05 LX470 Maintenance & Build (1 Viewer)

[GeorgeN]

Hello everyone, I am excited to be back on Mud with my new to me 2005 LX470. My goal here is to say hello first, have place to document the maintenance and further built of this nice rig as well as to ask for feedback how to make this a more reliable and enjoyable overland truck.

I had a 200 series LC that I built fairly nicely and allowed me to explore Mojave, Anza, Death Valley and Ouray trails. I had a great time meeting and wheeling with the LCDC group two years in a row and I missed these trips.

Since I don’t get the chance to go on these long trips very often I settled for a 100-series with the goal of saving some money but with all the additional maintenance I plan to do it’s probably going to be as expensive as my former 200 series.

The LX is a great shape (181K miles), the prior owner did a great job building this rig but never took it out on the trails so I’ll do the honors . The LX has front and rear Dissent bumpers powdercoated in a great grey tone, Slee sliders and diff drop, SPC upper control arms, 33s KO2, Old Man Emu suspension, raised air intake, Warn winch, Dobinson drawers, after-market lights, dual-battery setup with Redarc controller and solar panel and an after-market head unit I still need to decipher (and figure out how to make the backup camera work). The timing belt, radiator have been replaced at ~155k miles so I’m good for a while. I’m not much of a mechanic but I planning to learn and do the easier jobs myself and let the dealer tackle the more difficult projects.

Starting with maintenance, here is what I plan to do or have done next:

• Steering rack (it’s leaking) replacement at the dealer. I also ordered the Slee brake lines from Cruiser Outfitters to be done at the same time
• Brake booster assembly replacement at the dealer (preventive maintenance)
• Starter replacement – I’m still debating if I should have it done at the dealer or try to do it myself
• Front wheel bearings (preventive maintenance) – I’ll try to tackle this myspelf although I never done it. Just ordered the kits from Cruiser Outfitters
• Gas filter – orders from Cruiser Outfitters
• Denso Spark plugs and coils (ordering them soon at RockAuto)
• PCV valve – probably getting the full kit from Patch
• Throttle body and MAF sensor cleaning
• Change diff and transfer case fluids
• Rust prevention – the truck has 0 rust and I want to keep it that way. I’m thinking I’ll apply 3 coats of 3M Cavity Wax inside the frame and spray Amsoil Metal Protect HD on the frame and other parts

Further down the road wish list:

• Regear and front/rear lockers
• Body armor – ASFIR or Dissent
• Seat bottom reupholstered

 

[GeorgeN]

Are the 555 after-market outer tie rods just as good as the OEM? Do you recommend a different model?

 

[2001LC]

OEM Out-TRE are best. A used OEM will out last a new 555. 555 boots don't last and rod get rusty.

 

[GeorgeN]

@2001LC - do you know if a new steering rack would automatically mean the dealer would also replace the steering rack bushings or I need to ask for this specifically? Thank you!

 

[2001LC]

@2001LC - do you know if a new steering rack would automatically mean the dealer would also replace the steering rack bushings or I need to ask for this specifically? Thank you!

New R&P, do come with mounting bushings.

 

[hoser]

@GeorgeN I believe a new rack also now comes with outer TRE's.

 

[ranma21]

@GeorgeN I believe a new rack also now comes with outer TRE's.

Negative

 

[hoser]

@ranma21 Which part number are you using? 44200-60100?

 

[ranma21]

For 2005 LX 44250-60120. Non of the rack comes with outer rod end anymore, it has been discontinued and superceded with rack without outer tie rod ends.

 

[hoser]

Got it. It's better that way too.

 

[GeorgeN]

Making some progress with the baseline - I had the dealer replace at around 184500 miles :
- steering rack OEM Lexus and TRE (these don’t come with the rack) and flush the steering fluid
- brake booster assembly
- Slee steel brake lines
- OEM radiator - the aftermarket one replaced by the previous owner a few years ago had a tiny leak. Flushed the cooling system.

I cleaned the MAF and throttle body. Next, I’m planning to change front wheel bearings, rotors and pads all OEM and grease the needle bearings using the slee tool. I have to admit the maintenance is getting pricier than I expected. It’s worth shopping around at various Toyota dealers for parts and labor. I received some quotes for the brake booster that varied as much as $1200.

 

[take123]

I bought a 2006 recently too, and am in process of baselining things.

