Looking For a Good Mech Shop in the DFW Area (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Apr 25, 2012
Threads
5
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31
Location
Dallas, TX
I've been reading lots of threads lately trying to decide which route i want to go for installing a slight lift to my GX470. I need a good shop in the DFW area that is knowledgeable and can give me a few opinions/suggestions, as well do the install once i figure out what i want.

Anyone have a shop in the area they'd recommend?

Thanks.
 
I'd like to get some opinions here too, but didn't want that to be the focus since i still need a good shop in the Dallas area.

For now, i've been thinking about getting the adjustable Bilstein 5100 shocks up front and use the existing springs for them. In the rear, i was going to keep the airbags, but do the regular 5100 Bilstein shocks...and then add a few washers to the ride height brackets to trick the airbags into raising the GX up a little more in the back. Thoughts?
 
For finding a shop, you might want to post in a forum that isn't platform specific- perhaps something like the General forum- you will get more visibility there, so chances of getting someone in the area who knows of a good shop is increased.

For what you want to do to your suspension, that is pretty much what I've done. It is super inexpensive, and that is the main reason I went with it to start out. I wanted to see how I was really going to use my GX and what I wanted long term before I dropped a bunch into suspension. It isn't bad, but you definitely get what you pay for. I don't feel that the Bilsteins up front are as nice as the stock suspension (ride wise), but they aren't horrible. They make the GX feel more like a truck than a luxury SUV. Tricking the airbags definitely make the rear a bit harsh, even with a heavy steel rear bumper. I wanted to keep the airbags since I pull a trailer, but when it tops out, it does so with a bit of force and causes a bit of a bump.

It isn't bad for now, but I'll definitely be upgrading my suspension sooner rather than later. Post #115 in the 120 series photos thread is my GX if you want to see what mine looks like with this set-up.

Also, if you are looking for a shop mostly for installation of the lift, you might look into doing it yourself as it is super simple to do. If you have a good set of hand tools, floor jack, and jack stands (and a place to do it), I would really think about doing it yourself. There are good how-to videos on Youtube; it took me about 4 hours to do both the front and rear lift on mine following a similar method to the video I linked.
 
Also posted on your ClubLexus thread

Hit up my good buddy, his shop is called Trailworx Fabrication in Dallas:

Dave Ojeda
(95)522-9792
trailworxfab@yahoo.com

Shop location:
1006 Harrison Ave. Suite 414
Arlington, Texas

Tell him Sang sent you his way! he'll get you all sorted out for a reasonable price too!
 
thanks! i really appreciate the help guys!

H2O...thanks for the tip about posting in more of a general forum. i went to a couple of off roading shops in town, but they've never worked on a lexus..or toyota for that matter. if it wasn't a jeep or a pickup truck, they had no clue. So, i thought i'd post in a place where people had experience with this type of vehicle first.

SNC...i'll give those guys a shout.

MMW...thanks for posting in the texas forum!

I do have some of the tools...and one of my buddies has the spring compressors and such, so...i may do the work myself. i like knowing guys have done this kind of install with the parts i've been thinking about with no major issues.
 
The video I posted shows how to install the struts without a spring compressor. Super easy, and I think, safer.
 
I've been reading lots of threads lately trying to decide which route i want to go for installing a slight lift to my GX470. I need a good shop in the DFW area that is knowledgeable and can give me a few opinions/suggestions, as well do the install once i figure out what i want.

Anyone have a shop in the area they'd recommend?

Thanks.

The video I posted shows how to install the struts without a spring compressor. Super easy, and I think, safer.

If you are going to do it yourself I recommend the way they did it in the video as well. This will also allow you to get your top hat and shock eyelet to line up perfectly. Renting spring compressors makes the job a pain but it can be done that way as well.

My local shop charges $20 per shock/spring assembly so you could always take the new coil and springs to a shop and have them assemble them prior to you taking the old assembly out. You would need new top hats (the part with 3 bolts and wallowed out hole in the video linked by whiteH2O)
 
I would also recommend Josh at Baertrax. He had a highly modded 100 series that he drove for a while, and he works on lots of Toyota suspensions.
 
Thanks. I'll get in touch with the guys at baertrax. I like supporting the good local guys. If I decide to do the install myself, I'll do it the way from the video. Looks simple enough.
 

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