Better Late Than Never Build Thread
- Thread starter Speedy
- Start date
Book time is a professional mechanic with power tools and a wide variety of tools to best get the job done. If John Doe only has a 102 piece craftsman kit with hand ratchets it's going to take a lot longer. Especially if they don't really know the steps and have to keep going on youtube to watch the video or reading a write up on a forum.
Speedy
Member
Makes sense. I'm fortunate to have a good tool box with power tools etc so hopefully it won't be as big of a deal for mine. The cleaning and painting is gonna slow me down though for sure.
Just finished adjusting the suspension. That video will be live tomorrow. Getting that strut back in there even with the lbj disconnected was still a major PITA, I gotta be missing something on that one. Putting the lift on the truck originally was a pain in regards to the front struts.
JoeT4R
Senior Member
I will say that when I did that job, I had assistance from a friend. It was almost 10 years ago but if I recall correctly it took us about 4 or 5 hours and we did it in the street. All hand tools.
If I were doing it alone, I think the part that would hold me up the most is getting stuff disconnected and removed and reinstalled. I'm very careful with that kind of stuff. Overall it's not a horrible job. But you know what is?
Timing belt and water pump. Had a near and dear friend's Dad do the job for me while I assisted and learned. Took every bit of 10 hours start to finish.
Sent from my SM-T220 using Tapatalk
If I were doing it alone, I think the part that would hold me up the most is getting stuff disconnected and removed and reinstalled. I'm very careful with that kind of stuff. Overall it's not a horrible job. But you know what is?
Timing belt and water pump. Had a near and dear friend's Dad do the job for me while I assisted and learned. Took every bit of 10 hours start to finish.
Sent from my SM-T220 using Tapatalk
brillo_76
Elite Member
What took us the longest on the last engine valve gasket project. Was cleaning the gasket surfaces. It's not the easiest to get to everything with the engine in.
While the valve pans are off:
If you are around 250 to 300k is to check the valves for adjustment. It's enough time that your exhaust valves to get too tight and possibly the intake out of spec range.
As long as the valves are in that tolerance range. They are good. If you try to get them exact. It's possible, you be there for a few days .
Its just a thought while your in there.
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While the valve pans are off:
If you are around 250 to 300k is to check the valves for adjustment. It's enough time that your exhaust valves to get too tight and possibly the intake out of spec range.
As long as the valves are in that tolerance range. They are good. If you try to get them exact. It's possible, you be there for a few days .
Its just a thought while your in there.
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Rushthezeppelin
New member
I keep it in mind, I actually end up doing it like 95% of the time. and its great to know that its you mess with the ball joints and tie rods its a great idea to get an alignment done.
Even though, you don't change the parts
to spec. to change a CV joint. Then new lower ball joint bolts I would need to have the alignment checked.
That's odd, I've taken off my LBJs (not unbolted them from the spindle but popped them off the LCA) and my TREs multiple times on my truck and never had the alignment get thrown off, at least not noticeably. I could see actually changing the LBJ doing this as you are going from something loose to tight.
brillo_76
Elite Member
Now you know its possible as I wouldn't think it would either. Learn something new everyday..
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shadow247
New member
Now you know its possible as I wouldn't think it would either. Learn something new everyday..
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It's more likely the alignment just moved a bit from the last time. I can align my truck, drive 2 weeks, and put it back on the rack. It will have slightly different specs than 2 weeks before...
I have changed my CV axles too many times to count without doing any alignment right away. But I get an alignment 2 or 3x a year anyway, usually after a hard trail run.
phattyduck
Elite Member
I wish I had done that when I did my valve cover gaskets around that time... I shouldn't have been lazy about it.
-Charlie
brillo_76
Elite Member
Don't feel bad. I have to as I am in the 290K range when do my van pan covers. I am not looking forward to it as I had to do the timing belt about 10 or 15K ago with a major coolant leak. As that timing belt has to come off along with a reset of the timing belt tensioner ..
So the valve adjustments are project. Checking them can be too.. :frusty:
brillo_76
Elite Member
Your in good shape.. for at quite a while yet. I didn't bother even checking the valves on my another engine i put in with 163K on it.
Speedy
Member
Got the Bilstein 5100 suspension adjusted this week. Moved up one perch from bottom to 2 on the shocks to level things out in the front. It was a PITA. I have to be missing something. Removing the struts took like 10 minutes, getting them back in like 90 minutes each with a lot of swearing, long pry bars, and praying something didn't slip and chop off my fingers putting in the lower shock bolt.
Third post has video. Good news is that's done, the truck is level, and it rides fine.
Third post has video. Good news is that's done, the truck is level, and it rides fine.
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phattyduck
Elite Member
Didn't watch the vid. I have found the best spot for the pry bar is over the upper a-arm, then below the pivot bolt sleeve. Lots of leverage and out of the way of the rest of the suspension with little chance of slipping. One arm pulls down on the bar, the other uses a tool too align the lower bolt then insert it.
-Charlie
Speedy
Member
That does it, you're off my Christmas list lol.
That wouldn't work for me, my lower ball joints were disconnected which is supposed to make it easy.
phattyduck
Elite Member
:whoo: (j/k!)
If that's the case, you should have the pivot bolts (adjusters) loose too. Then you just lift the arm up by hand...
-Charlie
poisedforflight
New member
In your LBJ replacement video you show using 90119-10933 bolts/washers. I have a 1998 T4R and the OEM part is showing up as 90105-10406.
Do you know if these are interchangeable?
Do you know if these are interchangeable?
Speedy
Member
That's the older bolt I referenced. The new ones with the washers are an update/upgrade I believe. Spiker Engineering would know he tested them.
poisedforflight
New member
From the article it does not sound like they'd work on my '98.
“BLACK” – Toyota 90119-10933; Bolt with Washer. This bolt is specified for the 2001-2002 4Runner, at locations with the protector boot. It is longer than the other bolts, to accommodate the extra thickness of the protector boot. The “11” head markings also classify it as a Class 11T bolt. The captive washer makes this bolt quite different from the flanged heads of all the other bolts.
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Lower Ball Joint (LBJ) Bolts - and More!
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