Builds His and Her GX 460 Builds (2 Viewers)

[TX GX460]

My MetalTech came with holes, but did not have the notch to orient the sensor in the proper rotation. I've been told that the newer ones now have that notch, but if you're interested, definitely ask if they corrected that.
Just a note about the MetalTech bumpers, Just came back this last weekend from a 3,800 mile road trip with my wife through the south west, and love the bumpers along with the rest of how I have my rig set up. I was hoping all my research paid off when I built her and it did! We had an awesome time in a comfortable and perfect running vehicle!!

@r2m, I'm glad you are enjoying your rig and accessories. That's always good to hear. Getting out in the wild is what these vehicles are all about.

I don't know why the notches would be necessary from a functional standpoint. I installed all of my front sensors in the same orientation as the original without notches for guidance, but for the rear bumper at least one location needed to be rotated to fit and the sensor operated just fine. The main issue is making sure that the sensors are placed in the correct relative location on the vehicle. But once in the proper location I do not believe that rotation is a concern.

 

[r2m]

Usually the story is: If you have the time you don't have a lot of money and do a lot of the work youself. If you have the money, you don't have the time and wind up having some else do the work. This is the first ovelander that I had the money but not the time do do a lot of the work so I had all the work done by YotaMasters. So I was going off what Eric at YotaMasters was telling me when they were trying to install the bumpers.

 

[TX GX460]

Usually the story is: If you have the time you don't have a lot of money and do a lot of the work youself. If you have the money, you don't have the time and wind up having some else do the work. This is the first ovelander that I had the money but not the time do do a lot of the work so I had all the work done by YotaMasters. So I was going off what Eric at YotaMasters was telling me when they were trying to install the bumpers.

I totally understand. As a litigator with young kids I get the lack of time issue. I've had more than my share of techs have difficulties getting things done on my car that they haven't worked on or seen before. And I have also spent plenty of my own garage time banging my head against a wall trying to figure things out that I was working on (many times incorrectly at first).

 

[Torn]

Does the Summit bar have the crush cans for impact? I believe the Deluxe bumpers did.

 

[TX GX460]

Does the Summit bar have the crush cans for impact? I believe the Deluxe bumpers did.

Yes, the summit bar has them on the longitudinal supports bolted to the frame. You can see them circled in the photo below.

 

[Torn]

Thanks! These bumpers really are great.

One more question. I know your lights are different than my 2011, but do you get any of the reflections from the bar mentioned in the product descriptions? I keep seeing mention of optionally using anti-reflective tape.

 

[TX GX460]

Thanks! These bumpers really are great.

One more question. I know your lights are different than my 2011, but do you get any of the reflections from the bar mentioned in the product descriptions? I keep seeing mention of optionally using anti-reflective tape.

I haven't had any problems with light reflections. The bumper comes with anti-reflective tape but I never bothered installing it.

 

[TX GX460]

After a week on the road in the LC (in Ouray for 200 series LCDC), I can happily report that the Dometic is working like a dream. I re-routed the rear A/C ducting behind the second row seats in the fender well area to pass into the intake for the condenser coil fan. I just used cardboard and duct tape to redirect the vent in through holes in the side of the box. You can see one example in the lower right of the picture below. This allows for colder air than ambient when the car is running, increasing efficiency. I have to turn the control knob down considerably to keep water bottles from freezing, even when left overnight (temps overnight in the mid to upper 60s). So although the Dometic might not keep ice frozen if left in a parked car in 100+ degree weather overnight, it appears more than capable of keeping items frozen when the car interior is kept to a decent temperature and if ambient overnight does not reach extreme temps.

 

[r2m]

My wife and I just came back from a 3,800 mile trip from our home is So. Ca to Waco, back to Carlsbad Caverns, up to Lake Tahoe and back home. Throughout the entire trip excluding Lake Tahoe, we were in triple digit weather.
I purchased this late last year:
Amazon product ASIN B075R1LH8D
and used it on our trip. I have a power port hooked up to my second battery so it is a constant on power supply. This little fridge was incredible! It kept our drinks and snacks so cold that the edges of our ice tea (Pure Leaf) was beginning to freeze!
Worked non-stop, day and night the entire trip, never shut down. Note: never shut down means it never shut off/lost power, the compressor, of course, would only run when the interior contents became warmer than the setting, just like your fridge at home.
Highly recommend this product!

