MallCrl 5.0? That's too many iterations - We'll just call it another '22 GX Build... (1 Viewer)

[MallCrl]

Hey Mud fam.... Long time lurker, but I guess it's time to post something finally. I run a small business that advises clients on vehicle selection and modifications specific to their needs as well as trip/route planning to physically get to those intended locations whether that involves paved roads or not.

Last weekend I traded in my '25 Tundra and switched up our travel vehicle yet again for a '22 GX460... It's a L/Certified truck with 30k miles and a good set of starting specs for the purpose it'll serve ( , we'll see about that).

The name? That started years ago with a 2018 4Runner, as a tongue in cheek joke because it was far from a mall crawler, with battle scars to prove it; then switched to a '21 Tundra, then a '24 Grenadier, then very briefly (14 days in my possession, exactly 11 weeks of ownership) to a '25 Tundra. Between the first Tundra and the Grenadier we also built out a '22 Sprinter 4x4, but that's a whole different story.

The GX's goal will be a daily and travel vehicle... I know these words will come back to bite me later, but I think the goal will be a soft roader. Once the Sprinter finds a new home a dedicated trail truck will join the fleet. Allegedly of course.

Enter, the GX. It's a Premium Plus Sport Design w/ Captains chairs in Nebula/Rioja

Of course no build thread is complete without the "what's coming" list. I have a pile of stuff in the garage to resell now that was slated for the '25 Tundra, but I like to waste no time on builds

Upper level overview of upcoming modifications

• Swap everything over to LEDs (all interior lights, running board lights, turn signals, reverse lights)
• WeatherTech floor liners for 1st/2nd row and cargo area
• Tint (XPEL XR+ 20 on the front windows, 35 over the factory tint on the rear 5, 70 on the windshield; XR 50 on the sunroof)
• A solid detail job, the dealer definitely missed a lot, and it has a good bit of touch up paint spots that need some help
• Diode Dynamics SSC1 SAE Fogs
• Hella Supertone horns
• New wheels/tires (leaning towards 18x9 Method 316s and 265/65/18 Wildpeak A/T4Ws to keep it fitting in the OEM spare location)
• Group 24F AGM (maybe just go to the 27F AGM instead?) + Voltage booster
• Renogy LiFePO4 100Ah aux battery w/ DC-DC charger (I've been all Victron before for my own builds, but expanding my personal experience with this one)
• Dometic CFX5 35 Fridge
• Slight lift in front (Maybe 5100s, or maybe some Radflo 500Rs)
• Remove the running boards
• ARB Compressor
• LFD Crossbars
• LFD Front skid
• Maybe pull the 3rd row?
• Maybe interior cargo window MOLLE panels for storage?
• Maybe another drawer system like other builds?
• Maybe pulling the door cards and cargo panels and adding some 3M Thinsulate for sound insulation?

I'm almost positive this build will end up going sideways from the plan, they always do... Just happy to be getting hands on experience with a different(ish) vehicle platform

 

[r2m]

Congrats on your new rig! Quick question which I'm sure many on here may be curious about, why such a short time with the Grenadier?
Wow! That's quite a project list!
Have you opened some of the sticky posts on the main page regarding FSM manuals, aftermarket products, etc.?
I'm assuming when you remove the running boards, you'll be replacing them with sliders?
As a suggestion, if you're going with a a front skid plate, I'd suggest to pull the trigger and cover the whole bottom, e.g.: trans, fuel tank, and so on.

Enjoy and do post lots of pic's of your build!

 

[MallCrl]

Congrats on your new rig! Quick question which I'm sure many on here may be curious about, why such a short time with the Grenadier?
Wow! That's quite a project list!
Have you opened some of the sticky posts on the main page regarding FSM manuals, aftermarket products, etc.?

I have a horrible problem of switching vehicles, building them, enjoying them, and starting the process over. I had the Grenadier for about 14 months (it was delayed ~5 months) and was a gem of a vehicle (a quirky one though). I was a day 1 reservation holder for it, had the awesome opportunity to work the US PTO2 tour (where reservation holders were able to drive them prior to release) as a driver and continue to be a moderator and admin over at Theineosforum.com. The '21 Tundra lasted about 15 months before it's replacement was sought out (the Sprinter), so I was already getting the itch with the Grenadier, and then my girlfriend made the suggestion of "instead of doing these big builds with your daily driver and our travel vehicle, why not get something you like to drive and then start building trail trucks and using those as the bigger builds and sell them after a season or whenever you want something else". I'm not a man to say no to getting 2 trucks instead of 1 so....

