Took it off-roading..:it’s in the shop

ctgallosb · Aug 25, 2024

Hi guys. I’ve had my LC for 5 weeks and have gone on medium and easy dirt trails mostly since I’m an OR noob. On Saturday I went to a day class at the Pismo dunes. Such a fun day—see pics. However, near the end I got an engine light on, leaking coolant and several other errors. I had to drop it at the local dealer and rent a car to get home.

My guess is that because we had to air down to ~8 psi the little clearance of the LC was reduced even further. Then to get up dunes I had to gun it, which means that if there was a rough spot at the bottom it rammed into the skid plate before heading uphill. It looks like this happened enough that it bent and must have munched the radiator. I’ll post what I hear back from dealer.

Also the little cover for the hitch fell off right away…

I’m on 20” wheels and the stock LC
tires. Would switching to 18” wheels and bigger tires help a lot?

Nuke · Aug 25, 2024

Unless a severe impact, strange the radiator was damaged. Yes, please post the outcome!

DogStar84 · Aug 25, 2024

Interesting. Sounds like our skid plate isnt very sturdy.
Sorry for your loss

ctgallosb · Aug 25, 2024

Nuke said:
Unless a severe impact, strange the radiator was damaged. Yes, please post the outcome!

I wish I had taken a pic of the fluid dripping/bent skid plate. I will post update

EOD Guy · Aug 25, 2024

I'm wondering if he had skid plates or the under body covers (many confuse with skid plates) that are not meant to take much, if any, of an impact?

ctgallosb · Aug 25, 2024

As the owner and a noob, it could be. I have the LC mid level with the premium pack and some other stock add ons but I’m not really positive. It has some protection down there (the covers that bent) but I can’t say it’s def a skid plate)

berry802 · Aug 25, 2024

Interesting, it sounds like the fellas in this video ran into the same issue under similar circumstances.

Nuke · Aug 25, 2024

berry802 said:
Interesting, it sounds like the fellas in this video ran into the same issue under similar circumstances.

Not a sand-rail!

ctgallosb · Aug 25, 2024

berry802 said:
Interesting, it sounds like the fellas in this video ran into the same issue under similar circumstances.

It’s funny, that’s the video that made me want to learn how to drive in the dunes to get out there. Yes may be same result without catching all that air

NoMe cruiser · Aug 25, 2024

Switching to 18’s and bigger tires only gonna help you a little. What’s the reason you aired down? Did you get stuck at some point?
My wife’s highlander leaked antifreeze a couple weeks after taking delivery. Strictly used on road. Simply just a loose hose clamp. Usually Toyota off road vehicles can take a beating. Every vehicle gonna have its limits. Nice lc btw!

ctgallosb · Aug 25, 2024

NoMe cruiser said:
Switching to 18’s and bigger tires only gonna help you a little. What’s the reason you aired down? Did you get stuck at some point?
My wife’s highlander leaked antifreeze a couple weeks after taking delivery. Strictly used on road. Simply just a loose hose clamp. Usually Toyota off road vehicles can take a beating. Every vehicle gonna have its limits. Nice lc btw!

We all aired down to take on the dunes. He's a good instructor so had us try it (unsuccessfully) at higher psi until we found something that worked. I think we were all around 18 to begin and then I got down to 8-9 to get up the dune.

DogStar84 · Aug 25, 2024

ctgallosb said:
We all aired down to take on the dunes. He's a good instructor so had us try it (unsuccessfully) at higher psi until we found something that worked. I think we were all around 18 to begin and then I got down to 8-9 to get up the dune.

Ive been to Pismo many times. Those dunes can be terrifying.
Seen a lot of stock Toyotas stuck there.

Theres some great classic off road trails near pismo. One goes to a water fall with a water crossing and one to top of hill over morro bay.
Stock LC can do both. And no sand.

395North · Aug 25, 2024

Get ready for an out of pocket bill.

mayonayze · Aug 25, 2024

Did your skid look like this, before:

Nuke · Aug 25, 2024

mayonayze said:
Did your skid look like this, before:

View attachment 9508

These are the upgraded skid plates, correct? Noticed a video where some skid plates are very thin, and even partially plastic.

ctgallosb · Aug 25, 2024

Nuke said:
These are the upgraded skid plates, correct? Noticed a video where some skid plates are very thin, and even partially plastic.

no mine is a black thin one that looks bent/munched now

EOD Guy · Aug 25, 2024

ctgallosb said:
no mine is a black thin one that looks bent/munched now

Yepper not a skid plate just a debris cover for the underbody.

Nuke · Aug 25, 2024

ctgallosb said:
no mine is a black thin one that looks bent/munched now

Except on the FE, it appears the OEM skid plates are seriously lacking. Best to term them brush shields I think.

EOD Guy · Aug 25, 2024

Referred to as "under covers" in the skid plate install pdf.

RUN-8 · Aug 25, 2024

Nuke said:
Except on the FE, it appears the OEM skid plates are seriously lacking. Best to term them brush shields I think.

Treat them as if they don’t exist for the purposes of protecting anything under the vehicle.

Took it off-roading..:it’s in the shop

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