top essentials

[kimosabi]

hey everyone,
if you had a 2002 model vx desial prado what would be the top essentials to put on it before some long distance touring in easy to medium 4wding.. towing an ultimate camper trailer behind it.. the accessories already on it are.. bull bar, duel batteries, trailor breaking kit thingo.. thats it.. and lets not get carried away with everything say all up round 5k..
thanks in advance

[Eddy]

FRIDGE........... ;D for beer and other, less important stuff ....like food

[baby_troupe]

There is a top 10 accessories list in this months issue (Feb 2003)
On top of those, I would add water storage container(s), a fridge, shower system and satellite navigation system.
I would probably add some extra creature comfors as well, but I don't need to ramble.

[Mick015]

A frdige is almost essential these days, depending on how many people are going, how long you are going for and what it is you intend to cook, determinds what kind of fridge you will require.

I think that the best place to start is the waeco CF50, rrp $999, I have had one for about 4 years and it runs 24/7 and never missed a beat. It is the best money I ever spent.

You could then look at a long range tank, a snorkel and a turbo and turbo timer I would also recommend some good tyres eg BFG all terrains or coopers as well as a tyre repair kit eg tyre pliers or similar and a air compressor blue tongue 4 or twin tongue............ make sure that your wheels are interchangeable with the trailers and that should see you on the way.

Good luck and enjoy or trip !

Mick015

[kimosabi]

yea thats the basic lines i was thinking along, yea once we are up for a new set of tyres dads going for the BFG all terrains and snorkel is up there... what about suspension systems? we got our bull bar put on and the front suspension has compressed and now the prado looks a bit like a drag racer with the nose down and ass in the air.. its not that bad but noticable to me.. and some others... also yea we have an electric fridge, and we have another in the ultimate.. the ultimate is kitted with bfg all terrains and the same rims as our prados going to get put on as the standard ones are worth too much to get scratched in the bush so they will be sold soon.. we have a max air aircompressor... or i dunno its the biggest one of the kingsley range.. also on the list is a pair of peddars air bags for the rear when towing the trailer. what about 2 inch lift? and winch? we have a winch compatable bull bar.. cb raido is up in the shed waiting to be fitted.. roof console is on the list too.. do you think thats has covered everything? oh and roller drawers? are they worth the money?
thanks

[baby_troupe]

ARB now has a lift kit for the IFS Prado, so give your ARB rep a bell & he will be able to sort you out in the suspension dept.
As for a winch, I am looking to fit one myself some time in the next year or so, so I can't say they are a bad idea.
I am fitting mine as I would find it a bit more handy for self recovery while doing reckies.
Roller Drawers, stay posted on that as I am about to start making my new ones & I will have a write up on that once I have completed it (within the next month if all goes to plan)

[Mick015]

Sounds like you are getting all set,

I was also thinking that you could add some suspension mods, my preference is toward the toughdog foam cell shocks and 4way springs. You could also add some rancho torsion bars. Where abouts are you? check out www.oppositelock.com
the web site is now heaps better than before and has loads of info, as well as how and where to contact all of our 30 stores across the country. OL also have 2 years warranty on most products so it can be well worth the trip to a store, they can also help you out with roof consoles etc.

I have a winch that I have had for about 5 years its a mean green tirfor winch and it is great. Fairly cheap and most effective goes forward back side to side and even upwards if you need it too. Obviously you can do these things with a electric winch too but do you really need it ? If you do need I suggest the tmax 9500lb. It is cheaper and performs better than the warn 9000lb.

I think it would be best to call into a Ol store and have a chat to them.. they will be able to tell you alot more in depth.

Mick015







yea thats the basic lines i was thinking along, yea once we are up for a new set of tyres dads going for the BFG all terrains and snorkel is up there... what about suspension systems? we got our bull bar put on and the front suspension has compressed and now the prado looks a bit like a drag racer with the nose down and ass in the air.. its not that bad but noticable to me.. and some others... also yea we have an electric fridge, and we have another in the ultimate.. the ultimate is kitted with bfg all terrains and the same rims as our prados going to get put on as the standard ones are worth too much to get scratched in the bush so they will be sold soon.. we have a max air aircompressor... or i dunno its the biggest one of the kingsley range.. also on the list is a pair of peddars air bags for the rear when towing the trailer. what about 2 inch lift? and winch? we have a winch compatable bull bar.. cb raido is up in the shed waiting to be fitted.. roof console is on the list too.. do you think thats has covered everything? oh and roller drawers? are they worth the money?
thanks

