Toyota Prado 150 series Braked Towing Upgrade to 3100kg 11/2009-10/2017

The factory braked tow capacity on the 150 series Prado can be upgraded from 2500kg to 3100kg. This is the very first Federally approved Towing upgrade in Australia for a Toyota Prado. This is  There are two kits available from Lovells - Stage 1 kit & Stage 2 kit. Both the Stage 1 and Stage 2 kit will infact upgrade your Braked Towing Capacity to 3100kg. Each kit has different components and different advantages / disadvantages. The first step that you will need to take to make this possible is to upgrade your GVM to 3500kg with the Lovells Toyota Prado 150 series GVM upgrade. The next most important step is to choose which 3100kg Braked Towing Capacity kit you want - the Stage 1, or Stage 2. It must be firmly noted that the Lovells Braked Towing Capacity upgrade to 3100kg is a selection between Stage 1 or Stage 2 - financial implications will apply to reverse a Stage 1 kit and change to a Stage 2 kit, it is imperative that the right decision is made in relation to this. See below for more information on Stage 1 and Stage 2 BTC ugprade.

Federal Compliance (pre-registration) and State Compliance (post-registration) BTC Upgrades can only be fitted to vehicles fitted with a Lovells 3500kg GVM Upgrade. Lovells Toyota Prado LC150 GVM Upgrade kits have undergone testing and attained approval for Full Volume Second Stage Manufacture to comply with ADR35/05 ESC (Electronic Stability Control) Sine with Dwell verification and are suitable for KDSS and non-KDSS variants.

Next, Choose Stage 1 BTC upgrade or Stage 2 BTC upgrade

Stage 2 BTC Kit- 3100kg towing/270kg ball weight 

Recommended for towing a 2700kg-3100kg towing apparatus. The Stage 2 Braked Towing Compliance Upgrade for the Toyota Prado 150 series is without doubt the better of the two kits. The Stage 2 kit includes a new heavy duty towbar assembly, 600lb Weight Distribution Hitch sytem (WDH), a 95mm height adjustment drop shank, and a cast head assembly and Lovells Haul Ace Hitch. The Stage 2 kit is rated to 3100kg braked towing capacity and the ball weight must not exceed 270kg. The beauty of the Stage 2 kit is being able to setup your towing apparatus to be level when connected to the vehicle.

Firstly we measure and adjust the chassis of the caravan/towing apparatus so that it is sitting level. We will then measure from the bottom of the upgraded towing coupling to the ground. Using this measurement we are able to position the tow ball on the drop shank of the vehicle so ideal weight distribution height is achieved. This is half of the battle – and it’s so simple. After this is setup we will connect & adjust weight distribution bars as necessary. The end goal will be the vehicle & caravan sitting as close to level as possible (we will allow a 10% tolerance for vehicle front & rear height loaded vs. unloaded). For caravans that do in fact have a tow ball weight of up to 270kg this is brilliant for fuel economy, safety and handling - under most cases the rear of the vehicle only drops 5-10mm with full ball weight.

Stage 1 BTC Kit- 3100kg towing/250kg ball weight 

Recommended for towing a 2500kg-2700kg towing apparatus. The Stage 1 Braked Towing Compliance Upgrade for the Toyota Prado 150 series is a more cost effective solution, however it does come with limitations. The Stage 1 kit includes a new heavy duty towbar assembly, dual height adjustable fabricated tongue  and Lovells Haul Ace Hitch. The Stage 1 kit is rated to 3100kg braked towing capacity and the ball weight must not exceed 250kg. Do note that due to the design of the tongue the Stage 1 kit is not compatible with most weight distribution systems.

Generally speaking the Stage 1 kit is used for towing a 2500kg-2700kg apparatus, with low ball weight to avoid excessive sagging of the rear. However if towing frequently with higher ball weight i.e. up to 250kg, when upgrading to the Stage 1 kit we recommend fitting the heavier optioned rear GVM spring (Lovells extra heavy duty part number TRR-119HDAV instead of the standard loaded rear GVM spring TRR-119HD).

