GX460 & GXOR B.S. thread (12 Viewers)

[Hiluxforever]

I love stuff, mods, and add-ons but I think a lot of people get so lost in the sauce with all of it that they end up forever planning their build and not actually driving their car or truck. Or they get stuck in some halfway point, like having heavy springs with no extra weight, that it's less fun than if they just threw some better tires on and drove it stock for a while.

I completely agree but that's what I did. Wait to see where I needed upgrades and do things incrementally. Granted I eventually want the Marling Crawler RCLT eventually.

 

[Banandalorian]

I completely agree but that's what I did. Wait to see where I needed upgrades and do things incrementally. Granted I eventually want the Marling Crawler RCLT eventually.

I say all this as I sit here with my slightly over-sprung front suspension because I haven't bought a winch yet lol. But incremental upgrading is different than the people who are like "waiting on my rock lights, can't wait to hit the trails!" and their car sits in the driveway for 6 months because they got stuck wiring up a switch.

 

[SouthTxGX]

For those of you that have wired up switch pros I have a few questions. What are you using for the ignition source? Tapping into the harness? Running it to the fuse box? I’ve heard that soldering isn’t the best idea due to vibrations over time, this true? I like the idea of soldering for a cleaner look, but I’m not opposed to butt connectors. Where did you run your grounds for the items wired into the switch pro harness? Luckily I have a buddy that has done a lot of automotive wiring, but I love to overthink things.

 

[Hiluxforever]

I say all this as I sit here with my slightly over-sprung front suspension because I haven't bought a winch yet lol. But incremental upgrading is different than the people who are like "waiting on my rock lights, can't wait to hit the trails!" and their car sits in the driveway for 6 months because they got stuck wiring up a switch.

I am guilty of this as well as I put in my spacers after removing the 2nd and 3rd row and have quite the rake. The plus side is I have put in 450 lbs of sand and can still wheel.

 

[BigSwede]

Here's a good conversation starter.

What trend, or mod, or market gap on GXs bugs you the most?

2. Would be fuel storage. I don't think I have found a single way to store fuel in or out of a GX that I trust. Looking at fuel bags now, but I wish there was a low pro and non invasive way to carry fuel when I need to.

If you are not using your factory spare tire location (as I am not) there is this:

traild-6-gallon-spare-tank

 

[SteadfastRocky]

If you are not using your factory spare tire location (as I am not) there is this:

traild-6-gallon-spare-tank

Interesting, unfortunately not in the cards right now, if I went to a full size spare for the half of the year the big tires are on I would end up with a RiGd swing and then might as well mount a can there. I had thought those traild tanks were for just water. I am assuming they did that for EPA regs.

 

[SteadfastRocky]

I say all this as I sit here with my slightly over-sprung front suspension because I haven't bought a winch yet lol. But incremental upgrading is different than the people who are like "waiting on my rock lights, can't wait to hit the trails!" and their car sits in the driveway for 6 months because they got stuck wiring up a switch.

Yeah, or they do a build that is totally in appropriate for their wheeling opportunities in their area. Not really a problem persay but people judge and build based on looks more than function and then don't understand the intent of the adventures they are not exposed to.

 

[K Dub]

Yeah, or they do a build that is totally in appropriate for their wheeling opportunities in their area. Not really a problem persay but people judge and build based on looks more than function and then don't understand the intent of the adventures they are not exposed to.

I started wheeling in '80s Subarus, so I sort of laugh at some of the gatekeeping disguised as advice that I see online. I've done a trail that I've seen people say 'requires 35" tires and lockers' in my stock GX with AT tires. Know your limits and don't go anywhere you can't crawl out of with a broken leg of you have to, but just go use your truck. A stock GX needs absolutely nothing to take on the vast majority of trails. I have to go pretty far out of my way to exceed my limits, because most stuff short of Rubicon or Dusy-Ershim are a walk in a GX.

I have Rotopax gas cans that I've never even used with this truck. We aren't crossing the Darian Gap, just gas up before you go out and you'll be fine. If you're on a 100+ mile trail where you might run out before seeing another station, you're probably not in North America. 20 gal lasts pretty long, even in 4low.

