Solving the Storage Problem: Interior Cargo & Rear Door Living Space

With the roof rack sorted, it was time to turn our attention to another critical area: the rear cargo space.

Creating a functional space was one of our core requirements for the Prado build. We planned to use it for trips, shoots, and to attend 4x4 shows around the country, so the back would undoubtedly be loaded in various ways. Our most significant requirement was much the same as our customers: flexibility.

To help manage storage in the back of the car, we installed our Light Cargo Barrier, Standalone Shelf and Rear Side Molle Panels. The Light Cargo Barrier helps keep gear safe and secure in the back when off-road, but it can still come out in minutes, precisely what we need when packing the car to the roof for an expo. The Standalone Shelf is a collective favourite, and was immediately put to work as a place to store essentials: chairs, water hoses, first aid, awning straps and pegs, lighting and other things. It also allowed us to mount 12v items like a console and Travel Oven – but more on that later. Lastly, we added the Side Molle Panels, which we used to manage our 12v system, as well as to store Molle-compatible items, like the MAXTRAX Snake Bite First Aid Kit.

Now, we also need a surface to quickly prep meals or a coffee on the road, a space to set up camera gear, or even a place to set the laptop on to process an order for a customer at the shows. So we proceeded to (quite literally) throw the kitchen sink at it: installing the Rear Door Cage, Caddy, Utensil Cage, Table, and Kitchenette Sink Extension. Over the years, the Prado has had nearly every option installed, but we settled on the Undara Black finish, as the tonal black-on-grey looks quite sleek and discreet.

We added another concept prototype above our rear door setup, the Rear Molle Window Pocket. A full window panel has been requested many times over the last few years, but we feel we could create something more sympathetic to the vehicle's rear. With a deep recess to the window from the surrounding trim, we felt a shallow basket offered the chance to secure Molle-compatible pouches to the outside above the table while also providing storage for soft items behind. The half-height nature of the pocket made it less obtrusive than a full panel, still providing excellent visibility out the rear.

Up the front of the car, we kept it more straightforward. The original Black Duck Canvas seat covers were pretty worn after over a decade of use, so we removed them during the teardown. They had done their job incredibly well over the years: the seats underneath were pristine. It was an easy choice to replace them with another set, this time opting for the Black Duck 4Elements in Black, which are made from a heavyweight and waterproof twill while still being soft to the touch.

The finishing touches up the front included the installation of extinguishers to the drivers and passenger seats using our Extinguisher Mounts. And for the cherry on top, we couldn't resist the urge to go all-in and replace the gear knob with another concept prototype: a CNC-machined billet aluminium knob. Designed to reference the same design lines as our recovery points, we had these hard anodised in a dark grey to match the interior of the Prado.

Out the Back with the Out-Backs

We love to find storage opportunities everywhere we can, and the back of the Prado is no exception. On the spare wheel, we incorporated our Out-Back range in the form of the Hub and LITE Mount combination and the Tyre and Gas Bottle Mount. We also added the Out-Back Tyre Step, for easy access to the roof. Lastly, we also installed the Camera Relocation bracket to facilitate these accessories.

The Out-Back Hub Mount and Rear Antenna Mount also have the added benefit of together spacing the spare tyre mount out by a further 10mm, which is precisely what we needed for bigger tyres, but more on all that later.

You may have noticed we also snuck in another antenna and a reversing light on the rear door, too.

A New Way to Do Water Storage

It was a no-brainer to reinstate a fresh 30L Underbody Water Tank on the Prado.

But from the outset, we knew we wanted to do some out-of-the-box things on the Prado build. We wanted to make a relatable tourer, but we also knew that as it's our nature to push the status quo, we needed to keep things interesting.

Enter something we wanted to do for years: Water Tank Side Steps.

If you've ever poked your head under the Prado, you might have noticed huge cavities running outside the chassis rails: the perfect spot for extra water. The biggest challenge to overcome first was how to mount a tank – you can't access the rails with a tank in the way. We designed a mounting system whereby a series of brackets are secured first to the chassis, which the tanks then secure to from underneath.

