Builds His and Her GX 460 Builds (1 Viewer)

[TX GX460]

I have put off a build thread on my rig for quite a while, and given that we are now starting to build my wife's GX and I am applying what I learned the first time around, I am going to attempt to pass along some of my experience to others.

I purchased my GX in early 2017. It is a 2015 Premium model in Knights Armor that had about 18k on the odometer when purchased. I was originally shopping 4Runners, looking specifically for KDSS-equipped models, but after I discovered the relatively small price difference for a good used GX with a V-8 I didn't look back. I have been thrilled with it ever since, and my wife loved it so much we traded in her Highlander for her own less than a year later (more on that below). My wife's is a black 2017 Luxury F-Sport. Unlike my Premium model (2014+ have three ranges - base, Premium and Luxury) hers came with airbag rear suspension, forward radar cruise control, front and side cameras, and Crawl Control, among other extras.

Below is a photo of the two vehicles when we brought hers home. Please ignore the garage mess.

This thread will probably take me several days to complete, so please be patient and bear with me. I am happy to answer questions along the way and clarify where necessary.

Summary of vehicles and what I will be discussing:

2015 GX 460 Premium
Current Modifications:
2.5” Lift (Dobinsons MRR)
UCAs (Total Chaos)
Sliders (MetalTech OPOR)
Prado 150 side skirts
Crawl Control and MTS added
Front bumper (ARB) with 10K winch (Warn 10-S Platinum) and synthetic rope
Rear bumper (MetalTech) with tire carrier and dual jerry can holder
Full roof rack (Rhino Rack Pioneer Backbone)
RCI steel skid plates – front, engine, transmission, and gas tank
Budbuilt steel rear transfer skid (KDSS-compliant)
SCS wheels (x5) - 17”x8.5” Ray10 in Gunmetal
285/70/17 Toyo AT Tires
Differential and transfer case breathers
SwitchPro 9100 control module
Blue Sea ST Blade split bus fuse block
On-board air compressor (ARB)
Custom-built drawer system
LED underbody entrance lighting
Safari Snorkel
Baja Designs LP9 Pro Driving/Combo Off-road lights (original machined aluminum model)
Cobra CB radio
Fox Wing awning with 2 extensions
Wits’ End fire extinguisher mount with quick disconnect, Halon extinguisher
Radflo Hydra-Jac
Raingler ceiling net
Trasharoo

2017 GX 460 Luxury
Current Modifications:
Dobinsons rear drawers with Prado 150 wing kit
Power Trays 5th Gen 4Runner ARB compressor and SwitchPro mount
ARB air compressor with pump-up kit
Blue Sea 8-circuit fuse block
Blue Sea 10-terminal ground busbar
Raingler cargo divider net

On-hand awaiting install:
MetalTech sliders (non-OPOR)
Kaymar rear bumper with dual swing-outs for tire carrier and dual jerry can
ARB differential and transfer case breathers

Planned:
Total Chaos Upper Control Arms
Total Chaos Race Series Lower Control Arms – stock length with KDSS and secondary mount
Total Chaos Secondary Shock Hoops
Radflo 2.5” front coilovers with reservoirs and compression adjusters, 700# springs
Radflo 2.5” rear shocks with reservoirs and compression adjusters
Radflo double-bypass front secondary shocks
Heavy Duty rear springs (maybe Slinky Suspension progressive)
Southern Style Offroad GX air to coil spring conversion kit with upper isolators
Total Chaos complete rear link kit with adjustable PanHard bar
SwitchPro 9100 control module
LED underbody entrance lighting
Wits’ End fire extinguisher mount with quick disconnect, Halon extinguisher
Southern Style Offroad GX 460 roof rack with Baja Design S2 Sport work/scene flush mount lights
Baja Designs LP9 Pro Driving/Combo Off-road lights
Long Range Automotive Secondary fuel cell with transfer pump
Wheels and tires – TBD
Full skids - TBD, likely a mix of steel and aluminum

