

[khan_sultan]

Originally Posted by harjeev

... In the gypsy it was like at the end of the day I was longing for a bed at night for all the 7 days. However in the TLC I didn't even come to know when the 7 days were over. They're simply too comfortable.

Agree Harjeev. And if I am able to get rid of the boom noise, I am the happy then

One query though. You already did install the Ironman Suspension Kit. So didn't that come along with the suspension bushes for the vehicle?

Ironman comes with bushes but only for the shock bushes. In rear there are some 20+ other bushes also. Trailing arms, links, balancer rods, etc etc. All these rubber bushes wear off over time due to aging. Will get ALL these replaced. My aim is to replace ANY/ALL critical rubber parts to new ones, so that for next many years don't have to think about them

[harjeev]

Originally Posted by khan_sultan

Agree Harjeev. And if I am able to get rid of the boom noise, I am the happy then



Ironman comes with bushes but only for the shock bushes. In rear there are some 20+ other bushes also. Trailing arms, links, balancer rods, etc etc. All these rubber bushes wear off over time due to aging. Will get ALL these replaced. My aim is to replace ANY/ALL critical rubber parts to new ones, so that for next many years don't have to think about them

Thanks for the reply Khan.
Yup me too got my suspension bushes changed (OEM Toyota) a while back and the ride had surely improved vis a vis the old ones. I've shared it here on my thread
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/4x4-ve...ml#post2676723

[desertfox]

Hi Shahnawaz, saw this thread only today. Great that you have bought a LC 90 Prado SWB.

I simply love this car and had owned it, the same 1998 model for many years. It was my weekend off road car.

It served me very well and I took it to the extremest of off road situations possible, to the killer desert of Liwa, to Rab al Khali ( Empty quarters ) the UAE / Saudi border area, to the rough mountain wadis of Hatta and boulders of Wadi Asma in Fujairah, the Prado conquered all, over 1200 ft of straight climb on 30 deg gradient dunes deflated down to 12 psi.

I had a Toyota 5VZFE 3400 V6 Petrol engine on it, churning out 200 bhp and modifications to increase the power a bit on demand.

Fox stainless steel exaust
Spitfire quadrapolar platinum point spark plugs.
EHT transformer coil and extra heavy duty igniters and harness cable
K & N filter kit with pre charger and cold air isolator box
Old man emu suspension kit, nitro shockers with an overall 2 inch lift
Dunlop Grandtrek ( My sponsors for rally ) TG 28 275/70/R 16 tyres
Warn winch 8000 lb rating molded inside front bumper
Warn driving lights
Dick Cepak spot lights

I used to love it. Did not bring it here because it was Left Hand drive and consumer 1 litre of petrol every 6 km. A bit expensive in India. The cost of 93 Octane Petrol in Dubai was Rs. 18 a litre those days!

In your vehicle the alloy wheel is of the 2000 to 2003 model Prado.
If you are driving this vehicle off road, always keep 2 sets of spare stablizer bar bushes. They tear the most. Also by now the mounting brackets and dampners of the exaust boxes must have worn off.

WOuldnt mind buying a RHD Diesel LWB / SWB myself in India. What did you pay for it ? Send me an SMS or PM.

[Jaggu]

The combination of a naturally aspirated engine, SWB and the terrific weight balance makes this one a natural offroader. It just munches on where others have to really work hard.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCNw-KSMKMQ

[DirtyDan]

Originally Posted by khan_sultan

#1: I see a 'boom' noise (kind of resonance noise) in all gears at greater than ~2K RPM and upto 3K RPM. Below that it does not exist and above 3K RPM it reduces a LOT. At those RPM, if I put in neutral or depress the clutch, the boom noise vanishes.
.

Sounds like maybe just a tired old clutch plate.

Or, could be the pilot bearing.

Any strange movement in the clutch pedal? E.G. Does it travel all the way to the floor and does it return to the top after you depress it?

[desertfox]

The Dynamic Balancer is a precision piece of equipment. It is a special rubber / carbon poly fibre based vibration damper for most LC series vehicles and even FJ cruiser and 70 series SWB and the mighty Landcruiser 70 pick up truck. Get it replaced. Also turn the steering full both ways and check for noise. It is time to replace the steering pump now. While idling check for noise from the water pump bearing. I hope the timing belt has been changed.

If you intend to do serious off roading with this Prado, get a bash plate fabricated to protect the underside of the radiator. This vehicle has no AC filter. Get the dashboard opened and clean the blower systems.

If you need to know your gear ratios for this car let me know I will post them. A lift in suspension causes an awkward angle in the drive shaft of this vehicle, check for the increased travel, noise and vibration does come from this as well. In my Prado the Olld Man Emu Nitro shockers and Coil springs were fitted by Al Futtaim Motors - Toyota. Thus they was also covered under warranty. In one year during which my Car did a few liwa reccies for UAE Desert Challenge, went up a trecherous sesmo survey ally for oil exploration in the 60s for that years Gulf News Fun drive I broke three shockers and the radiator bottom gave in twice but since the Toyota service managers were also marshals in this event and the Gulf News Fun Drive title sponsor was Toyota it got replaced. I used to go out every weekend ( Thursday and Friday in those times ) I were a 30 yr old full of Junoon that time. By the end of that season I remember the entire steering geometry of the Prado had given away.

