Builds Ikarus' LX470 Offroad Build and BS (7 Viewers)

[ikarus]

I just spent the last two days reading through this entire thread. I picked up an LX470 just on Monday and seeing this whole thread full of photos and such detailed posts with your selection of upgrades has given me a perfect guide on what I want/need to do over the next couple of months. It is better that you are local, and a BMW guy (are you on UBE too?). Keep posting all your updates and photos!

Glad to hear man, good luck on the build! I was on UBE - but deleted my facebook last year. Sold my E30 just a couple weeks ago and now I might move onto an e36, e46 or e90 M3. @duvinclunk knows all about my car search. He's probably sick of hearing about it haha. I might just buy lockers and gears with the money though...

 

[ikarus]

I just spent the last two days reading through this entire thread. I picked up an LX470 just on Monday and seeing this whole thread full of photos and such detailed posts with your selection of upgrades has given me a perfect guide on what I want/need to do over the next couple of months. It is better that you are local, and a BMW guy (are you on UBE too?). Keep posting all your updates and photos!

Oh dude, I just looked at your screen name. I'm Max, from Red Olive. haha. Small world.

 

[DDMSteve]

And the whole thing comes full circle! I am clearly a big advocate the E90 M3 option. Come clear weather you are welcome to a test drive.

 

[ikarus]

Anyone have old seat leather sitting around? If you've replaced your leather seats with LSeats or something similar, I'd love to buy your old OEM leather as long as it's mostly in one piece. I'm going to do some custom upholstery and it would be easier use that as a pattern rather than removing my current leather.

I just need the driver and passenger seat, and rear seat - second row only. Any year of LX470. Let me know!

 

[kelly saad]

Anyone have old seat leather sitting around? If you've replaced your leather seats with LSeats or something similar, I'd love to buy your old OEM leather as long as it's mostly in one piece. I'm going to do some custom upholstery and it would be easier use that as a pattern rather than removing my current leather.

I just need the driver and passenger seat, and rear seat - second row only. Any year of LX470. Let me know!

I think I have the second row seats from my 98 Land Cruiser. If that will work then I can look to make sure.

 

[ikarus]

I think I have the second row seats from my 98 Land Cruiser. If that will work then I can look to make sure.

I appreciate it - but I think the 100s and 470s have different seat patterns, so it's gotta be a Lexus. Thanks though man

 

[aging fleet]

I just got home last night from a 5 day trip to SLC. I won’t lie, I was hoping to spot your rig while I was in town. Saw a ton of other Cruisers, but never yours.

Also, Brighton and Park City were fantastic over the weekend, so much awesome in your neck of the woods.

 

[Kabanstva]

I wanna see Ikarus’s truck also! Would honestly plan a trip to SLC to go check it out one day. It’s been a huge inspiration.

 

[ikarus]

I just got home last night from a 5 day trip to SLC. I won’t lie, I was hoping to spot your rig while I was in town. Saw a ton of other Cruisers, but never yours.

Also, Brighton and Park City were fantastic over the weekend, so much awesome in your neck of the woods.

This is a pretty great place. Low odds on seeing me this last week - got my windshield replaced and I've been leaving it in the garage for the most part!

I wanna see Ikarus’s truck also! Would honestly plan a trip to SLC to go check it out one day. It’s been a huge inspiration.

Haha, I appreciate it. Hit me up if you're in Moab or something

 

[ikarus]

The windshield was never properly installed and I've had a water leak every time it rains for the last year. TechnaGlass refused to do it, and Safelite told me that if they found any rust underneath they wouldn't finish installation and I'd have to drive to a body shop...

Excuse the dirty truck, but you can kind of see how messed up the trim is - thick layer of glue underneath, and the top trim wasn't even seated right.

I kept collecting rock chips, and luckily it doesn't rain too often in Utah. But 5 rock chips later, someone kicked up a piece of a brick on the freeway and it hit my windshield so hard I had glass chunks on the dashboard. I hit up Dustin at State Auto and he recommended a guy - Adan's Auto Glass in West Valley.

I wish I would have taken pics during the process - he found a little bit of surface rust underneath the top of the windshield but ground it out and primered it. The trim pieces were goners so I had to buy new ones, but I was just happy that this guy knew what he was doing.

The only downside was that the rivets included with the OEM Lexus trim were a little small, so he said to bring it back and get new rivets if they seem loose. I think the rivets might be the right size, but the holes might have been enlarged from the previous improper installation.

Probably going to leave off the trim that covers the rivets - not necessary, right?

 

[MongooseGA]

This is a standard wind shield, or were they able to source OEM 'acoustic' glass?

 

[ikarus]

This is a standard wind shield, or were they able to source OEM 'acoustic' glass?

Just standard, I didn't bother trying to find OEM. About $200 with installation.

 

[ikarus]

Been meaning to replace my steering wheel for a while - the leather's been getting nasty and the wood has been cracked since day 1.

I bought this:

Loncky LX470

They have another one that fits the LX a little better but it was only in brown.

The wheel pops off pretty easy - disconnect battery, remove the side covers, undo the torx screws, pull out and unplug the airbag, horn, etc, then remove the wheel nut - 19mm. You might have to use some force. My wheel was a little stuck on there.

 

[ikarus]

The cover takes some stretching to get on, but it's snug.

You start by adding double sided tape:

Then you can put the cover on the wheel and start taking off the other side of the double sided tape.

And with just the tape holding it together, the wheel starts to take shape.

 

[ikarus]

And then you start stitching. Real tedious work, for me, at least. I did it in 4 sections. Start with a knot, stitch all the way around the section, then loop it 3-4x at the end and melt the end with a lighter. Then repeat.

Overall I'm real happy with the cover. It fit pretty well, though the leather didn't quite stretch enough in some spots. I should have used heat and/or water to stretch it a little more but I didn't think of it at the time.

Reverse the steps when you detached the wheel and reinstall:

The leather feels quality, and since you're putting the cover on top of the existing wheel, it gives it the perfect amount of thickness, like a BMW etc. type of performance steering wheel with a little more to grip.

 

[implayaz9]

Looks great. I need a brown one for mine.

 

[ikarus]

Looks great. I need a brown one for mine.

There ya go: Loncky LX470 Brown

 

[ERMB]

Looks great!!! I have the same one, It's been sitting in my parts bin for almost a year now waiting to be installed! How much more difficult would it be to keep the wheel installed as opposed to removing it as you did?

 

[ikarus]

Looks great!!! I have the same one, It's been sitting in my parts bin for almost a year now waiting to be installed! How much more difficult would it be to keep the wheel installed as opposed to removing it as you did?

Having the steering wheel fixed/not moving might actually help a little, but I don't know if I would try it. Kind of a pain to do the stitching - took several hours, so you'd have to plan to be sitting in your truck for a while, and it needs to be in a place with good lighting.

I was the same, bought this last year and just never felt like doing it. ha

 

[customcruiser]

I did the wheel of my BMW while watching TV.

Turned out great and now want to do my LX