prarucu | 1999 LX 470 build/maintenance/etc log (1 Viewer)

Pulgasari · Sep 13, 2023

Figured it might be time to make a thread to document everything I've done (or want to do) with my 1999 Lexus LX 470. I’m probably not going to be doing anything too crazy, and this thread is mostly for my own notes, but of course I’d be happy to chat or answer any questions.

Quick Links:

Priorities:

Vehicle maintenance; I've been stranded once and don't want it to happen again, plus this is my only car
Highway ride comfort; I'll be spending a lot of time on the highway going anywhere, so it better be comfy
Interior livability; Ideally I could live in my vehicle at a campsite etc... for a few days
Off-road protection; I'm new at this and don't really know what I'm doing, so I'd like to minimize any potential damage

Goals:

Visit all 48 continental states and major natural parks/attractions
Familiarize myself with vehicle ownership/maintenance (ideally, I'll learn how to do basic things myself)
Familiarize myself with off-road techniques (recovery, field repairs, etc...)
Keep this damn thing as long as I can

Oh and also, in case anyone’s curious about the vanity plates, the pirarucu/arapaima is my favorite fish.

With these out of the way, let's get into the thread!

Pulgasari · Sep 13, 2023

Story:

When I was 11 years old, we moved to Southeast Asia. I spent a bit of time in Cambodia, and somehow I was just as fascinated by regular everyday traffic as I was by the history and culture around me. For the record, I was a history nerd with almost zero knowledge or interest in vehicles. Most people got around by motorbike (which, it turns out, could fit 6 people). If you were rich enough to buy a car, you were probably going to get a 90s US-market Camry (which fits 10). But if you were really flexing, you'd buy a Lexus SUV with massive LEXUS decals on both sides. Those were basically the two options, because most of the roads were terrible, and roadside gasoline options were sketchy - you'd pay an elementary schooler to top you up with whatever substance was in his oil drum under a tree. I left the country knowing that I wanted to feel like a Cambodian baller one day.

A few years later, I stumbled across the Reddit post where someone realized their 2013 Land Cruiser had previously belonged to a Nigerian warlord. I was hooked - if a car was good enough for Cambodian cronies and Nigerian warlords, it was good enough for me. A few months later, I stumbled across a red LHD LJ78 Prado on the way to work; I had never seen anything like it, and damn, did it look good. If I ever needed to buy a car, it was going to be a Land Cruiser.

Two years ago, that need arose. I had accepted an internship in California, and since I hadn't seen much of the country, I figured I might as well drive there and back from Massachusetts, so it was time to go shopping. At the time, I was still a college student without consistent income, so I was limited to the bottom of the range - early GX470s or LX470s. I ended up settling on the following priorities, in this order:

Good mechanical condition and new-ish timing belt/water pump; I had never worked on a car before and needed something that would make it roughly 10k miles without any major repairs
Completely rust-free undercarriage and lifetime Southern ownership; I certainly wasn’t going to buy anything near me in MA
Clean and mostly functional interior without a factory nav unit; I didn’t want to put seat covers on, deal with a broken or complicated sound system
Clean exterior without major damage or excessively peeling clear-coat
Complete maintenance history; why not?

After a bit of searching and a few lost leads, I found one that met the first 4 criteria here on MUD: a white 1999 LX 470 with around 280k miles, stock AHC, a newly redone interior, new-ish timing belt/water pump, and registration in Texas since new. There were a few yellow flags - total mileage was unknown since the instrument cluster was replaced, the PPI revealed that the steering rack was leaking and a front CV boot was torn (it also cost $100 instead of $150?), and, unknown to me at the time, it was registered to the seller’s business. Nevertheless, I bit the bullet, flew to Houston, bought the LX, and drove roughly 2000 miles back home.

A few uneventful months later, it was time to make the trek out West. For reasons that might be quite obvious, I took the I-80 route via Chicago, Wyoming, Salt Lake City (!), and then Vegas, making it to the Bay with a day to spare.

I had a blast exploring NorCal for the next 2.5 months, but soon enough my time was up. My sister and best friend flew out, and together with a roommate bringing his own car back, we headed East. Another night in Vegas and $40 in combined gambling profit later, we drove North to visit Zion, then South to camp in the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, and then North again to Monument Valley, probably my favorite 24 hours of the entire summer.

