Builds CO_Hunter’s GX470 build (6 Viewers)

[DRANGED]

Wow. Great detail, quick and proper build. Thanks for sharing and for more great ideas and tips.

• RE: wire routing for 12V access, I was going to add (per my HAM antenna post) there's a nipple in a driver side firewall grommet that clips off into a perfect, firewall through-port.
• Nice 2nd row 12v port! Did you get one done for the hatch yet? I've been thinking running 20 or 18 ga in split loom along the frame under to the battery vs pulling panels and running it inside to up front. but might just go easy and tap a rear wire for either constant hot or ignition hot. I scored a Forester center console port, grey that closely matches my interior, and it's capped.
• Sweet roof rack. How'd you get such tight radius bends? obviously not a conduit bender (as you started with), access to a real tube bender? I was going to suggest the rope wrap on the leading bar for noise/vibration dampening, but you've filled that in with RTT, lighting and such, so nevermind
• those hefty fab sliders are way more stout that when I was first researching them. I recalled 1" "hitch steel" arms and mounting to pinch seams of body but those you have are way better than the ones I remembered from hefty. I thought hefty was SLC.. gah! how my memory is getting poor So your build is the perfect question RE: roof rack and load capacity. I've gone back and forth on this and hope you and others can set me straight. So our rigs (most rigs) have a roof load of 150 or 175#. Your rack is 50 and your RTT is 125, so you're at load capacity before you and the wifey get up there... So how does it all work out RE: safe load capacity? Am I dense, or does the math not add up. This goes for seeing RTT on crosstreks and minivans. I just don't understand
• The awning mounts are brilliand and love how nicely it ties in under the RTT on your rack, and modular from side to rear mount. awesome
• sweet clean ham location.
• given the gear shelf (I've though of this one for some time too) from your 80 life, I assume you don't use 3rd row seating.
• 30" light bar is perfect in that location. That gives me ideas too (I've had an evolving conduit rack concept for months...)
• RE: rear airbag delete spring swap. Is that the typical/common lower spring perch solve? It looks a little odd but I guess I haven't had many to look at... the bent flat bar bolt-down vs. a dished plate for spring retention
• sweet build, keep up the great work!

 

[CO_Hunter]

Thanks and see below for responses.

Wow. Great detail, quick and proper build. Thanks for sharing and for more great ideas and tips.

• RE: wire routing for 12V access, I was going to add (per my HAM antenna post) there's a nipple in a driver side firewall grommet that clips off into a perfect, firewall through-port.

I used the passenger grommet for my HAM stuff and driver for the LED bar. The driver side was harder to get to for me.

• Nice 2nd row 12v port! Did you get one done for the hatch yet? I've been thinking running 20 or 18 ga in split loom along the frame under to the battery vs pulling panels and running it inside to up front. but might just go easy and tap a rear wire for either constant hot or ignition hot. I scored a Forester center console port, grey that closely matches my interior, and it's capped.

I ran all mine inside, it was all 10 gage to have extra capacity. I did put in the rear port so now I have the fridge. I thought about running outside but pulling panels wasn’t all that bad.

• Sweet roof rack. How'd you get such tight radius bends? obviously not a conduit bender (as you started with), access to a real tube bender? I was going to suggest the rope wrap on the leading bar for noise/vibration dampening, but you've filled that in with RTT, lighting and such, so nevermind

A buddy of mine got access to a real tube bender. I like the idea of a wrap, I’ll keep that in mind. The light bar actually did cut down on the noise quite a bit. Just took off the RTT for the season and the light bar actually kept the noise down on a bare rack.

• those hefty fab sliders are way more stout that when I was first researching them. I recalled 1" "hitch steel" arms and mounting to pinch seams of body but those you have are way better than the ones I remembered from hefty. I thought hefty was SLC.. gah! how my memory is getting poor So your build is the perfect question RE: roof rack and load capacity. I've gone back and forth on this and hope you and others can set me straight. So our rigs (most rigs) have a roof load of 150 or 175#. Your rack is 50 and your RTT is 125, so you're at load capacity before you and the wifey get up there... So how does it all work out RE: safe load capacity? Am I dense, or does the math not add up. This goes for seeing RTT on crosstreks and minivans. I just don't understand

My understanding is the vehicle rating are dynamic loads, that is driving. Static loads are higher but not rated to my knowledge.

