Official Photo/Video thread
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Rear diff is axle mounted breather, no extension hose. I’ll have to peak at the front diff. While I would have loved to see them extended to at least the bottom of the body pan… many Land Cruisers over the year have the same axle vent sans hose. It’s like the axle venting engineer team member doesn’t know if he/she is building a vent for a Land Cruiser or Corolla
I’m surprised that, despite the explosion in venders, commodification, and sheer size, each year still sees a loyal migration of even global travelers and well-worn, deeply customized touring rigs.
But my first overlandimg video will feature interviews about navigation technology with drivers driving overbuilt trucks the wrong way on our one-way streets.
Seat of the pants towing comparison, GX460 vs GX550 with a ~2800lb (light) Scamp camp trailer. I was out on the trail with an amazing group of vets all last week in the 200. Got home and the Mrs and I decided to head right back south and take the dogs and Scamp down to some property we have in Central Utah. No sweat, hitch up the GX.
View attachment 3642506
The 550 was better or on par in every aspect:
Power was similar/better when towing on flat, better on grades. Stability felt improved with some occasional trailer wag
Road noise par, zero complaints with either
Fuel economy better (Averaged 14-15mpg, admittedly pulling the old Scamp far faster than I should up and down the canyon
The paddle shift made for easy downshift/engine braking
Smooth transmission shifts, par or better.
We've been all smiles since picking up the 550, no change after towing.
Thanks for the real world ownership update. Glad you are happy with it.
Yet there are folks here, with checkbook in hand, just itching to spend ~$80k on one of these, but the -- only -- thing holding them back is the small chance of a V35A bearing failure... or at least that's what they're telling themselves
. What a way to live.
TheLCProject
SILVER Star
I like to think that what's holding most people back is availability, or lack thereof.
Maybe I'm way off base. Maybe I should go to an overland expo. I can't see a scenario where I'd go out of my way to do it. But if I happen to ever drive by one I'll stop in.
My perception is that there are two different groups of people we're talking about. There's the private small scale folks, usually on limited budgets, riding adventure bikes or driving their private vehicles around Africa or going for a tour out exploring the remote parts of the Gibson desert or whatever it may be. These are not the 6 figure+ builds for sponsored trips. You're not likely to see any of the brands you listed except Toyota in most of the places I'm thinking of. I've never seen an Earth Romer venture very far from an RV park. The Arctic trucks and Earth Romer folks who are making social media content to sell something else - usually advertising. Absolutely you'll find the latter at the Overland Expo. They're cool vehicles. I'm glad they exist for people who want them. They're perfect for pre-packaged sanitized "adventure" where the variability and risk is removed. Those uses are a materially different thing from what most of this type of adventure once was and at least for me what I think of as core overland adventure. For me - the uncertainty, the messiness and occasionally traumatic parts of the adventure that make it worth doing. Part of that is doing it for my own pleasure, not for a camera, not for a sponsor, not for anyone else.
I don't think the people who are attending the overland expo are the same group of people who are interested in that type of adventure. Trailering a show truck seems more the speed of overland expo. Maybe I'm wrong. That's what I see from my relative ignorance.
I have a hard time imagining a booth at an overland expo where someone is telling people that all you need is a Toyota 4x4 of almost any flavor and vintage in good mechanical condition, a few thousand dollars, and a few hundred dollars in camping gear and a map. A stock base model Tacoma long bed with some E rated all terrain tires, a winch, and a topper is the closest thing to the ideal "overlander" you'll likely see at the expo, and it's probably in the visitor parking lot.
Agreed.
Come on man...
We know you're famous, but I don't think that's any way to respond to someone in the community who wrote a thoughtful, four paragraph response to your post.
I appreciate the sentiment. But don't feel too bad for me. I promise you can't offend me. Kurt is a super nice guy in person I'm sure. I think we've met at some land cruiser event at some point. The online forum doesn't always translate well. It seems more antagonistic than it really is. TBH his response is probably something I'd say in real life.Come on man...
We know you're famous, but I don't think that's any way to respond to someone in the community who wrote a thoughtful, four paragraph response to your post.
Not a judgement if it’s good or bad but the Expo has absolutely changed over the years to what is now essentially a corporatized trade show. That some still use it as a meeting place to see old friends is good but they now have to do so dodging selfie sticks, idiot influencers and those hawking the latest in ‘overlanding’ chic.
ryanjl
SILVER Star
I once used to sort of make fun of trade shows like Expo but now I've come around and can see their appeal.
If you are in the market for something - a camp stove, a set of sliders, a roof top tent... whatever - what better way to shop than at an event where you can literally see nearly every one of those things in the flesh before you make up your mind, instead of just ordering the one that you hope is best based on internet pictures, price, and the fizz in your jubblies.
