Builds Dissent's Build Thread (Pic Heavy)

[Dissent]

Finally! After 6 years, 2885 posts, hundreds of hours and gobs of $$$$ I've invested in my LX450 and this forum, I decided it's time to create an actual build thread. I had no idea I'd even have a single contribution to this thread when I started!

I bought the truck in October 2012, over Craigslist, from Palm Springs (I'm in Phoenix) sight unseen, with just a few pics (below) and a phone call from the seller. Took me about a full week to locate this one after bombing out locally, in NM and in TX. She was a Lawyer/Soccer Mom and only took the truck back and forth to San Diego for soccer practice and ski trips. She was the original owner, technically the 2nd owner as the dealer's wife owned it for 24 hours before he had a customer request for a Black LX450. She paid $68,000 cash money. She had the dealer repaint the light gray trim using a darker charcoal color and swapped out 4 of the 5 rims for Lexus Chrome...and GLUED all the center caps on. She tossed the spring clips and silicone'd them all on. I still haven't removed all the silicone but gave up on putting the caps back on since the LX chrome caps use some special, short, unobtanium clips that I spent 3 years searching for others of their kind to no avail. Lastly she installed some Neoprene Seat Covers made by Cover Craft through Costco in Palm Springs. I've not been able to track down another set yet but they are starting to wear on me. Other than that, it was stock without lockers.

She said she had it serviced by a Toyota fleet mechanic once the warranty was up but he maintained it like a Celica, not a Land Cruiser. Regardless, she had all the records and took very good care of it. Except for a ski pole through a rear door panel and chewed seat bottoms on one 2nd row seat back, it was perfect.

I'll be reviewing my original posts and consolidating them into this single thread, chronicling from Day 1 to present with my usual verbose posts and lots of pics so stay tuned!


Just bought a Lexus LX450 from a Palm Springs Soccer Mom!

Just arrived home with 166,500 miles on the odometer

It has begun....

 

[Dissent]

October 2012
Started with a RAM mount iPhone holder, stuck to the subwoofer grille. Very stable and worked out great.

 

[Dissent]

October 2012
First Gen LED Dome Light Mod...looking for replacements for these now, lots of flickering and they aren't that bright...anymore.

 

[Dissent]

October 2012
Found a coolant leak, easily fixed with 3x new Engine Coolant Pipe and Water Outlet O-Rings (P/N 90301-29006); 2x for the tube and 1x on the block. So far, the easiest thing to fix!

 

[Dissent]

October 2012
First (of many) pricey trips to the dealership for parts. Had to replace the rear door lock actuators. Don't have any pics but did them both in the door. Suspect there's an easier way to do these but I didn't take the glass out and I couldn't wrestle them out with the jack-proof plastic covers on them. I ended up using a 90 degree Philips ratcheting driver to back the 2x screws out that hold the actuator to the assembly. They remove away from you, towards the door. Very hard.

For the record, the drivers' rear actuator (ACTUATOR ASSY, REAR DOOR LOCK, LH) is the same part number as the rear hatch lock actuator!

69140-60010 ACTUATOR ASSY, REAR DOOR LOCK, LH
69130-60010 ACTUATOR ASSY, REAR DOOR LOCK, RH

 

[Dissent]

October 2012
First major addition/modification and the one I actually use the least actually since I went to HAM a few years ago. I configured it with a 1/4 turn push and twist release mechanism and store it in the truck when not in use. I borrowed a buddy's CB tuner to tune the antenna. In hindsight, I'd go with a much longer antenna next time. Only about 8 inches of the antenna peak over the roof and I only have about a 1-mile range with this setup if people are in front of me. About 2-miles if they are behind me. It worked given we were typically just a few hundred yards apart.

