I picked this up a couple of days ago and it's currently in the shop getting a good once over:
2003
4wd
V8
Limited
LB42 Leather
215,000 miles
Bilsteins/Spacer lift
265/70 R16 Cooper Discover S/T
XD "Hoss" 16" Wheels

Motor has plenty of power and it drives nice and straight.
Dealer said "The PO said they did timing belt and water pump" ... but no sticker so I will redo it all.

Known issues are the 4wd actuator, bad fan clutch & a cracked coil pack.
There is also a small section of the frame we need to address for rust but it's nothing like the horror stories I have seen on youtube.
Shop seems to think they can easily cut out the bad spots and plate them.
Hopefully they don't find much more so I can get this on the road and get rid of my Jeep. ;)


Plans:
Fix EVERYTHING noted above.

The front seems a little stiff so may investigate swapping something else in.

There are dents and dings that I am going to try to correct or at least minimize.

Might repaint/recolor it as well.... the black is sexy and all but it's hawt here in TX.
If I don't do a color change I might just do a white roof to reflect that sun!

If I keep the black I may look for some of the newer Limited wheels.
I generally like black wheels on white/silver vehicles and shiny metal on black/dark blue.

I will need to refurbish headlights so I may crack them open and convert to something brighter.

Grill needs some love. Emblems were plasti-dipped. Not sure if I like it.

On the inside I also want to replace the dash so will probably do a coverlay unless I find a nice one at the 'yard.

I am also going to look at replacement carpet, refurbishing the leather and some new floor mats.

Audio is the JBL system but I want something more modern.
I will investigate swapping that out for something touch screen assuming I can keep the steering wheel controls.

May remove the running boards and relocate the lights in them to under the body. We will see if they are necessary for the wife. lol


UPDATE:
Truck is done with the initial inspection.
Will have the shop mess with the AC Condenser because I don't have those tools.

Got a few things to sort out myself once I get it back and up first on my DIY list is a wheel bearing.

Truck has a slight pull to one side under heavy braking and the passenger side bearing is to blame.

I've changed out plenty of unit bearings in my Jeep XJ/YJ/TJ days so I feel like this is a project I an handle.

I came across this wheel bearing and ordered it:
Amazon.com
Arrives on the 9th supposedly.


As much as I am a fan of OEM parts, the prices on them are bonkers ... about $500 for both the bearing and hub then I'd need to press together!

I'm opting for a complete unit because I want nothing to do with what I say Eric the car guy go though!
2005 Toyota 4Runner Front Axle, Wheel Bearing, & Hub Replacement -EricTheCarGuy - YouTube

I did see some options on rock auto for just the bearing but this saves me a trip to get things pressed out/in and I should be able to do it all in one swoop.

This one has some mixed reviews so I called Detroit Axle directly and they confirmed that price is correct and the store is actually theirs and not a knock off (although the part may come from China). I also suspect that (based on the photos) the people that had failures have 2wd trucks and didn't realize the stub axle is required to hold it all together on a 4wd unit. That is a lesson I learned the hard way in one of my Cherokees as a young lad when we pulled a shaft to limp it home after some front end problems.

Attached Images

         

Going to use this post as my maintenance log.

1/8/24
215,473 Miles
OEM AC Condenser - Land Cruiser Specialists

1/13/24
215,473
OEM B2 S1 O2 Sensor - (8946560150) Tom Wood Toyota
OEM Coil Pack - (90919-02230) Tom Wood Toyota

1/30/24
215,473
Detroit Pass front Wheel Bearing - Amazon
Denso Coil Packs - (6731303) Rock Auto x7

2/7/24
215,495
OEM Radiator Shroud - (16711-50170) Joe Joe Toyota Parts
OEM Fan Clutch - (1621050090) Tom Wood Toyota
OEM Fuel Tube Clamp - (7785-35630) Joe Joe Toyota Parts
OEM Fuel Tube Clamp - (7785-35640) Joe Joe Toyota Parts


