[brian2sun]

Originally Posted by cek77

Good looking truck man. I need to see Cali. at some point. I love my PA scenery but I need to see and experience Cali.

Hope you like traffic.

[Pikeman]

Geila- what part of So. Cal? there are quite a few of us here and we try to get together and wheel or wrench on occasion. If you like I might be talked into test fitting my wheels on your truck to see how you like the way 285's look/ fit or if you want to stick smaller.

[gielamonster]

I'm in Costa Mesa. I'd definitely up for meets or trail days. Very generous offer Pikeman, I may have to take you up on that!

[gielamonster]

Blowing the dust off this one! I mounted a set of 285s on the stock rims after I scuffed, repainted, and baked them. They definitely look better than what was on, I'm pretty happy with them.




(hard parking, hehe)

I replaced the broken swaybar endlinks at the same time. I've used the truck for a few dirtbike trips and it's served me well, including the times I have the bike loaded on. I dig sleeping in the back, although its kind of a pain to have to unload everything to do it. I've been oogling some of the sleeping platform/storage options you guys use.

I took it on a ski trip with the new tires and it didn't flinch. I've taken it on some 1000+mi trips and it hasn't had any hiccups. Many many miles of trouble free ownership.

But I did notice the rear diff has started dripping fluid so just to be safe, I ordered an Aussie Locker from Northridge4x4 to install "while I'm in there".

[PitbullRescuer]

The 285's look right at home. Dig the wheels too, I painted mine and I'm very happy with the outcome.

[fightman80]

Looks really good man! Looks to be in great shape!

[kball]

In one of your earlier pics it looks like your cv boot is torn. How's the angle on the cv's? Is there a body lift too or are the front coilovers just jacked way up? When I saw your first pic it reminded me of Singtoe's truck.

[Gerdo]

Nice looking rig. Bike too.

As far as your rough ride. I would blame it on the OME shocks. I don't know what rear coils you have but I have had 890, 891, stock LC, and now 861 and have never said "Overpasses have a tendency to bounce me out of the seat for an instant".

[JadatheRottweiler]

didn't know mongoose bikes were still in the game, i thought they transition to target and other main places

i ride in your neck of the woods too, sweet picture @ cooks corner!

[Qyota]

Love the stock rims in that color! Beautiful

[A.Wilson013]

Originally Posted by JadatheRottweiler

didn't know mongoose bikes were still in the game, i thought they transition to target and other main places

i ride in your neck of the woods too, sweet picture @ cooks corner!

LOL!

Mongoose still puts out some quality bikes, however, the price jump from Target to their "good" stuff is a couple thousand!

[gielamonster]

Yeah, I love the 'goose. The drop seatpost and Hammerschmidt up front are the coolest parts, feels like I'm riding a bike from the future. The rides are much more enjoyable than on my old one.

So the Aussie Locker should be here early next week. I'm hoping that I'll remedy the wet/slow drip from the diff cover at the same time:



I read somewhere that the diff covers can get so rusty that they are actually leaking through the metal themselves? This seems really unlikely, I'd expect it just rusted at the flange. What do you guys think? Should I go find a new cover too?

[gielamonster]

Originally Posted by JadatheRottweiler

i ride in your neck of the woods too, sweet picture @ cooks corner!

Good eye!

[gielamonster]

Originally Posted by kball

In one of your earlier pics it looks like your cv boot is torn. How's the angle on the cv's? Is there a body lift too or are the front coilovers just jacked way up? When I saw your first pic it reminded me of Singtoe's truck.

Yes, the inner CV is torn on at least one side. Apparently this is a pretty common problem with 2-3" lift. I think the PO installed a 3" lift, no body lift. I don't know if it has a diff drop installed or not. (Truck has been so damn reliable I haven't been under it for almost a year!)

I was reading up on a mod where you just stretch the inner CV boot a little further down the axle and that prevents tearing new ones:

Boot Slide With No Glue - TTORA Forum

I also found some info about using Porsche 930 boots as they're a little longer/bigger? What do you guys think?

[Dewyz1100]

I read somewhere that the diff covers can get so rusty that they are actually leaking through the metal themselves? This seems really unlikely, I'd expect it just rusted at the flange. What do you guys think? Should I go find a new cover too?

Unfortunately, if you look closely at your rear diff "cover", it is not a cover at all - it is an integrated (welded) piece of the entire rear axle housing (tube)...

I hope for your sake that there is not a crack or hole in it - mine developed a hole around that center bracket for the e-brake guide... However, my 4Runner has always been a "rust belt" Runner...

Here is my recent repair thread:

RUST BELT - Rear Axle Housing Swap

After seeing my thread you will see that the "rust" you speak of on your 4Runner is nothing to get bent out of shape about... Trucks around here will look like yours within a few years of driving off the dealer's lot new...

Looking at your differential "cover" - I would guess that you simply need a new crush washer for the fill plug...it could be leaking around that...

When you are ready to put in your new locker, be sure you replace that washer - along with the one for the drain plug.

Do yourself a favor and replace the axle breather while you are at it. Or better yet, go all out and spend $30 on a relocation kit for that breather...

It will save you a lot of grief in the future, and help prevent premature failure of your axle seals...

Hope this helps...