Ruby Tuesday - rad4runner's Mods and Restoration

[RAD4Runner]

the core with hosei looks to be oem...

..Seeing that your linings were close to the 1mm minimum, I should check mine to see how worn they are.

CCDave,
Yes, Old ones look OEM. Which suggests they probably wore down to that thinness from 31 years of use. Good idea to check yours. Really easy. Have two pieces of 12-mm bolts, at least 1.25 inches long to help push drum off. You may need to back off (retract) the adjuster through the slot in the back IF the drum is too hard to remove.

Lowlight however... As I was driving to NAPA to return cores, brakes felt spongy. Found the left rear leaking. It looked good, but I may have over-extended it while struggling with the tension/return spring, and that mis-aligned the seal cup. To be safe, I just bought replacement at NAPA,a nd another one for spare.
I may rebuild the old Aisin cores when I have the chance.

 

[CCDave]

Have two pieces of 12-mm bolts, at least 1.25 inches long to help push drum off. You may need to back off (retract) the adjuster through the slot in the back IF the drum is too hard to remove.

Thanks for the tip.

 

[GeoRoss]

CCDave,
Yes, Old ones look OEM. Which suggests they probably wore down to that thinness from 31 years of use. Good idea to check yours. Really easy. Have two pieces of 12-mm bolts, at least 1.25 inches long to help push drum off. You may need to back off (retract) the adjuster through the slot in the back IF the drum is too hard to remove.

Lowlight however... As I was driving to NAPA to return cores, brakes felt spongy. Found the left rear leaking. It looked good, but I may have over-extended it while struggling with the tension/return spring, and that mis-aligned the seal cup. To be safe, I just bought replacement at NAPA,a nd another one for spare.
I may rebuild the old Aisin cores when I have the chance.

When I did my rear brakes last summer the same thing happened. One of my wheel cylinders started to leak. I ended up replacing both.

 

[palmetto zuk]

fvcking photobucket fvcked up another great thread.

 

[RAD4Runner]

fvcking photobucket fvcked up another great thread.

Yeah ... but thanks...
That's why it's important to have local backups of your files. ( I have copies in 2 hard drives - )
Slowly converting posts to google photos as I go.

 

[RAD4Runner]

When I did my rear brakes last summer the same thing happened. One of my wheel cylinders started to leak. I ended up replacing both.

I think this explains it:
"Rubber cups keep the cylinder wall that they rub against clean, smooth and free of rust. As shoes get thinner, the rubber cups inside the cylinder
operate farther and farther away from the longitudinal center of the cylinder. The part of the wall closer to the center of cylinder where the cups do not rub anymore gets rusted / pitted. After replacing with new brake shoes the cups and pistons will operate closer to the center of the cylinder again - right on the rusted wall surface. This will break seal against the wall and cause a leak."

More details on my Lessons learnt post (here).

 

[palmetto zuk]

Yeah ... but thanks...
That's why it's important to have local backups of your files. ( I have copies in 2 hard drives - )
Slowly converting posts to google photos as I go.

 

[GeoRoss]

I think this explains it:
"Rubber cups keep the cylinder wall that they rub against clean, smooth and free of rust. As shoes get thinner, the rubber cups inside the cylinder
operate farther and farther away from the longitudinal center of the cylinder. The part of the wall closer to the center of cylinder where the cups do not rub anymore gets rusted / pitted. After replacing with new brake shoes the cups and pistons will again operate closer to the center of the cylinder again - right on the rusted wall surface. This will break seal against the wall and cause a leak."

More details on my Lessons learnt post (here).

That sounds possible. I was pretty PO'ed as I thought I had everything about buttoned up until I saw the dribble of brake fluid. Grrrrr. Oh well, now I have new ones on there.

 

[RAD4Runner]

...fluid. Grrrrr. Oh well, now I have new ones on there.

Were you able to find OEM? They've been discontinued but some still floating on the web. I didn't have time to shop so I got NAPA @ $16 apiece for both sides. They feel good so far.

 

[GeoRoss]

Were you able to find OEM? They've been discontinued but some still floating on the web. I didn't have time to shop so I got NAPA @ $16 apiece for both sides. They feel good so far.

Same here, Napa.

 

[RAD4Runner]

No updates, but as many of you know, my truck's frequent duty is to haul my kayak and me to launch site...

I recently got a copy of the video that my friend took when we were whale-watching off La Jolla last 2015. You can hear the whales blow because there is no diesel noise to drown them and was taken from water-level, from our kayaks- powered by rice (Give me Rice, or give me death!-LOL!)
https://youtu.be/0bKgIs69RHU

*

 

[RAD4Runner]

Rear Cargo Deck - Tool Storage

Finally implemented my tool storage cargo space optimization idea.
A tool box containing my everyday-carry field service tools used to occupy so much space.
I organized tools into tool-roll / bags... With these tools I can pretty much do any field repair short of drivetrain work. I would have to borrow some special service tools for some jobs, but those are not Every Day Carry tools...

Stuffed the tool rolls / bag inside the body compartment...

I have already gotten rid of the stock panels with undersized doors. Will replace with polycarbonate panels that allow full access to openings in the body compartment.

Now you see it...

Now you don't...

One less box to move around when I need to camp in the back.

