Leisure battery cover panel.

Hello Hiace owners,

My first post and I must say I'm really happy to see that so many of these awesome vans are still alive and being loved.

I've got a 1993 Cruising Cabin and plan to take it on an adventure but before it leaves I want it as good as it can be and the only bit on the bodywork that isn't right is the panel that goes over the leisure battery area ( the one with the lock ).

It's been repaired and had something put on it that makes the rust go hard but it's sort of bubbly looking so I wanted to replace it and that's the problem, I can't find one. I ordered one on Mega Zip, got all excited and then two weeks later got informed that they couldn't get one and it was no longer available. The part number on the exploded diagram is 58406B.

I tried Toyota and a couple of other Japanese part import sites and same story but at least they told me straight away it didn't exist. To have it fully restored is very expensive and I'd much rather just get the panel.

The only other bit I think I might need is the 4WD switch which doesn't show any difference when it's selected. The 4WD makes a clunk but there's no way of knowing if it's on or not. The bulb in the switch lights up when the lights are on but that's about it. I had thought about finding out what wire did what and attaching a bulb somewhere on the dash that would work when it was engaged but I'm still thinking and maybe it's something more simple.

All ideas and suggestions welcome, thank you.

Hello NickZ and welcome to the forum!

You’re very lucky to have a ’93 CC where the only bit on the bodywork that needs attention is the panel. When you can, please do post a picture of the problem to explain this better.

Posting pictures is not immediately possible, I think, when you open an account. It’s either after a bit of time or after making several posts.

I have a ’92 / ’93 CC (depending on which bit of paper you believe) and my leisure battery was originally under the rear seat. I might relocate this to within the side cabinetry to make more of the space under the seats. The point is I’ve not seen leisure batteries in the lockable stowage (except on minibusses with no side cabinets and open seat frames). On mine this is where the grey water tank is and it’s a common place for the electrical hook up. Some of the vans had the 110V (Japanese) hook up in there. Mine didn’t have an electrical hook up but I’ll be adding it there.

Happy to discuss further.

If the outside of the lockable panel is fine then it’ll be fairly simple to clean, prep and paint the inside in any suitable colour. If the outside needs treating then sand it back, remove the rust, apply a primer and get a colour-matched can made up then spray it on in two thin coats then spray on a couple of coats of lacquer.

If you got a new panel it wouldn’t be painted and the cost of painting it by a bodyshop would probably equal the cost of the part. What have you got to lose?

On the 4WD activation, please do take a look at my show us yours pages. On page 1 there, there is a reasonable discussion of the actuation of the system and a page from the manual showing the diagnostic steps to test it.

Take a look there and report back here?

Cheers!!

Hello LH119V ( that's a number I've been typing a lot recently ).

It's the outside of the panel that's "bubbling" and although solid it's a mess. I think somebody just treated it with some sort of rust thing that made the rust hard and then sprayed it.. Probably because they couldn't get the panel !

My electrical hook up is there but probably won't be for long as I'm in the process of getting the bits to change all the solar system. I wanted a lithium battery as I intend to use my camper a lot on a big trip, I thought it would be a simple swap but it isn't. None of my system is compatible with a lithium battery so it's all got to go and I don't think I'll be keeping the hook up, I'm going for a full off grid system. It feels wrong to be ripping out a working system but it's not fit for purpose anymore.

I actually plan to move my new leisure battery to behind the rear seat by the side of the cabinet thing ( I'll make it a box ) and keep the outer panel for tools and things like that. Lithium batteries and water/ cold don't mix and it's safer inside. I've got a diesel heater on the floor at the back of the side cabinet and otherwise I think that would be the perfect place for it to live. Pretty much the reverse of what you are planning !

Thanks for pointing out the other post, it appears I'm not alone and I'll have to study the connections and see if I can work out what's what.

I'll also investigate the photo posting thing later, thanks.

LH119V.. I just realised that was your post in the other topic and all I can say is.. SNAP !

My camper looks the same as yours, minus the 4wd, cruising cabin stickers

Hello.