Purchased but will likely not install:
Glind heat exchanger

Current Recovery equipment:
Static recovery strap (Treaty Oak Offroad)
Tree saver (TOO)
Kinetic recovery rope (TOO)
Load equalizing bridle (TOO)
Soft shackles (TOO and Southeast Overland)
Winch rope extension (SEO)
Van Beest shackles from TOO
Recovery Boards
Snatch block

 

[TX GX460]

The first thing I did for my rig was suspension. I knew I was planning on building a full rig complete with armor, and that I would use it for both a daily driver and off-road vehicle, so I wanted something that could handle abuse. But I was also budget-conscious (primarily because my wife wasn't fully into it yet) so although I desired full 2.5" wide adjustable shocks like Kings or Radflos I ended up deciding on the ~2.3" non-adjustable MRRs from Dobinsons. They were a new product at the time, and I got them directly from Dobinsons USA. I went with the medium-duty springs all-around, with about a 2.5" lift in the rear and adjustable front height. This was important to me because that was the maximum lift I could have and still fit in my home and office garages with the roof rack I was ordering.

I also went with Total Chaos UCAs to allow for additional caster adjustability.

Overall I have been very happy with the ride of the Dobinsons. With the exception of the issue below they have worked wonderfully and have been very comfortable. The springs were a bit stiff at first (something you should always expect when replacing factory suspension with new springs), but once they settled in the ride has been better than stock in my personal opinion. Another thing I have enjoyed is the customization of spring rates and travel length options available through Dobinsons, and the great customer service I receive through Kyle Fogle at Treaty Oak Offroad. Few people know more than Kyle does about suspension options, and he always provides quick and honest answers about both his and competing products. I highly recommend the Dobinsons MRRs as a cost-effective alternative to top-dollar remote reservoir shocks.

My experience hasn't been flawless, but the only problem I had was of my own doing. One thing that is different about Dobinsons MRRs is that the reservoir tube comes out of the bottom of the cylinder, rather than the top like on other brands, and the hose is 2-3 times as long. So placement of the reservoir is difficult, and you also need to make sure the hose is kept tight to the frame to prevent tire rub.

We originally placed the reservoir above the coilovers. This was the place recommended by Dobinsons, and that we saw in some Prado 150 builds.

Unfortunately, I ended up running into problems where the top bolt of the UCAs at full compression impacted the reservoir bracket, pushing it into the wheel well, resulting in enough deformation to cause loss of integrity. This actually happened on both sides. It took a while to happen and some pretty hard offroading, so most people may be fine with the above configuration, but it didn't work in my situation.

After weighing my options, I stuck with Dobinsons but moved the reservoir against the frame towards the passenger compartment and haven't had any problems since. I also swapped the medium duty coils to heavy duty ones (both 720# linear rate, but the HD are a little longer), due to the additional weight of the front bumper and winch (more on that later). If anyone needs it I can find or take a photo of the new location and hose routing.

One thing I haven't ordered for my wife's rig is suspension, primarily because I am going to do a lot at one time and trying to get it all put together into one order and build takes a bit of time and money. She will be receiving the Total Chaos UCL and stock length racing KDSS-compatible LCLs. We are probably going with Radflo shocks with dual bypass secondaries in the front and either 650# or 700# springs. My wife is requesting custom color springs, which Radflo has told us they can do for a small upcharge. Because of the rear air bags we will be using an air bag conversion kit, probably from Southern Style Offroad. I like their solution over MetalTech's because it has spacers to account for KDSS lean. We are going to probably go with a progressive slinky spring in the rear. I will update once we have everything on order.

 

[TX GX460]

Cool to have two in the garage.

Just a small correction.. while Crawl can be obtained with Driver support.. MTS isn't available in US. Only Canadian models.

You can add it though with module: 859A1-60040

DAC versus Crawl Control - ClubLexus - Lexus Forum Discussion

Thanks for the clarification; revised to fix. I replaced the module in my Premium and the switch panel to get both (I appreciate the instructions on how to do it); I haven't used hers offroad so I wrongly assumed that the Luxury had the MTS option as well. BTW, the Crawl Control is pretty easy to implement, but that driver support module is a real pain to replace.

