Golden Tortoise GX470 Build and Ownership Thread (1 Viewer)

[WaterGeo]

Hey everyone, long-time lurker and first time poster. Thank you for sharing all your knowledge freely and creating this wonderful place! I have been looking for a GX for a few years, but things never quite lined up until recently. We spent the last 2 years as a one car household while we saved up for college and now it was time to make the vehicle dream come true! We were using and abusing a stock subaru with skidplates, but had finally ran into too many shortcomings with no full size spare and the tiny 4 cyclinder boxer engine.

We live in Central AZ and thankfully found a GX with low miles, post-2005 engine upgrade and post-2007 nav/aux upgrade that had lived it's life in the dry SW US so it has no rust. Unfortunately, I had lots of owners, but most of those were CPO owners. After giving it a thorough inspection, we pulled the trigger!

The Golden Tortoise as she stands right now:
Vehicle: 2007 Lexus GX470
Color: Grandma Gold
Mileage: 107K
Tires: 255/75r17 KO2 AT2 C-rated (5 tire rotation, fits perfectly in spare spot)
Front Suspension: OME 90000 shock with 885 spring (2.5" lift, +70-180#)
Rear Suspension: OME 60004 shock with 895 spring (2.5" lift, 30% stiffer than stock)
RRO extreme UCA on front
Running Board Removal (need to reinstall trim)
Weathertech Window Deflectors

Planned Upgrades:
Skid Plates (Budbuilt Stage 1 or LFD skids)
Sliders (unsure on which to go with)
Upgraded Recovery Points
LFD ruggedized roof bars
Move TJM Yulara RTT to top of GX
Custom folding Cargo Area Storage box
Rear door folding table

Looking forward to the adventures this rig can make happen and hopefully contributing to the knowledge base in this forum.
Thanks everyone!

 

[WaterGeo]

The Golden Tortoise as she stands as of May 2021

 

[WaterGeo]

Hold for pics #2

 

[WaterGeo]

Lots has happened in the past few months...

• Installed door pockets
  • Best Mod for under $100
• Installed spidertrax black 1.25" spacers on all four wheels after I found that I was rubbing on my RRO Extreme UCA's
• Driver's Side LCA had a torn bushing, replaced LCA with MOOG replacement from Rockauto
• Rear Upper links had torn bushings, replaced with MOOG from Rockauto
• Applied touch up on scratches and dings from previous owners
• Detailed vehicle
• Ordered Parts during Black Friday
  • RCI Sliders (will install next week!)
    • Very impressed with how they packed it all up, it arrived within a week of ordering and had no dings/scratches that I have found yet.
  • LFD Full Roof Rack
  • Mountain Passes Rear Platform
  • FrontRunner 15.9 gallon Water Tank Decided to pass for now on this
• Oil Change
• Front/Rear/Diff Fluid change
• Lubed driveshaft and suspension

I am really getting excited to move the RTT to the new rig when the new rack arrives and start to wrap up this build!

 

[McDuff123]

Congrats!
Sounds like you’ve made some sound and significant upgrades. They should serve your purposes well.
Now go out and flog that turtle!

 

[WaterGeo]

Over the past few months all of the parts have come in and I have also been able to get out and use the vehicle for it's intended purpose (getting the heck out there!) and it has been a dream. We have been crazy busy with work and family life as my wife's Master's program comes to an end so I have been terrible about getting on here and updating all of you. I'll make up for it now...

 

[WaterGeo]

The RCI slider install went very smoothly, here are some pictures. RCI did an excellent packaging them up, they arrived in flawless condition.

Overall, the entire install took less than 2 hours and I was impressed with the fit and finish. They could be about 1 inch longer in the front, but they were spot on in the rear.

10/10 would recommend.

Packaging photo

All 10.9 hardware

Getting ready for install

All Done!

 

[WaterGeo]

Mountain Passes Platform Modification Part 1
I had a boat load of fun designing my personal take on the Mountain Passes Rear Platform. It arrived on time in early February and I spent a month tickering around on my tiny patio trying to get everything perfect before I installed it. Steve Foltz was a pleasure to work with and he was very helpful during the whole process. I had loved his design, but I wanted it to the "flush" on the drivers side and have room on the left side. I also wanted to be able to disassemble it in the future. That caused me to order it unfinished from Steve and also order some 3/4" baltic birch plywood from the local woodshop. I secured it with m8 bolts, washers and nylock nuts. I finished the wood with Behr Waterproofing Wood Finish (Deck Finish) knowing that this would be spending a lot of time in a hot car and getting a lot of abuse.

Okay, enough is enough... here are a boat load of pictures from this very fun process.

Shipping photo

Testing fit initially (it was perfect!)

Making sure I had enough room for my custom "Chuck Box"

Getting the angles right...

