Axl's MY17 LS-M daul cab D-Max

Axl

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Dec 23, 2014
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I've been wanting a D-Max for a while after seeing them in caravan parks on my travels and two weeks ago I brought a Venetian Red 2017 LS-M dual cab with a 2018 build date, I'm looking forward to adding the modifications as time and money permit.
The mods start next week when the tub comes of and an alloy tray and a alloy checker plate three door canopy goes on, the canopy also has a fridge slide in it for the Engel and three roof racks which will accommodate the boat loader and my tinny when we travel.
After that a H/D Hayman Recce towbar gets fitted along with a Redarc Tow-Pro Elite controller so I can tow the Expanda.
Once I settle these bills I plan on adding a bull bar, side steps, UHF and dual battery system with the battery sitting in the back next to the fridge. The battery will go in once the canopy is on however it wont be hooked up to the planned Projecta DC/DC/Solar 25amp controller for a while yet so Ill use my solar panels to charge it for now.
That's the current plan but as time goes on I'm sure ill find other mods to do, a couple of pics of what it looks like at the moment.

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Axl

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The mods are in full swing, tray and canopy are on and a HD Hayman Reece tow bar has been fitted with a Tow Pro Elite brake controller installed. Next up is a full suspension upgrade, Bilstien shocks all round Kings HT coils on the front and Formula 450/500kg leafs on the rear with a 40mm lift.

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Drover

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Looking schmicko, with the suspension if your not going to add a heavy bar or winch don't go the heavier springs on the front, stay standard rate springs just get the extra bit of lift or you will thump around at the front, mine has the next rate up from standard and even with the light weight genuine bar it's flamin hard on the front and will be getting it changed later, King springs on the front of mine............... have put up with it for a long time and it's a pain.........make sure greasable shackles also.
Collect some of that 15mm sheet styro that they use in packing of big stuff makes a good roof liner in the shed on back, they get exceedingly hot at times.
 
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Axl

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Cheers guys, @caax hard to tell but it already has the darkest factory tint available. I quite like it as it is not to dark at night my last tug had very dark tint which was a pain at night.
@Drover, I'm not sure how I'm going to insulate the canopy as yet but I've been looking at several products from Kingspan that will do the job or maybe something similar to what they heat shield the likes hot machinery and engine components with. This is available in rolls and could be glued to the inside of the canopy as required Kevlar Heat Shield, It wont be a cheap exercise but the end result should be worth it. The King coils on the front are progressive and once I add the bullbar (ECB alloy unit at 45kgs) they should sag 5-10mm which after the 40mm lift is what I will be after.
I have mounted the underslung tool boxes on each side but have removed them for now so the boys can get at the suspension bolts a bit easier when it goes in for the upgrade tomorrow, these will fill in the void at the back and will complete the over all look of the canopy. The new rims have been ordered but have a 6 week wait.
I hooked the boat up last week, it weighs about 1.7t and the D-max didn't even know it was there. I am doing a 700klm round trip with the boat in tow in two weeks time so this will be a good test to see how it travels after the suspension upgrade and how the fuel economy stacks up.
That's all for now until I can pay a few bills, bullbar and side steps will be next UHF install, dual battery system and canopy insulation to follow.
MRT2S_a-510x338.jpgUnderslung tool boxesef933356-895a-485c-ac25-df8aaddce757_1.jpgROH Terrain rims
 
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Drover

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I'll get the number of my springs for you, my bar would be around 45kg or more, and they don't sag i can tell you. Before you line the interior of your shed if your going the $$$$$ way then make sure you have your roof fittings done first, I have spring clips and a carry net fitted for those annoying get in the way long things to be kept in check as well as LED light strips and cabling, $5 for 10 mts on ebay for the led's.

Just checked 168HT is the spring ID, too hard.
 
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Axl

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I'll get the number of my springs for you, my bar would be around 45kg or more, and they don't sag i can tell you. Before you line the interior of your shed if your going the $$$$$ way then make sure you have your roof fittings done first, I have spring clips and a carry net fitted for those annoying get in the way long things to be kept in check as well as LED light strips and cabling, $5 for 10 mts on ebay for the led's.

Just checked 168HT is the spring ID, too hard.


Cheers @Drover, I am unsure what rating the fronts are as I am at work ATM and I cant remember what we discussed. The suspension upgrade has been done, the front went up the quoted 40mm but the back went up 110mm.....o_O
This gives me approximately 5mm clearance from the top of my rear roof rack to the bottom of my house bearers we are not exactly sure I even have that as yet as the wife and my dad are to scared to try to inch it under the house. It can to stay out till I get home later in the week as I need to relocate the four flouro's that are on the bearers under there anyway, I hope to get 5-10mm settle once the rears springs get a bit of load on them.
I need to get the D-max weighed so I know where I am with my GVM as I continue to add weight to it so I will hook the Expanda up and get all of the weights done at once. Hopefully after a bit off running around with the Expanda hooked up and a 700klm round trip with the boat in tow at the end of the month it will settle enough to fit comfortably, if not I'll get 20mm taken out of the roof rack legs.

