cr@ves4wheelin

Worked on getting the upper balljoints out of the knuckles. Easier when its still in the truck, but I somehow got lucky.

'Sides that I got the cross shafts out of the UCA. Pretty easy to do, easier than the LCA experience I just had. Credit goes to Blazen8 though, as he posted a way to do it on another build thread on here. I read it a while back, but forgot to save it. Spent 30 mins tryin to find it lol.

I don't own a vice, so I used the quad to hold down the UCA. The end of the shafts are "slotted"? The nut on each side has a dimple to prevent the nut from backing off the cross shaft. So you gotta straighten them out before attempting to loosen them.
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After both nuts on each end are off, take a C-clamp and use that to press the cross shaft out. **NOTE:ON THE TORSION BAR SIDE.** The bushing on the smaller end will push out but the torsion bar side bushing will remain inside.
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When I was cleanin them up, I noticed a Katakana symbol on them. I know the symbol is read as "hi" (pronounced as "he" in English), but I didn't know what the symbol was supposed to stand for. I could ask my mom (who is japanese) later on, but I looked it up on google. It translated it to something as arsenate or arsenic? Wish I was bilingual, too bad it wasn't really a big deal back when I was a kid.
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Anyways, I painted them with a hammer finish paint. Used the heater since it bout -30 degrees out with the wind chill factor. Makes me miss California a little bit.
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cr@ves4wheelin

Ordered a New Factory Fuel Pump Bracket and also, i got what the guy said to be a denso fuel pump from Napa auto parts. Was kinda pissed when I opened the box and compared with the old pump. But I'll give it a chance, and if it's crap, I'll have more right to be pissed off. Supposedly, it's more efficient than than factory.

I cleaned up the old fuel sending unit with liquid wrench to kill the rust and went over lightly it with sand paper.
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Cleaned up the front diff a little bit as well, and did the band clamp mod to it.
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Cell phone camera got weird in this pic
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Cleaned up the frame rails for the shock hoops, so it's ready when I get my welder. Which should come at the end of the week or so. Also cut part of the old shock towers which is required for install.

Before:
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After:
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Then I wanted to get myself a little inspiration, so I went ahead and put the lower control arms in early lol.

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Took off the hood and started on disconnecting stuff going to the engine. I also got an engine hoist coming soon.
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Two things I want to share:

The AFM on the 3.0, the plug does come out. I've always heard bad stories with the circuit boards connections separating from the plug assembly. So I always had set the whole air intake aside in the past without unplugging it. Turns out, all you do is remove the metal clip on the plug and you can disconnect it. I guess some people had removed the screws and ended up ripping the connections. I uncovered the cap just to make sure when I did it lol.
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Also, the camber bolts, adjustment washer, and nuts for the lower control arms. Got em for cheap at Village Toyota, I mean like <$100 or so for a whole set. They have a good parts source for just about all the little things.

For factory stuff, I usually go to olathe toyota parts website, or village toyotas parts website.

cr@ves4wheelin

And just food for thought on interior/exterior cage ideas. But this won't be till probably next winter.

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cr@ves4wheelin

Had to get a new Gas tank cause the fuel pump bracket didn't fit the aftermarket one I bought. So I went ahead and bought a factory tank, saved a headache, but not my wallet. But I'm happy though, cause it has a lot better insides than the aftermarket did, and a drain plug.

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The aftermarket tank did not have this pipe going into the tub.
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Fuel Pump
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Aftermarket tank did not have this splash guard in the filler.
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Plainted over the bolts, connectors, and pipe fittings to try and prevent future rust.
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Got the bed back on after that.
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For the TC Uppers, I had to reuse the factory sleeve on the torsion bar side of the old arm. So I went ahead and drilled out the bushing, cleaned up the sleeve, grease and put it all together. Then I got all excited and mounted them.
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Drill with wire wheel attachment
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Sleeve put into new poly bushings
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And boom goes the dynamite lol.
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CamTom12

Looks great!

cr@ves4wheelin

Thanks bud

Cruz muench

What truck would be the best restore. I think I'll get it from down south. Cause winters here really take its toll on older trucks.

cr@ves4wheelin

I know what ya mean. Any truck is good to restore to be honest, just depends on how much you like that truck. Hell, there was a '66 toyota stout in Wyoming on craigslist for $800. If I didn't buy that $500 gas tank, I would have called him in a heart beat. Those trucks are way too rare and cool to pass up. Just ask yourself what you want to do, and what generation truck you like best with whatever it's got, ie solid axle and carb'd, or ifs with efi.

jaretstuff

Sweet truck can't wait to see it done! I had a question though what makes this a Hilux and not just a pickup?

cr@ves4wheelin

We call it the Pickup here in the US, but in Japan it was called the Hilux. I call it a Hilux because I refer to trucks as pickups in general and I'd rather call it by a model name. Don't go to the parts store saying Hilux though, they'll think your trucks RHD and a diesel or something lol. 4Runners are called the Hilux Surf in other countries. Nowadays we have Tacomas, but in different parts of the world the Hilux name is still going as it's own truck model line.

