Our Expedition vehicle
The primary means of allowing to us to go into the woods and do our explorations and research on abandoned logging railroads is our 2008 Lexus GX470. This page is about our research and camping vehicle and it's build and specifications.
Note: This Lexus GX470 page is still under construction
Our 2008 Lexus GX470 is the 4th Expedition Vehicle that we've built since 2000. All have been Toyota based vehicles, including a 1989 Toyota 4x4 pick up, a 1995 Toyota Land Cruiser FZJ80 and a previous 2008 Lexus GX470 that was totalled in an accident. Our GX470 was retired from daily driving and is built to be exclusively a camping and exploring vehicle and includes a roof top tent, accessible from inside the vehicle and full on board electrical and water system and portable diesel heating for winter use. The factory 4.7 V-8 engine is unmodified as well as the 4x4 drivetrain. The suspension has a very moderate 2" lift and larger BF Goodrich KO3 tires were added. The interior has been extensively modified and fitted for it's role as our off road explorer and camper. Additional features include Metal Tech front steel bumper and rock sliders, a 10K winch and RCI full underside steel skid plates. The interior is fully custom built. Although the GX470 is more than 17 years old and has extensive miles on it, it's been partly restored and is fully maintained to be the most reliable expedition vehicle possible of it's era and age.
Our Prior Expedition Vehicles
1989 Toyota 4x4 pick up
1995 Toyota Land Cruiser FZJ80
2008 Lexus GX470
We have been building expedition and exploration 4x4 vehicles since 2001. Our first was a 1989 toyota pick up that was heavily modified and later had a front solid axle conversion as well as front and rear lockers. It was under powered with only 100 h.p., but still an real off road beast. It was replaced by a moderately modified 1994 Land Cruiser with full front and rear ARB lockers that was more comfortable, very off road capable but a massive gas guzzler often getting a little as 9 mpg. After using a Subaru (not shown) for a number of years, we bought our next true expedition vehicle in the form of a green 2008 Lexus GX470. It was lightly modified before it got totaled. We were lucky enough to find a replacement of the same year and condition and that is our current expedition camping vehicle. I miss all three of these vehicles for different reasons, but I believe our current rig is the best possible overall iteration of what we need.
Specifications of our 2008 Lexus GX470
Year built: 2007 Model year: 2008
Factory: Tahara plant in Japan Model: GX470, J120 platform (Toyota Prado overseas)
Length: 188.2" / 15'-8" (factory spec) Height: 84" / 7' (current as fitted spec) Width: 74" / 6'-2"
Chassis: Body on fully boxed frame, IFS front, solid axle rear.
Suspension front: Dobinson's coil spring/shock 2" lift, Nolathan Heavy Sway bar
Suspension rear: Factory 4 link, air bag springs, electronic shocks, Nolathan Heavy Sway Bar
4x4 system: Full time 4WD with lockable center diff, torsion limited slip center diff.
Brakes: All disk, 4-sensor & channel ABS with EBD, 13.3"-in front, 12.3"-in rear
Traction control/lockers: Factory Atrac 2.0 electronic traction control, no diff lockers
Fuel Capacity: 23 gallons (22 usable) + 5 gallons of onboard reserve for total of 27 actual gallons.
