Builds "Rednexus" - 2007 GX470 Build and Fabrication Thread (5 Viewers)
- Thread starter Rednexus
- Start date
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I’ll let you be my Guinea pig! That’s my next upgrade. I’m on my second aftermarket radiator and it recently developed a pinhole on the top plastic tank. I used some JB plastic weld to fix it but summer is coming fast and it gets hot down here!
so glad i installed mine a couple weeks ago. my stock one was looked real crusty. my temps have dropped almost 20 degrees along with installing a 170 degree thermostat
- Thread starter
- #545
Lots of things going in including:
1. 8.2 swap with 4.56 regear and front and rear Harrop elockers (courtesy of ECGS - my local gear shop had no idea what a Lexus GX was and wouldn't even quote this job).
2. CSF alluminum radiator - I could have put in a Denso but figured "why not". My rig has gotten warm-ish on big climbs out west, so I'd like a little more cooling capacity.
3. DC Power Engineering 180a alternator. My local dealers all wanted $300+ for the Sequoia 150a alternator and the core exchange is challenging when the nearest one is 45 minutes away. So I spent $150 more and got the bigger alternator.
4. Firestone airbags for inside the rear coils. Mainly for towing as I want to ditch the WDH when pulling our camper. I pulled a number of much heavier trailers over the past 6 months and outside of the back being "soft", I never missed the WDH. It's a pain for camper setup and teardown and is very heavy.
5. A few minor repairs such as a new PX6 (screen is dead on the old one although HVAC still works), new instrument and clock panel glass, and exhaust collector gaskets.
- Thread starter
- #546
Overall today went pretty good! The new shop is 100x nicer to work in than my tiny old one.
^The OEM rear wheel bearings were pretty nasty at 190K. They showed signs of some water getting in them. While the bearings were still smooth, I doubt these would have lasted much longer.
^They cheapie Amazon wheel bearing tool just barely got me through both bearings. It's 3/8 steel, but must be made out of recycled tin cans of something. Total junk, hopefully I'll get a refund for this. I also had to use a rental bearing splitter from Autozone to get outer race off the axleshaft. Overall, this wasn't too bad.
^Pressing the new SKF bearings onto the axle. I used a spacer from a ball joint service kit and it worked really well.
^Both axles with near bearings. I didn't get new snap rings and mangled the old ones, so Mrs. Rednexus is going to run to the dealer tomorrow and grab a couple for me. I can also verify that my 2007 GX470 axles slide right into the 8.2 Harrop elocker and the 8.2 Australian trussed housing.
^The OEM rear wheel bearings were pretty nasty at 190K. They showed signs of some water getting in them. While the bearings were still smooth, I doubt these would have lasted much longer.
^They cheapie Amazon wheel bearing tool just barely got me through both bearings. It's 3/8 steel, but must be made out of recycled tin cans of something. Total junk, hopefully I'll get a refund for this. I also had to use a rental bearing splitter from Autozone to get outer race off the axleshaft. Overall, this wasn't too bad.
^Pressing the new SKF bearings onto the axle. I used a spacer from a ball joint service kit and it worked really well.
^Both axles with near bearings. I didn't get new snap rings and mangled the old ones, so Mrs. Rednexus is going to run to the dealer tomorrow and grab a couple for me. I can also verify that my 2007 GX470 axles slide right into the 8.2 Harrop elocker and the 8.2 Australian trussed housing.
- Thread starter
- #547
^ECGS 8.2 and Harrop! Came 100% assembled and ready to go. It is beefier than the 8" for sure, but not drastically so.
^Aussie 8.2 housing with the Yotamasters M10x1.25 studs and pink Toyota seal packing. Honestly the studs were a bit of a pain to install - it's kind of awkward to hand-thread them in from the bottom, and I had to put lube on the studs to get them to spin easily. It took probably 30 minutes to get them all in and tight.
^Mostly-assembled Aussie 8.2. I moved over all of the brake lines and brackets and pressed in new outer seals. All of the brake line brackets, speed sensor brackets, link brackets, link bolts, and shock bolts are exactly the same as the 8". The sway bar bolts are M10x1.25 instead of M8x1.25 like the 8", and the sway bar brackets are in different spots. I'll pick up some M10 bolts for it tomorrow.
- Thread starter
- #548
^One very naked looking GX470. I also noticed one of my rear control arm bushings is torn, so I ordered a set from Sonoran Off-Road Fabriction. I'll run the old links until those are here.
^And here is my old 8" 3rd member. It's honestly in perfect shape with 190K on it! All of the gear teeth (ring+pinion) are perfect, you can still sear the factory gear pattern paint on it, and the lash feels about as same as the 8.2". No evidence of debris or water in the 3rd member either. I'm not really sure how folks are breaking these under normal usage as my rig has been wheeled quite a bit and it held up fine. It will be going on eBay if anyone wants it. The 8" housing will be scraped unless someone in the St. Louis area wants it for free.
Your old rear bearings and 3rd member gives me hope for my 185k mileold California seasoned stuff.
Almost went with the CSF rad, but got spooked because it wasn’t Denso. Eager to get your feedback.
Great work!
I’ll head over next week with beer and parts for my rig.
- Thread starter
- #550
I think you'll be just fine with your 8"!
In all reality, I live in Jeep & diesel truck land, and my local Toyota buddy moved away. Would love to have more local folks to wrench with!
- Thread starter
- #551
Made a little more progress after dinner today.
^Mrs. Rednexus picked up the snap rings, after which I installed the axle shafts and torqued everything on the new 8.2 down. Then, Mrs. Rednexus returned to the shop and helped me muscle the new 8.2 into place. Honestly it wasn't bad and we had it hanging on all 4 links in <30 minutes. I'm pretty lucky that she both tolerates this hobby and helps me too.
