[MikeD]

Holy crap. What a nightmare. Despite what someone (I asked the wrong people) told me, the boss can provide diesel, not that I could get a good diesel toyota in the US. But I was given a Land Cruiser for use at work, and I get to take it home and use it around town since the point is for me to respond to any problems in the area at a moment's notice.

So the 4Runner is for solely personal use and the wife's use, and it's been down with an electrical problem for some time (short in the system draining the battery...) A new battery was ~$375 here. However, I've also had it at the Toyota shop getting the suspension installed. Total bill for installation, fixing the electrics, and a bunch of small stuff on the car (tailgate contact, straightening some tweaked bits, etc) was... $200 or so.

Of course, they had it for WEEKS and it was a total fiasco; at first they said none of my parts fit, and we went back and forth with a lot of problems. In the end, I drove the car away on suspension so stiff it hurt your teeth and the key bounced out of the ignition on any dirt road.

Turns out they'd simply installed the torsion bars and cranked the front end up super-high; this stiffens the front end unbearably. My boss and I just lowered it and it feels NICE. Very happy now, and I may take it back to the shop for a re-alignment, since it's a little off-camber, and make them feel dumb that they did it all wrong.

Either way, I'm psyched it all has worked out in the end and plan on holding on to the truck for a long time. I'll get some pics up soon. Still have to install the new bulb-style headlights...they should be a huge help around here at night.

Driving here is a ****ing nightmare, and I'm not sure I'll ever be able to drive in the civilized world again without being immediately arrested.

 

[Serial Midget]

 

[DaveW]

lol Brilliant!!!
if only I could give more than 1 lot of rep for that SM!
Bravo!

 

[jimmydean]

Damn Mike, sorry to hear the troubles. The only issue I had with the electrical in the 4 runner was that damn relay for the back window.

I would love to get my hands on a diesel Toy. I have joked about swapping a VW TDI into my '94 Toy if the 22re ever gives up.

 

[MikeD]

Edit: JD, you think there will be a problem with my setup, since lowering the torsion bars put the end of the adjuster bolt a little under the top of the main nut (ie, no threads for the locknut stick out of the top?) I'm going to mark the position of the adjuster bolt and check to see if it's slipping on its own during driving, so I should know if there's a problem... As the later years don't have a locknut, I'm thinking it won't be too much of an issue.

Hah, the back window relay on my truck is worthless, too. Ironically, it's all that seems to have made an impression on the service manager. He totally ignored the fact of a larger electrical problem in its face and the fact that his guys produced an un-drivable suspension. He just kept saying "it shouldn't do that!!" when the back door warning went on (always on when the car was...).

He actually fixed it, which did sort of impress me, at least with its irony. Once I took it on the road home, though, it immediately rattled back to its old state. You don't have to lean on it as hard to get the window down now, tho.

Edit II: Speaking of rear windows, is it OK to run the top off if there's a chance of rain? Will the rear window short out if it rains on the open slot of the tailgate?? Obviously, not what you wanna do in the rainy season, but weather's always unpredictable here...

 

[Westy]

Unless it rains salt water a 12V system is usually shorted when wet, pure water isn't that conductive. Of course in the process of soaking the car the water dissolves some electrolytic minerals things might be different.

 

[MikeD]

Or, it turns out, one could have a worn-out key, which in turn allowed the key to slip out of the ignition while the accessory power was still on.

AND MY TRUCK NOW KICKS ASS!! Gotta get some kind of AC condenser conduit thingy replaced is all. And the new suspension is anything but supple. The wife hates it, but when you get going on the rough it's nice. Alas, most travel is super-slow speed, so it's a bit jarring.

And I will probably have to sell it upon transferring to another country like a year from now. Grrr.

 

[Serial Midget]

I still would have chosen the dark sedan...

 

[sneakysnake]

Very nice, you don't see those first gen 4runners with bodies that are in that good of condition very often; score!

 

[golgiaparatus]

Oliver beckons.

LOL you beat me to it! Or a beetle... remember the beetle was lurking the whole time.

 

[Westy]

LOL you beat me to it! Or a beetle... remember the beetle was lurking the whole time.

He beat you to it by a year and a half.

 

[MikeD]

Took top off. Cool, but now I drive around with the pepper spray and gun even more at the ready. Dunno if it's worth the stress.

Got bogged in sand at the national park yesterday and apparently busted my transfer case. Heard a "ping" noise, wasn't sure what it was, and my 4wd no longer feels like it's functioning. Don't have jackstands to put it up on to check, though.

Grrrr. Not like I need 4wd unless I'm going out of my way to need it of my own volition, but I hate having broken stuff.

Edit: Topless beach snap!

 

[Sonic Reducer]

doubtful you broke the t case, they are pretty strong. first thought would be its a hub. ifs **** is probably rare there since most were solid front axle in africa as far as i know.

 

[ohio]

Damn, I can't believe I'm just now seeing this thread. Mike, you remember that I'm driving the exact same truck? 87 4r 22re 5-spd. I could have sent you over there with my soft top since I never use it in SF because I don't like finding homeless people in my car.

Aside from basic maintenance, I've done springs, shocks, bumpers, headlights, hubs, a few other things between the 4 toyota trucks I've owned over the last 8 years.

It's easy to figure out if your 4wd is still working. Just try a tight turn on pavement. No center diff so if it struggles to hold the radius or obviously hops/skids then everything is still mechanically connected.

And the IFS is much more solid than SFA folks give it credit for. Especially now that you cranked the front end back down to a reasonable height (the CV joint is the main weakness), it should be worry free.

