Builds Project HAZARD DUTY LX450 (1 Viewer)

[SFROMAN]

I am still gone so I have to deal with insurance bull**** over the phone. I did get the 450 picked up and sent to a shop. The adjuster is an a****** and although he says he means well, and maybe he does. The insurance company, his employer has him by the balls and he has to low ball the damage assessment.
Either way, I am going to get it fixed and when I get back have the 450 inspected by a reputable toyota shop. If there is still issues I will see what I can do about it legally. Although, I am not stupid enough to think that the laws would favor me and not the big insurance company. so we will see.

 

[SFROMAN]

The drama continues.....

Picked up the Lexus FINALLY. Took it for a test drive. A simple functions check revealed that the parking brake would not engage from the rear dif they replaced. The door they replaced does not shut properly. That same door does not lock.

I found all these deficiencies within 10 minutes of picking up the LX. All this after being assured that The master mechanic, the Shop foreman, and the owner had personally gone through the vehicle.

At this point I am just so frustrated that I did not even bother listening to their bull**** excuses when I dropped it back off. I wander how long all these repairs are going to take.

I wish I was continueing with my build thread and had some tech to add to my thread. unfortunately its looking like I wont even get to drive my lexus before its time for me to deploy again.

 

[Onefastrx7turbo]

+1 for deployed AF! did some time at PSAB, Incirlik and some others.....

 

[SFROMAN]

I can't make this stuff up.

Picked up LX on Wednesday.
Right away I notice the speaker grill on the door they replaced is broken. Superglued on of course. Did not make it a block before it popes off.

So frustrated with these idiots I just said forget it. So now my speaker is visible and the door panel looks like s***.

Today after my wife and kids have been driving in the car all week I finally got a chance to inspect the rusted out rear dif they installed. On the way to the Toyota dealership the rear caliper was leaking brake fluid since it is so rusted.

The master tech says it is not safe to drive ( no s***) also the rear dif cover is leaking.

So I left it at the dealership since I did not want to have my family in a vehicle without brakes.

This is just gotten ridiculous and now they have put my family in danger.
Does anybody know what type of lawyer I need to contact? The insurance company and the body shop tried to save a few hundred bucks and in the process put the lives of myself, wife and three kids in danger. If that is not criminal I don't know what is.

 

[mikedamageinc]

also the rear dif cover is leaking.

If your diff cover is leaking that is a major problem, there is no diff cover on 80 axles! Do you mean the third member or is the rear cracked? Pics?

 

[SFROMAN]

Sorry the third member not cover

 

[pkt1213]

That's crap dude. What insurance company do you have I can make sure I never use them?

It sucks when you're in whatever glorious vacation spot around the globe and this crap starts. I bet you wouldn't have got rolled if you'd been here.

Always loved the armored diesel 105s.

 

[SFROMAN]

My insurance company is USAA. I have nothing bad to say about them. I do everything with USAA, banking, insurance, home loans etc, etc. The problem is that The idiot that hit my old lady has his insurance through Geico. So I am having to deal with that. Not to mention that ALL towns that are near military installations are swarming with leaches that want nothing better than to screw over people that work in those installations. So the shop that I took the lexus to might be the best in my s***ty little town but it is still pretty low on the scale when it comes to being any good at what they do.

I guess I will just have to accelerate my 82 toyota project since Im sure this lexus is probably not going to be done before I leave again.


As far as the up armoured Landcruisers I use for work? It is actually pretty sad becuase I am the guy that HAS to BIP them once they are to broken down to get fixed. breaks my heart every time I do it.

 

[2fpower]

BIP = Blow in place?

 

[pkt1213]

I've BIP'd stuff but never an armored landcruiser.

 

[pkt1213]

Sucks about GEICO too. I had them for years and they were great to me.

 

[SFROMAN]

The shop is who is to blame. They are the ones that put the rusted out rear end in my truck. They are a geico shop though.

 

[ppc]

Your own insurance company should be fighting for you and they should be dealing with the other insurance company to get the proper repairs done. That's what you pay them for.

 

[SFROMAN]

I can finally resume my build thread.