I have gone through a number of the stickies over the past couple days, fantastic info in there, and it's a bit comforting to be back in a community of a vehicle that has been around a while (very much like my 2nd gen Tundra and 5th gen 4Runner days) as everything is available for it.

As for skids, the reality is that the front skid will turn into all of them I like to lie to myself sometimes and say I'm not going all in

 

[23GXOR]

Are you planning on removing the sport design package front and rear spoilers? I've got them too and have been looking for info about what I'd be left with after removing them. Not much out there aside from a video showing someone sacrificing the rear one to the trail gods.

 

[MallCrl]

Are you planning on removing the sport design package front and rear spoilers? I've got them too and have been looking for info about what I'd be left with after removing them. Not much out there aside from a video showing someone sacrificing the rear one to the trail gods.

For now I'll be leaving them... But, if they get removed forcibly, I don't think I will be heart broken over it

 

[Roody]

Congrats! In MD I see... you'll have to come join us for the fall run at AOAA in October if you can swing it

 

[Ohio Nori]

Are you planning on removing the sport design package front and rear spoilers? I've got them too and have been looking for info about what I'd be left with after removing them. Not much out there aside from a video showing someone sacrificing the rear one to the trail gods.

Here is the front sans spoiler.

 

[23GXOR]

Here is the front sans spoiler. View attachment 3985568

That looks way better than I figured it would, was it easy to remove?

 

[Seavs]

Here is the front sans spoiler. View attachment 3985568

Are the door moldings only attached with adhesive? or were there holes that you had filled/refinished?

 

[Ohio Nori]

That looks way better than I figured it would, was it easy to remove?

The clips can be a pain, but really not difficult overall.

 

[Ohio Nori]

No additional door molding on BlackLine edition.

Are the door moldings only attached with adhesive? or were there holes that you had filled/refinished?

 

[MallCrl]

Quick update, no photos since I suck at remembering to take photos of my own projects...

Installed Diode Dynamics HP5 194 LEDs in the front map lights, 2nd row dome lights, cargo dome lights, door puddle lights, and ground/running board lights; Diode Dynamics HP3 194 LEDs installed in the visor mirror lights. I think this may be the biggest interior LED swap transformation I've experienced in a long time. Also spent a few quick minutes and swapped the front and rear turn signals over to Auxito "CANBUS" 7440 yellow LEDs, they have the built in resistor to remove the need for extra wiring and I've had good luck with their lifespan in other vehicles.

Might have time tomorrow to swap over the reverse lights to Diode Dynamics XPR LEDs. Again, I've used these in several previous vehicles with great results.

The WeatherTech mat set arrived today, and was a quick swap over, just like always; although the cargo area mat definitely needed a few minutes in the sun to soften it up.

"Phase 1" was confirmed with the fine folks at Apex Overland, it'll consist of: Radflo 500R (2.0 IFP) coilovers/shocks (1/2"-3/4" front lift, stock rear height), PowerBrake X-Line front big brake kit, and 18x9 Method 318s w/ 265/65/18 Falken Wildpeak A/T4Ws... The Dometic CFX5 fridge is currently acting as a secondary drink fridge in our kitchen, and probably won't make it into the truck until a second battery is in place

 

[MallCrl]

Next round of update... Found out the previous owner must have applied window film to the truck, and then the dealer removed it off of the 4 doors, but left the 3 cargo windows tinted. Upon metering them at the tint shop, found overall light transmittance to be ~5% (either 15% or 20% film over the factory privacy glass). Instead of the usual 35% I do over factory privacy glass (~13%), I went with 20% film on both the front and rear doors (so rear doors match the cargo windows); 70% on the windshield, and 55% on the sunroof; all XPEL XR+ film.