 

[TX GX460]

Next was the roof rack. I needed low profile, so the best option I found with good functionality and low height was the Rhino Rack Pioneer platform with the Backbone system.

I purchased my Rhino Rack through Etrailer.com. I don't know for sure whether they sent me the right model, because the backbone system fit my vehicle perfectly, the horizontal cross-brace locations in the rack did not line up with the rail mounting holes. Before you ask, yes I checked it in both directions. I am not sure what happened but something was off. So I ended up drilling a few new holes to mount one of the cross-braces; I believe it was the rear-most one.

I have seen that some of the 150 models have had problems with the Rhino Rack Pioneer Backbone system interfering with the rear GPS/satellite radio antenna. Due to the issue above, I did not have that problem, and the rack cleared the antenna with ease.

GPS and satellite radio both work great; no problems, even when I have traction boards over the antenna. I don't notice a difference in reception over my wife's vehicle without a rack.

When installing the Backbone, I made sure to use flowable silicone at the mounting locations to prevent leaks. The installation kit comes with some black urethane-like adhesive seals at the foot locations that have openings for the bolt holes, but you can't be too careful. So far about 18 months and no water infiltration we have seen.

One thing that bugged me at first with the rack was wind noise. I ordered a 46" Yakima WindShield and installed it on the front, moving the inner two supports a little outboard to fit the spacing on the rack. It cut down wind noise a lot. I should probably buy the shorted WindShield they make just to get another support (it only comes with 4) to place in the middle and prevent flex, but I have not done it yet. As a result it would contact the roof in the center a little, making some noise, but I fixed that by taping some foam insulation tape to the contact point. You can see the Yakima in the photo below.

On my wife's car, we will likely go with the new Southern Style Offroad GX 460 roof rack. It has an integrated front spoiler for the wind. I believe it is actually a little shorter overall than the Rhino rack, allowing my wife a little extra room on top when it is installed, so we hope it will allow her some extra lift.

That being said, we love the Rhino Rack. It has a lot of tie down and accessory options, and it is built extremely solid. Below is a photo of us camping with our Foxwing awning and side panels this summer. We have stood on it a number of times without any hint of movement or flex from the design. Very sturdy and reliable.

 

[TX GX460]

Next came sliders. For Lexus warranty purposes I wanted a bolt-on slider, so I went with MetalTech's OPOR KDSS sliders. They get banged up a lot, so instead of powdercoating went with a paint-on bedliner. I first cleaned the metal with a little dish soap and water, sprayed a self-etching primer, then applied the bedliner. I like that they are textured in such a way that they are not slippery, but frankly they hurt my wife's feet and sometimes the back of her legs when getting in and out. So in the end I added some 1/8" adhesive-backed foam strips I cut out of a sheet I purchased from Amazon and placed them on the rails. They have held surprisingly well and my wife is much happier.

I didn't like the idea of chopping up the factory steps so I ordered the Prado skirts in the dark gray color from a Japanese part supplier. The color didn't match perfectly, but it was close enough. I was hoping I could keep the skirts intact with the sliders, but it was not possible so they ended up getting cut too. All things being equal, I now wish I would have just cut the factory steps to get a very similar look without having to pay for the additional parts.

For my wife's GX, we ordered the slightly more expensive MetalTech branded (not OPOR) KDSS sliders. They don't show them well on the website, and they are a significantly different design from the OPOR ones. A photo of the outside and inside are below. The metal is folded over, forming a flat wing-style slider under the frame extended to the edge of the body, and then a tube guard comes out at an upward angle from there. It comes fully powdercoated in black. They are thick and beefy. These are the next items to go on her rig when the Texas temperature is no longer above 105 with 95% humidity in the afternoons.

I have been very happy with the OPOR sliders, I have hit them pretty hard without deformation or any damage except touching up the bedliner paint. They have also prevented damage on a number of occasions. Once I get the MetalTech sliders installed I will grab some photos.

Below is a photo of the sliders with the foam rubber cover strips I used. It has been on for about 3 months now and has stayed on well. I purchased from Amazon then cut to size (http://a.co/4QKqkRy). I cleaned the area first with water and then rubbing alcohol to ensure good adhesion. The difference is very noticeable we like the combination of softness and grip these provide.

