Build Lexus LX450 Cummins 6bt/NV4500 swap

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Worked on the cargo barrier for a few hours today. Got it mostly done, still need to make the lower legs that will tie into the child seat hooks bits it's surprisingly solid.



In the truck.



The mesh is 1" x 2" and does not block rear visibility at all.

This barrier will be the base for the fridge devider to keep stuff from falling behind when it's pulled out. And an area for storage above the fridge. I will also have a smaller attic area above the soon to be built drawer and platform.

This drawer will allow 3 front runner pup packs to be loaded into it. It will be made of mostly aluminum and will make it so I can quickly and easily unload. Or I can change my load out based on the intended trip etc. I can also have a box for each group of items (spares, recovery and cooking).

Looking forward to getting everything measured up tomorrow to get started on the drawer. I plan to have most of the drawer structure bent from 1/8" aluminum.

I got the Subaru WRX seat installed again for a test fit again so I got a picture. It's seriously sucking up a lot of time and I'm ready to set it into the not critical for trip pile.



My son seriously loves dad's truck every day we spend at least 30min with him playing in it. Lots of fun as a father to see how much he enjoys it.

 
Your son is adorable, my boy Kellan loves playing in the cruisers also.

I like how you made the barrier brace to not block the window. The only reason I don't already have a speski is because it blocks the window.
 
Well today I had a few hours to work on the truck. I wasted more time on the WRX seats, I have now pulled the plug on them. I can make them work but at this rate every hour counts. I'll just use the stock seats for this trip and may look at this again later.

Anyone want some partly adapted WRX seats?

I then spent the rest of the time getting the front sway bar back in. After that I spent a good couple hours measuring and moving things around in the back to see what will work and maximize the same I have.

I also ordered 5 Cub Packs from front runner today as well as some of the aircraft tie down rails. Once the cub packs some in I will start fabrication. I also need to get a set of lock in lock out slides for the drawer.
 
Wheelingnoob said:
...still need to make the lower legs that will tie into the child seat hooks bits it's surprisingly solid.
...
Click to expand...

What mounts are you tying the lower legs into? My Cruisers don't have child seat hooks that I'm aware of...? I wish they did!

Regardless, the barrier looks great!
 
bryson said:
What mounts are you tying the lower legs into? My Cruisers don't have child seat hooks that I'm aware of...? I wish they did!

Regardless, the barrier looks great!
Click to expand...

There are tie down hooks behind the rear seat. I'm building the legs into those. I use this tiedown hook for my son's car seat forward facing tether as well. I'll post pictures of what I do, basically I want to retain the tether hooks but tie the lower barrier legs into it as well.
 
Can you show some pics of the pieces you used for the corner bends? Where did you find them? I have been using the seat belt to secure my son's car seat...I never thought to use those hooks behind the seat...good idea.
 
Regarding the gearing/terrain tamer, mine is on 38's with an early 90's 6BT, and NV4500 and 4.11's, I've also been pondering an overdrive, but I'd like to go back to an AWD t-case. The 6BT engine rev's low, but is torquey, when I'm out snow wheeling I don't really even use low gears, mostly 2nd and 1st in high (granny slow 1st on my NV4500) with low range I'm constantly shifting gears on the trail, it makes sense to use low when your stuck and are trying not to spin the tires, or more so for the rock crawlers, but in the snow and even mud in alberta, if your getting unstuck, once you get moving a bit you often want your tires spinning quick to clean the lugs and keep momentum, and it's kind of hard to achieve that in low range.

I very rarely use low on my 80 on the trails, I think I'd like a 1:1.25 OD high range and a 2:1 low with a full time transfer case (instead of my split case), or just a higher OD ratio high range, then I could run lower gears, 4:56's. Perhaps I could adapt the NV4500 to a overdrive box then run it to a 80 full time case one day. There is the AWD NP242 case that was used on some GM's and the H2, but I believe that only came in passenger front side ouptut. The cool thing about the NP 242 is that it had 2WD high, AWD high, 4x4 high and 4x4 low options, you could use 60 hubs to run your cruiser in either 2WD or part time, or get the prado electric hubs and spindles and change from 2WD to AWD without getting out of the cab... Issue is passenger side drop.

Also been thinking about upgrading my SF rear axle and front at some point, the 14 bolt is appealing and there is a 6 lug hub kit on pirate for it, but there isnt as cheap or easy of an option for the front that matches or near matches the 14 bolt. And for the cost of building or buying parts to make a front and rear out of 14 bolts, a fella could buy a set of 5.99:1 C303 axles and try and reverse a transfer case for a 2:1 OD probably.

Axles and overdrives seem to be opening a can of worms quickly.
 
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I have the Marlin low range gears and find with this engines and transmission it's not needed. It's fun some times but really not nessisary. After Moab I may swap in my stock t case and see if I miss the extra low. I find with mine I stay in high range and 1st - 2nd a lot more.

I would still even with the 37's like to try the 10% overdrive high range gears.
 
No updates in a few weeks but lots of work being done. Working as much as I can to get ready for my Moab trip. I'm using it as an excuse to get some things done I have put off.

