This Mumma also has a - checks notes - "proper Adventure-Rig for Dads" (2022 VX with allll the fruit) and I love it! Thanks for the great vid for the Mums and Dads alike.
I can highly recommend the KAON rear shelf that hangs from 3rd row seat grab handles. It takes HEAPS of stuff. All that gear in your door pocket and rear table caddy would go up into it.
For the 250 I would definitely recommend a secondary fuel filter system, absolutely worth the cost and will save your engine from water or bad fuel. 250 will be awesome to own.
I bought and built up ('accessorised') my '22 VX based on a gazillion UA-cam videos (including videos from Ronny Dahl's and Harry Fisher's 'Fire-to-Fork' channels) that I had watched prior to my purchase and now that I'm all but done with my build, I have to say I think I got pretty close to everything as a package meeting my expectations. Last time I dared to look, the total cost of all the accessories I had installed is around the $50K mark which is bloody scary but hey, I've worked hard all my life too. My end game was always specifically setting my Prado up for touring and towing a hybrid caravan (to 'one day' travel the country with my family) rather than for doing any '4 wheeling' in it so first up, I ensured I installed a pre-rego 3.5T GVM upgrade (2" lift Dobinsons suspension with airbags) when I first got it. Whilst I ended up with a similar'ish setup as your rig (got a bunch of Kaon gear but steered well clear of the underbody protection - additional weight), I purposely avoided the dual battery issue by using a portable power station (Bluetti AC200Max + 800W portable solar panels) for all my camping needs but it also doubles as an overnight power source for my kitchen fridge (fully charges by day using my 10.5kW home solar) so I effectively have the thing running 24/7 and it works great!! The thing I really need to get onto is to have my entire setup (tow rig and caravan) professionally weighed when fully loaded which could be a little scary but I did have minimising my weights in mind throughout my build. Anyhow as a new subscriber, I look forward to seeing more of your videos
Very informative video. Subscribed to your channel. I have a 2018 GXL upgraded to leather trimmed seats. They are almost the same as Kakadu or VX. Worthy upgrade.
Same ~ GXL with the kit, got the 17s but missed out on some of the nice safety stuff from the VX; to late now. Agree Kaon stuff is very high quality, great service too.
Thanks for the valuable information. I'm spot on your target audience with the same model land cruiser. Got mine without all the bells and whistles. Not even seat heaters unfortunately.
thanks mate. I was initially sceptical of the Rola platform racks as they're an "assemble yourself" option, but that's actually a strength as I Loctite'd all the screws and replaced their hardware with 316 grade washers and bolts. You won't be disappointed.
I'd be a little bit suss on that UHF handpiece location if the side airbag goes off. From memory there's a section in the user manual. Otherwise nice job from another Prado dad.
i find it interesting that you hated the front shocks of the kakadu. lessions learnt I suppose. I know a fella that went from a GXL to Kakadu and couldnt be happier. Each to their own
yea I found the adjustability wholly ineffective. Actually had the stealership check to see if the adjustable shocks were working. All I can say is the Dobinsons were a massive upgrade! Highly recommended for all models.
hey @@Wednesdayat11 yea i'm aware of that. my 2nd car at the time was a GolfR, with proper electromagnetic fluid adjustable dampers. I've owned a couple of M-cars also and they too had this system. The prado system is a simple electric motor on top of the shock that winds down/up a bolt that adjusts the stiffness of the shocks. Comparatively speaking it was a poor attempt and barely noticeable. Plus, one more thing to go wrong. The Dobinsons were a set and forget adjustable shock that massively improved the ride of my car (along with the 40mm lift)
Hi great video. Re your DCS aux battery. What battery surround have you used? Do you think it helps keep the heat away from the battery? Does it seal against the bonnett? Cheers. Robin
Hi - I used a regular stainless steel tray supplied by ORE (off road equipment) hard mounted to the inner fender from memory.. Isn’t heat shielded (much) and definitely doesn’t seal to the bonnet. Not required. The DCS batteries are bullet proof as evidenced by their weight- heavier than what you’d expect for a 75Ah lithium.
