Well I gone and done it: 2018 Premium

[BigSwede]

Yeah, not to mention rust avoidance (here in the rust belt).

 

[BigSwede]

Been busy this week… got Nitto Ridge Grappler 35x11.5x17 tires on TRD knockoff flow-forged wheels (-10 offset for those scoring at home). Did the LCA adjust and they clear pretty well, except for maybe the washer bottle.

Also had 4.88 gears and rear e-locker installed.

Next up I need to wire the locker and install the speedometer calibrator.

 

[r2m]

Let us know how that speedo calibration works out!

 

[FJlandCruiser]

Just read through this build and very nice. I like the idea of a rear tire carrier on the actual door vs a rear tire swing out pivoting on the bumper. 1. cheaper 2. I assume you can open your door without having to worry about swinging out your spare first. 3. keeps the rear camera centered vs offset with a bumper swing out.
Can you open the rear glass with the spar in place?

 

[BigSwede]

Just read through this build and very nice. I like the idea of a rear tire carrier on the actual door vs a rear tire swing out pivoting on the bumper. 1. cheaper 2. I assume you can open your door without having to worry about swinging out your spare first. 3. keeps the rear camera centered vs offset with a bumper swing out.
Can you open the rear glass with the spar in place?

Yes the window clears. Of course, wider tires and/or positive offset wheels might change that.

 

[BigSwede]

Installed a Beat-Sonic wireless unit for Apple Carplay today. Seems to work fine in the 10 minutes I played with it.

I will be very interested to see how useful Onx Offroad is on that screen size/resolution... I hadn't even considered that possible benefit.

 

[r2m]

Just looked at it online. So far I believe it's the best product out there for keeping your stock infotainment and being able to interact with your phone.
I especially like that it's wireless also. I don't like having to "plug in" my phone every time I jump in my rig. I have a wireless charger, I just set it in the cradle with one hand and done.

 

[BigSwede]

Just looked at it online. So far I believe it's the best product out there for keeping your stock infotainment and being able to interact with your phone.
I especially like that it's wireless also. I don't like having to "plug in" my phone every time I jump in my rig. I have a wireless charger, I just set it in the cradle with one hand and done.

Yeah I agree to both points... wireless was key for me, otherwise I would tend not to use it very much.

It will be interesting to see how much I do in fact use it on a day to day basis, but if nothing else I have a much more usable and useful navigation system. And for long trips I can still use Apple or Google maps and listen to music on flash drives (I have much more music than would fit on my phone, I think over 17,000 files) at the same time.

 

[r2m]

Yeah I agree to both points... wireless was key for me, otherwise I would tend not to use it very much.

It will be interesting to see how much I do in fact use it on a day to day basis, but if nothing else I have a much more usable and useful navigation system. And for long trips I can still use Apple or Google maps and listen to music on flash drives (I have much more music than would fit on my phone, I think over 17,000 files) at the same time.

You brought up a point I may have missed. You mentioned you'll use Google Maps and listen to music on flash drives, does that mean you NOT able to used Google Maps ANd a music app at the same time? We run Google Maps and Pandora all the time when on the road.

 

[BigSwede]

You brought up a point I may have missed. You mentioned you'll use Google Maps and listen to music on flash drives, does that mean you NOT able to used Google Maps ANd a music app at the same time? We run Google Maps and Pandora all the time when on the road.

I have basically zero experience with CarPlay, but I would assume that if your phone can do it, you can do it on CarPlay.

Beat-sonic was helpful with my questions, I’m sure they would answer yours.

 

[MrTorgue]

With carplay you can listen to Pandora, iHeart or other streaming or podcast app or the internal music player while Waze, Gaia or other map app is open.

 

[BigSwede]

Just looked at it online. So far I believe it's the best product out there for keeping your stock infotainment and being able to interact with your phone.
I especially like that it's wireless also. I don't like having to "plug in" my phone every time I jump in my rig. I have a wireless charger, I just set it in the cradle with one hand and done.

