Howdy from UT GX Newb

[moab cj5]

Sweet, my wife's GX needs a friend What event in StG? We are doing more mapping on Sand Mountain this weekend.

Great platform, we love ours. Simple Radflo setup with 285's right now and FN Wheels. Metaltech sliders and ASFIR aluminum skids. She's begging for a front bumper/winch, but we haven't found one she likes just yet.

Next on our list is retrofitting the FJC e-locker diff The ATRAC works quite well, but there are times when a locked rear would be nice.

My oldest has spring break the end of March, and has a Science Olympiad event in Cedar City on April 2nd, so Kanab/St George is the perfect place to spend a week tooling around! I started a trip planning thread here: Expedition Utah

I would love to pick your brain some time on areas to explore down in the area!

I also started a build thread here: Lexus GX 470 Built for Fun
I plan to do a build thread here on MUD too, but haven't copied my RME post yet.

I am going to call Rocky Road Outfitters tomorrow about sliders. They have great pricing on their site, and I can save on shipping by picking them up in person.

Tonight I called Cruiser Outfitters here locally to pick their brain on suspension options. After my conversation with Kurt, I decided to go forward with an OME lift, Light Racing upper control arms, and I am leaning heavy toward adding the Light Racing HD rear lower control arms. I will have their quote tomorrow on all that and will decide for certainty on the rear lower control arms.

Beyond that, I will be on the search for wheels I like, and tires I want to invest in.

 

[woody]

We have the LR uppers as well, forgot about that OME is a great suspension choice, it was on our short list too (the Radflo setup we went with is their base setup)

TONS of exploring in this area...closest trailhead is 100 yards from our front door Toquerville Falls, Gooseberry Mesa, lots of Dixie Natl Forest trails, Sand Mountain is unending, Coral Pink Sand Dunes area, Toroweap is 100 miles away. We find new opportunities with every trip.

 

[co4wheel]

My oldest has spring break the end of March, and has a Science Olympiad event in Cedar City on April 2nd, so Kanab/St George is the perfect place to spend a week tooling around! I started a trip planning thread here: Expedition Utah

I would love to pick your brain some time on areas to explore down in the area!

I also started a build thread here: Lexus GX 470 Built for Fun
I plan to do a build thread here on MUD too, but haven't copied my RME post yet.

I am going to call Rocky Road Outfitters tomorrow about sliders. They have great pricing on their site, and I can save on shipping by picking them up in person.

Tonight I called Cruiser Outfitters here locally to pick their brain on suspension options. After my conversation with Kurt, I decided to go forward with an OME lift, Light Racing upper control arms, and I am leaning heavy toward adding the Light Racing HD rear lower control arms. I will have their quote tomorrow on all that and will decide for certainty on the rear lower control arms.

Beyond that, I will be on the search for wheels I like, and tires I want to invest in.

What shocks?

 

[moab cj5]

What shocks?

I don't recall the specific shocks. I will know more details tomorrow when they get me my build sheet, but I believe all of the shocks are the same for the OME kits, but you pick your spring rates for the springs (i will know more tomorrow). I went Standard front springs, and 300-600lbs rear springs cause I carry a lot of stuff with me.

My decision came down to reputation, reliability, maintenance, cost, and the recommendation of someone I know and trust in real life (not to offend anyone on here that I have now met in cyberspace). Plus, worst case scenario, I hate the setup and pull the shocks and springs off and replace them with something else later. This isn't like lifting my jeeps in the past that were WAY more involved, with almost no going back after cutting up mounts...

Also, for the cost of the OME stuff, I would rather take that gamble than spend tons of $$$ and not be satisfied.

 

[co4wheel]

OME supposedly makes really good shocks. They are Twin Tube not Monotube so they should be more comfortable on the road. VERY few people seem to have actually tried the OME shocks and the Bilstein. Lots of people just get the springs and save a couple bucks on the shocks. Shocks are IMHO the most important part on the suspension. Seems all truck guys care about is spring rate and length. Oh well.

 

[GXO]

Welcome to the addiction. Now we really do need to consider a GX summit lol

 

[theferg]

Have a look around at the Rocky Road sliders before you commit to buying them... All of their bolt on sliders I have seen--including ones I purchased for my 3rd Gen 4runner--have somewhat puny looking support/frame tie-ins that bolt with tapping screws and then have like 5 or 6 more smaller bolts where it bolts through the rocker panel pinch weld. Was an absolute PITA to install (had to drill all the holes) and all the bolts were rusted in one Utah winter and the holes in the rockers started going too. I can't believe I even went through with that install...sorry to whomever has that rig now.... :-/ I would never buy those sliders again. I'd much rather go with MetalTech's or hold out for SSO's


FWIW, there's a guy that works there that has a GX. He's got a thread over on Toyota 120: New to me GX - Toyota 120 Platforms Forum

 

[wingysataday]

When I was buying my wheels. I looked at a bunch of places and ended up buying them at discount tire. the size they originally recommended were $150/rim then I went onto discounttire.com and found the same rim just 17x9 instead of the 17x8 and the 17X9 were 105$ a rim. So make sure you look.