Hi Brian great video mate could you please give me some info about suspension on your Kakadu. I Just bought mine wanting to do a suspension upgrade but no one wants to touch it. Also I am from WA. Will be great if you can point in right direction. Thanks
Have a chat with Ian and the boys over at City Discount tyres in Joondalup. They’re in close collaboration with Malaga suspension and they can definitely handle a Kakadu
hi mate and thank you. In my mind there are only 3 reasons why someone would consider a suspension upgrade: 1: they need a GVM upgrade; 2: they need to compensate for a bullbar/winch weight and 3: they need more clearance. They could have a combination of all 3 of course. In my experience, I installed a bullbar and winch, and wanted a tad more clearance for offroading (which I do less than 5% of the time). So.... with my next 4WD, unless I install a bullbar (50/50 at this stage) and winch, it is hard to justify the cost of a suspension upgrade when I do little offroading (as a percentage). If you use a spotter, choose a better line, and build up the track you should get away with factory height when offroading - unless you're doing insanely technical tracks. After I upgraded my suspension (noting that I have the Kakadu model with KDSS and factory airbags at the back), the car just wouldn't align properly. Drove me mad... The engineers at Toyota etc. are pretty smart, way smarter than me. Any mod you make is a compromise.
Good morning here for Texas, I am reaching out to get a question answer. I own a 2023 Gx 460 and will want to go over landing, I don’t like the over built and extra heavy vehicles here. I love the rear door with the tire carrier will that fit my Gx 460 here?do you know where can I order one ? Thank you! Love your channel
Hi Hector and thanks for your nice comments. I found this which seems retrofittable for your situation www.jwoffroad.com/products/lexus-gx460-tire-carrier-1
@@Boz_TOYS4DAD thank you, seen it before but I wanted to see if I can fit the prado door instead. Love your build. I am starting my built to mimic more the way the overlander are build in Australia. Here in the states everyone over kills their vehicle and don’t let the natural capabilities of the vehicle shine. Love the content and will be following for inspiration.
@@operation4wheelz Really? Based on what evidence? Are you saying that the heat and vibration in engine-bays are OK for general purpose lithium batteries? I am not the expert on lithium batteries, but maybe you are. What I am the father of 2 military sons, 1 a former US marine and the second training to be an officer in the Australian Army. Military get both the best and the worst of equipment and technology. What I know is that you can't generalise..
@@Boz_TOYS4DAD all decent lithium batteries can handle some under bonnet heat. But it will always affect its longevity. Yes it’s generalisation, but I’m allowed to have sense of humour. Especially if I’ve experienced it first hand.
This Mumma also has a - checks notes - "proper Adventure-Rig for Dads" (2022 VX with allll the fruit) and I love it! Thanks for the great vid for the Mums and Dads alike.
good on ya Mum! hope you get yours dirty too!
I can highly recommend the KAON rear shelf that hangs from 3rd row seat grab handles. It takes HEAPS of stuff. All that gear in your door pocket and rear table caddy would go up into it.
I agree. I had the rear shelf plus the cargo barrier but sold them both. Found the barrier more restrictive than useful but I do miss the top shelf.
Thank you for your honest & concise run down on your build. Very informative, and for a beginner, it's a great starting point for referencing.
You're very welcome!
For the 250 I would definitely recommend a secondary fuel filter system, absolutely worth the cost and will save your engine from water or bad fuel. 250 will be awesome to own.
I bought and built up ('accessorised') my '22 VX based on a gazillion UA-cam videos (including videos from Ronny Dahl's and Harry Fisher's 'Fire-to-Fork' channels) that I had watched prior to my purchase and now that I'm all but done with my build, I have to say I think I got pretty close to everything as a package meeting my expectations. Last time I dared to look, the total cost of all the accessories I had installed is around the $50K mark which is bloody scary but hey, I've worked hard all my life too.
