RF and LR Wheel Well Panels “Disappeared?

[Dan Higgins]

Yesterday I noticed that two plastic panels are missing from the underside (inside) of a couple of my wheel wells. I have no idea how or when. They are not areas I often look at so I have no idea when they went missing.

We did drive a “bumpy” forest service road yesterday but nothing more than we have done many times in the past. I also had the LC in for brake rotor resurfacing before I left for the trip we are on. About a week ago.

Any ideas on how this might have happened and how much I should be concerned?

Here is the area where the panel is missing under the right front wheel well. This is on the upper, front portion of the wheel well. Without the panel you can clearly see the some exposed vents or something.

And here is the missing plastic panel from the left rear wheel well. This picture is of the upper rear portion of the wheel well.

 

[gaijin]

Your tires are too big - just sayin'

 

[Dan Higgins]

285/65 R18 KO2s? I’ve had them for nearly 2 years with no issues. Plenty of others seem to be running with these. Could it also be because of my lift? Cloud this happen from bouncing it too hard? I don’t remember anything sounding like it came off.

 

[indycole]

Looks fine to me though I don’t have much to compare to any longer? Do you see missing panels in a parts diagram?

 

[TeCKis300]

Hrmm.. I'm unsure you're missing anything?

 

[mcgaskins]

Doesn’t look like anything is missing to me..

 

[Dan Higgins]

Sorry. I should have taken pics of the other two wheels wells where the panels are still in place. I’ll do that tomorrow and repost. Or may you all have already lost all such panels!

 

[indycole]

The panels aren't the same on each side... but I wouldn't rule out all of us losing panels because that definitely seems plausible.

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

I don't see anything missing. I take those exact panels off to install my new front bumper.

J

 

[Chocolate]

The vents on the front are normal.

Here's a tire size comparison chart. DeckerT4R has run 34s since Jan 17 on his LX along with a few others.

LX570 AHC height modifications (lift it!)

 

[Dan Higgins]

Thanks, Everyone, for the input. Below I have included a couple more pictures. This time I marked them where I see a difference and included all four wheel wells. But before I share them, let me ask what may be a stupid question.

Are the insides of the wheel wells supposed to be the same on the opposite sides? Is the front left supposed to look just like the front right? That was my assumption. But I may be wrong. (No other Land Cruisers in this RV park that I can go look at to check.)

Maybe this question should have been in the SQOD thread!

If they are supposed to be “the same”, mine aren’t. So here are side by side pics:

Front Left. This is the one I assume is correct.

Front Right. Vents on this side but not on the other?

Rear Right (the one I assume is “OK”)

Rear Left. Looks very different than rear right.

 

[Taco2Cruiser]

Thanks, Everyone, for the input. Below I have included a couple more pictures. This time I marked them where I see a difference and included all four wheel wells. But before I share them, let me ask what may be a stupid question.

Are the insides of the wheel wells supposed to be the same on the opposite sides? Is the front left supposed to look just like the front right? That was my assumption. But I may be wrong. (No other Land Cruisers in this RV park that I can go look at to check.)

Maybe this question should have been in the SQOD thread!

If they are supposed to be “the same”, mine aren’t. So here are side by side pics:

Front Left. This is the one I assume is correct.
View attachment 1730440

Front Right. Vents on this side but not on the other?
View attachment 1730441


Rear Right (the one I assume is “OK”)

View attachment 1730439

Rear Left. Looks very different than rear right.

View attachment 1730438

Everything is correct Dan. The fender wells are not symmetrical and you're not missing anything. That's how all 200s are.

There is a pump thing behind the front passenger side vents that needs those vents for heat reasons. There is the fuel fill neck that needs to be accessed behind the rear passenger side panels. The 200 is an expensive, purpose built vehicle. Toyota designs it to exactly what it needs, and only where it needs it. Unlike cheaper vehicles that make more universal and symmetrical parts in an effort to reduce build costs.

 

[Dan Higgins]

Thanks. See, it was a SQOD. . One of the great things about this forum is that you can ask questions like that and people don’t laugh at you. (At least not in writing.)

BTW, if any of you are in Colorado and are looking for a picturesque trail to drive, try the Eagle-Thomasville Road that runs up over Crooked Creek Pass from Eagle (a small town on I70) south to the Ruedi Reservoir. Then take the paved road west along the very nice Frying Pan River.

 

[TonyP]

The Air Injection Pumps are behind those front vents.