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GX470 Modifications, Maintenance Updates and What's Next

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June 24, 2024 In case you weren't aware, I purchased a new (to me) 2005 Lexus GX470 about 2 months ago (see my full post here ). Over that period of time, I've been doing a LOT of maintenance and livability improvements to better enjoy my 20-year old car. GX470 Modification Breakdown at Purchase As you can probably tell, my GX470 was not quite "factory" when I bought it. There were a number of modifications that had been completed; albeit these modifications were relatively tame with nothing too crazy. Suspension ( before you ask, no I do not understand why the previous owner installed suspension that didn't match on front and rear and I did not ask at time of purchase ) Front - Old Man Emu (OME) 3" lift with comfort springs - link Rear - Dobinsons Nitro 3" lift with heavy springs - link Freedom Offroad Upper Control Arms (UCA) - link I ran these on my LX570 that I lifted, but that was due to a limited market for the 200-Series platform Ideally, I will n
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Planning a Journey to Deadhorse

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June 10, 2024 The Yearning for More Last year, my friend Jake and I embarked on a trip from east coast to west coast in the spirit of the Cannonball Run . You can read about our road trip in my 3-part blog series ( Part 1 , Part 2 , and Part 3 ). During the trip, Jake and I both genuinely believed that the Cannonball Run that we had worked about a year to plan would be the ultimate adventure. After a few months though, we both felt that we wanted something a bit more unconventional and potentially even a step further into questionable decisions. So we started brainstorming... Breaking Down the Options & Choosing a Path Forward When we started thinking of what to do next, our criteria was: Unique in not following in the footsteps of other journeys before Scenic drives Safety above all else Budget-friendly 10-12 days We developed a few options ranging from completely insane to relatively reasonable. Here were the options that we came up with in increasing order from least crazy to mo
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Full-Circle Moments Don't Happen Often, BUT I’m Glad When They Do

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May 14, 2024 Toyota Life Recap If you either know me or have kept up with my blog for some time, you will be well aware that my favorite vehicle is the fourth generation of the Toyota 4Runner  (4th Gen) specifically with the 4.7L V8 and 4-wheel drive. I have loved the 4th Gen since I was a little kid when my father had one that he bought new in 2007. I purchased my first Toyota SUV in 2018, which was a 2004 Lexus GX470. The Lexus GX470 was built on the 4Runner chassis (technically the 4Runner was built on the Land Cruiser Prado 120 chassis), giving it the same 4.7L and 4-wheel drive system in a nicer package than the 4Runner counterpart. I wrote another post regarding My Introduction to Overlanding here  where I explored the purchase and history with my GX470. Generally speaking, GX470's are in better condition as well because the original owners were families not looking to destroy an off-road capable vehicle but safely get their kids to soccer practice. Below is a picture of my G
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