83

I'm wondering now if my t-case even had a shifter seat...can't remember. You could ask on the marlin site if no one here knows.

dropzone

iTrader: (6)

I did look at one truck that had a sloppy TC selector that was due to the snap ring not being seated all the way...(pic is from my truck before I pulled the case)
I wonder if you could have an issue with the shift rails? I don't know enough about them, hence why I am having someone else assemble my dual cases

http://4x4wire.com/toyota/faq/parts/ (tc info at bottom) this link says the RF1A forward shift case was installed 1980-1995 but I am thinking since Marlin is the man, there info is correct...but that does you no good since yours is a 79.

One thing to do is to verify which style transfer case shift selector you have, top shift or forward shift...I am pretty sure that 79 should be a top shift.

MaximRecoil

As it turns out, the transfer case shifter is not sloppy at all. It is actually perfect; shifts smoothly, easily, and with a nice "detent" feel for each gear selection. There is no excess slop. It feels like new.

The previous owner had it in 4H for God-only-knows what reason, and as you all probably know, 4H is at a point in the mechanism that can slide to the far left to go up to 2H or to the far right to go up to N and 4L; so it feels like there is a lot of play there (kind of like neutral in a normal H-pattern transmission shift mechanism).

I had assumed (without actually checking of course) that it was in 2H and with all that back and forth play, I figured it was just as sloppy as the transmission shifter is. So that was my "newbie" mistake.

There is another issue though. When the T-case shift lever is properly in 2H for normal driving, the transmission shift lever bumps into it on the way to 4th gear (maybe that's why the previous owner had it in 4H instead of 2H). Is this normal or is it perhaps the fault of the transmission shift lever being sloppy? I should also mention that the transmission shift lever knob indicates it is for a 5-speed, but there is no 5th gear in the transmission itself. Maybe someone swapped a lever from a 5-speed in there — could that cause the sloppiness and/or the interference between the two shift levers on the way to 4th gear?

dropzone

iTrader: (6)

good to hear about the TC, to the best of my knowlege 79's only came with 4 speeds, unless someone swapped in a 5 speed. Maybe someone put in a 5 speed gear knob as a selling point or being optimistic?? My transmission selector was sloppy enough to experience a similar symptom.
You can pull that shift lever to inspect the bushing. If it is totaly toast I think it could account for your sloppyness...

83

The actual shift lever shouldn't matter (4 or 5 speed). That wouldn't cause the bumping, but like OC mentioned, the seat could cause it. I'm sure, like he said, somebody just swapped the knob for a different one.

MaximRecoil

Thanks Ocdropzone and 83. I ordered the seat from Marlin so I'll see how that goes.

Another question: I'm going to replace the exhaust pipe-to-manifold gaskets tonight. Do I need to clean the black carbon fouling off the areas where the gaskets will sit first or does it not matter? The old gaskets were completely burned away except for their outer metal rings, so it is all black in the cups in the manifold flange that the gasket rings sit in, as well as the top of the exhaust pipes.

And; there are two rods coming off the back of the exhaust just behind the muffler (bolted to the flange of the tail pipe) that I assume are intented for hanging the exhaust, but there is nothing there to hang them from. Should there be hangers with rubber bushings to hang the exhaust from back there? If so, how are the hangers attached to the truck?

Also, there is no catalytic converter. The exhaust system is short, ending just past the cab, with a small cylindrical muffler (manifold > collector > muffler > short tail pipe). Is there supposed to be a catalytic converter on a 1979?

83

Not sure about the hanger...I know I've got an extra one back there somewhere that the last muffler shop didn't use. I think if the exhaust seems secure, it's fine. I'm guessing that that hanger would be in use if your exhaust went all the way back like it should? Oh I see they are attached to the tailpipe but not the truck? I have a stock exhaust so I'm not sure what people do with a set up like you've got. I had something similar on my truck when I bought it...except instead of a muffler & pipe there was a cherry bomb glasspack there. NOT my style, so I had a shop give me the stock exhaust. Man that was expensive.

You could try cleaning up some of that carbon. If it's actually built up I would. If it's just kind of "stained" with carbon, I wouldn't worry about it.

MaximRecoil

I got the exhaust flange gaskets installed, but it didn't quiet the vehicle much. I'm guessing that I need a new muffler. It has a pretty strong exhaust flow out of the tailpipe, and if you cover the tailpipe with your hand the truck quiets down to next to nothing, which indicates to me that there are no more exhaust leaks, because if there were, it would still be barking out of the leaks even with the tailpipe covered (correct me if I'm wrong).

I don't think the muffler on it is a real muffler anyway; it is probably a glass pack of some sort, and an old one at that. So I'm going to install a real muffler and see if that does the trick.

Question: Will a front drive shaft from a 1981 fit my 1979? My truck doesn't have a front drive shaft at all (by the looks of it, it hasn't had one in quite some time). I can get one from a 1981 parts truck for $50. Is that a reasonable price, assuming it fits?
Agreed. Not my style either. If it was a muscle car with a big V8, that would be one thing; but little 4 cylinders just sound like crap with a loud exhaust; like a Weed Eater or something.

foskco87

That black edition is so nice. I wonder how rare they were? Ive never seen one. I wonder if the paint is actually nicer than the paint they used on regular/sr5 models

MaximRecoil

I've never seen another one aside from Bill's. I don't know if the paint was any nicer than the other models, but it was definitely nice; a very deep and shiny black. The truck always turned heads.

