If you’re like me, driving a boring car sounds straight-up awful. Everything I own must have Devin’s touch. Usually, it involves being in a war with weapons of mass destruction in my garage, but that’s reserved for race cars. For street-driven vehicles, it’s more subtle… but still purpose-built. Which leads me to my tow vehicle. My approach to a tow vehicle is somewhat unique/strange. I didn’t want a pickup truck (unless it’s a Raptor, I’d punch a baby for one). I needed a minimum tire size of 33″ tires for recreational Overlanding. And I’d like low cabin noise for all those highway miles. It must also be reliable, serve as the primary backup vehicle, and be under 15k. Naturally, this leads me to a Toyota… a Lexus-flavored one. I call her Glexus… but the normies call it a Lexus GX470.
What’s a Lexus GX470
The GX470 was introduced in the states in 2003 as a successor to the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado. It also shares a platform with the fourth-generation 4Runner… but has some noticeable differences. The GXs only come with the 2UZ V8. It was also equipped with air suspension and automatic rear height control vs. the standard shock & spring on the 4Runners. Of course, this was done to provide a more plush ride for those seeking a more luxurious experience. A well-optioned 4Runner could have most of the things that a stock GX470 has, except the elite status of the Lexus badge. The Lexus GX470 was phased-out in 2009 for its bigger (technically smaller) brother, the GX460. In Toyota fashion, they have mostly stayed the same underneath… with facelifts of the GX460 from -09 to present day.
Not Great But Manageable…
Let’s talk about the new to me Glexus… all 250,000 miles of her. You can hop on the marketplace and see multiple examples with mileage from 100k-400k! If you know anything about Toyotas of the ‘90s through early 2000s, you know they were built to last forever. Correction: Built to last till they wither away from rust. That’s the kryptonite to these things. They corrode away faster than most cars I’ve encountered. There was a class action lawsuit with the Tundras, Tacomas, and Sequoias from 04-08. If you are in the market, which you should be, be sure to get one that’s rust-free or from the Southern states. I didn’t… but for a Midwest truck, it’s relatively clean enough. It only takes a couple of ugga-juggas to break things free, and I’ve only broken a few bolts so far – winning.
Checking Things Off the GX470 List…
1) It’s not a wack pickup truck. 2) It’s pretty silent on the expressway, being a Lexus and all. 3) Toyota reliability is in full swing. 4) My girlfriend feels like a damn patriot when she is driving it… so the ‘backup vehicle’ box is also checked. And 5) It only cost me eight grand without looking that hard. Oh yeah! And it can tow my cars too… which is an essential part of being a tow vehicle. The GX is rated for 6500lbs, just like most V6 trucks these days… which would get better gas mileage. But STFU MOVING ON!
The GX470 needed a lift…
I wanted 33s on this thing. Honestly, I wanted 35s… but I had sensibility creep into my head and downsized to 33s. I needed a lift, and I wouldn’t say I like lifts, so that put me in a bind. Now hang on: I should elaborate before Wooley’s Jeep bros jump me. I personally dislike lifted trucks that don’t fill the wheel well with enough tire. Sometimes it’s the ergonomics of the truck that won’t allow it (like the squared-off wheel wells of the last generation Silverado). And sometimes it’s a personal preference. Terrible personal preference… but I digress. I wanted as much sidewall as possible.
Lifting with Eibach…
For the lift kit, I went with Eibach for a few reasons. They have a simple kit that would raise the truck just enough to be able to fit the tires I wanted. I only needed about 2-inches; this kit is around 2-3 in the front, and about 2.25 in the rear. This kit also converts the rear bags into a strut & spring assembly. Another thing that sold – was the affordable/reasonable price. I always look for the best bang for my buck that suits my needs… and I will always try to share them with you all. Once installed – the truck drove better than it did before. I was honestly surprised. Most lifted trucks I’ve ridden in felt like complete dog shit over most bumps it should have been compliant with. This kit didn’t require any diff drop kits or upper control arms. In other words, the Eibach kit keeps it simple. Still – I recommend getting aftermarket upper control arms (at some point) to put them at a more natural angle. Drop sway bar end links would be nice for a similar reason: to have them more relaxed when not loaded.
The 33s…
I went with a set of Falcon T2 wheels I got from eBay. They are 17×9 +15. I wanted to splurge for some real wheels, but I knew that would make me hesitant to use the vehicle as intended. The tires are a BFG K02: The basic-bitch All-Terrain tire that everyone loves. The size is 285/70/17. I’ll do the math for you. It’s a 32.8″ tall tire, so it’s not quite a 33″… but it’s like taking a nude photo at the right angle… it can look way more prominent than the measurements.
What’s next…
Is it time to tackle lighting for highway use, and at the track? Or – should I take the GX470 to do some snow wheeling up in UP Michigan?
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