It's also - like Kurt said - a good place to talk to people who've probably been there and have experience doing what you want to do and can tell you there be dragons or roses the way you're headed.
If you are in the market for something - a camp stove, a set of sliders, a roof top tent... whatever - what better way to shop than at an event where you can literally see nearly every one of those things in the flesh before you make up your mind, instead of just ordering the one that you hope is best based on internet pictures, price, and the fizz in your jubblies.
It's also - like Kurt said - a good place to talk to people who've probably been there and have experience doing what you want to do and can tell you there be dragons or roses the way you're headed.
Right and that's exactly what a trade show is. Point was that in wasn't always like that. Sure they had a few vendors but that wasn't the main focus, unlike now.
Then again, car reviews weren't just a camera pointed at the driver reciting marketing talking points chasing' 'likes' so very different world.
ryanjl
SILVER Star
Things change. There are simultaneously less retailers for things like these and the ones that remain are larger and internet-based. No longer can most people drive somewhere local and see something in person. There may be only three or four retailers in the entire country that carry what you are looking for. If you want to see something in person before you buy, you can either travel around the country visiting different vendors or you can travel to one place and see them all.
Come on man...
We know you're famous, but I don't think that's any way to respond to someone in the community who wrote a thoughtful, four paragraph response to your post.
I just think he is extremely off base and grossly inaccurate about many of the real-world overlander attendees at these events and the many more that are there to be inspired by them. No reason to sugarcoat and or debate. He's never been to one, I've been to a few dozen of them as an attendee, trainer and/or round table participant, I'm comfortable with my previous explanation of why he's off base.
Fwiw, Overland Expo #1, had as many vendors as attendees, literally. While the number of vendors has grown tremendously and there are some that just make me shake my head... if they find value in being there, so be it. Adjacent to the vendor area and within vendor booths are amazing training opportunities, presentations, round tables, etc. Again, if you're judging the state of 'overlanding' in the US by walking the vendor show... you missed the best and authentic part of the expo.
For example, This is all on Friday, the slowest day
Vehicle Recovery
Hands-on Tire Repair
Q&A with Toyota engineers
URAL Ride Demo
Ineos Ride Demo
Jack Rabbit Ride Demo
Land Moto Ride Demo
BoonDocking 101
GMRS Crash Course
Communication devices (multiple)
Laws affecting social media/vloggers/filmakers
Medical training (many)
Moto maintenance 101
Wilderness survival (multiple)
Overland trip planning (multiple)
Baja Mexico Roundtable Q&A (FJ40 owner Slow Baja is on this one as I recall)
12V Power Systems
Moto basics (multiple)
Cooking (multiple)
Ladies classes (multiple)
Children classes (multiple)
Central America Border Crossings (Lory Perfect, Mexico and CenAm regular)
Pan American Highway (Eric & Brittany Highland, currently traveling the Pan-Am full-time)
A2A Expedition: Africa to the Artctic, Amererica to Asia, Graeme & Luisa Bell
Border to Border, Highway 89, Canada to Mexico
Moonglow-Meteor vibes..
A lot of great stuff. For only $485 I can camp and drive my own vehicle around a small dirt course too. I'm in!Fwiw, Overland Expo #1, had as many vendors as attendees, literally. While the number of vendors has grown tremendously and there are some that just make me shake my head... if they find value in being there, so be it. Adjacent to the vendor area and within vendor booths are amazing training opportunities, presentations, round tables, etc. Again, if you're judging the state of 'overlanding' in the US by walking the vendor show... you missed the best and authentic part of the expo.
For example, This is all on Friday, the slowest day
Vehicle Recovery
Hands-on Tire Repair
Q&A with Toyota engineers
URAL Ride Demo
Ineos Ride Demo
Jack Rabbit Ride Demo
Land Moto Ride Demo
BoonDocking 101
GMRS Crash Course
Communication devices (multiple)
Laws affecting social media/vloggers/filmakers
Medical training (many)
Moto maintenance 101
Wilderness survival (multiple)
Overland trip planning (multiple)
Baja Mexico Roundtable Q&A (FJ40 owner Slow Baja is on this one as I recall)
12V Power Systems
Moto basics (multiple)
Cooking (multiple)
Ladies classes (multiple)
Children classes (multiple)
Central America Border Crossings (Lory Perfect, Mexico and CenAm regular)
Pan American Highway (Eric & Brittany Highland, currently traveling the Pan-Am full-time)
A2A Expedition: Africa to the Artctic, Amererica to Asia, Graeme & Luisa Bell
Border to Border, Highway 89, Canada to Mexico
