Prado door on Gx rear door ?

[GrizzlyClint]

Structurally the rear door was never intended to have 80-100+ pounds hanging off of it. There are reports of Prado rear doors having issues over time with stock size spares so it's definitely something to consider. I am also not a fan of drilling the rear door, it's not reversible in that regard.

^ 100% this.

 

[Kid]

I called Melbourne Australia , off road shop , to ask about the back door carrying spare tire , if it was a problem .
She didn't understand me , bad connection , try again next week .
But , I did try !

 

[clearmysix]

I called Melbourne Australia , off road shop , to ask about the back door carrying spare tire , if it was a problem .
She didn't understand me , bad connection , try again next week .
But , I did try !

I’m sure the blokes on pradopoint could answer this one

 

[urj150]

So I have a bit of a project brewing.

I'm picking up where @GreenbowCounty left off on his Prado conversion. Well, I actually have a different vehicle and went a slightly different route - but short story long - I have a full Prado 150 (facelift) currently at the body shop being prepped and painted. Whereas Greenbow put together his conversion piece by piece - I bought my entire kit from a single supplier and arranged the sea freight myself (I do it fairly often for work).

So why am I going on about this? Well, one of the items this supplier offers is a complete rear door; sheet metal, glass, trim, handle, interior, etc, etc. If it's on par with the conversion kit I already received - it's complete and pretty good quality.

I do however have some questions...

• First off, will our OEM hatch shock swap over or do we need to source an OEM one for that specific door? I didn't see that on the parts list. I have a sneaking suspesion it will swap over, but if necessary, I'm sure it can be purchased through Toyota Japan.
• Is there a maximum wheel/tire size that should be taken into consideration? I've seen guys running 33s pretty regularly - but that seems to be about the limit without additional modifications from what I can tell.
• Any modifications needed to the OEM rear camera? It's mounted 'inside' the 5th wheel, so might need a simple extension/bracket would be my guess (if anything).

I'm sure there are other hurdles I'd have to cross on my own... but this is what has been rolling around inside my head.

That said, I haven't actually ordered the rear door yet. In hindsight, I probably shoulda rolled the dice since I was already shipping the facelift (in for a penny, in for a pound, right?) - but figured I'd hold off and see how 'Phase 1' went before I dove headfirst into "Phase 4".

ANYHOW, if there is anyone interested in being the guinea pig on the 5th wheel rear door before I get a chance to pull the trigger - please feel free to reach out and I'll help however I can.

Here's a photo for inspiration...

 

[Tex68w]

There are a few guys in Australia running 35's with a full size spare on the rear door. Interested in seeing where this goes.

 

[urj150]

There are a few guys in Australia running 35's with a full size spare on the rear door. Interested in seeing where this goes.

The photo I posted is a 33. I'm sure a 35 can fit - but it already looks awfully snug against the rear bumper. Wonder if you need to space it further out at all? I have some messages into Aussies and I'm waiting to hear back.

EDIT:
Just found a video from an Aussie mounting 35s. Looks like he used two 6mm spacers to make it work. Most impressive to me is how fluid the rear door moves after mounting:

 

[Tex68w]

The ones I have seen are running a 1" body lift so that would explain clearing the bumper.

 

[alabamatacomaguy]

I wonder if it can be acquired through Toyota part supplier channels on this side of the world to save on costs. I don’t know the current markets the prado is sold in but maybe a spot with lower cost shipping could be found if this becomes a thing.

I attached a picture I saw on social media because I thought it looked good.

I know with 40 series a guy that can still buy certain products from Toyota in Europe like front fenders ships them to 40 enthusiasts in US. I bought some front fenders from him a few years back that were no longer available in the US Toyota parts market.
Im not looking for this mod but do see the appeal of it.

I have a fj cruiser and the back of my 460 feels very similar to it. I do think some fj cruisers are seeing back doors sag after the extra weight and time has gone by. Maybe adjustment can be made in the hinges.

 

[Tex68w]

I wonder if it can be acquired through Toyota part supplier channels on this side of the world to save on costs. I don’t know the current markets the prado is sold in but maybe a spot with lower cost shipping could be found if this becomes a thing.
I attached a picture I saw because I thought it looked good.
I know with 40 series a guy that can still buy certain products from Toyota in Europe like front fenders ships them to 40 enthusiasts in US. I bought some front fenders from him a few years back that were no longer available in the us Toyota parts market.
Im not looking for this but do see the appeal of it. I have a fj cruiser and the back of my 460 feels similar to that. I do think some fj cruisers are seeing back doors sag after the extra weight and time has gone by. Maybe adjustment can be made in the hinges.

View attachment 2576104

I like his build and his youtube videos, good stuff. If people are having saggy hinge issues on the rear door they can buy that part from Kaon to help realign it.

 

[Tex68w]

The photo I posted is a 33. I'm sure a 35 can fit - but it already looks awfully snug against the rear bumper. Wonder if you need to space it further out at all? I have some messages into Aussies and I'm waiting to hear back.

EDIT:
Just found a video from an Aussie mounting 35s. Looks like he used two 6mm spacers to make it work. Most impressive to me is how fluid the rear door moves after mounting:

Yup, that's the one, he goes by Aaron Offroader.

 

[urj150]

I wonder if it can be acquired through Toyota part supplier channels on this side of the world to save on costs. I don’t know the current markets the prado is sold in but maybe a spot with lower cost shipping could be found if this becomes a thing.

I attached a picture I saw on social media because I thought it looked good.

I know with 40 series a guy that can still buy certain products from Toyota in Europe like front fenders ships them to 40 enthusiasts in US. I bought some front fenders from him a few years back that were no longer available in the US Toyota parts market.
Im not looking for this mod but do see the appeal of it.