 

[TX GX460]

A few weeks ago we traveled to Ouray for the 200 series LCDC event. We had a recovery experience that I felt was worth sharing for a number of reasons.

Driving down from Imogene pass in a group of about 10 cruisers, the driver of the 200 series in front of us decided to try to take some difficult lines and got himself in a little trouble. He dropped his front passenger tire off a boulder with the rear driver tire about 9 inches in the air.

The driver acted correctly - he stayed where he was and waited for help. Although this isn't the worst position I have seen someone in, and it is very possible he could have driven out of it safely without assistance, the safest and most prudent approach was to prevent a roll. What I found surprising was the general lack of preparedness of everyone there. No one else in the group was carrying any recovery gear. One driver had a winch, but it was pretty much useless in this situation where there were no nearby trees on the side needing support. Some drivers were suggesting people hang from the roof rack on the rear corner for ballast. I hope everyone reading this understands how dangerous a situation that could be for any number of reasons.

Luckily I always carry at least some recovery gear with me. Although we haven't yet put on a front bumper or winch on the 200 series, I always carry some tow straps (both static and kinetic), soft shackles, hard shackles and a load equalizing bridle from Treaty Oak Offroad when driving offroad (and much of this equipment stays in the car 24/7 just in case.

The kinetic rope and soft shackles were just the ticket here. We secured the end of the rope to the corner of the roof rack using a soft shackle, then had several people pull down for ballas using the rope while the LC drove down (the person securing the rope in the photo below got off the rig before the vehicle started moving).

This way, if the rig began to roll uncontrollably, everyone outside the rig was safe and could let go if absolutely necessary. This also allowed enough support that all passengers were able to exit the vehicle before it began moving, so only the driver remained at risk.

So a few lessons to be learned about recoveries from this experience:
1) Always carry recovery gear. A winch isn't the perfect recovery tool for all situations, and even if you don't have a winch there are still plenty of products that can be helpful in a bad situation. Don't expect someone else to be carrying recovery equipment. Purchase quality - you don't want cheap products failing during a recovery.
2) Safety first. Think through the problem to make sure that the solution carries the least risk for all involved. Work as a team and communicate effectively. Also, never travel offroad in a single vehicle if possible - always have at least two vehicles.
3) Think outside the box. There is no one way to use recovery gear. Sometimes the best solution uses it in an uncommon way. But always go back to #2.
4) Get trained. Take recovery classes when possible at events, and watch online recovery instructional videos. Don't expect someone else to know how to use recovery equipment safely.

In addition to recovery gear, also always keep a good first aid/trauma kit and at least one substantial fire extinguisher with you in an accessible place and know how to use them. Don't just get a cheap band-aid kit and expect it to help when you need it. Bring items that can treat serious lacerations and injuries. Purchase extras and practice applying them. Know where they are and make sure they are the most easily accessible items in your rig at all times.

Be safe out there. Offroading is fun, but dangerous situations can happen to anyone. Don't be the person stuck in a situation you are unprepared for, either for lack of equipment or lack of knowledge.

 

[Washingtontaco]

The lack of training and knowledge on the trail is unfortunately pretty common. Our business is slowly growing and making converts of long time as well as new offroaders. Off Road Driving Trainer| United States | Three Amigos Offroad

With that being said, thanks for the detailed write ups and links to product and web sites! My 20 year old Tacoma will be up for sale soon and be replaced with a 2014 or newer GX 460! I look forward to further information and firsthand product use. Once I purchase my new to me GX ill start a build thread here.

 

[TX GX460]

I agree 100% that investing in driver training is the best money you’ll spend on your rig. That being said, if he turned passenger and kept going he would’ve been fine.

Possibly but it wasn't 100% clear at the time for spotters on-site. Although I completely understand where you are coming from, one thing I would generally recommend to anyone who isn't in a particular circumstance is to armchair quarterback 3-D situations from 2-D photos, as tempting as it can be, especially with definitive statements. Speculation is natural, but even people there could not be sure of the result. Below is a little more insight into the situation. I am also using this thread as a general teaching moment regarding spotting; please don't consider it a comment directed to you iBlaze.

The driver had already turned full passenger to get in that position, which is one reason he stopped when he did - he had few corrective actions available. His rear passenger tire was right on the edge of going over slick rock in the forward direction, with his driver front tire still high. If he went further forward at full passenger lock, his rear passenger could have dropped quickly before his front driver tire lowered, creating rotational momentum. The driver was very experienced, as were some of the spotters, and the resulting consensus was to secure before he continued.

