Builds MadToy build (1 Viewer)

[Bluetribal]

I'll get a complete side view in a bit. But here's an angle shot. It'll look real good once I get the tube bent and mounted. But even without it, it's not bad at all. The wife almost couldn't even notice

I might have missed it but what did you use to trim the plastic? I trimmed the rubber off of the rear mud flaps and found a razor blade knife worked like butter. I know cut off wheels and dremels tend to melt the plastic and not leave the best finish.

 

[madtoy]

So when are you installing lockers?

Were you aired down at all? The tires didn't appear to deform or grab much.

Lockers eventually, but no time soon.

Aired down to 16 psi. Video doesn't do the size of the rocks or hills justice, especially when you can't see the other side. In most spots where you see it fighting for traction, it's actually hung up on the gas skid. There were no spots that I had any issue with when I wasn't hung up on the bottom.

 

[madtoy]

I might have missed it but what did you use to trim the plastic? I trimmed the rubber off of the rear mud flaps and found a razor blade knife worked like butter. I know cut off wheels and dremels tend to melt the plastic and not leave the best finish.

I used a cut off wheel, then just trimmed the melted edges with a razor knife. Real quick and easy.

 

[Bluetribal]

Great thanks.

 

[madtoy]

better video

 

[machupichu12]

Fantastic build. Are you getting any additional vibration at highway speeds with the trimmed front bumper?

 

[madtoy]

Fantastic build. Are you getting any additional vibration at highway speeds with the trimmed front bumper?

Nope. The winch fairlead basically bolts the plastic to the frame. It's much more solid than it was stock.

 

[JLee]

I think I've just decided to trim bumpers and go with a hidden winch. It looks like you've basically solved the clearance problems that had me looking at bumpers.. that's pretty slick.

 

[mtwilly87]

Sweet video. I love what you've done by trimming the front and rear bumpers, got me thinking about it. saw a few instances of atrac pulling you through.

 

[madtoy]

I think I've just decided to trim bumpers and go with a hidden winch. It looks like you've basically solved the clearance problems that had me looking at bumpers.. that's pretty slick.

Yep - It provides the clearance, without adding any weight (other than the hidden winch, which added about 35 lbs, plus the winch. Plus, it still looks like a Lexus . My plan is still to fab a tube bumper to run just under the cut line of the plastic, just to protect it from a drop on the rocks - or driving into a tree. I designed the mount to be able to bolt on a tube bumper. It just hasn't been a priority lately, so it's a future project.

Sweet video. I love what you've done by trimming the front and rear bumpers, got me thinking about it. saw a few instances of atrac pulling you through.

ATRAC did get me through everything. Not as smoothly as the Rubicons with double lockers, but good enough to put adding lockers on the back burner for now. My gas tank hung me up most of the time - which lockers wouldn't have helped with either.

 

[JLee]

What did you do with the fender liners / splash guards up front? Trimmed with the bumper or removed entirely?

 

[madtoy]

What did you do with the fender liners / splash guards up front? Trimmed with the bumper or removed entirely?

Just trimmed with the bumper, then zip tied to pull them as far forward as possible.

 

[mtwilly87]

Yep - It provides the clearance, without adding any weight (other than the hidden winch, which added about 35 lbs, plus the winch. Plus, it still looks like a Lexus . My plan is still to fab a tube bumper to run just under the cut line of the plastic, just to protect it from a drop on the rocks - or driving into a tree. I designed the mount to be able to bolt on a tube bumper. It just hasn't been a priority lately, so it's a future project.



ATRAC did get me through everything. Not as smoothly as the Rubicons with double lockers, but good enough to put adding lockers on the back burner for now. My gas tank hung me up most of the time - which lockers wouldn't have helped with either.

When you say tube bumper do you mean something like this? Looks like the guy trimmed his bumpers like you have. More info on this truck on the lifted Lexus Facebook group.

 

[madtoy]

Looks to be the same concept. But that tubing - if that's what it is, looks way too small to withstand a drop on the rocks. But hard to really tell from this pic.

 

[wingysataday]

I wish someone would build these type of tube bumpers and sell em!! Cheap fix and east to do.

 

[madtoy]

ATRAC fail.....

And I know it looks like I was giving it too much gas, but come on - it's ridiculous how gentle you need to be with ACRAP.

 

[GXO]

Why are you on such a huge rock and trying to drive like you have lockers if you only have ATRAC? oh, and too much gas

 

[TOYOTARIG]

What broke??

 

[madtoy]

Inner stub of the cv snapped off in the diff.

My GC with LSD walked up that rock, while smoothly spinning all 4 tires. That's why I rate ATRAC as barely better than open diffs. Just way too unpredictable at times.

Notice it got me up there fairly easy on the first try. If the bumper didn't get hung up, I would have gone up. Yet for some reason, it didn't behave the same on the second attempt.

 

[GXO]

You seemed pretty far left, but I can't tell obviously

Sucks to snap a CV! Good luck with the swap out