Next was how to integrate the step. A series of baffles were designed with a dual purpose: both prevent the water from sloshing around inside and transfer any loads from the step through to the chassis. Then we started to get really tricky – extending the tanks into each step. This clever feature allows us to gain extra storage capacity, with the steps having just enough tolerance to slide perfectly over the tanks before being fixed into position. Integrating all the elements this way also means the steps could theoretically be designed to be used with or without a tank.

The specs on the concept Water Tank Side Steps include:

• 70L of total water storage across two 316 Stainless Steel Water Tanks (35L per side)
• X700™ High-Strength Side Steps, finished in our signature durable Undara Black Powder coat
• Self-Priming Seaflo Pumps for each tank
• Inlets and breathers mounted under the bonnet for each tank, offering single-location filling
• Outlets underneath at each tank and at the rear using a custom bracket on the tow bar
• Senders installed to each tank, with a three-tank level meter in the rear (including the 30L Rear Underbody Water Tank KS0163)

The finished steps are currently in testing, as the team put them through their paces, driving halfway across Australia to the upcoming 4x4 shows at the tail end of 2024.

Diving Underneath: Wheels, Tyres, Suspension, Protection & Recoveries

Fortunately, the Prado's underbody was in really good shape. Sadly, the same couldn't be said for the shocks. We needed to install a new 2" lift and selected ARB OME MT64s, knowing that while we didn't require a complete remote reservoir system, the extra oil capacity within the 64's monotube design wouldn't go astray.

Next up were wheels and tyres. Many years ago, Tin had acquired a bargain set of FJ rims with some muddies and opted to run those on the Prado. But in later life, it ended up on a set of very pedestrian all-terrains, and the FJ rims had a bit of gutter rash from adventures (or misadventures) off-road. Picking wheels was challenging, as we wanted to find something that struck the right balance of off-road performance and elegant aesthetics. Eventually, we settled on the classic Method 703 in the Gloss Titanium finish. We could fill a page with the material optimisation techniques and load testing they do, but what sold us the most was their patented Bead Grip technology, essentially a modern replacement for traditional bead locks. With many desert-tourers in our midst at KAON, nothing speaks to us more than added confidence when running sub 10psi. 

Tin has run Kenda RTs on his FJ for many years. When a customer rig stopped by for a test-fitting during the build, the team took a liking to the Kenda muddies they were running. Tin later reported that he was impressed with just how quiet the wheels were during his test drive, so we locked in a set of Klever MTs. 

With any lift, there are a few modifications you might want to consider. If you've got an IFS vehicle, have invested in long-travel suspension, and want to ensure the longevity of your CVs and CV boots, a Diff Drop is a good place to start. With a solid axle rear, you might also want to look at your Panhard, to improve handling and ride. Some attempt to correct suboptimal suspension geometry with an extended Panhard, but this actually exacerbates lateral movement as the vehicle moves through the full range of suspension travel. We did a deep dive into this here.

Next, we turned to protection: the first place many start when heading off-road. We know there are many vital engine and drivetrain components underneath the vehicle, and an ill-placed rock is all it can take to do thousands of dollars in damage. For the Prado, we originally had a fresh set of our newly released X700™ High-Performance UVP on there, so we reinstalled those. We then added the Actuator Guard to protect the transfer case and some Rear Shock Guards to protect the 'upside-down' exposed shafts on our newly installed shocks.

The last missing piece of the protection puzzle came in the form of another new concept prototype: an X700™ High-Performance Fuel Sub-Tank Guard.

Lastly, it would be remiss of us not to have a set of our Recovery Tow Points on the Prado. We already had a perfectly good set fitted to the Prado, so if you're curious to learn more about them, we recommend heading here. We also took the time to switch out the heavy steel hook on the Prado's original RUNVA winch with a Brummel Splice before securing it with a MAXTRAX Winch Widget. These days, with the advances in soft shackles, heavy hooks or bow shackles are not recommended as part of safe recovery practices.