• Cobra 75WXST 40-Channel CB Radio
• Firestik II FS-2BK 2 feet 300 Watt FS Series Tunable Tip CB Antenna
• Firestik SS-3H Heavy Duty Stainless Steel Antenna Spring
  
• FireStik K-1A Push-n-Twist quick disconnect
  
• YodaTEQ's Rear Light/Antenna Mount
• Wilson 18-ft Belden Coaxial Cable PL-259 to FME

Clip on A-Pillar (careful of the wires in the pillar!)

Cobra 75WXST All-in-One Handset

Sub-Unit Tucked Under the Dash above Dead Pedal

Drilled a hole in the double-body and fished a Wilson 18-ft Belden Coaxial cable with a removable PL-259 to FME collar enabling essentially a 1/4" FME terminated cable to route through the grommet. The larger PL-259 end is then screwed back on. This saved me from having to solder a connector on and gave me a very water tight grommet penetration. I had an extra grommet that fit perfectly for this which was made for 1/4" thick materials. No idea where I got it originally.

Finished Product

 

[Dissent]

November 2012
Next was the ever critical Cup Holders (Phase 1). The cup holders would be constantly tweaked during the coming year. I'm up to a total of 6x now that will hold coffee cups to large water bottles. Looking at the pics, it's apparent that I installed my Pioneer tuner and a ScanGauge II around the same time.

I discovered the most wonderful paint ever for those with an Oak interior. Rustoleum Bronze 7226. This stuff is a perfect match for the dark Oak color and has a very durable texture. I've gone through about a dozen cans in the past 6 years!

You'll notice the 2x screws I drilled THROUGH the floor of the $30 cup holder. It took me about 3 years to figure out that the top and bottom actually just screw apart with a 1/4 turn. So, I didn't need to drill two holes through the floor and mask like a maniac when I painted them. I've since drilled a small 1/8"-ish hole in the sides and inserted a 3/8" long rounded Allen head screw to lock the two halves together. My wife's water bottle likes to grab the cup holder and twist it part now and then when she wrestles it out.

I started with the traditional location (on the passenger side of the shifter console) but eventually built a 2-piece metal bridge that secures both cup holders across the console. This gave me the best placement and usefulness. The lower console location interfered with EVERYTHING including the radio, the seat, people's legs, etc. I would do the final placement over again in a heartbeat. Best location in my opinion!

• 1997 LR Discovery II Cup Holder - P/N STC53156SUCG - $60/pair
  
• Rustoleum Bronze Spray Paint - P/N 7226 - $6/ea

Original Layout Driver's View

Why?

Original Layout Passenger View

Phase 2 Setup

How it looks today (Phase 2.5!)

 

[Dissent]

Birf Overhaul #1 - December 2012

The first birf overhaul was educational, very dirty and cold. We took our time and my son and I completed both sides in 24 hours; 2x 12-hour days. We learned a lot and it wasn't terribly difficult but it set a new precedence in my garage for a "difficult" or "long" job. "8 hours? Ha! Piece of cake! It's not a birf overhaul!!"

My appreciation for the over-built-ed-ness of these trucks was starting to take hold.

I used a drop pan originally intended for a water heater overflow basin and made very little mess. My son was parts cleaner monkey to get the years of grime and caked on crud off. Subsequent overhauls didn't require the parts washer.

Typical stack of rags, bearings and grease!

Clean Parts

Minimal mess given the job

Obligatory Ball Shot

New appreciation for Chinese (Japanese) puzzles

 

[Dissent]

January 2013
Gauge Cluster, "D" Light, A/C Switch Panel and Illuminated Button Bulbs

The wife's 2001 Lexus RX300 has amazing white lights on her gauge cluster. It looks very modern. Mine looked like it was from 1982.

LED's were the rage back then but I still saw too many reports of flickering when dimmed. I had so many other things to do on this truck, the LED conversion was a long ways off. So, in the interest of color continuity and ease of repair (I only had 3 buttons working and I couldn't find anything at night without turning on the dome light) I went with 7 new incandescent bulbs for the A/C switch panel and various buttons and PIAA Xtreme White 168 bulbs (expensive at $7/each) for the gauge cluster. I was well rewarded for my efforts. One of the PIAA bulbs did finally burn out March 2018 but the others are still bright white!