Toyota Prado 150 Series Wagon- Braked Towing Compliance UPGRADE 3100kg

STAGE 2 KIT - ADVANTAGES / DISADVANTAGES

Advantages

• Allows attachment of and includes weight distribution bars
• Stability and fuel economy are improved with the use of the drop shank / WDH allowing the vehicle & tow apparatus to drive level & horiztonal
• Comes with two types of adjustable cast drop shanks to ensure no matter what you are towing it is likely to be compatible
• You have the peace of mind knowing that when/if you upgrade your caravan that your vehicle ball weight is rated to 270kg (instead of the Stage 1 250kg)
• The upgrade is SSM approved

Disadvantages

• The setup is approximately $1000.00 more expensive then the Stage 1
• If you already have weight distribution bars unfortunately you will own a second set. The weight distribution bars can not be excluded from the order.

STAGE 1 KIT - ADVANTAGES / DISADVANTAGES

Advantages

• The setup is approximately $1000.00 cheaper then the Stage 2
• It does work fine and still does what you need it to do, tow 3100kg when braked
• The upgrade is SSM approved

Disadvantages

• The maximum ball weight allowed is 250kg (instead of the Stage 2 270kg)
• The tongue is not compatible with most weight distribution systems
• The vehicle if towing frequently and has a high ball weight (i.e. up to 250kg) then the rear springs will likely need upgrading to the extra heavy duty GVM spring
• The vehicle when loaded is likely to sag in the rear causing the need for airbags - which airbags have advantages and disadvantages in itself
• The caravan when loaded to the vehicle is likely to hang down in the front
• The tongue is only adjustable on two levels making it difficult to achieve optimum loaded coupling height

PRE-REGISTRATION OR POST-REGISTRATION

Pre-registration - Federal Compliance plates

• Upgrading your GVM / BTC pre-registration must be done to a brand new vehicle where the dealer transports the vehicle to our Facility for the upgrade to be undertaken prior to registration / delivery
• Pre-registration upgrades mean your vehicle will have an additional compliance plate (Federal compliance plate) outlining the details of the upgrade, which is issued by the Australian Government.
• If the vehicle has been registered atleast once (in any state) you are not eligible for a pre-registration upgrade. Even if you were to buy an ex-demo that was only 1 month old, if the ex-demo had been registered it cannot be done - even if the vehicle was then de-registered. Essentially as soon as a transport deptartments paper trail has started for the vehicle (in any state) you are not eligible for a pre-registration upgrade.
• You can drive anywhere in Australia with a Federal Compliance plate
• You can de-register the vehicle from Queensland, move interstate, re-register the vehicle in NSW and the upgrades are still active automatically.
• Your GVM / BTC upgrades become cheaper as you do not have to pay a State Mechanical Engineer to certify the upgrades to your vehicle. Certification costs do change from state-to-state, in Queensland pre-registration upgrades save you a total of $770.00

Post-registration - State Compliance plates

• In Queensland, post-registration / State Compliance upgrades are carried out with a blue Queensland Transport modification plate.
• Just like a Federal compliance plate, with a Queensland State Compliance plate you can still drive anywhere in Australia completely legal and insured - with the exception the vehicle must remain registered in Queensland.
• If you were to move interstate after carrying out the upgrade, deregister the vehicle from QLD and re-register in NSW you would have to pay a State Mechanical Engineer of NSW $770 to become legal again. From here you can still drive anywhere in Australia providing the now NSW registration plate remains on the vehicle.
  • Nothing on the vehicle would need to be changed. As this upgrade is Federally approved the job criteria & fitting instructions are the same in every state.
• If QLD changed the regulation to say GVM upgrades are no longer allowed this would not affect you. Although we are using a Queensland modification plate when we submit the paperwork to main roads we are stating that the upgrade has been carried out as per Second Stage Manufacturer (SSM) Federal approval number ####. This is basically us directing main roads to update their records with no questions asked.
• Post-registration certification costs are an additional $770.00 then pre-registration upgrades. This is the fee that a State Queensland Mechanical Engineer will charge for this. Do note that although it is only a blue modification plate the costs are substantially higher then any other modifications that you would do (for example a Long Range Fuel Tank plate). However the mechanical engineer must travel to site and physically inspect the upgraded vehicle. There is also an inch of documents to be filled out!

