G63 build

G63 Build - Rock Sliders and Skip Plate

When I bought the G I knew right away I had to do something about the side steps and side pipes. While it is a classic look on the G’s they are only functional for around town. Off road these things are a liability. The side pipes hang very low and are right in front of the rear wheels which is a likely place to get hung up on a rock. The side steps are functional as steps but not as rock sliders. They also look dated as they are large and silver.

OEM Side Steps and Side Pipes

There are lots of options out there for different side steps or rock sliders. I wanted effective rock sliders that could double as side steps, that were black, and would compliment the lines of the truck. I ended up getting the Eurowise rock sliders with optional side step attachment. These don’t hang down much, they offer robust protection of the body and door sill, and the optional side step attachment is functional (sticks out just enough and has grip). These are simple bolt on so no damage to the truck for the install.

To appreciate the difference here are some side by side photos.

Resolving the side pipe was not as easy as there are not many options (only one option that I could find outside of just cutting off the side pipes). There are two issues with the OEM exhaust system. The first is that the side pipes are not practical for an off road application as they stick out too much and hang down too much. The second is that the whole system sits below the chassis rails and thus even the muffler is likely going to get banged up. The solve is the MBRP high clearance exhaust kit. This tucks the whole system up higher (by a couple of inches) so that not much hangs below the chassis rails. The side pipes are replaced with just some turned down cut pipes that end under the chassis in front of the rear wheels. The end result is much more clearance. As for the sound of the exhaust it is even louder and deeper than stock which is hard to believe if you have ever heard an AMG G63. It’s not too loud but almost. If you are into deep, expressive, and head turning exhaust notes then you will love this kit. If you are trying to creep out of the neighborhood without being noticed this is NOT the kit for you.

The last thing we did at this phase is add a bit of protection for the truck. The truck already has a front skip plate and rear skip plate but the transfer case is exposed. So we added an ORC transfer case skip plate to protect the truck further. With all this in place the next phase will be wheels and tires. I know what I am going to do for the wheels, but I am still thinking about the tire size as it is a slippery slope to go up in size. More to come soon.

G63 Build - Less Chrome

The G is a great car that was built to last, to be capable, and to be rugged. But over the years MB found that they needed to make it comfortable in order to move units. That led to leather interiors, fancy infotainment systems, side steps, side pipes, and CHROME. Lots and lots of chrome. I am not sure which happened first. Did the chrome attract the rich and famous to buy the G? Or as the rich and famous bought the G and helped it reach iconic status did MB add more and more chrome? Either way, there is too much chrome.

Our G had the OEM front bumper bar, some chrome accents, side steps that are silver, and chrome side pipes. The first thing we did was remove the chrome front bumper. It is held on by only two bolts which tells me it is all about show and not function. Any minor bump and that bar would cave into the front end. Once you have it removed you just need to install some bumper caps where the bar use to mount. I found ours on eBay for less than $100.

Before

After

We might black out the chrome accents, but that is pretty low on the priority list. The side steps and side pipes are being addressed shortly, more on that in a future blog post. We did buy on eBay a black replacement to the side rubber strip that runs down the truck. The stock version is silver and changing that out to black should help quite down the look. But this first step of removing the bumper bar has already helped.

G63 Build - First Impressions

The G wagon has a rich history. This was Mercedes answer for a utility vehicle for the military and civil duties. From 1999 to 2018 the generation was called W463 and this design did not changed much during that time. It’s a ladder frame chassis, boxy body design, solid axel, coil over suspension, with triple lockers. Just about the perfect combination for a capable off-road vehicle. There are very few vehicles made today that follow this formula as most have moved to independent suspension, or a different chassis construction, or more modern body lines. The newest G wagon’s (W465 from 2018 until today) have moved away from their winning formula in favor of wider, longer, heavier, independent suspension, and frankly more comfortable but a less capable design.

Because of this we opted for a W463 (2018). Within this generation there are a few engine options. We picked the AMG G63 which is a 5.5L V8 bi-turbo monster producing 563 HP, but if I could do it again we would go for a G550 which is a 4L V8 bi-turbo producing 450 HP. The big difference is that the G63 has more intercoolers in the front bumper making it much harder to fit it with aftermarket bumpers to support winches. In fact there is only one front bumper that fits the G63 and it is still in development from Jack Wagon. Another issue with the G63 compared to the G550 is the exhaust. The G63 has side pipes which most people love, but they hang low and in a location where they are very susceptible to hit rocks when off-road. The G550 has its exhaust tips under the chassis and thus is more protected. There is a solve for the G63 if you go with the MBRP high clearance exhaust kit.

The G63 will be a daily driver but it will see some light off-road time (mostly trails). As a daily driver it is fantastic IF you are looking for a retro ride. Its powerful, it has a nice interior, a good infotainment system with CarPlay, not too big, and easy to drive. With that said it does drive like a truck. With a body on frame, ladder chassis, and no air suspension it is not a soft couch. It’s a luxury truck through and through. When off-road it is extremely comfortable compared to hardcore off-roaders. So it’s exactly what we are looking for.

So the plan is keep it a great daily driver but make it even more capable mostly by giving it better clearance. So we will be removing the side steps in favor of rock sliders, install the MBRP high clearance exhaust, put on a transfer case skid plate, new wheels, a 2 inch lift kit, 33” tires, and if needed front and rear steel bumpers. Follow our journey as we change this mall crawler to a trail master.