All that being said, armor is a good idea regardless of your build. I need to upgrade the underside of my truck more than anything that'll be seen by the public. A roof rack would have come in handy a couple of times now when interior space got maxed out, and give me a spot to store the aforementioned Rotopax. Maybe some sand ladders of some sort, and it's pretty much ready to conquer the world.

Something to keep in mind, at least out here in the west: most of our trails were built for ModelT trucks or similar vintage equipment used for mining. A stock VW Beetle can handle the Baja 1000, and they do it every year. A lot of these mods can make a trip easier, or more fun, but very few of them are necessary. Nothing wrong with making your truck look cool, but pretending it's a prerequisite to wheeling just makes you look soft IMHO.

 

[r2m]

If you are not using your factory spare tire location (as I am not) there is this:

traild-6-gallon-spare-tank

These look cool, but it would be nice if they could be pressurized a little so you didn't need to drop them every time you used them. Just add a little air, and have it pour out from a hose like a faucet.

I started wheeling in '80s Subarus, so I sort of laugh at some of the gatekeeping disguised as advice that I see online. I've done a trail that I've seen people say 'requires 35" tires and lockers' in my stock GX with AT tires. Know your limits and don't go anywhere you can't crawl out of with a broken leg of you have to, but just go use your truck. A stock GX needs absolutely nothing to take on the vast majority of trails. I have to go pretty far out of my way to exceed my limits, because most stuff short of Rubicon or Dusy-Ershim are a walk in a GX.

I have Rotopax gas cans that I've never even used with this truck. We aren't crossing the Darian Gap, just gas up before you go out and you'll be fine. If you're on a 100+ mile trail where you might run out before seeing another station, you're probably not in North America. 20 gal lasts pretty long, even in 4low.

All that being said, armor is a good idea regardless of your build. I need to upgrade the underside of my truck more than anything that'll be seen by the public. A roof rack would have come in handy a couple of times now when interior space got maxed out, and give me a spot to store the aforementioned Rotopax. Maybe some sand ladders of some sort, and it's pretty much ready to conquer the world.

Something to keep in mind, at least out here in the west: most of our trails were built for ModelT trucks or similar vintage equipment used for mining. A stock VW Beetle can handle the Baja 1000, and they do it every year. A lot of these mods can make a trip easier, or more fun, but very few of them are necessary. Nothing wrong with making your truck look cool, but pretending it's a prerequisite to wheeling just makes you look soft IMHO.

You make come great points K Dub! One would be very hard pressed or an absolute idiot (not saying there aren't some of those out there) to run out of fuel. My 4x4 club and I did the entire Mojave Trail (3.5 days) and they suggested to bring an extra 5 gallons of fuel, albeit, most all my club members have tricked out Jeeps that probably get very poor MPG. Anyways, I did the entire trail on one tank of gas over the long weekend and still had about an 1/8 of a tank left when I finally got back on pavement. When I did stop for gas, I had to add that extra 5 gal jerry can to my tank so I wouldn't go home with it and have it sit in my garage. Just have to have the presence of mind to top off before any run, even if it's a half day or less, just top off before you hit the trail head. A FAR bigger concern for people going out in the middle of nowhere is to make sure they bring enough water!!!

Regarding your comments about GX capability, again you're probably right, depending upon the experience and skill of the drivers. BUT even though our beloved GX's can make it through most of the trails out here in CA, it doesn't mean they'll make it out unscathed.
For me, I don't mine pin striping from branches and brush, I kind of consider those badges of honor. But I draw the line at buckling body panels.
A lot of the trails that are "do-able" for a GX, the GX (and most stock rigs, e.g.: 4R's, Taco's etc.) will probably come out with at least some body damage. I know even as built and capable as my rig is I won't do John Bull trail and a couple other trails in that area.
I really love my rig. Love all the comfort features, love the ride, love the looks (without dents) just plain everything and I don't have the money to be dropping it off at the body shop after every rock crawling gate keeper on a trail. I've done that twice so far.
The reason I added front and rear lockers, regeared, winch and all my armor and recovery gear is for emergencies if I should get in a bad place, so I know for a fact I can at least get out, but I don't purposely go looking for those scenarios.