The bulbs in the dashboard switches (the Hazard, Defroster, Rear Heater, CDL switches and the A/C control button backlights) exist as T-4 or B2 bulbs and are usually only available from the Dealership. These are the actual bulbs only. You will need to re-use the brown plastic base. I had to unwind the leads from the B2 black bulb holder, remove the old bulb and then insert these new ones. It's a lot like changing a Christmas tree light bulb. The bulbs are model number 8640 available from Bulbster online (Eiko 8640 40982 14V Volts .08A Amps Replacement Lamp - $1.74 : Halogen Light Bulbs at Bulbster.com: The Best Light Bulb Store for Halogens) at $1.74 as of 2/4/13. This is compared to $9+ per bulb at the dealership.

While in the gauge cluster, I replaced my burnt out "D" light using the same 8640 bulbs used in the switches and A/C panel. It's the same brightness as the "P", "R", etc. selections unless the headlights are on. With the headlights on, it's dimmer than the other selections. I'm going to fix the wife's "D" light next weekend with some leftover bulbs.

• PIAA 168 Xtreme White Wedge Bulb - 2 Pieces - P/N 19172 - $14
  
• Bulbster T-1 Light Bulb to Replace B2 or T4 bulbs (Dash Switches and A/C controls) - P/N 8640 - $2/ea

Hers

Mine Newly Improved. Very modern!

 

[Dissent]

March 2013
Removing the Running Boards

The running boards were LX OEM and were pretty handy to use but since my truck was saggy stock on street tires, they eventually were damaged on the trail and subsequently removed by my parts washing monkey for $20 cash!

Board Bender

Not too bad, but it will get worse

Go Monkey Go!

Boy, those took a lot of space up!

 

[baldilocks]

Holy cow, your rig is toooo clean! Those seat covers look identical to the Wet Akole’s I put in my pick-up 7 years ago. High quality product -

 

[Dissent]

Holy cow, your rig is toooo clean! Those seat covers look identical to the Wet Akole’s I put in my pick-up 7 years ago. High quality product -

Thanks...it get's dirtier.

I'll check out the Wet Akole's. Until I get new leather, they are pretty sweet covers.

 

[Dissent]

March 2013
New Windshield, Window Tint, Soaked Dashboard and Ruined? A/C Amplifier

A large crack appeared straight up the middle of my windshield. I carry a zero deductible glass comprehensive policy so I let State Farm buy me the cheapest quality glass they could find and located an installer who would actually follow the FSM guide (Glue AND Rubber gasket) without arguing with me. I talked to no fewer than 5 installers before I selected Bell Glass in Glendale, AZ. The owner and his two sons reviewed my FSM print out and lightly debated why anyone would need sealant AND a rubber gasket but began wrestling with the glass and after some time they had installed it. They all swore they wouldn't do another 80 series. Not worth the money they were reimbursed he said. 5 years later, it leaks just above the driver's knee in every car wash and every time it rains. I had asked State Farm for OEM Lexus glass and after a brief chuckle they explained that was about $400 more than they would cover. I'd have to pay the difference. I swear this glass has at least a dozen repaired rock chips and it feels like it was sandblasted. Nothing's perfect and apparently you get what you pay for.

I had all the windows tinted with 20% metal all around with 50% on the windshield and sun roof (nearly optically clear but with lots of heat blocking benefits). Over the factory tint on the rear windows, the 20% makes it nearly Limo (5%). When I picked up my truck from the tint shop, the A/C panel freaked out. It lit up across the middle (A/C, Auto, Recirc) and a relay clicked on an off a few times. It didn't do it again and the system worked fine going home. The next morning the panel was mostly not responding. The middle row didn't respond at all, the top row and fan speed responded but the fan wouldn't change speeds. The vent was bringing in outside air and the source buttons redirected properly. No fuses were blown and the cigarette lighter worked. As an aside, I found out the radio, A/C and Cigarette lighter are all on the same fuse. I suspected the panel got wet during the tint install on the windshield. The steering wheel was soaked when I picked it up. Shop said everything was fine and nothing happened, probably worked like that when I cam in (big surprise).

