Broc Luno

Ot seems there was/is a mythical Unicorn among RX's. In the early model years there was an optional Torsen posi-traction rear differential. I'm very keen on finding the parts to make that happen in a 2009 RX 350. So I went looking in the Toyota parts stream. I was searching the parts at a web site called Toyota Parts Overstock, or something similar. I was looking to see if some, or all, of the internals from an earlier rear diff would fit in a latter one? So I concentrated on the center section (the casting that carries the ring gear) P/N 41311J in the diagram. As I honed in on that part, I got a parts diagram with notes that that listed the years and models. The internals seem to be an 8" 2-pinion (spider gear) "V-6" diff that was commonly used on most everything: TOYOTA: 7 models, 305 variants between 1982 and 2010. Fits CAMRY, CELICA, HIGHLANDER, PREVIA, RAV 4, SIENNA, VAN And on page 1 at the bottom are some variation notes about the shape of the spider gears. And under that is a note about the model RX300 ... The rear end in a Lexus RX might be designated as an MCU15 ... [Nope - MCU15 is the designation for the Lexus Service Manual for the RX 300. I can be found on-line by Googling in MCU15 and Manual] Tthis is not conclusive proof of course, but aken all together, it seems to indicate that minus some variations in attachment, rubber isolation supports, and spider gears; this same rear end (internals) have been used in RX's from day one through some time in 2010. So the idea of finding a rare early RX 300 posi rear diff is possibly a good one. And with changing the external bits that make up the year model mounting variations, might actually fit a Gen II RX 350 ... I have to do more research, and prolly digging at Pick-&-Pull looking at Highlander and RX models from various years. But if what I'm reading is true (?), we could use the RX 300 Torsen posi in later models ... The trick will be to get a VIN number from an early vehicle with a Torsen factory installed. And use that VIN number to order the internal parts through Toyota's various web sites to build up a modern version (housing & mounts) to fit the vehicle of interest. Or rebuild the one we have with selected new internals. See attached for info: Lexus RX Rear Axle Housing.pdf

Thanks for the tips. I will reach out. I have an inquiry to Australia to see if the option was available there. If the guts of the 99~00 diff will fit the Gen II carrier, I might go that route ? I don't mind building a diff on the bench from a salvage carrier assembly, then swapping when it's in for service ... I don't know anyone who speaks/reads Russian to help find the parts and arrange the shipping. I might look around at the JC or somewhere for a Russian language person ... I'll check out PartsouQ and see if they can help 🙂

But still true. Many unique features and discussions about them ... I don't mind being segregated 😎

Thanks, but I was referring to the rear diff. I want to install a Torsen center section in the rear diff 😈

OK, more info. Apparently the Toyota Highlander was available in Russia in the same model years as the RX 350 with a Torsen posi-trac rear differential. There are lots of used ones for sale on Russian dismantlers web sites. The Toyota part number for a complete rear diff carrier assembly is 41110-21071. If you enter this with the word Torsen you'll get a slug of images of the diff on display and for sale. So what is the differential center section P/N from Toyota with the Torsen set-up ??

Excellent thread on installing nice hitches on RX models 🤠

Yes, because the topology is different. The power to the rear axle is different. There is no center differential. Modifications are different. Owners primary rational is different. And maintenance is different ...

OK, more info. Looked on RockAuto's web site and compared brake rotors between 3.5 Camry and RX 350. 11" rotor on Camry, 12.5" rotor on Lexus. So 17" is minimum wheel size. All 16"ers are out ... Now, what's the biggest 17 tire that will fit stock suspension ??? And since my preferred vintage is 2009, the limiting factor is clearance around rear strut assembly. But, we can play games with wheels to get a bit more positive off-set. RAV4 wheels have 45mm off-set, so they move out a bit and can more easily handle a wider section tire. Same hub center and lug bolt pattern. There are decent used steel wheels available for the RAV4 in 17" & 7" width that would be ideal for work on desert roads and trails where you have to worry about rocks cracking the bead of an alloy wheel. They'll just bend a steel wheel slightly, but you'll keep your air and get home ... So far, tire choice is: Cordovan Wild Trail Touring Cuv - 235x65r17 $81 and free shipping on eBay. "Excellent value, quality and performance for Crossovers, SUVs and Light Trucks. The Wild Trail Touring CUV provides a smooth, comfortable ride,all-season traction performance and superior durability " all packaged in a stylish design that promotes even wear, enhanced steering stability and handling responsiveness." Product Specifications Tire Size: 235x65R17 Part#: CO-WTX82 Serv Desc:108 H UTQG: 480AA Sidewall: BW Treadlife Warranty: miles Max Load: 2,205 lbs Inflation Pressure: 2,205 psi Tire Size: 10/32 Tire Weight: 34 lbs Rim Width Range: 7" Sect. Width: 9" Overall Diameter: 29" Features & Benefits All-season, on-highway performance at an economical price Five-rib tread design for a quiet, comfortable ride Wide circumferential channel design delivers excellent wet-road performance Progressive size lineup covers many popular SUV, CUV and Minivan fitments In the desert you want cheap strong tires. Rocks are your worst enemy. Goodyear Wranglers will last about a day ... These tires are only 1/2" taller than OEM and the added offset of the RAV4 wheel ought to make it clear the struts on the inside ... Anyone try this combo ??