Max Estimated Highway Range (based on conservative 13 mpg): 350 miles (including reserve)
Transmission: Aisin A750F 5 speed automatic Transfer Case: VF4BM w/manual hi/lo (GX exclusive)
Trans Ratios: 1st: 3.52 2nd: 2.04 3rd: 1.40 4th: 1.00 5th: .73 Reverse: 3.22
T-case ratio: High 1.0 to 1, Low 2.57 to 1 Front and Rear Diff ratio: 3.73 to 1
Engine: Toyota 2UZ-FE 4.7 V-8 (285c.i.) Compression ratio: 10 to 1 Electronic Advance: VVTi
Horse power: 263 @ 5400rpm Torque: 323 @ 3400
Tires (As fitted): 275/70R-17s BF Goodrich KO3 A/T Load Range E
Wheels (As fitted): 2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser factory 17x7.5 aluminum
Actual Gross Weight: Don't ask! Classified. LOL
Interior Modifications & Roof Tent
The rear has been built to maximize storage and gear. This is not a family hauling rig...LOL. It will carry me and one other person and that's it, but it also has every bit of gear needed for any camping or longer duration trip. A flat platform allows for a person to sleep if needed and if I didn't want to deploy the roof tent and also an open area to store all of our trip gear. At the front of the platform is a storage compartment for cordless tools and other gear. The red box mounted in the middle right of the cab is my all encompassing tool box. Above that is a first aid kit and my electrical tool and gear kit. One large pull out drawer, stores gear and to the rear right is my main charging station, inverter and water tank level gauge. Under that, is where spare fuel is stored in several compact Wedco fully air tight sealed Nato cans. (5 gallons total) To the right of the pull out drawer, under the platform, is stored a 15 gallon Iron Man water tank and under the same platform forward of the water tank is stored my large 12 volt lithium batteries. On the door is a fold down table, the water system filter, RV pump and faucet and other items. Although I designed a sink into the system, the sink had to be stowed separately when not in use and lately I just leave it home. Additional items are Makita batteries for my power tools, a paper towel rack and a Makita battery charger. The water system is one of my favorite features. In the winter, we have an LF Bros portable diesel heater that we carry with us and vent into the tent. This is more than adequate for even the coldest below freezing nights and the internal diesel tank for the heater will last at least 12-14 hours before needing a refill. As back up or if we don't want to deploy the diesel heater, we have enough electrical capacity to run two electric blankets all night and still not fully drain the house batteries. The awning is Nomadic 270, standard size and on the passenger side (not shown in these photos) is a Quick Pitch en suite shower/bathroom tent/stall for privacy when nature calls.
No space is unused for storage. With no rear seats, there is no need for rear door windows and so they were covered with these boards and more storage. In the front area of the platform was a space to build a storage compartment for tools and other gear. And behind the driver's seat, more space to store gear, including camp chairs and more.
Probably the most unusual feature, is the ability to access the roof top tent from inside the vehicle. This was done by cutting a hole in the floor of the Roofnest Falcon tent to allow us to climb inside through the sunroof. The tent is a standard size Roofnest Falcon purchased in about 2020. It's mounted on super low profile load bars that replace the factory roof rack and allow the tent to sit as low as possible on the roof. My three major modifications to the tent are the access hatch, the Maxxair vent ceiling fan and electrical power wired into the tent for lights and charging. The tent also has 110volt AC plugs to power electric blankets with the source of AC power being a Renogy Inverter in the cab.
For camping, we have lot of electrical and battery storage capacity. We currently run three 100 Ah SOK lithium 12 volt batteries, for a combined capacity of 300 Ah. The batteries power our Whynter FM-452SG 45 quart 12 volt compressor refrigerator and everything from all the (too many to list) lights we have, plus fans, inverter, electric kettle, air compressor and electric blankets. The batteries are kept charged from multiple sources. The main source is Victron DC to DC charger, which gets it's power from the engine alternator. Additional charging comes from the 400 watts of solar on the roof, via two, 200 watt Renogy ShadowFlux panels, through two Victron solar controllers. A shore power outlet on the side of the GX, allows us to plug in an extension cord to any 110 volt plug (at a dedicate RV campsite or our garage for example) which charges the batteries through a Victron AC charger. In the past I brought a generator, but it gathers dust now in the garage. We have more than enough battery capacity for anything we could need as long as we're not in one camping spot more than a day or two....and we never are. When were out in the wilderness....we're always on the move to the next historical site.
