I am, at least to this Toyota. just recently I purchased a 1990 4 Runner. Yeah, a 1990. That's 23years old, hell My kids and my wife and some of my guns are older, but this truck is in nice shape. Seems it was released to the public in 1990 and after it's first 6 months or so it found it's way to Virginia Beach for most of it's life. It landed here in the northern reaches of NY last fall and as I read the info from carfax, I'm the 3rd or 4th owner.
Anyway about the truck, (is it a truck or a car??) It has a mere 160,000 or so miles on it, and since there are Jasper engine stickers all over it, I guess it's on engine #2. It is a v6, auto, 4WD, all kinds of accessories or creature comfort items I guess.
I have noticed two little glitches however, why would someone put a 3000 lb trailer hitch on a vehicle and not run wires? So I need tips to fix that little problem, and 2., why does the transmission shift lever wobble sideways so much and how do I fix it?
That's it as far as the truck goes for now, as for me, I'm pushing 68, retired, everyday is Saturday, tinker with olde garden tractors, simplicity, allis, Wheel Horse, most from the 60's and early 70's. and I shoot a lot, used to hunt a lot too but after 2 heart attacks I like being warm in the winter.

BigBoox

 

Welcome. Wobbly shifter? a stick? or auto? If stick, its a simple bushing.

Trailer wiring.....should be there....snoop under there some.

 

Maybe the wiring is hiding, maybe they've already removed it before it got to you.

Liking guns and living in NY are a bad combination.....we're ALMOST as bad here in California.

 

Upstate NY is nothing like the city .

I am curious just where ?? I do like it up that way .

Lake effect Snow belt??

Pa considers the 4Runner a Station Wagon go figure .

welcome to the Forum

 

As to haw far north, there's only a river between me and a whole 'nother country. I'm farther North, ABOVE the snow belt.
Now the wobbly shifter is on an automatic, some front to rear play but lots of side to side play. It's a v6, if that matters.
And rest assured, there ain't no wiring hiding underneath, it's too clean, so I guess I gotta bite the big one and splice into a bunch of wires, from both sides yet, that ought to be nice and neat.

 

You may want to see if there are plug-in trailer harness available? Where you unplug the taillights and plug in trailer harness to factory main harness, then plug the taillights back into back side of trailer wiring harness. Hope that makes sense. It's basically a "T" off the vehicle harness for the wiring of trailer lights.

 

If there was a plug in adapter for the lights, still being manufactured, I would have it on the truck already. Yes, Hopkins used to make one.

 

With your trailer lights i found it easier to do a split off from one of your tail lights, should be a wire harness somewhere in that area, possibly under the rear fender its located, a diagram would help locate the specific wires your looking for once that is done just make your self an adapter to the options that are out there for your trailer, macgyver a harness , i added some really small fusses just in case, but it works, so that's something to try on your own given time, my shifter wobbles but it does't really bother me

 

I used one of those quick connector harnesses from Uhaul because I needed one in a pinch. With my dad's Tacoma you could either have the trailer lights come on with the brake lights/running light or the blinkers, but if you connected it to both as indicated on the diagram it would cause the Tacoma's brake lights to blink with the blinkers and blinkers to light up with the brakes... So I just tied into the brake lights...

Lesson, don't use the cheapest friggin harness with one wire for both the brakes and blinkers or it screws with the truck's tail lights.

 

Here is a write up with pictures on how to fix the loose shifter on a auto. tranny. https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...er-fix-267369/

 

My trailer wiring hot is run inside of the drivers side frame at the rear. It's a U haul wiring install and controller too i think. What a rats nest!
I don't tow often and haven't messed w/ cleaning it up, but I need to...

I don't think the "towing package" on these trucks included wiring. But I could be wrong. Think it's just the hitch, oil cooler, and tranny cooler...

Shifter bushings are great to fix if you're talkign about auto. Also, I didn't, but you might want to look at replacing the tcase shift lever bushings while you're in there. Just as brittle but since used less, more intact so less wobble. Looks to be 4 of them (check parts diagram) in addition to two on tranny shifter.

 

maco35, thanx, that looks like one problem is fairly easily fixed anyhow. Also thanx to you RSR...Wish I could find a NOS Hopkins plug-in adaptor for the lights, guess cuz it's so old, there's not too much demand, only 24 years, wish I was only 24 years old...on second thought I couldn't go through all that again...

 

As far as the lights go this is what I have always done.

