Toyota Hilux LN106R

[boris mikilchuck]

Last weekend I gave my daughter a hand to install some Kings drawers (with 1 x fridge slide) to her work Hilux. She works for the emergency services so the build had to be specific, and strong. I always thought the Kings drawers were delivered in a flat pack, but ours came fully assembled, albeit the Allen screws and nuts were all loose, for a reason. From go to whoa it took us 2 hours, and a further 6 hours to cut and fit the skirts, tie them altogether and install marine carpet. Another 2 hours to fit all her work gear in, and voila, finished. The vehicle came with fitted rubber tray carpet, so we weren't allowed to drill any holes, which made things tricky, but utilising existing tie down points we were able to fit everything in, and when it comes to sell the vehicle on, about 1 hour is all that will be needed to remove the drawers and skirts, ready for the next vehicle. BTW, we used 19 mm Structaflor from a previous building project. Sorry if some of the pics are repeated. Old man syndrome.


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Hello Laingy,

Very nice . I wont ruin my upcoming build thread posts but I recently fitted my drawers and they are great. The Adventure Kings Titan drawers are very strong and well built, all round a high quality piece of kit. My only criticism is they are a bit shallow/small and the wing kit doesnt really stretch to the ends of my tub but other than that no complaints. I was also surprised that they came pre assembled, very easy. Your custom made wings look heaps better than my 4wd supacentre ones and the tub of your daughters hilux looks pretty good all round. Do you have any plans for a 12v dual battery setup with fridge etc?

 

[SFA hilux]

Hi Mate,

Thanks for following my build thread. YES, I have had this issue even since I have had my car, the steering on the LN106 is very temperamental and I have had a few little issues with mine mostly related to excessive play in the steering. My steering wheel has changed position whenever I have done any work on the steering. I was able to align the steering wheel a when I replaced the tie rod by turning the wheel straight and adjusting the tie rod length to suit before aligning the wheels. My old tie rod was bent which is what was causing the issue. The steering wheel is still about 10 degrees clockwise which isnt so bad so I just live with it . My drag link is straight and it does not touch my shocks or leaf spring but it is quite common for the front drag link end to break when steering is at full lock at the same time as the suspension is at full flex, I have had this happen a couple of times. The first time it broke I replaced the drag link with a new straight one and the second time I just rebuilt the ends using a rebuild kit. My suspension lift isnt high enough to justify getting a dropped drag link. My suspension is about as soft and flexxy as you can get which is great offroad but I cant carry much weight without it sagging.

Hope I could be of some help

Thanks Boris,

when you say You broke the front draglink end. Do you mean you broke the ball on the pitman arm? Or broke the cups?
And when you say at full flex do you mean the steering side leaf is fully compressed up towards the bump stop, or fully dropped down away from the bump stop? Because I have been toying with the idea of limiting the travel on the steering side, either by extended bump stop, or by a limiting strap on the shock.
And how do you adjust your draglink cups. Tighten all the way in then back off 1 1/3 as the Toyota manual says? That seems like a lot of play to me.
My springs are pretty soft too, when I first put the susp in I got the front springs a little heavier for the winch and Bulbar with the idea of taking a leaf out if I want. It made it so high though that I had to get a drop draglink. Now I’ve taken a leaf out I probably don’t need it any more though.
I’ve found it easiest to just pop the steering wheel off to align it. I didn’t think you can straighten the wheel with the tie rod adjustment. That only adjusts your toe in?
I’m more concerned about when I’ve been off-road and then my s wheel goes to a different position, meaning something in my steering set up has moved.
Sorry about all the questions, but I really appreciate your feed back. I can see from from your build thread you’ve got a bit of nous, and I don’t personally know many who own a solid axle Hilux.

 

[boris mikilchuck]

Thanks Boris,

when you say You broke the front draglink end. Do you mean you broke the ball on the pitman arm? Or broke the cups?
And when you say at full flex do you mean the steering side leaf is fully compressed up towards the bump stop, or fully dropped down away from the bump stop? Because I have been toying with the idea of limiting the travel on the steering side, either by extended bump stop, or by a limiting strap on the shock.
And how do you adjust your draglink cups. Tighten all the way in then back off 1 1/3 as the Toyota manual says? That seems like a lot of play to me.
My springs are pretty soft too, when I first put the susp in I got the front springs a little heavier for the winch and Bulbar with the idea of taking a leaf out if I want. It made it so high though that I had to get a drop draglink. Now I’ve taken a leaf out I probably don’t need it any more though.
I’ve found it easiest to just pop the steering wheel off to align it. I didn’t think you can straighten the wheel with the tie rod adjustment. That only adjusts your toe in?
I’m more concerned about when I’ve been off-road and then my s wheel goes to a different position, meaning something in my steering set up has moved.
Sorry about all the questions, but I really appreciate your feed back. I can see from from your build thread you’ve got a bit of nous, and I don’t personally know many who own a solid axle Hilux.