Today I had a few minutes and assembled the SDHQ air compressor mount, an ARB Single I had laying around, and wired it up using an OTRATTW switch I ordered last week. I considered doing another ARB Twin (that has been my compressor of choice for the past 4 builds), but with this only ever getting 31.6" tires and (hopefully) rarely using/needing it, I decided to go with what was sitting in the garage. It was originally ordered for my GF's Forester Wilderness, then tossed into the Grenadier for a few weeks while I waited on the twin to arrive, then relegated to collecting dust in the garage again, now she's considering trading the FW for an NX F-Sport in a few months, so perhaps her car doesn't need a compressor

Also popped on the SDHQ billet battery terminals. To note, the terminals being slightly taller were an issue for the positive cables being ever so slightly too short for my comfort. Loosening the battery tie down and sliding the battery about 1/2" to the midline of the vehicle was plenty to allow for sufficient slack in the wires. Perhaps this is a sign that I just need to go pick up a Group 27F AGM.

I know, I know, interior TESA tape in an engine bay isn't a great look. The last time this compressor was installed, it was mounted inside, thus the soft tape, I didn't recognize it until after it was installed and I just didn't feel like unwrapping and rewrapping the short section of harness. I'm pretty sure now that I've photographed it, I'll be irritated enough to want to fix it.

In lieu of the inline fuse ARB supplies with the harness, it's wired to the dual post MRBF fuse block; the other position will be for the DC-DC charger for the LiFePO4 battery. That install may happen (at least the exterior bits) on Monday, since we have some form or another of rain in the forecast from Tuesday through next Monday; and next Wednesday we leave for Overland Expo East

 

[MallCrl]

Another few little updates.

Blendmount has been in for about a week holding the V1 Gen2. it is powered by tapping into the OEM harness behind the mirror. Also from the same source is the Dongar dash cam power adapter, powering today's install of a Rexing V1P dash cam. I wanted to wait until the windshield tint cured before sticking it on, thus the delay.

Also got the Bison Gear cargo window MOLLE panels the other day and quickly installed them as well. Now to take all the stuff that has lived in drawers in previous builds and make use of my sizable pile of Blue Ridge Overland Gear bags that I've ordered and never used through the years to mount it all. Barely visible in the photo is the BROG Attic that I installed a few days ago

 

[Cold Iron]

Quick update, no photos since I suck at remembering to take photos of my own projects...

Installed Diode Dynamics HP5 194 LEDs in the front map lights, 2nd row dome lights, cargo dome lights, door puddle lights, and ground/running board lights; Diode Dynamics HP3 194 LEDs installed in the visor mirror lights. I think this may be the biggest interior LED swap transformation I've experienced in a long time. Also spent a few quick minutes and swapped the front and rear turn signals over to Auxito "CANBUS" 7440 yellow LEDs, they have the built in resistor to remove the need for extra wiring and I've had good luck with their lifespan in other vehicles.

Might have time tomorrow to swap over the reverse lights to Diode Dynamics XPR LEDs. Again, I've used these in several previous vehicles with great results.

The WeatherTech mat set arrived today, and was a quick swap over, just like always; although the cargo area mat definitely needed a few minutes in the sun to soften it up.

"Phase 1" was confirmed with the fine folks at Apex Overland, it'll consist of: Radflo 500R (2.0 IFP) coilovers/shocks (1/2"-3/4" front lift, stock rear height), PowerBrake X-Line front big brake kit, and 18x9 Method 318s w/ 265/65/18 Falken Wildpeak A/T4Ws... The Dometic CFX5 fridge is currently acting as a secondary drink fridge in our kitchen, and probably won't make it into the truck until a second battery is in place

Big fan of Diode Dynamics and I will gladly pay more for made in the US then add money to the Chinese coffers so they can power up more mainframe power to brute force attack our firewalls.

I went with HP3 5K for most of my interior lights and HP5 6K for map and the rear over the attic rack. Perfect. I don't want to totally blow out my night vision. Either in the woods but especially in some urban area when I get out at night.

The XPR reverse lights are head and shoulders above others with thermal power kick down protection. For those that travel in herds and always go all the way through a trail likely not a big deal. For the rest of the world that actually explores and often have to backup from a dead end for up to a mile or more it is a huge deal. Sounds like you already know that

Factory reverse lights

DD XPR lights

Much gooder. But the limiting factor is the display, and I suspect the camera. On my previous Polaris Northstar I installed a Garmin BC-40 camera connected through BT to my Garmin. I upgraded that buggy to a Northstar Trail Boss with arched A arms and 14" of ground clearance. And built in front camera with a rear camera with thermal infrared no less. So didn't need the BC-40 any longer and moved it to the GX. It is how the GX should look IMO

Some time as above with DD XPR reverse lights and Garmin BC-40

 

[r2m]

Big fan of Diode Dynamics and I will gladly pay more for made in the US then add money to the Chinese coffers so they can power up more mainframe power to brute force attack our firewalls.

