100 series DIY solutions (1 Viewer)

[whitenoise]

Wish I had the time to do a proper build thread but instead I will aggregate all of my past posts and do the best I can for future additions.

Most of my 03 LX470 is stock. The only "mods" for better off-road performance has been removing the running boards, and adding good AT tires. This is our primary vehicle for North American travel, we use rental or friends' vehicles in other continents. Typically we find that it is 95% or more pavement travel, due to how developed the US and Canada are. So I've focused more on interior organization and comfort for living out of the vehicle for a week to 2 weeks at a time.

One of the very first things I felt would make my family comfortable with the idea of overland travel was a fridge. My fridge build is documented here: Edgestar Fridge Modifications Thread - https://expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/edgestar-fridge-modifications-thread.47802/page-14#post-1949532

Almost any modification is a slippery slope, and soon I found the OEM battery and wiring to be inadequate in supporting the fridge. Some 8ga cable and and Anderson SB plug later, the problem of the fridge shutting down due to "low voltage" (it wasnt really low voltage at the battery but rather a large voltage drop across the OEM wiring) was fixed.

I upgraded to a single AGM battery soon after: Battery size 49 - will it fit? Also bought a 50W solar panel and wiring which get stowed and deployed as necessary.More details about the solar setup here: Minimalist approach - OEM battery + solar? I have found this setup to work for about 2 nights of camping at a time without any issues. If we stay longer than that in one spot, it is almost always at a developed campground with shore power. As a foolproof backup, I carry a Antigravity Microstart XP10 (which I also take without exception on all international trips - it gets a lot of attention through airport security).

The next step was communications, and at the time we felt CB was a good option to go with (a terrible decision!). I removed the CD changer and decided to hard-wire a radio in its place.

The stock CD changer bracketry adapted for the Uniden PRO 520 XL radio, the tan colored stuff is a piece of modeling foam which supports a trim plate:

How it sits inside the center console, at the bottom left you can see the external speaker for the radio recessed into the carpet.

The final install. There are absolutely no exposed cables in the cab. In hindsight, the whole CB experience has been less than satisfactory despite carefully tuning SWR etc. Thinking of switching to GMRS at this point.

 

[whitenoise]

While the center console was out, I also added some always-on USB and cig lighter outlets. The CB radio, and the power outlets are on a single 8ga cable run direct to the battery through a 30A fuse. The 3.5mm plug to the right of the shifter is an aux-in for the GROM BT3 bluetooth adapter.

Next up, electronics mounts. Having a phone mount is an absolute necessity these days. After trying several cheap mounts from Amazon and eBay, we went with a combination of RAM and Proclip mounts. RAM's modular system is great!
Cellphone mount using RAM's 3-magnet rubberized 1" ball:

Delorme Inreach mount made from RAM parts and a plate offered by an Expedition Portal member for handheld radios, modified to suit:

 

[whitenoise]

It was always a challenge to keep small stuff organized and of course, over the course of a long trip, you tend to become shabby if everything doesnt have a spot of its own. Even harder with a family. So at this point I decided to build an attic rack to use some of the dead space above the fridge.

Full details of that here: Attic Racks/Storage Shelf Talk

 

[whitenoise]

We were running out of space inside the vehicle esp. to store all the lightweight bulky stuff like bedding, tent, chairs. We have always traveled with some type of ground tent. The obvious solution was to get a roof box. A search on craigslist got me the most ideal one I wanted. A Thule box that was made as a GM accessory for Suburbans etc. The nice thing about this box is that sleeping bags, tents, etc along with a Go Anywhere cleanwaste toilet stow neatly in a single file, which makes it easy to load and unload.

How things fit in:

After a few trips I felt the need for a way to carry stuff like firewood, trash bags, etc. on the outside of the vehicle. I also needed an easy way for the whole thing to come off when not traveling (which is at least 90% of the year). So I started with removing the OEM rack and installing a set of African Outback rails, which Slee sold to me for a nicely discounted price. This gives the LX a nice low-profile look and is strong enough to upgrade to a full rack at some point if needed.