In addition to your list above, I would add the following you can check up to you:

- Check if ball joints are bad, like ripped boots. If you replace the steering rack, buy new tie rods as they come with new ball joints and aren't too expensive. If your upper and lower front arm ball joints are bad you can either buy 555 or just buy whole new arms which saves the effort as they come pre-mounted with new bushings and new ball joints.
- The Starter replacement is a pain in the ars to replace as you need to take the intake manifold off and it's in a hard to reach place. If you do it, might as well replace Heater T's and intake mani gaskets while you're at it. Also when there, check if there is any crud build up on the intake and see if theres any rat nest inside as rats like to sneak in there.
- Check your alternator, does it look very old and beat up, can consider replacing it.
- You mention they replace timing belt and radiator, what else they replace like tensioner or water pump or idler pulleys and thermostat? If you don't have a list can consider replacing those on the next timing belt. I would consider replacing the Fan clutch and get a new fan on the next round, the bearing on the fan clutch can get weakened over time.
- If you want to do front wheel bearings, replace the seals too for the hub .And you can do the rear wheel bearings if you want, the rear wheel bearings are more challenging to do. For these jobs I recommend a 20-ton press, you can buy one at Harbor freight if you don't have one they're not too expensive, you'll need a brass drift and a hammer to get bearing races out. For rear wheel bearing it's harder to do you'll need a special pipe looking tool to break the bearing out, you'll need to buy the gaskets for the rear as well if you replace those bearings.
- Check your CV axle on the front, are the boots torn and leaking? If so replace them while you're doing front bearings, i'd also replace the seals on the front diff.
- Check your coolant, replace if old.
- Check brake fluid, is it dirty? Over 2 years since last change? If so put new one in and bleed it out. While you're at it check your front and rear brakes, if you need change it might as well rebuild the calipers while you're at it, put new boots on the pistons, and make everything clean again, bleed the brakes.
- If you have AHC, change AHC fluid, it's not expensive and it's easy to do, videos online.
- Change power steering fluid.
- Check all the functions of the car work, like lock the center transfer case, does it engage and light come on.
- You can check gaskets for hood, door, sunroof, trunk, etc, see if there are broken gaskets or places in window where there can leak water. Buy new gasket if needed or fix potential water leak areas.
- Replace filters for cabin air filter and intake filter, if dirty. Some models don't have the cabin air filter option so note (it's in the glove box).
- For rust prevention, one area I notice on mine that rusts more is the place where the AC evap drips out in front of the passenger side glove box. There is a hose opening right on top of the sway bar mount. That mount gets super crusty if you don't fluid film the metal, or you can put a hose and redirect that water exhaust. You can see where it is by turning your AC really high and seeing where it drips. I recommend taking preventative action there as it'll be dripping water for years to come.
- Lube your center axles, there are grease points and it's part of toyota manual preventative maint.


To be honest your truck likely will work fine no issue, just change the oil every 3-5k , and check change fluids periodically, and check tire condition.

But if you're going to offroad and in middle of no where then some of us on ih8mud are paranoid to do a lot of proactive maint.

 

[GeorgeN]

Darn, that’s a long and expensive list. The heater Ts were replaced around 30k miles ago. I plan to do diff and transfer fluids, gas filter, grease joints next then tackle front wheel bearings and rotors. I might do the coils and plugs after and wait a bit with the rest of possible maintenance items.

 

[take123]

Darn, that’s a long and expensive list. The heater Ts were replaced around 30k miles ago. I plan to do diff and transfer fluids, gas filter, grease joints next then tackle front wheel bearings and rotors. I might do the coils and plugs after and wait a bit with the rest of possible maintenance items.

You don't have to do them now, to be honest your truck will be fine the LC is the best solid car I've driven and I drive a lot of rental cars in comparison for business travel. I wouldn't do all of these if you're paying a mechanic, only the tip top priority ones.

I would try to do some of them yourself to save cost.

If you Google or go on Youtube, search LX470 "......" or "Land Cruiser "....." you will find a lot of videos how to do the repairs on your LC100. The tutorial and community really grew in the last 10 years for how-to's.

If you want some videos specifically for something, I got a lot of videos favorited, let me know.





Another proactive maint you can do I forgot to list is the bushings. It's not mandatory unless your bushings are completely dead, it will improve ride comfort and make your car feel more solid, or remove squeaky sounds going over a speed bump. Bushings that go bad include front shocks, front upper/lower arms, rear upper/lower arms, the arm behind the rear axle, the front and rear sway bars, the diff bushings, the engine mount, the transfer case bushing, and finally the body mount bushings. Since you're getting a new steering rack itll come with new steering rack bushings. I would focus on the shocks, suspension arms and the sway bar bushings first check to see if they're busted looking. If you're on a budget you can spray silicone lube on them... Bushings are really labor intensive to take off and put back in, unless you have a special tool and a press, for suspension arms on front and rear people usually just buy a whole new arm as it comes with the bushings installed and it'll be cheaper than if you get a mechanic to rebushing stuff.

If you want part number's let me know, and where is cheaper place to buy

 

[GeorgeN]

I just changed the front and rear diff oil and the transfer case. Lifted the car on 4 ramps, secured the front with jack stands and used one of these tools to pump the oil - it did cut off the spills but it was fairly slow. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BQJ3NMD7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1