Just got an 80 - A few questions (1 Viewer)

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Bonsall, California
I just put down a deposit against $13,500 for a 1997 (made September and sold January 1998) Collector's Edition 80 series. Black with tan leather, 106,000 miles, no roof-rack, no tow package, no lockers but everything else. Here are some questions:

1) The head has a few lumps of gasket sealer protruding. I thought maybe the head had been off but when I looked at another vehicle it was the same. Has this any significance?

2) When I test drove it my only compalaint was that the steering felt heavy - like the ps was not fully working. Is this normal or does it need looking at?

3) I need get a safari roof-rack and a brush guard; I would prefer used. Any suggestions?

4) I need go collect it from 500 miles away. Anything to watch out for on the journey home?

5) Why those four holes in the rear bumper?

Thanks and I'm glad to be a real memeber now.
 
Huuummmm.....

1. Any pics?

2. PS fluid - level?

3. ARB or TJM bumper

4. Have fun in that 80!

5. From slee: 2.6 What are those 4 holes on the back bumper

Firstly, the black piece with the 4 holes (covered on Lexus LX450's) is not actually the bumper but the rear cross member of the frame. The 4 bolt holes are another point of great debate. These were put there by Toyota for attaching a pintle hook or towing ball. However in the US these are not rated for towing, and it is recommended to use a factory or aftermarket receiver hitch that bolts
 
Your responce to Q3 is not understood.
 
MH_Stevens said:
1) The head has a few lumps of gasket sealer protruding. I thought maybe the head had been off but when I looked at another vehicle it was the same. Has this any significance?

That's how mine was new from the factory. Don't know if yours is original or someone had pulled the head in the past..
 
#3: lol. dont get the brush guard made to resemble "dental work" it will mess up your front end if you happen to hit it. Find an ARB or TJM bumber.
 
Roof rack?
The Kaymar Tradesman, oval tube is relatively inexpensive, but very nice for the price.
An extremely nice, custom built one might still be up for sale in the "For Sale" section -- look for a thread started by AMMO.

A "grill guard" is not recommended. Most of us like to call them "damage multipliers" because rather than protect the front end, they tend to inflict more damage upon impact rather than protecting the front upon impact. To that end, most purchase either a TJM bumper or an ARB bumper. My preference over the two is the ARB. Slee Offroad sells both ARB and TJM as well as their own bumper (which is very nice IMO).

Where's Aguanga and where's the truck currently located?
 
Congrats on the new ride! :cool: I'm sure you're going to love it. My head has the same sealant lumps. Nothing to worry about. Not many people like black, but if you can keep it clean I think it's one of the best colors for a vehicle. :cheers:

Q2 - Is the tire pressure low?
Q3 - Check your fluids. Don't let the oil guage freak you out. If you have read some of the past posts you know what I mean. I drove mine over 800 miles home. I had my eye on the guage the whole way worried something was going to go. Also, when your low fuel light comes on you still have 5 gallons. That's a good thing to know if you're traveling through no man's land.

Also, it might be a good idea to pick up a couple of cans of BG 44K to run through your fuel system on the way home. It's good stuff. The tank is 25 gallons so I always put two cans in at a time.

Don't forget to check your fluids and bring a few CDs for the trip.

Good luck!
 
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MH_Stevens said:
'99 LX459 93K miles, Grey

OK, I'll bite. What the heck is this?

-B-
 
About the front guard, I would recomend you put your money towards a nice ARB and not a "brush guard". The brush guards are way over priced and as said will inflict more damage and offer zero protection.

Unless yours came with one like mine. It's a Smitty Built, and IMO looks the best out of all the brush guards out there. With that said, I would never have paided for it. It does work as a nice place to mount lights since the guard bolts to the bumper and eliminates vibrations.
 
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Beowulf said:
OK, I'll bite. What the heck is this?

-B-


That is the LX in between the 450 and the 470. :D You know the the 1964 and 1/2 Mustangs?
 
Mike congrats on your new purchase

2. tire style and tire pressure affect steering as does the condition of your tie and relay rod ends, and your shocks and dampers, or old worn out p/s fluid. If you test drove other 80s and they felt different I would suspect the tires first then start looking at the other possibilities.

3. the for sale section here or on pirate for used safari rack or try a rover site and buy your own mounting hardware.

4. check tnesion on your drive belts and all fluids plus tire condition. if the truck is usually driven around town, expect to add oil the first time you stop for gas but not the second time. the first 100 miles or so tends to burn up any fuel that mixes in your oil around town.
 
Beowulf said:
OK, I'll bite. What the heck is this?

-B-

This is one I "bought" from a dealer in San Clamente, So Cal. Afterwards I contacted the lexus dealership for service records and was told that the seller had declined to do the 90K mile service because the engine needed too much work. After a big fight the dealer took it back. I'm better with the 80, saved about 10K and its all the same to me and probably a better wheeler.

Full marks for spotting the linked posts.
 
MH_Stevens said:
This is one I "bought" from a dealer in San Clamente, So Cal. Afterwards I contacted the lexus dealership for service records and was told that the seller had declined to do the 90K mile service because the engine needed too much work. After a big fight the dealer took it back. I'm better with the 80, saved about 10K and its all the same to me and probably a better wheeler.

Full marks for spotting the linked posts.

He was meaning more along the lines of WHAT is a LX459.....since everyone else only knows about a 450 and a 470....
 
so is that why is lx459 is a "99".

In his sig line he gave the wrong year and wrong model # for a truck he says he owns but does not actually own or intend to own. That seems to indicate an information delivery accuracy problem that extends beyond keyboard entry issues. Perhaps he is an eBay vendor?
 
I'm guessing the picture shows the crossmember holes coned out. What did you tow? Crap I'd like to see "reasonable" towing do that. I pull my boat up and down hills to the lake and have not seen any reason to question the strenght of the crossmember. I would not use it as a recovery point but that's why you have the factory loops. I'm sure the hook that is intended to be used is NOT a combination pental/ball but just pental for small off road trailers.
 

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