Also you're right about what the trails were originally for, old (very old) trucks and Jeeps. That's why full size truck just don't do well on trails, they're too stink'n long and wide to fit. Even now many of the trails have had to be widened a little to accommodate the newer larger Jeeps and Toyota's with they're long travel suspension and extra wide tires. The original trails or more accessible to the side-by-sides, but those are another thorn in my side.

Consider this, a 1941-1945 Jeep Willy's (some of the earliest vehicles used for recreational off roading) specs:

• Gross Weight: 3,650 lb.
• Length (overall): 132.25"
• Width (overall): 55.5”
• Height (Top Up): 71.75” Height (Top Down): 52"

2023 Jeep Wrangler:

• Gross weight: 5,800 lbs.
• Length: 188.4 in.
• Overall width without mirrors: 73.8 in.
• Height: 73.6 in.

GX460:

• Gross weight: 6,600 lbs.
• Length: 192.1 in.
• Overall width without mirrors: 74.2 in.
• Height: 74.2 in.

That means trails have had to grown to at least 1.5 feet wider just to accommodate the newer trail rigs.

 

[Hiluxforever]

That means trails have had to grown to at least 1.5 feet wider just to accommodate the newer trail rigs.

That explains my lovely pin stripes!

 

[K Dub]

These look cool, but it would be nice if they could be pressurized a little so you didn't need to drop them every time you used them. Just add a little air, and have it pour out from a hose like a faucet.


You make come great points K Dub! One would be very hard pressed or an absolute idiot (not saying there aren't some of those out there) to run out of fuel. My 4x4 club and I did the entire Mojave Trail (3.5 days) and they suggested to bring an extra 5 gallons of fuel, albeit, most all my club members have tricked out Jeeps that probably get very poor MPG. Anyways, I did the entire trail on one tank of gas over the long weekend and still had about an 1/8 of a tank left when I finally got back on pavement. When I did stop for gas, I had to add that extra 5 gal jerry can to my tank so I wouldn't go home with it and have it sit in my garage. Just have to have the presence of mind to top off before any run, even if it's a half day or less, just top off before you hit the trail head. A FAR bigger concern for people going out in the middle of nowhere is to make sure they bring enough water!!!

Regarding your comments about GX capability, again you're probably right, depending upon the experience and skill of the drivers. BUT even though our beloved GX's can make it through most of the trails out here in CA, it doesn't mean they'll make it out unscathed.
For me, I don't mine pin striping from branches and brush, I kind of consider those badges of honor. But I draw the line at buckling body panels.
A lot of the trails that are "do-able" for a GX, the GX (and most stock rigs, e.g.: 4R's, Taco's etc.) will probably come out with at least some body damage. I know even as built and capable as my rig is I won't do John Bull trail and a couple other trails in that area.
I really love my rig. Love all the comfort features, love the ride, love the looks (without dents) just plain everything and I don't have the money to be dropping it off at the body shop after every rock crawling gate keeper on a trail. I've done that twice so far.
The reason I added front and rear lockers, regeared, winch and all my armor and recovery gear is for emergencies if I should get in a bad place, so I know for a fact I can at least get out, but I don't purposely go looking for those scenarios.

Also you're right about what the trails were originally for, old (very old) trucks and Jeeps. That's why full size truck just don't do well on trails, they're too stink'n long and wide to fit. Even now many of the trails have had to be widened a little to accommodate the newer larger Jeeps and Toyota's with they're long travel suspension and extra wide tires. The original trails or more accessible to the side-by-sides, but those are another thorn in my side.

Consider this, a 1941-1945 Jeep Willy's (some of the earliest vehicles used for recreational off roading) specs:

• Gross Weight: 3,650 lb.
• Length (overall): 132.25"
• Width (overall): 55.5”
• Height (Top Up): 71.75” Height (Top Down): 52"

2023 Jeep Wrangler:

• Gross weight: 5,800 lbs.
• Length: 188.4 in.
• Overall width without mirrors: 73.8 in.
• Height: 73.6 in.

