Gx460 Help or suggestions needed (1 Viewer)

[g2340sw]

So while hitting the trails in Moab yesterday there came a point when my right rear drivers side while stuffed in the wheel well started making a loud and felt grinding noise while trying to make it over obstacles. It is only the drivers side rear and didn’t do it all the way up. Just after trying a difficult sectional I probably shouldn’t have. I and others looked and felt around several times to see if we could find any parts or pieces rubbing but found none. My vehicle has 3” dobinsons mra lift with timbren active offroad bump stop and 2” extension block under that for a total of 3” extension before the bump stop starts. This noise was heard and felt. Was in low range and would stop once over the obstacles and no longer stuffed. It sounded and felt like metal drive parts slipping and grinding so I thought I broke an axle but again ad soon as over the obstacles it was like nothing happened. Made it back down the trail and once aired up looked to see if anything wasn’t right and all looked normal. On flat ground or even coming down the trail there was no noise or shaking of any sort other than that wheel when stuffed and it managed to get me back to grand junction with no issues driving highways to get back to the base of operations as it were. No shakes, shimmy, or anything that would tell me something in the drive line or axles was damaged. My thoughts are if it was an axle wouldn’t it be grinding all the time regardless of axle angle or terrain? Could there be an issue with kdss system? No unusual lights on the dash nor again driving home on the interstate. This was my first true test of the setup and other than this it did more than I probably should have. I am new to to lexus/toyota platforms with kdss. The driver and vehicle were definitely tested not sure if I was in a particular mode for the mts if any or what low range gear as I had used quite a bit of all of them thought the day at some point. Looking for thoughts, ideas or suggestions of things to look at. Was hoping for more out and about today but obviously safety first and don’t need anything falling off not more damage bing caused if it is an axle, but more to the point have to make it back Denver way in a few days. So have long drives ahead of me that will require a good working vehicle. Thanks for any questions or ideas of what to look at.

 

[Banandalorian]

Did you have crawl control/multi-terrain select or hill descent control active? You can get some wonky sounds when those systems are doing their thing. I have a bad habit of accidentally flicking both the 4L and hill descent switches when changing into 4L. When descent control kicks in and you don't realize it's on, it sounds and feels like something expensive breaking. (It's actually something expensive braking - heyo)

 

[g2340sw]

Yes they may have been on but can’t say for sure in what settings this happen. Upon further inspection this morning I found it hat my drive shaft was contacting a bolt for my fuel tank skid plate at full stuff and had ground it off a bit. The drive shaft was slightly hit but it did a number on the bolt for the skid. Thanks for checking in and asking. Hope this helps someone in the future running skids on gx460’s and 4runners. Apparently there is enough movement of the drive shaft under articulation that this can happen. Looks fine on install it though.

 

[Banandalorian]

Yes they may have been on but can’t say for sure in what settings this happen. Upon further inspection this morning I found it hat my drive shaft was contacting a bolt for my fuel tank skid plate at full stuff and had ground it off a bit. The drive shaft was slightly hit but it did a number on the bolt for the skid. Thanks for checking in and asking. Hope this helps someone in the future running skids on gx460’s and 4runners. Apparently there is enough movement of the drive shaft under articulation that this can happen. Looks fine on install it though.

That explains it. Do you have the stock rear control arms and panhard setup? I'm curious if your lift has changed the position of the rear axle enough to induce this or if the skid-bolt is just too long. Either way this is probably a quick fix with an angle grinder/cutoff wheel to the excess bolt length.

 

[g2340sw]

That explains it. Do you have the stock rear control arms and panhard setup? I'm curious if your lift has changed the position of the rear axle enough to induce this or if the skid-bolt is just too long. Either way this is probably a quick fix with an angle grinder/cutoff wheel to the excess bolt length.

Stock control arms upper and lower. Have the eimkieth kit for pan hard bar angle correction, more than enough bump stop additions to help but also have the long travel setup all the way around if that makes a difference. The skid comes with a carriage bolt and is apparently supposed to be installed with the rounded side towards the drive shaft thus eliminating the major unnerving sound and and clunking of bolts hitting bolts. Thats on me as I was more concerned about the bolt hitting the fuel tank. There is plenty of room between the tank and bolt when reversed upon further inspection and per the maker of the skid plate. There still my be some rubbing at full stuff but should be smoother if any contact. As for how it looks when installing it there is plenty of space and the drive shaft movement is known for gx’s and 4runners and some have even trimmed the skid plate due to contact. Hopefully this helps someone else not have an oh s#%t moment on the trail.

 

[g2340sw]

This is what it looked like.

 

[sedonut]

One thing I keep in mind when I see tire tracks on what appears to be an impossible trail, is they were made by a strictly off road buggy that while it may be street legal, would be scary on the street.

Discretion is the better part of valor.