Thats fine mate, I am happy to help where I can. These hiluxes are pretty rare now and there is also a lot of misinformation on the internet about them unfortunately. Just keep in mind I am no expert, I am mostly self taught and everything I know is from helpful friends and trial and error. When I say I broke the draglink end I mean I broke the spring in the end of the pitman arm which keeps pressure on the cups. When I said full flex I meant the steering side leaf was fully compressed up towards the bump stop while the steering was at full lock at right hand down (my 2 inch lift isnt high enough for the shock length to be an issue). I tighten my drag link cups all the way before putting the pin through, I personally think you should tighten it up fully otherwise it will work its way loose over time. Its a bit concerning that your steering wheel is changing position after going 4WDing but if you have already replaced the J-arm then it can either be the drag link or tie rod. Its pretty rare of the steering boxes giving trouble and I cannot think of anything else it might be. Like I said I had this issue a couple of times and after replacing the tie rod, J-arm, drag link and rebuilding the drag link ends I have not had any problems. Mind you I am only running 32 inch muddies which dont put much strain on the steering, it is quite common for people who are running 35s or 37s to do a high steer conversion but I wouldnt reccomend that unless your into extreme comp truck stuff.

 

[SFA hilux]

Thats fine mate, I am happy to help where I can. These hiluxes are pretty rare now and there is also a lot of misinformation on the internet about them unfortunately. Just keep in mind I am no expert, I am mostly self taught and everything I know is from helpful friends and trial and error. When I say I broke the draglink end I mean I broke the spring in the end of the pitman arm which keeps pressure on the cups. When I said full flex I meant the steering side leaf was fully compressed up towards the bump stop while the steering was at full lock at right hand down (my 2 inch lift isnt high enough for the shock length to be an issue). I tighten my drag link cups all the way before putting the pin through, I personally think you should tighten it up fully otherwise it will work its way loose over time. Its a bit concerning that your steering wheel is changing position after going 4WDing but if you have already replaced the J-arm then it can either be the drag link or tie rod. Its pretty rare of the steering boxes giving trouble and I cannot think of anything else it might be. Like I said I had this issue a couple of times and after replacing the tie rod, J-arm, drag link and rebuilding the drag link ends I have not had any problems. Mind you I am only running 32 inch muddies which dont put much strain on the steering, it is quite common for people who are running 35s or 37s to do a high steer conversion but I wouldnt reccomend that unless your into extreme comp truck stuff.

Thanks for all that detail, it’s really helpful. Think I might get/make extended bump stops.
I only have 31” muds aswell, don’t plan on going any bigger, Hilux seem light enough to get away with a smallish tyre, and the diffs are so small you still have a bit of ground clearance. Wouldn’t mind going a bit bigger but just want to keep it all road legal.
I have an auto locker in the front same as you, (love it) but it probably puts a bit more pressure on the steering.

 

[boris mikilchuck]

Thanks for all that detail, it’s really helpful. Think I might get/make extended bump stops.
I only have 31” muds aswell, don’t plan on going any bigger, Hilux seem light enough to get away with a smallish tyre, and the diffs are so small you still have a bit of ground clearance. Wouldn’t mind going a bit bigger but just want to keep it all road legal.
I have an auto locker in the front same as you, (love it) but it probably puts a bit more pressure on the steering.

No problem mate hope you get it all sorted

 

[boris mikilchuck]

So quite a lot has happened lately, I have had a bit more time on my hands and had a chance to make some progress on touring mods plus actually doing some 4wding. Got myself some Titan rear drawers and wings plus 12 volt panel from 4WD supercentre. Very impressed with the quality of the drawers, the wings didn't really fit correctly which is to be expected as they are "universal" so a bit of cutting/modifying was required. Overall the installation was pretty straightforward.

 

[boris mikilchuck]

I know I am stating the obvious here but the drawers are a massive improvement and great mod, it makes such a difference to have somewhere to finally put stuff so its not all rattling around the car.

