GRVIT

Hi all.
New here.I search around but I didnt find any sas project or even info about doing a sas to a LC Prado.And I m talking about this one for example

The story is that I need a family truck for both DD use and off road game and trips.I would like to get an 80 LC but they seem to be too rare over here.
On the other hand there are many Prados' here (but not near where I live) but I dont like the IFS set up.Been there,broke it many times.I did a sas to my Sidekick but now I need a bigger toy.
I searched the net about similar projects (for the Prado ) but didnt find something useful (except one case in South Africa) and I wonder why....
Its not a good base for a sas? The outcome is not worth the cost of the swap?
I m not familiar with LCs,so I need some info.I searched and found some info but it cant beat the experience that some of you have.
The first questions that come to my mind are the following:

1-Is the t-case of Prado the same with another LC like 80 for example?

2-Are there available t-case reduction gears in the market?

3-Anyone knows the front-rear track width (96-98 model) ?
I m thinking of keeping the rear axle and put the FJ62 front axle on the front end or at worse,replace both of them with the 62s.(I have a pair in my warehouse)
I know that its narrower than the 80.

4-stock ring /pinion ratio ? After market options? Diffs same as other Toys?

5-Is it considered to share parts like frame,front IFS with another Toy model like 4runner for example?

6-On which side are Front and rear diff pumpkins,i.e driver's? passenger's side ?(I know that 60s,80s are both offset to passengers side)
couldnt find just a photo from beneath to see what is the set up....

7-Frame rails are at same width from front to end? or they get narrower on the front end ?

8-Axle strength? will it be ok with 33s?

Have in mind that the sas set up I m thinking about is coils-3 link with panhard,or at least the other ,less flexy set up,2 lower trailing arms with double mounts each one on the axle,and the panhard,that is like the FJ80 set up.

If you could give me some info -advise or relative links would be very helpful.

Thanks

p.s:if a similar thread already exists somewhere in here,you can delete this new thread but give me the links first

86Toyrunna

dang man, wish i could be more help but i dont know anything about the parado. im not sure you will get alot of feedback for them on here either.. most of us on here are in the us or canada. we dont have the parado over here (canada maybe, im really unsure ). sorry but with out ever seeing on in person i couldnt tell ya much about them. BUT if you do decide to do a sas to one.. please do a write up of it on here, i know id love to see it and im sure MANY MANY others would be interested also.

GRVIT

Now I get it .....
I did read that it was distributed in America,but I didnt noticed the word "Latin" in front of America......
Thats why there is so little info about it in your forums.

.I was looking for a bolt on kit in order to avoid custom suspension fabrication.The funny thing is that I have all the necessary parts in my hand cause I was ready to re-do a sas on my Sidekick using FJ62 axles.I have hi steer,OME leafs,shock mounts (uppers-towers F150-lowers),shackels,bump stops,spring hangers,tie rods,3" anti wrap bracket,creeper joints,e.t.c,e.t.c.....but I decided to sell the zuk since my family got bigger recently and get a big truck and modify it ......a bit

So,I can do the SAS,but its always useful to check what others did on a truck that you dont know well.For example,even knowing spring rates would be useful in order not to get 2-3 pairs.In this case I can assume that I ll need half the spring rate of the ifs springs plus 10-15% ,since from my experience,sas coils are aprox.half the rate the IFS coils have due to the different set up.
I have to thing twice about this now,since it will be a family truck and it should not be too flexy or too lifted....
I dont know...I might get the repair manual for the Prado to see if I can get some more detailed info about it and see what my chances would be for a sas.
I dont know if it helps,but I found out that the Prado was distributed in North America as Lexus GX-470.
This one




almost identical body panels with the Prado ,but the GX470 came with a V8 while the Prado was more common with the 3.4L V6.
I also found this about the 4runner 96-2002.
"This similarity largely ended with its looks. It carried over the basic design and concept, but executed it differently with an all-new body shell on an all-new chassis. This time, it shared virtually nothing with the pickup it had originally evolved from, and had more in common with the Land Cruiser, as it shared its chassis with that of the Land Cruiser Prado."

So ,a 1996-98 Prado has the same frame with the 4runner.I dont know if this helps you somehow to give me more info.4runners frame rails are of same width front to end or the get narrower on the front?


Thanks anyway

aviator

Hey GRVIT we don't get the Prado here in NA at all unless you bring it in yourself as a gray market import. We used to have the Lexus470 version but I have'nt seen them in the dealers in years.
You might find some info on the conversion on the british forum www.hiluxsurf.uk.co try also www.roughtrax4x4.com a british off road store that also has a fab shop they do conversion work I think.
Hope this helps and welcome to the family...
don't forget to check out drfakoo's threads his spanish company FatMouse Offroad has some wild bumper designs to consider that meet euro spec. requirements.

GRVIT

I ll check the links you gave me and I hope I ll find something useful.
thank you very much.

86Toyrunna

ah ha i knew the parado looked suprisingly familar, theres lady who lives down the street from me with a lexus. i want to say that in a recent issue of 4wd toyota owner (a magazine we have over here, not sure if it is globaly distributed or not) they did a write up on a parado that was set up for more of an overland expedition rig down in austrailia. ill see if i can find that issue later tonite and see if it has any usefull info.

Blizzard

90 Series LC are identical to the 3rd Gen 4Runners and 120 Series LC are like 4th Gen/FJ Cruisers, so you'll need to use a Dana axle or change transfer case and use Toy axles.

Usually the VX models like the one you pictured (Wide body) have 4.30 diffs, the non-fender flared models use to have 4.10 (3.0TD).

David

hellfire

Prado's run the Toyota 4Runner/Pickup chassis and suspension/axle setup. Not too sure about the Engine/Box.. I'm sure they came out with a 3.4 V6 that is the same as in later Toyota trucks. I'm sure the SAS swap wouldn't be too different than whats been done to IFS 4Runners...

If you have enough time/money any conversion is possible.