Go to parts store and buy a tail light converter box. You will need to wire that box into your factory wiring harness. This is easily done if you access the wiring harness back next to the fuel tank. Tap into it before it splits off to each side. This makes a nice clean install and then all you must do is hook your trailer lights wiring plug into the converter and you gots yourself a towing kit. If you need help let me know as I have helped several others on here do this install.

 

Again, Do you people read the rest of the topic before you jump off with your "go to the parts store and buy the converter box tip"...Hey, HEADS UP...it's NLA people. I am talking about a 24 year old vehicle. I'm hoping someone has one,apparently they did make them at one time, or can give me more specific instructions on how to approach the problem. Like where is the best place to get to the actual wiring? it sure as he** ain't gonna fit behind the tailight, and what is the best way to get the wire to the right side? And again, it's a1990 4 runner.

 

You know what... Screw you old man... Do you not how to use google. Do your own research. Don't come here and ask for help if your just gonna be a D*** over not getting exactly what you want. Why don't you try the Pirate forums. They probably got what your asking for bye now.

 

I agree. You should do some personal research. Just because it's a 1990 Runner, doesn't mean something for a 2000 Runner won't work. Toyota used a lot of the same parts and harnesses and plugs for several years and models. And just because it's not listed for your exact application, doesn't mean it won't work, albeit with some very slight alteration or modification. Good luck.

 

Toyota boy...It's a '90, there is no plug in available, apparently there was one NLA

Now maybe my whole take on this is wrong. Let's see, the forum heading is newbie tech section. I would assume that to mean that if one is relatively new to the 4Runner experience this is a good place to start. I would also expect that the answers offered would, for the most part involve some relevance to the queries posited. Maybe I should be very specific. i.e. where is the best place to install the converter box in my 4Runner as it appears that it is too large to be hidden behind the tail-light assembly. Next question; how should I route the wire that must go to the other tail-light for the right-hand turn light? under the mats? under the body? over the top of the tailgate? I guess that most people, if they are familiar with my specific model truck, would have acceptable answers. Not a guess-a-thon by a bunch of wannabe auto techs.

 

You're right, there aren't plug and play answers to simple problems with our old trucks, so get out your volt meter and figure it out. I've only been wrenching for a few years and not a single problem you've listed so far is difficult to solve.

 

In this above quote your inquiring about using a converter box and how to wire it. We'll if you would read is entire thread that you started then you would clearly see that I explained to you we're to wire it. Do you need it in very large bold letters so that it is easier to see and I could probably get some pictures if that will help. Not trying to be a smart a** but you've really slurred everyone that's tried to help you or give you advice. And the wanna be technicians???? Bud I've owned toyota's from the 84-95 year range for about 10 years now. I can completely disassemble one and put it back like a puzzle. Yeah I don't know it all but if you search my profile and post you will see that I really don't ask much. I do tell a lot tho. Us wanna be technicians is what keeps this site going. But occasionally we get some prick in here that knows it all or acts just like you.

No if you would really like some info on the converter box, then I can give you all the info you will need. Now your wiring harness has a split in it. This means that it feeds both the left and right side. If you follow the wiring harness back from the tail light to the front you will see we're the split ties into one single wiring harness that includes 7 wires if I'm correct. This is wee you need to splice the converter box in and then tape up you wires and mount the box here. Do remember these boxes are weather proof so mounting them are not limited and there only like 2" long by like 1" wide. After the converter box is wired in you will need to purchase a trailer wire extended harness. This can come in 12" to 4' long. Plug that into the convertor box. Then your harness that you bought should reach to your hitch. Thus allowing you to plug your trailer into that harness. If you can't understand that then sorry I wasted your time on reading it. If that's not good enough info then your gonna have to do a google search on your own. If you come back at me with some DA statement then owell more power to ya.

 

Thread cleaned up of unnecessary drama.

Let me make a few things completely clear.

1. If you don't have the specific answer to a question, don't post.

2. Belittling people trying to help you is a specific rules violation. As is posting a thread with a ridiculous title like "Hate being a nooobeee". I'm sure a seasoned pro like the OP would surely read the rules he agreed to when signing up.

3. Cursing, attacking members, bypassing the censor, all not acceptable here. If you want to curse and be a jerk, go to Pirate.

Let this serve as the only warning I am giving in this thread. Any more attacks, or nonsense like the crap I just read from "either side" will earn that person a vacation.