 

[TX GX460]

It's getting late, so to be continued. Next installments will be rear drawers, front bumper, snorkel, skids, engine and electrical, interior, and wheels and tires.

 

[lowlight]

Whoa! Impressive build & detailed write-up OP, well done! Thanks for sharing!

 

[TX GX460]

Rear drawers:

I wanted to do a lay-flat option for my rig, but none of the off-the-shelf options fit. So I made my own.

First thing to do was to remove the rear seats. There are several videos on how to do this, the best one is on YouTube and shows a Prado 150.

Keep an eye out for the mounting holes for the seats. These are solid threaded locations that are perfect to tie down. The only downside is that the ones for the front of the seats are on the forward side of a ridge at about a 45-degree angle. This ridge is also about 1" higher than the rest of the bare metal floor, requiring spacers at the rear of the cargo bay to create a level surface.

Note that the solution I used below is different from the one I used for my wife's drawers. I think hers was a much better solution, so you can see what I did below but realize I think there is a better way to do it.

I took some bendable 90 degree metal stock from Lowe's that had holes in it and mounted it to the front seat mounting locations (it took a little hole clearance due to spacing issues) and then bent it over to provide a flat surface.

I then created a flat base that I mounted the side supports to. I originally tried to cut it to fit the entire form of the cargo bay. Note that this doesn't work if you are going to add any vertical supports because it won't fit through the opening. So I ended up having to cut off the wings and just go with a rectangular base in the end. The picture below is before the additional cuts to make it rectangular.

I don't have any photos of the next step, but I created some wide (maybe 6" square) wood spacers that had countersunk mounting holes to attach the wood spacer pieces to the rear seat mounting locations in the frame. This allowed me to not have to worry about exact locations of mounting holes near the rear, and once I eventually bolted down the base to the frame (using threaded retention clips) I then just had to use wood screws to secure the rearward portion to the wood spacers. It took some of the tolerance issues out of the equation and made the installation quicker.

I then created the frame and drawers. I used heavy-duty full-extension drawer slides from Amazon that were probably overkill, but they work great. Note that the forward side of the drawers is at an angle. I measured the angle of the seats at full recline and matched that angle to allow for reclining and also to lessen the chance for our dogs' legs to get hurt by being pinched or items to get lost behind the seats. It results in some dead space behind the drawer but it was a conscious decision on my part. Note the holes in the plywood on the right side that correlate to where I placed threaded sheet metal capture nuts in hole locations on the metal stock.

You may also notice that the drawer seems offset. This is because of some additional space I wanted in the right wing for a jack. I will show that later.

I then used spray adhesive (3M 40) and speaker box flannel to cover the exposed surfaces of the box and drawer. Once it dried, I attached the box to the frame. You can see the washers and bolts in picture below - note that I was unable to get one of the 4 holes to line up just right, so I ended up with only three. But it has been secure enough for my purposes. You can also see the screw locations below if you look closely.

Continued...

 

[TX GX460]

I then created wings and a top. I wanted the wings to sit flush with the top surface, so I screwed some supports into the side of the box on both sides for the wood to rest on. Then, after cutting out the wing shapes, I added leg supports that sat on either vehicle trim or directly on the frame to create the outermost support. I then carpeted them as well.

For a lock, I used a drawer latch I found on Amazon and a 90-degree piece I had on-hand.

The drawer made a convenient place to hide kids' gifts...

Below is the final result.

I attached velcro strips to the underside of the wing panels so that they stayed in place but could be lifted easily. On the right side I placed my Hydra-Jack from Radflo. FYI, it only weighs about 12 pounds and works great.

Continued...

 

[TX GX460]

Below is a photo of the platform with the seats laying down. We have slept on this platform and it provides a comfortable surface (with an air mattress, of course).

The height of the drawers is about 9" to match the second row seat height. The angle makes it look like 10", but it is 9.

