I unfortunately don't own one anymore due to the rollover last year, but they're not a bad 4WD. They do suffer from quickly wearing lower ball joints and a few other wear and tear issues, but will get the job done. I'd recommend them for a first time owner for sure.
@@OzTrax4X4 I have a traditional full ARB rack that came with my 80, but it is too tall for my taste. I'll take a look at the other options they have as well, maybe find something that sits lower. I think removing the factory rack and lowering the gutter mounts will help too.
Yeah those roof bars need to go. My 80 looks tall as I needed to raise it for my 270 awning. Can't get that in a garage either, so she unfortunately lives out in the weather for the moment.
Fantastic build on the Prado ! The Titan drawers are great. I really need something like that. The more you do, the more you realize organization of gear is so important.
100%. I still need to decide if I'm keeping that third drawer or not. While it's a great idea, it makes it had to carry anything when I'm not away camping or on trips.
They're still fuel injected and run an engine control unit, so yeah, complex, but not as complex as brand new vehicles with all the bells and whistles. My 80 series Landcruiser has mechanical injection, so even less complex again.
Hi Sian If you do some breathing mods to the V6 (snorkel and exhaust) they are quite reasonable on fuel around town. You should see around 900-1000kms for both the main tank and sub tank combined, as long as you retain the factory tyre size. Once you start increasing tyre size, it will take more right foot to get moving, therefore more fuel used. If you wanted to go for 33s, I'd be recommending to regear both of the differentials to a 4.56:1 ratio.
@@OzTrax4X4 would like to ask for ur opinion on another thing. For long term usage, 5vfe vs 1kz/1kd. Which one would u prefer for your daily driver round downtown? Thanks pal
They both have different driving styles really. Turbo Diesels require more maintenance as the service intervals are shorter than the petrol variants. My diesel 80 series Cruiser is a lot slower than the old petrol 90 series Prado. Can't compare fuel consumption though as it's a 4.2 non-turbo diesel. You'll have more torque down low in a diesel compared to a petrol V6 too. Just depends what your off-road plans are as to which one you would choose really.
35s would be wayyyyyyyyy too high a centre of gravity for a 90 series due to requiring a body lift as well as suspension, not to mention it wouldn't flex or tuck tyres like mine did. She is no longer around. And on top of that, you would need to regear the diffs to get any sort of usable torque out of it. Driveline strain trying to turn 35s would end up busting CVs from any heavy right foot use too. There was a reason I stopped at 33s and they are those reasons mentioned above. It's unfortunately impractical. 🙂 Even with 33s, fuel usage was only offset by the long range tank I installed without regearing.
Hi Mick, love the rig mate. Since you mentioned terrain tamer, have you had any experience with the brand for the 90 or know how well they perform? Tossing up between them or tough dog. Any recommendations within that sort of budget? Also, where can I get some of those extended bump stops?
Hey Adam 🤙 A good mate of mine has Terrain Tamer remote res shocks in the front of his diesel 90 series, but they are only 8 way adjustable and he has them up on 7 already. If you were going to go for a different brand, I recommend the Dobinsons IMS kit for the 90 series which has just been released recently. I know of a couple of vehicles with those kits in them and I have heard rave reviews from both owners, one who had been recently playing over in the Victorian High Country. The bump stops can be purchased from Dobinsons themselves. BS59-060 is the part number. 👍
Hey Eduardo 🤙 They are custom made by a very talented guy called Simon from SBH Engineering, here in South Australia. I do have a video on that one in my mods and upgrades playlist, if you want to check it out.
Great looking set up mate - thanks for the run down. I've just bought the exact same car - 2001, also in the petrol V6.. Just wondering how you find the petrol vs. a diesel and how's your fuel economy with your set up. My car (currently stock) get's about 12.5L per 100km with highway + a bit of city...
Hey James Glad it was helpful 👌 Unfortunately I no longer have it due to my accident back in May 2021, but she was a great bus. Petrol vs Diesel in a 90 series was very similar across the Simpson Desert, with the petrol using 5L less than the diesel. I got around 12.5L/100km with basic mods but as soon as the 285/75/16 Maxxis RAZR MTs went on, that jumped up a little to 13.5L as there was a noticeable loss in torque, so more right foot need to get it going and to keep it going at speed and boy was she slow to take off and get into traffic with those on. If you're looking at going for 285s, I'd be regearing the diffs to 4.3:1 ratios so you get the engine running in its optimal operating rpm/torque like it would have been from factory with standard size tyres. Now if I'm to compare it to my 80 series, way more power and torque. The 80 series is a little slow to get going, but doesn't really cause me any issues as I don't tow, but it's slow going uphill.
@@OzTrax4X4 thanks a lot mate. Really appreciate the info. Sorry to hear about the accident. Yeah, I think I'll keep the mods pretty simple - should be enough for my needs.
