foot0069

Hey guy pretty work on that truck. If you cant find that 1/2" backing rod you need p/m me I have a 900' spool at work and for all you need shipping would prolly set me back a whole dollar. Since I married a Navy redneck from northern California it' be kind of a family thing to do, least ways that's the way she said it.
Jim

Hoopster

So am I correct in assuming you eat these swine? Is there any other game you hunt as well? Nice write up btw.

navyredneck

Hey, foot0069, thanks for the offer! I finally found some and it turned out to be the wrong size anyway. Thankfully, it looked wrong immediately so I picked up some 3/8" while I was at the store. I've been lazy uploading the pictures so I will have to get that done soon.

It didn't stop the leak either. It seems to be less than before so now I'm thinking the seal at the bottom by the cowl is leaking and maybe some cowl leaks. More on that later...

We eat a good bit of wild pork and deer. I have killed around 55 hogs in the last year and have given a lot of the meat away. Most of those were trapped, some were stand-hunted, and a few were taken during dog drives. I have seen but not shot at any deer as I have been given plenty of deer meat. That will change if I ever see the 8 point on my avatar. In the meantime I just enjoy watching the deer. Since we started removing the hogs, the deer population in this one area has really increased.

Hoopster

Cool, I don't care for trophy hunting but I can respect someone who uses what they kill for food. It's actually a lot less of an impact on the environment than store bought meat. I'm still trying to get my first turkey!

sh0kk86

First i must say nice buildup!
second, good to hear about some other hunters here!

Bskey

Great thread! Thanks for the details....

navyredneck

I've hunted two turkey seasons now with no bird taken. I've called them in, I've snuck up on them, and every single time they've come in from an unexpected direction when I wasn't expecting them. Ah well, for me it's more of a chance to get out in the early spring and enjoy hiking around.

Here's what I did to fix the windshield (well, an attempt at it anyway):
I cut the strips using sheet metal as a guide:


Spread glue on the back:


Smeared it all across:


Taped up each section as I finished:


Corners last which I custom cut:


Finished picture later as my finish-picture got deleted.

I still get water on the floorboard though not as much so I'm gonna pull off the cowl soon to finish the bottom and look for rust in the cowl.

I also went back a day later and shoved windshield glue under any vinyl that came loose.


Today is a proud moment. I finished installing the 3" 4crawler lift kit. I started replacing the 3" lift kit in February. I couldn't do it by hand, couldn't with a 500 ft-lb impact wrench, a torch helped but wasn't enough so...

I went to Lowe's and got a 3 foot section of black iron pipe which fits perfectly over my 2 foot breaker bar and smaller ratchet. That worked to break loose the nuts holding onto the bolts. Then I used a reciprocating saw on the last 3 pucks that were frozen on the bolts. After 4 hours of work today I finished replacing the last 5 pucks. Now maybe my bed will stop shifting as I'm driving around.

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

You get your parts order yet?

navyredneck

Naw, they said the 24th. I found my clutch leak, too... Dripping right on that brand new paint on my newly painted floorboard. Ah well, just the way it goes. I put a diaper on it to hold back the downpour. Looks like I've already emptied half the clutch reservoir onto my floorboard. Gonna replace the clutch slave and master at the same time

navyredneck

Parts came in on Monday. Thanks, Brian. Another question, for you, though. Are you still happy with that All-pro transfer case parking brake you installed? I'm trying to decide between their kit and Sky manufacturing. Sky's looks beefier but I can't find any reviews on their kit. Seems like everyone uses All-pro.

I tested my rear brakes the other day on a gravel road and I'm not sure they're working at all. I couldn't get them to lock up and both rear wheels never get hot during city driving. Instead of dumping money on the drums which probably need everything replaced I'm looking to upgrade to rear disc brakes. At the moment, though, I'd like some means of stopping the truck on an incline as my driveway even has a slope to it. This way I could install the parking brake this month and save my pennies for the rear disc conversion which looks like it will cost around $500.

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

I have an AP t-brake and it works great. Not a lick of problems.

If you are going to do rear discs, just do the rear full floater from FROR and then you can use all Toyota OEM parts. Cost a bit more, but well worth it IMO. Shoot me an email if you have any specifics about the FROR rear full floater/rear disc set up. I love it.

navyredneck

Based on this write-up here:

http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/reviews/fullfloater

...it sounds like I can do the kit and keep a regular parking brake?!?

In that case if I have to choose between:
Option A - All-pro transfer case brake $200 and rear disc conversion $500
Option B - everything all at once plus float the rear axles for $789 and I get to keep toyota parts with a factory e-brake

Option B starts to sound pretty good. I'm guessing it would end up around $1000 based on buying hubs and calipers and the misc crap you always need. Thanks, Brian, for the most excellent idea!