Some advise if u are in Florida and somebody hits u. Tell them to leave and report it to ur own insurance as a hit and run. The no fault insurance here in Florida suck and basicly leaves u wishing you were dealing with your own insurance.

I am certainly smarter about dealing with s***ty insurance companies like Geico.


Any I wheeled the LX this weekend out in URE this weekend. The vehicle performed flawlessly.

Before going to NC
I changed out the fuel filter, flushed the radiotor with the red stuff, replaced all the brakes and rear calipers and flushed the brake fluid, and changed the belts. I got all my parts from another mud member.

So quick question.
How are guys towing with slee bumpers?
I was about to order one today and saw that the receiver is not rated for towing. I will eventually purchase one of those cool offroad trailers so not sure if the slee bumper can work for my needs. I don't want to keep the tow hitch because it sits too low and hits or gets hung up while on the trail

Any advise

 

[retrofive]

I can finally resume my build thread.

Some advise if u are in Florida and somebody hits u. Tell them to leave and report it to ur own insurance as a hit and run. The no fault insurance here in Florida suck and basicly leaves u wishing you were dealing with your own insurance.

I am certainly smarter about dealing with ****ty insurance companies like Geico.


Any I wheeled the LX this weekend out in URE this weekend. The vehicle performed flawlessly.

Before going to NC
I changed out the fuel filter, flushed the radiotor with the red stuff, replaced all the brakes and rear calipers and flushed the brake fluid, and changed the belts. I got all my parts from another mud member.

So quick question.
How are guys towing with slee bumpers?
I was about to order one today and saw that the receiver is not rated for towing. I will eventually purchase one of those cool offroad trailers so not sure if the slee bumper can work for my needs. I don't want to keep the tow hitch because it sits too low and hits or gets hung up while on the trail

Any advise

They are not "tow" rated typically because of the cost to get certified (DOT? not sure), but anyway I wouldn't think twice about the strength and tow rate of a Slee, 4x4Labs, etc.

 

[SFROMAN]

Went ahead and ordered a few parts for the lx450 today.

Slee offroad:
OME 2.5 heavy kit
Headlight harness
Auxiliary light harness
Stock light switch
LCD switch

Metal tech :
Sliders

4x4 labs
Rear dual swing out bumper with tire carrier, ladder, and 3 can carrier

Still waiting on IPOR to call me back for the ironman deluxe front bumper. Hope they call back soon. Metal tech won't have them until the end of Nov.

 

[jfz80]

Now there is a way to move forward from this mess!

Congrats Del! post up some pictures when these things start finding their way on the the 450. As mentioned it is more of a liability issue for the rating of the hitches. Ive towed plenty (sub5k #) with the ipor and 4x4 labs. They are made of thicker metal and attach to frame in more places than a hitch ... Good in my book.

 

[SFROMAN]

The good news is that I finally got all the parts I ordered.

The bad news is I had to leave for work again before I was able to install any of it.

I will just keep collecting parts in the garage for now.

 

[SFROMAN]

Been a while since I have updated this build thread.
Well to be honest I am still gone yet again so no progress has been made. I do have a garage full of parts though.
So it is looking like there might be a small chance that I am home for the summer, at least a month or two, before deploying again so I'm thinking I should order some more parts so they are waiting and I can quick put the 450 together and head out west with the family.

I would love to find an off road trailer for about $5k to help with our gear. I think I prefer to invest in a small off-road trailer than to add a roof rack and have our gear on the roof of the 450.

Here is a short list of what I have to get done for now

Front bumper buy and install- nobody seems to stock the front bumper I want so have not ordered it yet.
Winch install
Dual battery buy and install
Roof rack buy and install or find an off road trailer
Weld up rear bumper /4x4 labs bumper
Install OME lift
Buy fridge - I have heard good things about people that own them. Although I can leave with a cooler if I can't find something that works for us.
Need to order from Toyota
Distributor gasket / replace
Engine heat sensor / replace

 

[120mm]

In my book, a garage full of parts IS progress.

On an unrelated note, I wish I was out there with you, man. It's been nearly three years to a day since my last gig and am not having any luck at getting deployed.