A reliable on board air compressor is a must have for us. We air up and down our tires all the time. Especially when driving on sand, which we do often when we take trips to the Oregon beaches that we can drive on. However, I also air down while driving on gravel forest roads. I typically run high pressures on the highway (50psi) to maximize fuel economy, but these pressures make the ride and handling too rough on gravel roads, so I'll air down to something more moderate (25-30) when on the thousands of miles of truck logging roads that we drive on to reach the historical sites we're searching for. An down to 15-20 in places like sand. Our onboard air system consists of an ARB Dual air compressor which can pull an astounding 60 amps at max load. I modified a Morrflate hose system through a custom manifold that allows me to easily inflate all four tires at the same. The hose is permanently mounted in such a way that it splits to come out both the left and right passenger doors of the GX and easily roll up and stow away just inside both doors. Air down is usually done with a set of Staun preset pressure deflators. Just in case the main ARB compressor fails and our tire pressures are too low to drive home on the highway, I have a back up Makita cordless compressor stowed away.
The cockpit has it's own modifications. Lots of switches, gauges, radios, etc. An Auxbeam light control panel operates all the driving, side and rear lights. A wolfbox rear view digital camera mirror allows me to have full rear view while driving. A Scangauge 3, fully monitors all engine and transmission parameters, along with extra gauges for oil pressure and temperature. Two Renogy battery monitors, tell me the states of the main starter battery and the rear house batteries. A Midland MXT400 40 watt GMRS radio allows communication with friends when traveling in a group. On the passenger side, the glove box has been replaced with a control panel with USB plugs, a rear temp gauge and volt meter for the house battery system and the rear AC controls mounted to the front. Since we travel with a dog who sits in the rear, my wife can monitor the rear temp on hot days and control the factory rear AC output from the AC control panel. Previously, this panel was mounted on the rear center console for rear passengers to adjust. The center console is now larger arm padded armrest that doubles as a step to allow easier access to the tent through the sunroof.
Exterior Modifications
Besides the tent and awnings covered in the previous sections, the biggest exterior modifications are the Metal Tech front steel winch bumper, Metal Tech rock sliders under the doors and RCI full steel skid plates under the GX, including lower A-arm skid plates. A full steel gas tank skid plate is sitting in my garage ready to install as I've just not gotten around to it yet. Metal Tech is a local company based in Newberg, Oregon. The bumper houses a 10K lb rated Smittybuilt winch with synthetic cable. Probably one of my least used, but most heavy items on the truck and so it's hard to say if it's worth having. But it only takes one emergency to justify it. All of the steel armor, bumper, sliders and skid plates add up to hundreds of pounds of weight. Fortunately it's low for center of gravity purposes. All of these items have protected the truck on our adventures and have the marks and scuffs to prove it.
The RCI steel skid plates were an easy bolt on, although I have had to modify the mounting system a bit over the years. An additional cross member is added to secure the furthest rear skid plate. This provides full protection of the underside of the engine, transmission and transfer case, but makes changing fluids a lot more difficult. Cutting into the fender for the snorkel was a bit nerve racking and this older photo shows the snorkel right after install. Contrary to popular belief, the snorkel isn't meant for deep water crossings, but rather to reduce the amount of dust and debris that gets into the engine. It doesn't hurt for water crossings, but this vehicle is my home away from home, so I'm not 4 wheeling just for the sake of 4 wheeling and there has to be a pretty compelling logical reason why I'd be going into water that is anywhere near the fender... LOL.
Metal Tech sliders were bolt on and designed to fit the GX470 frame. They can support the weight of the vehicle and protect the door sills and body from damage and also double as a step. Factory sway bars were replaced formuch larger front and rear Nolathan sway bars, which have greatly improved handling and reduced the body roll induced by the increase in weight on the roof and overall body. This does reduce off road articulation somewhat, but I'd rather have the GX handle better since we spend hours on the highways on our way to the dirt and gravel roads where the fun stuff is. Also shown in the front sway bar photo is the Dobinson 2" lift shocks and coil springs. The rear suspension is actually mostly factory stock, including the factory air springs, but the air springs are modified to give an additional slight lift over stock.
Rear coil spring conversions are popular for this type of rig. I don't do it, because the factory air spring has a feature that allows me to lower and raise the rear of the GX. This helps me clear the 7 foot tall garage opening at home and allows us to level the vehicle out for camping in an uneven spot, so those are compelling reasons to keep that system in place. Also the rear end never sags, no matter how much weight I add as the air springs are constantly compensating to maintain the perfect height.
