About Brian’s Build
Brian was able to visit our showroom due to living local, we got talking about options for a new 200 series he had on order and put together a list of requirements for the build. Once we finalised the list of upgrades we got everything on order, waited for the car to arrive and then completed the fit out. This particular vehicle was also sourced through our local Toyota dealership which made things very easy to perform the fit out prior to first registration which is essential for the GVM upgrade fitted to this 200 series.
The first major part of the build was the GVM upgrade, Brian went for the 4200kg GVM from Australian Expedition Vehicles which maintains a full 3500kg towing capacity when loaded to GVM. Maintaining the full towing capacity of the vehicle when loaded to GVM is essential for towing a heavy caravan to ensure the GCM of the vehicle is not exceeded. This GVM kit was optioned with the King remote res 2.5 adjustable shocks, these offer fantastic handling and control while maintain respectable ride comfort than can be fine-tuned to the driving conditions via the external 30 stage adjustment. Due to the increase in GVM and axle load capacities, the wheels need to be load rated higher than standard. Brian chose the ROH Vapour rims and Mickey Thompson ATZ P3 tyres, these are both load rated high enough for the additional GVM rating.
On the front end we installed an ARB Summit bar which became home for a Bushranger winch and a pair of Bushranger driving lights, these are both value for money items and are a great budget friendly option. For added peace of mind a pair of ARB recovery points were fitted to go with the ARB under vehicle protection system, a great addition to limit damage on the underside of the vehicle. Brian opted for a Kaymar rear bar with wheel carrier to mount his spare tyre which also allowed for the fitment of an ARB 180L fuel tank, providing a total fuel capacity of 270L. Other external modifications include the Safari Armax snorkel, Torqit stainless exhaust system and a pair of Clearview towing mirrors.
For the electrical side of things Brian stuck with the same theme of quality by using brands such as GME, Redarc and ARB. The UHF went in for communication purposes, the electric brakes and Anderson plug take care of towing duties and the dual battery system we put together handles all of the 12 volt power needs. This particular battery system included the ARB battery tray and BCDC bracket, a Redarc BCDC charger, a Century dual force AGM battery and a Redarc inverter for 240 volt power supply. In the rear of the vehicle we installed some 12 volt power outlets for running the fridge and other accessory charging. To keep the engine in good health we fitted a Provent 200 catch can and a diesel pre filter kit.
Thanks to Brian for choosing us to set up this 200 series, we had a great time working together on this fit out and we look forward to seeing the vehicle out and about!