Fortunately, this is the LX450 with the "Auto" button in the middle of the A/C controls. Dealer part is $434.

Found the problem and I was wicked pissed! The 2nd half of the A/C control system in the LX450 and Toyota 40th Anniversary models have the A/C Amplifier located right above the drivers pedal. Mine had 1" of standing water in it! I took it apart and poured out all the water. There was heavy corrosion along the bottom of the circuit board, ribbon cable and pins on the harness plug. This part is $650 at the dealer. I pulled up the corners of the carpet and there was standing water under the carpet along the kick-panel and I was actually seeing rust forming on the metal plate under the steering wheel within 24 hours in Phoenix!

After speaking with the owner, who eventually agreed to replace the part and even offered to reimburse my wasted time troubleshooting it, we discovered the tint tech actually tinted the glass 3x times and did a liberal soaking EACH TIME in a 3 hour period. Apparently, modern cars have a "Matrix" (field of dots) around the glass which makes tinting any glass a piece of cake because you never see the edges. The 80 series is totally different. The windshield actually extends beyond where the edge the installer can see from the inside. The outside is wider than the inside due to the angle. Since this was a single sheet of film, he had to do it over a couple of times because you could see the line. In the end it was their attention to detail, and not their attention to water absorption, that caused the issue.

I cleaned everything that looked corroded or water damaged in the A/C Amplifier and the connectors with Electronic Contact Cleaner spray then reassembled it. When I plugged it back in, to my amazement, IT WORKED!!! I now have a couple of these in my spare parts bin.

The amplifier is actually open on the top and apparently others have reported that a leaky windshield will funnel water down, under the glass, across the gauge cluster area and deposit it directly into the amplifier box where it will hold about 1 cup of liquid. Genius design Mr. T. The takeaway is to make sure your windshield doesn't leak and keep "determined" tint techs away from it!

Between the hassle getting the glass installed and the tint, I'm scared to death every time a rock hits my windshield. I don't dare replace it until it's shattered...and I am getting OEM Lexus glass next time...hopefully!

Wet where it shouldn't be

Corroded Contacts

Drying it out, getting ready to save $650!

Mineral deposits on the circuit board

 

[Dissent]

September 2013
Attic Rack

My buddy and I thought it would be great to have additional storage for sleeping in our 80s and came up with these chrome attic racks made from standard 18" x 48" Costco storage racks. I used a chuck of Angle Slotted metal I had leftover from a garage door opener installation and traced the rear grab handles to round the corners, avoiding damage to the hard headliner. I had to lie on my back and prop the rack up with my feet to get it installed but once I inserted a 1/4" bolt on either end, they used the pitch of the angle brackets to behave as a nut which supported the rack! I threaded in the remaining bolts and fastened lock washers and nuts on top and it's been extremely secure and stable.

2018 updates - I store only light weight stuff on the rack, clothes, ponchos which are unsecured. Secured and heavier items are secured on the rear of the rack with bolts for the extinguisher and L-Track holding my RAM ball mounted spot lights I store back there when they aren't in use on my roof rack. I've also added an extension for my Puma compressor line to have access to air from either side sliding window along with an AC power strip and a CTEK 110v battery charger. I plug my ARB fridge and the CTEK charger into the strip which gets plugged into an outlet in the garage on the weekends and evenings.

2019 Plans - I have plans next year to add a full rear evaporator (30" x 12" x 5") to this rack for rear air conditioning for my kids.

