possibly dumb question: has anyone tried fitting a rear door from a GX470 onto a T4R?

[mannydantyla]

How cool would it be for the rear door to swing out - like a Land Cruiser - instead of up? This would also allow you to mount your spare tire on the door, allows you to put extra long stuff (like kayaks) on the roof while still being able to open the rear door, doesn't hit your wife in the head when you close it, and is just cooler.

Well, the Lexus GX470 is basically the same vehicle (right? both are based off the Prado platform I think), and it had a rear door that swings out. Ok, it wouldn't be a direct bolt-on as the hinges would need to be welded onto the 4Runner's sheet metal - which would need to be reinforced if it's not already. And if you look at a 4th gen 4runner and a GX470, the sheet metal is not exactly the same, especially the rear.

But I thought it might be worth asking! Would be a cool project!

 

[Inv4drZm]

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/general-discussions/143442-time-fj-runner.html If you watch the video on youtube about this truck it has the FJ door grafted onto a 4th gen.

It will take some fab work for sure.

 

[mannydantyla]

Doing a little reading on the subject...

The bodies between the 4runners and GX470s are completely different, they just share the same "styling". The frame, driveline and suspension (mostly) is the same.

 

[Ed_C]

Yup,same chassis but different body. The GX uses the main body of the Prado.

 

[07V8]

Land Cruiser doors have never swung out. They are split with a tailgate and hatch.

The swing out door on the GX is an abomination.

 

[470SNC]

Without major fab work, it won't work as both body lines are completely different.

 

[smyles1632]

Note that it swings in a "wrong" direction, i.e. it's between you and the curb when open. Also, imagine a car behind you parked close to your bumper - and it's not a wimpy civic, but some Escalade or any other truck with ginormous grill?

Bottom line, it's like lambo doors - cool until actually used.

 

[Inv4drZm]

An FJ cruiser rear door might fit better. Has a place for a spare tire too.

 

[grave]

Land Cruiser doors have never swung out. They are split with a tailgate and hatch.

The swing out door on the GX is an abomination.

this!

 

[techno]

Land Cruiser doors have never swung out. They are split with a tailgate and hatch.
.

Just because you've never seen swing out doors on a landcruiser, doesn't mean they didn't make them [emoji3]. For example, 100 series with barn doors...

 

[07V8]

Just because you've never seen swing out doors on a landcruiser, doesn't mean they didn't make them [emoji3]. For example, 100 series with barn doors...

Ok, ya got me. That’s also likely a diesel which was never offered in the USA.....

 

[grave]

if we're getting technical, that's a 105, not a 100.

 

[techno]

Ok, ya got me. That’s also likely a diesel which was never offered in the USA.....

True. Also had a solid front axle. Damn you Toyota!!

 

[Morphyne]

Note that it swings in a "wrong" direction, i.e. it's between you and the curb when open. Also, imagine a car behind you parked close to your bumper - and it's not a wimpy civic, but some Escalade or any other truck with ginormous grill?

Bottom line, it's like lambo doors - cool until actually used.

A totally no. I have one and it's awesome

 

[470SNC]

I came from a 100 series to the GX, and while the split gate is awesome because the lower portion you can sit on like a bench, the top opening portion sucks for loading things on the roof rack as you have to open the lower portion and close the top portion to reach the roof rack. I prefer the GX side swing door way better.

 

[SAC-CA-Runner]

Land Cruiser doors have never swung out. They are split with a tailgate and hatch.

The swing out door on the GX is an abomination.

You mean the GX (body) is an abomination. And I prefer my lift gate. I hate swing out hatches, just like those half doors on Tundra/Tacoma trucks. Had them on my 2000 Tundra and couldn't stand them!

 

[AuSeeker]

How cool would it be for the rear door to swing out - like a Land Cruiser - instead of up? This would also allow you to mount your spare tire on the door, allows you to put extra long stuff (like kayaks) on the roof while still being able to open the rear door, doesn't hit your wife in the head when you close it, and is just cooler.

Well, the Lexus GX470 is basically the same vehicle (right? both are based off the Prado platform I think), and it had a rear door that swings out. Ok, it wouldn't be a direct bolt-on as the hinges would need to be welded onto the 4Runner's sheet metal - which would need to be reinforced if it's not already. And if you look at a 4th gen 4runner and a GX470, the sheet metal is not exactly the same, especially the rear.

But I thought it might be worth asking! Would be a cool project!

If someone was actually going to do a customization like this it would be better to just adapt side hinges to the existing hatch since it already fits the opening and you could swing it whichever way you like.

I personally like the hatch the way it is, but it would be cool to see someone do it!

 

[grave]

every time i open my hatch i wish i had a tailgate. especially when the back is packed full of gear.

it's time to play, WHAT'S GOING TO FALL OUT THIS TIME? here you have to guess what is going to tumble out of the hatch as you open it, bonus points for ducking down and catching it before it hits the ground!

 

[Mike07SE]

every time i open my hatch i wish i had a tailgate. especially when the back is packed full of gear.

it's time to play, WHAT'S GOING TO FALL OUT THIS TIME? here you have to guess what is going to tumble out of the hatch as you open it, bonus points for ducking down and catching it before it hits the ground!

My old FJ62 was a clamshell hatch and I miss it for one of those reasons.

The 4Runner is particularly bad if you have the double decker setup that seems to promote having your stuff fall out easily. One of the reasons that I have the cargo net sitting in the back. To me it's for the most part useless other than to help prevent stuff from falling out when opening the tailgate.

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

 

[Terminator03]

This is an intriguing idea, but as someone above mentioned, I’d rather adapt the existing hatch, than to try to graft one from another vehicle that has a different shape. I personally hate the looks of the GX styling anyway, but that has nothing to do with functionality of course. For the most part I’m ok with the lift gate, but whenever I have a ladder strapped to the roof rack, I can’t open it very far because it will get damaged by the ladder. Also, when I tow my boat, the spare tire mount on the boat trailer prevents the gate from lifting more than a small amount, so I need to roll down the window to access anything in the back.