Dingo's 200 series Cruiser

straydingo

Well-Known Member
Jul 4, 2011
1,137
645
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Melbourne
I guess its time for a wee bit of a write up.


After having a Discovery for a 2 years, it started to play up a bit. I written about my experiences elsewhere, but when they play up in the middle of nowhere there is no one to service them, and I'm not that capable either. So while I thought it was a great vehicle (around town) we lost confidence in the brand. Each 4wd we’ve had, at least once on a major trip they’ve needed a workshop (inc the 200 series too). So with that in mind we decided we wanted a common vehicle, one that has dealers everywhere, and people not afraid to service them everywhere else. The usual suspects; Ford, Nissan, Hold-on, Toyota etc, were the obvious solution. (Again, as stated repeated elsewhere, this was/is OUR experience and preference, and others have had great success with brands such as LR)


Enter the 200 series.

Never a first preference for me prior, but ticked all the boxes for us for what we really needed. (well, all except “quality interior finish and equipment”) ;)

Berwick Toyota came to the party with price, and were fantastic to deal with. Didn’t even want a deposit. My local Mentone dealer was the exact opposite and wouldn’t even discuss pricing until we signed on the dotted line. (no, literally)

Berwick Toyota arranged the GVM upgrade pre rego; a Lovells kit taking GVM to 3800kg through TJM in Pakenham and I took possession of the behemoth Aug 2015.

The front bar was ready and weighting (that’s a pun) at the spray painter so I stopped there on the way home and made sure the paint was the right match (2 different paints with the same toyota code) and got that sorted.

Next day was to swap the tyres for a set of Bridgestone D697s, going up from a 285/65/17 to a 285/70/17 filling the raised arches a little better, and fit the tyre pressure sensors inside. Mentone Tyres gave me a nice change over deal.

A week later, the TJM T3 color-coded bar was fitted at Everything 4WD in Cranbourne. They also chucked on a couple of rated recovery points, diff/gearbox/transfer case breathers and a fat Safari Armax snorkel. I ummed and arred for a while over that snorkel and even now wonder if I should’ve gone with a prettier TJM one, but at the time went with sucking huge amounts of air in. The bar had led fog lights in it, but TJM had also changed the design between me ordering and receiving, so the preferred light assembly and part of the shape had changed.

AND_2396.JPG

edit: thanks to @achjimmy for his advice in the lead up to purchase too!!
 
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straydingo

Well-Known Member
Jul 4, 2011
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Melbourne
We were heading up the Cobb highway to Wilcannia, white cliffs, Broken Hill and Mungo a few weeks later so needed to get my electrical work sorted.


I started with splitting the batteries into cranker and aux with a marine grade Blue Sea relay. I had my neighbour make a stainless mounting bracket to suit. Plonked a breaker next to that then ran some 3B&S down the sills to the back. Fitted up a distribution board and fuse box behind the panel, then ran power to a new 12v merit socket, air compressor, Anderson and electric brake kit. I later changed the merit to an Anderson for the fridge cos the plug kept coming out. A chap on the LCOOL forum provided a made to fit compressor mount.
AND_2385.JPG
The second row got some usb power sockets on the B pillars and back of the centre console to charge ipads, with some head rest mounts to suit.

Third row came out, and drawers with fridge slide in.
AND_2384.JPG

Up front saw an led light bar fitted with a 200 series matched switch. The redarc controller and dual battery gauge went in on one side, and usb sockets on the other and in the centre console for a wireless harddisk with movies on it.
AND_2388.JPG

All the dash trims came off and UHF went in behind, with just a handset socket in the dash. Thus, when not in use, the hand set gets unplugged and put out of the way. The antenna is mounted on the roof with a folding bracket. I can fit either a high or low gain antenna depending on needs.

AND_2389.JPG 20170203_184133.jpg 20170203_184121.jpg

The doors had the useless red reflector removed and replaced with a flashing red lamp, with white puddle lights.
 