WHY DO VEHICLES REQUIRE BTC (BRAKED TOWING CAPACITY) UPGRADES?

The solution for owners/managers of Toyota Landcruiser 150 Series Wagon vehicles who have a need to tow to 3100kg (up from 2500kg standard Braked Towing Capacity), while at the same time meeting the practical and documentary compliance requirements of Work Safety, Police Licensing, Insurance, Lessors and Fleet Managers.  This kit is complianced by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government and Federal Compliance kits come complete with a Second Stage Manufacturers compliance plate.

CRUCIAL INFORMATION

• Federal Compliance (pre-registration) and State Compliance (post-registration) BTC Upgrades can only be fitted to vehicles fitted with a Lovells 3500kg GVM Upgrade.
• Lovells BTC Upgrade tongue/hitch receiver/drop shank can only be attached to the heavy duty towbar which is supplied in the BTC upgrade kit. This towbar cannot be changed once fitted.
• The BTC Upgrade kit will only fit the Altitude if the spare wheel is moved from underbody.
• The GVM/BTC Upgrade is not available for the Kakadu Model with Electronic air Suspension Systems.

I WANT TO ORDER A NEW CARAVAN - HOW DO I APPROACH THIS?

If you are considering purchasing a new caravan that you are intending on towing with your 150 series 3100kg BTC upgrade then here is some useful information: We often are emailing and contacting caravan manufacturers on behalf of our clients for this situation. We can liaise with your caravan manufacturer to provide them with all of the information & parts that they require to make the build a success straight out of the box. It is important to plan your build based around the vehicle BTC upgrade – else you may end up having to modify the caravan, recertify the caravan and you may end up with two sets of hitches, two sets of weight distribution bars etc.

I WANT TO TOW 3100KG BUT MY CARAVAN IS NOT RATED TO 3100KG

This should not be a problem and is a common request. Fair enough most people upgrade their towing capacity on the 150 series for insurance purposes to ensure all if above board. But what if your caravan is rated only to 2500kg? Most people have to upgrade the brake towing capacity on the Prado 150 to 3100kg is so they can purchase a bigger and better boat trailer or caravan (the market for purchasing a 2500kg towing apparatus is not as big as the 3000kg~ sector). Other reasons is because the caravan is overloaded or has a small payload - often there is no solution but the brake towing upgrade as some caravans empty have been seen to weigh up to 3000kg. So why not see if you can maximise this investment? Upgrading the braked towing capacity is a sizable investment and it is a consideration made by many to upgrade the Aggregate Trailer Mass (ATM) to 3100kg also - in fact this is more of a recommendation rather then something to be considered. This generally speaking is possible. More information relating to Caravan ATM increase is available here.

I UPGRADED MY CARAVAN TO ATM 3100KG, BUT WHAT IF I WANT TO SELL IT ONE DAY?

If for example you have upgraded your caravan from 2500kg ATM to 3100kg then de-rating it back to 2500kg is not a problem at all. Many people would not be concerned as there is a huge market for 3000kg~ apparatus. Unlike the upgrade there is much less work involved (some upgrades require suspension, axle and chassis changes. Essentially a QLD Transport modification plate stating the de-rate from 3100kg to 2500kg is all that is required. No further changes to the towing apparatus are needed – having over-rated components does not cause an issue to de-rate the ATM. Ofcourse the theory around doing this would be if you were concerned if it would affect the sales market - personal choice.