BTW, the 4runner sold so I may have a few extra dollars to contribute soon to this project.

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

You can keep the regular parking brake, but IMO you don't want to...ask Brian at FROR about the e-brake in the calipers...it sucks.

I'd still do the AP parking brake.

The FROR kit...all you need are the adapter and the axles...everything else you can source yourself - calipers, rotors, SFA spindles and wheel hubs. I bought new loaded calipers and rotors and it was still less than $900.

Nothing like the rear discs.

navyredneck

Here's the linky to my question:

http://www.frontrangeoffroadfab.com/...topic.php?t=27

Next question: I still have the drive flange from my 4runner when I did the manual hub conversion. Can I use that with SFA hubs so I won't have to buy SFA locking hubs for my rear axle? (I don't see a need for locking hubs on the rear of my pickup)

One more: If I pull my rear axles to do any type of disc brake mod should I pull the differential as well? I hear clunks when I shift often times and I wonder if it can be fixed by checking the torques on my differential. I have a mechanic that I would trust to do that. The risk that I see is that the bolts might be stuck, stripped, etc. besides requiring extra work.

4Crawler

iTrader: (3)

Yes you can use a drive flange, but the IFS flange won't fit, just like the IFS hubs won't fit, 27 vs. 30 splines. You can get an FJ80 drive flange to use for that.

navyredneck

4crawler, I just noticed from your website that you are using the FROR full floater kit. How do you like the integrated parking brake using the Supra calipers?

4Crawler

iTrader: (3)

Don't have the axle ready to install yet.

navyredneck

Wanna guess what I'm replacing?


Master install went fine with the exception of shooting the spring across the cab. The slave wasn't too bad and the bolts didn't seem difficult until...


It's blurry but you can see the sheared head of a bolt...


Fortunately as you can see in the picture, part of the bolt portrudes so I tried putting lock pliers on it and PB blaster which did not work.

Advice?

Heat with torch and spray with PB blaster and try to budge with lock pliers?

navyredneck

Well, I tried heating with a torch and spraying with PB Blaster. Eventually the portion of the bolt showing broke off as well.

The good news is that my mechanic friend was already bringing his car hauler by my house to help me move something. I'll just go ahead and get him to haul the truck to his shop so he can easy-out it or drill it. I don't care. I've broken too many easy-outs and I can't afford the time to pull a transmission bell-housing because of a broke easy-out.

I was gonna get him to re-adjust the carb again anyway. My oil keeps getting really dirty which I'm assuming means I'm still running slightly rich.

Other news is that I have some new presents in the mail:
SR5 cluster (hope it works...)
power steering gearbox so I can finally install power steering

Finally found them for some good prices on TTORA and Pirate4x4.

I'm also leaning pretty close to doing the FROR floating rear axle mod. I've found some axle parts near by. Trying to set up shipping/delivery now. Looks like I may end up with a full front axle. If so, that would give some flexibility when I redo the front end (after hunting season). If I redo the rear end and master brake cylinder when I install the floating rear axle and the front end after Christmas, I will have officially rebuilt everything on the truck (except tranny and transfer case).

I also sold my MT's the other day. I chew up MT's doing as much daily driving as I do (2k per month). I had hoped to buy some AT's but I may just wait as the FROR mod will be expensive. I don't really like the roller skate look that my truck has with the 3" BL and the 31" tires but I need to prioritize and worry about all the mechanical issues first. I think I'm reaping the benefits of daily driving a truck that probably sat for several years.

navyredneck

The mechanic friend told me he thought I could get it done... I should have just told him to haul the thing away. I worked for 4 hours on it today. First I had to remove both engine mounts to drop the bellhousing low enough for me to reach the bolt.

Then I tried drilling it straight and dead center. I worked for 10 minutes and still drilled it off center. Now the result is that I can't get the remainder out. I even tried drilling it with a 1/4" drill bit and then tapping it to M8-1,25 (yeah, I know the tap drill size chart says 6.80 mm but try finding that size anywhere around here...). Anyway, the tap kept freezing up and I WILL NOT break off a tap/easy out/drill bit in this bolt.

Sooo... current plan is to make this the redneck-rigged truck. I have the tap maybe 1/3 inch into the hole. Any reason I can't bolt the first bolt (good hole with new bolt) with lock-tite and then bolt the 2nd bolt with a whole bunch of stacked washers with lock-tite? Do you think this would hold until I pull the engine/tranny (probably in about 3 months when the engine decides to implode based on my poor mechanical ability)?