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straydingo

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Jul 4, 2011
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645
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Melbourne
Got a pair of canvas TJM seat covers off fleabay for $100 which seem to be a fairly reasonable quality. I got a lesser quality but still functional for the second row. That trip to Broken Hill saw icky liquid split on the seat, the covers saved fabric, so a win there.
AND_2382.JPG AND_2383.JPG

An ultraguage sits on the instrument pod, giving alternator voltage out, engine temp, trans temp and transmission position (inc whether in lock up or not). And a mini 0826 dash cam up behind the rear vision mirror, discretely wired back down to the ciggi socket (for now)
AND_2386.JPG

Lastly I stuck the tyre pressure screen down behind the trans shift. Unfortunately it was a genuine Toyota one and completely useless. At least one sensor is always losing connection and the units just beeps away. Unplugged it and threw it in the glove box.
 
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straydingo

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Jul 4, 2011
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Melbourne
After a while I found the LED lightbar was running too hot and had started to melt the casing. It also melted some alum mesh I had over the grill. That got removed and later replaced with a pair of FyrLyt halogen lamps.
AND_2381.JPG

I decided the fog lights did nothing for me, and also wanted daytime running lights, so the fogs go rewired. Full on, half bright when head lights on, and off when indicator on.

The rear cargo area has no decent lighting, so I added a simple stick on led stip on the glass and a switch on the side trim, with power back from the fuse box behind the trim.

On order at the moment is a transmission lockup kit. I’ve gone with a StockLock from Matt Stockwell. It should lock the trans in 4,5 & 6 above 75 km or so, enabling it to run a wee bit better and cooler.
 
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straydingo

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Jul 4, 2011
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Melbourne
Future mods;

Tidy my wiring up under the bonnet

Fit a secondary fuel filter (already had to get an urgent replacement of the standard filter due to a bad batch of fuel from Coonabarabran or Young)

Change the wheels maybe to CSA Jackals

Maybe an oil catch can

Change the generic drawers to something a bit more fitted, with either a single drawer, or a drop down slide.

Long term future; rear wheel carrier and long range tank. The 143 litres just isn't enough.;)
 

yabbietol

Well-Known Member
Sep 2, 2014
389
824
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Queanbeyan NSW
Future mods;

Tidy my wiring up under the bonnet

Fit a secondary fuel filter (already had to get an urgent replacement of the standard filter due to a bad batch of fuel from Coonabarabran or Young)

Change the wheels maybe to CSA Jackals

Maybe an oil catch can

Change the generic drawers to something a bit more fitted, with either a single drawer, or a drop down slide.

Long term future; rear wheel carrier and long range tank. The 143 litres just isn't enough.;)

Nice LC200 is it a MY15 GLX or VX pre DPF.?

Some of our mods were:

Secondary Fuel filter:
Fitted water watch before OEM filter after much reading of LCOOL forum. Got it fitted by local Toyota dealer and so far so good. A bit piece of mind considering crap fuel in Southern and Central NSW.

Oil Catch can:
Pro Vent Asgard fitted by Ian's 4WD shop in Goulburn NSW. They used the a complete kit from Pro Vent for LC200 (~$350) and only cost <$100 for fitting. After a few thousand Kms have already taken out a bit of oil. Very pleased with Pro Vent it also has two spring loaded valves to release crankcase pressure and easy to empty (tap on hose under engine) and check.

Fitted Custom Draws:
Very Happy with Drifta draws and cargo barrier, can be self fitted, but only $70 for factory fit and Gloucester NSW is a nice town.

More fuel:
Think I will just use my two jerry can holders on the A frame of the van.

Wiring upgrade and splitting batteries:
Probably will go with Redarc and a couple of Optima (or similar) at some time, but will get some more value out of OEM batteries. Have 40l Waeco Fridge but only run when engine running as mostly use van fridge. Also have Waeco voltage limiter fitted which can be set up to run when only engine is running and it auto cuts our when battery voltage goes a bit low. Not ideal, but will do until we feel like spending some more cash on theLC200.