 

[TX GX460]

For my wife's vehicle, we figured that we did not need two different vehicles with sleeping platforms, so we purchased Dobinsons drawers from Kyle Fogle at Treaty Oak Offroad. They come standard with a drawer slide on the left and all mounting hardware. You can buy them with or without the product-specific wings. Right now Kyle is doing a group buy until July 27, so if you are interested contact him.

After removing the seats, I started the support structure differently than with mine. I used some metal straps with pre-drilled holes that are fastened to the forward seat mounting holes and extended them back to the rear locations, where I fastened them down with spacers and the rear Dobinsons cross-bar support.

I then added the rear cross-bar at a location were I could line up both the pre-drilled mounting points in the frame for the cross bars and the strap holes for mounting. I secured them down with bolts, using the supplied hardware and spacers. The spacers were the correct length to make the box level with the forward seat ridge.

I don't have a photo of it, but I ended up securing some wood supports below the forward cross-member, with felt on the bottom of the wood where it contacted the sheet metal. This was so the box wouldn't cause flex of the metal straps and eventually create fatigue points.

I then attached the frame to the cross-members using the attached hardware, and began attaching the side wings. I don't know the cause, but I was not able to line up the wings in a way that matched the interior. This is likely due to differences between interior trim of the GX and Prado models, because regardless of where the box was lined up the location of the wings with respect to the wheel well interior trim were too far away from the rear door area for everything to fit together correctly. The metal wing supports that fit by the wheel arches did not clear the wheel arches and could not be installed. So I created some wood forms that extended the rear door trim back by a few inches, and other ones in the front that supported the wings without interfering with the wheel well trim. I had to relocate the metal tabs that hold down the wing panels as well due to the elongated length front-to-back. I don't have detail photos of this but can take some if anyone needs it. You can see the rear wood trim in some of the photos below.

 

[TX GX460]

The drawers sit a little back from the door because the drawer slide and top extend beyond the drawer face. This results in a gap on the bottom where sheet metal shows. I simply added some speaker box felt that is held in by the door trim and extends below the drawer frame. I put some spare carpet on top just for our dogs' comfort.

These drawers sit about 11.25" above the floor, making them too high for a sleeping platform. But the drawers sit far back enough to have a little storage space between the second row and the seats, and to allow the seats to fully recline.

The net is from Raingler. It creates a good barrier between the rear compartment and second row. This is especially important with two dogs and captains chairs in the second row. It fits in without drilling, using factory grab handles and mounting locations on the top and sides, and in the bottom I looped the straps around slots in the frame of the drawers. I will do a more complete write-up for this and the headliner net I have in my rig in a later post.

 

[TX GX460]

Whoa! Impressive build & detailed write-up OP, well done! Thanks for sharing!

Thanks lowlight. Just trying to give back to a great community that I have learned so much from.

 

[HitchCrack]

One thing I haven't ordered for my wife's rig is suspension, primarily because I am going to do a lot at one time and trying to get it all put together into one order and build takes a bit of time and money. She will be receiving the Total Chaos UCL and stock length racing KDSS-compatible LCLs. We are probably going with Radflo shocks with dual bypass secondaries in the front and either 650# or 700# springs. My wife is requesting custom color springs, which Radflo has told us they can do for a small upcharge. Because of the rear air bags we will be using an air bag conversion kit, probably from Southern Style Offroad. I like their solution over MetalTech's because it has spacers to account for KDSS lean. We are going to probably go with a progressive slinky spring in the rear. I will update once we have everything on order.

Something to consider, I have been told with using progressive springs in the rear the SSO kit won't work due to it adding more height in kit. I have ordered the Dobs HD progressives for the rear and was advised to use the MT kit for this reason. I have not had the time to install the suspension in my GX yet but should be doing it here in the next few weeks. You have a couple of good looking trucks and I am excited to see it all come together.

 

[TX GX460]

Something to consider, I have been told with using progressive springs in the rear the SSO kit won't work due to it adding more height in kit. I have ordered the Dobs HD progressives for the rear and was advised to use the MT kit for this reason. I have not had the time to install the suspension in my GX yet but should be doing it here in the next few weeks. You have a couple of good looking trucks and I am excited to see it all come together.