2/12/24
215,501
New Spare tire changing tools
Amazon

3/2/24
215,511
Cleaned Sun Roof Drains
OEM Relay Block Cover - (82663-35090) Toyota Parts Deal
OEM B1 S1 O2 Sensor - (8946560150) Tom Wood Toyota
OEM PCV Valve - (12204-50030) Toyota Parts Deal
OEM Gas Cap - (77300-47010) Toyota Parts Deal
OEM PCV Hose - (12261-50060) Toyota Parts Deal
OEM PCV Hose - (12261-50050) Toyota Parts Deal

3/11/24
215,520
OEM Feul Resistor - (23080-50130) Toyota Parts Deal
OEM MAF Sensor - (22204-75020) Toyota Parts Deal
OEM Vapor Hose - (23829-50070) Toyota Parts Deal
OEM Vapor Hose - (23820-50140) Toyota Parts Deal
OEM Thermistor - (88790-22131) Toyota Parts Deal
Battery Duralast Gold 27F-DLG - AutoZone

3/21/24
215,532
Bearden Automotive. They use OE parts and for this they used the ASIN kit.
B2 S1 O2 Sensor Ground fix
Timing Belt Idler
Cam Seal x2
Crank Seal
Timing belt
Water Pump
Idler lower Timing
Coolant
FIPG Sealer
Thermostat Gasket
O-Ring Bypass
Inlet O-ring
Thermostat
Tension Adjuster Timing
P/S Hose 3/8
P/S Feed Hose
Power Steering Fluid
Oil Pickup Gasket
Oil Pumo/RM Housing O-Ring
Oil Pump
Tensioner Accessory Belt
Harmonic balancer
Alternator
Cooling Bracket Assembly

4/8/24
215,674
Lubed front & rear driveshafts (slips & u-joints)

5/13/24
215,690
Krawltex Motorsports
Installed SafeTcap Frame Repairs 200,201 & 202 on both sides

5/22/24
215706
Bearden Automotive.
New Radiator & Cap

7/27/24
216,116
OEM - Toyota Parts Deal


8/8/24
216,253
OEM Purge Valve - Amayama


8/9/2024
216,253
Powerstop Front Pads & Rotors - Amazon
Powerstop Rear Pads & Rotors - Amazon
VastAuto Hub Grease Caps - Amazon
Detroit Driver Front Wheel Bearing - Amazon
Geometry Correction UCAs - SuperPro
LCA Kit - SuperPro
Sway bar Drop - Amazon
Dobinsons 1-3.5" IMS Coilovers (+100lbs/black) - Exit Offroad
Dobinsons C59-675V Variable Long travel coils (black) - Exit Offroad
Dobinsons IMS59-50701 Shocks - Exit Offroad
Extended Stainless Kevlar Teflon (maybe some Unobtanium too) Brake lines Front & Rear (smoked black) - YotaMafia
OEM 5th Gen CV Axles (43430-60082) - Joe Joe
OEM Differential Mounts lower x2 - Partsourq
OEM Differential Mounts upper x2 - Partsourq
OEM Support assy front diff (5238060012) - Partsourq
OEM Support assy front diff (5238060021) - Partsourq
Alignment and install of above parts - Krawltex Motorsports

The bearing topic has been talked about many times and I think you commented on one thread with good info recently. A couple years ago you could get a hub assembly with a quality Japanese bearing from Rock Auto, you could see it stamped on the bearing in the pictures. Those seem to no longer be available. Personally, I'd prefer a quality bearing and either have it pressed on or do it myself with my cheapo HF press. Just no telling how long a China bearing will last. If you must go that route then maybe buy somewhere local with a lifetime guarantee so you can easily claim it.

As far as that ETCG video, that's pretty nuts for a supposed pro. I pressed mine out which made it separate from the race then cut the race with a dremel and slid it off the hub. Stuck the parts in the freezer which made pressing the new bearing onto the old hub pretty easy.

The stiff ride is likely the bilsteins operating with 2" of their travel pre-compressed. Assuming they're not blown, dropping those to the lowest setting and installing springs meant for your desired ride height should be much better.

I've got 5100s with Dobinsons springs for my 1.5-2" lift and no complaints from me or the wife.

Get a ceramic tint on at least the windshield but preferably all windows. That'll do a ton to help cut the heat. It's enough to spare me a burnt rear on dark leather seats all summer long and I'm in Central TX too. AC even feels more effective.

