2017 LC 200 -Build

[rlynch356]

I don’t want to call it a build.. since I’m going to take my time and do it inside out.

Everyone always starts with the exterior stuff.
but I am starting inside and building out.

I’ve found when doing longer trips, actually the most important questions are the “livable”part of any truck.

How do you really camp with it?
How do you live out of it?
Can it get me home?

I’ll get around to the off-road stuff later, and I am planning suspension as the absolute last thing I do.

A bit of history… I bought this truck for myself 2 years ago but let my wife drive it full time. During the pandemic we sold our 4R and
the tundra TRDPro for it, and frankly I haven’t been to the office since so I could get by driving the d90 as a daily driver since I did about 100 miles a week, maybe..

It had 54k on it then, I just did the 90k service so it’s been the workhorse with a couple of trips west for my dads cancer, eventually his passing and funeral.

I just bought my wife a replacement Jeep 4XE, so the 200 is mine now and I’m going to adapt it to what I need. Which is a great camping car that can do “medium” level trails, and has the range to need to be remote.

First modification turned out to the base of the entire interior build out, When a friend decided to sell his Goose Gear ultimate chef package I jumped on it.
Im stoked especially because I can also add the sleeper rear seat delete for longer trips.. later though.
The Goose is installed temporarily right now because I need to pull everything to run wiring for the electrical system underneath it.
for that I have purchased a Renogy 100ah LiPo Bluetooth battery, redarc BCDC1240D, victron battery monitor, blue sea and Anderson components. My plan is try and stay only 12v dc as well.. time will tell on that..

Ideas welcome..

(just noticed included the wrong photo of the system, updated with my trucks photo.. basically the same minus the rear bumper and details such as the stove)

 

[Bryanseye]

As I started reading I was preparing to mention accessory power in the rear since it is pretty laughable the way Toyota did it, but then you went above and beyond.

Sounds like a great project.

 

[Steve & Deb]

I’ll be following along on your changes. On my vehicles, modifications have also started with convenience and comfort updates inside and external later (except tires.). On my 200, I’ve only added the fridge with Bluetti for power, an overhead rear shelf, and GPS and phone mounts. Still lots to do, so it will be interesting to see what you come up with.

 

[rlynch356]

Couple more little things.

Escape gear seat covers came in finally, and it took a couple of hours to install them and
Hide food the leather.
I took a chance on some eBay tailgate storage covers since I’m not sure I want to fully commit to modifying the tailgate or even if I need too..
these are steel overlays.. which take a couple of minutes to install and can come off the same.
they should protect the tailgate until they get damaged or I can come up with a better solution that also allows you to put hot pans on it.
Pure Chinesium and came with the sorta logo…which was a surprise…

I ordered what thought was just black.
if I would ever do it again I’d get plain.. not sure if they would be actually plain though.
it’ll do for now anyway..

 

[WashingtonTaco]

Couple more little things.
Escape gear seat covers came in finally, and it took a couple of hours to install them and
Hide food the leather.
I took a chance on some eBay tailgate storage covers since I’m not sure I want to fully commit to modifying the tailgate or even if I need too..
these are steel overlays.. which take a couple of minutes to install and can come off the same.
they should protect the tailgate until they get damaged or I can come up with a better solution that also allows you to put hot pans on it.
Pure Chinesium and came with the sorta logo…which was a surprise…
I ordered what thought was just black.
if I would ever do it again I’d get plain.. not sure if they would be actually plain though.
it’ll do for now anyway..

Good for you on the Escape Gear Seat covers. Unfortunately my order was canceled as the pattern that Escape Gear has for the Prado is not the same as GX 460. Hoping I can speak with Paul himself in the next couple weeks to find a resolution.

a few folks on other GX forums have experienced the same issue with GX seats.

 

[rlynch356]

Weird.. I had thought they had all the Toyota patterns (they have tundra which isn’t a global platform)

 

[WashingtonTaco]

Weird.. I had thought they had all the Toyota patterns (they have tundra which isn’t a global platform)

They clearly advertise GX 460 as well.

 

[rlynch356]

Working on fitting the electrical components..
Lots of position, test fit, retry, etc.
I decided to change the battery strap to a steel support run across the battery forward to rear, which will have to be done when I pull the base plate out to do the wiring run to to the rear panel for the victron BMV712smart (Bluetooth) monitor.
The rear 60ah circuit breaker and shunt will be inside the box. Luckily they fit and everything will be pre-wired before final install.
I will be able to remove the battery box completely with only disconnecting the leads to the fuse box (I may use Anderson plugs here but really that is easy and I don’t want another break in the wires if I can help it, keep it simple) and 1 Anderson main plug.
The position gives me full air flow from the 3rd row footwell vent and allows full recline of the seats.

 

[rlynch356]

What I am
Trying to repeat in the 200…
My D90 setup…

things not shown are the alubox 60 (all dry food basically, and overflow room) and the dog bed is thrown in the front seats. I only have 1 out of 2 water cans tucked in there behind the fridge for the cape lookout trip.
the right side storage box has my force protector awnings, peg/hammer kit and space for clean and dirty clothes plus some extra shoes and stuff.
no yard sale, everything stays packed.

pack up is the swag only and the awning if out overnight. My goal is 10 minutes tops..

