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Senior Member
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Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Colorado
Posts: 1,181
Real Name: Ron
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Colorado
Posts: 1,181
Real Name: Ron
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I've been thinking about the same thing, and I don't have all the answers yet, but here's what I know so far.
- Spark plugs are way easier on the 4th gen V8 than on my 2nd gen V6. Not even close. About 2 hours on the V6 vs. 15 minutes on the V8.
- Valve cover gaskets look to be easier as well, just because access is better. Not sure about hidden secondary issues, though.
- Changing front brake pads is about the same. Rears are easier than the drums on the older vehicles. I hate working on drum brakes.
- Shocks, springs, and ball joints should be about the same, since both use front struts and rear coils. If you can do a 3rd gen safely, you should be able to do the 4th gen.
- Don't know about fuel pump.
- From what I read, front wheel bearings are sealed and pressed into the hub, so require special tooling to disassemble. It looks like entire pre-assembled hub units are available as easily replaceable parts, and that appears to be the way to go when you need to replace a bearing.
There are more electronic and electro-mechanical gizmos on the 4th gen, so more potential issues there. Plus the ECU monitors more stuff, so you have to get things back together the way it wants them.
All in all, though, it looks to me like the stuff you mentioned is quite doable by anyone who has successfully maintained a 2nd or 3rd gen runner.
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2006 Sport Edition, V8, 206K miles, 2.5/1.5" OME lift, SPC adjustable UCA's, 255/75/17 BFG KO2's load range C @ 40psi. Regeared diffs to 4.30, with TrueTrac in rear.
1994 SR5, V6, 5-spd, Aussie locker front, Aisin manual hubs, Truetrac rear, 33/10.50/15 BFG KO's, stock suspension, OBA (Viair 400C), Front Range Offroad twin stick, 225K miles. Dual 2.28 transfer cases, for a 90:1 crawl ratio.
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