My end game was always specifically setting my Prado up for touring and towing a hybrid caravan (to 'one day' travel the country with my family) rather than for doing any '4 wheeling' in it so first up, I ensured I installed a pre-rego 3.5T GVM upgrade (2" lift Dobinsons suspension with airbags) when I first got it.
Whilst I ended up with a similar'ish setup as your rig (got a bunch of Kaon gear but steered well clear of the underbody protection - additional weight), I purposely avoided the dual battery issue by using a portable power station (Bluetti AC200Max + 800W portable solar panels) for all my camping needs but it also doubles as an overnight power source for my kitchen fridge (fully charges by day using my 10.5kW home solar) so I effectively have the thing running 24/7 and it works great!!
The thing I really need to get onto is to have my entire setup (tow rig and caravan) professionally weighed when fully loaded which could be a little scary but I did have minimising my weights in mind throughout my build.
Anyhow as a new subscriber, I look forward to seeing more of your videos
g'day Rich. sounds like you've got yourself one helluva rig. if you're in WA hope to see you on the tracks at some point! cheers, Boz
Top video mate, if only all of the stuff on youtube was as honest as this instead of thinly disguised sales pitches. Well done sir.
Great video and sensible recommendations. Thanks for sharing.
Very informative video. Subscribed to your channel. I have a 2018 GXL upgraded to leather trimmed seats. They are almost the same as Kakadu or VX. Worthy upgrade.
Same ~ GXL with the kit, got the 17s but missed out on some of the nice safety stuff from the VX; to late now.
Agree Kaon stuff is very high quality, great service too.
Thanks for the valuable information. I'm spot on your target audience with the same model land cruiser. Got mine without all the bells and whistles. Not even seat heaters unfortunately.
Glad it helped
Great video. Subscribed. Thanks for sharing the mistakes as well as the hits.
Great vid mate. I am thinking to add rola racks as my first mod and thats how i got here. Good stuff!!
thanks mate. I was initially sceptical of the Rola platform racks as they're an "assemble yourself" option, but that's actually a strength as I Loctite'd all the screws and replaced their hardware with 316 grade washers and bolts. You won't be disappointed.
Thanks. Appreciate the rundown. I just got my 2023 Prado GXL and am yet to modify it in any way, so is good to see what works in the real world.
Glad you got something out of it!
Hi Brian, nice vid. Love how honest you are mate 🤙🏽🤙🏽
Thanks 👍
Great vid mate, thanks for that. We are just about to start on our 23 VX. Tanks for your honest comments.
No problem 👍
I'd be a little bit suss on that UHF handpiece location if the side airbag goes off. From memory there's a section in the user manual. Otherwise nice job from another Prado dad.
yeah I get that a lot. I checked with the stealership and they assured me that the way the airbag deploys there will not be any issue/interference.
Good vid mate and a well set up 4x4👍
Glad you enjoyed
Nice video mate 👍
Thanks 👍 please like and subscribe!
i find it interesting that you hated the front shocks of the kakadu. lessions learnt I suppose. I know a fella that went from a GXL to Kakadu and couldnt be happier. Each to their own
yea I found the adjustability wholly ineffective. Actually had the stealership check to see if the adjustable shocks were working. All I can say is the Dobinsons were a massive upgrade! Highly recommended for all models.
