Weekendclimber's Legal Green Weekendcrawler - 99 SR5 Auto 4x4 Highlander Clone

did you buy that irwin kit in a store? if so, which one?

i have a stripped drain plug and i need to get it out. i have a welder and i spare tool to weld to the plug so i will likely try that. if i can buy this locally i will consider buying the kit. i dont want to buy online incase it doesnt work for me and i have to return it (these kits either seem to work incredibly well, or not at all for me). ive already sent two (non car related) packages back for returns this week and its a PITA to keep track of everything.

edit: i saw it once and then i couldnt find it again. why did your weld break? not good enough penetration?
 
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mesooohoppy said:
did you buy that irwin kit in a store? if so, which one?
Click to expand...

It's the Irwin Multi-Spline Extractor Set #53227. This is the full kit, but I ended up using only the 7/16" extractor for this specific need. I think you can get a smaller 5 piece kit with that one included. IMHO, they are handy to have around to extract stuff when needed.

mesooohoppy said:
edit: i saw it once and then i couldnt find it again. why did your weld break? not good enough penetration?
Click to expand...

Yeah, I've only got the 125amp HF flux core welder, so it just wasn't enough umpf to penetrate the drain plug to get the sacrificial 10mm hex socket to stick.
 
ah i see thank you. my roommate has a welder that is hooked up to gas and can weld up to 1/2" thick plate; so i will likely go that route just for the sake of not spending money.
 
mesooohoppy said:
ah i see thank you. my roommate has a welder that is hooked up to gas and can weld up to 1/2" thick plate; so i will likely go that route just for the sake of not spending money.
Click to expand...

As I'm sure you know, that heat should also help. Not sure if you're considering it, but you may want to reuse that drain plug since it'll already have that welded on. As shown in my video. On a brand new diff along with a drain plug less than a year old, it was already stuck after only about a month and a half. I'm going to be welding a nut onto the old stripped drain plug for future use if I have the same problem.
 
If I'm not mistaken, both front and rear diffs and the transfer case drain and fill plugs share the same m18x1.5 thread. Earlier this fall when performing my 4runner's annual service I had the fill plug round out on me when checking the fill level, even with a Snap-On six point socket. It's inevitable, sooner or later they fail.

Anyway, I didn't like the dealer price for a replacement so I sourced a plug and gasket through Dorman. The plug has a much more substantial hex, and the gasket is made from a synthetic. Cost me less than $3 at my flaps. I don't see another problem with it in the future. Dorman #090-042.

090-042-001.JPG
 
Riceye said:
If I'm not mistaken, both front and rear diffs and the transfer case drain and fill plugs share the same m18x1.5 thread. Earlier this fall when performing my 4runner's annual service I had the fill plug round out on me when checking the fill level, even with a Snap-On six point socket. It's inevitable, sooner or later they fail.

Anyway, I didn't like the dealer price for a replacement so I sourced a plug and gasket through Dorman. The plug has a much more substantial hex, and the gasket is made from a synthetic. Cost me less than $3 at my flaps. I don't see another problem with it in the future. Dorman #090-042.

090-042-001.JPG
Click to expand...

I don't think it's 1.5 thread pitch, but I could very well be wrong. Seems more like a 1.25 to me from what I remember. Memory is getting bad though.

Edit: I'll check tonight with the old stripped plug and report back.
 
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weekendclimber said:
I don't think it's 1.5 thread pitch, but I could very well be wrong. Seems more like a 1.25 to me from what I remember. Memory is getting bad though.

Edit: I'll check tonight with the old stripped plug and report back.
Click to expand...

Either way, a superior replacement should be available. The OE design on these plugs sucks.
 