 

[boris mikilchuck]

It was great to get the brakes overhauled and the drawers fitted, now to test everything out Once the travel restrictions eased (to everyones relief) myself, Mitchmate, MrDPG and Luthy organised a trip to TJs 4WD park over the June long weekend. I have always thought that the 4WD park is a great idea and was keen to check out TJs. We left on Thursday to beat the rush and came back on the Monday. TJs is a great place and I would highly recommend paying them a visit, the property owners were very friendly and welcoming. The tracks were awesome, something for everyone with plenty of tough tracks and great campsites. The hilux went well, very happy with it

One hell of a weekend and one of the best 4WD trips I have ever done.

 

[boris mikilchuck]

Overall very happy with everything on the hilux except not having a canopy really takes its toll. The tracks at TJs were pretty dusty so heaps of dust got into the tub as the tonneau cover I have doesnt cover everything very well. When I got back home it rained so water got into the tub and mixed with the dust forming mud under the drawers. End result was that my clean drawers and tub were now filthy oh well live and learn, all part of the experience. Obviously keen to prevent this from happening again I started doing some research I found that canvas canopies dont really prevent dust from coming in the tub very well and with a few desert trips planned for next year I was having second thoughts.

Moral of the story is I have decided to go for a fibreglass canopy instead of canvas.

 

[typhoeus]

The average fibreglass canopy is not dustproof, thats for sure. The seals around the back lift up door never really seal, and the sliding windows let some in too.
Also, the ute tailgate doesnt have any rubber seals so heaps get in thru the gaps. You might be able to make something up for the tailgate if you are handy

 

[SFA hilux]

No problem mate hope you get it all sorted

Not sorted yet, This j arm has had 20 mins of low range since new, unlocked the hubs, got to maybe 40kms/hr and lost all steering and drove into a bank...

 

[boris mikilchuck]

The average fibreglass canopy is not dustproof, thats for sure. The seals around the back lift up door never really seal, and the sliding windows let some in too.
Also, the ute tailgate doesnt have any rubber seals so heaps get in thru the gaps. You might be able to make something up for the tailgate if you are handy

I agree, any canopy I buy will require modification. I will probably make up some additional foam seals to block up any gaps.

 

[boris mikilchuck]

Not sorted yet, This j arm has had 20 mins of low range since new, unlocked the hubs, got to maybe 40kms/hr and lost all steering and drove into a bank...

Very sorry it has taken so long for me to reply. I am very sorry to hear about that. As long as you are ok and the rest of the vehicle was not damaged I hope. I honestly have never heard of this happening before and I cannot think of any reason the J-arm would continuously break. It is quite common for them to break but its normally the j-arm itself and not the ball and as I said before this usually only happens when people run huge tyres (35 inch or larger). The only thing I can suggest is bending the end of the j-arm with the ball in it up, this should hopefully reduce some of the stress in it. The only sure fix for j-arm issues that I know of is a cross over steering conversion which is very expensive and timely. I am sorry I cant be of more help.

 

[SFA hilux]

Very sorry it has taken so long for me to reply. I am very sorry to hear about that. As long as you are ok and the rest of the vehicle was not damaged I hope. I honestly have never heard of this happening before and I cannot think of any reason the J-arm would continuously break. It is quite common for them to break but its normally the j-arm itself and not the ball and as I said before this usually only happens when people run huge tyres (35 inch or larger). The only thing I can suggest is bending the end of the j-arm with the ball in it up, this should hopefully reduce some of the stress in it. The only sure fix for j-arm issues that I know of is a cross over steering conversion which is very expensive and timely. I am sorry I cant be of more help.

That’s ok, sorry to bring my problems into this awesome write up! No damage, another 10kms faster and it probably would of tipped the ute over.
I think that j arm was faulty to pull Crack the weld and the ball out.
But after several phone calls and several mechanics looking over it and a lot of scratching my head I’ve found the issues and feel confident it’s fixed.
1 critical thing though that you may find interesting.
I swapped out my dropped draglink for a straight factory one. Had it connected to the J arm only. Jacked the ute from the body to have the suspension at full droop.
I tried the cup adjustment at various settings. Even at 1 full turn out it didn’t have enough movement to meet up with the pitman arm ball. I needed the factory spec 1 1/3 turns loose for it to freely flex up to the pitman arm. Much less and it was binding. Would be causing all the steering parts to flex instead of just the spring loaded cup and ball.
Hard to explain. Kind of need to do it yourself and the importance of the correct cup and ball adjustment become clear.
A slightly bent up J arm or I was thinking a slight bend in the draglink would help. I would be a bit worried about weakening those parts though.
Appreciate your help and experience!