 

[whitenoise]

My plan was to make a custom rack but didn't find the time to complete the design I was working on. With a big trip coming up I had to make a decision quickly. Initially I thought of adapting Yakima or Thule cross-bars but then I came across this company VanTech, which makes racks for commercial vans. After a quick call with them it was clear that their hardware was 100% compatible with the AO rails, a stroke of pure luck! I ordered their J-series light duty cross-bars which are still all-metal rather than a mish-mash of plastic and metal like Yakima or Thule, but quite a bit cheaper. A wide variety of accessories are available at much cheaper cost than either of these two.

The only mod needed was to change the angle of the mounting plates a little so the bars sit flat on the curved 100 series roof. Really easy with a sheet metal brake but also doable with a vice and BFH!

A bit of simple fab work later, I had mounts for the Firestik antenna (being in the center of the roof really improved its performance from before!), the new ARB 2000 awning, and my solution to carrying firewood/trash - a $45 cargo rack from harbor freight (I realize this wont look good after a few years of use but this is a stopgap measure anyway).

 

[whitenoise]

From the very beginning it was obvious that running water really saved time and labor for several different tasks that you need to do many times a day - washing dishes, rinsing off, even occasionally taking a shower. I wanted to keep this as simple as possible so a water heater etc. was out of the question. Lugging 5 gallon containers around each time and finding ways of strapping them down in the cab was starting to get old. I found a nifty thing called an ATV sprayer, which is basically a ultra heavy-duty polyethylene tank with an integrated 12v on-demand pump, strainer, filler and drain plugs.

I removed the 40% middle row seat which doesn't get used at all and started making a mount using the seat mounting holes.

The sprayer mounts on the bottom, then a plywood tray on top for other items.

NorthStar 10 gallon Sprayer held down with its original straps. There is a polycarbonate tray underneath to spread the load uniformly.

I stained and polyurethane coated the birch plywood tray to match the wood trim in the Lexus, not that this is important.

We use this Mountainsmith "Modular hauler" which gets tied down to the top of the plywood tray, and holds 3 x 28 liter cubes. More than enough clothes for a 10 day trip for a family of 3.

 

[whitenoise]

So all of this work has been over the past few years. Our needs have changed, and budget has become available for better equipment.

The changes for this season will be:

1) Inside sleeping setup - The basis of this is a set of KISS drawers bought our own forum member CruiserDave. The drawers will completely empty the back of the truck except for the fridge. The attic rack will have to go since it will literally become a headache rack when you wake up in the morning - the drawers will replace all of that lost room and more, I am sure!

For trips with family or more than 2 people I am building a small trailer which has its own tent setup. Additional equipment required to support a larger group will be contained inside the trailer rather than loading down the LX.

2) Small or no fridge - The large 86qt Edgestar was great but it also took up a lot of room. It is sold to a forum member who I am sure is very happy with it. This time I am planning to go with a tiny Dometic or Indel-B that doesnt need a slide and can be easily moved to the front when sleeping inside. I have also been looking into ways of carrying foods that need no refrigeration.

3) Running water - I am planning to move the 10 gallon sprayer to my trailer and replace it with something that can be contained inside the vehicle. Any ideas for a compact (3-5 gallon) self-contained water system?

4) Little to nothing on the roof - While I dont like carrying firewood or trash inside, I do like the additional 2 highway mpg I get with a bare roof. Will need to figure this out.


Any comments or thoughts are welcome!

 

[Hiace4wd]

Well, you could place a plastic canister with a couple of gallon of water on the roof. Doesn't take up interior space and doesn't need a pump because of gravity. Simple as it can be.
I've you see my other topic, I just used a ~10 gallon spare wheel fuel tank for water.

