LJ78 Weight Distribution Trivia (1 Viewer)

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

Joined
Jan 29, 2009
Threads
2
Messages
67
Location
Philippines
This is a pretty pointless thread but I have been struck by how even the weight feels among the four corners of my Prado that when I had the opportunity to measure the weight at each wheel I couldn't resist. I'm a pilot and an aircraft mechanic and I brought one of our aircraft scales home to ship to another shop and thought, "What the heck...I should weigh the cruiser."

It's important that the vehicle be weighed in a level attitude so I got some wood blocks that were the same height at the load cell. I put the scale under one wheel at a time and took readings. My findings were quite remarkable:

IMG_0262.jpg


Weights KG:

LH Front: 538
RH Front: 542
LH Rear: 567
RH Rear: 575
Total: 2,222

Weights LBS:

LH Front: 1184
RH Front: 1192
LH Rear: 1247
RH Rear: 1265
Total: 4,888



I weighed it with me in the driver seat (89KG) and 3/4 tank of Diesel cause that's what happened to be in it - also, that's typical of what I'd have in it while wheeling in order to limit spillage.

Vehicle Specs:
Engine: 1KZTE (converted from 2LTE)
Tires: BFG KM2 33 x 10.5 including spare
Suspension: Ironman springs with Ironman Foam Cell shocks with Airlift airbags in rear.
Aussie Lockers: F and R
Aluminum Roof Rack w/ lights
Three rows of seats installed
Stock bumpers
No winch (yet)

I thought it was pretty impressive how close the weight distribution is. Some day soon I plan to add a winch to the front which will just serve to balance it out even more. So there you have it, a pretty trivial post about the weight distribution of a 1990 Prado.
 
Thanks for posting
can you post some pictures of your truck?
Simon
 
It was a bad weather day and since I'm a bush pilot I had nothing to do but sit and stare at that scale and wonder.
 
It was a bad weather day and since I'm a bush pilot I had nothing to do but sit and stare at that scale and wonder.

You could not just stare at the refrigerator and wonder how many beers were on the inside?:)
"bad weather day" I thought that was when you guys did your best work.:)
.......1978HJ45
 
"bad weather day" I thought that was when you guys did your best work.:)
.......1978HJ45

Ha! Yeah that sounds about right bad weather is the norm here and it lends itself to off-roading in the airplane. In fact, next week's project is cutting tread in the airplane tires to make a "Mud Terrain" tire. It really makes a difference.

Not to derail it too far, but you might get a kick out of this video of some of my flights earlier this year:

YouTube - Cessna 185 | Taking off and Landing on a Muddy Jungle Airstrip

Oh yeah, to bring it back to topic...the scale I used to weigh my truck is the one I use to weigh the Cessna 185 :clap:
 
Howdy! Interesting. I wonder how much difference there would be if you went back and did it all over again without the wood block spacers. Is fuel spillage a problem in the Prado's? I thought they should be able to run upside down like an airplane, ya know? John
 
Yeah, I don't know how much of a difference the wood blocks would make in the end, but there was one time when I got it crooked on the blocks due to one of them slipping and I know I got different readings when I squared it all up again. I just can't remember how different - I'm sure it wasn't much.

As for fuel spillage, I don't think it's a real problem. In fact, it might just be a problem with my fuel cap, but when I have a full tank (here in the Philippines they fill your tank for you and get every last possible drop they can into the tank so they can charge you for it) and get leaned over really far I get some seeping out what I presume is the vent. It could just be a bad seal though. Either way, I do better with a little less in the tank, but I certainly go to any effort to make sure it's not full. I hate the way they fill your tank here but it's kind of wasting my breath to try and get them to do it at the "automatic stop"
 
I meant to say I don't go to any effort to drain the tank before wheeling. I've got better things to do and the leakage isn't that bad.
 
My findings were quite remarkable:

Weights KG:

LH Front: 538
RH Front: 542
LH Rear: 567
RH Rear: 575
Total: 2,222

Weights LBS:

LH Front: 1184
RH Front: 1192
LH Rear: 1247
RH Rear: 1265
Total: 4,888

Thanks for the info... I did mine a few years back on a weight bridge, front first then rear, and then all....

