Builds Hokie's 2003 LX470 (4 Viewers)
- Thread starter Hokie LX
- Start date
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Great thread for a beautiful truck!
For the center console latch, do you have a part number for this? Mine has been broken since purchase as well and I'd love to swap that out.
For the center console latch, do you have a part number for this? Mine has been broken since purchase as well and I'd love to swap that out.
Hokie LX
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- Thread starter
- #163
A bit of an experiment honestly. I've noticed a decrease in mileage over the last 2 years driving the same routes and such. It is exacerbated when towing my motorcycle trailer where on the same exact route, same weather, same load, it will vary from 8-11mpg. This made me think the clutch was not always freewheeling and was still being driven by the motor and causing extra load thereby reducing mileage. Also as some preventative maintenance.
I've already noted more pep in the truck after replacing it and can hold this one still while the engine is running which tells me that the old one was toast. Hoping to see an increase in mileage and smoother running.
Mine was also broken when I bought the truck and was very annoying. I was thrilled when I saw a thread on here about someone finding that this part fit our trucks and fixes the problem! I don't have a part number but I bought mine on eBay. I would search something similar to this. This is the title of what I bought.
"OEM 2002-2006 Toyota CAMRY Lexus ES300 Console Armrest LATCH 02 03 0405 06 BLACK"
This along with the headlight retrofit is up there with some of my favorite things I've done to the truck!
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Hokie LX
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- Thread starter
- #164
Ordered some Ironman spring spacers for the rear of the truck the other week to help the original springs as I noticed the rear pressure was starting to creep up over the last year. Not out of spec but on the upper end.
With the spacers, pressures are at 6.4 Front, 6.0 Rear now
With the spacers, pressures are at 6.4 Front, 6.0 Rear now
Hokie LX
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- Thread starter
- #165
Along with my new rear spacers, I flushed the AHC fluid today and fine tuned my pressures. The old fluid had ~45k miles and ~3 years on it since the last flush.
Some of the old fluid. The light stuff at the bottom was leftover lemonade in the container.
And the pressures.
Some of the old fluid. The light stuff at the bottom was leftover lemonade in the container.
And the pressures.
Hokie LX
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- Thread starter
- #166
Big update from this past week!
Thread with details of install and tips: LX470/100 Series Doug Thorley Headers Install Tips, Tricks, Lessons, Parts List, and Tools - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/lx470-100-series-doug-thorley-headers-install-tips-tricks-lessons-parts-list-and-tools.1255049/
Got in on the Doug Thorley group buy on Facebook and picked up an exhaust and headers. Got them both installed in the garage this past week. The stock exhaust was tired and the muffler was beyond shot so it was time for the upgrade.
Stock muffler: One of the many holes that had developed.
Still amazed at how much better these headers look than stock
The job was not as bad as I had expected. The right tools made all the difference. I'll post a separate thread detailing some tips and tricks and reminders that I learned during the job.
First impressions: The truck has way more pep and power after 2.5k RPMs and is very noticeable. It generally seems to run smoother as well. Definitely a noticeable power bump in the butt dyno. It also sounds great! Very happy with the whole system.
Another, less exciting addition was to replace the sway bar endlinks F&R. Stocks were shot.
Thread with details of install and tips: LX470/100 Series Doug Thorley Headers Install Tips, Tricks, Lessons, Parts List, and Tools - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/lx470-100-series-doug-thorley-headers-install-tips-tricks-lessons-parts-list-and-tools.1255049/
Got in on the Doug Thorley group buy on Facebook and picked up an exhaust and headers. Got them both installed in the garage this past week. The stock exhaust was tired and the muffler was beyond shot so it was time for the upgrade.
Stock muffler: One of the many holes that had developed.
Still amazed at how much better these headers look than stock
The job was not as bad as I had expected. The right tools made all the difference. I'll post a separate thread detailing some tips and tricks and reminders that I learned during the job.
First impressions: The truck has way more pep and power after 2.5k RPMs and is very noticeable. It generally seems to run smoother as well. Definitely a noticeable power bump in the butt dyno. It also sounds great! Very happy with the whole system.
Another, less exciting addition was to replace the sway bar endlinks F&R. Stocks were shot.
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Hokie LX
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- Thread starter
- #167
Got the old girl out for some weekend fun a few weeks ago with the local ONSC club in Uwharrie for Logan's Run. Had a blast and got to get some trail time in.
Made sure to add some OME TB reinforcement brackets prior to the trip just in case.
I also won some goodies in the raffle including one of the two big items which was a new Warn VR EVO 12k winch! Also won a Baofeng Radio. Debating if the winch should go on the LX in which case I need to buy a new front bumper, or put it on a project vehicle that may be in the near future.
Made sure to add some OME TB reinforcement brackets prior to the trip just in case.
I also won some goodies in the raffle including one of the two big items which was a new Warn VR EVO 12k winch! Also won a Baofeng Radio. Debating if the winch should go on the LX in which case I need to buy a new front bumper, or put it on a project vehicle that may be in the near future.
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Could always go with a hidden winch mount!
Hokie LX
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- Thread starter
- #169
Been a while since I updated this thread. Truck has been crushing daily duty for coming up on 5.5 years.