The fridge, you have very tiny ones, which are just narrow versions. But you also have drawerstyle fridges. With a compressor if I'm right.
They are not cheaper, but they can be mounted as a drawer in the rear perhaps. Or accessable from the place where you have the watertank now?
Probably too big to fit under a chair.

 

[cc93cruiser]

Very nice work! Feels a lot better when you do these mods yourself and you save on the mula...

 

[YMT]

Nice, very detailed and clean work! I like the idea of the ATV sprayer as a water source. I use 5 gallon jugs with a primer bulb to pump, and never thought of that- I will be using that idea!
I am anxious to see what you do with the trailer.

 

[whitenoise]

Mid-season update:

1) The inside sleeping setup is a success. The inflatable mattress I already had fits perfectly with room to spare, and although there's no headroom to sit up straight, sleeping inside is super-comfy and camp setup/teardown is a breeze. A thin folding foam mattress might improve it a bit, but this certainly works for now.

2) Fridge - Bought an Indel B TB18, fits perfectly in the middle row footwell. In the longer term I am planning to remove the center console and fit it there. This fridge obviously needs a lot more planning in what we carry inside it, but still worthwhile to have.

3) While the 2nd row sprayer setup was functional, the long-term solution for us is to retain all 4 seats inside the truck and move the water storage/dispensing to the outside. I hate to hang anything off the back but in this case it was inevitable. Jerry cans on a mount or roof rack could've been an option but it conflicts with another goal of not having anything on the roof. On a random craigslist search, I was lucky enough to find a Wilco Hitchgate Solo, which solves 3 problems in one shot:

- Spare tire clearance, stock spare hangs too low and in 03+ 100 series cannot be raised due to interference with the EVAP system.
- Water Storage. A 15 gallon water tank comfortably fits in the spare tire location.
- Fuel Storage. The Hitchgate I bought came with bracketry to attach a Rotopax. 3.5 gallons (the largest single rotopax size) should extend the range by about 50 miles, I feel this should be plenty of buffer for North American travel.

It does necessitate stronger rear springs to reduce stress on the AHC system.

Fitting the Hitchgate:
The "wedge lock" system for the Hitchgate Solo XL is 3" longer than the standard Solo and needed the Toyota/Lexus hitch attachment that slides into the rear bumper support to be cut and modified. This also allowed the opportunity to slide the hitchgate in so it sits as close to the tailgate as possible, which make it look less Mickey Mouse. Standard receiver tubing milled down and radiused for welding:

Welded and painted:

Final Fit. With the stock wheel offset the tire will fit but it really needs a spacer, which is coming soon. I also ordered a 3.5 gallon rotopax which should sit just about an inch away from the tailgate.

 

[whitenoise]

A/c performance in the 03+ 100 series is a well-documented issue. I decided to duplicate the OEM fan actuation (i.e. completely automatic) with some simple parts. I posted that here: Adding A/c Condenser Fan to 03+ LX470

 

[whitenoise]

The final Hitchgate mod and install.

Wilco's license plate mount cost $60 so I rolled my own for $10 off ebay.

Also added a 3.5gal Rotopax (its their Fuelpax brand and mount).

Clearance to tailgate when closed, plenty to accomodate a bit of movement. The stock wheel and tire needed a 1.25" spacer because of the 60mm wheel offset.

 

[whitenoise]

My very first true vehicle modification in the 4 years I've owned this truck, a set of rear coil springs (King KTRS79). During a trip last year to Colorado, the AHC refused to go into High at a critical moment just before we attempted Imogene Pass. Imogene turned out to be tamer than I thought, and we completed it without issues. But these springs have improved the fully loaded ride quality quite a bit and give me peace of mind despite the added weight of the hitchgate, drawers, and what's coming next, a 15 gallon water tank.

 

[whitenoise]

After seeing how sucky CB radio really is, we decided to get a GMRS for those long trips where there's quite a bit of co-ordinated highway travel. Its also easier to communicate with a handheld when spotting or general comms. The MXT275 from Midland fit the bill and it took less than 30 mins to properly install.

