84-85 Trucks & 4Runners 2nd gen pickups and 1st gen 4Runners with solid front axles

Project daily driver 85 4runner

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Old Dec 7, 2022 | 08:15 PM
  #841  
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From: 02176
Looks great! Love it!
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Old Dec 11, 2022 | 04:51 AM
  #842  
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From: nh
Originally Posted by Damion812
Yeah it's a 1967 Jeepster commando . It has a similar front axle as the 4runner ( knuckle ball) even though it's a Dana and not Toyota 😁 it's another non salt belt vehicle. It's from VA originally. I saw it and thought of that FJ 40 I didn't jump on years ago and now look at th prices for them. Maybe these will be the next big thing. From what I've researched it looks like only 55000 were made. I love the patina and plan on it becoming then daily driver.
nice commando. as a DD, it will be fine, but you won't like it as much as DD'ing the 4runner. i mean, i LOVE my cj5, and i DD'd it back in the early 90s when i bought it. but it is a lot more work to keep it happy as a DD than my 4runners. now it's mostly my wheeling rig.



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Old Dec 11, 2022 | 06:19 AM
  #843  
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That thing rocks! 😄 I came across your photos of that before, that's some cool wheeling right there.

Yeah me and the Comando are already off to a bad start. Everything worked when I looked at it and it ran ok. I knew a carb rebuild was in order but it barely drove up the driveway when the seller dropped it off. I got it to the end of the driveway half on the starter and half running. Then the gas tank started leaking. My poor new driveway....Then the signal lights stopped but somehow I got them working when I pulled the steering wheel to see if my old Cherokee wheel would fit. yes me and Jeep are familiar 😉 that thing wasn't the most reliable vehicle either at 7 years old. The 1990 pickup spoiled me. Then working on this Jeeps carburetor I put the air filter assembly on top of the radiator and forgot the breather to the valve cover was hanging over and tried to start it. The fan hit it and took out the radiator. And the carb rebuild kit for this carb doesn't really work for this carb. Ahhh fun!

Last edited by Damion812; Dec 11, 2022 at 06:20 AM.
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Old Dec 16, 2022 | 11:30 AM
  #844  
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four years ago today we picked up this project! In celebration I started it and moved it in the driveway 😅 they put salt down again so even if we weren't having charging issues I wouldn't be out with it anyway. Lots of rain on the way though......

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Old Feb 9, 2023 | 08:21 AM
  #845  
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No matter what I tried there was no getting the alternator out without having to take the lower radiator hose off other than this crazy idea where I took it apart and then reassembled the other alternator inside the engine bay. Was it easier? probably not. I took the AFM assembly out from above but no matter what you try the alternator bracket is in the way, the upper radiator hose is in the way, the power steering pump is in the way , steering box is in the way, power steering cooling lines are in the way. From underneath the torque rod Mount is in the way. just no way to do it other than the lower radiator hose. All this because I wanted to try rebuilding the old one. I use parts from both to combine them neither one of them is really all that great but this one seems like it's not overcharging anymore and works good. Next time I will take the lower radiator hose off. too much trouble LOL
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Old Feb 9, 2023 | 08:46 AM
  #846  
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From: 02176
Originally Posted by Damion812


No matter what I tried there was no getting the alternator out without having to take the lower radiator hose off other than this crazy idea where I took it apart and then reassembled the other alternator inside the engine bay. Was it easier? probably not. I took the AFM assembly out from above but no matter what you try the alternator bracket is in the way, the upper radiator hose is in the way, the power steering pump is in the way , steering box is in the way, power steering cooling lines are in the way. From underneath the torque rod Mount is in the way. just no way to do it other than the lower radiator hose. All this because I wanted to try rebuilding the old one. I use parts from both to combine them neither one of them is really all that great but this one seems like it's not overcharging anymore and works good. Next time I will take the lower radiator hose off. too much trouble LOL
That blows my mind. I changed my alternator but don’t recall it being a big PITA.
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Old Feb 9, 2023 | 08:52 AM
  #847  
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Originally Posted by Melrose 4r
That blows my mind. I changed my alternator but don’t recall it being a big PITA.
same thing on my 90 when I had it, no problem. Maybe without that tourqe rod it can come out from below or maybe it's the older steering box.....


