ARB Deluxe Bar - Suspension Upgrade Required?

[inciteimages Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close inciteimages]

OK, I think I have this forum thingy sorted? Hope So!

I am new to this forum however have perused threads for the past hour and now have my mind filled with a load of info, and a load of questions... so here goes. If there are existing threads answering my questions, please just tell me to go and check them out.

Here's the deal...

I am new to the world of Prado's and have just picked up an 05 Petrol Grande ... love it so far... but that is basically from the sellers house to my place. Fact is I've spent plenty of time seriously offroad - but mostly with experienced 4x4 crew when photographing for 4x4 magazines etc... Additionally I've crossed the Simpson adventure touring on my motorbike etc so have come across enough 4x4's on the back or trucks or in the birdsville garage to know that preventative measures are a lot cheaper than a huge towing and repair bill. BUT I do not claim at all to be an expert - actually probably the opposite. I have been lucky to see what some of todays 4x4's are capable of whilst basically being a bit of a 4x4-gumby myself.

I simply state the above so you know that when I discuss taking the Prado offroad - I do not mean some well groomed gravel firetrail in a National Park... although I am sure there will be plenty of that. When I discuss 'offroad' I mean 'real offroad', not the Mosman-mum version.

The reality is my Prado will spend 80% of its life on black-stuff, probably around the city (yeah a few of you will hate that comment, but it's reality!) but when I need to get onto the slippery, rocky, sandy, dusty stuff.... usually it is very, very slippery, rocky, sandy and dusty.

Anyway-enough of all that. My first questions in the world of Prodopoint are on fairly simple and well covered topics but I need some more details... so here goes:

1. I am looking to install an ARB deluxe bar (+Warn Winch) in the near future. That's a load of extra weight on the front but my ARB dealer reckons the suspension will handle it fine. Was he just trying to make a sale or telling the truth... my limited knowledge suggests maybe a suspension/spring upgrade would be required to retain on-road comfort and reasonable driving performance- anyone out there able to clarify this for me

2. One of my constant concerns is under car damage. I am no bloody mechanic and so would rather prevent a big nasty bit of sandstone smashing my sump, diff, cooling system, steering... whatever to pieces. so how is the Prado as standard for underbody protection? Are there further skid-plates etc that I should be considering.

3. I understand the rear suspension airbag issue of the Grande so 'where are we at' with correcting the 'popping out' problem these days. What is the best upgrade availabe (I've read a thread on this but is there a widely acknowledged - 'best fix')

4. Tyre upgrade will soon be necessary. Looking at Bridgestone D695 or BFG LT 265/70/17 (does the spare hard cover fit BFG - I presume not? Are the dog-bone spacers for the spare only necessary for the 275's 285's etc

OK...I think thats it for now.

Any feedback would be appreciated,

Thanks,

Watto

[Chuck Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chuck]

Re: ARB Deluxe Bar - Suspension Upgrade Required?

1 Yes with a winch and ARB bar I would be upgrading the suspension just to get your clearance back.
2 Brown and Davis make a skid pate for the 120 as do TJM.
3 Not sure try Autocraft they probably have a solution.
4 BFG 265/75 don't fit the hard wheel cover but I think I read somewhere that the BFG 265/65 do fit, spacers are required for 265/75 or they will rub the paint work.


Chuck.....

[Guest Close Guest]

Re: ARB Deluxe Bar - Suspension Upgrade Required?

1 Yes suspension upgrade is required. Side effect is that you can get a bit of lift from it as well. ARB says that the original suspension is good enough because they don't have a suspension kit for the grande.

2 The original bashplate is not too bad but upgrade if you do really rough stuff.

3 Autocraft has a bag strap kit and they are the best mob to go with when upgrading the Grande's suspension.

4 Spacers are a must if you deviate from 265/65 to 275/65 or 265/70 tyres. You can make your own or I am currently organising the next lot of spacers.
viewtopic.php?f=18&t=1571&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=240 #p114705

[Hutch Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hutch]

Re: ARB Deluxe Bar - Suspension Upgrade Required?

Just a thought, if you are new to the 4wdriving scene, then you probably wouldn't be going to hardcore offroad, then why are u fitting a winch?? for the price of a winch you can upgrade the whole suspension?? food for thought.

[inciteimages Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close inciteimages]

Re: ARB Deluxe Bar - Suspension Upgrade Required?

Hi Hutch, thanks for your thoughts.

You are right... most newbies wouldn't go seriously offroad and most of the time I won't... however as an adventure photographer I sometimes find myself on a lone track with nobody else present trying to get somewhere I need to get to take happy-snaps... and if there's a sandpit, sand dune, mudhole, steep loose rock climb or river in the way, I'd like to know that if I do 'stuff it up' then I have a way out as I am usually well out of mobile reception and a long way from anywhere and without convoy support.

