Jeff92se

sorry for a must be repeat post. I lurked 10 pages and didn't find much. Since the lense shape seems to be the same, is it plug and play? I know the hids have a ballast but are the connectors the same or easily converted? Thank.

I just bought a 2000 RX300 awd for the wife. Nice!

How do I know if I have the rear limit slip differential installed. I bought the car from a Chevy dealer so I know they don't know! hehe.

Thanks again. I'll keep searching in the meantime.

willard west

The HID bulb is different than any conventional bulb.

An AWD RX300 hasen't yet been built to my knowledge, only pretend ones.

LSD on the rear...

mooretorque

Jeff92se, you can get your local Lexus dealer to run your VIN on their service network computer. You should be able to get all the specs re your RX. I don't remember when VSC and TRAC came into being on the RX, though there will be a VSC badge on the front quarter panel if you have it. When Lexus added those two systems to the drivetrain, the LSD was dropped since, in theory, the VSC functions as an electronic LSD.

Don't know about upgrading to HIDs. Doubtful though, since it's not just the lamp and ballast but all the self leveling gear too.

Jeff92se

""The HID bulb is different than any conventional bulb. ""

I realize that. It would probably involve using the whole assembly from a hid equipped RX300. I didn't think I had to clarify that sorry. ie.. 2k2 maxima hid fit into non-hid 2000 maximas becuase the headlight shape is exactly the same. You just install the new assemblies + fiddle w/ the wiring harness slightly.

""An AWD RX300 hasen't yet been built to my knowledge, only pretend ones.""

It's my understanding that the RX300 has a standard 50/50 power split inbetween the front and rear tires. Maybe I'm wrong. Worst case though I would prefer FWD first then having the power transfered to the rear. As FWD are much better in the snow than RWD biased vechicles. In Seattle, my wife's Accord went though everything we could throw at it with no snow problems. We also don't have any illusions regarding the off-road capabilties of this suv. We know it's built on a unibody chassis and the awd system is not set up for serious off road. Hell it doesn't even have a "low" gear.


""LSD on the rear...""

Yes, is there any way of checking the vin to see if my RX has the optional rear differential limiit slip viscous liquid differential?

Jeff92se

Thanks. From lurking around, it seems I missed these goodies by one year. 2000 vs 2001 model year. But in reality I would rather just have the rear limited slip differential. More simple I guess.

I would hope the self-leveling gear would be incorporated into the entire lense housings of the 2001+ lights. Maybe someone can chime in here.

Thanks

spinteews

HIDS... damn, i still figuring out how and where i'm going to get it... I wanted factory HIDS, but it didn't come with my 2001 rx300, so i asked the dealer if they woudl isntall it for me and they didn't want to, would cost aroudn 2-3 gs... too much money because they have to change the entire wiring and harness or something... sigh so i gotta go with aftermarkets instead...

willard west

Do you ski?

New Years day I watched as a 2001 RX300 AWD tried to climb the shallow incline from the lower Summit parking lot to the upper, he didn't make it and neither did a new 4runner. The guy in the 4Runner got a little peeved when I walked up to help him by pushing (manually). He then tried it in low range with no luck.

My 1994 AWD Ford Aerostar made that trip several times that afternoon.

Would you even need to travel over any of our passes when the WSP says chains only? Do you live in one of the many Seattle neighborhoods that doesn't get plowed at all?

You can't put chains on the RXes rear wheels at all becuase of the poor clearance with the coilspring support and even Lexus has admitted that chains only on the front (which is what they recommend in your owners manual) can be EXTREMELY hazardous.

Jeff92se

Okay I'll bite. What makes your Ford different?

Jeff92se

So I take it no one here has tried to retro-fit the oem 2001+ hids on to their 1999-2000s

willard west

Yes, I upgraded to the 2001 HIDs by trading in the MY2000 RX that didn't

Aerostar AWD. Not sure, I had summer tires, chains, but not installed, the Aerostar is likely heavier. If anything it would have to have been the fixed torque distribution, 70/30 F/R normal, electronically swicthes to 50/50 if rear slippage occurs.

Don't know about the 4runner but the RX AWD has an open center diff'l that's supposed too get stiffened by a VC if slippage occurs.

RX300TC

Sorry Jeff, but no one wants to post/contribute to a thread where wild ***** is lurking. Something about the endless droning of his voice drives them away. Sort of like the sound of guy claiming over and over that 25k oil changes are perfectly ok.

Jeff92se

Well it looks like it will take some time to get into who's who I guess.

But the 25k oil change thing. Well I'm a pretty hard avocate of synthetics myself. There only a few makers of synthetics that even claim those long oil change intervals. The only I know of is Amsoil(which I've used in the past). It's might have been mentioned but to go that long, you must use Amsoil oil and Amsoil filters. You also must change the filter regularly. But in all honestly, without frequent oil analysis(ie.. Amsoil or Blackstone labs) even I would hesitate to go that long. But I know of people that do go pretty long before oil changes and they have squeaky clean engines.

I used to try to cram oil into down everyone's throat but come to the conclusion that once the info is posted, there's nothing more I can really say. People either believe the info or don't.

Jeff92se

Not sure? Well then you have to see what type/condition of the tires on the other Toyotas I guess to really see what happened. I'll try to read more on the RX awd systems.

mooretorque

Jeff, I reread my post, should have been more clear. When I said that running the VIN should give you all the specs on your RX, I meant ALL of them, including whether or not yours was built with the LSD.

RX300TC is referring to a gentleman who tortures the Edmunds RX300 board under the name "gimpyrx" having sludged his RX engine running Amsoil for 25k miles w/o changing. He's pretty vehement in insisting that his dealer in particular and Lexus in general are all pieces of *****, even though they've apparently honored his vehicle warranty.

BTW, since you mentioned tires: replace the Goodyears at some point with Michelin CrossTerrains. In fairness to the Goodyears (this has all been done to death in other threads), they are......uh.......adequate. But very cheap. The CTs will provide justas quiet and smooth a ride with much better handling and steering feel, plus much more aggresive tread pattern for nasty conditions. Don't forget to do the spare, too.

RX300TC

Just to clarify Moore, there is no difference between ***** or Gimpy. I'll explain:

Gimpy keeps posting on a subject he believes he is correct in (sludge and his 25k oil changes), even though, most folks believe he is incorrect or really don't care after hearing it for the 100th time. He believes he is providing a service by droning on and on again about the same dead horse.

***** keeps posting on a subject he believes he is correct in (RX300 4WD), even though ,most folks believe he is incorrect or really don't care. He believes he is providing a service by droning on and on again about the same dead horse.

There is no difference, so it's hillarious when ***** starts to lecture Gimpy. It's "like the pot calling the kettle black".