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I believe that the rear axle either has a lockable diff or an LSD. If it has a diff lock, there will be aluminium bodied actuator on the casing near where the prop shaft joins. If no difflock actuator is fitted, then it has an LSD (unless the actuator has been removed and a blanking plate fitted...

Hello Graham, DOT 3/4/5.1 refers to sets of minimum performance standards laid down by the DOT (US Department of Transportation). They are all based on similar chemistry and can be mixed. The increasing number indicates progressively higher standards - most importantly the wet boiling points. As...

Hi - take a look at Roughtrax4x4 - they sell replacement antennas including just the mast. You may not need a whole new electric unit (and may not like the price either). There is also a video which may help you.

Is the seal a new one? If it’s the old one, could be that the oil leak has caused it to swell.

I haven’t replaced my timing belt cover seal but I do have plenty of experience fitting long flexible seals and o-rings. It’s really easy to stretch them without realising it and then ending up with a loop like you showed in the photo. It’s best to lay the seal onto the surface as best you can...

Fully agree with cleaning. Pull out the belt as far as possible and use a clothes peg to prevent it retracting. Soak the belt in a bucket of warm soapy water ( I used liquid hand soap) and let it soak for 20-30 mins., Also massage the belt to force the dirt out. I was surprised how dirty they...

Yes - could be a ‘fail-safe’ strategy. Ie. difficult to get on = difficult to fall off. Thanks

I suppose that technique would work but I’ve never had to do that on any other car I’ve owned. I am surprised that Toyota would design it that way intentionally. I think it’s a rare mistake by Toyota, so I’ll carry on with the 1200mm and make the belt really easy to change - whichever works for...

Back to the AC Belt, recommended Gates’ part number is 6477MC (which is what RoughTrax sells) but I prefer the slightly longer 6478MC (which they don’t have).

Hi - I have a UK Colorado KZJ95R with aircon. I found it impossible to fit the recommended AC belt (AVX13x1175) - it was just too short. I couldn’t fit it even if I completely removed the tensioner. Others don’t seem to have this problem....??? I went for the next size up AVX13x1200 which fits...

Hi Aeroelastic One photo shows the 5 holes that are already in the door frame from factory, the other one shows the extra holes required for a right-rear passenger door handle. I also had to do a little bit of filing to the plastic of the handle where the steel rod attaches. This was to get...

Hi - I wanted to add an inside door handle for the rear door so it was easier to use when sleeping inside. I couldn’t find any write-up about that but I have added a handle to my 1999 UK Colorado. I believe some Prados already have them from the factory including an inside locking function. I...

Hi - sealant is required in two areas 1. On the half moon plug, as described in the text 2. At the joint between the cylinder head and the timing belt cover (either side of the front camshaft bearing). Without the sealant, oil can weep there. The picture shows one of these joints. Just go...

Hi - I don’t have the intercooler but I have changed the cam cover gasket - it was straightforward. You only need small amount of sealant. Remove all traces of the previous sealant around the half moon plug and from the timing cover - both sides and de-grease the surfaces. Address any burrs or...

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I’ll take the cautious option and disconnect.

Thanks Bob - just making sure I understand - do you mean remove both batteries from the vehicle and then have each negative cable attached to the corresponding positive?

Thanks for your replies and reassurance. Good point about the gas - I haven’t welded outdoors before either.

Hello - I have an area of rust on the rear crossmember where the bumper bracket mounts. It’s gone through at least 2 MOTs like this but I thought it could fail because it’s near the bumper mount. Otherwise the chassis is mint. Anyway, I want to cut out the rot and weld in a 3mm thick repair...

Thanks for the welcome Chris - well....you could be right about the mods!

Hello - I’m Neil and joined a few days ago. I have a 1999 Colorado GX KZJ95R Auto with ~150k miles. Although I paid quite a lot, it seems to be a very clean example. I’ve had it 2 years or so and I know it spent most of its previous life on roads rather than off road. I don’t think its tyres...

Hi - just confirming that it is possible to manually release the fuel flap in case the cable breaks or has stretched. This could be done indefinitely or until a repair can be done - either replacing the cable or adding a split lead shot, as shown earlier in the thread. The release mechanism can...

I just live with radio beep - I’ve never tried to stop it. Mine is a 1999 V-ref auto KZJ95R and I don’t hear the whirring noise. I don’t get the hazard lights either. The whirring noise may be the ABS pump (as SteveJB said). I think the whirring would come from the pump motor - see picture (red...

Mine makes the beep noise too, just as you described. It’s to remind me to take the face off the Sony radio/cassette player

Hello - the two switches next to the gear selector are ‘2nd’ which, as you said, starts you off in 2nd to avoid the higher torque of 1st gear spinning a wheel - for use in snow and mud. The other one is PWR meaning ‘Power’. The label on yours is missing, but you should see PWR on the dash when...

I should add that I wasn’t implying you hadn’t done a ‘proper repair’ - my comment about the internal release was a general one. I think using the split-lead shot was an excellent idea.

Hi - the other common fault is that the leaf-spring that springs the flap open either gets weak or breaks. Easy to replace from the outside (once the flap is open) and only a few pounds from Roughtrax. You can definitely reach inside and push a catch to release the flap. I can’t recall if you...

Hello. That’s a neat fix. This is my first reply here and I am probably stating the obvious - but you can release the fuel flap manually until you have time to do a proper repair. You need to remove the cover where the jack is kept and reach up inside, behind the trim, to manually release the...