After Santa Fe, Big Bend, and New Orleans, we were three days and 1500 miles away from school. What could go wrong?

I can’t pinpoint the specific incident, but on the way to Nashville, the front of the vehicle started wobbling quite heavily. Took it to the mechanic next to the motel, apparently both front control arms were gone, and I was misfiring on cylinder #7. Friend, sister, and roommate left, and I spent the next four days alone, stressed and bored out of my mind in a Best Western Inn on the outskirts of Franklin, TN.

I’ll end the story here, but in the year since, I’ve driven a further 10k miles, ventured off-road on a few Central VA trails. The LX is in much better shape, and I’m starting to do some quick fix/install jobs myself. Can’t wait to see where we’re at next year!

Pulgasari · Sep 13, 2023

Maintenance Log:

Italics: Previous ownership
Underline: Self-installed

200-225k ish: Replaced alternator
250-280k: Previous owner’s baselining

New timing belt and water pump

Air conditioning refresh/recharge

Various fluids/seals replaced

Instrument cluster replaced - the new one seems to be roughly 55k behind the original one, so that’s the translation I’m using
280k 3/22: Vehicle acquired
285k 8/22: New windshield (pinecone fell from tree and cracked it)
287k 8/22: New front lower control arms (both sides)
287k 8/22: New front right side CV axle
287k 8/22: New spark plugs
296k 3/23: New steering rack
296k 3/23: New front ball joints (both sides)
296k 3/23: New battery and OEM battery tray
- It had a single half-size battery and wouldn’t start if I didn’t drive it once a week, even with the dashcam unplugged
296k 3/23: Heater Ts fastened
- Turns out these weren’t tightened properly, so I was leaking coolant for almost a year… the 2UZ is so good I didn’t notice at all
300k 7/23: New hood struts (cheap aftermarket)
301k 8/23: New front left side CV axle
301k 8/23: New front differential seals
301k 8/23: New transfer case front output seal
301k 8/23: New rear sway bar links and bushings
301k 9/23: New front sway bar links
302k 9/23: New Denso radiator (emergency Windrock repair)
302k 9/23: Reman Ultima 100A alternator (emergency Windrock repair)
304k 3/24: New transfer case rear output seal
304k 3/24: New rear driveshaft

Outstanding Maintenance Items:

Engine air intake box doesn't seal properly
Front rotors have some light scoring
Heater doesn’t or didn’t work very well
No AHC maintenance/service records
- Works fine and the lines aren’t rusted, but I should probably flush it
Rear aftermarket subwoofer occasionally makes “dragon breathing fire” noise
- I’m assuming there’s a bad ground somewhere?
OEM engine oil/water sensors disconnected from instrument cluster and instead connect to aftermarket gauges mounted on A pillar
Fan shroud is cracked and held together with zipties (emergency Windrock repair)

Pulgasari · Sep 13, 2023

Mods:

Italics: Previous ownership
Underline: Self-installed

250-280k: Previous ownership (exterior)

Snorkel

18” 07-21 Tundra steel wheels

LT265/70R18 (33”) BFG KO2 tires

OEM running board delete

3M ceramic window tint

Plasti-dipped front grille/Lexus badges
250-280k: Previous ownership (interior)

Reupholstered dark brown seats, dyed steering wheel

New, thick dark brown carpet

Aftermarket sound system

AVX-4800BS double din headunit

Radio with PTT and external antenna
296k 3/23:DIY 3rd row fold out sleeper platform with cubbies
- Bought this lightly used from some dude on Reddit
299k 7/23: 3rd row delete, 3rd row seatbelt delete
300k 7/23: ASFIR 3-piece skid plate kit
301k 8/23: OEM roof rack delete
301k 9/23: Trail Tailor recovery points
303k 11/23: 17" Nomad Convoy 501SA wheels
303k 11/23: LT285/70R17 (33)" Falken Wildpeak AT3W tires
303k 12/23: Pinch weld mod
303k 1/24: White Knuckle Offroad rock sliders