 

[lobodog1]

Please let us know which OME springs you went with and how much lift they yield. I am in the process of pre-planning my build and am having a hard time deciding on which front and rear OME springs to go with.

 

[74cruzah]

Have a look around at the Rocky Road sliders before you commit to buying them... All of their bolt on sliders I have seen--including ones I purchased for my 3rd Gen 4runner--have somewhat puny looking support/frame tie-ins that bolt with tapping screws and then have like 5 or 6 more smaller bolts where it bolts through the rocker panel pinch weld. Was an absolute PITA to install (had to drill all the holes) and all the bolts were rusted in one Utah winter and the holes in the rockers started going too. I can't believe I even went through with that install...sorry to whomever has that rig now.... :-/ I would never buy those sliders again. I'd much rather go with MetalTech's or hold out for SSO's


FWIW, there's a guy that works there that has a GX. He's got a thread over on Toyota 120: New to me GX - Toyota 120 Platforms Forum

That guy is me.

We prefer a bolt on style so that you aren't welding to the frame and ruining any rust preventative coating. Welding them on will also ruin the powder coat on the sliders, and if you ever want to remove them so that you can recoat them, which they'll need in Utah because of the sludge we put on the roads in the winter, you're going to have a lot more work.

That being said, I've owned a bunch of Toyotas and put our sliders on all of them. Tacomas and 4Runners are a pain to install if you don't have a right angle drill because the distance between the frame and pinch seam is too close to be able to fit a normal drill into. Fortunately, the GX has all kinds of room between the frame and you can fit a normal power drill in there. Install time should be less than 2 hours start to finish.

You're welcome to come up to Heber and check them out in person if you'd like. Call ahead to make sure that I'm in the shop or at least the GX is.

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

When I was buying my wheels. I looked at a bunch of places and ended up buying them at discount tire. the size they originally recommended were $150/rim then I went onto discounttire.com and found the same rim just 17x9 instead of the 17x8 and the 17X9 were 105$ a rim. So make sure you look.

Discount Tire Direct has a $100 off $400 coupon for their eBay listings right now, good for wheels and tires. You can use the coupon code multiple times. Pretty good deals available if you're looking for something they stock.

 

[moab cj5]

Well, update time! I was in San Antonio all of last week for work but last night I picked up my suspension goodies from Cruiser Outfitters! I have a wood project in front of my install, but I hope to start tearing into the GX Thursday night. I will start a build thread when I start getting dirty. I will post up the specs and part numbers on what I bought too, and my impressions afterwards.

That guy is me.

We prefer a bolt on style so that you aren't welding to the frame and ruining any rust preventative coating. Welding them on will also ruin the powder coat on the sliders, and if you ever want to remove them so that you can recoat them, which they'll need in Utah because of the sludge we put on the roads in the winter, you're going to have a lot more work.

That being said, I've owned a bunch of Toyotas and put our sliders on all of them. Tacomas and 4Runners are a pain to install if you don't have a right angle drill because the distance between the frame and pinch seam is too close to be able to fit a normal drill into. Fortunately, the GX has all kinds of room between the frame and you can fit a normal power drill in there. Install time should be less than 2 hours start to finish.

You're welcome to come up to Heber and check them out in person if you'd like. Call ahead to make sure that I'm in the shop or at least the GX is.

When I called your shop a week or so ago, I was told you aren't making a slider for the 470. On your website you have them for the 460, but not the 470, and the guy I talked to on the phone confirmed nothing for the 470.

I love the idea of a bolt on, as I don't want them permanently attached, but I don't want to attach them to the body through the pinch seam. I would be more willing to buy weld on sliders, and modify them to be bolt on somehow. I am not sure if that is possible, but that is where I am leaning at the moment. I will also be reaching out to CBI at some point to see about options they may have. When I talked to them 2 weeks ago, they were getting ready to do a build for someone else, and should have more input soon.

The fun begins soon!

 

[moab cj5]

it took all bloody day, but I finally got my lift installed. Now i need an alignment, and new wheels and tires! Ill take some pics and start a build thread.