Goose Gear Plate System - Question (4 Viewers)

[Slow Paddler]

As for finding those extra holes to better bolt the plate down; good idea about using the plate as a template. I might do that.
On the other hand, the plate is bolted down using the 4 factory tie-down threads. Would Toyota have put in tie-down bolts that are insufficient to hold heavy weights down? Yes, I would like more bolts, but maybe I’m just over cautious.

Yep! @tdcruiser406080100 posted a how-to here: Locating (hidden) captive nuts for ARB rear drawer install Heritage Edition - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/locating-hidden-captive-nuts-for-arb-rear-drawer-install-heritage-edition.1219139/post-13240503

And attached is a PDF on how to mount Outback Solutions' drawers using their template to find the holes. I haven't attempted it yet.

As to your question about the tie down bolts; I recall reading that the seat anchor bolts are a larger diameter than the cargo anchors, so using them is the safer option.

 

[MCtree]

Just to follow up;
I spoke with Goose Gear and the plate did come with two short aluminum tubes that are supposed to be used as spacers to support the floating front end that I was worried about.

The two tubes get installed with bolts through them into the floor of the vehicle.
I thought those two tubes were only needed if one removed a third row.

And associated with this; apparently there are more than 4 connecting points for the plate to the vehicle.

Frustratingly, the guy at Goose Gear would just say it’s up to 14 connection points depending on my model of LC but he wouldn’t give me a minimum count since he said could not know for any specific LC 200.

So this is my next task, to find the other threads (beyond the 4 tie-down bolts) where I can bolt the plate down more…..

I’ll look at that link you sent, Slow Paddler. Thanks! Hopefully it shows a couple more holes I can uncover.

 

[jaymar]

Just to follow up;
I spoke with Goose Gear and the plate did come with two short aluminum tubes that are supposed to be used as spacers to support the floating front end that I was worried about.

The two tubes get installed with bolts through them into the floor of the vehicle.
I thought those two tubes were only needed if one removed a third row.

And associated with this; apparently there are more than 4 connecting points for the plate to the vehicle.

Frustratingly, the guy at Goose Gear would just say it’s up to 14 connection points depending on my model of LC but he wouldn’t give me a minimum count since he said could not know for any specific LC 200.

So this is my next task, to find the other threads (beyond the 4 tie-down bolts) where I can bolt the plate down more…..

I’ll look at that link you sent, Slow Paddler. Thanks! Hopefully it shows a couple more holes I can uncover.

If the guy can't say, how do they know how many to ship you--or do they just ship the maximum number with every 200 plate? Should be a shipping invoice etc. listing all parts that are supposed to be in the box. Or is this about how many holes there are in the floor of any particular vehicle?

 

[MCtree]

Yes. Their web site says if you have a Heritage you will end up with extra parts you can discard.

And while I sure wish they had instructions, Goose Gear did initially steer me to a distributor in Dallas who has experience installing these systems.
Since I’m in Houston, I am trying to avoid driving up to Dallas. But that’s my fallback if, for some reason, I can’t figure it out.

 

[grinchy]

If it's not specified as a dealer only install, there should be instructions.

 

[greynolds]

Yes. Their web site says if you have a Heritage you will end up with extra parts you can discard.

And while I sure wish they had instructions, Goose Gear did initially steer me to a distributor in Dallas who has experience installing these systems.
Since I’m in Houston, I am trying to avoid driving up to Dallas. But that’s my fallback if, for some reason, I can’t figure it out.

Ideally, someone who has installed one in a 200 series that had 3rd row seats can post a picture with the mounting points circled. You already know about the 4 that are in place of the factory cargo tie downs. My understanding is that there are 4 more for the 3rd rows seats that can be accessed by drilling in the appropriate location in the floor and you can presumably use the plate as a guide for where to drill for those 4. So that would be a total of 8. In the overall picture you posted in post number 51, I count 12 countersunk holes that look like potential mounting points, so looking under those locations is an obvious next step. I also see a bunch of other smaller holes that I'm assuming are threaded for mounting GooseGear items on top of the base.

 

[greynolds]

If it's not specified as a dealer only install, there should be instructions.

Someone should tell a lot of manufacturers that , but I completely agree. Probably can't really fault them for being vague on the HE mounting locations though as those are kind of scarce around here.

 

[jaymar]

Someone should tell a lot of manufacturers that , but I completely agree. Probably can't really fault them for being vague on the HE mounting locations though as those are kind of scarce around here.

Don't they take an interest in this stuff, take notes from customers with new configurations so they can make it easier for the next guy?

 

[MCtree]

Someone should tell a lot of manufacturers that , but I completely agree. Probably can't really fault them for being vague on the HE mounting locations though as those are kind of scarce around here.

Yes, they should have some semblance of instructions but I can’t say this is a surprise to me. I knew what I was getting into.

 

[MCtree]

Ideally, someone who has installed one in a 200 series that had 3rd row seats can post a picture with the mounting points circled. You already know about the 4 that are in place of the factory cargo tie downs. My understanding is that there are 4 more for the 3rd rows seats that can be accessed by drilling in the appropriate location in the floor and you can presumably use the plate as a guide for where to drill for those 4. So that would be a total of 8. In the overall picture you posted in post number 51, I count 12 countersunk holes that look like potential mounting points, so looking under those locations is an obvious next step. I also see a bunch of other smaller holes that I'm assuming are threaded for mounting GooseGear items on top of the base.

