The 3rd Gen All Questions Allowed Thread

[Devbot]

I just tested the battery with a multimeter: 12.29 volts so still going strong.

You need to do what's called a load test to determine battery health. Testers can be bought for pretty cheap and autozone/napa/etc might offer it for free. Be careful with them cause they get hot, they're basically a giant fuse with a meter on it. Oversimplified; they basically hook up to your battery and put a major impedance across it, and how the batt reacts will tell you about it's lifespan. Takes no more than 60 seconds all said and done.
Just prodding with a multimeter won't tell you much - when dead cells occur more often than not resting voltage will check out perfectly fine in nearly every situation but cold cranking, when it's experiencing the most load.
They look like this.
To me it sounds like a dead cell; in my experience starters are almost always either will-start or no-start, and you only start hitting that "maybe it will start maybe not" window after they've been dying for a while and you've hit them with a hammer 5 or 6 dozen times. But that's just my opinion.

 

[Bad Luck]

I just tested the battery with a multimeter: 12.29 volts so still going strong.

That is low for battery voltage. I'd get it tested at your local parts store.

 

[Ruben02runner]

Hey everyone I'm new to the forum, I had a couple questions about gearing and tires size I can't seem to find a strait answer I got this rig and put some 33x12.5x15 tires on it and need to re gear so I picked up a a carrier today for 150$ with 4.10 gears in it.My question is would that be fine to use for just Dailey driving mainly highway use? The gears in it now are 3.something's and is way to slow for my liking. (2002 4Runner SR5 3.4v6 auto 2wd)|

 

[Bad Luck]

Hey everyone I'm new to the forum, I had a couple questions about gearing and tires size I can't seem to find a strait answer I got this rig and put some 33x12.5x15 tires on it and need to re gear so I picked up a a carrier today for 150$ with 4.10 gears in it.My question is would that be fine to use for just Dailey driving mainly highway use? The gears in it now are 3.something's and is way to slow for my liking. (2002 4Runner SR5 3.4v6 auto 2wd)|

Most 4wd 3rd gen 4Runners came factory with 4.10's and those people choose regear to 4.56/4.88 when they go to 285's (33 inch tires). Swapping to 4.10's will help but it will still be a slug.

 

[Ruben02runner]

What 4 runner came with 4.56 or if any did.

 

[cvtvm]

Can I run Falken Wildpeak A/T3W tires in a 265/70 r17 115t SL RBL spec? I'm looking to move on from a set of BFGoodrich All Terrain T/A KO2 tires in the following spec LT265 /70 R17 112S C1 RWL

No added bumpers/weight, refreshed stock height suspension, daily driver with an occasional trip up the mountains/snow.

 

[WARunner]

I pulled my steering rack out and let every little bit of PS fluid/ATF drain out. How should I go about filling it back up without a mess or dry running the pump?

With the batt unplugged I put about 0.7 QTs into the res and moved the wheel lock to lock for a while. The fluid level is maxed out and doesn't seem to be dropping. Would prob have to turkey baste some out to get it to the cold line.

 

[Devbot]

I pulled my steering rack out and let every little bit of PS fluid/ATF drain out. How should I go about filling it back up without a mess or dry running the pump?

With the batt unplugged I put about 0.7 QTs into the res and moved the wheel lock to lock for a while. The fluid level is maxed out and doesn't seem to be dropping. Would prob have to turkey baste some out to get it to the cold line.

Start the car and move lock to lock. Add more ATF until it reaches the full mark and call it a day. PS pumps are tough, it won't hurt them to run them slightly dry for moment :thumb3:

 

[Bad Luck]

What 4 runner came with 4.56 or if any did.

4wd/4cyl/automatic did but it's a very rare combo.

 

[Bad Luck]

Can I run Falken Wildpeak A/T3W tires in a 265/70 r17 115t SL RBL spec? I'm looking to move on from a set of BFGoodrich All Terrain T/A KO2 tires in the following spec LT265 /70 R17 112S C1 RWL

No added bumpers/weight, refreshed stock height suspension, daily driver with an occasional trip up the mountains/snow.

Yes. They will work.

 

[Devbot]

Is there some sort of trick to pulling ABS codes that I'm not remembering?
I jumped the E1 and TC ports with a paperclip and pulled the shorting bar but got nothing. Tried it with the shorting bar, and still nothing. Even shaved down the paperclip to make sure it fit well but it didn't help either. I just did this like a year or two ago and it was totally hassle free? :wtf:
I've been riding without ABS for some time now and it's been great until the last couple weeks as I noticed my brake pedal getting a little softer and softer. Then yesterday it was SUPER spongey out of nowhere - on slightly wet pavement I was stopping like was on a few inches of snow. I'm hoping to see if turning ABS on and letting fluid cycle will change anything.
Fairly certain the cause is for a wheel speed sensor I damaged when i broke my steering knuckle but I can't even pull the code to check now lol

 

[gh25_]