I definitely have no illusions of being a 4x4 guru but that's why i need the backup of a winch... just in case I push a little further than my capabilities. I am definitely not talking about rock-crawling but I reckon I might run just a tad further than your average newbie as I've worked for the 4x4 mags and outdoor adventure mags and played in some very capable vehicles in the Abu Dhabi desert, Bolivian Andes and across Australia, so probably have a false sense of security when it comes to 4x4 capabilities... I might one-day just take a step too far and need a winch to get me out.

Additionally I expect I will consider the bullbar and winch in the future anyway and so suspect it is better to fit a suspension upgrade post installation of these accessories

But I do hugely appreciate you feedback so keep it coming and I hope to meet you out there someday... I'll possibly be winching myself out of a mudpit.

cheers.

[inciteimages Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close inciteimages]

Re: ARB Deluxe Bar - Suspension Upgrade Required?

Just a thanks to amts, chuck and hutch,

All your feedback is bloody great.

Have installed BFG LT265/70/R17 All-Terrains.

Any of you heard of the parking sensors going haywire after installation of these guys (obviously the spare is now being picked up by the sensor)... anybody know of a quick fix (presume I probably need to disengage one of the four rear parking sensors)

[Guest Close Guest]

Re: ARB Deluxe Bar - Suspension Upgrade Required?

Regarding the rear parking sensors, I have no idea. I know that they do get interference with a large tow ball. Have you got a Hayman Reese hitch or bike carrier? Are you sure it's because of the new tyres?

I don't have reverse sensors on mine. I've got a camera instead. A friend recently backed out of my driveway in the dark and hit my opposite neighbour's car. She was relying on the reverse sensors and at that time, it didn't work. Having a reverse camera is good for 4WDriving anyway, so I'm happy that the previous owner installed the camera.

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Re: ARB Deluxe Bar - Suspension Upgrade Required?

Thanks for feedback on parking sensors,

The vehicle came with standard towbar and ball... but no Hayman Reese or bike carrier, and there hasn't been a problem with sensors until now

It is only since I have the new 265/70 tyres that the sensors are playing up so that i presume these are the issue.

I'll wait to see if anybody has disengaged a sole-sensor or not or has a fix,

cheers

[chester Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close chester]

Re: ARB Deluxe Bar - Suspension Upgrade Required?

You can just pull out the sensor and cut the ground wire the rest should still work. An alternative is to pull it out and pack some blu tack or other on one side which may just slightly change the angle enough to clear the tyre.

As for a winch if you are not going to use it and service it on a regular basis forget it as it is a 30kg lump of metal on the front of the car that when you do need it wont work if been neglegted. For infrequent use a shovel and hi lift jack or a couple of max trax and a bit of elbow grease will achieve the same result

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

Re: ARB Deluxe Bar - Suspension Upgrade Required?

As for a winch if you are not going to use it and service it on a regular basis forget it as it is a 30kg lump of metal on the front of the car that when you do need it wont work if been neglegted. For infrequent use a shovel and hi lift jack or a couple of max trax and a bit of elbow grease will achieve the same result

Sounds like Chester has winch envy :lol:

Seriously, a winch isn't a magic device that will recover you from anything. I have recovered a few weekend cowboys chassis deep in mud with burnt out winches. You need to get some experience and understand the capabilities of your gear before you get stuck. Just thought I'd point that out.

[chester Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close chester]

Re: ARB Deluxe Bar - Suspension Upgrade Required?

As for a winch if you are not going to use it and service it on a regular basis forget it as it is a 30kg lump of metal on the front of the car that when you do need it wont work if been neglegted. For infrequent use a shovel and hi lift jack or a couple of max trax and a bit of elbow grease will achieve the same result

Sounds like Chester has winch envy :lol:

Seriously, a winch isn't a magic device that will recover you from anything. I have recovered a few weekend cowboys chassis deep in mud with burnt out winches. You need to get some experience and understand the capabilities of your gear before you get stuck. Just thought I'd point that out.

Nah not envy i have had them on work vehicles that were never looked after and when i went to use them on 2 occasions guess what no work and gearbox etc full of mud

[pjorek Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close pjorek]

Re: ARB Deluxe Bar - Suspension Upgrade Required?

Nah not envy i have had them on work vehicles that were never looked after and when i went to use them on 2 occasions guess what no work and gearbox etc full of mud

and that's why i'd prefer to use a hand winch...will do the job most of the time