Mike NXP's GX470

[Mike NXP]

Center diff lock doesn’t lock the front wheels not the rear wheels.

CDL just sends 50/50 to front and rear. Wheels spin independently even with CDL on.

Check for rubbing marks in wheel well or on inner frame. Post pictures. You on stock wheels and tires?

When I had 17x9 -12 rims in 285/70R17 tires, I would rub on the frame and front sway bar on full lock turns. Even at 3.7* of caster.

I no longer rub on front but I’ve removed front sway bar, went to 34x11 mud terrains on 17x7.5 zero offset rims

Yeah good point, I'm almost positive I didn't press the diff lock that was just kind of the best way to describe the symptom I felt.

Totally stock ride height, pavement princess this thing is never even off-road.

Definitely not tire rub more of a heavy metal binding popping type feel and noise

I'll try to get a video on some photos after work

 

[Rednexus]

If the CV boot is torn and debris got inside it, it certainly could be a CV. If the boot is intact it is probably something else.

 

[Mike NXP]

If the CV boot is torn and debris got inside it, it certainly could be a CV. If the boot is intact it is probably something else.

Thanks for the info. Yeah so the boot is intact everything looks good and clean down there ...im scared something's going on with my front differential bu i don't know what the hell it is the noise I haven't quite heard before I got a lot of s*** break lol

I'm going to lean towards something that can't be that major..this vehicle isnt an off-roaded or driven hard at all just cruises back and forth down the highway.

 

[Rednexus]

The front diff in these is usually pretty solid. If you are concerned, you could check the fluid level/color.

Most of the binding/knocking noises mine has made has been the front tires contacting various parts of the inner fender plastic. If your CVs are good, that would be my bet.

 

[Mike NXP]

The front diff in these is usually pretty solid. If you are concerned, you could check the fluid level/color.

Most of the binding/knocking noises mine has made has been the front tires contacting various parts of the inner fender plastic. If your CVs are good, that would be my bet.

Okay cool, yeah can't imagine anything major like the diff maybe worst case the axle.

I'll have to look closer, this morning I had the wheel at full lock and poked my head around and didn't really see any areas where it might rub. I was just in a flat parking lot not really bouncing around and it was still doing it.

 

[Mike NXP]

Well the sad but good news is it happens consistently enough where I could probably figure it out, but I'm still at a loss. No signs of rubbing, rubber boots are all intact, no contact anywhere. CDL light off and functioning as it should

I'm going to need to get a second set of hands to help out with this and have someone turn the wheel while I get down below and try to listen

I just experimented with it again and even at a crawling speed easing into a parking spot, with the wheel at full lock it would just sound pretty horrible up front. Really can't even describe it closest thing to what it sounds like is metal binding type of noise.

Otherwise while driving in a straight line and over bumps, highway speeds, all of that feels totally fine no clunks nothing out of the ordinary. The noise only shows up at full wheel lock right

Should be fun trying to figure this one out

 

[Mike NXP]

+5 points to Homer and Rednexus

What a ****ing relief, at full wheel lock I was contacting the skid plate. Will bend it back a bit and should be good to go. Man what a terrible noise that was lol Thank you MUD world

****ing love this truck

 

[Mike NXP]

On to a much less concerning issue. Anyone know how to keep moisture out of the headlights? I know on the 100 series they can be a bitch to split apart and re-seal... I assume its just as hard on these lights ?

 

[Rednexus]

On to a much less concerning issue. Anyone know how to keep moisture out of the headlights? I know on the 100 series they can be a bitch to split apart and re-seal... I assume its just as hard on these lights ?

Super easy job. You just need a heat gun and a roll of replacement butyl rubber. Soften the edges of the lens and they will pop right off. Then heat the butyl rubber strip and re-set them. Also a good time to either replace the lenses and/or black out the chrome (if you are in to that kind of thing).

 

[Mike NXP]

Super easy job. You just need a heat gun and a roll of replacement butyl rubber. Soften the edges of the lens and they will pop right off. Then heat the butyl rubber strip and re-set them. Also a good time to either replace the lenses and/or black out the chrome (if you are in to that kind of thing).
View attachment 4098327

Oh no s***, right on thanks for posting that... I was envisioning a scenario where I break a bunch of little clips and then have to buy a new headlight....I'll have to add it to the list of stuff to-do.

