I understand completely

 

Well i got my plates which was a soup sandwich as the title had a lien on it and i had to go back an hour to the PO's house to get the release. Now i can taker it in for a good old country safety only inspection out here in the country...

 

Good to hear! I have a friend that fought to get plates for his truck for 2 years! IRS liens etc etc.... good luck with the inspection, I'm sure glad I don't have to mess with that crap

 

Well I got it registered and inspected. Flying colors. Note...I think the exhaust was a good deal. I went up a pretty good hill at 65 mph on cruise control and it never missed a beat or slowed down. I have no comparison to a "stock" 3vze tho.

 

checked all the fluids...f/r diffs. Trans and transfer case. All were insane low. Need more for the trans. Guess that is tomorrow. Good news is I dont need a tower kit...just lubricant. I hope the lacking fluid has not damaged the components however I have researched and found that the trans behind the 3vze is a tough one. I just hope tough enough.

 

tower kit??

 

Plastic Grommets that the stick ride in. Keeps the stick in place.

 

has anyone ever used one of those hydraulic jack pipe benders from Harbor Freight? Is it worth a flip?

 

Anyone every put the spare on the front bumper? I did that on an F-250 I had with the straight 6. It worked great. Thoughts on too much air flow restriction for the 3vze?

 

My dad uses one to build the wheel openings on his race car. It's seems to work pretty decent. I was going to upload a pic but my photobucket isn't workking at the moment.

 

Please feel free to go off topic. Lots of build threads in here are almost like blogs. I enjoy reading about what people do with thier trucks not just the build itself.

I look forward to watching your thread grow.

 

thanks for that 85sr, I think next time I have some extra money I'll go get one. I could always switch the jack out to a ram and hook it up to the rear hydraulics on my tractor...That'd be something...I've always wanted one to do my own bending...I've already had a friend ask me to help do their exhaust after I showed them what I did on mine...need to learn to keep my mouth shut I guess.

Red: Yes...I see where that would be a more interesting read...I drove it on a 1.5 hr round trip and so far it has performed flawlessly.

I'm going to try to keep track of mileage and gas to see if the the exhaust/cat has done anything to that. Its hard to not horse it as it sounds awesome with the glass pack and is crazy peppy after driving that little pickup and driving my f-350 diesel...

I have put 2.5 quarts in the 5 speed trans and its still not coming out. I keep picking up fluid a quart at a time in town going...this will get it...

Pour little 4 runner...As much of a PITA it was to get the fill plug out I'd say it has never had any added. People make me crazy. Do they think these things work by magic? I'm hoping 3.5 will do it I think it only holds like....4.5 quarts.

Dear diary...had hang over yesterday. Hope to accomplish more today. Front shocks and finish filling the empty trans are #'s 1 and 2 not in that order...

 

Ok. Long day. Installed front shocks, filled the standard finally (3.5 q low...crazy)...pulled step sides and plastic fender trim. Started disassembling rear bumper, pulled the sides off it as I'd still like to have a bumper for now...Fixed the exterior drivers door lock (the little rod and clip had come off the mechanism...looks like someone slim jim'ed it at some point and knocked it off...fiddled with radio and got it working. No antenna but CD player works for now at least. Needs antenna, but that and the CB antenna is going on the rear bumper.

Truck looks better with out the trashed out step sides and fender trim. Found weird old weld on the frame...looks like some one welded something there in the past then cut it off. No idea. Cleaned and painted the area.

Thats it. Beer 30.

Later. RJ

 

wheres the pics???

 

Guess I'll take some tomorrow. Not really any "mods" or anything just stripping off the crap and such...I'll stick a few up. It looks good with out the step sides. Less like a grocery getter and more like the beast mud god it will be.

 

I did have someone offer me $2200.00 for it today. Politely declined.

 

Ive never heard a glasspack sound awesome.

 

Its all cold high idle in that video. I'll have to shoot another at regular idle. It really sounds awesome.

 

Looks like I am getting pulled off the Yota project for now. Going to be running barbed wire for a week at least. Need some more graze for the animals and I have to get rid of some electric fence the deer keep knocking down. Have acquired short term help to assist as its a 2 man job running it through the trees...

But thats OK. because it is time for paint and body.

Have parts on order from Mightymouse. He's got it all...

 

As requested, here is the 4runner with all the crap/rust making trim removed...



I squeezed in the rear shocks today. I went with Gabriel Ultra's. About $40 each. Same as the front but obviously of a different mount configuration. Still have a slight height difference from tire to fender on the passenger side rear, but I guess I will attribute that to either the gas tank, or to the fact the rear right shock was shot and I have spring fatigue.


As stated the one thing here is different that the other. They are if not stock, I'd say they have been on there for a LOOOOONNNNG time. Drastic ride improvement.

I would rate the SUCK factor of doing the rear shocks somewhere between a root canal and going to an ex NBA player gone proctologist... The drivers side was a pain until I did the pass side which was a REAL pain. I found the easiest way to remove (in fact the only way I was getting them out) was to cut the top nut off with an angle grinder. >NOTE!< if you use the same way to remove them, use EXTREME caution on the passenger side as it is surrounded by electrical wires and break lines. I had some one plug the grinder in after I turned it on and had it in place because there is so little room to get to it I could not even switch the grinder on. Top nun was a 14mm.

As I said, very little space, break lines and electrical lines and the 14mm nut was rusted in place.



insert angle grinder as so...



I found it easiest to mount the bottom bolt with the retainer still on the rear shock then line it up to the top hole with the bottom washer and grommet in place, then cut the retainer and guide it into the hole...



Did some rattle can beautifucitation while I was in there on the center...and the Gabriel Ultra's are in place.



I found the entire job was left handed...meaning I had to use my left hand for everything. On the drivers side, because of clearance and angle, and on the passenger side I had to lay kind of on my stomach and side so my arm would bend in a manner as to reach the top nut on the shock.

Oh yah, While I had the rear tires off I checked the rear breaks. Plenty of meat left. Tires on both side had rusted onto the hubs so I had to use the B.F.H. (sledge) to give it the attitude adjustment that they needed to get them off.

I find the B.F.H. (sledge hammer) to be a integral and most useful tool in many instances and occasions. I keep one in each truck for just such applications where attitudes or anything else need adjustment.

Suck factor rating...8.5 on a scale of 1-10.