Riceye said:
Either way, a superior replacement should be available. The OE design on these plugs sucks.
Click to expand...

while i agree that if youre going to do a hex style design, it should be atleast a torx type with plenty of depth to allow for proper bit engagement.

i have a small trick that may or may not help you with these hex caps. if the fitment between the hex key and plug is a little sloppy, take your hex/allen socket and wrap 1 layer of painters tape around it. this should take up all the 'slack' per se. i have done this in the past and its worked out great.
 
wow. quite a build you have going. thanks for all the pix and exposure to possibilities. time to subscribe to your thread ;-)
 
Rear Lower Control Arm Bushing Replacement

Even though I've got Sonoran Steel HD rear lower control arms, I've kept the old ones around. Going to be using them as trail spares, but wanted to at least get the old bushings out and replace them. I put together a video on how I press these out and I believe it's mostly based on [MENTION=120071]mtbtim[/MENTION] and [MENTION=102606]infamousRNR[/MENTION]'s experience. You should definitely watch their video for a more thorough explanation that includes removal from the vehicle (YouTube)

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ynrw9chNngY" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
Here's another video for removing your front lower control arm bushings using a bearing separator, press sleeve kit, and a Harbor Freight 20 ton hydraulic press. This just goes over removal of the bushings and not the full removal of the arm from the chasis.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1Cm2gSA9CII" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

For a video on removal and installation of the arm, as well as the bushings, refer to [MENTION=120071]mtbtim[/MENTION] and [MENTION=102606]infamousRNR[/MENTION]'s excellent videos:

YouTube

YouTube

Also, don't miss out on [MENTION=168172]sleepydad[/MENTION]'s video as well which also covers one of the methods I did:

YouTube
 
while im sure that is the correct way to do it, if your arms are clean and not full of rust, you can do the bottlejack trick very quickly and easy. i think i spent more time getting the bottlejack positioned and making sure it was straight then actually pumping to get the old bushings out. if your arms are rusty AF, i would definitely recommend this method.

that being said, you are going to enjoy new bushings. i love how my front end feels now. at nearly 240k everything was toast. what bushings did you go with? i also recommend the eimkeith lower control arm reinforcements since its already all apart.
 
I've actually got another set on the truck now that I got from another 4Runner that was being parted out (see previous posts). Those bushings were way more rusty and I had to chop those out with a sawzall after melting the rubber bushing out with a torch. That SUCKED!

I ended up purchasing the Strongflex bushings from Sonoran Steel and put those on the arms I've got on now. These are the originals and I'm weighing on whether I'm going to get the Solo Motorsports LCA's or just beef these up. May end up going with a LT kit eventually, so decisions, decisions. :confused:
 
what would be the benefit of doing the stock length LCAs from solo? if youre jumping, wouldnt you likely need the extended kit? are these arms for rock crawling? i thought real crawlers just wen SAS or an extended arm. for the price, i really dig what the eimkeith reinforcements do. although i have zero interest in rock crawling so there is that.

i should have just asked sonoran steel to give me the bushing numbers as i wasnt too excited about putting two different durometers in my truck. without sonoran posting any real data, i am skeptical of their theory that putting a softer bushing in the front will be 'better'.
 
mesooohoppy said:
well that is interesting. there is no mention of it on their site. good to know. i wonder what it does to your caster.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure if it's recommended on their site, or by their reps, but I would definitely recommend running aftermarket UCA on there. There's a set of SPC Light-Racing UCA's on this rig and it allows for adjustment of the caster and camber from the UCA. The factory UCA does not allow that and could interfere with a larger tire at full stuff. Not sure if you already knew that or not :blabla:
 
weekendclimber said:
I'm not sure if it's recommended on their site, or by their reps, but I would definitely recommend running aftermarket UCA on there. There's a set of SPC Light-Racing UCA's on this rig and it allows for adjustment of the caster and camber from the UCA. The factory UCA does not allow that and could interfere with a larger tire at full stuff. Not sure if you already knew that or not :blabla:
Click to expand...

oh its a must, IMO. if you change the LBJ mounting point your top and caster is going to be all out of wack. it was bad enough when i lifted mine, i couldnt even imagine what its like when you change the LBJ mounting point.

Now that you have moved a point on the suspension with those lower control arms, i would imagine that the total chaos UCA would be no where near in its element, or even able to help correct your alignment, because you just moved the lower pick up point. this is where your SPC arm probably shines. my chaos arm is not adjustable.
 
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Did a video on replacing the start solenoid contacts in the 3rd Gen starters, which is a pretty common starter across many Toyota and I believe Subaru vehicles. Thought I'd share:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nGwZJJcNJ4w" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
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