Three service managers of many years experience from three nations sat together for 5 days and put it back again first with OE shockers and coils and then refitment of Nitro shocks.

After 14 years my thanks to :

Gary Wheeler - British
Irfan Bahir - Indian, Toyota National Service
Javed AKhter - Pakistani / Canadian
S. Vishwanathan - Indian
Gentlemen thank you for the excellent work in putting this vehicle back.

Of course I had seen worse. I have recovered and brought back from the desert one SWB Prado with its Chassis bent, seen one LWB Prado 90 catch fire in the desert in 1999.

Just for the information Shahnawaz my Prado was driven for 318,000 km from 1999 to 2006, most of it in the desert! It had hit the sands of Wadi Al Faya on day two of its life with 55 KM on the odo!

[khan_sultan]

Originally Posted by DirtyDan

Sounds like maybe just a tired old clutch plate.

Or, could be the pilot bearing.

Any strange movement in the clutch pedal? E.G. Does it travel all the way to the floor and does it return to the top after you depress it?

The clutch is a brand new one and there seems to be no strange movement in clutch pedal. It works in a flawless manner right now.

Originally Posted by desertfox

Also turn the steering full both ways and check for noise. It is time to replace the steering pump now. While idling check for noise from the water pump bearing. I hope the timing belt has been changed.

The steering pump was serviced and parts replaced just 2-3 weeks ago. Now it is perfect and ALL belts in the engine bay are OE Toyota now. Replaced by me recently.

If you intend to do serious off roading with this Prado, get a bash plate fabricated to protect the underside of the radiator. This vehicle has no AC filter. Get the dashboard opened and clean the blower systems.

Thanks for the tips. Will keep them in mind and will come in handy

If you need to know your gear ratios for this car let me know I will post them.

Yes, do that please. I have a diesel one -- were the ratios same for both diesel & petrol?

Originally Posted by desertfox

...If you are driving this vehicle off road, always keep 2 sets of spare stablizer bar bushes. They tear the most. Also by now the mounting brackets and dampners of the exaust boxes must have worn off.

Cool. Will get additional sets of those bushes for backup.

[desertfox]

Here are the gear ratios.

1st - 3.83
2nd - 2.062
3rd - 1.436
4th - 1.000
5th - 0.838

Reverse - 4.210

Transfer case ratio - 1: 2.566

Off road in tough conditions this car behaves very well in 3 L and 4 L

Here are a few pics down memory lane!

[desertfox]

Some more pictures - Wadi bashing in the Hajar mountains and a view of the K & N Isolator box. We had lost a Landcruiser 100 series this day, water got into the engine and seized it.

[desertfox]

A trip to Liwa, the empty quarters on the UAE - Saudi border, perhaps the toughest desert terrain.

[khan_sultan]

Originally Posted by desertfox

Here are the gear ratios.

1st - 3.83
2nd - 2.062
3rd - 1.436
4th - 1.000
5th - 0.838

Reverse - 4.210

Transfer case ratio - 1: 2.566

Off road in tough conditions this car behaves very well in 3 L and 4 L

Here are a few pics down memory lane!

Thanks for the details desertfox. The pictures are nice and some cool dune bashing there.

A question to you:

If one has to look for old/salvage parts for this Prado (like some body interior parts etc), which market/place in UAE/Dubai would be best. I plan to source/look for parts of center console, door pads/inners for my prado?

If one has to look for new parts for this prado (mechanical parts) which market/place in UAE/Dubai would be best?

[desertfox]

There is a market in Sharjah where Afghanis and others sell plenty of these parts even for RHD Toyota vehicles.

Go up the flyover on Al Wahda street, Sharjah. Drive 5 KM and at Mothercat roundabout turn right. After 100 yards on both sides there will be dozens of these shops. If you want a new centre console Al Amani Auto Spares can get you one in about 3 days. They are located on Damascus Street Dubai, left side after 3 signals. On the second hand parts road mentioned above there is a showroom called Sumaira who will also order it for you. These things will be ex-stock at Bahwan Auto Muscat, who is the real big Toyota Spare sparts player, he ships parts to these markets twice a day. Now that these models are no longer in production they will clear off their stocks at discounted prices. If you have the parts number it wil be easier. All toyota parts are classied xxxxx-xxxxx. There is one Afghani on this road, towards the end near the roundabout who has a 20,000 sq. ft shop you are sure to get both these products. His shop has a forecourt parking where a few RHD Landcruiser and Lexus 570 will be parked awaiting delivery.
Best regards,
Shahid Ahmad