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Thread: Hilux LSD for Hiace

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    Default Hilux LSD for Hiace

    I’ve got a 2017 diesel Hiace campervan…great vehicle, and perfect for short stays up in the mountains chasing trout.

    Only trouble is, it can be a bit finicky on wet grass, loose sand/gravel, and the like, which limits how far off-road we can go for a camp spot.

    Mate of mine up north has a slightly earlier model and, couple of years ago, had a Hilux LSD installed in place of the standard Hiace diff.

    Apparently Hilux and Hiace share the same running gear.

    He swears by it and reckons it has significantly expanded the areas where he can take the Hiace.

    I’m looking at doing the same thing……chatter on the ‘net indicates that it’s OK to do so…..haven’t found any negatives

    Just wondering if anyone here has had direct or indirect experience with this modification, and if there are any ifs, buts, or traps for young players involved.

    Appreciate any input….good or bad.

    Haven’t checked around the local mechanics yet, but would also be interested in any workshops that have a track record in this area…….location is basically Albury/Wodonga area, so any operation as far as say, Melbourne, or equivalent north would be of interest.

    Or is diff replacement such a simple operation that any decent mechanic could do it?



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    Sounds like a great idea
    As a Van driver of 3 decades and a Hiace owner as well as a Landcruiser owner, i can safely say i've taken my van up tracks to places they are not designed to go
    Momentum and a good line are always your friends

    I have also spoken to some Grey Nomads that have owned a 4WD and Caravan, then a Toyota Coaster and now settled for a Ford RTV ute
    1 Tonne Payload, Lift and LSD.
    Gets them anyway they want to go..... Is cheap, comfy and parts anywhere.

    Back to the Hiace with a LSD installed.

    Can you replace the insides of the current diff housing?
    Or do you replace the whole rear axel and diff?

    I wonder if a Locker is available?

    (says Hiace)

    ARB

    I've always been of the opinion that a Van with the next size up tyre in an All Terrian, would go most places
    A rear locker would be even better
    (The LSD in my Landcruiser is next to useless)

    Weight over the driving wheels is best and cheapest to achieve
    Correct pressures (12-16psi) for low grip surfaces
    These 2 things seem to get you most places

    All Terrain Tyres and lastly a Locker would finish the job.

    But i know what you are saying, our Vans are so rigid, any uneven ground and we lift rear wheels so easy
    And wet grass is great for showing off, but add in incline and you're screwed

    Interesting:

    My personally experience, fitting Ford Falcon alloy rims and tyres (good sticky passenger tyres) made the world of difference
    The factory commercial tyres are diabolical

    I found this when searching:

    Supra LSD centres will go into hiaces and hilux's.
    other option is to get the 4wd hiace imported from japan :P
    3.0 litre turbo diesel, luxury van.
    Buy a G series LSD from a Cressida, 3.9 ratio, it should fit a live axle setup without issues. You cant go the other way though, live axle diffs dont have the snap ring groves machined in.
    As an out of the square suggestion, you could ring the boys at Terrain Tamer in Melb and ask them if they have any ideas
    I have found them to be very knowledgable and giving with info.
    They manufacture or import parts for LC and Hilux, so maybe they can help?
    Last edited by ol' boy; 03-08-19 at 09:56 AM.
    If u want to go on an expedition get a Land Rover, if u want to come home from an expedition get a Landcruiser!

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    Wow....you've covered some territory there, OB.

    Not 100% sure, but I think only the innards are replaced.....remember my mate told me the whole job, supply and fit, cost $1k, done 2-3 years back....think some crowd in Newcastle did the job.

    I'm going to ring him and get their contact details and have a yarn with them.....will advise when done.

    Diff lockers.......don't know much about them (I've got one on my Kubota tractor ), but you might be interested in this thread....all 20 pages of it from 2012 to 2018

    Why would anyone want to fit an ARB air locker?



    I pass no judgement on the subject....know bugger-all about it.

    Tyres.....oh, boy, don't start me on tyres!

    Put the Hiace in for 40k service (with 18k on the clock) and told by Toyota I needed two new front tyres....inside edges scrubbed out on both!!

    Went ballistic....two new tyres scrubbed out at 18K??!!

    I was pretty damn sure that nothing I'd encountered on the road was responsible......had only been on bitumen and no unexpected potholes, kerb hits, etc.....suspect that's how it came from the factory, but of course wheel alignment isn't covered by warranty.