Although the driver was willing to take greater risks and tougher lines than just about anyone else in that group that day, he understood the precariousness of the particular position and decided to secure the vehicle before proceeding when given the options.

Off-roading is inherently risky, but through experience, training and a focus on safety we can minimize that risk. I readily admit that my personal approach to wheeling is finding the path over obstacles with the least drama. There are people who intentionally try to increase risk for excitement, or who have little regard for risk when wheeling. To the extent they are prepared to suffer the consequences (fiscal, personal or otherwise), that's fine as long as their attitude does not result in harm to others. But we should never encourage an increase of risk by drivers, especially when given the responsibility of spotting. By spotting, I mean any assessment of another driver's situation when the driver asks for assistance, not just active guidance over obstacles while standing in front.

If you dont have enough experience to tell what the possible results might be from the driver following your guidance (including if it is done imperfectly), you probably shouldn't be spotting and should defer to someone else. No one will fault you if you defer. Also, if you are a spotter and don't know the capabilities of the vehicle and risk tolerance of the driver, your attitude should be one of absolute minimization of risk. Notice that "minimization" doesn't mean "elimination." We can't eliminate risks. We should instead consider safety in the risk-reward balance. The risk of tip-over in this particular situation was greater than zero, with serious negative repercussions possible (especially before passengers were removed from the vehicle). By securing the vehicle we lowered that risk to as close to zero as possible. Our only risk of securing the vehicle was a very short time delay. It may have slowed us down by 5 minutes to grab the rope and soft shackles, but that loss of minimal time carried the benefit of making sure the driver could complete the trail without damage to his vehicle or himself/others.

This also doesn't mean that we should pull out the winch lines and snatch blocks at every obstacle. If there isn't identifiable risk of actual harm it isn't necessary. Again, it takes experience and training to know where to draw the line. But if in doubt, consider the trade-offs explained above. Also understand that recovery can be dangerous, so make sure you aren't increasing your risks through recovery. Make sure you have quality equipment properly rated for the job, and that you know how to use it. A Chinese-made shackle or cheap strap from Amazon may seem like a great deal, but it will always fail sooner than a Van Beest or Treaty Oak product of the same size due to the quality of material and manufacturing (and failure will always occur in a time when it is in use). Also be cautious about what could happen if recovery gear or something on the vehicle fails - things under tension can easily become projectiles and a vehicle can also begin moving suddenly in the wrong direction. Keep people out of the way and minimize the number of people involved in any recovery, especially if they are not experienced.

Safe wheeling everyone!

 

[r2m]

A quick add on to your post above, is that some of the people that do the riskier lines on a trail generally have vehicles that either are capable of pulling it off and/or have enough armor and safety equipment (e.g. 5 point harness, etc) to minimize damage and injury if their line goes in the wrong direction.
The only issue I have with the above crowd is that even though nothing/nobody gets hurt, it sure can make for a long day having to up-right tipped vehicles.

 

[bugsnbikes]

have u taken this gx460 to the scales to see what it weighs....?

 

[TX GX460]

have u taken this gx460 to the scales to see what it weighs....?

I haven't. I am out of town for the next few weeks, but when I come back I will find time to take it to a local truck stop. Anyone want to take a guess? No prizes, just bragging rights. Drawers are currently about half full with recovery gear.

 

[Torn]

I haven't. I am out of town for the next few weeks, but when I come back I will find time to take it to a local truck stop. Anyone want to take a guess? No prizes, just bragging rights. Drawers are currently about half full with recovery gear.

6300lbs

 

[TX GX460]

I haven't. I am out of town for the next few weeks, but when I come back I will find time to take it to a local truck stop. Anyone want to take a guess? No prizes, just bragging rights. Drawers are currently about half full with recovery gear.

Okay, I can't just throw down a challenge like this with no prize for the winner, even if the prize stinks. So I will leave this open for the month of November. I'll weigh in the meantime and then post in early December. Closest guess (over or under, one guess per person) gets this wonderful collection of vendor stickers, including a MUD one to boot! (Exciting, right?)

Good luck! Considering I have detailed all of my modifications, someone who does their research can probably come pretty darn close. Unknown factor will be rear drawers and gear inside. I will try to have a full tank of gas when weighing, for those who want to get technical.

 

[Kyle Fogle]

7369lbs.

 

[nuclearn8]

7777 lbs

 

[Moose545]

6950