how to check starter?
 

Since I went to Moses Lake last weekend and jumped around on the dunes my truck has been reluctant to start...It will just click like I have a dead battery but my battery is fine so I know its not that. While there I would be able to get it to start after just turning the key a bunch of times and eventually one of the times it would turn over...Then when I got home and all last week its been fine, no problems at all so I figured it was a loose connection or the sand/shock had done something but now its fine. Then 2 days ago I went through some pretty deep ruts full of mud and water then after that my truck won't start again...nothing wrong with the engine when I bump start it it runs perfect. Any ideas on how to check this out...I really don't want to pull my started unless I know its that for sure cause its going to be a huge PITA :soap:
Thanks guys

Is it the original starter? I was having problems with my original starter last year or the year before. It would not start from time to time until it got me stuck at Costco one day.

no its only like 60,000 mi old

See the following page for how to test and repair the stater:

http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTricks/Starter.shtml

Easy check is a volt meter hooked to the solenoid control wire, check voltage (under load) when trying to start. If voltage is not within 0.5v of the battery, then the problem is upstream from the starter, if the voltage is good, then pull the starter and look at the contacts inside.

Check your positive wire to the starter and the wire to the solenoid to make sure they haven't been pulled loose and that there isn't too much corrosion/resistance for adequate conduction. If the above are not the problem, IMO, it's time to pull the starter to check the contacts and plunger.

Troy

I believe it is just two 13 or 14mm bolts holding the starter on.

toyota starters are known for needed rebuild , yours on the other hand isnt old enough to worry , make sure you have a ghood charge on your battery too.
but its an easy pul lto drop the starter , id take it out and take it to two different parts storesot get checked out. they do a load test on them , watch them do it and have them explain what al lthe numbers mean also.
my guess is that theres a loose or correded wire soemhere along the way.

airrikk17

You can probably skip the part store tests. It is quite easy to pop the cover off the solenoid and have a look at the contacts inside (open carefully to keep track of the spring inside). Probably 99% of the time, that is all that is worn and in need of replacement. If that is the only problem, you can have it repaired and back in the truck in the time it would take to run it to the parts store for the test.