    Fitted two new Kumhos to the front and while talking to the bloke at KMart (great tyre/vehicle service in Wangaratta - only place I've ever had decent wheel alignment on the Colorado, and now the Hiace) he tells me about Continental tyres (who now, incidentally, own KMart Tyre and Auto Service.....now called Mycar) and a new tyre they have out specifically for small vans:

    ContiVanContact® 100



    I might try a couple of them on the back when my factory-fitted Bridgestone RD-613's are retired.

    The Bridgestones are bog-standard passenger tyres.....the Contivan looks a bit more aggressive.

    Thanks for the tip re: Terrain Tamer.....certainly worth a call.

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    On the tyres front, i've run heaps of different tyres on my work Hiace,s, they are loaded and heavy and get big cornering loads.
    I used to get a few degrees of neg put in the front to keep the van on the road in wet, slippery conditions at the expense of the the inside edge and slightly heavier steering
    (on the plus side, the outsides always had heaps of treat if a cop was looking)

    Ever since i changed to Ford Falcon alloy rims in a 16" with Michelin Primacy 3 ST .... WOW!!!!
    215 / 60 R16
    (Factory Alignment settings)

    Most grip i have ever had!
    Quietest tyre i've ever had.
    Longest lasting tyre i've ever had (been 4 years now and they still look new!)
    But most of all, the comfort while driving! The traction in the wet is insane, to the point i can no longer have "fun".
    This one change totally transformed the Van. And it only came about as a mate from Ford offered me the rims with new tyres for $400

    I run 38psi, but if unloaded 32psi is like a cloud.
    Yes, i understand the legal issues when running a passenger tyre on a commercial vehicle
    But i've run 8ply commercial tyres before, if you want to die, go right ahead!
    Last edited by ol' boy; 03-08-19 at 11:40 AM.
    If u want to go on an expedition get a Land Rover, if u want to come home from an expedition get a Landcruiser!

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    Interesting stuff, OB.

    Every time I talk to a tyre place in respect of the Hiace, as soon as I mention 195/R15 I get the same response....."oh, we don't stock that old size"!

    Dunno how something I bought less than two years ago can be considered "old".

    But.....that has forced me to consider other sizes....namely 215s, and with that generally comes a different profile......and then I start to founder.

    I see you've gone to a wider, lower profile tyre, but I presume you've made up for the reduction in profile by using the bigger rim?

    Due to lack of knowledge I have been concerned that I might end up with something rubbing in the wheel arch......perhaps not the case.

    I'll now look into this further, because I'm sure that a wider, softer tyre will give me a lot better grip in the marginal situations I found myself in.

    Many thanks.

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    Maybe for the price of a Diff centre, you can just get one of these for Fishing Expeditions
    You can watch Martin put many Lancruisers to shame in is little Van, we took him out for the day and there is NOTHING, that will stop that little nugget

    If u want to go on an expedition get a Land Rover, if u want to come home from an expedition get a Landcruiser!

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    Quote Originally Posted by Thala Dan View Post
    I see you've gone to a wider, lower profile tyre, but I presume you've made up for the reduction in profile by using the bigger rim?

    Due to lack of knowledge I have been concerned that I might end up with something rubbing in the wheel arch......perhaps not the case.
    I was so concerned my ride would be harder going to a 16" RIM, but the effect was the opposite
    The ride now is "Plush"..... and i have less side wall?
    The wheels and tyres don't look out of place, and they don't rub, they are the exact same height as stock.
    They honestly just look stock, apart from the lighter alloy rim (which also solved my rusting steel rims from stone chips)

    All i can say Thala, is it was a such and simple thing and made a lot of real world difference, not just when on low traction surfaces, but every time i turn the key.
    Last edited by ol' boy; 03-08-19 at 11:43 AM.
    If u want to go on an expedition get a Land Rover, if u want to come home from an expedition get a Landcruiser!

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    Quote Originally Posted by Thala Dan View Post
    Interesting stuff, OB.

    Every time I talk to a tyre place in respect of the Hiace, as soon as I mention 195/R15 I get the same response....."oh, we don't stock that old size"!
    I remember this also, i used to run these Bridgestone RE somethings... forget now
    I'd go through 2 sets of fronts to one set of rears (yup, i was too busy and too lazy to rotate them)

    I have been rotating the 16" Michelins though, cos $700!


