▲ 9 r/LexusGX
Traded my tuner for a tank — one year with my GX470
With a growing family, it was time to trade in my tuner lifestyle (VW GTI, Subaru STI) for something more family-friendly and snow-capable. This also means it’s my first automatic transmission. Sometimes I still hunt for the clutch when coming to a stop...
I do all the work myself, focusing on mechanical reliability first. While I like the overland look, it just isn’t reasonable for my needs or budget. I do a fair bit of mountain biking though, and getting to the trails can be sketchy, so moderate off-road capability is definitely useful.
Maintenance / Restoration:
- Timing belt
- Water pump
- Serpentine belt
- Front axle rebuilds (both sides)
- Inner tie rods (both sides)
- Outer tie rods (both sides)
- Sway bar links (both sides)
- Thermostat
- Spark plugs
- Power steering reservoir replacement (filter is built into the reservoir) & flush
- Greased everything: suspension, driveshafts, joints, doors, rear door lock-thingy, etc
- Sunroof reseal
- Seats refreshed
- Factory amp replaced (refurbished factory unit)
- Underbody/skid plate restoration, paint, & undercoat
- Fluids: rear diff, front diff, T-case, oil, trans w/ filter (broke 5 pan bolts...)
Mods / Upgrades:
- Bilstein shocks
- Eibach springs
- SPC upper control arms
- TRD rims w/ K02s
- Window trim chrome delete (Prado trim comes in black)
- SuperPro lower control arms (installing soon)
- Rear door molle panel
- Grill lights (always on/DRLs)
- Fog lights (hooked into factory controls - on w/ running lights and/or headlights)
- Plate lights (yellow, to match front lights)
- K&N intake. Didn't add noticeable performance but does sound better.
- MAF sensor mount (K&N MAF mount was questionable)
- Random touchscreen headunit
- Converted oval front door speakers to 6.5” round speakers
- Painted all logos black
Probably forgetting some small stuff. Still a work in progress, but the goal is a reliable, capable, and clean GX.
u/SlightlyFoolish — 3 days ago