GX460:

• Gross weight: 6,600 lbs.
• Length: 192.1 in.
• Overall width without mirrors: 74.2 in.
• Height: 74.2 in.

That means trails have had to grown to at least 1.5 feet wider just to accommodate the newer trail rigs.

John Bull is another that I know better than to put myself on. So is the Miller Trail up where I spend a lot of time. Like I said, know your limits but now we're naming the toughest trails in the state if not the whole country and most of the rigs I see up there are trailered in. I was just up by Sherman Pass trail, I think that one is borderline doable with our trucks but I'd hate to find out the hard way that it's not.

I know my first trail rash was actually a bit of a relief, because now I'm not so worried about every little tree branch that screeches down my sides. My undercarriage has taken a couple of hits as well, but so far nothing that needed fixing. Knock on wood. Armor first, then cosmetics.

I bought the Rotopax back when I had a Nissan Juke. Once I had modded it to my liking it was getting under 20mpg with a 9gal tank, so it really was a challenge to get to the next station sometimes. I made a habit out of stopping at every gas station I saw on trips, but still needed my little 4gal top off cans when crossing Eastern Oregon or the 4 corners areas where it might be a couple hundred miles between towns. Now they're just gathering dust in the garage waiting for a decent excuse to use them, but I haven't needed them for years.

It also isn't just that trucks have gotten bigger, but a lot of trails have gotten harder too from erosion. But those specs really do tell a story about truck sizes. I used to take my girlfriend's Toyota Tracel EZ up the mining roads in Colorado and got a lot of funny looks pulling up to Kingston Peak in a FWD hatchback, but a narrow car with a short wheelbase gives you a lot of options that the full size rigs done have when picking a line. That was also the logic with the Juke, amazing approach/break over/decent angles on that silly little thing.

 

[SteadfastRocky]

I started wheeling in '80s Subarus, so I sort of laugh at some of the gatekeeping disguised as advice that I see online. I've done a trail that I've seen people say 'requires 35" tires and lockers' in my stock GX with AT tires. Know your limits and don't go anywhere you can't crawl out of with a broken leg of you have to, but just go use your truck. A stock GX needs absolutely nothing to take on the vast majority of trails. I have to go pretty far out of my way to exceed my limits, because most stuff short of Rubicon or Dusy-Ershim are a walk in a GX.

I have Rotopax gas cans that I've never even used with this truck. We aren't crossing the Darian Gap, just gas up before you go out and you'll be fine. If you're on a 100+ mile trail where you might run out before seeing another station, you're probably not in North America. 20 gal lasts pretty long, even in 4low.

All that being said, armor is a good idea regardless of your build. I need to upgrade the underside of my truck more than anything that'll be seen by the public. A roof rack would have come in handy a couple of times now when interior space got maxed out, and give me a spot to store the aforementioned Rotopax. Maybe some sand ladders of some sort, and it's pretty much ready to conquer the world.

Something to keep in mind, at least out here in the west: most of our trails were built for ModelT trucks or similar vintage equipment used for mining. A stock VW Beetle can handle the Baja 1000, and they do it every year. A lot of these mods can make a trip easier, or more fun, but very few of them are necessary. Nothing wrong with making your truck look cool, but pretending it's a prerequisite to wheeling just makes you look soft IMH

We actually see the opposite issue up here. USFS getting very restrictive on trail use, and the side by sides becoming the predominate off road rig, means we are seeing trails narrow a ton in the last 10 years.

We will if things like OnX I overlander, and just the explosive growth in the segment makes a difference.

 

[r2m]

We actually see the opposite issue up here. USFS getting very restrictive on trail use, and the side by sides becoming the predominate off road rig, means we are seeing trails narrow a ton in the last 10 years.

We will if things like OnX I overlander, and just the explosive growth in the segment makes a difference.