Swag goes on the roof with the big recovery kit.
the clean waste toilet slots into the back beside the alubox with some straps to existing points
I am adding a privacy awning to the drivers side (overland pros since it’s cheap and cheerful and frankly I’ll probably kill it off-road, oh and it had a flap to access the car which I really wanted).
That will take care of my biggest pita, which was the Nemo shower tent on the last trip.

 

[rlynch356]

Update…
The Chinesium steel tailgate things suck.. I’m going to have a stainless cover made.. I’ll loose the pockets but worth it. more on that later.

Tetris continues with the battery setup..
I pulled the goose gear platform again and ran 4 12-2 ancor electric lines, the ground for the battery from the frame ground point, and the victron RJ-45 cable for the gauge.
the final layout will have 3 plugs and the solar Anderson SB50 in line below the 3rd row hatch on the right side plastic. I’m not putting it in the goose gear wing since I want to be able to pull everything but the battery box easily for doing more truckish stuff as needed.
the victron gauge will be in the wing but it’s also Bluetooth, so I can pull it and throw it in the cover near the jack and still see what’s going on as needed via Bluetooth or pulling it out.
battery, shunt, fuse box, 2 60amp circuit breakers, and a couple of inter connect poles are in/on the battery box and the battery is now tied down.
I also painted the underside of the goose platform, no idea why they did not do that.. if water gets in there for whatever reason it could swell.. it’s bullet lined on top but bare underneath. I might just be anal about it. Dunno..

In case anyone is doing something similar, under the platform there is a lot of super inconvenient A/C ducting, which makes it interesting when you are running wires to also fit under the goose gear platform. Toyota jams in a lot of stuff in the side panels on both sides and the floor under the platform. Everything is tight..
It will fit, but sleeve everything anyway. Even if you are using 2 core with an outer sleeve.

Final cabling, main power and connections is next.
basically a ton of work and it looks like nothing was done.

 

[Steve & Deb]

If you've never had the side panels off, here are some photos I snagged from iH8MUD for whenever I need to get in there. The proverbial 10 pounds in a five pound bag.

 

[rlynch356]

The right side is what I used.. I went heavy on 12ga ancor 2 core in a sheath and doubled them up in a braided nylon sheath.. it can fit but it is massively time consuming.. the ducts on the floor totally prevent any floor wiring runs under the goose platform. Tried that too.. that would have been easy.

worked on the battery box today..
everything is fitted with only the main + and - left to run (will be on an Anderson as well), and the plugs/solar.

Tied down all cables internally…

 

[WashingtonTaco]

If you've never had the side panels off, here are some photos I snagged from iH8MUD for whenever I need to get in there. The proverbial 10 pounds in a five pound bag.

Yep! I have that A/C unit on the right side of my GX rear storage area. Huge weight penalty and complexity.

 

[rlynch356]

Slowly making progress..
Minimum cabinets config done.
This keeps just the battery box and 3 outlets in the rear, solar, the monitor (hidden( and a fridge plug..
the box is setup on Anderson plugs so it can be removed as well and the wires hidden under the platform. Doubt I’ll ever do that but it’s setup for it.

I need to install the goose gear cabinets and cut the wing face for
The plugs next and then everything is done for this project..
I have the rear hatch bits coming in next.

 

[rlynch356]

Forgot to mention…
Off a post on FB, a local guy was giving away a set of husky floor mats (F/R) and a heritage cargo mat… I said yes.
He then offered me a set of take off (200 miles) OEM tires.. yep I took those as well since mine are about done…
I’ll put the tires on the stock 18” wheels for normal driving and I can now reallocate that $ to a set of 17”s and M/T’s … I literally was at the tire store the day before pricing out nittos..
Fortuitous… so I’ll have 2 sets now..
at least until I regear it, anyway

 

[Dave]

Looking good!

 

[rlynch356]

This job is done for now…
Added 1 Usb Outlet to even it up
Solar, monitor gauge installed
Goose gear drawer
Installed.
I added a dual Anderson in the back of the fridge cabinet.. I guess so could run a second fridge.. it’s all 10ga wiring..

On to the Hatch interior release and lighting

 

[rlynch356]

Mock up of the gamaviti dash plate .
Using 67 design mounts.

 

[rlynch356]

One small step at a time… waiting on hardware to bolt it together..
Powder coated with a textured black satin.. hopefully will reduce the glare and match the rest of the dash.
I did elect to use AMPs mounts rather than a rail because I will be using an 11” iPad on it..
hopefully everything OEM will be strong enough that it mounts too..

 

[rlynch356]

Time off in ocracoke
(25kts wind or there abouts)
Full system test with the power and fridge, found one issue with the Anderson at the battery side (I installed the lugs upside down)… easy fix and but a pita without the right tools..which will be added since I have to build a new toolkit for this truck.