dovetails
SILVER Star
Damn that sucks! I got USR ones 2 months ago.. we'll see how they go...
Build Chicken's GX
- Thread starter stupidchicken03
- Start date
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- Thread starter
- #102
painted the internal housings a metallic dark grey/black, then threw some UV clear coat over it.
Canabalized the OEM bulbs that came with these housings and soldered the ends to the LED pod wires.
Always test before putting everything back forever!
Pods in the housings. I angled them out away from the car slightly, and slightly down towards the ground.
Now just waiting for the final nugget nap of the day to heat the oven and throw em back in to close them up!
Canabalized the OEM bulbs that came with these housings and soldered the ends to the LED pod wires.
Always test before putting everything back forever!
Pods in the housings. I angled them out away from the car slightly, and slightly down towards the ground.
Now just waiting for the final nugget nap of the day to heat the oven and throw em back in to close them up!
The first set started cracking and foggy inside within a couple weeks. After fighting with them and having to pay a deposit I got them to send me another set. That set got cloudy and started peeling on the outside within 3 months. Ignore there website reviews and take a look at the google reviews. I jumped the gun because I thought they looked awesome. Live and learn!
- Thread starter
- #104
Everything buttoned up last night
Put a seam of clear silicone around the perimeter as a just in case. Rear cap on and ready for OEM plug in
I could throw them in now, but I kinda want to go out tonight and do a stock vs modded pic to really see the difference... might try to be patient for that.
Also might do the "always on" fog light mod, where you can bypass the relay and are able to turn the fogs on without the headlights being on.
Put a seam of clear silicone around the perimeter as a just in case. Rear cap on and ready for OEM plug in
I could throw them in now, but I kinda want to go out tonight and do a stock vs modded pic to really see the difference... might try to be patient for that.
Also might do the "always on" fog light mod, where you can bypass the relay and are able to turn the fogs on without the headlights being on.
I’ve had mine for about a year, and no issues. They’re absolutely not oem quality. I don’t expect 100K miles from them.
I was getting my windows tinted, and the shop added a Lamin-X type protector to each headlight for me for an extra $50.
That has done a helluva job keeping the lens from chipping.
I didn’t think of that, definitely will look into it.
- Thread starter
- #107
Fog light mod to allow fogs on with headlights off
Went out to a dark empty lot last night and did a before/after.
Top pics are stock fogs with yellow LEDs vs bottom are modded housings - both sets of pics are only DLRs and fogs
DRLs and fogs
Think it all came out pretty decent. For sure a lot more light. I might change the angle of them more towards the center vs shooting outwards.
For $~36 LED pods and $40 using fog housings.. worth it IMO.
Went out to a dark empty lot last night and did a before/after.
Top pics are stock fogs with yellow LEDs vs bottom are modded housings - both sets of pics are only DLRs and fogs
DRLs and fogs
Think it all came out pretty decent. For sure a lot more light. I might change the angle of them more towards the center vs shooting outwards.
For $~36 LED pods and $40 using fog housings.. worth it IMO.
dovetails
SILVER Star
Good to know, I'll keep this in mind!
- Thread starter
- #109
Just got home from picking up the brackets on my lunch break.
Powdercoat turned out nice. Should get everything installed back together later today
Powdercoat turned out nice. Should get everything installed back together later today
- Thread starter
- #110
Neighbor down a few houses from me has a modded 4rnr and Tundra. Just swapped aftermarket headlights into the 4rnr and asked if the bulbs fit the GX. They do. He had a pair of Diode Dynamics SL1s in the OEM headlights, and gave them to me for free since he no longer needed them
Think ill wait to install them.. I would like the get a set of OEM Sport headlights when they go on a good sale next time. My OEM originals are looking tired and have some cracks in them.
Think ill wait to install them.. I would like the get a set of OEM Sport headlights when they go on a good sale next time. My OEM originals are looking tired and have some cracks in them.
Let me know how well these work - I'm running cheap Auxito or Auxbeam LEDs (don't even remember which). They are better than the halogens, but I've had one crap out and the beam pattern is so-so at best. Diode Dynamics is local to me and of course USA-made. I may replace the cheapo bulbs with those if they are wroth the $100 a pop.
- Thread starter
- #112
Yeah they are pricey.. They have gone up in price since he bought them too. He loved them in the 4rnr and I believe he has them in the Tundra too.
Will post an update when I get around installing them (be it in the current headlights or new ones).
- Thread starter
- #113
Always finding some interesting things on the GXOR FB group. Ordered one of these, and it arrived last night.
basically unplug OEM wiring to the rearview mirror, plug this into the mirror, OEM wiring into this, then it adds USB power. Meant for dash cams, but I ordered another cable: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C9TKJ846?tag=ihco-20 (RJ11 to USB) to see if I can use it to power the radar detector. If I end up putting a dash cam in the GX, I might try a USB splitter and try running both off it.
basically unplug OEM wiring to the rearview mirror, plug this into the mirror, OEM wiring into this, then it adds USB power. Meant for dash cams, but I ordered another cable: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C9TKJ846?tag=ihco-20 (RJ11 to USB) to see if I can use it to power the radar detector. If I end up putting a dash cam in the GX, I might try a USB splitter and try running both off it.
- Thread starter
- #114
Plugged in and working great!
- Thread starter
- #115
Camping trip got scrapped due to rain and possible snow where we were going. So I pivoted and just went to our cabin yesterday.
Decided to take the GX as I might have had a better shot of getting into the garage without clearing the snow off the driveway.
It was also the longest drive ive taken in the GX since I bought it in Dec last year. Previously going into my office a few weeks ago was the longest drive (33 miles lol) at a singe time. The cabin is roughly 80ish miles from home, up elevation. Drove up like a champ. Driveway was much deeper than anticipated and I high centered the GX lol.