[2 BRUTAL]

i think koni shockies are hard to go past for a good heavy duty alround shock.if 1 stuffs up they are about the only shocky you can rebuild. i had a set on my hilux years ago and did a trip to the cape loaded to the rafters with gear for 7 people and never had a problem.
sat phones are very expensive. a good 1 of them will blow your $5k budget without trying.
if your going to go into some remote places by yourself why not consider an EPIRB you can buy them for as little as about $300. but like anything they aren't fool proof. good preperation goes a long way towards personal safety.
roller drawers are good but you don't have a lot of depth in a prado i think to warrant sliding drawers. i made a shelf assy. for my pajero a few years ago for about $50 and its great. save the difference and put it towards a cargo barrier.
that way you can pack stuff above the height of the back seat safely. i also have a waeco fridge and its excellent.

[Mike]

Back to real basics, don't forget a cargo barrier, fire extinguisher and decent first aid kit. we've done heaps of the type of travalling you describe and have survived without the need for a winch. As long as you have 2 snatch straps, 2 jacks and a long handled shovel, I wouldn't go to the expense and weight of a winch, electric or manual.

Happy trails, Mike.

[slowlux]

Back to real basics, don't forget a cargo barrier, fire extinguisher and decent first aid kit. we've done heaps of the type of travalling you describe and have survived without the need for a winch. As long as you have 2 snatch straps, 2 jacks and a long handled shovel, I wouldn't go to the expense and weight of a winch, electric or manual.

Happy trails, Mike.


i agree. a winch probably isnt neccesary unless your doing heavy 4wding,when i was younger our family and2 other families travelled from adelaide to norther territory in 85 pajeros. we went prettymuch everywhere and not once did we didnt even need a snatch strap. Although we carried recovery gear with us. A winch is allotof money, sothink about it

[baby_troupe]

Roller Drawers, stay posted on that as I am about to start making my new ones & I will have a write up on that once I have completed it (within the next month if all goes to plan)


Here they are;
http://www.baby-troupe.i8.com/New-Roller-drawers-fridge-slide-and-water-Storage.htm

[RobertM]

Those slides aren't off a server from work are they?

Looks good BT....... i wanna do a similar thing in mine.... i just need to source some cheap slides

[baby_troupe]

Those slides aren't off a server from work are they?

Yup.
A while ago we had a clean up of the store room & I was asked to dispose of them.
I asked if I could take them & use them & was told I could, so they have been sitting in the garage for a few months while I was working out the best way to do it.

don't go crazy and spend ya money if ya don't need to..
these mags are great for showing us everything we " NEED " to get, but you'll soon find you don't even use half that crap..
yes a fridge is an essential, a uhf will be handy for comms, if your going very remote then get an epirb, now with the $3500 change you got, have a bloody fantastic holiday!.. if ya really wanna spend some more then get a good digital camera, you'll take litterally hundreds of pics and you'll save yourself hundreds on developing ( if you haven't got one already ;D)
don't get caught out by the glossy ads and storys of "essential" accessories.. leave that for the melbourneites they love that stuff.. no offence if your from melbourne ;D :-X :-\

p.s, im assuming you already have first aid kit and basic recovery gear :-\

[jono]

B.T
Saw what you did with your shelving and the drawers, it looks really good. We have done something similar in that we own a 100 series and carried the top shelf right across the car from window to window. The fridge sits on its own slide surrounded by steel reo on three sides. Behind the fridge we put a 70 litre flopak water bladder that sits between the cargo barrier, fridge and thru to the edge of the wheel archon the oppisite side of the car. So the bladder runs from wheel arch to wheel arch.

Between the fridge and the side of the car we can fit 4 camp chairs and on the other side we store the tool box and first aid kit.. The area where your drawers are we have just left open and one day hope to be able to do a similar thing as yourself. On the top shelf we can pack just about anything we just have to watch the windows. We didn't have to drill one hole into the car to fit it.
Hope this is of interest to you unfortunately we haven't got a digital camera yet. If you want to see it we do live in Frankston area in Melbourne.