Happy GX'ing to all

 

[M3GX]

Super easy job. You just need a heat gun and a roll of replacement butyl rubber. Soften the edges of the lens and they will pop right off. Then heat the butyl rubber strip and re-set them. Also a good time to either replace the lenses and/or black out the chrome (if you are in to that kind of thing).
View attachment 4098327

They sell replacement lenses? I hadn't considered splitting them open. I have a crack in one of mine. Would be way cheaper than spending $350 on a new set like I was planning.

 

[Rednexus]

They sell replacement lenses? I hadn't considered splitting them open. I have a crack in one of mine. Would be way cheaper than spending $350 on a new set like I was planning.

Yes, although they are Chinese in origin and available on Amazon and eBay. I'm not aware of a supplier of high-quality lenses. The lenses on my Depo lights are starting to peel (they are about 6 years old), so at some point I'm going to try the replacement lenses, but I'll put Lamin-X covers over them to hopefully keep them lasting awhile (I've had the Lamin-X covers sitting in a box for 2+ years).

 

[Mike NXP]

Finally got the camper out . Weighs in at about 2500lbs

The 4.7 definitely feels the weight back there... It doesn't really like getting into top gear unless working with a bit of downhill assist.... I'm mostly cruising in 4th gear at 60ish mph and the rpms are around 2600...

I haven't put enough miles on it to get a good idea of gas mileage but it definitely slugs a bit more fuel

From a handling perspective, the suspension adapts really nicely. Its crazy how nice it feels actually. On larger dips in the road I'd think the truck would bounce but it just soaks it right up

Anyone out there have a tundra to compare with a 470? Curious if the tundra can pull better

 

[Rednexus]

The 2nd gen Tundra has 100+ HP more than a GX and should tow way better. The 1st gen Tundra has the same engine but slightly better gearing - I have not towed with one but in theory it would be more stable with the longer wheelbase.

From looking up the specs on that trailer, it appears to 10'-6" tall, so it sticks up 4'-5" above the top of your GX. 2,500# is not much for a GX to tow, so IMO you are noticing aerodynamic drag (the trailer acting as a sail). Drag increased by the square of speed, so it in theory would take 4X the power to pull the camper 60 mph relative to 30 mph. Our camper is closer to 4,000# loaded, but only 7' tall closed, and prior to re-gearing my GX, it towed it fine at 65-70 mph on flat ground but would immediately downshift on a slight grade. After adding 4.56 gears, I can tow it 75 mph no problem, including uphill on lighter grades. It's also done quite well towing my compact tractor (nearly 6K loaded), but that's a rather aero package and is probably adding very little drag.

A re-gear is not that expensive (relative to purchasing a mower powerful tow vehicle) and would help towing quite a bit. But, a tall trailer like that will take quite a bit of power and fuel to move at speed even with a bigger tow rig.

 

[Mike NXP]

The 2nd gen Tundra has 100+ HP more than a GX and should tow way better. The 1st gen Tundra has the same engine but slightly better gearing - I have not towed with one but in theory it would be more stable with the longer wheelbase.

From looking up the specs on that trailer, it appears to 10'-6" tall, so it sticks up 4'-5" above the top of your GX. 2,500# is not much for a GX to tow, so IMO you are noticing aerodynamic drag (the trailer acting as a sail). Drag increased by the square of speed, so it in theory would take 4X the power to pull the camper 60 mph relative to 30 mph. Our camper is closer to 4,000# loaded, but only 7' tall closed, and prior to re-gearing my GX, it towed it fine at 65-70 mph on flat ground but would immediately downshift on a slight grade. After adding 4.56 gears, I can tow it 75 mph no problem, including uphill on lighter grades. It's also done quite well towing my compact tractor (nearly 6K loaded), but that's a rather aero package and is probably adding very little drag.