^I also welded on a new eimkeith PCK bracket and hit it up with a coat of paint. I ground up all of the exterior welds too....why not
.
^Tomorrow I will be figuring out the rear spring, spacer, and airbag setup. On my old 8", I had the Ironman coil conversion kit that was threaded up about 1". This resulted in the top of the spring isolator being 15-1/2" above the axle tube. With the new 8.2 (no coil conversion kit), I'm only at 14-1/8" above axle tube. I have the green 1" Ironman coil spacers....but the Ironman spring isolators don't exactly fit inside them. I'll probably shave down the spacers with a flap disk until they fit, the figure out how the bags are supposed to work (no instructions from Firestone....).
^Mrs. Rednexus picked up the snap rings, after which I installed the axle shafts and torqued everything on the new 8.2 down. Then, Mrs. Rednexus returned to the shop and helped me muscle the new 8.2 into place. Honestly it wasn't bad and we had it hanging on all 4 links in <30 minutes. I'm pretty lucky that she both tolerates this hobby and helps me too.
^I also welded on a new eimkeith PCK bracket and hit it up with a coat of paint. I ground up all of the exterior welds too....why not
.
^Tomorrow I will be figuring out the rear spring, spacer, and airbag setup. On my old 8", I had the Ironman coil conversion kit that was threaded up about 1". This resulted in the top of the spring isolator being 15-1/2" above the axle tube. With the new 8.2 (no coil conversion kit), I'm only at 14-1/8" above axle tube. I have the green 1" Ironman coil spacers....but the Ironman spring isolators don't exactly fit inside them. I'll probably shave down the spacers with a flap disk until they fit, the figure out how the bags are supposed to work (no instructions from Firestone....).
Is the CFS rad just a radiator, or does it have a trans cooler too?
Its on my list to upgrade the rad at some point. I had CFS in my WRX, I cant remember if I put one in my STi too or not. Never had any issues with it.
Its on my list to upgrade the rad at some point. I had CFS in my WRX, I cant remember if I put one in my STi too or not. Never had any issues with it.
- Thread starter
- #553
Yes, it contains an integrated trans cooler. I think it is only aluminum aftermarket that has one. Living where it gets cold, that was a plus for me as the cooler also warms the trans fluid in the winter.
Good to know! I thought about getting the Goliath Off Road trans cooler mount with the Hayden cooler, but will probably just do an all in one CFS like you did.
- Thread starter
- #555
I also have a Hayden aux cooler and will be retaining it with the CSF radiator. The OEM cooler on these is pretty small and they will definitely get hot if you are pulling big grades in the mountains where the torque converter is unlocked.
- Thread starter
- #556
Progress was slow today, but the needle was moved a little bit.
^Installed the shocks, sway bar and end links, new panhard bar, and torqued everything to spec. The 150 platform sway bar is around 2 mm bigger than the 120 bar, which is not a bad thing.
Most of my time was messing jacking the rig up and down to mess with the ride height. I ended up going with just my stock Ironman coils, Ironman isolators with all but one rung cut, and the Firestone airbags. With 0 psi in the bags I have 3/4" of rake. With my old setup, I have 1" of rake. The 1" Ironman spacers gave me closer to 1-1/4" of rake. I can always jack it up more with the bags, but honestly it looks better with 3/4" of rake than it did with 1".
^DIY'd a quick bracket for the air bag Schrader valves, out of some 1" flat stock, and hit it up with some gloss black paint.
Tomorrow will be tying up the airbag plumbing and, hopefully, getting the rear brakes/e-brakes back together. Then on to the front end this weekend.
^Installed the shocks, sway bar and end links, new panhard bar, and torqued everything to spec. The 150 platform sway bar is around 2 mm bigger than the 120 bar, which is not a bad thing.
Most of my time was messing jacking the rig up and down to mess with the ride height. I ended up going with just my stock Ironman coils, Ironman isolators with all but one rung cut, and the Firestone airbags. With 0 psi in the bags I have 3/4" of rake. With my old setup, I have 1" of rake. The 1" Ironman spacers gave me closer to 1-1/4" of rake. I can always jack it up more with the bags, but honestly it looks better with 3/4" of rake than it did with 1".
^DIY'd a quick bracket for the air bag Schrader valves, out of some 1" flat stock, and hit it up with some gloss black paint.
Tomorrow will be tying up the airbag plumbing and, hopefully, getting the rear brakes/e-brakes back together. Then on to the front end this weekend.
- Thread starter
- #557
^Have the back end totally finished and filled with Lucas 85W140 per ECGS recommendations. Airbags are at 35 psi and holding steady. Toyota rear e-brakes are torture instruments. The first one was 1+ hours of futzing around - with Mrs. Rednexus again saving the day. The second one took 25 minutes.
^The front is soooo much easier. Had the diff out in maybe 90 minutes, taking my time.
Plan A is to have the diffs done on Saturday and have the alternator, cable upgrades, radiator, and trans cooler done on Sunday. We'll see if that holds.
- Thread starter
- #559
Firestones for a Tahoe as well. I'm not sold on the top fitting angle either and see the hose wearing a hole in it eventually. How long have yours been in?
Almost 4 years! The air line on the right side came out once when I had it really twisted up. No problem since. I keep about 5 psi empty then 15-18 towing the Miata. Sometimes a little more if it’s heavier.
You might need a little more towing that camper depending on tongue weight and cargo. Night and day difference, a lot more stable.
You might need a little more towing that camper depending on tongue weight and cargo. Night and day difference, a lot more stable.