Just when you think you are on top of it all it turns around and bites you in the proverbial.....>:(it never :censored: stops.
 
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Drover

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I can't remember what mine was pushed up, I wrote it down but on the old shed wall and since we have moved, well !!!!!!!!! but I'm certain the rear settled around the 80 mm mark somewhere but I have a steel tray, the front certainly sits higher on mine, I will have to do something with it as I've lost too much extension on the front end as well as being hard...........
 
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Axl

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Suspension upgrade is complete, Bilstein shocks all round Kings 168HT comfort tapper coils on the front and Formula 500kg constants on the rear. As you can see the rear is sitting proud at the moment I need to hook the van up and take it for a run to settle the rear springs down a bit.
Now this job is complete I can mount the tapered under body tool boxes which will fill in the space just past the rear guard and complete the look I was after.
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Drover

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Once you throw some gear in the back it will sit nicely, they are the same front springs that I have fitted.
 

Axl

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Thought it was time I updated this thread, I’ve been super busy lately so except to check in once and a while I haven’t been on the forum much. The ROH Terrain rims are on and I have fitted the underslung tool boxes. After I took the boat (1.8t) on a 700klm round trip the suspension has settled nicely, I’m very happy with the ride and there was no sag when loaded up. I’ve only had the Expanda hooked up for a short trip to the weigh local bridge and there was no sag. The Expanda is a bit heavier than the boat though and it has a much heavier ball weight so I do expect a little sag when fully loaded with the tinny on the roof of the Dmax and out board on the draw bar of the van but I believe the WDH will pull that out easily.

I’ve had the second battery fitted inside the canopy in a Projecta battery box with the standard power outlets and I fitted an Anderson plug there as well. I added a volt meter, cig socket and USB panel too as I reckon you can never have too many power outlets and the volt meter comes in handy to monitor the battery. Due to the new Dmax’s having a variable voltage alternator I had a Projecta IDC25 DCDC/Solar controller installed. There is a A/P on the tow bar for power out and the solar in A/P is mounted under the tray on the driver side.

I also installed a 240v system as the missus and I are considering some tenting in the near future. I used the plug and play stuff that CMS makes which is used in the Jaycos and it was as easy as, all I needed was a licensed electrician to do a final test on the earth to ensure the breaker tripped as it should. For what it costs and the ease of installation I would recommend this gear in a heartbeat. Bullbar, side steps and a UHF to come but I’ve but been told to stop spending at the moment Pffttttt, I do have to watch my weight though. At the moment she weighs 2.3t empty, once the extra external steel goes on and I have the tinny and boat loader on the roof, with 2 POB and the Expanda ball weight there isn’t much left.

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Axl

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Bull bar is now on, ended up going with an alloy East Coast Bullbar to keep the weight down plus I personally don't like the poke you get with the traditional A frame type bars that are available for the D-Max. I was originally going to put a black bar on but SWMBO talked me into a polish finish, now its on I'm glad she did I reckon it looks great. She will simply have to give it a polish every 6 months or so :p.
Whilst I was on the phone getting quotes I was explaining to the suppliers that I was worried about the weight of a steel bar hence I wanted an alloy unit. Nearly all tried to talk me out of alloy saying "steel is stronger etc etc" but I stood my ground. I simply didn't want the extra weight of steel as I was loosing payload with every mod I was completing, I also probably would have had to change the front coils had I put a steel bar on which of cause is more coin. The alloy ECB only weighs 40kg with all the mounting gear and the front suspension only dropped 5mm.
During the last phone call for the day the supplier that I ended up getting to put the bar on let me in on a little secret that I didn't think was available to me, a GVM upgrade. When I did the suspension the only company that would give me a GVM upgrade was Pedders and they wanted $1000 to do so, as I don't particularly like their gear any way I went with what's under the D-Max now and was more than happy. I didn't think I could get and upgrade done but much to my surprise I got and extra 295kg in payload for under a third of what Pedders wanted, she's now good for 3245kg up from 2950kg axle weights went up as well (just need an ATM upgrade done on the Expanda now).
Set of side steps and a UHF and I think I'm done spending money on the new tug, at least that's what I told the missus;).
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Drover

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Interesting about the axle weights increasing, most interesting..................you wouldn't want to be towing when you are up around the max, trust me you know it and so will your wallet................................It is really too clean you know.....................polished bars look good but are a big pain to keep that way some road muck will stain the things as well.........................I lined the roof of my shed with 15mm styro sheets too insulate it a bit...
 
