Hi everyone,
I've got a '91 4Runner 5 speed and I would like your opinions please.
I've had the vehicle for 6 months and when I got it, it was known that the clutch would have to be replaced. A couple of friends and I replaced it approximately 2 months ago, and I believe since the clutch replacement, the 4Runner has been driven in Low 4, constantly. I think when we replaced the shifters and what not, the 4wd shifter was placed in the Low 4 position and has been there ever since. The 4wd light apparently does not work on the dash and I think I've been driving around, blissfully ignorant of 4wd being engaged.
I pulled out of a gas station this morning and there was a patch of ice at the exit. I heard the front wheels spin on the ice and thought 'Oh SH*T! This things in 4WD!' I stopped and set the shifter to H2 and at that point realized that the shifter had previously been in the L4 position all along.
A month and a half ago (pretty much right after the clutch replacement) the front end started shaking mildly and the vehicle would pull to the right. Since then the shaking got a lot worst and I noticed uneven tire wear on the driver side front.
The first bit of advice I got was to replace the tire and get an alignment. Fortunately, the guy I got the 4Runner from also gave me 4 additional tires that were already mounted. I replaced that drivers side tire with one of those and the shaking stopped...temporarily.
We use the 4Runner pretty much as a point A to point B vehicle, just to get to work and to the store and I never did get an alignment done.
Within the past 3 weeks I have switched the driver side tire twice and the shaking and pulling has pretty much rendered the vehicle un-driveable. The tire changes no longer 'put a band-aid on the problem'. A friend took a peek at the front end and said it looked to him like the driver side CV axle was shot as well as the upper ball joint.
I imagine prolonged driving in L4 on level pavement at speeds up to 60-ish is no bueno. Do you think this could have caused this issue and how much damage to the front end components could it have done?
Thank you,
Scott
I've got a '91 4Runner 5 speed and I would like your opinions please.
I've had the vehicle for 6 months and when I got it, it was known that the clutch would have to be replaced. A couple of friends and I replaced it approximately 2 months ago, and I believe since the clutch replacement, the 4Runner has been driven in Low 4, constantly. I think when we replaced the shifters and what not, the 4wd shifter was placed in the Low 4 position and has been there ever since. The 4wd light apparently does not work on the dash and I think I've been driving around, blissfully ignorant of 4wd being engaged.
I pulled out of a gas station this morning and there was a patch of ice at the exit. I heard the front wheels spin on the ice and thought 'Oh SH*T! This things in 4WD!' I stopped and set the shifter to H2 and at that point realized that the shifter had previously been in the L4 position all along.
A month and a half ago (pretty much right after the clutch replacement) the front end started shaking mildly and the vehicle would pull to the right. Since then the shaking got a lot worst and I noticed uneven tire wear on the driver side front.
The first bit of advice I got was to replace the tire and get an alignment. Fortunately, the guy I got the 4Runner from also gave me 4 additional tires that were already mounted. I replaced that drivers side tire with one of those and the shaking stopped...temporarily.
We use the 4Runner pretty much as a point A to point B vehicle, just to get to work and to the store and I never did get an alignment done.
Within the past 3 weeks I have switched the driver side tire twice and the shaking and pulling has pretty much rendered the vehicle un-driveable. The tire changes no longer 'put a band-aid on the problem'. A friend took a peek at the front end and said it looked to him like the driver side CV axle was shot as well as the upper ball joint.
I imagine prolonged driving in L4 on level pavement at speeds up to 60-ish is no bueno. Do you think this could have caused this issue and how much damage to the front end components could it have done?
Thank you,
Scott
