2018 Lexus GX build

Found my patches today! Truckvault makes a great place to stick them.

C1E35849-B2C9-4471-91E7-CCB31942BC8C.jpeg
 
RCI skid plate installation this past weekend. 3/16” steel powder coated. If you can handle the 10 week production time line and lack of communication and shipping information RCI builds a quality product and a fair price. They installed with easy and have an access door to facilitate oil filter removal and a drain hole for the oil change.

We installed a set of ARB skids on a second gen Taco the previous weekend and ARB doesn’t provide access to facilitate oil changes and requires skid plate removal.

I went with steel over aluminum for two reasons often in a class we purposely get a vehicle stuck. Have the clients perform a stuck assessment and formulate a recovery plan. The steel skid plates will be able to do this on a regular basis. I was concerned aluminum would fatigue and crack over time.


E09F7D5C-96E9-413F-89EC-87F93057938B.jpeg
0EBEB04B-201D-4843-9ED5-2F7AB108FE2B.jpeg
0D9E7622-6D87-4397-A6FE-5B1C2F9F39C9.jpeg
C24F384B-71E2-44C9-A8AF-2B8007096D09.jpeg
 
Last edited:
Quick ARB fridge retention mod today, not really GX specific. May be able to do on other fridge retention systems?

The hardware I had was rusty and the straps were starting to fray. Couldn’t have a tacky looking fridge set up on a new build. I’ve been using Roller Cams for years figured they were a better choice then the ones ARB have. They are of a thicker material and with the roller cam you can get the tension tight!

The hooks and loops were sent out for blast and powder coating. I installed red shrink wrap on the handle hooks where ARB had black.

Overall the look is great and now has far better strap tension abilities. The old ones shown for corrosion and wear, this is a refreshed old, old set.

0A4CA10C-9A3C-47E9-9051-87E8349AEB36.jpeg
8EEB6916-730B-4796-9359-4E24FBB2B860.jpeg
75434602-5A82-4485-ACA6-9AB598115108.jpeg
D26D48C2-D4FC-435A-9DC6-0B3F1DAD2386.jpeg
BEE021CA-9C3C-432F-AD10-0B9ABC582A65.jpeg
 
Back to our regularly scheduled program.

Laid out my electrical control panel. The second or house battery will be mounted in the Truckvault forward hatch area. Mid ship center of the vehicle. It’ll be fully walled off and a lid to prevent recovery gear from damaging it. The control panel will be mounted on the right side at the passenger rear door.

3839026A-0A75-4A7E-B75F-2EE58613C5CE.jpeg


E6C7208A-5B8C-4D83-B29B-4B5A2FA6DC3A.jpeg


1C2C5CDA-1CF4-4253-81B6-1EA0208C5261.jpeg


A2307764-1923-4139-BAD1-9A07E19CD51D.jpeg


71B2EAF5-8B4B-489B-801F-281F755CEE96.jpeg
 
Last edited by a moderator:
The control panel will set up a bit higher than that location, of course carpet and painted to match the Truckvault. I need to fabricate a battery hold down clamp,1/8" 5000 series aluminum. The box pictured for the battery was for mock up purposes, Ill be building it from 3/4" birch ply carpeted exterior and painted interior.

The 100 watt Renogy fixed solar panel and start battery will feed the BCDC then to the house battery. From the house to a 150 amp breaker to the buss. From the buss it'll feed the sPOD and the aft fuse panel in the back. The fuse panel will feed the compressor and 6 other circuits that power the fridge, USB ports, task lights, water spigot and what ever else I decide to add.
 
Back to our regularly scheduled program.

Laid out my electrical control panel. The second or house battery will be mounted in the Truckvault forward hatch area. Mid ship center of the vehicle. It’ll be fully walled off and a lid to prevent recovery gear from damaging it. The control panel will be mounted on the right side at the passenger rear door.


Looking good! Now I want to go wire something...
 
I was able to start the install process of electrical over the long weekend. Started by carpeting and trimming the control panel with parts from Truckvault to match. Wired up the breakers and bus bar. Installed my tray for the NOCO dual battery trickle charger and Power Tray for the sPOD and breaker to the Redarc BCDC. The BCDC will take start battery and solar power to feed the house battery. The house battery will run to a 150 amp breaker then to the bus bar. From the bus it’ll feed the 50 amp breaker to the sPOD and the 100 amp breaker to the rear fuse panel.
1A8E8074-2841-4902-AEF8-E083740A7DE8.jpeg
5B7E7BEB-2367-46B1-8E15-A0A6BC7EB691.jpeg
51342522-537C-4899-B2D5-11152CC29180.jpeg
8FFF2929-B297-48AA-9389-C3CE4822BCD9.jpeg
 
Back
Top Bottom