Well I'll be contrary. There are members here with 400K on the RX's. Not everyone will go that far. But a well maintained one should go a lot further than 100K ... But Judy is right about it needing stuff. Just factor that into your purchase. In the next month or two, I'll be buying a fully loaded 09 RX 350. I assume it'll need around $4K worth of service, unless I get very, very lucky. But I have not bought a used vehicle with less than 85K in 40 years. Most with over a 100K. That's where the price break is. Low mile RX's go for $14K and up. Ones with warranty's go for $16K and up ...

They are bad. See the shiny and oil near the top, blown seals. Time for new struts.

Yes, get a cover.

Hi, just chiming in with my $0.02 worth. Cracked dash, get a "Dash Mat" cover and install according to the directions. Dark Gray or Black will reduce reflections in the front window and help make the interior quieter (soft sound absorbent material). Bad struts usually leak a bit at the top (seals are gone) and show oil streaks running down the body of the strut. If they are dry and the car still rides well, they don't need replacing. Springs seldom fail. Good boots help keep the old struts alive. Some shops just don't want to clean and reuse your existing springs. They like to order new as assembled units which makes their job easier. So they quote strut and spring ... If the car is running well and you like it, keep it. A low mileage 09 will be $16K on Car Max any day of the week, maybe more. Why spend that when you have a good one ... At 200K, when you do the timing belts, I'd do an "all fluids" change. You do mountain driving. Your tranny will really appreciate the new fluid and filter. Ditto the differentials. Being a bit compulsive, I'd do a few other things. As vehicles age, the electrical connections start to deteriorate. Splashing water and hot/cold cycles will start crevice corrosion between cable ends and the attachment points. Once that forms you have a semi-conductor. That means 0.3v voltage drop between every corroded connection. The biggest culprit is the battery ground point. The cable gets cleaned every time a new battery is installed. But the other end never gets touched. With modern systems relying on 5v logic and a common ground, it does not take long before things are off a bit due to ground side issues. Do yourself a favor. Either do it yourself, or have your mechanic install a new ground cable that he (assuming here ...) has soldered the crimped lug to the shiny fresh wire inside. Clean and grease the ground point on the block or frame/body when the cable goes in. Then have him add a crimped and soldered cable from the battery Neg (-) terminal to the firewall (usually a hood hinge bolt is good). This can be #4 wire or so. You will be pleasantly surprise how much nicer the interior lights work, radio, dash controls, etc. And your engine computer will be so much happier. All this stuff needs to "see" a true 0v ground. And likely has not really done so for about the last 100,000 miles or so. People don't talk about this, but it's one reason cars feel "old". The lights dim, the radio has more static, etc. Simple fix that works wonders. If you want to be really scrupulous, add another crimped and soldered ground wire between the body ground point selected, or the battery Neg terminal, and the alternator housing. The alternators voltage regulator depends on that same 0v ground as a reference. If it does not see a really clean ground signal, it will likely slightly overcharge your battery. This is not dangerous, but leads to having to replace the battery more often than really necessary ...