Crossed 240k on a trip last weekend and otherwise truck has been running great.
Installed new ball joints up front which fixed my braking shimmy back in November. Obviously I went with 555 ball joints from @cruiseroutfit
Did another wheeling day with the local club for our annual Christmas party in early December. Put a nice new gouge in my driver rear wheel. The first damage to my otherwise perfect wheels. I'm sure it won't be the last!
And then today gave it a wash since it was 75* out.
Crossed 240k on a trip last weekend and otherwise truck has been running great.
Installed new ball joints up front which fixed my braking shimmy back in November. Obviously I went with 555 ball joints from @cruiseroutfit
Did another wheeling day with the local club for our annual Christmas party in early December. Put a nice new gouge in my driver rear wheel. The first damage to my otherwise perfect wheels. I'm sure it won't be the last!
And then today gave it a wash since it was 75* out.
Hokie LX
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- Thread starter
- #170
The 100 ended up being taken on a small group outing this past weekend with the ONSC and Upstate Cruiser clubs to Asheville, NC / TN area. The 60 wasn't ready so the trusty 100 stepped in.
Truck just got a fresh Denso alternator installed since my Scanguage II made me think the old one was failing due to low voltage readings but the new one isn't far off so I think it's just the Scangauge reading through the ECU and not directly from the battery.
3 nights in total was a nice break from reality and social media.
Met up with some local friends for the trip out @raanderson77 with his freshly completed SAS 100, @GLTHFJ60 who had to drop out unfortunately due to truck problems and @AJR
First night camping on the way to Asheville
Meeting up with the crew at Sierra Nevada the next day before heading off the pavement
At camp drooling over the SAS goodness!
Truck just got a fresh Denso alternator installed since my Scanguage II made me think the old one was failing due to low voltage readings but the new one isn't far off so I think it's just the Scangauge reading through the ECU and not directly from the battery.
3 nights in total was a nice break from reality and social media.
Met up with some local friends for the trip out @raanderson77 with his freshly completed SAS 100, @GLTHFJ60 who had to drop out unfortunately due to truck problems and @AJR
First night camping on the way to Asheville
Meeting up with the crew at Sierra Nevada the next day before heading off the pavement
At camp drooling over the SAS goodness!
Damn, sweet trail. Looks sporty.
Sounds expensive.
Hokie LX
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- Thread starter
- #175
Not a lot happening since the last trip. Still crushing its DD duties.
New air filter and cleaned up in the interior after a couple of camping trips it was getting pretty gross by my standards. It's much better now however the driver seat finally began tearing through in the past couple months and the driver armrest has seen better days. I'll likely be looking into new front seat covers in the near future. Rears are still in great shape! The leather and clear coat on the steering wheel has also seen better days. Been eying the ones on eBay but worried about color match.
New air filter and cleaned up in the interior after a couple of camping trips it was getting pretty gross by my standards. It's much better now however the driver seat finally began tearing through in the past couple months and the driver armrest has seen better days. I'll likely be looking into new front seat covers in the near future. Rears are still in great shape! The leather and clear coat on the steering wheel has also seen better days. Been eying the ones on eBay but worried about color match.
Berkut10r
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Nice build now let’s see some pics of the track bike. Unless it’s a CBR, then it’s ok.
Berkut10r
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Oooh, that’s hot. I had a few R6s in the past, now I am on 2014 10R. I am track only as well.
Hokie LX
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- Thread starter
- #179
Couple of updates. First I built a new rear platform (v2) back in November that houses an ARB fridge I picked up last year for my 60. I still use my 100 as a weekend camping solution so needed something to house the fridge. Wired in a BlueSea fuse block under the hood and a panel in the back cargo area to plug into and provide USB's while camping. I also made a quick and dirty front platform to replace the rear seats so I can sleep on it as I made the new platform taller than the previous one to allow for more usable storage underneath.
However, it looks like it will be short lived. We just got another large dog so the 100 will likely relinquish its camping duties to the 60 as this will need to be suitable to cart around 2 large dogs in the back. Luckily, I already have someone who can use it so it won't go to waste! @liz will be adding it to her rig to make it even more functional!
I'm also gearing up for a round of maintenance. New AHC globes from Impex, new steering wheel and will be ordering new seat covers soon to complete the interior refurb. The clear coat on the wood part of my factory wheel has been broken and chipping away since I bought the truck due to the PO wearing a lot of rings. The leather is also toast so the replacement is going to be really nice! I got some leather samples from Ridies and will likely be going with them for my new seat covers.
Old wheel
New wheel
However, it looks like it will be short lived. We just got another large dog so the 100 will likely relinquish its camping duties to the 60 as this will need to be suitable to cart around 2 large dogs in the back. Luckily, I already have someone who can use it so it won't go to waste! @liz will be adding it to her rig to make it even more functional!
I'm also gearing up for a round of maintenance. New AHC globes from Impex, new steering wheel and will be ordering new seat covers soon to complete the interior refurb. The clear coat on the wood part of my factory wheel has been broken and chipping away since I bought the truck due to the PO wearing a lot of rings. The leather is also toast so the replacement is going to be really nice! I got some leather samples from Ridies and will likely be going with them for my new seat covers.
Old wheel
New wheel
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