Let's put Christo in the "hot seat"? (1 Viewer)

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ShottsUZJ100

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OK Christo....first impressions of the 100/470 versus an 80? While it's simpler to take an 80 up another step or two regarding lift and tire size, overall, what were your impressions between EQUALLY equipped rigs (say 33-inchers like yours and about 2-3 inch lift like yours)? How about a 2-fold answer? Answer 1 for "medium wheeling" (3-3.5). Answer 2 for "aggressivw wheeling (3.5-4 trails).
Signed, Curious
 
ShottsUZJ100 said:
OK Christo....first impressions of the 100/470 versus an 80? While it's simpler to take an 80 up another step or two regarding lift and tire size, overall, what were your impressions between EQUALLY equipped rigs (say 33-inchers like yours and about 2-3 inch lift like yours)? How about a 2-fold answer? Answer 1 for "medium wheeling" (3-3.5). Answer 2 for "aggressivw wheeling (3.5-4 trails).
Signed, Curious
Click to expand...

Uhm, the 100 is not easier. With the LX470 you push the button :) You can get the same lift out of the LX470 for no extra money.

The hydraulic stuff on the frame rail makes mounting sliders different. I had my doubts about the hydraulic shocks, but if they did not fail in what we did with them in 5 days (truck has 100k miles on it) it should be good for most people for recreational 4wheeling.

On my truck we had a lot of extra weight, so we changed the LX470 front torsion bars to oem 100 series bars and the rear springs to oem 80 series rear springs. We adjusted the sensors to change the ride height.

The LX470 does not have a rear locker, so you can not really compare stock to stock. We regeared and installed ARB's front and rear.

I would take the LX470 over the 100 any day for the other creature comforts.

It is difficult to define aggresive wheeling. I don't see the 100 as a aggresive wheeling truck, but that is in our scope of wheeling.
 
I'd be curious what the distances were on your LX from ground to the highest point on the wheel wells when you have it raised?
 
I have to measure when I get it back from detailing. Also do you want ground to fender or center of wheel to fender. That takes the tire out of the question.

The shocks are still to short and I could feel them over extending, but all in all I was pretty happy with how it worked.
 
How about both measurements? Then, we can compare LX to 100 (since I have more lift than most 100 owners due to front diff lowering and rear packers..20mm and 35-inchers) This will give a good comparo between the LX and the 100.
Oh, and I want your Levinson stereo!
 
Front - 39.25" floor to fender - 22 center of wheel to fender
Rear - 40.5" floor to fender - 23.5 center of wheel to fender

For weight on the truck, Warn 9k winch, Sahara bar, Outback Roof Rack, Drawer system, rear bumper, dual batteries
 
Excellent results. Looks like the Lexus setup provides a superior format for more lift in the front. The front's what counts. Taller rear springs provides an easy height change. The front's another story. Even with my front differential modification (provides another 1-inch lift) you have my 100 beat and I have 35-inchers! The results are:
Front: 38" / 21.5"
Rear: 39.25 / 22.75"

Knowing you have some extra space I do not, your LX would make a great candidate for 315x75-16 tires especially should you do the front diff mod.

This was a great way to compare the two rigs. So while I could easily match your rear lift via taller springs, I can't match in the front without even more mods. :cheers:
 
Christo,
What hydraulic suspension are you using? Are the hydraulic shocks OEM? You mention the t-bars and rear springs are off a 100. Are those OME heavy t-bars/100 shocks or factory OEM?

--Jim
 
ShottsUZJ100 said:
Knowing you have some extra space I do not, your LX would make a great candidate for 315x75-16 tires especially should you do the front diff mod.

This was a great way to compare the two rigs. So while I could easily match your rear lift via taller springs, I can't match in the front without even more mods. :cheers:
Click to expand...

Actually my front diff is also lowered with a prototype Slee Off-Road replacement crossmember that lowers the diff 20mm :D

The beauty of the LX470 is that even if you add the weight it will maintain the height.
 
Jim_Chow said:
Christo,
What hydraulic suspension are you using? Are the hydraulic shocks OEM? You mention the t-bars and rear springs are off a 100. Are those OME heavy t-bars/100 shocks or factory OEM?

