JeepTrick

I own a Jeep Grand Cherokee, but my brother owns a LX470.

We have taken the Lexus offroad a few times, to play with the Jeep, and I have been impressed with its abilities offroad. We took the sidesteps off before going offroad, and the abilities astounded me. Of course, the Jeep zealots don't like to hear this, or the fact that a vehicle with IFS can perform very well offroad...

But here is the link to my photopoint account with the comparison pic. To reiterate: the Jeep has 6" suspension lift, with 33x12.5" Goodyear MT/Rs. The mods on my Jeep total over $10k. Don't get me wrong, I love my Jeep and it is extremely capable, but I also really like the Lexus (especially the audiophile sound system!!). The LX470 is in high mode.... notice the huge clearance. My Jeep has about 7-8" of clearance on stock Grand Cherokees, so one can only imagine how a stocker would compare. Of course, the Jeep has a shorter wheelbase and narrower track, so it is more nimble in the woods. But the LX470 is pretty damn capable, and we took it almost everywhere that the Jeep went on that trip. Within reason, of course, since the tightest trails would have caused some serious paint damage. We avoided those.

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/Album...165&a=13852968

Here is the link to a thread I started on the Jeep forum, since I am fed up with all the stupid comments I get when I talk about trips offroad with Range Rovers and LX470s, etc.

http://forums.jeepsunlimited.com/ubb...ML/003694.html

Anyway, I don't know if there is a offroading community here, with people who take their beautiful LX470s (and Land Cruisers) offroad, but if there is interest, we can post more photos.

BTW, the LX470 decends very steep hills with more control than the Jeep.

Francis K

Welcome to ClubLexus JeepTrick. I'm sorry there isn't much of an off-roading community here on CL. The LX forum is a small one because Lexus sells LX470's in the low 100's range every month and I'm fairly certain a good percentage of them aren't off-roaders.

Well impressed with the LX huh? That puts a smile to my face. Know anything about the LX450? Well when compared the LX450 to the LX470 avid off-roaders described the LX470 as "for going to the mall". 1998 marked the re-design (end) off the SJ80 Landcruiser and LX450. I'd love to hear what you think if you took my LX450 to a trail. Oh, and the Grand Cherokee is a great and proven rig. It puts a smile on my face knowing the LX can live up to a off-roader modded one.

JeepTrick

Does the LX450 have a solid front axle?? If so, then it must be tops offroad! Does it have a locking from diff? Wow!

The previous generation of the Land Cruiser with its solid axles and diff locks was a top performer offroad. Guess I'll have to seriously consider saving up for a LX450 then.

Francis K

saving up eh? You won't have to do very much, demand for a LX450 is so low it's unbelievable. I guess mainly because it looks like a box on wheels and who would want and ugly Lexus when they could have a ugly Toyota for much cheaper and is more capable off-roader?! All I have to say is check out E-bay and look at how much their going for....bring a tear yo my eye .

Francis K

Yea, i said cheap but this is unbelievable!


http://cgi.ebay.aol.com/aw-cgi/eBayI...item=596804810

gee, and I paid 30k last september with 25k

AKoch

I'm taking my LX470 off-road.... probably as often as once or twice a month. Just to get to the places that otherwise I would not be able to go. Often I go with Jeeps, Explorers, 4Runners, etc here in British Columbia.

What should I say? I do not feel handycaped to say the least. Yes, I am missing sometimes that locking front differential in the front and the vehicle is heavy indeed. That's all I can come up with on the negative side. It is as capable as all the others, if not better. Only it treats you differently, and your comfort level is considerably higher then on other 4x4 vihicles whether on- or off- road.

Yes, you have to have at least a good tug rope, and somebody else with you. I guess the same applyes to the rest of the guys.

What is unquestionable is that outside of the USA not a whole lot of people really know what is Jeep. Everybody seem to know what a Land Crusier is and what it can do. I'd be hard pressed to come up with the second vehicle which has earned a comparable level of trust as LC. May be only Defender and Unimog and G .....at some parts of the world, that's about it.

And I probably will not discover America for you if I say that in some places on this planet you can get TLC100 with a rigid front axle and bloking differential. And secondly, the LX470 is nothing else but Toyota LandCruiser Cygnus rebadged for North American market.

Regards,

anthracitetarga

iTrader: (1)

JeepTrick...welcome. I have a 97 4Runner SR5 4x4 (along w/ my SC3) and i was wondering if u know anyone who has put anyhting like 31's on their stock 96-98 4Runners? Also, how good is a 4Runner SR5 V-6 4x4 w/o rear diff.? I'd like to take my 4Runner out and do some more serious offroading but I dont want to get stuck? Do u ever go mudding...if so what type places do u go and when? Also, i would love to see some pics of ur Jeep.