Go to Crutchfield.com, punch in your options and they'll list out all the gear you need to replace the head unit and keep the steering wheel controls + factory sub working. I paid the extra for the harness service and made the whole install basically plug and play.

For headlights, check out the thread below for bulbs and stay away from TEQ. The chinese projector assemblies are fine, just not durable unless you add a bead of sealant and maybe PPF on the lens. Once you upgrade to a projector, the high output bulbs below are great for visibility and won't blind other drivers if you aim em.

3rd Gen HID vs LED vs Halogen H11 projector headlights | Tacoma World

Thanks for all of that!

Do you know if there a spring that would give me about the same front height as I have now? I don't like the raked look so wouldn't want to lose anything up front.

Dobinsons has a thing on their website that lists out all their spring options with specs. It'll let you narrow down choices for your particular combo of engine, drive wheels, any expected static weight (like bumpers), and desired ride height. Not sure if that exists for other manufacturers but I ran through that to pick my f/r springs for my specific setup.

Got it back home today after a nice leisurely drive across Austin ... if there is such a thing.

Fuel door has a broken hinge so I ordered one of these:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/385287526606
Will have to be painted unless I can figure out how to just swap some of the internals, which I doubt.


I only have 1 key and FOB so I ordered 2 new flip key fobs from here:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/386189578057
I'll let you know how it goes getting them setup.

Started PB blastering what I can reach for the 02 sensor and wheel bearing.
Also hit the coil pack bolts so I can check them all.

On the drive home I heard a little bit of clunking form the rear which I attribute to the spare tire being a little loose.
I went to tighten it up and I think I am missing some parts.

Can anyone tell me what I am missing?

Attached Images

 

You're missing a straight piece with no thumbscrews. You can see it in this pic, 2nd item down. Make sure it's not hiding back there.

The straight thumbscrew piece goes into the hole first (screw out), then the missing one, then the L shaped one attaches to that. Best to attach the straight ones together first.

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/cKYAA...SI/s-l1600.png

Thanks!

I just noticed I'm also missing the lug wrench!

I think you can use a long 3/8 drive extension to work on the spare tire carrier.

Today's plans were a new coil pack, new fan clutch, new wheel bearing and new 02 sensor...


I started with the 02 sensor and with the right tool, that was pretty easy.
Access was easy for me since it's lifted and there isn't wheel well liner there.



I highly recommend this tool if you are doing an O2 sensor:
O2 Sensor Socket on Amazon


Then I started with the coil pack and since I was in there, I checked them all.
Access is very easy on the driver side:


Passenger side requires removal of the air filter housing:


I knew one was cracked but didn't know ALL of them were cracked.
Ugh.

I had help when it was time for the fan clutch and we were able to get it apart and out by pulling the fan shroud at the same time.
Didn't have to take any hoses off!

Unfortunately, it looks like the PO cross threaded one of the studs so it had to come out:

New one on order.
Ugh!


Thankfully since it was out and getting late-ish, we decided to not do the bearing today. That led us to discover some questionable wire routing, which we temp solved with bright ass zip ties. Bright so that I will notice them and they will irritate me so I will order the proper clips! lol




I also noticed a few missing nuts & bolts.
Hoping to get to the parts yard soon to find a few of these:



Also, while sitting under the frame checking things out ... I noticed there is something missing.
What is supposed to go in these clips (driverside):

Clips on frame are probably from original suspension system, xreas, which is a good system just very expensive to service and has been replaced by the Bilsteins. I did the same on mine. you may find a metal bracket or two as well on the frame depending on how much of that system was left behind, or not removed. That system had hydraulic lines running from front to rear for the shocks and those plastic clips held the lines.

I envy your lack of rust.

Got some more parts on order!
Coil packs, radiator shroud, serpentine belt, the brackets for the fuel/evap lines and some fender liners.

Cha-Ching!

Unfortunately you can only get the radiator fan clutch mounting stud if you buy an entire assembly ... and that isn't gonna happen for one stud.

I am due to go to the parts yard for a few miscellaneous items and will see if I can grab one or two. If not I will find a comparable part and roll with it.

My local True Value has metric studs. I would think you'd have something similar in your area. Ace or Aubuchon?