Top View of Angle Mounts

Bottom View of Angle Mounts

Whole Rack from the Bottom

Whole Rack from the Rear

August 2018 - Well Utilized Rack

 

[Dissent]

September 2013
Console Cup Holder Overhaul (Phase 2) - Part 1

As mentioned previously, I eventually reworked the final resting place for my Discovery cup holders. I'm amazed it took 11 months to do so. My wife and I typically drink a cup of coffee on road trips and we wanted them handy so I reworked the position of the original Discovery cup holders using some brackets I made up. It's a 2-piece design because I had 2x brackets. I figured I'd eventually weld up something "permanent" but these have been in there for 5+ years and are doing a great job. I trimmed them with some small rounded Allen head screws and they are doing great!

The initial test fit and bending was very unscientific. No CAD, no fancy cutting hardware...just a vice and a vision!

It's actually an interesting design because it relies on the bolts holding the Discovery cup holders to the console and the Discovery cup holders to the brackets to give it the strength and rigidity. You can see it wanted to pivot so I had to up the ante to 3x screws to hold the two brackets together.

The final shape with 3x holes

Final fitment

Top View

 

[Dissent]

September 2013
Console Cup Holder Overhaul (Phase 2) - Part 2

Here's how I mounted the bracing for the Discovery cup holders inside the holders themselves and inside the console

One of the Discovery cup holders separated to fasten to the bracing

Inside view of the console looking forward through the woofer grille

Best view of the odd geometry I had to deal with

Painting the brackets

Console holes for bracket

 

[Dissent]

September 2013
Console Cup Holder Overhaul (Phase 2) - Part 3

Our family uses water bottles to carry water pretty much everywhere we go so between the 4x of us with water bottles coffee for the adults, we needed more cup holders!

I found Nalgene 32oz bottles, cut down to about 24oz with a fine tooth hand saw, fit out other water bottles perfectly and are basically unbreakable. They rest on a 4" zinc plated L-Bracket from Home Depot and are supported inside the console with a simple zinc plated strap, again from Home Depot. I drilled a couple of 1/4" holes to mount the bracket and bottle to my console using rubber washers on the bottle size under the rounded Allen head bolts. The bottles were sanded with 220 grit paper and painted with the same Rustoleum Bronze 7226 paint mentioned previously. These have held up awesome over the last 5 years and they were super simple and cheap.

Nalgene Bottle, Strap and L-Bracket

Basic orientation of all parts

Initial fitment and assembly (external). Console is upside down.

Initial fitment and assembly (inside console). Note the strap goes across 2x L-Brackets. Console is upside down.

Looking good, ready for paint and final assembly

 

[Dissent]

September 2013
Console Cup Holder Overhaul (Phase 2) - Part 4

Modified holes for brackets

Paint!!

Final Assembly

Plenty of clearance, barely touches the seat

Excellent paint match

 

[Dissent]

September 2013
Console Cup Holder Overhaul (Phase 2) - Part 5

So, you say you have a 32oz Nalgene bottle that you carry and it won't fit into ANOTHER 32oz Nalgene bottle eh? I've got you covered.

Nothing rattles, not even the metal bottle on the metal screw heads. Additionally, the bottom of the holders are slightly raised so any condensation stays in the cup, doesn't come out and drip all over your pants.

Even rubber coated, glass bottles fit

I forgot to mention the shifter clearance. In 1st gear, I still have about 1/8" before the shifter hits the Discovery cup holder. Now that's precision bench vice engineering there!

There's also plenty of room to reach in and open the console

 

[Dissent]

September 2013
Console Cup Holder Overhaul (Phase 2) - Part 6

Once these proved to be useful, I added 2x more to the rear of the console using the same technique. The only issue with the rear ones is that if you have a bottle in them, the console lid won't open fully. Not a deal breaker for me. Each bottle holder ran about $6 to produce if I recall correctly.

What's that? You want more cup holder pictures? OK!

Believe it or not, these are all very level inside the truck

Driver's view

Rear View. I don't have any issues clearing these with the 2nd row folded up. I also have a small fan shaped like a large cup that can live in one of these to keep the rear passengers a tad cooler. It's lying under the passenger seat in the pic.