 

[ocelot]

so youre like a pmc or something?

 

[MikeD]

Or something, yeah.

 

[Wumpus]

so youre like a pmc?

Private Male Concubine?

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

And the IFS is much more solid than SFA folks give it credit for.

It's my duty as a Jeep guy to laugh, sorry.

 

[MikeD]

Private Male Concubine?

Pendulous, Massive [Censored]

 

[golgiaparatus]

He beat you to it by a year and a half.

Damn. He's good!

 

[ocelot]

Or something, yeah.

that is aaaahhhhsome. did you go to college for that?

 

[MikeD]

I even majored in something.

 

[Sonic Reducer]

It's my duty as a Jeep guy to laugh, sorry.

what with your big burly dana 30? stock for stock the toy ifs is probably a little stronger.

It's easy to figure out if you're 4wd is still working. Just try a tight turn on pavement. No center diff so if it struggles to hold the radius or obviously hops/skids then everything is still mechanically connected.

that wont diagnose if something in his front end is popped since its an open diff. axle/cv would likely be pretty obvious unless it is in the stub axle. hub wouldnt be that obvious either.

 

[DaveW]

I even majored in something.

Major damage?

 

[valve bouncer]

Sounds like you need some tips from these blokes Mike. That first mob are stylin'

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

what with your big burly dana 30? stock for stock the toy ifs is probably a little stronger

I'm talking about D44's (Rubicons)......

 

[ohio]

that wont diagnose if something in his front end is popped since its an open diff. axle/cv would likely be pretty obvious unless it is in the stub axle. hub wouldnt be that obvious either.

Even with the open front diff, the average axle speed has to match the front driveshaft speed, so if the hub or CV goes you won't have hopping because the axle on the broken side can now match speeds.

It's also not that hard to just jack up the front end with the bottle-jack and see if everything is still connected across the diff .

 

[ohio]

I'm talking about D44's (Rubicons)......

A 1987 Rubicon? Didn't know those existed. If you're going to pick a new car, I choose the Land Cruiser or the FJC.

(Not saying a SFA isn't a better solution for rock-crawling, but for all around trekking including pavement the IFS is a better-handling solution, with more clearance, and more than enough durability. SFA guys seem to think the whole front end will spontaneously combust if you look the wrong way at a gravel road)

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

A 1987 Rubicon? Didn't know those existed. If you're going to pick a new car, I choose the Land Cruiser or the FJC.

All Rubicons come equipped with D44s F&R with factory lockers. Where are you getting 1987 from? I never mentioned a year....

 

[ohio]

All Rubicons come equipped with D44s F&R with factory lockers. Where are you getting 1987 from? I never mentioned a year....

Rubicon didn't come out until 2003. We're talking about 1st gen 4runners which ran from 1984 (SFA) to 1989 (IFS). The comparable Jeep at the time was the YJ... no D44. So if you're going to play the spec of a vehicle 20 years newer as your trump card, then I'm going to do the same.

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

Then can I change my vehicle of choice to an IH Scout or Scout II?

 

[MikeD]

Sounds like you need some tips from these blokes Mike. That first mob are stylin'

Holy crap. It's like I live there.

 

[DaveW]

Holy crap. It's like I live there.

Wait till ypou see the Indians... It's the same but they tack on extra blingy bits.

 

[MikeD]

I bought a Land Cruiser Prado in India, waiting for me. It's got the full-on Japanese excess mirror and plastic molding package, but as of yet, no beaded curtains, tissue boxes, or religious tschokes.

 

[valve bouncer]

Are you gonna have your own punkawallah? At least in India you'll still be able to use that pith helmet you bought for Africa. Shoot a tiger for me mate!

 

[MikeD]

So I still miss that truck, dammit. I can't believe I fell ass-backwards into an absolutely original and un-rusted gen 1 for $1800.

I tried to find one here in El Salvador, but they were never sold new here; the ones I was able to locate all looked like they had been totalled in the the US and dragged down here for only-partial-zombie resurrection.

In compensation, I've been working on this (via local mechanic buddy who's also my mountain bike bro) for the past 6 months. It's even an 88, same as the Runner.

The work list has been extensive, but the bottom end never needed to come apart and the body is pretty good even if the paint is a fresh, cheap job. Mostly it was rot in hoses and corrosion in everything cooling-or-heating related. Redid steering and suspension (leaf springs aside). New gaskets and valve job and it seems pretty happy. Transmission clunks but I hear that's normal; might need a new output pinion I'm considering too...

Redid the interior upholstery with the original seat covers for $375 locally, also put some Wet Okole covers in...keeps the kiddo happy, and she gets sticker privileges. Took it back to a more OEM state than I found it; it's a family surf wagon, not a rock crawler wannabe. Still need to do work like getting AC hooked up next week and a bunch of small things. New bumper in the works to replace that monstrosity that came with a dead Harbor Freight winch for decoration. Think it's getting two KC Daylighters up front on a full-80s Michael J Fox dream-truck tube bumper.

Bumper sketch with my awesome Microsoft Word CAD skillz:

 

[MikeD]

Oh and most importantly we busted out the spot welds holding in the super sketchy trailer tongue in the receiver and resumed proper use:

 

[jonKranked]

holy cow what a thread revive.

also it finally reminded me of @CrabJoe StretchPants 's original username

 

[MikeD]

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

holy cow what a thread revive.

also it finally reminded me of @CrabJoe StretchPants 's original username

DHRFX Joe? Or norco-freerider???