My GX460 -> Prado 150 Build and Travel Thread

[JZGarage]

This Prado conversion kit looks fantastic, especially in this colour!

How's the quality on the aftermarket Prado projector headlights, and are you running led/halogen bulbs or something else?

 

[SUMMIT CRUISERS Jr]

This Prado conversion kit looks fantastic, especially in this colour!

How's the quality on the aftermarket Prado projector headlights, and are you running led/halogen bulbs or something else?

Thanks! Quality has been great. Nice crisp lighting with a sharp cut off line and little angled up bit for roadsigns on the side of the road. Bulbs are whatever came in the kit. I figured I’d run what it came with and change out if I saw necessary…which I haven’t.

I’ve never really had any fancy headlights or any thing of that nature, but they’re definitely better than anything I’ve owned including my old GX headlights with HIDs.

 

[bryce0225]

You ever wanna sell thins thing, let me know...

 

[SUMMIT CRUISERS Jr]

You ever wanna sell thins thing, let me know...

It's hard for me to imagine ever selling this one. Looks like you're still out enjoying your 80 and swing out! Glad to see it!

 

[SUMMIT CRUISERS Jr]

Had my first GX "issue" a few weeks ago @ 151k. A week before leaving for the holidays, I hopped in my GX one morning and it didn't want to start. I was just getting a click so I drove my pick up (the idler arm bushings went out that day as well) to work and messed with the GX later that evening. After about an hour outside in the cold trying to get it started, I decided to start ordering parts. I then subsequently came down with some illness and didn't mess much with the truck. I loaded everything for the trip to Oklahoma for the holidays, and after rolling the truck out of the garage and hitting what small space of the starter I could, it started. I drove non stop to my parent's garage where I threw it on the lift and we started removing stuff to get to it. I had no idea the starter was such a labor intensive job on these trucks, I just assumed it wasn't that bad as it was no longer under the intake manifold like the 2uz's. I think this job would have been 10x worse had my manifold nuts not broken loose cleanly. Thankfully everything came out without an issue making this just an awkward job made a lot easier with a lift.

Anyways, new OEM starter in, truck starting better than it ever has before and everything is good again. I once again forgot to get videos of the exhaust cut out so that'll be another day.

 

[SUMMIT CRUISERS Jr]

Ordered in another set of (4) Cooper AT3 XLTs as they’re being phased out. I had a spare set of wheels in the basement so having discount tire toss new tires on was quick and easy (if you ignore the time wasted when they scratched 3 wheels and ended up covering the cost to repowder coat all 5 to match). I then threw on the decals after seeing how they looked on a friends truck and ceramic coated them. Ride is smooth and quiet. The old tires have about 60k on them and still have about 20% (evenly worn) tread. Considering everything they’ve done and been through, I’m bummed they’re phasing them out for another model.

 

[Roody]

Ordered in another set of (4) Cooper AT3 XLTs as they’re being phased out. I had a spare set of wheels in the basement so having discount tire toss new tires on was quick and easy (if you ignore the time wasted when they scratched 3 wheels and ended up covering the cost to repowder coat all 5 to match). I then threw on the decals after seeing how they looked on a friends truck and ceramic coated them. Ride is smooth and quiet. The old tires have about 60k on them and still have about 20% (evenly worn) tread. Considering everything they’ve done and been through, I’m bummed they’re phasing them out for another model.
View attachment 4097324

GX looks fantastic

The Coopers have had some massively loyal fans over the years. Those tires never did it for me but I know a lot of people who love them. Wonder what they'll replace them with.

 

[SUMMIT CRUISERS Jr]

GX looks fantastic

The Coopers have had some massively loyal fans over the years. Those tires never did it for me but I know a lot of people who love them. Wonder what they'll replace them with.

Thanks it’s been great and all the conversion parts have held up great. Just a little fading on the GR badge. I can see how people really like these coopers as my overall experience with the has been great so I’m not quite sure why they made such a departure from it to what I think is it’s replacement - the Cooper Stronghold. What about the coopers didn’t do it for you?

 

[Roody]

Thanks it’s been great and all the conversion parts have held up great. Just a little fading on the GR badge. I can see how people really like these coopers as my overall experience with the has been great so I’m not quite sure why they made such a departure from it to what I think is it’s replacement - the Cooper Stronghold. What about the coopers didn’t do it for you?

The Stronghold AT looks promising

Hard to put my finger on it exactly, I just never loved them. My parents had a set on their JGC that I was driving a lot at the time and I just didn't like their on-road performance, always felt floaty vs the other tires they've run on the vehicle. And I've seen them struggle off-road on Tacos and the likes.