CARAVAN & CHASSIS MANUFACTUER INFORMATION

• The weight distribution bars are 30”
• The weight distribution bars are trunnion style / ‘t’ bars
• The weight distributions bars rated to 270kg ball weight
• The hitch is CNC machined by Lovells Special Products and in the retail sector is known as the Lovells Haul Ace All Terrain Coupling. The Lovells Special Products Haul Ace Coupling is exclusively made for Lovells Automotive Systems.
• The hitch does not have a handbrake built it however it does come optioned with a handbrake lever that can be bolted under the back of the hitch. The handbrake labour to route cable etc is subject to be additional costs.
• Stage 1 kit maximum towing capacity is 3100kg with a ball weight of 250kg - manufactuers be sure to certify this as your build weights
• Stage 2 kit maximum towing capacity is 3100kg with a ball weight of 270kg - manufactuers be sure to certify this as your build weights

COMPATIBILTY CAUTIONS

The BTC Upgrade kit will only fit the Altitude if the spare wheel is moved from underbody.

The GVM/BTC Upgrade is not available for the Kakadu Model with Electronic air Suspension Systems.

As every caravan and towing application is different it is advised to note the following - (the below points should only be possible if your towing apparatus has a standard coupling i.e. non-4x4/off-road);

Coupling mounting - Sometimes (our statistics show approximately 20% of the market) only four bolts of the new coupling will line up. All six bolts are required to be installed. The front two and rear two bolts will always line up as the bolt hole foot pattern is industry standard. However the two middle bolts may be different to what you currently have (if you have any at all). More than often the middle holes will just need to be drilled. However depending on your chassis setup will depend if any additional installation costs are involved. For example if the coupling mount has an upper and lower level the installation and welding of tube nuts will be required. Another example is if the middle holes obstruct with the inner section of the chassis on the a-frame.

Handbrake cable routing – Sometimes (our statistics show approximately 10% of the market) depending on where your old handbrake lever is positioned will depend on whether further modifications are required. For example the new lever may be higher than where your old lever was causing the cable to rub hard against the a-frame front support. If this occurs additional installation costs may be involved to weld an extension onto the cable mount.

Weight distribution hitch – Sometimes (our statistics show approximately 10% of the market) if where the clamp for the WDH cannot be installed due to something being in the way i.e. chassis design, jerry can holder, toolbox etc than additional costs may be involved. Additionally if your chassis is very tall, and the coupling mounting point is right up on top of the chassis (rather than sunk down between the a-frame) the weight distribution bars may foul on the chassis on full lock. This being said the general industry standard knowledge is that the WDH is recommended to be disconnected when going heavily lock-to-lock as this can bend the WDH clamps and WDH clamp chains.

 

REQUIREMENTS TO PLACE AN ORDER

 

PRE-REGISTRATION UPGRADES (I.E. VEHICLE IS BRAND NEW, END USER HAS NOT ACCEPTED DELIVERY OF THE VEHICLE AND MOTOR DEALER HAS NOT YET REGISTERED THE VEHICLE)

Vehicle details

• Vehicle identification number (VIN)
• Engine number
• Vehicle build date (month and year)
• Seating capacity

Client details

• End user name on contract of sale
• End user address (not a PO box)

Financials

• $1,000.00 deposit, if financed through vehicle package then a purchase order number from applicable Toyota dealership

Finer details

• Is old suspension to be disposed of? There is no resale value on OEM suspension and it cannot be used as spare parts as it will deem your upgrade as non-compliant until GVM certified parts are re-fitted.
• Is vehicle is having any front axle constant loads (i.e. bullbar or winch). If so, it is suggested to be fitted whilst we are carrying out the upgrade (or prior to). This is so the front spring platform height can be adjusted correctly. Altering the spring platform height at a later date can be costly.
• What kind of tow plug do you require i.e. 7pin / 12pin
• We recommend fitting the new hitch to the tow apparatus once you have taken delivery of the vehicle
• Provide in detail how you heard or found out about BAM Garage

