Builds Well I gone and done it: 2018 Premium Build

[BigSwede]

Deviated from my wiring project for a bit to install an ebay knock-off of the OEM transmission cooler, as I am planning on a trip to the Rockies with my camper soon. A fiddly project but worth it in the long run for the life of the transmission. While I am at it I will do a drain and fill the transmission as I am approaching 60k miles.

 

[BigSwede]

Got one of these for Christmas, should go well with the sleeping platform I am building for the GX. I have window screens, but they never had a way to stay open if it was raining. Looks like it will work well.
Amazon product ASIN B06XX3H5XL

 

[jiggletits]

Pretty sure every Toyota made in the mast decade+ doesn’t require a transmission fluid change.. ever. I did my Tundra at 200k/10 years and it came out clean as new. That truck actually did some towing.

Additionally, if the 4.6 trans is at all like the 5.7 you cannot drain it without following a very specific procedure that is best to pay the dealer to handle. It has to be at a certain temperature for internal valves to open and allow it to drain.

Anyway… 60k is overkill, complete waste of money. Might as well burn that cash on cocaine or whores.

 

[BigSwede]

Pretty sure every Toyota made in the mast decade+ doesn’t require a transmission fluid change.. ever. I did my Tundra at 200k/10 years and it came out clean as new. That truck actually did some towing.

Additionally, if the 4.6 trans is at all like the 5.7 you cannot drain it without following a very specific procedure that is best to pay the dealer to handle. It has to be at a certain temperature for internal valves to open and allow it to drain.

Anyway… 60k is overkill, complete waste of money. Might as well burn that cash on cocaine or whores.

Lol, I think I will survive $15 if it was a waste. But I don't think it was a waste since the owners manual says to replace the transmission fluid at 60K if you have been towing a trailer.

As for procedure, I just did a simple drain and fill, not a complete drain of everything including the torque converter. It's not difficult.

 

[BigSwede]

Last week I went with 5 other rigs to northern Minnesota for some snow wheeling. There was a couple feet of snow, but the GX seemed to have the best traction of anybody. Whether this was due to the BFG ATs or the MTS (set to mud/sand) not sure, but I was able to drive right up hills that others were struggling on. Partway through I volunteered to break trail, which was great fun (but nobody to take pics)! I was sailing through the snow, using my friends Moe and Mentum. Great fun!

 

[r2m]

I love "snow-wheeling"! It's kind of like mudding but without all the muck and cleanup later.

 

[BigSwede]

I love "snow-wheeling"! It's kind of like mudding but without all the muck and cleanup later.

Yeah it had been several years since I did it, forgot how fun it is.

 

[BigSwede]

Installed a Smittybilt 2781 compressor on a Powertrays LoPro. It fits!

 

[BigSwede]

Test fitting the new sleeping platform, 79x26”. Needed a little trimming to fit around the spine of the drivers seat. I think it’s going to work well.

 

[BigSwede]

The weather finally turned warm this week, so I was able to resume my wiring projects. I installed an Icom IC-2730A ham radio and a Comet SS680SB dual band antenna on a Kaon hood hinge mount. Also added some USB outlets in one of the dash switch blanks.

 

[r2m]

Does the "... hood hinge mount... " mean that it moves up when lifting the hood or that it can "break-away" when a branch or something hits it?
I like mine in the back, between the spare the rear door. It's pretty protected back there form trail damage.
Not sure how much it hurts my range not being as open as yours.

I mounted mine kind of they same way as you did yours. Who listens to CD's any more???
I just mounted mine with double back tape (used for mirrors) and mounted it on the sliding face cover that hides the CD.
The "thingy" to the right is my cordless phone holder.

 

[BigSwede]

Does the "... hood hinge mount... " mean that it moves up when lifting the hood or that it can "break-away" when a branch or something hits it?
I like mine in the back, between the spare the rear door. It's pretty protected back there form trail damage.
Not sure how much it hurts my range not being as open as yours.

I mounted mine kind of they same way as you did yours. Who listens to CD's any more???
I just mounted mine with double back tape (used for mirrors) and mounted it on the sliding face cover that hides the CD.
The "thingy" to the right is my cordless phone holder.

The hood hinge mount is a simple piece of stainless steel that uses the hood hinge bolts, no give to it.

Bonnet Hinge Antenna and Aerial Mount for Prado 150

The Bonnet Hinge Antenna and Aerial Mount to suit Toyota Prado 150 is a secure and discreet alternative to conventional antenna mounting locations.

www.kaon.com.au

But I can open the hood without it or the antenna hitting anything. The antenna actually has a spring partway up, so as long as a large branch doesn't hit the bottom of the antenna, it should be okay. I don't do seriously overgrown trails as much as I used to anyway. I would actually prefer to mount it on the tailgate for branch avoidance, which I have done on my previous rigs, but I don't have a rear-mounted spare now so not really an easy option.

As for the faceplate, I'll continue to explore options to mount it - most decent phone holders will work. The one I have now uses the CD slot. Downside is then I need another mount for my navigation tablet. I do have a suction cup mount that works decent for the tablet, but I wouldn't mind having it lower.

Yeah, I used to carry a box of CDs with me for long trips, but these days I have ALL of my music on flash drives, a much better travel option.

