erupert

I've done it on the LX 450, but don't how the LX 470 is set up. Probably not a big deal to do it, but you should get the Factory Service Manual if you're going to do bigger jobs like this. On the 450 you have to have a special service tool for the rear axle locking nut, in order to get it off and set the pre-load when you put it back on. Don't know if the 470's have a locking rear differential option, but on the 450's, you need to lock the rear diff before pulling the rear axle shaft. Rookie. Thanks. I guess that I'd better check to see if I need to tool before I start. The 470 has LSD not a locking diff.

I tow a race trailer (open) and the whole setup weighs almost 5K. As to your question, it depends on how much tongue weight you are putting on it. The rule of thumb is 10% of your total weight on the tongue. The auto height-control is rated for up to 700lbs which should be plenty. If you haven't loaded your TT correctly and you have too much on the tongue, you will bypass the height control. Get your trailer weighed somewhere with all your stuff in it to figure out where you are on totals. They sell a tongue scale that you can use to check your weight. Equalizing hitch takes weight off the tongue so you should be OK to use of of them instead.

Just noticed that I have a rear axle seal going bad. The parts are cheap (around $10-$12 each for the innner and outer) but I am wondering if anyone on the board has replaced theirs by themselves? I've done it before on other cars and it's a solid-axle design so I am thinking that I shouldn't need any special tools. Any tips? I have a friend with a shop so I have access to his lift (although it's not free) for a day. Once it's on the lift and torn apart I don't want to find out that I am missing something.

See my post and the one previous. There's obviously some heavy brakers out there.

Well, I think that it all depends on how you use the brakes. Do you crawl up behind someone then brake hard or do you coast in with more stop time. Brakes exchange kinetic energy for heat. The heat is caused by friction. The longer the period of time that you dissapate the energy over, the less friction you will require. In addion (just saw this again today in the holiday traffic), when creeping up on someone on the highway, do you let off and let the wind drag slow you down or do you touch your brakes. I was behind someone who was touching the brakes for a second about every 5 seconds on a downhill when the car in front of them was at least 10 car lenghs ahead. Definately someone who will be replacing brakes sooner. In addition, the dealer will be very conservative about when the pads are replaced. They first mentioned changing them at the 45K service. At the 60 they said that it was "critical". I got another 10K out of the front and 15K from the rears before they were really starting to get thin. I checked them at the 45K mark and they were barely under 1/2. Now, if this was my race car, I would definately pitch them at 50% because there isn't enough material to dissapate the heat and the brakes will generally boil the fluid and fade once the pads get under 50%, but a street vehicle should almost never be subjected to that kind of heat load.

Really..?? Edmunds pulls up a Dealer retail TMV for this mileage and condition of $22,250. Are you in the business? I would agree. My brother is starting to shop for one and he said that he is definately seeing low $20's for newer models than a '98. While it probably wasn't a "killer" deal, it's still better than $28K on a new Trailblazer.

I've gotten huge variations on brake life based on the service writer I pick. With my Landcruiser, the service writers use the Landcruiser brake jobs to make thier money, and I've had them try to change pads with as little as 8K miles on them. I'm buying a Lexus this time hoping for better, more honest service. My wife is the daily driver of our lexus. We got 65K out of the first set of pads. Just changed them again at 120K and they weren't even 1/2 used up but the rotors were warped. Had all four turned for $200. In addition, with 120K, we are still on just the 2nd set of Michelins.

I took the door panel off my '99 when the window support broke. You need to remove the power window/lock assembly. It's fit in with a snap assembly. I didn't know and brok mine taking it out. Now it just lays in there. But, I digress. Once you remove power assembly, you should see another screw for the center panel. I believe that the rest of the perimeter is just snaps.

They might call for 4 hours in the book, but it's a load of crap. I just did my front pads and taking calipers off isn't more than a couple minutes. In addition, I thought that the rotors would be hard to take off so I took it up the street to have them cut the rotors right on the truck. However, they had to remove them as they couldn't get the clearance. Pulling both and turning them is 2 hours. Another 1 hour for the rear. 3 hours labor to have all of them off. Can't be that hard if a generalist suspension shop can do it for 2 hours labor.

How much did this cost? I might be interested in the steering wheel. My shifter is in fine shape, but my leather on the wheel is starting to wear significantly. The later year's wood look would be a nice update as well. email me at eric@theruperts.net

Starting with the 60K service, I have used the Toyota dealer for service. One thing that I noticed is that now I am low on suspension fluid. I am sure that the fluid wasn't flushed since the Toyota's don't have the active suspension.

Check The Tire Rack (www.tirerack.com) - They have good prices. My shop is one of their installers so I get them dropped shipped to him and they mount/balance them there. I have 119K on my '99 LX470, I am still on the 2nd set of Michelins so I love them. I put this set on at 70K and I think that I can get at least another 10-15K out of them.

Unfortunately, the owner did his "homework" and you are the one that just got taken. You will have to buy a whole new "brain". As long as there is one programmed master key with the truck, a duplicate can be made (although Lexus gets around $200 for another key). But it sounds like there is only one key and it can't be programmed (that's what the dealer told us). We are running risky right now because one key was stolen a couple years ago. Must have been kids as they picked the keys off the counter of a coffee shop where my wife left them. While she was sitting with a friend, they went out and unlocked the truck and stole my cellphone. She also had my keys in her purse and didn't realize what had happened until she got home. Needless to say, the dealer says that if this key get's lost we are in the same boat as you.

Interesting problem. Happened in my unit once about 3 years ago. It was right after the dealership returned it and their "driver" had the truck for 4 hours running personal errands and it smelled a bit like smoke. Needless to say I reamed them out. They replaced the unit for free and also totally detailed the truck. Surprised to hear that it's a fairly common problem.

lease is allways tricky. are you certain that you aren't going to go over the mileage? You will spend $36K to drive that car for the next 3 years then turn it in. If you spend $50K on an '04, do you think that it will only be worth $15K in 3 years? Will you want to sell it after 3 years? I bought a '99 brand new for $61K. My plan is to keep it 10 years for an average of $6K/year ($500/mo) not including maintenance. I am just wrapping up year 7 with almost 120K on the clock and the only repair bill that I have ever had is a bad fuel injector around 98K. It's still in beautiful condition and is pretty hard to distinguish from an '06. Hope it helps a bit in your decision.