    As for your situation..... i used to also carry snow chains all the time.
    I have used them once to get me out of a farmers lush green paddock.... Not saying its worlds best practise, but it cost me nothing and got me home when light was fading.

    For $400 you'll find a set of rims and Mud or All Terrain tyres second hand online, would be an easy swap just for High Country fishing trips.
    Stronger side walls, better with low pressures.

    I think i read somewhere that a Euro version of the Hiace Camper came with a Diff Lock?
    Last edited by ol' boy; 03-08-19 at 11:24 AM.
    If u want to go on an expedition get a Land Rover, if u want to come home from an expedition get a Landcruiser!

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    That L300 is impressive!

    I could never understand why Toyota wouldn't bring the Hiace 4X4 out here....I'd have shelled out the extra for it no questions asked.

    There's a couple of crowds offering 4WD conversions for the Hiace and Coaster (mainly catering for the mining industry) but they want $40k for the conversion!!

    Anyhow, I've got what I've got now, and have to make the best of it.....don't need to do what your mate is doing with the L300, but would like to access some camp spots that involve crossing a bit of wet grass or a couple of inches of sand/gravel without standing still spinning my back wheels....no matter how easy I take it (gotta watch that Hiace throttle!).

    I'll go price out the tyres/rims you've mentioned....seems like a fairly quick, easy, and not overly pricey first step to address the problem.

    Since my Hiace is only used as a passenger vehicle for private purposes I guess there are no legal implications....didn't even know there were such for commercial vehicles.

    Still like to hear from anyone with any further info on the LSD idea....I'll post when I find out more about my mates' Hiace conversion.

    Thanks, OB.

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    They look pretty stock
    Don't stick out
    Don't rub.



    Last edited by ol' boy; 03-08-19 at 11:35 AM.
    If u want to go on an expedition get a Land Rover, if u want to come home from an expedition get a Landcruiser!

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    Quote Originally Posted by ol' boy View Post
    I remember this also, i used to run these Bridgestone RE somethings... forget now
    I'd go through 2 sets of fronts to one set of rears (yup, i was too busy and too lazy to rotate them)

    I have been rotating the 16" Michelins though, cos $700!


    As for your situation..... i used to also carry snow chains all the time.
    I have used them once to get me out of a farmers lush green paddock.... Not saying its worlds best practise, but it cost me nothing and got me home when light was fading.
    One good thing about KMart....if you buy your tyres from them, they send you an email every six months reminding you to bring your vehicle in for a FREE tyre rotation....hope they still do that now that they've changed hands.

    Yeah......snow chains in a paddock is a bit radical .....I carry a pair of those TRED recovery tracks now.....they work well....if you can just get the Hiace moving again, you can generally get out of trouble

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    Quote Originally Posted by ol' boy View Post
    They look pretty stock
    Don't stick out
    Don't rub.

    Very nice mate.

    I'm on it!

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    Quote Originally Posted by Thala Dan View Post

    Since my Hiace is only used as a passenger vehicle for private purposes I guess there are no legal implications....didn't even know there were such for commercial vehicles.
    Will fail a RWC.
    Trust me on this
    If u want to go on an expedition get a Land Rover, if u want to come home from an expedition get a Landcruiser!

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    Quote Originally Posted by ol' boy View Post
    Will fail a RWC.
    Trust me on this
    I thought that might be the case....."non-standard" and all.

    But fortunately, as you know, we are not burdened with such a tiresome, expensive, and unnecessary annual ritual as are our northern neighbours

    Good reason though to keep the original gear for the ultimate resale inspection.

    Edit: Might have to check up on the insurance angle though.
    Last edited by Thala Dan; 03-08-19 at 11:43 AM.

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    Dam it, you've got me thinking now!!!



    $900 for these

    I'd also be interested in a different tyre size, our OEM is 26.2" high, if you go a 215/75 R16 it s a 28.7" tyre height.
    So you gain 1" extra clearance and better final drive.
    (speedo will be out and i'm not sure on the drive train loading? But in my view, all Hiace's are under geared for hwy driving anyway)
    Eg:

    With my 215/60R16 my speedo is bang on, 100kph indicated is exactly 100kph GPS and Laser checked.