It's kind of funny about the side-by's, they are usually the most disrespectful, with the least amount of off road/open country knowledge. They have two throttle positions, wide open and off. They generally don't respect staying on trails, picking up after themselves, general safety in driving, going lead foot around blind curves on narrow trails and will constantly get themselves stuck for lack of off road experience.
I know this may be a hypobole and apologies to those who have them, but usually this is what I observe when I come across them. When I hear them, I kind of pucker up not knowing where they may pop out of or at me.

 

[Hiluxforever]

It's kind of funny about the side-by's, they are usually the most disrespectful, with the least amount of off road/open country knowledge. They have two throttle positions, wide open and off. They generally don't respect staying on trails, picking up after themselves, general safety in driving, going lead foot around blind curves on narrow trails and will constantly get themselves stuck for lack of off road experience.
I know this may be a hypobole and apologies to those who have them, but usually this is what I observe when I come across them. When I hear them, I kind of pucker up not knowing where they may pop out of or at me.

That mirrors my experience on B roads

 

[Tex68w]

It's kind of funny about the side-by's, they are usually the most disrespectful, with the least amount of off road/open country knowledge. They have two throttle positions, wide open and off. They generally don't respect staying on trails, picking up after themselves, general safety in driving, going lead foot around blind curves on narrow trails and will constantly get themselves stuck for lack of off road experience.
I know this may be a hypobole and apologies to those who have them, but usually this is what I observe when I come across them. When I hear them, I kind of pucker up not knowing where they may pop out of or at me.

Sadly that stereotype rings true more often than not. I had a RzR Turbo 4-seater for a while and we enjoyed it when we were at the proper off-road parks for it but beyond that it was a pricey niche toy that mostly sat in the garage. The SxS crowd is easily the most hated in the off-road community but deservedly so. We still use Polaris Rangers and CanAm Defenders for hunting and ranch needs as tools but not as off-road leisure toys.

 

[SteadfastRocky]

It's kind of funny about the side-by's, they are usually the most disrespectful, with the least amount of off road/open country knowledge. They have two throttle positions, wide open and off. They generally don't respect staying on trails, picking up after themselves, general safety in driving, going lead foot around blind curves on narrow trails and will constantly get themselves stuck for lack of off road experience.
I know this may be a hypobole and apologies to those who have them, but usually this is what I observe when I come across them. When I hear them, I kind of pucker up not knowing where they may pop out of or at me.

I generally agree. They are currently my least favorite land user to share with. I would be personally interested in one if it were EV and set up for crawling, would be a cheaper way to do it than a buggie.

 

[Acrad]

I'm an ATV and sled owner.. no UTVs... there is this EV model from Polaris

2023 Polaris RANGER XP Kinetic UTV - https://www.polaris.com/en-us/off-road/ranger/models/ranger-xp-kinetic/

• 110 HP Electric Motor
• 140 lb.-ft. Torque
• 14.9 kWh Lithium-Ion Battery with up to 45 Miles Estimate Range

Since you mentioned EV... my cabin "toy" for winter.. can't use it for a while...and I have no other electric vehicles including bicycles.

Planning on carrying it on the back of the 460.

 

[SteadfastRocky]

I'm an ATV and sled owner.. no UTVs... there is this EV model from Polaris

2023 Polaris RANGER XP Kinetic UTV - https://www.polaris.com/en-us/off-road/ranger/models/ranger-xp-kinetic/

• 110 HP Electric Motor
• 140 lb.-ft. Torque
• 14.9 kWh Lithium-Ion Battery with up to 45 Miles Estimate Range

Since you mentioned EV... my cabin "toy" for winter.. can't use it for a while...and I have no other electric vehicles including bicycles.

Planning on carrying it on the back of the 460.



View attachment 3372589View attachment 3372590

That's neat, I am aways off from the Toys part of my life, but ev powersports stuff would defiantly solve some of my personal issues.

 

[Ol Yeller]

Seems like a safe spot to ask about Ceramic Coat, I have no idea about it, good bad or meh??

cheers

 

[URJ150L]

The SxS crowd is easily the most hated in the off-road community but deservedly so.

Yep… f those things… I could tell some stories about the morons I’ve run into driving those things