I'm actively shopping for a gently used nice Gen II RX 350. And once I get it, it will do both on-road daily driver duty, and mild off-road photo adventure stuff. I'll have two sets of wheels and tires so I cn have peace, quiet, and comfort in the daily driver world. The other set will have tires that can handle somewhat sharp SoCal Desert rocks w/o sidewall cuts. Off-roading seems to be a polarizing subject among Lexus owners? I made my living doing erosion and trail condition surveys for CA State Parks/OHMVR Div (the off-road side). I have literally driven thousands of miles of trails in a stock Ford Ranger 4x4 Pick-up and my own personal 88 Big Bronco (both had Lo-range and Posi, no lifts). The company truck ran street tires. My Bronco ran BFG A/T's. Very, very seldom got stuck. But you gotta use your head ... The reason I'm on the Lexus forum is that the old Bronco is long in the tooth (230K - original 5.0 engine and AOD tranny), and now that I'm old enough to draw SS and a pension, I am selling the Bronco, and will buy a 2008~9 RX 350. I really want the comfort of a luxury cross-over. As far as I can tell, the RX will do just fine. I have been doing a ton of research on what will actually work off road, and be very pleasant on the street? So many cross-overs have this deficiency or that ... I won't be doing any black diamond trails (toughest rating), or rock crawl events. But I will be going to the SoCal deserts to finish off a book my Mom started about WW-II training areas, before she passed. That means routes more difficult than gravel/dirt roads. It means sandy washes and scree slopes. I know the routes, but I want to get there (photo locations) in comfort. It's a 1,400 mile round trip, before I go on the dirt. Yes, I could buy a toy like a built CJ-5. But I also want to travel and pull my boat (16' outboard) out of state. So comfort is top of the list. Now seeing the crazy Russians in mud and snow, and yah-who kids with older RX's crawling Utah and blasting mud, I'm convinced that the RX is the best of both worlds. Soon'ish I'll be among the Lexus owners of the world !!

Welcome. Good place to start is to get a service history for the car? Then look over and see if anything looks out of date? I hang out in the more technical forums over at BobstheOilGuy site. You can get lost in there with discussions of best oil, etc. But, there are forums about transmission, differential, and motor oils. There is also Oil U and Oil 101 - both good places to read through. Bottom line is modern lubricants are very good. Modern extended drain services are OK, but ... There is no need to change oil every 3,000 miles like in the old days. But you definitely want to do it at least once a year. And better along the lines of spring and fall.(depending on mileage driven of course). Modern filters are good, but some are better than others... I dunno what Lexus call for in the owners manual (?), but I'd consider their recommendations as minimums. I'd prolly over service the vehicle for the first year or two. Definitely change all fluids and critical inspection of belts and hoses on a "new to you" used vehicle. You don't know who or how rough folks treated that vehicle before you got it. So fresh fluids and keeping an eye on everything is a must for the first year. If you get any heating issues, change the thermostat. I like marine grade stainless ones. But OEM is fine too. The thing that kills most motors and tranny's is heat with cooked oil and gaskets. Manage the heat and keep good oils at proper levels, it'll last a long time.

OK, I'm a little off base here. I don't even have an RX yet (shopping at this time). I'll prolly end up with a mid-life 08~09 RX 350. That model appeals to my senses more than the later ones. Anyway, I commented in some threads about lifted and off-road'ing RX owners about wheel/tire combos, and we'll see where those discussions go ... Since I'm pension age and have been driving since I was 14, I've tried some tires in my time. Cheap to high roller. Michelin's have always been sweet when new, but go south with age, fairly quickly. Most Goodyear's I have tried/had have had somewhat tender 2-ply sidewalls. So curb cuts and rock cuts are more common. Bridgestone's have been good all around, but not as quiet as some. Yokohama's have lasted the longest w/o aging out (sidewall cracks from Ozone). And their Avid line is really quiet. Their GeoLanders are great off-road. The tires I am experimenting with now are Kenda's. Kenda made their reputation with off-road motorcycle tires, bicycle tires, and tractor tires. But I bought a pair of Kenda Kinetica's for the front of a drag car I was building. Took them to tire shop and mounted them per instructions (red dot to dot on rim if available, yellow dot to valve stem if not) and neither one required any weight to balance. First time that ever occurred in my life. Two tires with ZERO balance weights required ... Needles to say, that piqued my interest. So now I have Kendas on my 4x4 pick-up, on Pop's truck, had them on my Saab 9-5 (sold), and will put a set on my mild off-road wheels for the RX 350 I'll be buying soon. Don't know what I'll use for daily driving set-up on OEM wheels? Prolly go Yokohama Avids in a +1 ... Anyway, hope this helps some looking for tires.