Integrated controls are awesome. The included adhesive mount fits neatly behind the transfer case shift knob.

The base unit is tiny enough to tuck away between the driver's side armrest and center console. Thats where its velcro-ed for now. The large mic mounted to the park brake handle is for the CB which I've decided to retain for now.

Its really comical how small the MXT275 antenna is, but the performance isn't comical at all. The real-world range we saw in a busy city, no line of sight, is about 3-4 miles.

 

[whitenoise]

Hey guys - I put my water system up for sale since I got a new one working, check it out and PM if you're interested: Land Cruiser in-cab Water System - ExPo worthy (LOL)!

 

[savirc]

Hey guys - I put my water system up for sale since I got a new one working, check it out and PM if you're interested: Land Cruiser in-cab Water System - ExPo worthy (LOL)!

Lets see that new one bottom mounted! Interested in doing that myself

 

[whitenoise]

Sure, I need to gather up all the pictures and write it up.

 

[whitenoise]

I've received quite a few requests asking for the write-up on my underbody water system, so here goes. This system has been proven on a recent 5k mile/20 day trip to Newfoundland/Labrador, with close to 500km of gravel and rough roads. It worked flawlessly.

Part 1: Preparing the Tank

I decided to go with a Valterra 15 gallon tank. It is the largest tank I found that would fit underneath. It is also supposed to be more rugged compared to the white RV tanks - I guess we'll see about that. The greatest advantage I saw with this tank is the ability to add fittings wherever you see fit. The tank is encapsulated in Reflectix, stuck on with Gorilla spray adhesive, since it is somewhat close to the muffler. Also adds a bit of anti-freeze capability in case night-time temps dip below freezing.

Here are some of the fittings I used. On the left is the pickup tube which is used in boat fuel tanks. It has an integrated strainer. This was required because the pickup is well above the bottom of the tank. The vent (center of screen) and fill (right of screen) fittings are visible. I used Gardena plastic quick disconnects since I already had them. Automotive spring-action hose clamps are used throughout (worm clamps dont belong on a hard-mounted system).

This picture shows the tank after a layer of foam rubber and a sheet aluminum "rock guard" go over the reflectix. I had a sheet of this coated 0.040" aluminum that was the perfect size! It is not a skid plate but I am confident the final mounting is high enough that you don't need one. The purpose of the foam rubber is to prevent the straps and the rock guard from wearing a hole into the plastic tank and add some cushioning, since this thing will be solidly mounted. If the tank was automotive grade plastic like a OEM fuel tank, none of these things would be needed. But the quality of the Valterra tank is a bit suspect and I wanted the maximum amount of protection possible.

 

[whitenoise]

Part 2: Tank & Pump Mounts

The tank is mounted to the same cross-member that the spare tire winch is mounted to. The cross-member needed a couple of 8mm holes drilled for my tank mounts to work. I used 80/20 aluminum extrusions for tank mounts. M8 holes are tapped into the sides of each extrusion (that's how they are meant to be used).

Here is the spacer I turned out of Tecamid-66 (Nylon) for the long center bolt that re-uses the winch mount on the crossmember.

Here is the full water-
tank assembly that mounts to the truck with 4 M8 bolts. The spacer shown above goes on the bolt in the center (not tightened in the pic below). The straps are bent aluminum flat bar, 2"x1/8" thick from the hardware store. Each strap is preloaded to 200lbs (yes, I stood on it before the bolt holes could line up, LOL), so that tank isn't going anywhere. Used stainless steel M8x35 bolts with a flat and spring washer. I will be keeping a close eye on the straps since aluminum can fatigue and break quite easily in this application. In the long term I would re-do these in 1/16" steel.

The water pump is mounted to the center extrusion using a simple tapped 6061-T6 plate and screws. I mounted the pump to the top of the tank to minimize road debris, damage etc. I had a NorthStar 1GPM 12v pump lying around so I used it.