Our favourite mods are the Clearview Mirrors followed by Sheepskin seat covers (front only).
Catch can, suspension, tyres and Water Watch we considered essential mods for our typical use.

Will keep and Eye out for your well set up flash red LC200 on the road.
Regards
Terry
 

straydingo

Well-Known Member
Jul 4, 2011
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645
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Melbourne
Nice looking tug @straydingo, I've never seen a 200 in that colour before, looks awesome. I'd be scared to get it scratched though.

any dark colour shows the scratches, and so this one does too.:(
keep the polish up and they're less obvious, and the duco is also protected a bit better.

Not too many in red - its a bit of a polarising colour; love it or hate it. When it arrived there were two on the boat, verses a hundred of everything else. But the missus dislikes anything in the grey spectrum including black, and borderline on white so that only left red. I'm unfussed, but it is recognisable.

Nice LC200 is it a MY15 GLX or VX pre DPF.?
Sorry, MY13 GXL. One of the last batch before the MY15 appeared.
 

achjimmy

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Jan 24, 2011
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Looks great @straydingo , the colour is perfect. The blueseas isolators are fantastic. Think about bracing up the aux fuel filter the corros will cause the bracket grief imo.

Yeah strange hey iam the same the range has never been enough, after the Paj with a long range tank I got spoilt. I've just ordered the combo 122l auxiliary with 50l water tank to give a total of 220litres. I tried a Jerry last trip. If somebody is pouring fuel from a jerry within a 100m of me I seem to end up with it on me? I hate jerries !
 

Ligedy

Active Member
Oct 13, 2012
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Mackay
After a while I found the LED lightbar was running too hot and had started to melt the casing. It also melted some alum mesh I had over the grill. That got removed and later replaced with a pair of FyrLyt halogen lamps.
View attachment 55560

On order at the moment is a transmission lockup kit. I’ve gone with a StockLock from Matt Stockwell. It should lock the trans in 4,5 & 6 above 75 km or so, enabling it to run a wee bit better and cooler.

How do the Fyrlyts rate mate? Are they the 5000 or nemesis 9000's? I do a heap of highway driving so like the idea of color temp for spotting roos but can't make up my mind with these or the lightforce HTX....

Also looking at the Stocklock too - you happy with it?
 

bigcol

Well-Known Member
Nov 22, 2012
6,814
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Swan Valley Perth
you want - for night driving - without getting tired eyes - 5000k-6000k

slightly blue

I know that LED's are far far different to HID, but you can get the equivalent to HID in LED form


kelvin-chart.jpg


kelvin scale 1.jpg


kelvin scale 2.png
 
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straydingo

Well-Known Member
Jul 4, 2011
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Melbourne
Compared to the various lights I've had in the past - inc halogen, HID and (cheap or smaller) led light bars, the fyrlyts 5000s are the best light so far. I can't say how they compare to a good quality round or strip led lamp though. For me, they meet my needs for now, I'm happy with the distance (although I'll always prefer further and wider no matter the light) and the colour rendition is better than HID and LED I've had, and less reflection throw back off signs.
And honestly, two of the drawcards for me was a real good price comparatively (Even if a globe blows, its a $10 osram replacement..) and Aust made.
Yes they are only 5000 lumens, and the HTX are 8500 or so, but also $700 compared to $1400 for the pair. When I fit a roof platform thing (one day) I'll probably add a full size lightbar to compliment them.

I was convinced a bit with the project 200 comparison:
http://www.project200.com.au/fyrlyt-nemesis-led215/


@bigcol the cooler the light, the more the higher wavelength cut off. Yes 5000K is fantastic in blues and greens, but they tend to merge reds, browns and blacks making animals in shadows harder to see. (so the data tells us anyway) Halogen produces light closer to daylight in that higher spectrum. From my experience, the whiter the light, the shorter the visual distance as well, so a need to go larger and brighter to compensate.

Stocklock is still sitting on the work bench I'm sorry to say. (with the BCDC, redarc battery monitor and other bits) Just haven't had time to get it in.
 
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