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cr@ves4wheelin

Guess I really don't need to say anything here...

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Got my welder too, compact and works off of 120, but with the specs I asked for she'll get the job done.

cr@ves4wheelin

A lots happened this past couple weeks. But yesterday, I sat in front of the truck, and I thought to myself, "You know what, I'm gonna yank this engine out today". Never thought I'd see my own engine bay empty, but man after looking at just photos and seein it in front of you in real life, it really meant a lot.

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My engine stand didn't come yet, so I put in a milk crate lol.

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cr@ves4wheelin

Figured it was time to make things cleaner.
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Not sure why the brakes and power steering are together in this one unit, or even how it works. Never seen one before, but I kinda hate it already. Plus it's in the way for shock hoops. So I threw it away lol.
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The wiring actually got me, I thought everything was connected, but while I was taking everything out, I noticed that it was seperate from the fuse box. After that, I kinda made sense of everything.
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So I yanked the grommet outta the firewall.
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Unplugged the 3 connectors to the ecu (which is held on by 3 bolts btw), and then the 2 connectors.
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More removal of stuff I don't need, ignition coil, cruise control actuator, etc.
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Best it's gonna get for now.
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Some custom bodywork lol for shock hoops, and overall just better accessibility. Anything to make a repair easier in the future.
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cr@ves4wheelin

Wire-wheel'd the engine bay, and painted.
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Cleaned up the inside of the bellhousing
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Got my coilover shock the other day too, so now I can mock up and weld my shock hoops as soon as I get shielding gas for my mig welder.
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My engine stand came too, so I gotta get that, and the 3.4 block should be coming, gotta check and see what's goin on with that.

In the mean time, I started takin apart the front rotors and hub assembly.

Socket from wab fab was awesome, just used a flat head to flatten out star washer holding the large nut tight.
Attachment 138112

Slightly tap the whole assembly on the ground, and bearing should fall out.
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Backing plate bolts, 12mm.
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This part, you take out the 13mm bolts, and I used a large flat head, then a chisel, and then a crowbar to seperate the hub from the rotor.
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Found this at Autozone, I couldn't help myself lol
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That's bout it for now.

rattlewagon

The freshly painted engine bay looks awesome! Nice work!

Mauk

I like quick builds like this. not so much talking haha
good job man, looks great so far

chukarhunt

iTrader: (1)

That power steering/brake line box you didn't like and tore out, is for the ABS. The power steering powers that system, which in turn releases the brakes temporarily to gain traction. That's all.

Great build and looking great! Keep it up!

cr@ves4wheelin

Thanks you guys, much appreciated.

Yeah I read up on that, I still don't know how the power steering powers it, but it's kinda cool in it's own way. It's nice that it's gone though lol.

I'm plannin on puttin 3 different security system on this eventually, gonna do the windows, and more than likely the paint myself. I'm gonna do my best to take advantage and do anything I was never able to do before with the old truck. To be honest, I already past the point where I lot of this stuff I'm doin is new to me, so I'm just tryin to go with the flow the best I can every Sunday.

cr@ves4wheelin

Finally took a day off to go pick up a cylinder.
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The new 3.4L block came last thursday.
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I got one shock hoop fully welded on, the other side will have to wait next week. By the way, go easy on me about the welds lol. I've only had a flux core years ago, and have only taken one welding class for sh**s and giggles in college. The new mig welder is a little new to me, but I'm fortunate to even own one let alone all this other stuff lol.

In this pic below, I welded up the sides of the plate after I got the shock hoop done. I'll have more pic for you guys once the other side is done, and everything is painted.
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cr@ves4wheelin

Finally got the other shock hoop done, I ran out of wire and had to get another roll on Friday. I would have painted it black, but everything is coming to a halt. Need to step back a little and try to recover some money, because I'm somehow spending more than I make. Probably the all the alcohol and gasoline lol. Anyways, the 3.0L I put up for sale on craigslist, so if you're in the Wyoming area, wink wink nudge nudge.

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