We also needed to consider rear recoveries, so we added a MAXTRAX Hitch 50 to the Tow Bar. We then finished gearing up for recoveries by sourcing a MAXTRAX Beach Recovery Kit. We're big fans of their Fuse Shackle concept, which essentially works like an electrical fuse: controlling the point of failure in your recovery train to create safer and better-managed recovery situations. And if you want to learn why recoveries go wrong, we've got you covered here.

Working Out 12 Volt: Lights, Comms, Batteries & Little Luxuries

The biggest problem we usually see with 12-volt setups is a lack of knowledge and planning, which results in poor cable management and, ultimately, accessories piggybacked off one another. Not only does this make it hard to alter your setup when things change, but it also means that it's incredibly difficult to troubleshoot when things go wrong.

For the Prado, our setup is by no means extravagant. But even so, the list of things we needed quickly added up:

• Sufficient lighting for night road driving, off-road driving, and camp setup
• Radio Communications
• Management of the three onboard water pumps, as well as their level-meters
• Brake Controller (REDARC Tow-Pro)
• Provision for a Fridge
• DCDC Charger
• Small Inverter
• Charging/accessory ports in the back cargo area
• And Tin needed his "big red horn" wired up, too

With the dual battery setup in the Prado, we ran all our high-draw accessories from the main battery, while our auxiliary battery was reserved for accessories we wanted to run while the ignition was off. We relied heavily on our Fuse Brackets during the build, with one for each of the batteries, and another universal one hidden in the rear cargo space, managing all the accessories out the back.

For lighting, we exclusively used STEDI on the Prado, as we're fans of their innovative, well-designed, and high-quality lights. But further to this, by selecting to use a range of lighting from a single manufacturer ensures everything works perfectly in concert with one another. From the wiring looms to the switch gear, installing them together was a seamless experience. We chose the new Type X Evo range as they offer superior performance, while the design lines complement modern front grilles – and this was no exception on the Prado.

For communications, we opted for a GME XRS Connect UHF CB Radio, which we paired with a GME AE4704B 2.1 dBi Radome Antenna. Another new concept prototype helped with mounting the Antenna, a Side Mirror Mount. We're pleased with the result, which features a CNC machined mounting block that secures the mount to the cast interior of the mirror.

Finishing off our 12-volt setup in the rear, we mounted an Electrical Console underneath the Shelf. This was used to manage the switching of a rock light, provide charging points and a volt meter for the second battery.

Meanwhile, we utilised the left Side Molle Panel as a mounting surface for a small inverter and one of our Electrical Panels, which contains a three-way water level meter for the onboard tanks. We even snuck in another accessory port to run the wiring for the Darche awning lights.

We also wired up a Travel Buddy Oven, because hot pies for lunch… need we say more?

The First Chapter Closes, But We're Not Done Yet

This build has been quite a journey and a real labour of love.

Not only have we restored the fifteen-year-old Prado to its former glory, but we've also had a lot of fun designing and testing some entirely new concept products along the way.

There's still much more to be done, but for now, our sights are set on the next phase of this project: putting these concept products through their paces with extensive testing and getting the Prado to the remaining 4x4 shows for 2024, so we can get your feedback.

We've been humbled by all the partners who have jumped on board with this project, generously offering their support. And we're grateful to our loyal community, who have sent through suggestions and ideas, and have cheered us on from the sidelines. 

Finally, a huge thanks to all our people at KAON; this build would not be what it is without them.

To see the Prado in the flesh, visit us at:

MELBOURNE

National 4x4 & Outdoors Show
Friday 23 - Sunday 25 Aug 2024

SYDNEY

4WD & Adventure Show
Friday 6 – Sunday 8 Sept 2024

KAON HQ – BRISBANE

Cnr Boundary Rd & Antimony St,
Carole Park QLD