Toyota LandCruiser TroopCarrier V8 gets Mission 4x4 treatment

It took us two years from the time we ordered our V8 LandCruiser TroopCarrier to when we took delivery of it.

Within a month of driving out of the dealership there was a complete new 70 Series range released, which only happens about once in a decade, so all of a sudden our new vehicle was the old version. However, not much has changed with the latest version apart from the grill and bonnet, and the availability of a four-cylinder engine with an auto gearbox. Other than that the Troopy remains much like a metal box on wheels, and at least ours is a V8-powered metal box on wheels.

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We have been working away on prepping the Troopy for outback adventures and, while waiting for a bull bar and rear-step bar to arrive, we fitted a Mission 4x4 MaxTrax table, as well as a pair of Mission 4x4 side gullwing windows for the rear. These don’t come cheap, but the first thing I noticed when they were delivered was the build quality of these two products. Manufactured from aluminium, both items feature first-class cutting, machining and welding, and they come well-packaged to ensure no damage occurs in transit.

If you’re handy with the tools, fitting the gullwing windows and MaxTrax table is a relatively easy DIY job. It takes about three to four hours to fit the gullwings, and the most time-consuming part is removing the old glue/sealant from the Troopy’s panel work. The easiest way to do that is to use a dob of the old sealant and pat the sealant you want to remove, a bit like getting blue tack off a wall – it’s slow but easy.

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The MaxTrax table takes around three hours to fit, and you’ll need a few basic tools, a tape measure and a spirit level to do the job right. You have to drill into the side panel of the Troopy to fit the table, so make sure you follow the instructions outlined in the Mission 4x4 video… and measure twice, drill once!

I didn’t follow the instructions to a tee, as I replaced the supplied stainless-steel rivets with nuts, bolts and bigger washers to secure the Maxtrax table to the side of the Troopy. My thinking is that by doing this there will be less stress around the mounting holes when the table is carrying the four MaxTrax boards that it is designed to hold.

As mentioned, both the MaxTrax table and the side gullwing windows are top quality pieces of equipment, and both are manufactured by Mission 4x4 in Perth, WA. The company also makes several other products to suit 70 Series LandCruisers, and is well worth checking out.

Pricing

• Side gullwing windows: $1025
• MaxTrax table: $985