I got a KZJ90 from 99 recently, the SWB version of this from Japan. Im struggling to get a nice number plate fit on the back, mine doesn't have that black box thing on the rear. What is that? Does it serve a function?
That is the licence plate holder/handle for opening the rear door. I'd have thought that was a factory item for all models. 🤔 I don't own a 90 series anymore after I lost this one in a fairly serious accident.
Thanks bud. She was a nice 90 series but it unfortunately is no longer. The bull bar was an Ironman Commercial Deluxe bar and it was great. I go over it here so you can get a better look if you like. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-989X9l6AL0o.html
Best to watch this video I've linked below and the following one, and then my explanation video on what happened. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-VIVvw6WmqFU.html
Yeah I found out who it was but the police weren't interested as I didn't have dash cam footage, nor were they interested and getting CCTV footage from where they would have had to have refuelled. Disappointed I didn't get more time and memories with the old girl, as I spent two and a half years building her up to where she was very capable. Now I have the 80 series to do all that with, knowing what works and what doesn't is making it an easy build.
Unfortunately the old girl was written off when I was forced off the road a few weeks back, so I don't have her anymore as she was a total loss. It was just a custom 2.25" mild steel exhaust system with aftermarket Y pipe. I didn't see the need to add more power and if I still had her I was going to regear the diffs to improve the torque with the 33s. If you head over to my Facebook page, you'll see the post on what happened.
I've noticed it requires a bit more effort to get going, it certainly doesn't like long steep hills as it wants to kick back to second. My next option is if it is suffering from a loss of torque, I'd need to regear the diffs. Something along the lines of 4.88:1 ratios front and rear, but I will need to do a little more research on that first.
Hi Mike, I know you changed your car battery recently . What make and model are you currently using and what are your thoughts about it please? Btw the old girl is looking very pretty and tough !!!
Hey bud. Your battery size is going to be dependent on if you have a winch or not. I went with an 810CCA Supercharge Gold from memory, but the sticker has peeled off so I can't even remember what the model of the battery is.
@@muralidharamysore2549 I reckon you would be looking at getting an MF95D31L or equivalent in another brand. Always check your battery requirements for your winch, which will be in your instruction manual.
Thanks mate. Unfortunately no longer around due to an accident a few years ago, but plenty of content on the old girl to check out and get some ideas from. 🤠👌
Hey Richard You can find that out over on my 80 Series Build video as I go over everything there. This came with me after the 90 series was written off in a rollover a couple of years ago. 😎👍
Hi Jordie They were bolted straight to the floor. You'll just need to move the mounting points to line up with the factory bolt holes. EZPZ Lemon Squeezy :D
Great video and vehicle mate :) Am I right in thinking you haven’t done any differential mods? If so, how’s the 90 series constant 4WD/centre diff system go off-road for ya?
Hey Ramsay! And thanks 👌 I have found limitations for sure with the worn out Factory LSD not doing its job. For the most part, it doesn't give me any grief, but I'd like to eventually throw a TJM Pro Locker in to the old girl.
@@OzTrax4X4 Thanks for the reply and good to know :) I’m very new to the game and have a stock 99 GXL Prado. Basically still trying to understand what the main differences are re the centre diff system as opposed to rear locker, and what is possible with the stock 90 series Prado system. By the look of your other vids, a lot! I’ll have a good watch of them 🍻
@@leftylinky8826 More than happy to explain that one for you. The 90 series Prado is full-time 4WD, so the front and rear diffs are constantly being driven, no matter what. When you engage 4WD is when the fun part happens. When you engage 4H or 4L, the centre diff in the transfer case locks the front and rear driveshafts together, thus delivering an equal torque split to all four wheels, but each set of axles are still acting like an unlocked differential. A locker locks the rear wheels together (or front wheels if you have a front locker) delivering equal drive to both wheels (good for the tracks where you are dropping wheels in holes or lifting wheels to keep on driving). So with a front and rear locker engaged and the vehicle in 4L, you will be driving all wheels at the same speed, at the same time. Only reason I wouldn't install a front locker is you can blow your CV joints if you happen to get the wheels spinning up in the air and then it suddenly stops when it hits the ground. Hope that gives you a little insight into how out vehicles 4WD system works.
There are a few reasons. Price was a big deciding factor for me. Buy price was a good 5-6k above what I paid for mine and the majority of diesel ones were up there in price, even more so now for someone wanting to 4WD on a budget. Servicing costs was the other thing. Servicing a diesel every 5k gets expensive, parts are also expensive for the diesel engines too if something goes wrong. I'll add this one to my Q&A I'll be doing in a few weeks.