 

[Rednexus]

I haven't had Cooper truck tires, but a set of Cooper "premium" all-seasons on my old Subaru. They were absolutely shredded by only occasional driving Ozark gravel roads and lasted about 25,000 miles. That experience was a turn-off on Cooper (who, along with Mickey Thompson, are owned by Goodyear). I also had a job many years ago that was driving 100+ miles of Ozark gravel roads daily....my work vehicle had Goodyears, and they were absolutely shredded as well, to the point where I'd get several flats in a week.

Maybe their truck tires are a bit better, but currently the only Goodyear products I've had a "good" experience with are their M-USA Endurance trailer tires (as most all other trailer tires are Chinese).

 

[diabetik81]

Do you have prado rocker panels installed or did you just cut the boards off? I've got rockers on the way from GXprado and starting to research sliders that work w/ them.

 

[Avssuc]

What sort of mud flaps you have on the front? I just ordered a Prado kit for my 2019 Luxury, and I'm worried about the fit. I put TRD wheels and 265/70's on there and had to remove the famous bolt that rubs from the running board. I do have a 1 inch spacer kit I could install to help out with space, but only if needed.

The stock Prado mud mats came with it, and it's in the shop now being all painted put together. Just hoping those mud flaps don't add girth down there.

 

[SUMMIT CRUISERS Jr]

Do you have prado rocker panels installed or did you just cut the boards off? I've got rockers on the way from GXprado and starting to research sliders that work w/ them.

Yeah I just cut my existing ones. I actually cut another friend’s this past weekend - bringing the total I’ve done to 5 trucks so you could say I’ve been getting pretty good at it. I also designed some light brackets that reuse the stock light covers/housings and bolt up to the locations where the steps mounted to the body.

A friend who also did the swap did the Prado rockers with the JW off-road sliders, but he did quite a bit of custom trimming to fit things cleanly.

I didn’t go down that route because it seemed like the Prado rocker hangs down more in the front than a trimmed GX rocker and having seen some 200s dropping onto ledges crush the front bit of the rocker before the slider started, I didn’t want to have to worry about that.

What sort of mud flaps you have on the front? I just ordered a Prado kit for my 2019 Luxury, and I'm worried about the fit. I put TRD wheels and 265/70's on there and had to remove the famous bolt that rubs from the running board. I do have a 1 inch spacer kit I could install to help out with space, but only if needed.

The stock Prado mud mats came with it, and it's in the shop now being all painted put together. Just hoping those mud flaps don't add girth down there.

No mudflaps up front currently, but between what’s left there from the rocker and my slider, hardly have a need for flaps. I previously ran a set of rally armors on the truck since they were very thin and easy to fit. Still had some slight rubbing on that bolt head though.

 

[r2m]

Yeah I just cut my existing ones. I actually cut another friend’s this past weekend - bringing the total I’ve done to 5 trucks so you could say I’ve been getting pretty good at it. I also designed some light brackets that reuse the stock light covers/housings and bolt up to the locations where the steps mounted to the body.

View attachment 4105941
View attachment 4105942

A friend who also did the swap did the Prado rockers with the JW off-road sliders, but he did quite a bit of custom trimming to fit things cleanly.

I didn’t go down that route because it seemed like the Prado rocker hangs down more in the front than a trimmed GX rocker and having seen some 200s dropping onto ledges crush the front bit of the rocker before the slider started, I didn’t want to have to worry about that.



No mudflaps up front currently, but between what’s left there from the rocker and my slider, hardly have a need for flaps. I previously ran a set of rally armors on the truck since they were very thin and easy to fit. Still had some slight rubbing on that bolt head though.

What method/tool do you use to cut with?

 

[SUMMIT CRUISERS Jr]

What method/tool do you use to cut with?

Cordless m18 angle grinder with cut off wheel with the step on top of one of these holders

 

[SUMMIT CRUISERS Jr]

The KC winters have been less than kind to the lower spherical bushings on the coilovers. I’ve been living with the most annoying squeak (thankfully the Lexus is well sound deadened) for the better part of the past 6 months holding out for the last of the winter weather to run its course.

I also tossed in some DR. KDSS billet front adapter plates and KDSS brackets along with some fresh OEM bushings in there. I also picked up some spacers for the rear bar I’ll work on installing after I’m done traveling for work and do a once over and this thing should be ready for Moab at the end of the month!

I’m hoping all of that will help the KDSS lean, but if not, I’ll be installing a trim spacer on the passenger coilover at some point.