 

[WaterGeo]

Mountain Passes Platform Modification Part 2
Once I had confirmed everything fit properly and I got a few measurements, it was off to the 'wood shop' aka my 6'x6' patio...

I wanted this to be flush on the surface and on the drivers side to protect my dog, while also being relatively bullet proof and able to hold a very secured load above and below.

Applying a rustoleum black finish to the raw steel

The first test fit after many errors with the circular saw...

Drilling all of the counter sunk holes and applying some "vibration reduction material"

 

[WaterGeo]

Mountain Passes Platform Modification Part 3
And after many trials and tribulations, here is the finished product.

 

[WaterGeo]

In late February, the LFD roof rack was delivered. LFD's package was exceptional, everything arrived with no scratches or dings at all. I was disappointed by the lack of a 3rd foot on the LFD bars, but I still believe they are more than stout enough for my purposes. I also did not receive the cover plate the middle foot that was supposed to arrive. After trying multiple times, I was able to talk to someone at LFD about this. I have yet to receive it in the mail. So far, I am impressed with LFD's product, but their customer service leaves a lot to ask for. If I had to go back and do this again, I would have installed Sherpa Outfitters roof rack, I think that is a much more stout product.

That being said, here are some pics...
Packaging photo

Laying out the parts and realizing there is no third foot...

Getting ready for install...

All done

 

[WaterGeo]

Once the sliders and roof rack were on, I moved our TJM Yulara tent from the top of the subaru to the top of the GX. Good bye parking garages, hello adventure!

Our first shakedown adventure was the Kofa Wilderness in SW arizona, which was stunning. We didn't get many pictures from this trip so instead here are some pictures from our latest adventure exploring the Sierra Ancha Mountains in Central AZ. We visited some of my favorite childhood campgrounds and had an amazing time with the rig.

Our home away from home with my custom "Chuck Box"

 

[SugarPines]

Your build is quite the inspiration! I have got a GX in grandma gold as well. About to install my new roof rack (Prinsu) and looking at a 2.5 inch lift. RTT is not far off.

I really like what you've done with the cargo area.

How are the sliders working out? Do they work well enough as a functional step? Have you rubbed them on any rocks yet?

 

[WaterGeo]

Your build is quite the inspiration! I have got a GX in grandma gold as well. About to install my new roof rack (Prinsu) and looking at a 2.5 inch lift. RTT is not far off.

I really like what you've done with the cargo area.

How are the sliders working out? Do they work well enough as a functional step? Have you rubbed them on any rocks yet?

Hey @SugarPines, thanks for the compliments! The sliders are a great step and I haven’t rubbed them on anything yet but I have lifted the truck with them and they barely flexed at all so I’m convinced of their sturdiness for now. Either way, they are a dramatic improvement from nothing/stock. Let me know if you want any more pics of the cargo area. We are about to head off on a 5 week long road trip so I have been obsessing over optimizing it.

good luck with the lift and rack, I look forward to seeing another grandma gold build! I don’t know where you are, but the gold looks pretty bada$$ in the desert in my opinion.

cheers!

 

[SugarPines]

Hey @SugarPines, thanks for the compliments! The sliders are a great step and I haven’t rubbed them on anything yet but I have lifted the truck with them and they barely flexed at all so I’m convinced of their sturdiness for now. Either way, they are a dramatic improvement from nothing/stock. Let me know if you want any more pics of the cargo area. We are about to head off on a 5 week long road trip so I have been obsessing over optimizing it.

good luck with the lift and rack, I look forward to seeing another grandma gold build! I don’t know where you are, but the gold looks pretty bada$$ in the desert in my opinion.

cheers!

Good to hear on the sliders. I might just go with the same ones - there are just so many to choose from I'm suffering analysis paralysis.

I'm in Twain Harte, CA in the Sierras. I'm loving how the gold paint goes with the green pine trees .

Some pictures of the new Roof Rack installed below!

GX470 - Roof Rack Installed

5 new items added to shared album

photos.app.goo.gl

I put a deposit down on the 2.5 inch Dobinsons IMS Lift and rear coil conversion. So that's happening soon. Also ordered a roof top tent. It's all coming together.

 

[WaterGeo]

That Prinsu rack looks clean! Sounds like you are going to have some fun. I like the way your TRD rims look on it. Good to see another built grandma gold GX!

 

[SugarPines]

That Prinsu rack looks clean! Sounds like you are going to have some fun. I like the way your TRD rims look on it. Good to see another built grandma gold GX!

Thanks! I wasn't stoked at first when I found this gold one. It had high miles (209k), but was impeccably serviced by Lexus dealers, and was driven mostly on the freeway in CA. The color has been growing on me and now I actually really like it. Gold paint and black everything else has some nice contrast going for it.