• The awning mounts are brilliand and love how nicely it ties in under the RTT on your rack, and modular from side to rear mount. awesome

Thanks, you can buy similar at Gamiviti. He was my inspiration.

• sweet clean ham location.
• given the gear shelf (I've though of this one for some time too) from your 80 life, I assume you don't use 3rd row seating.

I don’t use 3rd row, empty nester here. In fact up until this weekend I have had 2nd row out. I needed the room for daughter and a friend of hers going to YNP.

• 30" light bar is perfect in that location. That gives me ideas too (I've had an evolving conduit rack concept for months...)
• RE: rear airbag delete spring swap. Is that the typical/common lower spring perch solve? It looks a little odd but I guess I haven't had many to look at... the bent flat bar bolt-down vs. a dished plate for spring retention

That delete retainer is a @sleeoffroad product. I don’t think functionallity wise there is much difference between the designs.

• sweet build, keep up the great work!

Thanks again and let me know if I missed anything!

 

[CO_Hunter]

Just got this 8.2 dropped off. Hoping to swap, regear, and lock before Dec. supposedly from 2014 4Runner with under 30k on it.

 

[DRANGED]

@CO_Hunter

RE: my odd comment (memory is inaccurate
(haphazardly selected references
The Neuroscience of Memory: Implications for the Courtroom
Unreliable Memory
Toward a psychology of memory accuracy. - PubMed - NCBI
Awareness of Memory Ability and Change: (In)Accuracy of Memory Self-Assessments in Relation to Performance. - PubMed - NCBI
Your memories are less accurate than you think
You Have No Idea What Happened

• those hefty fab sliders are way more stout that when I was first researching them. I recalled 1" "hitch steel" arms and mounting to pinch seams of body but those you have are way better than the ones I remembered from hefty. I thought hefty was SLC.. gah! how my memory is getting poor So your build is the perfect question RE: roof rack and load capacity. I've gone back and forth on this and hope you and others can set me straight. So our rigs (most rigs) have a roof load of 150 or 175#. Your rack is 50 and your RTT is 125, so you're at load capacity before you and the wifey get up there... So how does it all work out RE: safe load capacity? Am I dense, or does the math not add up. This goes for seeing RTT on crosstreks and minivans. I just don't understand

What i was thinking of was Rocky Road, and mislabeled that product as Hefty. yes, as you said, and as the product speaks for itself Hefty is BURLEY!!
Hefty is the only mfctr I've zeroed on that makes a steel skid for the KDSS GX (save ARB), and hefty's is 3/16 and, as your sliders, NOT advertised on their webpage. That steel skid, however is a bit of a wall. the leading edge is quite steep and unappealing. Their design, obviously, is to account for the KDSS FSB but I think there's some room for deresign there...

anyhoo.

Good chats the other night, catch you later!

 

[CO_Hunter]

@DRANGED , great meeting you and kids last week, those burgers were great and we got home about 2am, beat the storm. Glad we left when we did, we wound up getting about 10 inches in town, sure the high passes got more.

Here are some pics of the modified Kokopellis trail trip.

Coldest night was mid teens, so made a quick breakfast of hot oatmeal. Saved the bacon,eggs, and pancakes for lunch at this amazing view point.

 

[CO_Hunter]

One more of a Dino track

 

[CO_Hunter]

fun’s over, now the work begins again.

 

[JFin]

Really Appreciate you sharing your experience with this. It is helpful beyond words!

 

[CO_Hunter]

Glad it helped and you were able to get the fuse tray out. Much harder than it needs to be.

