A deep-dive into Adriaan’s GX470 overland build.

Adriaan is a Product Development Engineer KC HiLiTES, where he brings a passion for geeky engineering and a love for the great outdoors together. Initially raised in South Africa, Adriaan now calls the Desert Southwest home, where he enjoys spending his time exploring the desert and all that the surrounding areas have to offer.

Having grown up primarily around Toyotas and Jeeps, and having a few Jeep builds under his belt, he decided to build a 2009 GX470 a couple of months ago. I guess you could call it a Toyota Prado 120 if you really wanted to! The main themes of the build are clean, functional, and reliable.

Is the 2009 GX470 good for overlanding?

Why did Adriaan choose a Land Cruiser for this latest build? Let’s take a closer look.

A Lexus might seem like an odd choice for vehicle-based adventure, but in reality, it is a more finely polished Toyota in some aspects. The GX470 surprisingly has a lot going for it as a desired adventure vehicle (besides its rear axle!)

Firstly, it has an ultra-reliable 2UZ, which is arguably one of the best V8s Toyota has produced. An IFS suspension coupled with a solid rear axle is a proven setup for comfort over rugged terrain. The stock rear axle is a little less than ideal. Surprisingly, an interesting aspect about the GX is that it is a pretty tall vehicle with ample headroom, along with storage space for all your adventure goodies.

The chassis shares some components with the FJ Cruisers and 4Runners alike. So, with a good solid foundation, coupled with a mild lift and tires. It seems like a logical choice for a practical adventure vehicle. A neat feature on the GX470 is the barn door. Unlike a regular SUV, there is no hatch that pops up. The barn door serves as a great feature for his specific build.

Build Specifications

Armor & Protection

  • Full ARB underbody skid plates for engine and transmission protection
  • DIY Victory 4x4 Front Bumper Kit
  • Goliath Off-Road Radiator Skid
  • Warn Winch with Factor 55 accessories
  • DIY JW Rock sliders
  • JW Control Arm skids
  • RCI Control Arm skids
  • RCI Differential skid
  • Icon rear shock skids

Storage & Interior

  • Air Down Gear Up drawer system for organizing gear
  • Dometic water storage tank
  • SnoMaster Dual Zone fridge on MSA Drop Slide
  • KAON Rear Shelf
  • JW OffRoad Dash Mount
  • Yaesu FTM-300 on 3D printed mounting accessories
  • Rugged Radios 25 Watt GMRS Radio
  • WestCott Designs modular rear tire carrier
  • PowerTank with APEX Designs hose reel

Roof Rack & Accessories

  • KC Platform One™ roof rack with modular crossbars
  • Three 50W KC x Sunflare BLOX solar panels mounted on the roof
  • KC Solar Charge Hub mounted to the roof rack
  • Grab Handle
  • NMO Antenna Mount
  • Rear Chase Light
  • Rear FE1 Mount
  • KC Tie Down mount
  • ROAM 95L Case
  • 4x MaxTrax MkII
  • Bush Company 180 Degree Awning

Power System

  • KC Group 31 LiFePO4 150Ah battery system (concept)
  • Redarc BCDC 25
  • Victron 120V AC Charger
  • SwitchPro’s SP-9100
  • KC Solar Charge Hub mounted to the roof rack
  • Custom 12V rear access points using Blue Sea Systems

Lighting

Wheels & Tires

  • 285/70R17 MAXXIS RAZR all-terrain tires
  • 17” Nomad 503 Sahara Wheels
  • PowerBrake X-Line Big Brake Kit

Suspension

  • RadFlo 2.5 Front Coilovers (2.5”)
  • JBA Upper Control Arms
  • Dobinson’s rear LT Springs
  • Dobinson’s rear hydro bumpstops
  • Radflo 2.5 Resi LT Shock
  • Metalcloak rear upper and lower control arms + rear panhard bar

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