BTW, I have noticed that some of the nav apps on carplay will display your speed (Waze is one). Makes the failure of the Hypertech Speedometer Calibrator less of a sting. Supposedly google maps can do this too, but it doesn't seem to work where I live.

I am looking for a dedicated speedo app that will work on carplay, which would provide a bigger speedometer display than Waze. I've seen claims that Speedbox works on carplay but it isn't working on mine. I am told if I "jailbreak" my iphone I will be able to put any app from my phone on carplay, but I haven't decided if I want to try doing that. There almost always seems to be a price to be paid for such work-arounds, and my knowledge is not sophisticated enough to know what that price might be.

 

[r2m]

BTW, I have noticed that some of the nav apps on carplay will display your speed (Waze is one). Makes the failure of the Hypertech Speedometer Calibrator less of a sting. Supposedly google maps can do this too, but it doesn't seem to work where I live.

I am looking for a dedicated speedo app that will work on carplay, which would provide a bigger speedometer display than Waze. I've seen claims that Speedbox works on carplay but it isn't working on mine. I am told if I "jailbreak" my iphone I will be able to put any app from my phone on carplay, but I haven't decided if I want to try doing that. There almost always seems to be a price to be paid for such work-arounds, and my knowledge is not sophisticated enough to know what that price might be.

On Android, Google maps always shows speed and it will also show the posted speed if available. If the posted speed is available and showing, Google will color your speed in either green, yellow or red depending upon where your speed with the posted speed. Have the posted speed is very handy when traveling, having just missed the speed sign and not sure what the local speed limit is.
But as I mentioned above, I pre-qualified that this was for Android so I'm not sure how Apple likes to play with it.

 

[MrTorgue]

BTW, I have noticed that some of the nav apps on carplay will display your speed (Waze is one). Makes the failure of the Hypertech Speedometer Calibrator less of a sting. Supposedly google maps can do this too, but it doesn't seem to work where I live.

I am looking for a dedicated speedo app that will work on carplay, which would provide a bigger speedometer display than Waze. I've seen claims that Speedbox works on carplay but it isn't working on mine. I am told if I "jailbreak" my iphone I will be able to put any app from my phone on carplay, but I haven't decided if I want to try doing that. There almost always seems to be a price to be paid for such work-arounds, and my knowledge is not sophisticated enough to know what that price might be.

I use Waze precisely because it shows speed. Gaia also shows speed but it’s not as easy to see.

 

[BigSwede]

Lucky me!

 

[MrTorgue]

Lucky me!

View attachment 3201632

That’s funny. I hit this today in the RAM 2500.

 

[BigSwede]

On this slow winter day I decided to tally up the mods list for the GX - it's quite a list! It mushroomed a bunch when I decided to go "all in" after the Moab trip.

And no, I'm not going to add up how much this all cost, thankyouverymuch. Let's just say I never had kids and leave it at that.

I will maintain and update this list as things go along.

***

2018 Lexus GX460 Mod List

Suspension
Ironman Foam Cell Pro suspension lift 2.5-3”
Total Chaos spindle gussets
Dr KDSS sway bar clamps (front)
Dr KDSS front sway bar end relocation brackets
Metalcloak upper and lower rear adjustable axle links
SPC adjustable upper control arms
Ironman adjustable KDSS panhard bar
Dr KDSS BOTCK panhard bar mount relocation kit
Treaty Oak rear KDSS sway bar spacers
Metaltech extended rear axle brake lines

Drivetrain
Nitto Ridge Grappler 35x11.5x17 LT-E tires
Factory Style Wheels TRD knockoff flow-forged wheels 17x8,5 -10
4.88 gears
Eaton rear E-locker
Magnaflow Overlander cat-back exhaust system
OEM transmission cooler
Multi Terrain Select (MTS) (added)
Crawl Control (added)

