4rFrog
New member
I found John and his shop “Japanese Car Specialties” in Mission Viejo on this site a few months ago. I used to do all the work to my 4runner myself, but life is too way to busy for me these days. So, I started looking for a good Toyota mechanic to take my truck to.
This guy John is a really good mechanic, he’s not a “parts changer”, he gets creative and solves problems and fixes broken parts if they can be salvaged. He knows Toyota trucks inside and out. His shop has basically become a Toyota offroad mechanic shop, not a lift shop, but a fix broken trucks and tune your truck so it runs perfect shop.
I took my truck there a few months ago for a CEL code, turned out I had multiple vacuum leaks and a dirty MAF. John did a smoke test, he found the leaks, cleaned the MAF. Got everything fixed, CEL went off.
Fast forward 4-5 months later. Lifted my truck, lot’s of vibrations at highway speeds, loose steering, blow CV boots, clicking over bumps. I started buying parts with the intention of doing it all myself. Too buys, garage full of parts, I’m now turning into a 4runner junkie, so I figured I’d take it in and have John go through my suspension.
I dropped off my 4runner and a trunk full of parts and list of fixes.
I Asked him to fix my CEL again, I installed a JET Performance MAF and Airaid intake tube(removed it because of sound). I also asked him to check every bushing on the truck front to back. There was a bad highway speed vibration after my lift, I told him I was hoping the bushing and pinion angle would fix that.
Parts I left him
Rokman adjustable lower links,
Frontrange off road upper link tubes with Currie Johnny joints
OEM lower controls arms
OEM LBJ’s
OEM outer tie rod ends
Adco front and rear sway bars.
He told me to return the OEM lower control arms and install Energy Suspension bushing in the lower control arms for a better ride than OEM. Toyota parts deal had a 20% restock fee, so John bought them from me.
For the front end, he installed Energy Suspension bushings in the lower control arms, OEM lower ball joints, OEM outer tie rod ends and Adco front and rear sway bar with 95 4runner links up front. He took 2 turns off my Fox 2.5 coilovers to relive some stress off the CV axles. Fixed my front fixed plate because of the diff drop. Basically he went though everything and made it right again.
For the rear end, he installed my Rokman adjustable lower links, and the Frontrange/Curry upper links which he had to get creative and put a sleeve in the bushing because I got the wrong size. He ended up using a head stud sleeve front a Honda inside the Johnny joint bushing so he could use the stock 12mm bolt inside the 9/16 bushing.
For the engine he ditched the Jet Performance MAF sensor and put original 16-year old stock Toyota MAF back in and changed my downstream O2 sensor. Engine runs perfect again now, no more CEL.
The truck drives incredible now, I’ve driven a few hundred miles since and it drives better than a brand new truck. No more vibrations, no more loose steering or drifting, no more body roll, everything is so tight and smooth now, it’s great to dive on the highway where I do 95% of my driving.
If you need a good Toyota Mechanic that specializes in Toyota offroad vehicles call John at Japanese Car Specialties. He has a 3rd Gen 4runner and Land Cruiser. He's the guy you want to work on your rig.
This guy John is a really good mechanic, he’s not a “parts changer”, he gets creative and solves problems and fixes broken parts if they can be salvaged. He knows Toyota trucks inside and out. His shop has basically become a Toyota offroad mechanic shop, not a lift shop, but a fix broken trucks and tune your truck so it runs perfect shop.
I took my truck there a few months ago for a CEL code, turned out I had multiple vacuum leaks and a dirty MAF. John did a smoke test, he found the leaks, cleaned the MAF. Got everything fixed, CEL went off.
Fast forward 4-5 months later. Lifted my truck, lot’s of vibrations at highway speeds, loose steering, blow CV boots, clicking over bumps. I started buying parts with the intention of doing it all myself. Too buys, garage full of parts, I’m now turning into a 4runner junkie, so I figured I’d take it in and have John go through my suspension.
I dropped off my 4runner and a trunk full of parts and list of fixes.
I Asked him to fix my CEL again, I installed a JET Performance MAF and Airaid intake tube(removed it because of sound). I also asked him to check every bushing on the truck front to back. There was a bad highway speed vibration after my lift, I told him I was hoping the bushing and pinion angle would fix that.
Parts I left him
Rokman adjustable lower links,
Frontrange off road upper link tubes with Currie Johnny joints
OEM lower controls arms
OEM LBJ’s
OEM outer tie rod ends
Adco front and rear sway bars.
He told me to return the OEM lower control arms and install Energy Suspension bushing in the lower control arms for a better ride than OEM. Toyota parts deal had a 20% restock fee, so John bought them from me.
For the front end, he installed Energy Suspension bushings in the lower control arms, OEM lower ball joints, OEM outer tie rod ends and Adco front and rear sway bar with 95 4runner links up front. He took 2 turns off my Fox 2.5 coilovers to relive some stress off the CV axles. Fixed my front fixed plate because of the diff drop. Basically he went though everything and made it right again.
For the rear end, he installed my Rokman adjustable lower links, and the Frontrange/Curry upper links which he had to get creative and put a sleeve in the bushing because I got the wrong size. He ended up using a head stud sleeve front a Honda inside the Johnny joint bushing so he could use the stock 12mm bolt inside the 9/16 bushing.
For the engine he ditched the Jet Performance MAF sensor and put original 16-year old stock Toyota MAF back in and changed my downstream O2 sensor. Engine runs perfect again now, no more CEL.
The truck drives incredible now, I’ve driven a few hundred miles since and it drives better than a brand new truck. No more vibrations, no more loose steering or drifting, no more body roll, everything is so tight and smooth now, it’s great to dive on the highway where I do 95% of my driving.
If you need a good Toyota Mechanic that specializes in Toyota offroad vehicles call John at Japanese Car Specialties. He has a 3rd Gen 4runner and Land Cruiser. He's the guy you want to work on your rig.