Good thinking.
Since the plate is installed now, i think I’m going to drop a sharpy through each of those holes to mark the floor to, hopefully, illuminate where I can find the threads - before removing the plate.

I’m actually hoping I won’t have to drill into the floor like one has to do for ARB drawers with the Heritage.
Hopefully there are enough available open holes that I can find. But we will see.
I should say that neither GG nor the dealer in Dallas has suggested anything about drilling to find threads.

Keep in mind the ARB only uses 4 bolts (though they are beefier bolts than the Tie-downs and ARB uses an aluminum frame vs the wood plate that GG employs.)

 

[greynolds]

Don't they take an interest in this stuff, take notes from customers with new configurations so they can make it easier for the next guy?

They probably do, but only to a point. It's quite possible that they only have a few HE customers and they have used only the 4 cargo tie down points and called it good enough. They clearly know about the HE and that "some" hardware might go unused, but may not have had any hands on time to look at things closely. Passing along notes from customers they don't know could result in giving out bad advice.

If it were me, I would probably want to drill out access to the bolt locations for the 3rd row seats, but I'm not sure what approach I would take as I wouldn't want to risk enlarging the holes in the platform, but would also want to use the platform as a guide to get a good center point to work with for each hole. So probably use a center punch setup that fits perfectly in the holes, remove the platform, and then start drilling starting with a small drill bit and working my way up.

 

[greynolds]

Keep in mind the ARB only uses 4 bolts (though they are beefier bolts than the Tie-downs and ARB uses an aluminum frame vs the wood plate that GG employs.)

Most likely the 4 from the 3rd row seats as we already know those use larger bolts and only need to be drilled out on HE's.

 

[jaymar]

They probably do, but only to a point. It's quite possible that they only have a few HE customers and they have used only the 4 cargo tie down points and called it good enough. They clearly know about the HE and that "some" hardware might go unused, but may not have had any hands on time to look at things closely. Passing along notes from customers they don't know could result in giving out bad advice.

If it were me, I would probably want to drill out access to the bolt locations for the 3rd row seats, but I'm not sure what approach I would take as I wouldn't want to risk enlarging the holes in the platform, but would also want to use the platform as a guide to get a good center point to work with for each hole. So probably use a center punch setup that fits perfectly in the holes, remove the platform, and then start drilling starting with a small drill bit and working my way up.

Well, shoot it and write it up for the next guy. Maybe send a link to GG...

 

[greynolds]

Well, shoot it and write it up for the next guy. Maybe send a link to GG...

Well, I own a HE, but don't have the GooseGear plate, so I certainly won't be writing anything up. I am still debating about what to do, if anything, with the cargo area other than leaving it stock. Hopefully, @MCtree will continue to post his findings, including more photos, here so it will be easier for the next person.

 

[CharlieS]

Don't they take an interest in this stuff, take notes from customers with new configurations so they can make it easier for the next guy?

My experience is that most companies could care less. I've made repeated offers to do write ups, share photographs of installations, and provide corrections to installation instructions. I've never once been taken up on it.

 

[Tex68w]

Unfortunately your CS/Tech experience mirrors that of mine with previous cargo plate installs. They are very vague with installs, product availability, lead times, etc. It’s a shame because they have a broad catalog and offerings and the product is better than average.

 

[iijchenii]

Anyone have one of these? The web site doesn't say much about it. I assume it is an aluminum plate with a coating?

Land Cruiser 200 Plate System 2008+

With the Goose Gear Land Cruiser Plate Systems you can now easily install and remove Goose Gear Modules with simple hand tools. This system requires the removal of the rear factory carpet kit. Does not require cutting or drilling of any part of the vehicle. Once the plate is installed you now...

www.goose-gear.com

 

[DesmoPilot]

Most likely the 4 from the 3rd row seats as we already know those use larger bolts and only need to be drilled out on HE's.

FWIW, the Trekboxx system uses 4 bolts. On the HE, I drilled out the two holes for the 3rd row. With 4 bolts holding the system over 22k miles, it hasn't come loose.

 

[greynolds]

FWIW, the Trekboxx system uses 4 bolts. On the HE, I drilled out the two holes for the 3rd row. With 4 bolts holding the system over 22k miles, it hasn't come loose.

I’m not sure that the number of bolts is overly important, but the 3rd row bolts are definitely bigger than the cargo tie down bolts. That may not be important either as the platform material might be the limiting factor.

 

[MCtree]

FWIW, the Trekboxx system uses 4 bolts. On the HE, I drilled out the two holes for the 3rd row. With 4 bolts holding the system over 22k miles, it hasn't come loose.

Desmo,
Is that two bolts on each side or did you drill out two holes total?

Because I used a sharpie to mark on my LC where there are bolt holes in the LC and I don’t find any threaded holes near those spots. (The holes worth the blue tape next to them are the 4 tie-down threaded holes.)

You can see in the photos below where the sharpie marks are.