Walked down to the garage and fired up the snow blower, then dug out around the GX with a shovel, down to the garage no problem after that lol.
Once I arrived at the top of the driveway, I locked the center diff and put it in lo range. I noticed that the shifter seems really "loose". Didnt think much about it. Couple hours later I was going out to the store to pick up a few small things. The shifter was still super loose. It wouldnt stay in lo, it would automatically just pop back over to 2nd.
Took a vid of it and was going to post on the FB group, but decided to search first (who would have thunk it..). Well found my answers. More than likely the pin/spring is messed up in the shifter mech.
Found this thread here on it: GX470, LX470, 4runner Loose Gear Selection Lever Fix - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/gx470-lx470-4runner-loose-gear-selection-lever-fix.1262270/?fbclid=IwAR3sZ1ZXOi9ej3mHm4yQHR5nXz4tNGFmLnN1K3zjgx9VqZMgofMbIRpSqCE
Still drives totally normal other than having to hold it into a couple specific gears.. which I shouldnt really need getting home.. so ill leave it be till I get back home and tear the mech down to see.
Decided to take the GX as I might have had a better shot of getting into the garage without clearing the snow off the driveway.
It was also the longest drive ive taken in the GX since I bought it in Dec last year. Previously going into my office a few weeks ago was the longest drive (33 miles lol) at a singe time. The cabin is roughly 80ish miles from home, up elevation. Drove up like a champ. Driveway was much deeper than anticipated and I high centered the GX lol.
Walked down to the garage and fired up the snow blower, then dug out around the GX with a shovel, down to the garage no problem after that lol.
Once I arrived at the top of the driveway, I locked the center diff and put it in lo range. I noticed that the shifter seems really "loose". Didnt think much about it. Couple hours later I was going out to the store to pick up a few small things. The shifter was still super loose. It wouldnt stay in lo, it would automatically just pop back over to 2nd.
Took a vid of it and was going to post on the FB group, but decided to search first (who would have thunk it..). Well found my answers. More than likely the pin/spring is messed up in the shifter mech.
Found this thread here on it: GX470, LX470, 4runner Loose Gear Selection Lever Fix - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/gx470-lx470-4runner-loose-gear-selection-lever-fix.1262270/?fbclid=IwAR3sZ1ZXOi9ej3mHm4yQHR5nXz4tNGFmLnN1K3zjgx9VqZMgofMbIRpSqCE
Still drives totally normal other than having to hold it into a couple specific gears.. which I shouldnt really need getting home.. so ill leave it be till I get back home and tear the mech down to see.
- Thread starter
- #117
Yea seems fairly simple. Ive had that center trim out more times than I can count off the top of my head lol.
All of that stuff is already wrapped, so less "down time" I guess hahahah.
This is mine as it sits
Google Photos - video of my shifter
All of that stuff is already wrapped, so less "down time" I guess hahahah.
This is mine as it sits
Google Photos - video of my shifter
- Thread starter
- #118
Took the GX out to a small lake just across a DAM. Started to get real soupy and the ruts were starting to rub the belly..so decided at the next flat area, turn back around before getting stuck hahaha.
Figured I dint want to leave this mud all over the car and having it freeze overnight. But I also didnt want to hook a hose up and spray it off at the cabin.. water would ice the entire driveway and might not be able to leave after lol. So found a local DIY car wash, and i was really happy to have a pressure washer to use!
Figured I dint want to leave this mud all over the car and having it freeze overnight. But I also didnt want to hook a hose up and spray it off at the cabin.. water would ice the entire driveway and might not be able to leave after lol. So found a local DIY car wash, and i was really happy to have a pressure washer to use!
- Thread starter
- #119
I reached out to a few members about the gear selector mech pins/springs and no one ended up putting a kit together.
So I just bought them from he Aussie site. Parts listed at $28 AUS, so it became $18 USD
BUT the shipping was another $20
amts4x4.square.site
I also ordered the bushing insert as preventative. I havnt touched/messed with mine, but figured better to just do it while im in there vs it breaking and not being able to get into gear or park while out somewhere..
Few reviews said they used it on their 470 and worked great, and it was on sale for $18 vs $29
So I just bought them from he Aussie site. Parts listed at $28 AUS, so it became $18 USD
BUT the shipping was another $20
120 Prado / GX 470 auto shift lever repair kit | AMTS 4x4
120 Prado / GX 470 auto shift lever repair kit
I also ordered the bushing insert as preventative. I havnt touched/messed with mine, but figured better to just do it while im in there vs it breaking and not being able to get into gear or park while out somewhere..
Few reviews said they used it on their 470 and worked great, and it was on sale for $18 vs $29
How many miles on your rig? I'm closing in on 180K and expect that my shifter pins/bushings/springs have never been replaced before. I need to pull the console apart in the next few months to replace my Android Auto dongle (and install a wireless conversion as well). I'm considering just pre-emptively replacing those parts. It's a pain now to work on my console with all of the wires I put in there and I'd like to never crack it open again.I reached out to a few members about the gear selector mech pins/springs and no one ended up putting a kit together.
So I just bought them from he Aussie site. Parts listed at $28 AUS, so it became $18 USD
BUT the shipping was another $20
120 Prado / GX 470 auto shift lever repair kit | AMTS 4x4
120 Prado / GX 470 auto shift lever repair kit
I also ordered the bushing insert as preventative. I havnt touched/messed with mine, but figured better to just do it while im in there vs it breaking and not being able to get into gear or park while out somewhere..
Few reviews said they used it on their 470 and worked great, and it was on sale for $18 vs $29