I have wanted to finish my rear storage for years so I had better organization. I decided to use Front Runner cub packs as the base for the drawer and most of my storage. The drawer holds 3 cub packs and I plan to also house a cutting board up top just under the deck of the drawer.

I wanted to keep weight in mind so I tried to keep it as basic as possible. I used OOR & OOR lock in lock out 36" slides. I had the drawer itself made out of 1/8" aluminum angle, it weighs in at 3lbs.



The frame was made out of 1/16th wall 3/4" square tube. To keep weight in check I used as little as possible while still keeping it strong.

Cub packs in drawer for reference.



I plan to get some Baltic birch 3/4” ply for the top and one wing. I'll get the wood this week.

I then moved on to mounting my Puma compressor. I used a mount developed on here by a member. Fit well and I was able to situate the compressor exactly where I wanted it.





Today after getting all that done I started on the fridge partition. This will keep items from falling behind the fridge when it's pulled out.



 
Finished up the rear storage today, lots of time making it right. I'm under a huge time crunch but wanted to spend the time to do it right. I have decided not to build the attic shelve above the drawer. I may revisit this after my trip. The shelf above the fridge is larger than I thought I could make witch is great. I can fit 2 cub packs up there if I want. I actually plan to put two front runner flat pack boxes (size of a wolf pack box) up there for lighter items. Hope to get the wood top sorted this week.











Waiting on some parts from wit's end to finish wiring compresor and fridge. Also have a 4x4labs dual pass side water Jerry can holder to put in for water storage.
 
Maybe not the most pleasant thought - I apologize- but where will the front of those steel longitudinal struts end up if you get rear ended hard? Are they up against the 2nd row seat backs? Could they be notched or something to fold up rather than...?
 
sailor said:
Maybe not the most pleasant thought - I apologize- but where will the front of those steel longitudinal struts end up if you get rear ended hard? Are they up against the 2nd row seat backs? Could they be notched or something to fold up rather than...?
Click to expand...

Yeah they will end up in the passenger seating area. No way to really notch them so it does not happen. The drawers will do the same in a hard rear ender, no real way to avoid it. I could engineer crumple areas in it but the most I'll get out of that is maybe 2-3" is compression.

I just hope I never get rear ended hard anough to need to worry about it.

I'm sure I'll lose sleep now.......sigh.
 
Wheelingnoob said:
Finished up the rear storage today, lots of time making it right. I'm under a huge time crunch but wanted to spend the time to do it right. I have decided not to build the attic shelve above the drawer. I may revisit this after my trip. The shelf above the fridge is larger than I thought I could make witch is great. I can fit 2 cub packs up there if I want. I actually plan to put two front runner flat pack boxes (size of a wolf pack box) up there for lighter items. Hope to get the wood top sorted this week.











Waiting on some parts from wit's end to finish wiring compresor and fridge. Also have a 4x4labs dual pass side water Jerry can holder to put in for water storage.
Click to expand...
That is a really slick set up! Nice work!

I'm always curious as to where guys like yourself with families sleep on trips. RTT, ground tent, trailer? For me, sleeping in the cruiser has been the best option so its hard to think about giving that up; but when I look at really well thought out set ups like this it is incredibly tempting!
 
More work on the truck, I have Friday Saturdays off but this weekend my wife is week 3 of a seminar she is teaching. So man's little time for the truck. I did have a few hours yesterday and again this evening to work on it though. I'm making progress but it's slow. I don't want to have to go back and redo anything later. Do it once do it right mentality.

Power distribution in rear of truck. This goes on the front of the passenger side drawer behind the seat.


Bolted to the drawer frame.


Power connected.


One half of the compressor wired. I used one of the wits end Anderson SB50 mounts and bolted it under the one foot of the compressor.



Worked a bit in the front too, I wired in a new Blue Sea 4.8a fast charge smart plug.


Plug installed after a bit of trimming the factory hole.


I have taken a few vacation days next weekend to get the last push done before my 2 week trip to Moab. So lots getting done next weekend.
 
Bludozer said:
That is a really slick set up! Nice work!

I'm always curious as to where guys like yourself with families sleep on trips. RTT, ground tent, trailer? For me, sleeping in the cruiser has been the best option so its hard to think about giving that up; but when I look at really well thought out set ups like this it is incredibly tempting!
Click to expand...
Sorry for the delay.

I had a ARB RTT that I just sold. We have lots of aspersions to camp with our some but the few city clicker camps we have done have ended poorly so far. This trip I'm doing by myself and using a Oztrail swag (very popular in Australia). I'm giving it a go and see if it works for me on solo trips.

Family camping will likely be in a tent trailer or a Kakadu camper in a year or two.
 
Got the drawer top sorted out last night thanks to my friend Mike, he works with wood and knows it's mystery ways. I got a sheet of 3/4” arctic Burch ply and had it cut down. We (he) then cut slots for the tracking with a mid evil looking table saw blade.

I plan to put some 3mm anti fatigue mat on the top to minimize sliding.



 
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