 

[r2m]

As for the faceplate, I'll continue to explore options to mount it - most decent phone holders will work. The one I have now uses the CD slot. Downside is then I need another mount for my navigation tablet. I do have a suction cup mount that works decent for the tablet, but I wouldn't mind having it lower.

Yeah, I used to carry a box of CDs with me for long trips, but these days I have ALL of my music on flash drives, a much better travel option.

Yeah, first world problems...
I too put a bunch of my favorite tunes on several thumb drives. Never have to worry about skipping!

 

[BigSwede]

Just got back from a week in Moab, a trip I have been doing for 21 years now. Among other trails I did Hells Revenge, Elephant Hill, and Jax Trax.

To review, my GX has a 2.5" lift and 265/75r17 tires, and a factory trailer hitch, and the front fascia has been trimmed. I can now tell you that IMHO the approach and departure angles are not really adequate for these kinds of trails.

I have decided life is too short to suffer with inadequate clearance, so changes will be made... as soon as I figure out what they are. In my initial thoughts I'm thinking skinny 34-35" tires, regeared appropriately. This of course leads to a host of other changes, including BMC, possibly new wheels. I am undecided about lockers, but probably will get at least a rear locker while regearing. I will need to carry a full size spare somehow, and I hate the idea of bumper swingouts in the way every time I open the rear.

Bumpers front and rear may follow, maybe a winch since I will have the platform to mount it. Any rear bumper must include a way to integrate a hitch receiver into the bumper to improve departure angle.

Yeah, I had a lot of time to think about these things on the long drive home.

I'll head over to the 35" tire thread and start my research in earnest.

 

[GrizzlyClint]

Just got back from a week in Moab, a trip I have been doing for 21 years now. Among other trails I did Hells Revenge, Elephant Hill, and Jax Trax.

To review, my GX has a 2.5" lift and 265/75r17 tires, and a factory trailer hitch, and the front fascia has been trimmed. I can now tell you that IMHO the approach and departure angles are not really adequate for these kinds of trails.

I have decided life is too short to suffer with inadequate clearance, so changes will be made... as soon as I figure out what they are. In my initial thoughts I'm thinking skinny 34-35" tires, regeared appropriately. This of course leads to a host of other changes, including BMC, possibly new wheels. I am undecided about lockers, but probably will get at least a rear locker while regearing. I will need to carry a full size spare somehow, and I hate the idea of bumper swingouts in the way every time I open the rear.

Bumpers front and rear may follow, maybe a winch since I will have the platform to mount it. Any rear bumper must include a way to integrate a hitch receiver into the bumper to improve departure angle.

Yeah, I had a lot of time to think about these things on the long drive home.

I'll head over to the 35" tire thread and start my research in earnest.

You thinking about a metal front bumper? This would solve the approach angle issue me thinks.

 

[BigSwede]

You thinking about a metal front bumper? This would solve the approach angle issue me thinks.

That was actually my initial reaction, and yes, that will probably have to happen. But that is only part of the problem, the trailer hitch was dragging on every ledge and dip, and while it is sturdy enough to take the hits, it actually made it difficult to get through some fairly mundane obstacles. i was hung up nose-and-tail more than once. So, i think my first move will be toward bigger tires which will improve all clearances.

 

[Seanzky]

The weather finally turned warm this week, so I was able to resume my wiring projects. I installed an Icom IC-2730A ham radio and a Comet SS680SB dual band antenna on a Kaon hood hinge mount. Also added some USB outlets in one of the dash switch blanks.

Very nice! I am actually in the process of ordering the same Icom 2730 and Comet 680SB for my GX. Which NMO mount did you go with for that bracket? That's the last hang up in my plans. I don't want to buy the Kaon (or ditch light brackets) and have to modify it to fit the antenna mount I have.

I'm also considering this antenna: Tram-Browning BR-180-B

 

[GrizzlyClint]

That was actually my initial reaction, and yes, that will probably have to happen. But that is only part of the problem, the trailer hitch was dragging on every ledge and dip, and while it is sturdy enough to take the hits, it actually made it difficult to get through some fairly mundane obstacles. i was hung up nose-and-tail more than once. So, i think my first move will be toward bigger tires which will improve all clearances.

Agree. That’s the one weak spot of my rig so far is departure angle which is because of the trailer hitch.

 

[BigSwede]

Very nice! I am actually in the process of ordering the same Icom 2730 and Comet 680SB for my GX. Which NMO mount did you go with for that bracket? That's the last hang up in my plans. I don't want to buy the Kaon (or ditch light brackets) and have to modify it to fit the antenna mount I have.

I'm also considering this antenna: Tram-Browning BR-180-B

It's not NMO, it is PL239. Not sure an NMO would fit that Kaon mount without modification.

The antenna worked well in Moab, I was picking up a lot more than others in my group.

 

[BigSwede]

Agree. That’s the one weak spot of my rig so far is departure angle which is because of the trailer hitch.

It all kind of ties together... if I get bigger tires I have to carry the spare elsewhere, which frees me up to do something else for a trailer hitch for more clearance as the hitch no longer has to protect the spare... so it goes.

A friend of mine with a GX470 installed a Coastal rear bumper and cut a hole in it and the rear crossmember for a hitch receiver. One option I am considering.