Almost a fire

Hey guys,

One of my good friend just got a 1st gen tundra last week and we were trying to attach some lights but things didn't really go right. When I bought my TRD style grille for my 4runner it came with raptor lights but I didn't want them so I didn't use them. I told my friend he could have them since I didn't want them. So a couple nights ago we tried to wire them up and everything was going alright and then it didn't. For this little job we went to O'Reilly's and got a Sylvania wiring harness, and a 3-prong Dorman switch. I'll include a link to the raptor lights too but they are generic and all the same. I didn't buy them from amazon but they are the same. So, we crimped butt ends onto the raptor lights and then attached them to one of the outputs on the wiring harness and then put the wire thru the boot on the firewall and then cut off the harness switch put three butt connectors on and attached them to the new dorman switch. After we had everything together, attached the positive and ground to the terminals on the battery. we decided to test them out. Flipped the switch and they turned on went and looked at the lights and then went back and turned them off. Then about 10 seconds later I smelled electrical smell and I started seeing smoke coming from the extra cord of the harness, knew what was happening and quickly disconnected it from the battery. Just from that it completed ruined the harness, it melted and burnt it all together. I am wondering if anyone can tell me what I did wrong? I've done something that is exactly what I did on my truck and it turned fine. Same thing same wiring harness, except I have pod lights instead of raptor lights and I used a toyota OEM fog lamp switch, 00550-35976. Instinctively I checked the fuse in the harness to see if it popped and it did. it's a 15A fuse. So it popped the fuse and started melting the wires on the switch side of the wires. My guess is that it is the switch. I thought since the fuse was 15A and the switch says it's a 20A that it was too much and that caused it but my toyota OEM switch says it's a 21A switch, so that doesn't make any sense. Again, we had everything wire right, polarity, everything was right. Any input? Lol I know this is dumb but I am genuinely confused why it happened.


https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c/dorman-conduct-tite/dorman-conduct-tite-20-amp-toggle-switch/cti0/85909/v/a/7921/automotive-suv-1998-toyota-4runner?q=dorman+85909&pos=0

Amazon.com

 

[Dubz25_]

Hey everyone! I’m going to be replacing my rear lower control arms soon and have a quick question. Is it necessary to have the truck on jack stands? The bolts seem pretty accessible while the car is on the ground and I don’t have a ratchet strap to hold the axel in place. Just thought I’d ask before going out and buying a strap. On a side note, if lifting is required, does the suspension need to be dropped too or can I keep the jack under the rear diff during the entire job?

 

[88’Luda]

Too much rust??

Hi everyone, I’m looking at an 01 4Runner and worried about the frame. I have some pictures. What do you guys and girls think.

 

[JoeT4R]

Hi everyone, I’m looking at an 01 4Runner and worried about the frame. I have some pictures. What do you guys and girls think.

I’d poke it with a screwdriver and see what happens.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[gh25_]

Yes.

Hey everyone! I’m going to be replacing my rear lower control arms soon and have a quick question. Is it necessary to have the truck on jack stands? The bolts seem pretty accessible while the car is on the ground and I don’t have a ratchet strap to hold the axel in place. Just thought I’d ask before going out and buying a strap. On a side note, if lifting is required, does the suspension need to be dropped too or can I keep the jack under the rear diff during the entire job?

Hey there,
Yes, you will need to jack your truck up and put it on jack stands for that job. Jack the rear truck up from the diff housing and put it on jack stands on the frame right in front of where the mount for the lower rear control arms starts. If you try and take them off just standing there you won't be able to get the bolts out of the arms because of the weight still on them, not to mention you are taking off your lower control arms, once you do that the rear axle can move willy nilly under the weight of the truck and damage stuff without the lowers holding it in place. So very much YES you need to put it up on stands. So again, most likley you won't be able to get those bolts out anyways but if you do somehow it's a bad idea, use jack stands my friend.

 

[Bad Luck]

Hey everyone! I’m going to be replacing my rear lower control arms soon and have a quick question. Is it necessary to have the truck on jack stands? The bolts seem pretty accessible while the car is on the ground and I don’t have a ratchet strap to hold the axel in place. Just thought I’d ask before going out and buying a strap. On a side note, if lifting is required, does the suspension need to be dropped too or can I keep the jack under the rear diff during the entire job?

If you do one arm at a time then you can do it on the ground. You will probably need a ratchet strap to help get the bolt holes to line up for installing the new arm.

 

[Twisted Sid]

If you do one arm at a time then you can do it on the ground. You will probably need a ratchet strap to help get the bolt holes to line up for installing the new arm.

This ^
I've done it on the ground. One at a time is a must and a strap, a pry bar, and a good sized tapered punch or Philips #3 screwdriver to help line up the holes will get the job done. Would it be easier on jackstands? Yeah probably. But why make it easier and not have the opportunity to use more energy and curse words

 

[MCgrease08]

Hi everyone, I’m looking at an 01 4Runner and worried about the frame. I have some pictures. What do you guys and girls think.

That frame looks a heck of a lot nicer than my rig did when I bought it. I have Safe-T-Caps welded in in several spots address frame rot. Spent about $2500 total to have it done. In retrospect I would have liked to have found something in better shape to start with, but I bought my truck from a buddy for so cheap, I was still under market price with the repair costs.

As others have said, go around the frame with a hammer and and screw driver. pound and poke on any soft spots you find. Most of that looks like surface rust more than anything, but you do want to be thorough.

Make sure to look on the inner side of the passenger rear of the frame, next to the exhaust. That was a spot that was real bad on mine that I didn't notice until I replaced my muffler and exhasut pipe.

 

[I❤️4runners]

Hey guys, I need some advice. I'm pretty sure the body mount bushings, particularly the two rear ones, have worn out on my 3rd gen. I can hear them clank and rattle a bit when I go over bumps or go down a gravel road. There the only things that could be making the noise because I've gone over the underside of the truck with a fine tooth comb to make sure that everything's tight and there's nothing else causing a rattle. My question: is it OK to drive with worn body mount bushings for a little while? It's been making the noise for about a month now and other than it being a tiny bit more floaty in the corners and the ride quality being a little worse, I haven't noticed any big issues. I don't really have the time to replace the bushings now and I'm just wondering if it's OK to let it ride until the new year. I'd appreciate some thoughts on this. Thanks guys!