Truck smashed!

[muddskipper]

So almost two weeks ago, I was stopped in my 2nd gen, "the old lady." The traffic had come to a sudden stop, and I stopped just fine, but the Buick 10 seconds behind me did not, and she smashed in to me at a brisk 60 mph, and chucked me in to the Grand Cherokee in front of me. I'm looking at weeks of physical therapy and have been pretty miserable, but the silver lining here is, as much as I adored the old lady, she was totaled out, and I got a new truck...2000 4runner. Love, love, love this truck.

It has 175k on it, rebuilt transfer case, oil looks clean, runs like a champ, and was bought wholesale, so pretty perfect. I do, however, have a couple of questions.

The clutch, as I understand it, is a hydraulic clutch. It has an extremely short throw, and is hard to get into gear when it's cold. Fluids appear to be full, so why would this be? Is it an issue with the clutch? Or the hydraulic system?

It is of course drivable. I just had a hard enough time getting it into gear this morning when I first left that it was clear it is something I need to fix.

Thanks all!

Monica

 

[vooduguru]

:welcome:

So......how YOU doin?

 

[MAD 69]

Nice truck Skipper, when it's cold out the stick will sometimes feel like it doesn't want to go into gear - I think all manual/sticks have this problem especially when the truck has quite a few miles on it. It should be easier to shift once it warms up - no big deal.

You should invest in a nice set of bumpers(ARB, Shrockworks..., etc...) in case you ever get rear-ended again, it might help a little...

 

[muddskipper]

Just for fun...

Here's the pictures of the cars involved. The old lady has had quite the wild ride in the last year. Last spring she was stolen for 24 hours...why I have no idea. She was a 4 banger, so too slow to get out of her own way, and was found 3 blocks away. Then a cop merged into me last fall...The old lady got a tiny dent but the cop's vehicle was all kinds of smashed. Then a month ago, I was rear ended at a much slower speed...one car hit an suv which hit me...the old lady had the slightest dent on the tow hitch. But this is the one that killed her. I would have been tons more hurt in a less safe car, so this is my ode to Toyota!

Going to miss that truck.

 

[muddskipper]

Nice truck Skipper, when it's cold out the stick will sometimes feel like it doesn't want to go into gear - I think all manual/sticks have this problem especially when the truck has quite a few miles on it. It should be easier to shift once it warms up - no big deal.

You should invest in a nice set of bumpers(ARB, Shrockworks..., etc...) in case you ever get rear-ended again, it might help a little...

My husband (vooduguru) and I spent a huge chunk of the weekend looking at different options. I really want to be involved in installation and all that, and I'm not going to be able to do that for another 8 weeks min (so says the the physical therapist) but we definitely are looking at that. I saw a couple I really liked.

 

[muddskipper]

So about that short throw...is that just normal for this gen? In my previous truck, it had what seemed like a much longer and normal distance for the clutch pedal to go in. If it's normal I don't want to mess with it...if it ain't broke don't fix it.

 

[OCMike]

Glad to hear you're ok. Hope the therapy doesn't last too long. On a side note, what are you doing with the old truck? I see some parts on it that I like. What color is the interior also?

 

[JohnsD90]

So about that short throw...is that just normal for this gen? In my previous truck, it had what seemed like a much longer and normal distance for the clutch pedal to go in. If it's normal I don't want to mess with it...if it ain't broke don't fix it.

How far is short for you? I'm pretty sure my fathers jetta has a longer throw then my 4runner, but my clutch goes to floor no problem. And yes i have trouble getting into gears when its cold out, not much but you can tell its harder.

 

[vooduguru]

Glad to hear you're ok. Hope the therapy doesn't last too long. On a side note, what are you doing with the old truck? I see some parts on it that I like. What color is the interior also?

The insurance company has it now. I was thinking of buying it back but they wanted almost a thousand bucks for it. Pass.

Crummy thing is, we just did a few months ago, the timing chain, new tires, water pump, all new seals, gaskets, etc.

 

[Nelsonmd]

My husband (vooduguru) and I spent a huge chunk of the weekend looking at different options. I really want to be involved in installation and all that, and I'm not going to be able to do that for another 8 weeks min (so says the the physical therapist) but we definitely are looking at that. I saw a couple I really liked.

Oh good, then he wasn't just being creepy...

Sorry to hear about the loss of the old lady, and even more the need for PT. That 2nd gen took it like a champ though./ Glad to hear you were covered.

Sorry I can't help with the clutch problem...

 

[OCMike]

That sucks. But I bet you could make your money back if you had a place to store it. Especially since the tires are new.

 

[vooduguru]

Oh good, then he wasn't just being creepy...

Sorry to hear about the loss of the old lady, and even more the need for PT. That 2nd gen took it like a champ though./ Glad to hear you were covered.

Sorry I can't help with the clutch problem...

Well I did have my Creepios for breakfast

:lol:

 

[muddskipper]

That sucks. But I bet you could make your money back if you had a place to store it. Especially since the tires are new.

Well if anyone wants it, then I can hook you up. It still starts, not leaking any fluid. Tranny was good. Plus there was the whole pretty new tires. $800 bucks. We don't have a place to put it, and I'm way to busy to mess with it. I work full time, go to school full time and am getting ready to try for graduate school and kids to boot...I just can't take on any more projects especially with the new drain of time of physical therapy. Voodu works crazy hours. But like I said...can hook any one up who wants it.

For my clutch pedal...the third gen is easily half what my 2nd gen is...was...past tense is still so sad! So is that normal?

 

[OCMike]

Well hopefully someone from Utah chimes in. Would hate to see a good truck go to waste.

 

[miheckman]

i have a 3rd gen 5speed and my cluth is pretty light... it dont have alot of travel to it but if you think it is bad i whould take it to a shop and have it looked and is it grinding going into gear mine is a little rough to get into gear when it is cold

 

[muddskipper]

i have a 3rd gen 5speed and my cluth is pretty light... it dont have alot of travel to it but if you think it is bad i whould take it to a shop and have it looked and is it grinding going into gear mine is a little rough to get into gear when it is cold

No grinding, just tough to get in when it's cold. Sounds like it might be typical for the gen. Guess I won't worry about it unless it gets worse.

 

[vooduguru]

On a hydraulic clutch, I know it can be bled, but will that make a difference in feel? We did the usual put it in 5th gear at 35mph before we bought it, and it bogged like it was supposed to, so the clutch is (as best as I can tell) not worn without digging into it.

 

[BrianSD_42]

sorry to hear about the accident, I noticed you said you were thrown out of the truck. Were you wearing a seat belt; did it fail somehow?

These rear end collisions are terrible because there is nothing you can do to avoid them.

 

[muddskipper]

When I said I was thrown into a Grand Cherokee, I meant me inside the truck. I was wearing a seat belt, and just have really severe whiplash. I can't sit or stand for longer than half an hour at a time and my arm goes crazy numb if I'm too still too. Plus I have pretty bad sciatica flaring down my hip and leg, so overall, not fun. I'll live though. PT guy says I'm looking at about 8 weeks, which, considering how bad I feel and the lack of sleep I'm getting, makes me hopeful.