solid axle woes 🤣
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Old Feb 9, 2023 | 09:44 AM
  #848  
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Yeah I was just reading your post thinking, huh, I have taken my 1988 4Runner alternator out more than once, and it came right out the bottom (and went back in) without any major headaches. And then I read the torque rod statement, and thought yep that's the difference right there.
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Old Feb 9, 2023 | 10:25 AM
  #849  
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From: 02176
Originally Posted by coryc85
Yeah I was just reading your post thinking, huh, I have taken my 1988 4Runner alternator out more than once, and it came right out the bottom (and went back in) without any major headaches. And then I read the torque rod statement, and thought yep that's the difference right there.
oh, what are we referring to as the “torque arm”?

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Old Feb 9, 2023 | 02:33 PM
  #850  
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Originally Posted by Melrose 4r
oh, what are we referring to as the “torque arm”?
the torque rod attaches to the axle and links to the frame to stop axle wrap when braking. It looks just like the upper suspension links on my FJ for the rear axle. Maybe they used em there too🤣


Anyhow between that and the aftermarket radiator Maybe that is the issue to fitting an alternator in. Maybe this radiator is thicker wider taller shorter something blocking the alternator from fitting in coming from underneath. The petcock valve is in the way there too.

Last edited by Damion812; Feb 9, 2023 at 02:34 PM.
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Old Feb 9, 2023 | 03:11 PM
  #851  
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From: 02176
Originally Posted by Damion812
the torque rod attaches to the axle and links to the frame to stop axle wrap when braking. It looks just like the upper suspension links on my FJ for the rear axle. Maybe they used em there too🤣


Anyhow between that and the aftermarket radiator Maybe that is the issue to fitting an alternator in. Maybe this radiator is thicker wider taller shorter something blocking the alternator from fitting in coming from underneath. The petcock valve is in the way there too.
oh. I didn’t remember my ‘84 having that, but probably because I didn’t have to change the alternator!
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Old Feb 9, 2023 | 06:28 PM
  #852  
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Yeah it's a headache for sure but I caught this video about common problems people may experience with FJ Cruisers and the guy said take care of the alternator because it's a slightly difficult so the whole time I was under there today (while it was hailing on me) I was thinking is this just a walk in the park next to what I may deal with in the future?😁
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Old Feb 10, 2023 | 09:28 AM
  #853  
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60° in february, time to take the 4Runner out and test out the new alternator fix. This keeps up I'll be taking the top off sooner than next month LOL

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Old Feb 14, 2023 | 04:35 PM
  #854  
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From: nh
i pulled the alternator from the top on both of my '87s. no special removal of anything else that i recall. just removed the tension bolt, and the lower/pivot bolt, and out it came. didn't have to remove the fan, power steering pump, or anything else.
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Old Mar 5, 2023 | 09:46 AM
  #855  
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Ok spring can start now! I got to go snow wheeling in one of my favorite places .

the hill that stopped Blackbeard! Well the first time anyway 😉 gotta hit it in 4 high and spin the snow off the tires. But this sign wasn't fir that road.



From what we researched these may have been early puritan settlers houses.




Last edited by Damion812; Mar 6, 2023 at 08:43 AM.
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Old Mar 5, 2023 | 09:52 AM
  #856  
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How about a general store that has generally everything? Especially my favorite grinder there the "Thanksgiving grinder " Today's lunch stop after the wheeling adventure. I worked up an appetite after all that wheel spinning. The steering wheel was spinning too!😅


Mmmmmmm I




Last edited by Damion812; Mar 5, 2023 at 09:53 AM.
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Old Mar 12, 2023 | 02:56 PM
  #857  
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I invited my buddy out with his 4.3 swapped Suzuki with 85 4runner axles.



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Old Mar 20, 2023 | 08:34 AM
  #858  
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Originally Posted by Damion812

.

First trip for both old vehicles now. The Comando is on the way to becoming legal too.

to celebrate that this weekend took a quick ride in it and jumped in the 4Runner then went to Mansfield to Blaze Pizza for lunch LOL
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Old Mar 26, 2023 | 01:28 PM
  #859  
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spring time and the top is off!
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Old Mar 29, 2023 | 08:45 AM
  #860  
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From: 02176

Here’s a Commando in my town for ya. I’ve never seen it driving.
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