What Did You Do To Your 3rd Gen Today?

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As much as I like my Baja utility rack, I discovered 1 flaw last night.
When hauling a couple 4x8 sheets of plywood, there is no access to tie down points because all the crossbars are covered.
Luckily i had previously ordered twice of many light mounts as I needed last year.
Enter the GS power clamps.
I drilled the hole out slightly larger to accept a ratchet strap s-hook. They are powder coated aluminum with stainless machine screws. There is also a silicone sleeve to offer surface protection to whatever you are mounting to.
At $3/ea I think they are a worthwhile investment to add additional tie down/mounting point to any rack or bumper.
I now have my 4 PIAA LP550s mounted using them as well them installed at the 4 corners of the rack for positive tie-down points


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Swapped out my plain black dash trim for a "wood" version I found at the junkyard:



Also grabbed a nice white Limited fender at the junkyard, to replace mine that is rusty and covered with bondo. Making [MENTION=69868]LittleCaesar[/MENTION] proud :). Doesn't look like much, but it'll clean up nice (except for the scratch, still better than bondo and rust):

 
Swapped out my plain black dash trim for a "wood" version I found at the junkyard:



Also grabbed a nice white Limited fender at the junkyard, to replace mine that is rusty and covered with bondo. Making [MENTION=69868]LittleCaesar[/MENTION] proud :). Doesn't look like much, but it'll clean up nice (except for the scratch, still better than bondo and rust):


:party:

I hope that the box of Husky tools was yours, or you managed to take it with you on the way out.

I have found so many Craftsman tools over the years in the yard, the best find for me however was a SAE set of Proto professional wrenches in a truck box in the back of a truck. My brother still uses them.

I also have found plenty of plastic in wrecked cars and trucks, 99% were issued to women. :tape:
 
:party:

I hope that the box of Husky tools was yours, or you managed to take it with you on the way out.

I have found so many Craftsman tools over the years in the yard, the best find for me however was a SAE set of Proto professional wrenches in a truck box in the back of a truck. My brother still uses them.

I also have found plenty of plastic in wrecked cars and trucks, 99% were issued to women. :tape:

Good eye! That Husky toolkit has a bit of a story - I wasn't planning to go the junkyard this morning (honest!), but my wife needed to drive to Long Beach this morning to pick something up from her friend, so I tagged along. As we drove, it hit me that we're not going to be too far from the Stanton junkyard, where I saw a white '99 Limited last weekend, and took its heated mirrors to install on mine. At the time, I also had my eye on its passenger fender, but found a scrape on it and decided against it. But given how nicely the mirrors cleaned up, I knew that the fender would clean up nicely too - and how often do you come across a rust and dent free fender, in the right color, and with the Limited holes already punched in?

So I decided to swing by the yard, on the off-chance that the fender was still there - and if so, come back later with my tools (since I didn't have any tools with me at the time). Fortunately along the way, I realized that we're driving past a Home Depot, so I decided to grab a toolkit just in case. And the rest is history.

I know what you mean about finding tools at the junkyard; my biggest nightmare is the opposite - removing a $5 part but leaving behind my nice Snap-on ratchet or Makita cordless. Hasn't happened yet, and hope it never does - that would be a bad day.

Oh, and here are my replacement '99 headlights - first is what I had, next is what I got at the junkyard last weekend - almost like new!



 
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I started retrofitting my new SPC control arms with bronze sleeve bearings so they rotate smoothly with less potential for wear and squeaks.

I've done this mod in a few other vehicles' control arms, and it works very well for locations where there's a lot of rotation, like pivots of a double wishbone suspension.

cGxzMo9.jpg

Arranging all the parts and adding zerks to the control arms

lWV9VL4.jpg

Pushing the sleeve bearings into the poly bushings

KudLZPp.jpg

From the outside in: SPC poly bushing, SAE 863 sleeve bearing, custom inner pivot sleeve
 
I started retrofitting my new SPC control arms with bronze sleeve bearings so they rotate smoothly with less potential for wear and squeaks.

I've done this mod in a few other vehicles' control arms, and it works very well for locations where there's a lot of rotation, like pivots of a double wishbone suspension.

cGxzMo9.jpg

Arranging all the parts and adding zerks to the control arms

lWV9VL4.jpg

Pushing the sleeve bearings into the poly bushings

KudLZPp.jpg

From the outside in: SPC poly bushing, SAE 863 sleeve bearing, custom inner pivot sleeve

Now that's innovation! :trophy:

Does the grease zerk allow the lube to get in between the solid center collar and the two bronze bushings? I assume this is the interface that is rotation now and not the bushings sliding again the poly bushings.
 
Does the grease zerk allow the lube to get in between the solid center collar and the two bronze bushings? I assume this is the interface that is rotation now and not the bushings sliding again the poly bushings.

It does; when I pump the grease it comes out the end between the bearing and the pivot sleeve. That's one reason to use two SAE 863 bearing sections instead of one, as it lets the grease go through. Since I don't have to worry about using poly-specific grease, I use Amsoil Dominator.

I'm excited to put these arms in the 4Runner, but I've only prepped one arm so far.
 
Previous owner had installed a hood protection sticker that was severely UV damaged by the time I bought the truck. I have been putting off removing it because it was too brittle to peel off by hand.
[
Super tedious but happy that it is coming off and the paint is in good shape underneath.

I'd try using a 3M eraser wheel on this. I think it would work well and a lot easier.
 
I'd try using a 3M eraser wheel on this. I think it would work well and a lot easier.



Agreed. I used one previously on my old truck to remove the factory adhesive behind some trim. It was expensive because I bought it locally from a body shop. It can be deadly to your paint, so use the suggested rpm range, use it dry, and use the lightest pressure that will still remove product.


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Over the weekend I drained and changed all the ATF by pulling a cooler line which went surprisingly smooth, so thanks for all the write ups on here about that.
However, trans is still slipping, so that sucks. Expecting a rebuild I guess.
 
Been off of here for a long time with moving and the police academy and a newborn. Got back home 2 weeks ago and started my plans for the next half of my project. Added a 7-pin trailer connector (partially wired) for my future trailer project, got a new key cut today, and grabbed some bolts so I can put my skid plates back on finally. Its been over a year without them. Once taxes come back im ordering my snorkel and getting a few things to get ready for camping season and a trip to Uwharrie. Anyone in the area down for a trip in a few weeks?
 
Finally got around to cleaning the rust off my skid plates, and hitting them with POR15. I don't normally care for the high gloss look on suspension, but I sorta like these, at least for now.





 
Been off of here for a long time with moving and the police academy and a newborn. Got back home 2 weeks ago and started my plans for the next half of my project. Added a 7-pin trailer connector (partially wired) for my future trailer project, got a new key cut today, and grabbed some bolts so I can put my skid plates back on finally. Its been over a year without them. Once taxes come back im ordering my snorkel and getting a few things to get ready for camping season and a trip to Uwharrie. Anyone in the area down for a trip in a few weeks?
Which snorkel are you going with?

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