Recent content by Steamdonkey

What's the prevailing opinion on radiator hoses? Is there a quality aftermarket option or does it make the most sense to stick with OEM? I'm not interested in silicone hoses.

So is there a consensus on which kit works best with a 2004 SR5 V8 with stock ride height? I'm simply wanting to reduce the sag from tongue weight.

Yeah southern Idaho, plenty of sun and hot weather. Most days I bike to work and when I have to drive I park in a covered garage. At home it's always garaged. If I do have to park in the sun I use a windshield shade. It made it 17 years, not too bad I guess.

My '04 with ~110,000 miles suddenly developed a dashboard crack starting at the upper left corner of the glove box, running 12" toward the windshield. I'm pissed! I've kept it out of the sun since day 1 (except when driving) and always have a thin thin coat of 303 Aerospace Protectant on it...

The verdict is in... Perfect fit! :party:

Thanks again for all the helpful feedback, this forum rocks!

Thanks for all the great responses guys. I found a set of take-offs from a 21' Tacoma TRD Offroad - 265/70R16, which is the exact tire size I have now. Even though I have 16" wheels, I'm still a little rattled by something I found online- "TRD Pro wheels are available in 2 sizes: 16" diameter...

My '04 needs tires and someone nearby has a like-new set of 2021 take-offs for sale. The wheel offset looks to be 15mm different as the '21 wheel offset is ET15 vs. the '04 which is ET30. Is that enough to worry about?

I changed my 2004 4Runner's timing belt in 2016 at ~95,000 miles. The belt looked good (whatever that's worth) but I did notice the water pump gasket had developed a very small leak. The belt was dry and the impeller shaft seal seemed to be fine so I imagine it could have gone a while longer...

For anyone following this, I ended up using a Helicoil 5546-10 M10 x 1.5 Metric Coarse Thread Repair Kit. I fished some small magnets on a wire up into the pan several times to get all the metal shavings. So far so good, no leaks.

After getting set up with a tap drill and 10mm x 1.5 tap I learned the original bolt was 10mm. I'm really on a roll here! :bravo: I ran the tap through and managed to find enough material to cut some marginal treads for the new 10mm bolt. It'll work for a temporary fix while I get a real...

Thanks for all the input guys. I was able to force the plug out by wedging a chisel between the bolt head and the pan while banging away with a 3/8" mini impact wrench. When the bolt came out it was wearing all the threads from the pan and then some. The original hole is smooth now, so I'm...

I've stripped a bolt or two before, but this was different. I noticed the drain plug didn't unscrew freely once I broke it loose. I let the fluid drain out and I looked at the bolt threads before reinstalling it. They looked fine, so I proceeded to screw it back in and noticed the same odd...

Thanks guys, I'll try the worm gear clamps.

Has anyone experienced a chronic CV boot clamp failure? In my case it's the small clamp of the outboard boot on the driver's side. I noticed the OEM clamp failed at ~90k and I replaced the axle with a Cardone and now the exact same clamp has failed again. Neither time did I find damage to the...