agoraphile

I have a 97 LX450. Bought without any factory roof rack. I have a Yakima removable roof rack, but I was hoping to find and purchase a factory roof rack and have it installed. Is this possible or has it been done? I've scoured some wrecking yards without success.

Also, I've had this truck for 12 years - it's been a family commuter for years, but now that the kids have left home, I love the truck and I want to turn it into more of a true off-road vehicle. Not sure where to start, and I would love some input from those of you who have started with a stock LX.

hankinid

I'd suggest going to ih8mud.com...get to the Forums and then onto the 80 Series section. See what might be available in the classifieds section and maybe post a want-to-buy ad.

Your truck should have plastic strips covering the factory rack mounting holes. Some have 2 mounting points per side, others 3. The particular rack you get was added at the point of entry into the U.S....so whatever was available was installed on the truck.

I'd definitely check pricing on an oem rack...I have no idea as to how much, but I bet it will be phenomenal. Maybe mind-blowing enough for you to check out actual expedition-grade racks made by Gobi and others...search on Mud and see what you find. OEM rack is labeled at 150 pounds maximum load.

hth

Steve

agoraphile

Thanks a ton. I just passed a LC with an IH8MUD sticker and was thinking I ought to check into that. Appreciate the response!

Jacket

I like your thinking. The 80 series platform is one of the finest ever made.

I went from this:



to this:



Ih8mud is a great (if not overwhelming) resource for all kinds of builds. You'll have fun exploring over there. I can also start with a few pointers on some of your specific goals.

- Skip the OEM roof rack. Most folks, including me, have removed the factory rails as they tend to gather dirt and moisture, resulting in corrosion and leaks. If you want to build an off-roader, consider an aftermarket flat rack (i.e., Gobi, Gamiviti), or if you want something simpler go after some Yakima gutter towers and some crossbars.
If you are stuck on the OEM rails, then put up a wanted ad on Mud and you should be able to pick up a set for nearly nothing. Most folks can't even give them away.

- Don't overbuild it too quickly. Start slow and see what you actually like to do. You can create a pretty capable 80 series with a set of sliders to protect your rocker panels, and a nice little suspension upgrade for improved ride and flexibility. Upgrade to an LT tire (All terrain or Mud terrain tread) for improved durability off road. You don't want to deal with a flat when you are miles from pavement.

- Go poke around at http://sleeoffroad.com/ for some very nice upgrades. They are in Colorado but ship around the world and have some of the finest Land Cruiser parts and accessories around. Given that you are in California, you've got a pretty good selection of shops as well that could help you with parts and installation.

And maybe most importantly, make sure it's up to date on maintenance. If it breaks down, runs like crap, or has bad goup in the axles then you're going to run into trouble on the trail. Take care of that stuff too when you are building up the truck.

Enjoy!

98SNAKETR

Yep, consider yourself lucky you don't have the factory roof rack

The factory rails were the first things I threw in the trash

You're much better off using the gutter rails which are a thousand times stronger





Here's the rack I made for my 80 series using aluminum and EMT