 

[boris mikilchuck]

That’s ok, sorry to bring my problems into this awesome write up! No damage, another 10kms faster and it probably would of tipped the ute over.
I think that j arm was faulty to pull Crack the weld and the ball out.
But after several phone calls and several mechanics looking over it and a lot of scratching my head I’ve found the issues and feel confident it’s fixed.
1 critical thing though that you may find interesting.
I swapped out my dropped draglink for a straight factory one. Had it connected to the J arm only. Jacked the ute from the body to have the suspension at full droop.
I tried the cup adjustment at various settings. Even at 1 full turn out it didn’t have enough movement to meet up with the pitman arm ball. I needed the factory spec 1 1/3 turns loose for it to freely flex up to the pitman arm. Much less and it was binding. Would be causing all the steering parts to flex instead of just the spring loaded cup and ball.
Hard to explain. Kind of need to do it yourself and the importance of the correct cup and ball adjustment become clear.
A slightly bent up J arm or I was thinking a slight bend in the draglink would help. I would be a bit worried about weakening those parts though.
Appreciate your help and experience!

No need to apologise, thats what we are all here for on 4x4 earth to help each other out. Thank you for the information. I know that my steering gremlins will re-appear some day. I carry a spare j-arm and drag link wherever I go in case I break them which I think is likely with some of the 4wding I do and how I drive lol. I have had a pretty good look at what people have been saying on the facebook forums and j-arm issues are pretty common. There isnt really any easy fix that I know of except bending the j-arm like I said before. The only sure fix for these steering issues is a crossover steering conversion which is quite costly and a pretty big job to do it properly. It also requires and engineers certificate.

 

[boris mikilchuck]

Recently picked up this mint canopy that I found on gumtree. Mounting it was pretty simple except I had to cut off the cab protector which was a bit fiddly but with a bit of help got there in the end. The mounting brackets that the canopy came with were terrible so I made some of my own from some aluminium angle I had lying around and pop rivited it to the tub. I am confident the canopy isnt going anywhere.

 

[typhoeus]

Recently picked up this mint canopy that I found on gumtree. Mounting it was pretty simple except I had to cut off the cab protector which was a bit fiddly but with a bit of help got there in the end. The mounting brackets that the canopy came with were terrible so I made some of my own from some aluminium angle I had lying around and pop rivited it to the tub. I am confident the canopy isnt going anywhere.

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How did you seal between the tub and canopy to keep water and dust out?

 

[boris mikilchuck]

How did you seal between the tub and canopy to keep water and dust out?

The rear door of the canopy has a rubber seal which pulls up tightly against the tailgate and seals quite well. The front and side windows and doors also seal pretty well as far as I can tell. To seal around the tub I used some Selleys All-Clear co-polymer sealant and ran a bead of it along where the canopy meets the tub. I have hosed it with water and it has been out in the rain since then and not a drop of water has come into the canopy. I went for a drive out to Turondale over the weekend and no dust got inside the canopy either. Overall I am very happy with it, its like having a nice little sanctuary in the back.

 

[typhoeus]

The rear door of the canopy has a rubber seal which pulls up tightly against the tailgate and seals quite well. The front and side windows and doors also seal pretty well as far as I can tell. To seal around the tub I used some Selleys All-Clear co-polymer sealant and ran a bead of it along where the canopy meets the tub. I have hosed it with water and it has been out in the rain since then and not a drop of water has come into the canopy. I went for a drive out to Turondale over the weekend and no dust got inside the canopy either. Overall I am very happy with it, its like having a nice little sanctuary in the back.

Yes, i take mine off occasionally to carry bigger items, so i used a length of expansion joint foam rubber, ( as used in concrete driveways etc) The bolts which hold the canopy down screw into my ladder rack supports so i can pull it down tight. The tailgate is a problem area which isa bit harder to seal.

 

[boris mikilchuck]

Been continuing on with the touring mods and a few other bits and pieces. After the drawers and canopy were all finished with no other issues I decided to move onto the 12v side of things. I'm an electronics engineer by trade and overall pretty obsessive about anything electronic so this was always going to be my favorite part

First I had to actually connect up the stop light which came with the canopy which was just a matter of tapping into the factory stop lights. I had been thinking for a while about what kind of 12v system I really wanted.