I’m interested to know how your domestic electrics pan out. Yours doesn’t sound like the opposite of what I’m planning as I’ve not got my planned out yet!

My domestic 12V electrics are fairly stock standard and original. I’ve updated the first post on my show us yours page with a wiring diagram that I got when I bought the van. I’ve few details of where it came from so I can’t be much help, but the stock system is fairly straightforward and simple.

My initial thoughts, which are far from plans are to:

Add a 240V hook up and inverter for use when facilities allow. The hook up will be in the lockable locker.

Add solar, probably one or more flexible panels on the roof. How it or these are wired will depend on what charge system and battery I use.

Change my dud leisure battery and hopefully this will be swapped to lithium. I’m currently very undecided whether to install a bespoke system with MPPT charger, inverter etc or add a Jackery or Bluetto (eg) system that might have added utility for other applications. This would also save weight, space etc when not in the van. Another option is to install a simple leisure system that can run the lights, fridge, heater (see below) etc etc and be augmented with a fuller camping system when necessary to run a freezer etc and operate for longer.

Add a diesel heater. I currently have an Autoterm 2kW heater that I use to keep my garage warm in the coldest of the winter. It’s a bit small for this, but will be fine for the van. I bought the Autoterm as it’s a great piece of kit with lots of features and is well made (good pump and electrics) and well supported. I also bought their marine filter and I will take the fuel supply off the return to the tank. There are essentially four places to mount a diesel heater as I see it, either ahead or behind the rear wheel arches on either side. Merlin on here put his behind the RH wheel arch and I’ve seen CCs with them near the sliding door (in front of the LH wheel arch). I’m undecided but can meet the challenge of any location. It just depends on where is easiest for use and maintenance and around the compromises that any location brings.

Replace the original lamps with LEDs to reduce consumption.

Improve the switching, fusing, sockets and various aspects of the wiring, but this depends on the system. The best YT channel for camper electrics in my opinion is from Greg Virgoe:
https://www.youtube.com/@GregVirgoe
It’s got more that you’re likely to need for a Hiace but that’s good, plus he’s very thorough, which I think is also good.

Cheers!

Hello again,

My "camping" electrics are fine for small trips and I'm pretty sure they're the standard ones plus added solar but I wanted a leisure battery that I can use a lot off grid and needed a lithium one which meant all my set up was incompatible. I also probably need 200 to 250W AC capability from the leisure battery not just the DC lights, fridge, water pump etc. and one AC socket ( no idea where my inverter is ).

A lithium battery needs a specific type of charger ( DC to DC ) to charge as you drive and my solar controller was for everything but lithium so that was the end of the old ones. My solar panel is a small flexible one on the roof and that wouldn't charge the battery fast enough so I've now opted for a bigger one.

What I'm fitting will be a 200W flexible solar panel, 110ah lithium battery, DC/DC charger, new solar controller and a 500W inverter, I'm scrapping the shore power but you can get a more expensive inverter/ charger that charges and switches over AC power when plugged in or not. I've also got a new diesel heater as the old one ( 30 years old ) was temperamental and they can't get the parts.

Hopefully it's all going on the right side at the back of the cupboard with the battery in it's own box next to the cupboard and behind the back seat. The diesel heater will be where the old one was ( in the same cupboard on the floor behind the wheel arch ) and a shelf will go above it where the inverter can live. The DC/DC charger will go near the starting battery behind the passenger seat and on the back of the small cupboard thing so it's completely out of the way.

By the small cupboard I mean the part of the cupboard unit on the driver's side that goes from the floor to the roof, that is going to be strictly an electrical thing area and boxed off so all the rest is for storage. I'd beware of putting a lithium battery on the outside, they don't like cold or water and are expensive.

Along with the actual power making units you'll probably need an AC consumer unit, bus bars, battery protector and monitor plus some extra fuses and kill switches but it should all fit in that rear cupboard.. I hope !

At the moment I'm getting all the bits together and I've yet to get up the courage to start stripping the old stuff out, I'm using the cold weather as an excuse !

Thanks for the link and adding the circuit diagram, all new information is appreciated.