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Axl

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Interesting about the axle weights increasing, most interesting..................you wouldn't want to be towing when you are up around the max, trust me you know it and so will your wallet................................It is really too clean you know.....................polished bars look good but are a big pain to keep that way some road muck will stain the things as well.........................I lined the roof of my shed with 15mm styro sheets too insulate it a bit...

As you know @Drover I only pull a 14.44 the GVM upgrade was mainly for the added weight I have put onto the tug. A standard D-Max has a kerb weight of 2001kg with a full tank of diesel, last time I had mine weighed it went 2300kg and that will be getting higher as I add more so I was losing my payload very quickly. For the price the GVM upgrade was a no brainer.
I still need to insulate the canopy I am going to use a product called foil board but I still haven't decided what adhesive to use to stick it to the roof with. What ever I use it will need to stand up to the heat, @Drover what did you sue to glue your insulation up with?
 
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Drover

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I certainly would have taken that GVM upgrade for that price, while my suspension upgrade probably does the same alas no certification plate came with it, it is amazing how quickly the payload can be eaten up............standard springs when they start to go, like my Colorado's even the 14.44 drags them down so upgrade is a good idea.
Thats the stuff I wanted to line my shed with, lets just say the styro is a temporary fix, I think I just used whatever was on the shelf in the shed so a bit of Quick Grip and No More Gaps I think, the shed gets bluddy hot at times, I have fitted a vent to the front wall and a computer van on the rear wall which gives a bit of air flow when in the Woolies car park sort of thing and will free flow as I hurtle down the highway, surprisingly even in a downpour I don't get water coming in the vent, well maybe a small amount, just have a small louvre on the outside and a 35deg curved fitting stuck on the inside with the foot of a stocking over it to collect any bugs, a tempoarary fix to see what happened and 2 yrs later still there, it worked so left it alone, it does keep the temp down rather well.
I think a good coat of spray on adhesive should work but a good surface clean with thinners then metho would be the go. I only did the roof as I thought the sides would just get knocked about especially styro, place would end up with little bits everywhere.
 
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BJM

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Interesting to know what Izuzu think of the GVM upgrade re any warranty issues.There is a lot of tray overhang past the rear axle . Bend a Triton ute chassis even in the current model and Mitsubishi will pass the buck.My mate found that out very quickly.Was put through the 3rd degree with warranty claim re load in ute,van weight etc.M would not accept claim .Mind you he was told not to purchase Triton ute .!!
 
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Bluey

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I have an alloy bar on the prado got a winch mount for it too very hard to get now to turn it into a winch bar will fit it one day the cradel system fits behind the bar the bar itself isnt part of it just poke the winch rope through the hole in the bar mmmmmm good thinking toyota but anyway i want to paint the back side of the alloys bars that you can see with black paint its a pain allways shining in your eyes next bar i get will be colour coaded or black
 
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Drover

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Interesting to know what Izuzu think of the GVM upgrade re any warranty issues.There is a lot of tray overhang past the rear axle . Bend a Triton ute chassis even in the current model and Mitsubishi will pass the buck.My mate found that out very quickly.Was put through the 3rd degree with warranty claim re load in ute,van weight etc.M would not accept claim .Mind you he was told not to purchase Triton ute .!!

Thats why you buy an Izuzu or Colorado..lol,lol................................... I doubt anyone will uphold a warranty if the chassis bends and you use it for travel or work ute, I do know if the tow bar pulls out from the sub frame on a Jeep insurance and manufacturer don't want to know you, no matter that it was a fitting fault or not a 14.44 is not anywhere near heavy........................having looked at the chassis on D Max and Colorado the chassis does appear to have extra gussets around the areas of curve and spring mounts where some of the others appear lacking but bent chassis I surmise are caused by a number of contributing factors, overloading being just part of the combination...........

so @Axl you been dong any more Yabbie mustering from that big pond up the road ?????/
 
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Axl

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Interesting to know what Izuzu think of the GVM upgrade re any warranty issues.There is a lot of tray overhang past the rear axle . Bend a Triton ute chassis even in the current model and Mitsubishi will pass the buck.My mate found that out very quickly.Was put through the 3rd degree with warranty claim re load in ute,van weight etc.M would not accept claim .Mind you he was told not to purchase Triton ute .!!

@BJM warranty you say hahahaha the warranty went out the door about a week after I drove the D-Max out of the yard, in saying that it probably wasn't worth the paper it was written on before I started modifying the vehicle. The canopy is 1800mm X 1800mm which is about 240mm longer than the standard tub, as long as you load it correctly there will be no issue.
 
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