 

[CO_Hunter]

I’ve been busy and realized I needed to give an update. I got the new axle housing swapped in but found out that the brake rotors are not interchangeable, not a big deal but a surprise. The parking brake system has to be the worst design ever, not user friendly from a wrenching standpoint. Regeared to 4.56 Nitro’s front and rear. Slee did the front, I took the diff out and took it to his shop and waited around for it to be finished. A buddy of mine and I did the rear and put an ARB locker in. While I had the front apart I decided to go ahead and completely take apart the half shafts and service them. Glad I did, the grease on the inboard side came out like chunky chocolate milk. The outboard sides were definitely better but it needed replacing as well. They are different greases but you could tell they had lost some character. Cleaned, new grease, and new boots. I also opted for the McMaster Carr clamps.

Primer on new housing

Half shafts cleaned and ready for new grease

Edit: While I was waiting on the front diff to get re-geared at Slee, I ran over to CVJ axles and got the c-clips for the outboard half shafts. This is not a serviceable part from Toyota and you will likely have to find an axle shop and get from them. I took one to NAPA to find a common/local source and they said they don't carry them.

Diff housings ready for new parts at my friend’s place. Nice to have a friend with that knowledge and tools such as press etc.



One thing I noticed is one of my ABS sensors had a lot of gunk on it. Looked like water had gotten into the hub at one point and had rusted a bit. Cleaned up the sensor and the hub as best I could and replaced the oil seal on both hubs. I am going to test drive with VSC in normal mode and see if that was the problem with VSC function.


I fabbed up a compressor bracket and mounted my fuse block on there as well. It looks a bit messy but with a HAM radio, led lights, 12v outlets and trigger wires, there is a lot going on. I will likely try and clean it up a bit more, but that ARB compressor has a lot of stuff hanging off it and that space got pretty tight. I mounted the compressor and locker switches up and out of the way, but still easy enough to reach. After installing these, I really like the 80 series dial better, much harder to accidentally engage.

Compressor and fuse block

Switches installed

 

[CO_Hunter]

I picked up a set of 4Runner wheels off CL for a good price. The main motivation, besides looking better, was the extra clearance. I really wanted to be able to chain all 4 tires and I was fortunate to find a set of never used RUD chains on CL for the front. I’ll use my regular chains on the rear. The folks at RUD chain said I needed 1/2” clearance on the inside. Clearance looks good in the garage, test drive will tell.

Inboard view of RUD chains

4Runner wheels with RUD chains

 

[tlin]

Great work....there are times when I miss the sound of that ARB compressor firing up in my triple-locked '92. Keep at it!

 

[DRANGED]

I’ve been busy and realized I needed to give an update.

View attachment 1858874
Half shafts cleaned and ready for new grease
View attachment 1858875
Diff housings ready for new parts at my friend’s place.

Nice to have a friend with that knowledge and tools such as press etc.

Switches installed

Nice work and updates. I still haven't found your detailed write-up on the nanny switches (traction). I think its detailed in another tread, and just mentioned in this build. (albeit my "looking" has been cursory )

Amen to friends with knowledge, tools and abilities, eh @gahi !!

 

[DRANGED]

I picked up a set of 4Runner wheels off CL for a good price. The main motivation, besides looking better, was the extra clearance. I really wanted to be able to chain all 4 tires and I was fortunate to find a set of never used RUD chains on CL for the front. I’ll use my regular chains on the rear. The folks at RUD chain said I needed 1/2” clearance on the inside. Clearance looks good in the garage, test drive will tell.

View attachment 1858881
Inboard view of RUD chains

View attachment 1858880

4Runner wheels with RUD chains

which rims did you have previously? Is there an offset/backspacing difference b/t these 4r rims and the Lexus and/or what you had previously?

 

[CO_Hunter]

Nice work and updates. I still haven't found your detailed write-up on the nanny switches (traction). I think its detailed in another tread, and just mentioned in this build. (albeit my "looking" has been cursory )

Amen to friends with knowledge, tools and abilities, eh @gahi !!

