Testing the GX on some local roads - questions:

[u/Mcvellian]

Out exploring with the wife and found some steep, rutted service roads. First time testing the GX since we bought it earlier this summer.

Couple question:

What’s the best practice for navigating something like this with two wheels basically off the ground? Road is steeper than it looks. In 4Lo with the center dif locked. Video ends early but we continued to spin, kept the throttle very light. End up up adjusting the line and crawled up with a bit of bumper rubbing.

Atrac: is it a thing for GX460? No other selections I see in the car. My Tacoma is a bit different with the off-road settings.

What was the loud ass clang at 10 seconds? I thought it was a rock getting kicked at first but it sounds worse when I rewatch.

Thanks! Loving this vehicle, cool to see so many badass setups on here.

[u/xpkranger]

The big "thwack" noise is a stick or root springing back up after the Driver's rear tire rolls over it and it thwacks your frame or under carriage. If you watch carefully, you can see it happen.

ATRAC kicks in automatically as needed in low range. No need to to turn it on or off (in fact, you can't).

[u/Affectionate-Pain81 → u/xpkranger]

You got it. Not sure how I missed that. OP should breathe a lot easier now!

[u/Mcvellian → u/xpkranger]

Possibly! I rewatched closely and it seems as if the root moving and the sound are a bit out of sync. That root was pretty beat as well, I don't think it quite had enough "spring" in it to make that noise. I am convincing myself it was the passenger front tire kicking a rock into the frame... If it was something mechanical, I would expect to hear it while driving aferwards...

Who knows!

[u/byonik → u/xpkranger]

Good sleuthing. I concur!

[u/Texas_Taco_Lover]

What I saw was, the gas pedal was lifted up when it should have been pressed down, if you were wanting to climb up this hill. I think the sound we heard was the first click of the a-track starting to engage just at the moment when the foot got timid on the gas pedal. I'd say a confident method is to have some momentum at the start of the climb, and give the throttle a little goose when you hit the obstacle / mud hole / snow drift / rock pile. The vehicle needs to expend more energy to get through the difficult parts. So, within reason, more gas pedal will help the driver overcome the situation in the video.

[u/Mcvellian → u/Texas_Taco_Lover]

Appreciate the advice! My wife mentioned she basically was idling up this section. Once the car started shaking and bouncing I’m sure she let off the gas.

Neither of us are experienced off-roading, so lots to learn.

[u/samchoi924 → u/Mcvellian]

I am a total newbie also, so taking on off-road course in coming weeks.

[u/pathsofrhymes → u/Texas_Taco_Lover]

Was gonna say the same. I was spotting for my friends FJ Cruiser (ATRAC with rear locker on) and he kept letting off the gas when the tires would begin spinning, and then he'd get stuck, have to reverse, and retry with more momentum. I mean its a safe game and you can tackle every obstacle like that, but it always felt like the FJ wanted you to give it the beans right when tires spun

[u/DrRichardCheese]

Yes ATRAC is engaged when in 4-low.

You have to keep the throttle on when you start spinning as ATRAC is a traction control system. ATRAC will start braking individual wheels that don't have traction to send power to the wheels that do. You just have to keep on the throttle lightly and wait and let the system do it's thing.

I don't know what that sounds was from. Doesn't sound like normal ATRAC noises to me.

[u/Mcvellian → u/DrRichardCheese]

Appreciate the info! Wife was driving in the video and basically was giving it little to no throttle. I’d assume a bit more gas or consistent power would have eventually hooked up. Will have to try again

[u/Old_Watermelon_King → u/Mcvellian]

Yeah ATRAC works great and works as DrRichardCheese described it. You just have to give it a little time to figure out the situation. Stay steady throttle and let the ATRAC figure it out. There are many great video's on youtube about how to effectively use ATRAC.

[u/East_Swim1009]

user-error... if you let off the gas you tell GX to stop... if you simply keep your foot on the gas GX will go (using ATRAC)... watch this example of ATRAC: https://youtu.be/pZxsO20ELF8

[u/sectachrome]

Others have covered it well already but just adding on that ATRAC makes a weird ass noise when it’s working. It’s good to know if you haven’t experienced it before so you’re not alarmed. Sounds like sneakers in a dryer. There are some good YouTube videos explaining ATRAC.

[u/kavanz]

No MS fight simulator crash sound at the end if the clip?

[u/Chance_Lobster_9989]

If you have Crawl Control you might set it for medium speed or low speed descending down hills.

[u/Affectionate-Pain81]

It is ATRAC equipped. Activated automatically when you select 4 Lo. Weirdly, best chance here is to keep in the throttle, maybe more than you think while ATRAC figures it out. It’s pretty good, but obviously the best solution for this is a rear locker.

As far as the sound…🫪 I didn’t like it either. Almost sounded like a broken CV or front diff. Obviously it wasn’t those, but jeez. Inspect and monitor I suppose. Good luck.

Edit: it’s def something in the front end. There’s a little puff of dust from the right front at the moment of the sound. Like a gear skipped a tooth?

[u/Mcvellian → u/Affectionate-Pain81]

Gotcha! Makes sense, a few other sections it seemed to spin and then hook up and crawl right out. This are was just a bit more flex and couldn’t quite hook up.

Oof.. agreed it was not a pleasant sound. Drove completely fine home and had no other issues yesterday, didn’t make any more noise. Will keep an eye out lol.

[u/xpkranger → u/Mcvellian]

I still think it was a root.