Builds Hokie's 2003 LX470 (3 Viewers)

[Hokie LX]

Looks good and I bet removing the oxidation on the housing lenses will make a big difference

Thanks, I'm hoping cleaning up the lenses will help with cutoff and overall output.

 

[Hokie LX]

Got some better output pictures tonight.

TSX D2S projectors with Osram Nightbreakers 4200K
H3C Morimoto Elite kit for fog lights 3000K
Factory 9005 halogen high beams

Low beams:


Low Beams + Fogs:


Fogs only: They aren't as yellow as I would like. More green-ish. Not many bulb options though.



Low beams:


Low + High Beams: I'm looking into some high beam options. Maybe a light bar in conjunction with the high's. I am hooked now and want more distance. I'd rather not do driving lights unless I get a bumper though as I think they'll look out of place without a bumper.


More fog light only pictures:

 

[DirtDawg]

Do you have HIDs in your high beams yet?

 

[Hokie LX]

Do you have HIDs in your high beams yet?

Nope. Stock high beams right now. Debating what to do with them now that the low beams overpower the vast majority of the high beam.

 

[DirtDawg]

Nope. Stock high beams right now. Debating what to do with them now that the low beams overpower the vast majority of the high beam.

I think you'd enjoy an HID bulb kit in the high beams. I haven't installed a set on mine yet, but swapped in a set (my dads Infiniti uses the same bulb) for a couple days and was pretty impressed by the output.

 

[sorich]

Looks great! I'll be watching for sure.. I'm hoping to get my first LX470 very soon as well - Got my eye on a '98 from southern Cali with 150K miles.

For reference, could you post up a few pictures of your undercarriage? I want to see if the one I'm looking at looks OK or not. Someone on another thread said it could be suspect because it was so clean - I'm from IL, so I have no experience here... Everything around here is 100% caked in rust!! haha!

 

[Hokie LX]

I think you'd enjoy an HID bulb kit in the high beams. I haven't installed a set on mine yet, but swapped in a set (my dads Infiniti uses the same bulb) for a couple days and was pretty impressed by the output.

I was thinking of going that route but wasn't sure if they would throw light far enough in the reflector housings...

 

[Hokie LX]

Looks great! I'll be watching for sure.. I'm hoping to get my first LX470 very soon as well - Got my eye on a '98 from southern Cali with 150K miles.

For reference, could you post up a few pictures of your undercarriage? I want to see if the one I'm looking at looks OK or not. Someone on another thread said it could be suspect because it was so clean - I'm from IL, so I have no experience here... Everything around here is 100% caked in rust!! haha!

Thank you! I bought mine out of Atlanta and had spent ~4 months in Ohio winters on and off. Here are some pics when I got it and while POR-ing it. It's all been POR'd now!

 

[sorich]

Nice - That's helpful... Thanks!

 

[Hokie LX]

Had to replace my alternator today. It started failing last week and I had a rather loud squeeling/humming noise which I'm assuming is the bushings failing.

Took about 2 hours to take the old one out and put the new one in. I got the old one out and put the new one in through the bottom of the truck. I didn't have to take any hoses off or remove any cooling system components. I did have to spread the hoses quite a bit and ziptie a couple out of the way but then it came out with some persuasion. Now she's back up and running at 14V!


Also my steering wheel clock spring broke causing all of my steering wheel buttons to not work, my airbag light to come on and my horn to stop working. I ordered up an aftermarket one to try for $32 as a OEM one was $200!

 

[Hokie LX]

My clock spring broke the other day so I ordered a replacement and threw that in today. Easy job ~30 minutes including the 15 minutes to allow the system to discharge before removing the airbag.

Also changed the oil and rotated the tires in preparation for my drive from NY to NC tomorrow.

 

[Hokie LX]

So Christmas break for me was filled with detailing. I was finally able to give my truck a two step paint correction and paint coating. I'll keep it brief since this isn't a detailing forum but for those interested, there is a full writeup here...
2003 Lexus LX470 full correction and Gtechniq CSL/EXO

I basically gave the truck a full wash, chemical decontamination and claying, two steps of paint correction and then removed oils and applied 1 coat of GTechniq Crystal Serum Light and 2 coats of GTechniq EXO.

Finished Pictures:









I also got my headlights done. I used a 3M kit.





All done! Having clear lenses again will definitely help the output from my new headlight retrofit!

 

[bucfl]

That 3m kit is great. Not a perm solution but it lasted a few years. Hell of a job on the detail.

 

[Hokie LX]

That 3m kit is great. Not a perm solution but it lasted a few years. Hell of a job on the detail.

Thanks! I ended up using a headlight coating so hopefully it'll be good for a while. I'll probably re-up the coating every 2-3 years.

 

[Dparo]

Is this Galactic Gray? I don't pick up colors well.

 

[Hokie LX]

Is this Galactic Gray? I don't pick up colors well.

Yes, it is galactic grey

 

[Hokie LX]

So I decided to deal with my leaking sunroof today. I traced it to the gasket and the plastic piece that joins together at the center rear portion of the sunroof. Took the old gasket off, cleaned up the old adhesive with some Goof Off and put the new gasket on with some 3M Black Super Weatherstrip and Gasket Adhesive. It's curing now and I'll put it in tomorrow afternoon. I also sealed up the plastic joint to prevent water from seeping through that as well.


For the record, for anyone dealing with a leaking sunroof gasket, the plasti-dip I had on there worked like a charm! Didn't peal off, was 100% water proof and was easy to apply. Came off in one piece as well (use at least 3-4 coats) so it took 30 seconds to take off.

 

[gpxl]

Your LX looks great. I hope to give my exterior the same kind of treatment once the weather improves here. Noticed you had a 335i, I have an e90 M3 & find myself reaching for the keys to the LX more often

 

[Hokie LX]

Your LX looks great. I hope to give my exterior the same kind of treatment once the weather improves here. Noticed you had a 335i, I have an e90 M3 & find myself reaching for the keys to the LX more often

Thank you! A good proper detail is always worth the time and effort. Especially when it is finished with a coating as then it is protected for years to come. I did have a 335 once upon a time, I miss that car to death and would buy it back in a heartbeat if I could! She sat right around 460whp when I sold it and damn it was fun to drive! I've always had a softspot for the e90 M3s. I was very close to buying one instead of my B8.5 S4 earlier last year but couldn't justify the RWD as my daily driver here in NY. Here is my girl right before she was sold and a lot of her go-fast bits had been removed. She was special, 2007 1 owner, euro-delivery car with full paperwork that was 100% stock and only had 27k miles when I bought it in 2014.

I'm searching for another fun sports car currently to go alongside my LX470.

 

[Hokie LX]

So I'm not sure why, but I got motivation today of all days to replace my worn out hod struts. I replaced them with StrongArm struts from LiftSupportsDepot from Amazon.

No more pole to hold the hood up! Took about 5 minutes in the snow... The one thing I noticed was that these struts are ~1/2"-1" shorter than the factory ones so the hood doesn't go up quite as far.