Similar results..The Prado is balanced quiet well.

My next project is to get some custom springs made as most aftermarket ones just up the spring rate to get the height. I want them softer for better articulation and ride off road. Don't get me wrong afrtermarket springs feel great on highway but a bit too hard for my liking out in the bush.

So to get the info I need I am in the process of making up a load cell to measure the sprung weight of the truck (That's the weight with no wheels and axles)
I have a 1" clutch slave cylinder and a digital pressure gauge. Assembled and bleed will give me the weight when load is applied to the piston.
Similar to what the race car boys use.

Will post the results when completed.
Hopefully next week.
 
That sounds like a fun challenge. I'll look forward to seeing your findings.
 
hmmm now i wonder whats the difference in weight distribution for my LJ71(1kzte transplant also). :D

bbpjunk, where are you in the Phils? member of 4x4ph?
 
Ha! Yeah that sounds about right bad weather is the norm here and it lends itself to off-roading in the airplane. In fact, next week's project is cutting tread in the airplane tires to make a "Mud Terrain" tire. It really makes a difference.

Not to derail it too far, but you might get a kick out of this video of some of my flights earlier this year:

YouTube - Cessna 185 | Taking off and Landing on a Muddy Jungle Airstrip

Oh yeah, to bring it back to topic...the scale I used to weigh my truck is the one I use to weigh the Cessna 185 :clap:

great clip - reminds me of a trip to a high alt mountain strip in Papua in a JARRS Helio Courier - the flare of a tail dragger into an upslope strip always feels exagerated!!! awesome!!!
 
Thanks for watching. The airstrip was originally a Supercub and Helio Courier airstrip that JAARS flew into and New Tribes Mission. It's quite an experience to fly into a place like that - it's great you got to do that in Papua.
 
bbpjunk, where are you in the Phils? member of 4x4ph?

I also wondered what the weight distribution would be on a short wheelbase. I would imagine it would be more front-heavy when empty cause you don't have as much behind the front wheels. Once you load up with gear, it's probably very nicely balanced - likely better than the LWB is my guess, but I wouldn't know.

I live in Bukidnon near Valencia and yes, I am a member of 4x4PH and was involved with MORI a couple years back when I lived in Manila.
 
I have a 1" clutch slave cylinder and a digital pressure gauge. Assembled and bleed will give me the weight when load is applied to the piston.

Ok Quick setup with full weight of front.
note: 2 x 35" 12.5 Kumho's and steel wheels and tractor tubes... Wheels are heavy. And winch bar and winch....
Last time I put it on a weight bridge it was 1250 kgs....on the front but that was with smaller tyres and no winch.

Weightscale.jpg


Works out to 1967 psi = 1967 lbs = 1346 kgs

Have to calibrate the gauge setup yet, going to take it into work next week and have the lab rats put it on a test rig.
The exact size of the piston etc etc can effect accuracy.

Once I know what its error is if any then I can work out the weights.
 
Opps

Should read

Works out to 2967 psi = 2967 lbs = 1346 kgs

Where has the edit button gone?
 
ok damn cool please bring the scales to Malaysia I wanna weigh the DEATHSTAR and the mighty RED monster and the VOlvo in the same manner im sure RED with the 13B-T in the engine bay will shock me.

I think im going to have to do somethign similar here for my trucks.
 
Ok Quick setup with full weight of front.
note: 2 x 35" 12.5 Kumho's and steel wheels and tractor tubes... Wheels are heavy. And winch bar and winch....
Last time I put it on a weight bridge it was 1250 kgs....on the front but that was with smaller tyres and no winch.



Works out to 1967 psi = 1967 lbs = 1346 kgs

Have to calibrate the gauge setup yet, going to take it into work next week and have the lab rats put it on a test rig.
The exact size of the piston etc etc can effect accuracy.

Once I know what its error is if any then I can work out the weights.

Yup

35" Simex XT's (10.5") and steel rims and truck tubes are 45KG (99LB) each and a rather large load on the bearings also. Thats 500LB extra on the truck minus the original tires (29") and rims probably 15kg.
 
Last edited:

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom