Traveler

These are expensive. Have you been out bombing trails or potholes in Bazrah? 60,000 miles ain't much Let the dealer (and maybe corporate) take a look. travler

Unless you are all OK, you need to explain if you have the 470 or 450. On the 470, the vent recerculation can be set in two ways. Don't know about the 450 as the systems are different. The squeal sounds like a 450 with the rear differential locked and under big time load. You can get the 470 differentials to make noise when the center diff is locked, the steering is cocked all the way over and you are under load. In fact, if you toggle the trac control on and off you can trash the ring gear. If you do this sufficiently, the truck can not be driven. Big buck boo boo. Tell us more. trav

The system should stay at low or high until you reach a certain speed. The low speed cut-off is very low; the high is a little above 15. What you describe (going immediately to NORMAL) can be caused by a software(?) error which gives an incorrect reading until the system is reset with a truck restart -- sometimes this does not help, either. Of course, your truck could just be returning to NORMAL. Lexus corporate says you can not keep the truck in anything but NORMAL above the set speeds. However.... You could add a power on/off switch to the power line to the control module for the height adjustment. The manual has the module's schematic. Does this work? I don't know. It should, but I have not tried it yet on mine. Remember that driving at higher speeds with the vehicle on LOW or HIGH does have its own inherent risks, so changing the system may not be a good idea. The system should allow for more direct control, though. A heavier load than 700 pounds over the rear axil overrides the ride control and the truck squats. That is normal, but unless you lower the front, you headlights point too high. Of course, you can't lower the front above 15. Oh well. traveler

Just a word of caution if you go to play hard on the curves. If you put the truck in stiffest suspension mode and run it fast in the corners you will not feel it lean. This is similar to a good sports car. However, the 470 is not a sports car, it is a truck with a higher center of gravity. Many of us rely on the vehicle to let us know when we are driving too fast around a corner because it leans uncomfortable to one side; when the 470 does not lean, we assume it is ok to go faster. Not always true. On the firmest position, the truck will not lean before it begins to tip. Stay alert. You can feel the truck begin to ride up on the square shoulders of the tires if you are used to driving quick. If not, you will notice that inner rear tire (in relation to the curve) begin to lift. If you miss that signal, you will notice when the driver's door handle drags on the ground. The truck always signals its intentions. Have fun. traveler

Interesting swap. The 470 is a lux truck. That is obvious, but sometimes seems forgotten. The ride is different from a lux car -- more truck like but not objectionable. Cornering reminds you that it is higher than a car though if you do not push it, you will never notice as the suspension breeds confidence. If you learn to operate the controls on the tranny hump console, you will begin to find the value that separates a 470 from the Land Cruiser. The real lux of the 470 comes when you do truck things in comfort. For example, checking out new land where there are no roads, just trails and creeks and mud holes. Take your friends and realitor for the ride of their life. Take the family for a picnic where only the tuff trucks go, but you get to go in total safety and comfort. Perhaps dinner on the edge of cliff off a fire road as the sun sets? No prob. Hay for the animals -- bring the hay pills on! Snow -- secure in over a foot of the white stuff. And if your date is running late, don't fret. Just park out front and pop in a DVD, kick back and enjoy the show. love this truck traveler

Looks like great fun. Wish I was there! Do you know of any rails for the 470 series? ARB/Australia has some but will not ship out of the country. db

The truck can tow its rated load and also stop it safely. However, don't kid yourself. The truck may not be the weak link in the chain of making the towing experience work -- you might be. If you don't know how to balance a load on a trailer to avoid an overloaded tongue weight or a swaying trailer, start with a smaller load and experiment and seriously consider sway bars. If you did not choose a trailer with adequate brakes, which are sometimes more than just the legal requirement -- get to know your rig before you pile on the weight at highway speeds. If you don't know how to corner, panic stop or back-up from a boo-boo, practice. If you can't match RPM's with HP and you don't have a supercharged engine from TRD, and you pull a heavy load in hilly country, you will be disappointed by the trucks poor performance. And if you expect the truck to level itself with a heavy tongue load, so you can drive at night with the headlights on the road in someone's eyes -- think again. Other than that, its a great pulling machine and up to whatever challenge you put to it. Traveler

ARB has a bull bar with room for a 10,000lb Warn winch for the LX. It is made and tested just for that vehicle (the LC one is different). Most ARB dealers are unaware of this rig, so you have to have them call ARB in WA or call 4x4 Connection in western VA. The 10,000lb winch is a special order item as the 10,500 is common here in the States. The smaller winch is still available overseas. Installation is very easy. traveler