Thanks. The link is in post 45 but here it is to make it a bit easier.
Snow and Ice Performance/VSC Disable

which rims did you have previously? Is there an offset/backspacing difference b/t these 4r rims and the Lexus and/or what you had previously?

The ones I had are stock. I don’t recall the exact offset and backspacing and there was some variation dependng on what thread one read. The stock are 7.5” and the 4 runner are 7”. Bottom line is accounting for the differences in offset, backspacing and wheel width I am about a half inch (or slightly more) farther outboard. I did use a web calculator to get an idea of what I would get. Also used a tape measure to confirm backspacing before I bought them. I got them for $250 and they were clean so I figured it was low risk.

 

[DRANGED]

I picked up a set of 4Runner wheels off CL for a good price.

View attachment 1858880

4Runner wheels with RUD chains

I had to go back and look at my pic, the mind's eye had those rims, gunmetalled out and already on your GX. They'll look great!

 

[NMBruce]

I picked up a set of 4Runner wheels off CL for a good price. The main motivation, besides looking better, was the extra clearance. I really wanted to be able to chain all 4 tires and I was fortunate to find a set of never used RUD chains on CL for the front. I’ll use my regular chains on the rear. The folks at RUD chain said I needed 1/2” clearance on the inside. Clearance looks good in the garage, test drive will tell.

View attachment 1858881
Inboard view of RUD chains

View attachment 1858880

4Runner wheels with RUD chains

I carry chains all winter long, smart move, looks good

 

[CO_Hunter]

So I like the re-gerar, it gives me 400 rpm over stock at 75 mph but so far it doesn't seem to have impacted mpg much, though it hasn't been driven much on highway so time will tell. Extra torque is nice to have as is piece of mind on the 8.2 rear end. Should make towing in WY wind and mountains with trailer a little nicer.

Here is a pic of what I did to the RUD chains. Actually, I was impressed by how well the held up considering I dug a hole in frozen gourd with them. On one set, the brackets got bent due to hitting the side of the hole when I was leaning a bit. All in all, happy with them and really glad I can now chain the front.

This link is to another thread and the original post about the outing.

What Did You Do With Your 120 Today?

Ok thanks, I'll try that next time. The c-clips on the NAPA CVs have a round profile and little "wings" while the OEM c-clips have a square profile and are more circular. I wonder if the NAPA c-clips are harder to seat?

forum.ih8mud.com

Next up -- I have a Coastal Offroad rear bumper kit on order with long swing arm. Also, synthetic winch line and accessories to make my new rope, extension, and soft shackles.

 

[CO_Hunter]

A while since I made any updates.

I bought some 7/16 and 3/8 Amsteel Blue. I made about a 75’ mainline and 35’ of extension. I made 3 soft shackles out of the 7/16. I used some fiberglass heat sleeve on the first wrap on the drum. I used some blue water tubing for chafe guard. Kinda cool doing the splices etc.

I had one pull on the winch prior to doing this but it was enough to roughen the roller a bit so I polished them before installing the new rope.

 

[CO_Hunter]

Just finished my Coastal Offroand bumper build. I ordered the long arm kit and jerry can holder. The location of the latch block is far enough over it shouldn’t be a leg catcher. I won’t go into a lot of build pics since there is enough info in the Coastal Offraod thread. I was back and forth on how to coat it and finally settled on POR15. I prepped it with flap disk, sprayed it with brake clean then used POR metal prep which is basically phosphoric acid. I then put on three coats of POR15, then used the POR self etching primer before top coating the vertical parts with hammered matte gray. Matched pretty close to the ARB front bumper. The horizontal parts I coated with spay on bed liner so we would have a nonskid surface climbing in/out of the back.

I also reinforced the the hinge area like Bluetribal did. The lock pin is my addition and not part of the kit. I also reinforced the vertical part of tire holder with angle on each side plus the back of all verticals. Just a little extra cheap insurance. I added these foldable steps on both sides of the bumper and think these will come in quite handy.