After upgrade

• Upon insuring your new vehicle do make your insurance provider aware of the upgrade
• Suspension to be retensioned within 0,500km. (0.5 hour labour charge applies).
• Fit new hitch to towing apparatus
• Return both vehicle and towing apparatus to our facility both fully loaded asif you were going on holidays for the drop shank / tow ball height / tow ball angle / weight distribution clamps and links to be adjusted. It may be easier to represent vehicle loads with 20L drums of water.
  • Towing apparatus being on site is recommended, but optional. This upgrade is a vehicle modification and does not require a tow apparatus to be present, nor is the particulars of the tow apparatus mentioned in any compliance or approval certificates and documents.
    • If your tow apparatus is not appropriately rated to suit your vehicles higher towing capacity please refer to Caravan & Trailer ATM Upgrades

 

POST-REGISTRATION UPGRADES (I.E. VEHICLE IS ALREADY IN-SERVICE) - SOME FEATURES OF THESE UPGRADES MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE DEPENDING ON WHICH STATE THE VEHICLE IS REGISTERED IN

Vehicle details

• Copy of registration certificate - must show full engine number. These are no longer posted to you, it may need to be requested online.
• Image front of vehicle
• Image side of vehicle
• Image rear of vehicle
• Image current odometer reading
• Image of the vehicle compliance plate

Client details

• End user name
• End user address (not a PO box)

Financials

• $1,000.00 deposit

Finer details

• Is old suspension to be disposed of? There is no resale value on OEM suspension and it cannot be used as spare parts as it will deem your upgrade as non-compliant until GVM certified parts are re-fitted. If your old suspension has already been lifted but is more than 3 years old or 60,000km you likely will find it difficult to get a worthwhile resale
• Old towing components to be kept?
• Are there any future plans for additional front axle constant loads (i.e. bullbar or winch). It is suggested to be fitted whilst we are carrying out the upgrade (or prior to). This is so the front spring platform height can be adjusted correctly. Altering the spring platform height at a later date can be costly. This is not relevant if vehicle already has bullbar / winch, in which case answer not applicable.
• Does vehicle have airbags fitted to the rear axle? Depending on vehicle current ride height these may be too short & not re-usable. If yes, are we to replace, reuse or decomission?
  • If vehicle does not have a true 2 inch lift already fitted the airbags will be too short and not salvagable
  • Warning: if airbags are over 18months old they are not suggested to be re-used as the airbag will have moulded into shape with the old coil spring which can result in leakage. In some examples the airbags are impossible to remove from the old coil due to swelling. This applies to both light duty and heavy duty airbags. There is no warranty provided for leakage post-recycling as per these age suggestions.
  • Always check with your insurance company as some do not cover a vehicle at all that has bellows airbags fitted
• Confirm vehicles towbar is already wired
• Bring vehicle and towing apparatus to our facility both fully loaded asif you were going on holidays for the hitch to be fitted & drop shank / tow ball height / tow ball angle / weight distribution clamps and links to be adjusted. It may be easier to represent vehicle loads with 20L drums of water.
  • Towing apparatus being on site is recommended, but optional. This upgrade is a vehicle modification and does not require a tow apparatus to be present, nor is the particulars of the tow apparatus mentioned in any compliance or approval certificates and documents.
    • If your tow apparatus is not appropriately rated to suit your vehicles higher towing capacity please refer to Caravan & Trailer ATM Upgrades
• Provide in detail how you heard or found out about BAM Garage

After upgrade

• Change of particulars form to be lodged with state transport authority (provided by BAM Garage).
• Notify your insurance company of the upgrade. It should not affect your premium, under the rare condition that it does it may be worth looking at a different insurance provider.
• Suspension to be retensioned within 0,500km. (0.5 hour labour charge applies).

 

 

WARRANTY – LOVELLS SUSPENSION AND TOWING KITS

Coil Springs                                          5 year unlimited km

Leaf Springs                                         5 year unlimited km

Shock Absorbers                                 3 year/70.000km whichever occurs first

Shock Absorbers Platinum series    4 year/100.000km whichever occurs first

Suspension Components                   2 year/40,000km whichever occurs first

Towing Components                           2 year/40,000km whichever occurs first