Armor
Victory4x4 Strike aluminum front bumper
Coastal Offroad steel rear bumper with custom integrated trailer hitch receiver
Dave’s homebuilt custom sliders
Hefty Fab engine aluminum skid plate (adapted from FJ Cruiser)
Ricochet transmission aluminum skid plate (adapted from FJ Cruiser)
Asfir transfer case aluminum skid plate
Asfir fuel tank aluminum skid plate
Metaltech rear axle link mount armor
FJ Toyman lower rear shock armor
JW Offroad spare tire rear door mount
Expedition One washer bottle relocation kit
Cascadia 4x4 front license plate mount
SDHQ billet ABS sensor guards

Recovery
Smittybilt 2781 compressor
Powertrays LoPro mount for compressor
HF Apex 12,000 pound winch with synthetic line

Communication/Navigation
Icom IC-2730A dual band ham radio (MARS mod for GMRS)
Comet SS680SB dual band antenna
Kaon hood hinge antenna mount
2A/3A USB outlets in spare switch blank location
RAM homemade tablet mount
BeatSonic wireless Apple Carplay dongle

Lighting/Electrical
3x3 LED cube lights wired to factory fog lights in front bumper
20” LED light bar in front bumper
3x3 LED cube lights wired to factory reverse lights in rear bumper
LED cabin light bulbs
Odyssey Performance Series 27F AGM battery
Dirty Parts Alternator Voltage Booster
Rear auxiliary fuse panel
Two rear 12V outlets (one is dedicated for Engel fridge)
SDHQ billet battery terminals

Camping
Kaon stainless steel rear door table
Goose Gear rear cargo area base plate, modified with four tie-down points
Engel 40 quart fridge
Custom 20/20 aluminum-framed removable sleeping platform

 

[Banandalorian]

Suspension
Ironman Foam Cell Pro suspension lift 2.5-3” Dobinsons MRA 2"
Total Chaos spindle gussets
Dr KDSS sway bar clamps
Dr KDSS sway bar end relocation brackets
Metalcloak upper and lower rear adjustable axle links
SPC adjustable upper control arms Ironman UCAs
Ironman adjustable panhard bar
Dr KDSS BOTCK panhard bar mount relocation kit
Treaty Oak rear KDSS sway bar spacers
Perry Parts Aerobump extended bump stops

^I basically have your entire suspension list (minor updates made) sitting in my garage and hopefully being installed this weekend. 1) I hope everything has been working well and holding up as intended. 2) For the various KDSS clamps/brackets/spacers and panhard correction, do you think I can throw those on while the truck is on jackstands for the lift or does it need to be on the ground due to something like bushings or geometry?

 

[BigSwede]

Suspension
Ironman Foam Cell Pro suspension lift 2.5-3” Dobinsons MRA 2"
Total Chaos spindle gussets
Dr KDSS sway bar clamps
Dr KDSS sway bar end relocation brackets
Metalcloak upper and lower rear adjustable axle links
SPC adjustable upper control arms Ironman UCAs
Ironman adjustable panhard bar
Dr KDSS BOTCK panhard bar mount relocation kit
Treaty Oak rear KDSS sway bar spacers
Perry Parts Aerobump extended bump stops

^I basically have your entire suspension list (minor updates made) sitting in my garage and hopefully being installed this weekend. 1) I hope everything has been working well and holding up as intended. 2) For the various KDSS clamps/brackets/spacers and panhard correction, do you think I can throw those on while the truck is on jackstands for the lift or does it need to be on the ground due to something like bushings or geometry?

The clamps can be done either way. The sway bar end relocate brackets can be done either way, using a floor jack on the ground (Dr. KDSS has videos for install) or I saw a different video where the guy had it on jackstands and used a ratchet strap to pull the end up to the bracket.

The panhard bar stuff I suggest doing on the ground so the axle doesn't move while the bar is disconnected, though it could probably be done on stands too, you just might need a hand to move the axle to where you need it to get the panhard bar bolt in.

 

[BigSwede]

Did some snow wheeling over the weekend. As usual, I was bad at taking pictures, but hopefully I get more from others that were along, but this is the only one I have so far.

The GX did well, despite a layer of ice under the snow, I didn't have to get winched up a hill, unlike many others in our group, even though the rear locker is still not hooked up.