A more recent modification was the addition of this black storage box to the rear door. The story begins with a rear end accident in which a Toyota Tundra couldn't stop in time and ended up denting the rear door and doing minor damage to the plastic bumper. No other damage occurred and the door opens and closes fine. But I had a choice in replacing the entire door or taking advantage of the situation and doing some heavy mods to a body panel that I didn't care that much about and could still replace later if I really wanted too. So this storage box hangs off the rear door through a system of extensive bolts and brackets, making it solid as a rock. It has zero affect on departure angle, but can store a number of items including a chainsaw, recovery gear and the upper box acts as our trash can to keep garbage outside the vehicle. I also carry duralogs for camp fires. This has freed up space in the interior. Remember, we're not here to win beauty awards. Everything is about function.
Engine & Drivetrain
The GX470 2UZ-FE V-8 and drivetrain, along with the rest of the GX has 212,000 original miles. Normally, this would be well past the service life of many vehicles. But this is Toyota design and a Lexus build and Lexus is the most reliable vehicle ever made as far as I'm concerned. The 2UZ-FE is also one of the most reliable, longest lasting engines ever designed. Several have actually officially gone over 1 million recorded miles, but it's very common for them last 350-400K miles with nothing more than basic maintenance. The Aisin 750F transmission is also very reliable. And our engine has been well cared for, with zero leaks or issues, does not burn any oil and oil remains clean, even several thousand miles after oil changes. Here, the engine is under going a full timing belt change and service so it can go another trouble free 100K miles. I do most of my own work so I can 100% ensure it's done with as much care to perfection and detail as possible. Because we now only use the GX for weekends and expedition travel and don't daily drive it any longer, this GX470 could potentially last us the rest of our lives. In fact, the only limitation is the lack of parts in the future. And shockingly, Toyota and Lexus are discontinuing some common parts for this vehicle, which has caused to me stock pile things we might need in the future. The only engine or drive train modifications I've made, is upgrading the factory 130 amp alternator to a Toyota Sequoia 150 amp alternator, which was a direct bolt in. Unfortunately, this is one of those discontinued parts and I got one of the last ones. Also shown, is a larger Hayden transmission cooler that I added. Although the GX470 comes with a small factory transmission cooler as part of it's standard tow package, I added an additional larger cooler that is run in series with the factory cooler and this has greatly improved temps in the summer and should extend the life of the transmission even more.
in closing, while I miss my other expedition rigs, probably most especially my old 1995 Land Cruiser FZJ80, the GX470 is hands down one of the most reliable, comfortable and easy to modify and drive rigs I've ever owned. The Land Cruiser was far more capable off road with it's solid front axles, heavier duty suspension and front and rear lockers and it's 1FZ inline 6 engine was plenty reliable, but today that rig would be 30 years old, parts would be hard to find and it got a miserable 9-12 mpg. The GX isn't a whole lot better in the gas mileage department...averaging about 12-14 mpg, but when your in the low teens, every mpg counts. The GX also has far more modern safety features that the old Land Cruiser didn't. Such as full all around front and side curtain airbags, electronic traction control and electronic brake controls that can prevent skids and make driving on the highway much safer and overall, it's just a much safer vehicle. Our original 2008 GX470 was wrecked in a front end collision that involved a direct impact to a concrete barrier that completely destroyed the front of the GX, set off the air bag, but allowed me to walk away completely uninjured. That sold me that I needed another one. And while I sometimes dream of a larger camping van or even a longer wheel base pickup with an integrated camper, the GX470 has one major advantage for our purposes that those rigs don't. It's compact and it's a short...about the length of a Subaru and this allows us to navigate very narrow logging roads and turn around in very tight spots when we can't continue any further. We do this ALL THE TIME...and every time I make that 100 point turn on a narrow dirt road with a harrowing cliff off to my side...I'm thankful that we're driving this rig and not anything bigger. And so if money fell out of the sky...yes, we probably would buy and build a van just for camping and touring....but it would be THIS rig that we'd continue to use to explore and research abandoned historical sites all over the Pacific Northwest.
