Interesting. Still very cool. People will still lift them and run 35s.
GX550 vs LX600 vs GX460 vs LC Dimensions (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Madtiger
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I believe the front will be the same as LC300 or very similar (unless anyone has seen anything different, they look nearly identical or identical to me).
Toyota claims 715mm of wheel travel with e-kdss in the GR Sport version of the LC300. I don't really know what that means in real world terms though. It clearly doesn't have 28 inches of travel up front. In the old version the claimed 640mm front "articulation" meant about 9 inches of travel. Probably a bit more if you count some bump stop compression. If we just apply a straight adjustment to the 9 inches it is about 10 inches of travel.
I think that's also what the 734 reference on the license plate means - RTI score of 734 on a 20* ramp. If that's the case - it's a LOT more than the old GX460/KDSS Prado - those maxed at around 550 IIRC. But they were also significantly narrower. Travel was around 8 inches at each corner.
Travel isn't the same between a solid axle and IFS, and regular IFS isn't necessarily the same performance as KDSS, even with a sway disconnect.
In a simple scenario where you have a 72" track width and springs with a constant rate mounted inboard at 48" width (1 foot in from each WMS), and a spring rate of 200lb/in and the axle is bearing the weight of 2500lb. On a level surface each tire is loaded with 1,250lb of weight.
Now let's assume an obstacle where frame remains level and one tire is on top of a 12" rock. So the axle system will be put at a 9.56* angle.
With a solid axle modeled as a continuous beam with two point loads (springs) and supported ends (tires) the force on the tire displaced upward will be 1783lb and the force on the down side will be 717 lbs. (The springs will be displaced 4" up on one side and 4" down on the other, but that does not calculate the ground force distribution which will be a more complex, but not terribly complex, beam with asymmetrical point loads).
With independent suspension modeled as two independent systems attached to the frame without a cross suspension link (like KDSS) the force on the upper tire will be 2450lb and the lower tire will be 50lb. So even though the IFS and solid axle are still on the ground - the solid is doing significantly better than the IFS in maintaining vehicle stability and weight distribution.
KDSS works somewhere in between the two. Probably better than regular IFS but worse than a solid axle. I've been a big fan of KDSS for a long time. IMO it's a great idea and very good system. Especially as implemented on the LC200. And now it's even better.
Overall - I think it looks super impressive from the initial release info! I hope the same system also is optional on the LC250 and 4Runner.
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GX550 is a great platform and value. I think LX600 will become even more niche vehicle
Looks like good flex in the front. Picture borrowed from the overland expo announcement.