@@Boz_TOYS4DAD what was bothering you about the adjustbility? They don't vary in height as much as stiffen and soften rebound.
hey @@Wednesdayat11 yea i'm aware of that. my 2nd car at the time was a GolfR, with proper electromagnetic fluid adjustable dampers. I've owned a couple of M-cars also and they too had this system. The prado system is a simple electric motor on top of the shock that winds down/up a bolt that adjusts the stiffness of the shocks. Comparatively speaking it was a poor attempt and barely noticeable. Plus, one more thing to go wrong. The Dobinsons were a set and forget adjustable shock that massively improved the ride of my car (along with the 40mm lift)
Hi great video. Re your DCS aux battery. What battery surround have you used? Do you think it helps keep the heat away from the battery? Does it seal against the bonnett? Cheers. Robin
Hi - I used a regular stainless steel tray supplied by ORE (off road equipment) hard mounted to the inner fender from memory.. Isn’t heat shielded (much) and definitely doesn’t seal to the bonnet. Not required. The DCS batteries are bullet proof as evidenced by their weight- heavier than what you’d expect for a 75Ah lithium.
Great video and tips thanks
Thanks for watching!
Hi Brian great video mate could you please give me some info about suspension on your Kakadu. I Just bought mine wanting to do a suspension upgrade but no one wants to touch it. Also I am from WA. Will be great if you can point in right direction. Thanks
Have a chat with Ian and the boys over at City Discount tyres in Joondalup. They’re in close collaboration with Malaga suspension and they can definitely handle a Kakadu
Who or how did you black out your chrome on the front , thanks mate. 👍
Easy .. can of Plasti-dip
Hi Brian, great video mate. Could you give some info on your suspension upgrade and why you won't suggest doing this upgrade.
hi mate and thank you. In my mind there are only 3 reasons why someone would consider a suspension upgrade: 1: they need a GVM upgrade; 2: they need to compensate for a bullbar/winch weight and 3: they need more clearance. They could have a combination of all 3 of course. In my experience, I installed a bullbar and winch, and wanted a tad more clearance for offroading (which I do less than 5% of the time). So.... with my next 4WD, unless I install a bullbar (50/50 at this stage) and winch, it is hard to justify the cost of a suspension upgrade when I do little offroading (as a percentage). If you use a spotter, choose a better line, and build up the track you should get away with factory height when offroading - unless you're doing insanely technical tracks. After I upgraded my suspension (noting that I have the Kakadu model with KDSS and factory airbags at the back), the car just wouldn't align properly. Drove me mad... The engineers at Toyota etc. are pretty smart, way smarter than me. Any mod you make is a compromise.
Good morning here for Texas, I am reaching out to get a question answer. I own a 2023 Gx 460 and will want to go over landing, I don’t like the over built and extra heavy vehicles here. I love the rear door with the tire carrier will that fit my Gx 460 here?do you know where can I order one ? Thank you! Love your channel
Hi Hector and thanks for your nice comments. I found this which seems retrofittable for your situation www.jwoffroad.com/products/lexus-gx460-tire-carrier-1
@@Boz_TOYS4DAD thank you, seen it before but I wanted to see if I can fit the prado door instead. Love your build. I am starting my built to mimic more the way the overlander are build in Australia. Here in the states everyone over kills their vehicle and don’t let the natural capabilities of the vehicle shine. Love the content and will be following for inspiration.
I love the black grill and trim. Where did you get them or who makes them?
That’s just a can of black Plasti-dip, a little painters masking tape, and 45 minutes work.. easy peasy!!
“Military spec” … lol
@@operation4wheelz DCS battery passes MIL vibration tests refer www.deepcyclesystems.com.au/dcs-battery-tech/
@@Boz_TOYS4DAD any decent prismatic battery lithium battery should be fine. What’s funny is that people think the military issues top quality gear.
@@operation4wheelz Really? Based on what evidence? Are you saying that the heat and vibration in engine-bays are OK for general purpose lithium batteries? I am not the expert on lithium batteries, but maybe you are. What I am the father of 2 military sons, 1 a former US marine and the second training to be an officer in the Australian Army. Military get both the best and the worst of equipment and technology. What I know is that you can't generalise..
@@Boz_TOYS4DAD all decent lithium batteries can handle some under bonnet heat. But it will always affect its longevity. Yes it’s generalisation, but I’m allowed to have sense of humour. Especially if I’ve experienced it first hand.