Thanks HitchCrack. I am aware of the additional height from the SSO kit. I don't think it is an issue of not working as much of an issue of having more lift than intended from the springs. I am working with Kevin at SSO on the conversion, so I will make sure this height issue is addressed in the spring choice.

 

[HitchCrack]

Thanks HitchCrack. I am aware of the additional height from the SSO kit. I don't think it is an issue of not working as much of an issue of having more lift than intended from the springs. I am working with Kevin at SSO on the conversion, so I will make sure this height issue is addressed in the spring choice.

You are correct sir, my choice of words was not the best. It will work it will just add more height to the rear. I am not looking forward to removing the factory air suspension when we get around to that part. Do you have any pictures of where you moved the front reservoirs to? I have been looking for a good place to mount those when we get ready to do the suspension.

 

[TX GX460]

You are correct sir, my choice of words was not the best. It will work it will just add more height to the rear. I am not looking forward to removing the factory air suspension when we get around to that part. Do you have any pictures of where you moved the front reservoirs to? I have been looking for a good place to mount those when we get ready to do the suspension.

Sure, see below. Note that this is specific to Dobinsons MRR because of the reservoir line location and length.

 

[HitchCrack]

Sure, see below. Note that this is specific to Dobinsons MRR because of the reservoir line location and length. View attachment 1750176

Thanks for the picture that is what I was looking for.

 

[TX GX460]

Front bumper, winch and lights

This was the most time-intensive and difficult part of the build, but in the end I am extremely happy with the result. The GX 460 has a terrible approach angle due to the stock front bumper design, especially for the 2014+ "Predator" grill. I wanted something winch-compatible and did not want to risk a one-off design. So my options were foreign options for the Prado 150 (ARB/Ironman, AFN, Rhino 4x4, etc.). Due to the design differences between the Prado and GX, the ARB/Ironman options were the only ones that would work.

I ended up selecting the Summit bar from ARB. I chose this particular model because of the built-in sensor and headlight washer locations. I also really liked the design of the marker and fog light locations over other models. If you don't care about these you can choose cheaper models, but I have been very happy with the Summit.

The ARB bumper has a number of accessories that need to be ordered separately. I ordered mine through Southeast Overland and they gave me a great deal - talk with Steve Springs over there. The following is what I ordered:
ARB Summit Bar for Prado 150 VX/Kakadu - 3421830
Winch Installation Kit - 3500720
Hawse fairlead spacer kit - 3500600
ARB fog light - 3500590
Auxiliary Fog Light Loom - 3500530
Clear fog light cover - 3500680

If you have the Luxury version you will also want to order the front camera relocation kit. I don't have the part number handy.

The ARB bumper only comes in black in the U.S. and the 150 model is usually in-stock here in the U.S., since they ship to South America from their U.S. operations. I had mine powdercoated to match my body color as closely as I could.

The first step is stock bumper removal. There are a number of things that need to be disconnected electrically; most can be disconnected at the bumper. The headlight washers are fed from a single hose coming from the passenger side of the vehicle. Before disconnecting (before the 2-way split), use a small hose clamp or vice grip pliers to pinch off the line to prevent spills. Otherwise the water will flow until the reservoir is empty.

There are a few tricky connections. On the driver's side is a wire harness that requires rotating the white connector to allow separation.

The headlamp washers have a metal clip that you must remove. Then, you must pull down on the white surrounding bracket to release tension on the internal black bracket tabs that hold the washer assembly to the bumper. The tabs will break if you try to compress them before pulling down the white piece.

On the outside of the bumper, the cover for the headlight washer pops off pretty easily to expose the tabs.

 

[TX GX460]

You will also need to disconnect the parking sensors. They are location-specific, so I recommend you mark them and the wiring harness terminals.

The sensors are of two different types; the outside two are held in by brackets that are adhered to the bumper with foam tape, and they have no surrounding bezel on the outside. The inside two have a bezel that attaches through the bumper from the outside. You will have to cut out the foam tape outside brackets from the bumper at some point, clean them off, and reattach them using double-sided adhesive. The inside two will clip back into location on the new bumper. Below you can see the differences between the sensors themselves.