A re-gear is not that expensive (relative to purchasing a mower powerful tow vehicle) and would help towing quite a bit. But, a tall trailer like that will take quite a bit of power and fuel to move at speed even with a bigger tow rig.

Hey,

Yeah good point, the tundra with the 5.7 would definitely be a better tow rig but I barley tow my camper so it would be hard to justify a pickup truck or a re-gear..... The GX serves a lot more purposes for me other than camper duty but I will admit to having thoughts of selling and getting a tundra..idk ... I barley use the camper, I find its not as exciting if you can only get to places where a bunch of other trailer people r camped out.... not ideal compared to where the 100 series / trunk camping can bring me lol

Ah yeah, that's fair. It is a bit tall and looks like a just parachute being dragged behind the GX so that's yeah I bet that's a big factor too! good point....I haven't even loaded it down with water and gear yet so it'll only get slower =[

 

[Rednexus]

Hey,

Yeah good point, the tundra with the 5.7 would definitely be a better tow rig but I barley tow my camper so it would be hard to justify a pickup truck or a re-gear..... The GX serves a lot more purposes for me other than camper duty but I will admit to having thoughts of selling and getting a tundra..idk ... I barley use the camper, I find its not as exciting if you can only get to places where a bunch of other trailer people r camped out.... not ideal compared to where the 100 series / trunk camping can bring me lol

Ah yeah, that's fair. It is a bit tall and looks like a just parachute being dragged behind the GX so that's yeah I bet that's a big factor too! good point....I haven't even loaded it down with water and gear yet so it'll only get slower =[

Weight will only make a difference for acceleration/braking. For sustained speed on flat ground, it's nearly all the aero drag slowing you down . I don't think you'd notice the difference much between the camper at 2,500# and 3,500#. We actually pulled our TrailManor, with a family of four, all the way to Glacier NP in Montana last summer. It has no problem pulling Homestake Pass westbound on I-90 at 55-60 mph in 3rd gear although it used a lot of gas . A GX can be a very capable towing platform when set up right.

If you aren't set on the camper you have now, a teardrop or hardside popup would be much easier to tow and use a lot less fuel.

 

[Mike NXP]

Weight will only make a difference for acceleration/braking. For sustained speed on flat ground, it's nearly all the aero drag slowing you down . I don't think you'd notice the difference much between the camper at 2,500# and 3,500#. We actually pulled our TrailManor, with a family of four, all the way to Glacier NP in Montana last summer. It has no problem pulling Homestake Pass westbound on I-90 at 55-60 mph in 3rd gear although it used a lot of gas . A GX can be a very capable towing platform when set up right.

If you aren't set on the camper you have now, a teardrop or hardside popup would be much easier to tow and use a lot less fuel.

Wise words as usual....GNP is my neck of the woods, hope you saw some cool stuff...

We looked at teardrops, but decided if we cant stand up then might as well take the 100 series which is setup to sleep in....A pop up would have been a much smarter purchase lol ...Going to enjoy it for a little while and maybe switch things up eventually..I wouldn't say its currently a problem towing , it just depends what you compare it to. I'm just going to back her down to 50-60 cruising speeds and find some more rural places to cruise

I'm going to start testing the waters on what the GX is worth, maybe a trade for tundra would be cool but I think in the long run I would regret it...The GX is one of the nicest vehicles Ive ever owned lol

 

[Rednexus]

Wise words as usual....GNP is my neck of the woods, hope you saw some cool stuff...

Pretty amazing part of the world. North Fork road was the best part of Glacier due to not being totally packed. Your rivers actually reminded me a lot of our spring-fed streams here in the Ozarks (water is the same color and they both have huge gravel bars), the ones in MT are just way bigger!

 

[Mike NXP]

Thats awesome, glad you found some cool place to explore up the north fork... If you ever make it out west again and need information on places to go, where the tourist are not , just ask.

 

[Rednexus]

Thats awesome, glad you found some cool place to explore up the north fork... If you ever make it out west again and need information on places to go, where the tourist are not , just ask.

Will do! It's a solid 1,800 miles from here so we hit the big parks (which was good for the kids), but it's certainly more fun to see the spots the locals go!