one step closer to getting my ARB working, pulled the side panel off so i could remove the cubby. apparently my 4Runner is special because it has a cubby on the left and right side. I still need to install the air tank and finish wiring the compressor.



The black circle is the air inlet

 

Planning on taking it to Sunnyside this weekend for the lighted implement parade (not entering, just watching) to put some freeway miles on it.

parts have been trickling in to get the air tank installed and the ARB working, ordered up a winch with synthetic line, and picked up a nice kinetic recovery rope last night from tractor supply. 7/8" X 20' 24,700 lbs breaking strength Ditch Pig for $80. amazon and homedepot show them for $92 and NAPA wants $192

 

The steering felt really loose even after putting a new steering box, pitman arm, and idler arm and bracket. Yesterday i had the wife turn the steering wheel while i checked out the linkages. apparently when i hooked up the pitman arm, the steering was in a bind because it was super loose, i was able to pull the nut off by hand. She steers nice and tight now.

 

Situation: So i have a ARB in the rear right now, i am picking up an E-locker and will be going solid axle in the front.
Question: ARB rear E-locker front or E-locker rear ARB front?

any reason behind which should go in the front besides clearance for the E-locker?

 

Is the ARB a lunchbox locker? Make sure you put the selectable locker in the FRONT. I have lunchbox lockers in both right now and there are situations I would like to turn the front locker off but I can not. The rear has never been an issue.

 

i never get as much time in on projects as i plan for while on vacation.

surprisingly the only rust in the frame is in the front



this was after using the needle scaler


one other small rust hole found using the needle scaler


cutting out the old captured nut


after wire wheeling it


i bought a trail gear winch mount, it uses the 4 bolt holes across the cross member and has 2 extra holes above the cross member but theres nothing to bolt to there on these frames. having to cut out the captured nut i was reinforcing the front, replacing the captured nut, and added 2 more extra holes to the winch mount.



welded the brace plate in on the ends, 3 plug welds in the cross member, and stitch welded on the bottom of the cross member.


bolted up, i painted it black yesterday but didnt get another pic. still need to mount the winch to it.


and just because i have noticed i dont have many "over all" shots, theyre mostly of the areas i am working on.

 

Kept loosing coolant, and could smell it but couldn't see where it was coming from, wasn't losing a lot but enough to notice. got some leak testing dye from work and an ultraviolet flashlight, the only place i could see it leaking from was the upper radiator hose, I got about an extra turn out of it.

Ive taken it down the freeway a couple times now, at 70 my Speedo is reading 80.

 

Drove it 45 miles down the freeway to work today, did pretty good now that i have it timed better.

 

my plan for yesterday was to install the air tank and get my ARB working, with the wind we have been having that sounded like a horrible idea. So i nosed the 4Runner into the shop doors and installed the winch.



extended the cables from the winch to the control box with welding ground cables and put it inside the engine bay. Installed an El Jefe winch hook stopper and have an ebay winch cover for it.

 

got pulled over last night by a very nice policeman who said the next time he seen me without front turn signals i would be getting a ticket. Stopped by the parts store and picked up some temporary lights and installed them in 11 degree weather. on a side note i have been daily driving it this week 100 miles a day.



I knew i was in violation but was hoping to get the front bumper finished first.

 

sometimes its the small things, like a working windshield washer.

A previous owner put an aftermarket pump on the inner fender but it doesn't pull to well through the old rusted out pump. i blocked off the hole for the rear washer pump, put a new one in the tank for the front and fixed the wiring... ta da a working windshield washer.

 

I love the little wins!

 

last week I decided to test the ARB to make sure it was working... it is not. wouldn't lock and I could hear air leaking, guessing an o-ring is leaking.

Today I ordered a set of 4.88 gears and a spartan locker, going to install them in a spare third member and put it in the rear. I will keep the ARB third member for when I do my SAS. Also ordered a couple of triple drilled flanges (ARB third already has one) for when I install the 4.7:1 transfer case gears.