 

[SomeDay]

You can replace the stock panels with elastic nets or even better some elastic fabric with hooks.

 

[RAD4Runner]

@ 243399 Miles...

Found a good deal on Cooper Discoverer AT3 31/10.5R15 from Discount Tire Direct on Ebay, $480 delivered.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

JUST IN TIME FOR DEATH VALLEY OVERLAND IN HONOR OF VETERANS (OOORAAH!)
Day 2 IT:

Pretty happy with the new tires.
Hum is tolerable
They are more proportional to the geometry of the truck, and my speedometer reads very close to GPS speedometer app on smartphone +/1 a MPH. Would like to compare to road-mounted speedo's next time I pass one.
Could it be that these trucks were meant to have 31's as stock tires but were imported with 225/75R15's for tax or freight reduction reasons?

 

[RAD4Runner]

Rear Cargo Deck - Storage

One more Rear Cargo Deck - Storage Idea to keep me busy...

Proof of concept: Utilize dead space bounded by roll-bar by making a mesh pouch. It would be attached to roll bar at 2 to 4 points with velcro straps or strap with side-release buckles... Good place to stash running shoes or other things I may want to always have in the truck. Also to double as "nightstand" when sleeping in rear deck.

IDEA FINALLY IMPLEMENTED HERE

 

[wallytoo]

titus canyon was a nice ride, especially for my boys, who each drove. they were/are new to 4-wheeling. we wanted to get to racetrack playa, but didn't have time. i bet it was cooler on your recent trip (we got to experience 122*F).

31x10.5x15 might be the intended original tires. i run coopers in the same size, but my speedo is still off, ie, speedo 70 is gps 64. i put some 6,000 miles of comparison of the two during my coast to coast to coast trip last year. plenty of sample size. i also hit a few roadside radars that seem to verif that my gps reading is more representative. however, i suspect there is a bit of variability in the speedos from vehicle to vehicle.

wally

 

[RAD4Runner]

Death Valley Overland Days 1 & 2

titus canyon was a nice ride, especially for my boys, who each drove. they were/are new to 4-wheeling. we wanted to get to racetrack playa, but didn't have time. i bet it was cooler on your recent trip (we got to experience 122*F).

Cool! We ran out of time so we did not do Titus Canyon. Gotta go back.

Trip report...
On Day 1, We passed by Trona Pinnacles to meet the team who camped there the night before...

Trona Pinnacles was location for several movies including Planet of the Apes...

Then we proceeded to Stovepipe Wells Campground. Nothing spectacular because it's RV-infested - LOL!

Day 2 Route was this:

Passed by Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, just 2 miles from camp...

Then we drove approx an hour to Ubehebe (volcanic) Crater:

Yotapod...

Ten... Nine... Eight... ... Click! LOL!

From Ubehebe Crater, the 2-hour drive to Racetrack Playa is on un-paved, sometimes rutted and heavily-washboarded but non-technical road. We saw Non-offroad vehicles...
Here we stopped at the foot of hills filled with joshua trees. (Interestingly, they are smaller than those found in Joshua Tree and surroundings.)

We passed by Teakettle Junction...

Arrived at Racetrack Playa where rocks seem to mysteriously move and leave tracks on the ground...

Here are two adjacent rocks going the opposite directions!

San Diego scientists explain how rocks move here


Proceeded to Homestake Dry Camp, Nice primitive camp! No facilities, only a neglected porta-potty which we did not use, because we prefer to use a fresh toilet each time...
"#Billionstarhotel"... (Orion in background)

 

[RAD4Runner]

Death Valley Overland Day 3

(Continued here because forum limits number of pics on one post)

Early Morning...

Tents are over-rated...

Breakfast is not. LOL!

Day 3 Route was on the tourist path:

Badwater basin...

Artist's Palette...

Finally, Zabriskie Point...

We did not have time to see Dante's View that offers the best view of Badwater Basin. My friend took this photo in 2010...

 

[RAD4Runner]

Cargo / Storage: Cleaned Up Inner Rear Body Panel

Cleaned Up Inner Rear Body Panel some more by tucking harness as tight as possible behind the middle beam, to use as storage. Will replace quarter panels with ones that will allow access to the whole width of openings.
​​​​​​​

Now shopping for Thumb Lock / Latch like below:

 

[RAD4Runner]

Deleted Hidden Fasteners and Streamlined Inner Side Body Panel

I detest hidden (pop-in) fasteners and
I hate having to remove other parts in order to remove / access another; in this case:
1) Having to remove the side window garnish just to remove the inner body panel, say to work on the speaker, stash contraband (LOL!), etc.
2) Having to unmount the front seatbelt, and the rear passenger seatbelt anchor to completely remove the panel from the truck.
Solution:
I removed the pop-in fasteners, replaced then with nylon expansion nuts for 7mmx7mm hole and #8 finishing screws from ClipsAndFasteners.com.
I trimmed the top edge of body panel board by about 1/8 inch and glued the vlnyl cover back. Also trimmed the edge of the vinyl that wraps around the door frame and glued it back to the board.
I slotted where the seatbelt goes through the inner body panel board.
Notched where the rear passenger seatbelt anchor screws THROUGH the body panel board.

OK, OK... NoT only did I notch this - I BOTCHED IT- LOL! (But it will be hidden by the seat bottom or seat back when folded down.)