I posted this over in Golden Wombats thread on best off-road ... Off-roading an RX seems to be a polarizing subject among Lexus owners? I made my living doing erosion and trail condition surveys for CA State Parks/OHMVR Div (the off-road side). I have literally driven thousands of miles of trails in a stock Ford Ranger 4x4 Pick-up and my own personal 88 Big Bronco (both had Lo-range and Posi, no lifts). The company truck ran street tires. My Bronco ran BFG A/T's. Very, very seldom got stuck. But you gotta use your head ... The reason I'm on the Lexus forum is that the old Bronco is long in the tooth (230K - original 5.0 engine and AOD tranny), and now that I'm old enough to draw SS and a pension, I am selling the Bronco, and will buy a 2008~9 RX 350. I really want the comfort of a luxury cross-over. As far as I can tell, the RX will do just fine. I have been doing a ton of research on what will actually work off road, and be very pleasant on the street? So many cross-overs have this deficiency or that ... I won't be doing any black diamond trails (toughest rating), or rock crawl events. But I will be going to the SoCal deserts to finish off a book my Mom started about WW-II training areas and such. That means routes more difficult than gravel/dirt roads. It means sandy washes and scree slopes. I know the routes, but I want to get there (photo locations) in comfort. It's a 1,400 mile round trip, before I go on the dirt. Yes, I could buy a toy like a built CJ-5. But I also want to travel and pull my boat (16' outboard) out of state. So comfort is top of the list. Now seeing the crazy Russians in mud and snow, and yah-who kids with older RX's crawling Utah and blasting mud, I'm convinced that the RX is the best of both worlds. The plan is to have two sets of wheels/tires. A bit more rugged for known trips involving off road scenarios. And a set for daily driving and on road trip taking. So recommendations gladly accepted? I'm thinking factory 17x8 alloys and maybe +1 size for daily driver scenarios. For off road trip set-up I need more info/ideas/recommendations ?? I don't mind dropping a few $ on wheels, but I don't want something that will look out of place. So maybe 17x8 alloys with some positive offset to move the tire outboard a bit, and a larger/fatter tire ?? Then I had another thought (duh) ... Can you fit 16" rims to a 2009 RX 350 ?? Will they clear the brakes all the way around? The reason I asked is because that would give you more sidewall to play with w/o getting into the rear strut assembly. I'm now thinking 16" aftermarket rims with 70 series tires for the off-road combo ...

Look on You-Tube for Lexus RX off-road. You'll see what it can do, and where it gets stuck ... And 2010 and up have springs in the rear which allow tire and wheel fitment options the Gen 2 chassis (w struts all around) does not. Also note that the Gen ! vehicles were available with an optional posi-traction rear differential before the advent of traction control. Next, the whole vehicle rides on four little contact patches. So you have to select tires that will maximize the performance of the contact patch for the terrain you will be tackling ... Winter snow tires wear quickly on dry pavement, but they make snow, mud and ice work much easier. Fatter tires with some additional sidewall will allow airing down for sand work (a must).

There is thread about "Lifted RX300 Big Tires", or something similar. If you read through that, you'll get a sense of what some members are doing. Some members have gone on some pretty hard core routes and been OK. It can be done.

This seems to be a polarizing subject among Lexus owners? I made my living doing erosion and trail condition surveys for CA State Parks/OHMVR Div (the off-road side). I have literally driven thousands of miles of trails in a stock Ford Ranger 4x4 Pick-up and my own personal 88 Big Bronco (both had Lo-range and Posi, no lifts). The company truck ran street tires. My Bronco ran BFG A/T's. Very, very seldom got stuck. But you gotta use your head ... The reason I'm on the Lexus forum is that the old Bronco is long in the tooth (230K - original 5.0 engine and AOD tranny), and now that I'm old enough to draw SS and a pension, I am selling the Bronco, and will buy a 2008~9 RX 350. I really want the comfort of a luxury cross-over. As far as I can tell, the RX will do just fine. I have been doing a ton of research on what will actually work off road, and be very pleasant on the street? So many cross-overs have this deficiency or that ... I won't be doing any black diamond trails (toughest rating), or rock crawl events. But I will be going to the SoCal deserts to finish off a book my Mom started about WW-II training areas and such. That means routes more difficult than gravel/dirt roads. It means sandy washes and scree slopes. I know the routes, but I want to get there (photo locations) in comfort. It's a 1,400 mile round trip, before I go on the dirt. Yes, I could buy a toy like a built CJ-5. But I also want to travel and pull my boat (16' outboard) out of state. So comfort is top of the list. Now seeing the crazy Russians in mud and snow, and yah-who kids with older RX's crawling Utah and blasting mud, I'm convinced that the RX is the best of both worlds. The plan is to have two sets of wheels/tires. A bit more rugged for known trips involving off road scenarios. And a set for daily driving and on road trip taking. So recommendations gladly accepted? I'm thinking factory 17x8 alloys and maybe +1 size for daily driver scenarios. For off road trip set-up I need more info/ideas/recommendations ?? I don't mind dropping a few $ on wheels, but I don't want something that will look out of place. So maybe 17x8 alloys with some positive offset to move the tire outboard a bit, and a larger/fatter tire ??