I have a fj cruiser and the back of my 460 feels very similar to it. I do think some fj cruisers are seeing back doors sag after the extra weight and time has gone by. Maybe adjustment can be made in the hinges.

I had my best man (who owns a Toyota dealership here locally) look into it for me and he didn't have any luck. That would have been the best case scenario because the real cost of this isn't the parts (they're not "cheap" but...) it's the shipping. Even for sea freight, I spent more than the cost of a nice set of wheels just in shipping on the Prado conversion. The rear door would obviously be cheaper, but the fact remains, the shipping (from overseas AND domestically) will be the biggest nut to crack I think.

As posted earlier in the thread - the parts exist. You can even buy OEM second hand from Australia. But again, shipping is going to be the deal breaker for most.

All that said, once we flesh out if the rear door my supplier has is quality and usable, getting a few guys together to split the cost of a container will severely reduce the per piece cost of shipping. I don't have the volumetric info on the door so I don't what would fill a container, but LCL shipments are also always an options. How many could be shipped on a single 6x6 pallet could also factor in.

Yup, that's the one, he goes by Aaron Offroader.

Yep. Seems like a nice kid.

 

[Ramzizaz]

I had my best man (who owns a Toyota dealership here locally) look into it for me and he didn't have any luck. That would have been the best case scenario because the real cost of this isn't the parts (they're not "cheap" but...) it's the shipping. Even for sea freight, I spent more than the cost of a nice set of wheels just in shipping on the Prado conversion. The rear door would obviously be cheaper, but the fact remains, the shipping (from overseas AND domestically) will be the biggest nut to crack I think.

As posted earlier in the thread - the parts exist. You can even buy OEM second hand from Australia. But again, shipping is going to be the deal breaker for most.

All that said, once we flesh out if the rear door my supplier has is quality and usable, getting a few guys together to split the cost of a container will severely reduce the per piece cost of shipping. I don't have the volumetric info on the door so I don't what would fill a container, but LCL shipments are also always an options. How many could be shipped on a single 6x6 pallet could also factor in.



Yep. Seems like a nice kid.

Depending on the price range for the GX460 door, count me in. I am sure through GXOR facebook group, you should get a group buy easily

 

[urj150]

Depending on the price range for the GX460 door, count me in. I am sure through GXOR facebook group, you should get a group buy easily

Yeah - I assume more than one person would be interested. However, I’d hate to organize a Group Buy on a huge item, coming from overseas, on a boat, without knowing it’ll work, how the quality is, what modifications are needed, etc, etc.

I don’t have a problem being the guinea pig just as I’m doing with the Prado conversion, but we’re still early in the process.

In a perfect world, I’d like to have at least one other person jump in for the testing before a group buy - just so there’s an extra set of eyes to tell me their thoughts on the quality, discoveries, modifications, etc.

 

[GrizzlyClint]

I wonder if it can be acquired through Toyota part supplier channels on this side of the world to save on costs. I don’t know the current markets the prado is sold in but maybe a spot with lower cost shipping could be found if this becomes a thing.

I attached a picture I saw on social media because I thought it looked good.

I know with 40 series a guy that can still buy certain products from Toyota in Europe like front fenders ships them to 40 enthusiasts in US. I bought some front fenders from him a few years back that were no longer available in the US Toyota parts market.
Im not looking for this mod but do see the appeal of it.

I have a fj cruiser and the back of my 460 feels very similar to it. I do think some fj cruisers are seeing back doors sag after the extra weight and time has gone by. Maybe adjustment can be made in the hinges.

View attachment 2576104

That looks amazing. Why the hell did Toyota neuter this when bringing it to North America? There should of been some options on the option sheet to add these things (and delete runningboards) for those who weren’t rich older white women who bought them. LOL

 

[Kid]

Wouldn't be easier and more fun to drive down to Costa Rica where they have the Prado and try it out there ??
Assuming you can find one from a wrecked Prado

 

[okcnosnarb]

Wouldn't be easier and more fun to drive down to Costa Rica where they have the Prado and try it out there ??
Assuming you can find one from a wrecked Prado

While that would be fun, that's a 58 hour drive one way for me. I don't have enough vacation to do that. I do wonder if you could fly commercial down, acquire a door and then have it loaded on the plane for the return trip?

 

[Kid]

Prado | Toyota Belize

description

www.toyotabelize.com

Less of a drive to Belize

While that would be fun, that's a 58 hour drive one way for me. I don't have enough vacation to do that. I do wonder if you could fly commercial down, acquire a door and then have it loaded on the plane for the return trip?

 

[alabamatacomaguy]

While that would be fun, that's a 58 hour drive one way for me. I don't have enough vacation to do that. I do wonder if you could fly commercial down, acquire a door and then have it loaded on the plane for the return trip?

Get one of those cheap Covid plane tickets and fly down for lunch one day


I remember in years past a guy was bringing back 40 front bezels that were stamped land cruiser on a commercial flight when he traveled for work. But the size and weight are much smaller

 

[urj150]

Lots of ways to skin the cat!

I haven’t yet seen anyone drive down and 73 hours one way for me isn’t gonna work.

But this experience with the Prado bumper / fenders / hood / lights has been so far positive. If we’re able to get a handful of people - I bet we can drive the delivered price below that of MetalTech but slightly more than JW. I think if we budgeted around $1000-$1200 - we’d be pretty close all said and done.

But again, let’s wait and see.

 

[r2m]

This may be moot point if the object of your build is to replicate a Prado, but which is cheaper/cost effective, a Prado rear door with tire carrier or a U.S. aftermarket bumper with a tire carrier? Especially if your goal is for off road use.
High tailing it on washboard roads at 35+ mph with a 33"+ tire bouncing around back there is looking like a failure waiting to happen.
Who knows, I could be wrong??