I'd like to try to recreate the look of that truck with my '79 eventually; I've wanted one since I was a kid. Mine's a short bed '79 4WD, same as Bill's was, so that covers the important basics.

There was even a model kit of that truck; black first generation Toyota 4WD with the same stripes; looked just like Bill's truck. Bill's mother bought me that model for Christmas '82 because she knew I liked Bill's truck so much. Bill pointed out that the model was a long bed, vs. his short bed.

It also didn't have a roll bar or push bumper like his, and the tires were standard sized (Bill had 31" x 10.5" x 15" tires on his truck with the stock suspension [no lift kit]). There wasn't much that could be done about the smallish tires or lack of push bumper, but Bill took some thick plumbing solder wire and formed it into a roll bar for it. I'd like to find that model kit, new in the box somewhere.

bruzryoda

man i wish that i had those rims from that blue short bed.... AR52\ the gambler. i have a spare that would b perfect with those to match.................lol

83

As far as I know all '79-83 drivshafts are interchangeable, as long as you go longbed/longbed or shortbed/shortbed. That shouldn't even matter on the front d-shaft. If it's in good shape, yeah, $50 seems like a good enough price to me.

dropzone

iTrader: (6)

a 5 Speed driveshaft might be a little bit longer since the transfer case sits about 3-4" further back if I recall correctly....

83

Well, I guess if you're lucky the parts truck owner will let you see if it fits first?

scottd

83's initial comment about the front driveshaft is correct. Any 79 - 83 front driveshaft will be the right length. The later 5 speeds were longer (84 and up) so those driveshafts would be too long. The only problem you could run into is that the 81 would have 8 mm driveshaft bolts and your 79 may have 9 mm driveshaft bolts (mine does). Not really a big deal, but if so I would re-drill the diff and t-case flanges with the right size holes (some might argue that this is not necessary, but I think oversize holes will increase the stress acting on the bolts - enough to worry about? I'm not sure).

By the way, I completely understand your motivation for wanting a 1st gen. My cousin had a really nice SR5 4x4 when I was a kid. I thought that truck was the coolest and I have loved the 1st gens ever since.

MaximRecoil

Thanks for the replies on the driveshaft. I'll keep them in mind when I go out to see the parts truck.

The Marlin shifter seat came today, but I'm not sure how/where to install it. This is a picture of my shifter from inside the cab and also from underneath the truck:





I saw the video on Marlin's site, but I don't know what part of the shifter that is in the video. Do I have to unbolt anything to get to where the shifter seat goes; maybe from underneath the truck?

83

In your first photo, you see the spring? And the metal peice over the spring along the outside edge? Basically what you need to do is push that outer metal race down and turn it. Then you can pull it and the spring (and the shifter) out, and you should see a broken, dirty old shifter seat down in there. I don't remember which way you turn the race...once you finally get it, it'll make sense and the next time you do it it'll be easy, but until you finally get it out & see how it works it doesn't make much sense. I'm trying to think of what else works like it to help describe it...it took me a while to get it out the first time but then it made sense.

Anyways, that metal peice over the spring which is flat on two sides and round on the other two opposite sides is what you have to push and turn. I think I used some pliers...maybe a screw driver too I don't remember but you'll get it. Maybe somebody here remembers which way it turns? That would be helpful. I guess I'd try lefty-loosy first..

There was a thread a while back too...but I don't remember what it was called..anyways when you get the shifter out look at the grooves along the sides of it. If they are all worn and "dug out" looking, that could be a big part of the sloppy shifting too. Somebody may have mentioned that, I don't remember. Mine was good, but it seems like a lot of these old trucks have worn those "channels" into much bigger channels so the shifter ball doesn't fit as tight as it should. Somebody on this site may have a better one if you post about it. You can try DeathCougar or the "practically anything you want" thread in the classifieds, or the parts truck you found. I'll try to find that thread, it had good photos of what you don't want your shifter ball to look like.

MaximRecoil

Excellent. That's a good explanation. I'll try it tonight after work. Thanks.

83

Jackpot!! It also shows the peice you've got to get out. Check it out, seeing how it looks will help you when you're trying to get it out. The first photo is a good shot of it.

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f114...estion-148666/

MaximRecoil

Okay, I got the shift lever out (thanks for the help). The original seat is essentially nonexistent, and the ball that is machined onto the bottom of the shift lever is pretty worn down. I'm going to need a new bushing to go over that ball (I didn't think to order one when I ordered the seat from Marlin), but that worn ball isn't going to hold the new bushing securely, and there will be slop there.

So I guess what I have for a transmission is an L43 with a "side shifter", and I need the Heavy Duty Shifter Socket for the L43 to go on the ball on the bottom of the shifter, is that correct?

Should the new bushing and seat be packed with grease?

And what should I do about that worn ball? Do I need a new shift lever? Are new shift levers even available or do I need to find a good used one? Can this one be welded up and reground into a ball shape? Does anyone know what the diameter of the ball should be when unworn?