    Looking forward to hearing about your Hilux to Hiace Diff possibilities
    I always wanted to put smaller ratio gears in my Hiace diff for fuel economy, never did it. But i'd be interested.
    Last edited by ol' boy; 03-08-19 at 12:15 PM.
    If u want to go on an expedition get a Land Rover, if u want to come home from an expedition get a Landcruiser!

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    The tyres need to be load rated the same or higher than the factory tyres.
    There will be a sticker or plate somewhere with sizes, ratings and pressure.
    It's illegal for a tyre shop to fit lower rated tyres or over/under sized tyres to a commercial vehicle.
    You will also fail a roadworthy and have no insurance if you have an accident.
    Doesn't matter if it's a private vehicle or not.


    Sent from my VOG-L09 using Tapatalk

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    OB,

    Just spoke to my mate.....crowd that did his was Newcastle Gearbox and Diff in Broadmeadows, Newcastle.

    They're showing as "Closed" now, but open 7am Monday.....I'll give them a call Mon.

    He confirmed they only fitted the diff innards....it was a reconditioned Hilux diff........they hadn't done it before, so they did it on a sort of "no win, no fee" basis.

    It worked......he's done a lot of miles since then all around Australia and had no problems.

    Total cost, a few years ago, $800.....but I see now that reconditioned Hilux LSD is on eBay for $1100:



    so probably cost a bit more nowadays.

    Hoe,

    Thanks.....I believe you are quite right.......I'd definitely believe that a modification that wouldn't pass RWC (as it appears to be with the tyre change) would definitely provide an adequate out for an insurance company.....dammit!!

    My RACV vehicle policy, in the "Making a claim" section states:

    where requested by us, provide proof
    of ownership for your vehicle, or any
    personal items, modifications, options
    or accessories. This may include
    providing receipts, valuations, model
    and serial numbers
    and "Modifications" is defined as:

    modification

    an alteration to the standard body, engine,
    suspension, wheels or paintwork of your
    vehicle which may affect its value, safety,
    performance or appearance.
    I think that's called a "Gotcha"!

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    From what i have researched, the Hilux LSD swap worked up until the 2015 model
    I can not see one for a newer Hiace (as yet)

    In saying that, some Diff Lock kits also only for a "up to 2015" model"

    I'm sure some guru at a Differential business would know what could be achieved
    Toyota parts seem fairly interchangeable, or at least have been in the older models

    As far as insurance goes, this has been covered many times years ago, as it was a very popular thing to do in swapping wheels on the Hiace.
    And lets consider nearly every 4WD on the market today gets a 2" lift and 33"s... Allowable under our ADR's and RWC

    The bit about a commercial vehicle i am not sure on, but when tested in previous claims, it was not a problem.
    The Falcon to Hiace wheel swap is a 25 year old thing now.

    From VicRoads:

    In Victoria the maximum width of any replacement rim can’t be more than 25mm, or one inch greater than the widest wheel specified by the manufacturer for that vehicle or model.
    The overall diameter of the rim can’t be more than 15mm more than manufacturer specifications, while the rim and tyre are also not allowed to foul the bodywork or suspension.
    From NSW:


    As a side note" The plumber here runs BF Goodrich All-Terrian KO2's on his Hyundai iLoad on after market black alloy rims
    The thing looks amazing and he never gets stuck!
    Rims rated at 1 tonne each, at the BFG KO2's are a Light Truck tyre, which i am sure far exceeds what comes on the Hiace
    Last edited by ol' boy; 03-08-19 at 01:14 PM.
    If u want to go on an expedition get a Land Rover, if u want to come home from an expedition get a Landcruiser!

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    Classic:

    Offer him $100

    The BF Goodrich on the Plumbers iLoad look like this, you can see why he doesn't get stuck

    If u want to go on an expedition get a Land Rover, if u want to come home from an expedition get a Landcruiser!

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    Thanks OB,

    Yep, my mates Hiace would have been around the 2015 vintage...so that computes.

    I'll shoot these Newcastle blokes an online query....they've got a form on their website for it....that way I'll have a written response.

    I'll also check with RACV and see if I can get any meaningful response out of them about the wheel/tyre combination.

    As far as insurance goes, if push came to shove I could live with losing coverage of the vehicle if the worst happened, but I couldn't live with losing the Public Liability part of the deal......I'd just have too much trouble finding a spare $20 million I'm afraid

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