Hey mate. They were 285/75/16's on 16x8 0 offset wheels, which is the only decent way to fit them without too much modification to the body seam. With the SPC upper arms, you could get the wheels forward a little but lower arm mods would be beneficial for it to have the correct steering geometry.
I completely missed replying to that part of your comment 😬 While I think 35s are excessive for a narrow body 4WD, and will definitely strain your whole drivline due to rotational mass, not to mention make it a rollover risk due to the height, the only real way you're going to get a spare wheel of that size to fit is with an aftermarket rear bar with integrated wheel carrier. On 285s, I spaced the factory bracket out 10mm to clear the tail light when the rear door was open, but with a 35, you'd need to offset it. The issue with that is a 35 being so heavy will destroy the rear door hinge pins and potentially bend the rear door spare wheel bracing, that's why I suggest a rear bar with integrated carrier.
@@OzTrax4X4 I seen that in the video, bad times, I have a 90, almost bought a 80 series, what do you prefer? Fuel is so expensive here in the uk, that is why i went for the 90
While the 90 is more nimble, the 80 is more robust and bushproof and actually better on fuel. As to which I prefer, a video will be coming for that one at some point. I haven't had enough seat time in the 80 to make the comparison just yet.
Can't say I do. Had a quick look and I believe that would be an aftermarket one as everything just has the Toyota logo. Where you would find it, I'm not sure, maybe it's a Chinese manufactured one. I don't own a Prado anymore, but maybe check AliExpress out or some place like that. 🤠
Hi Mick did you have diff drop for your 90 series i was thinking of getting and putting on my 90 series do they make them for the 90 series i know they got them for 120 series?
I was running custom built ones by SBH Engineering. There is a video in my 90 series mods playlist of the build. Since they didnt survive the rollover, nor did the 90 series, i didnt bother buying it back and am building an 80 series now instead. Will be more 90 series content coming this year though. 👌
Thanks mate, appreciate the feedback. They are bolt in. The issue will be getting the old ones out due to age. But a pipe wrench and you should be sweet.
No I don't. 😉 I'll be doing a video shortly that is in depth on what you will need to do to have no issues. I just took it for a full off-road test the past two days and it performed flawlessly.
That depends on what size tyres I'm running. With the fact size tyres in all terrains, I return 14.4L/100km. With the 33s that's up around 18-19L/100kms. I'm looking into regearing the diffs to suit the 33s which will bring that back down to around 15L/100kms at a guess.
Hey Rockie Awnings come with right angle brackets that go between the gutter mount and the flat plate. Sandwich that bracket between the flat rack and gutter mount using the original bolts that secure the mount to the rack and adjust the height of the foot to compensate for the bracket spacing it down a little. You may need to space out the remaining bolts for that same mount as the bracket is only half the width of the mount.
At full flex and full lock it didn't scrub, but I had the custom suspension in it at that point. Unfortunately she is no longer so I can't go and make another video to explain it. The magic is in the small details. The extended bump stops eliminated the scrubbing at full flex and impacting of the upper control arms into the upper area of the inner wheel arch. But, I am working on another option that won't require the extensive modifications of a full custom suspension setup or having to use SPC upper control arms. 🤙
@@OzTrax4X4 that’s wicked thanks mate! I’m tossing up between 33 or 32inch (285 or 265/75) as it’s mostly going to be a touring/daily vehicle so probably don’t need anything too serious
@@maxellis9908 well, my current plans should allow you to keep your mudflaps too. Just have to see if my proof of concept works out or not hopefully in the next week or so that will go on the test vehicle and my 33s will go on to test clearances etc, so stay tuned. 🤠
@@OzTrax4X4 sounds like a plan mate! I did read another comment about you losing a bit of torque, would that be due to the 33s? Mines a 1KZTE so would be even less power 😂
Yes I lost torque with the 33s due to being a V6 Petrol. The diesels make their torque down low, so I think you might actually be okay, it will just be a little slower. I've gone from 31s to 33s on my 80 series and it's a little slower but haven't noticed much of a decrease in fuel consumption. I always suggested regearing the diffs on the Prado, in the case of a V6, but can't suggest that with the 1KZ-TE, just because I don't know how it will exactly respond. It would probably be a good idea to do that eventually with the 33s to get the engine operating back in its optimal range and be efficient.
@@ghulamhaider6640 honestly, I wouldn't go past 265/75/16s. No real benefit as it's a narrow body 4WD and just makes it more prone be being unstable and potentially tipping over, not to mention, you lose torque the bigger you go with the tyres. I don't have the 90 series anymore and now have an 80 series which is a much more stable vehicle due to having a wider body and track width.
@@sergiosteliomaque1362 Levei muito tempo para deixar o meu em excelente estado. Não está mais por perto, pois quase fui morto nele há quase um ano. Agora tenho um Toyota Landcruiser 80 series diesel.