--Jim
Click to expand...

UZJ100 torsion bars are thicker than the LX470 ones. Same applies for the rear springs. However I chose 80 series rear oem springs for extra weight carrying. They are taller than UZJ100 springs.


We installed Toyota oem UZJ100 torsion bars. The LX470 suspension is designed to only support the weight of the vehicle in the lowest suspension setting. In this setting all the support from the hydraulics are gone. We recalibrated the system with the new torsion bars & springs to accept that as the lowest setting. We still have the Normal setting and High setting that gives you lift. We also installed a black box to overide the speed input to the height control so that we can drive it in HIGH mode on the road at any speed. The hydraulics are stock Lexus and called Skyhook elsewhere in the world where it was installed in LC's.
 
sleeoffroad said:
UZJ100 torsion bars are thicker than the LX470 ones. Same applies for the rear springs. However I chose 80 series rear oem springs for extra weight carrying. They are taller than UZJ100 springs.


We installed Toyota oem UZJ100 torsion bars. The LX470 suspension is designed to only support the weight of the vehicle in the lowest suspension setting. In this setting all the support from the hydraulics are gone. We recalibrated the system with the new torsion bars & springs to accept that as the lowest setting. We still have the Normal setting and High setting that gives you lift. We also installed a black box to overide the speed input to the height control so that we can drive it in HIGH mode on the road at any speed. The hydraulics are stock Lexus and called Skyhook elsewhere in the world where it was installed in LC's.
Click to expand...

Have you tried using the OME UZJ100 springs/t-bars on the LX combined w/ the stock LX hydraulic shocks, or would this be way too stiff?

I'm trying to imagine how the front lifts up. I guess the diff/tbars stay in the same stock positions for optimal up/down front end travel while the hydraulic shocks act like a body lift?

--Jim
 
OK, so the question begs to be asked: how difficult and costly would it be to retrofit the hydraulic system on an LC100?
E
 
Jim_Chow said:
Have you tried using the OME UZJ100 springs/t-bars on the LX combined w/ the stock LX hydraulic shocks, or would this be way too stiff?

I'm trying to imagine how the front lifts up. I guess the diff/tbars stay in the same stock positions for optimal up/down front end travel while the hydraulic shocks act like a body lift?

--Jim
Click to expand...

I never tried that, however I did try OME860's in the rear, and it totally overpowered the hydraulics and they had not dampning. The shocks are both for lift and dampning.

I have not tried our stiffer torsion bars yet, but might do so.

The front is lifted by the shock. We alligned the truck on the high setting since that is what we run it on all the time. I still have some rubbing, but that is due to tire size and the fact that we are running 1" wheel spacers.
 
Actually, it already does some of that with anti-nose dive on braking, adjustment from side to side in cornering etc. Yes, there are possibilities. What I would really like is some hydraulic shocks that are longer.
 
Now when your hydraulic shocks wear out, would it be easy to forgo new hydraulic shocks and install normal 100 series OME shocks/springs and disconnect the ecu controlling the shocks?

--Jim
 
Comparing static height does not mean much. In maximum height the lexus might not articulate as good as when it was in lower setting. The hydraulic are more flexible but also have a lot more complex sytem that would be very hard to fix if something went wrong on the trail. Not to mention way more replacement cost compared to OEM LC @20 shock.

If you want to go crazy retrofitting air bag suspension are much more economical IMHO. Firestone and Goodyear makes good heavy duty airbag, height sensor and controller to be retrofitted to any vehicle.
 
Christo, could longer travel shocks be sourced from KYB? That's the MFG name on the components I saw when crawling around underneath my LX.

Tad
 
I am with you................way to much stuff to go wrong

Augie said:
Comparing static height does not mean much. In maximum height the lexus might not articulate as good as when it was in lower setting. The hydraulic are more flexible but also have a lot more complex sytem that would be very hard to fix if something went wrong on the trail. Not to mention way more replacement cost compared to OEM LC @20 shock.

If you want to go crazy retrofitting air bag suspension are much more economical IMHO. Firestone and Goodyear makes good heavy duty airbag, height sensor and controller to be retrofitted to any vehicle.
Click to expand...
 
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