I went with HP3 5K for most of my interior lights and HP5 6K for map and the rear over the attic rack. Perfect. I don't want to totally blow out my night vision. Either in the woods but especially in some urban area when I get out at night.

The XPR reverse lights are head and shoulders above others with thermal power kick down protection. For those that travel in herds and always go all the way through a trail likely not a big deal. For the rest of the world that actually explores and often have to backup from a dead end for up to a mile or more it is a huge deal. Sounds like you already know that

Factory reverse lights

DD XPR lights

Much gooder. But the limiting factor is the display, and I suspect the camera. On my previous Polaris Northstar I installed a Garmin BC-40 camera connected through BT to my Garmin. I upgraded that buggy to a Northstar Trail Boss with arched A arms and 14" of ground clearance. And built in front camera with a rear camera with thermal infrared no less. So didn't need the BC-40 any longer and moved it to the GX. It is how the GX should look IMO

Some time as above with DD XPR reverse lights and Garmin BC-40

The backup lights that came with my MetalTech rear bumper have been a HUGE improvement over the factory lights. It's like daylight when I throw it into reverse. You are right, when in the middle of nowhere and with nothing but celestial lighting (without a moon), having bright backup lights that can throw out is huge. They are also very helpful when having to back into a camp site after dark, not sure where the flat spot to park is.

 

[MallCrl]

Another day and a few more updates!

Finally got the second battery installed and wired up, albeit a totally temporary install until my GooseGear plate shows up so I can make a real mount for the battery and fuse block. I've got a good bit of experience among different brands/ecosystems (Redarc, Victron, Battle Born, Dakota Lithium, X2 Power, etc.) between my own previous builds and clients, but one (fairly) popular one I haven't dabbled with is Renogy (beyond using their solar panels), so this truck has a good bit of their stuff.

Power system consists of a Renogy Core Mini Heated 100Ah battery, Renogy 300A Shunt, Renogy ONE display/monitor/hub, and Renogy IP67 50A DC-DC Charger w/ built in MPPT controller. Depending on space with the final layout, I may add their 1000W inverter as well.

Since it's a temporary install, the Blue Sea 12 outlet fuse block is bolted to the MOLLE panel, as are the USB/12v outlets, and the battery is wedged between the side panel and the fridge, with some 3M MiniCell as a cushion on all sides. Forward of the fuse block is the Renogy ONE display. The location definitely isn't ideal, but it isn't too bad to lean in and tap it to turn it on, the big plus with the display is that it acts as a communications hub for all the BT Renogy gear, and then connects to Wi-Fi to make it viewable remotely. I've gotten really spoiled over the past handful of years and builds by using this same technology with the Victron Cerbo GX.

Charging the battery is the Renogy IP67 50A DC-DC charger w/ MPPT... From what I've read this unit is apparently somewhat (internally) a clone of the older Redarc BCDC1250D, we'll see how well it works in the long term. I know that while idling in the driveway, within 25-30 minutes it thermo-throttled itself back to 27-30A, which I'm not super opposed to given the fairly weak 150A alternator these trucks have. I'm sure that if driving the added airflow through the engine bay may help slightly, but its case temps remind me of the older Victron Orion-TR 12/12-30. I'm running a trio of those in our Sprinter, in a climate controlled cabinet, and each of them have 3 40mm server fans blowing across their heatsinks.

While I don't see my self using the compressor on this truck very often, the DC-DC charger is isolated on a set of rubber mounts from the main mount to eliminate vibrations (although Renogy advertises it as safe for drops???) Not visible int he photo are MC4 plugs behind the compressor to connect the Lensun Solar panel next weekend at Overland Expo when I pick it up. As with the install of the compressor, there's still room to open the fuse box cover without having to move/remove anything.

Next update will be later this week after the suspension, wheels/tires, and BBK get installed!