octanejunkie
Elite Member
This is why they leak, the washers compress and hardern over time, coupled by the reality that people don't re-check torque over time.
What Did You Do To Your 3rd Gen Today?
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This is why they leak, the washers compress and hardern over time, coupled by the reality that people don't re-check torque over time.
Coward
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So much YES on a volume knob! I cannot believe that some new cars come without them. It's such a basic need. I have an older version of the same radio.
tgreenwood75
New member
Replaced my radiator with a new Denso unit and added a Hayden 678 tranny cooler for peace of mind. Very simple project but gave me a bit more confidence in the truck now that it is over 200k miles. Used the Toyota specific red Zerex coolant.
I've been looking off and on at options since my backlight is burned out and that's the main feature I want, too. haha!
SharonsToy
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octanejunkie
Elite Member
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Half of Saturday and most of Sunday were spent taking the front end apart, and then putting it back together again.
Due to a small brain fart a while back, I managed to get different ratios front rear on my '99. Basically, got lucky and snagged a very nice 4.30 rear diff at a junkyard a while back, then last year my rear diff started to make some bearing noises (not sure why, 220K-ish miles, plenty of oil?) so I swapped the JY diff in. For some reason, I was firmly convinced my car was a 4.30, like pretty much every single other factory e-locker 3rd gen.
But, perhaps because it's a 5 speed(?), apparently I had the 4.10 ratio. So for the latter 2/3rds of last year, I had a 4.10 on the front and a 4.30 on the back. And this caused surprisingly few issues, I never really even realized something was up until later on in the fall. It wheeled quite well, perhaps even better than normal, because the fronts were turning *slightly* faster than the rears, it seemed to go around corners better, instead of slightly pushing wide as normal. And no real issues to note going straight either - not enough of a difference to matter on dirt? A few more chirps and squeaks on slick rock out in Utah, but they do that normally, just not quite as much. Only real symptom was that I always had to back up to get out of 4HI. Driving in an S-curve didn't do it, but back up a couple of feet and voila. That was what finally bothered me enough to check it by engaging 4WD and jacking one side up, then rotating the wheels and seeing them get out of synch...
Anyhow, got a 4.30 front diff from a junkyard, which settled the question of how to fix it (rebuild the 4.10 rear locker? put a 4.30 diff in front? swap both to 4.56 or something else?). And since you have to take a LOT of stuff apart to swap a diff, I did the following as well:
- new LBJ's on both sides - about 70K of use on them, but really, better safe than sorry on those things
- new outer tie rod ends - the driver's side was ever so slightly loose. Might as well do the passenger side at the same time? Since it's getting an alignment afterwards anyhow
- rebooted one CV shaft - the other had split not all that long after my suspension lift and was rebooted then, this one, for whatever reason, was still soldiering on. But the rubber had cracks, seemed likely to cause issues soon, so since 90% of the hassle of rebooting is taking them out, and it was out already, I did it now
- drivers side lower control arm - this was just a slightly loose bushing, but a new arm doesn't cost all that much more than both bushings plus the labor to have them pressed out and back in. But mostly - just to save time on the job - otherwise, you have to stop part way through, take the arm to a machine shop, wait a day or two, then resume.
- front diff mounts - the original on the driver's side was falling apart. Replaced with some nice poly bushings.
And man, is swapping that front diff a royal PITA. The design of the rear mount, with a nut reaching up from the crossmember, and a long bolt reaching down from it through the crossmember, means that it is *REALLY* hard to get a diff out with the engine in place. It's heavy, awkward, and there's some magical combination of rotation, tilting, wiggling, etc that allows it to come out. The mount bolts to the diff with two bolts, but those are incredibly hard to get to as well. One points upward at the bottom of the bellhousing, not all that bad to get to, but the other points down, blocked by the crossmember. Dunno, choose your grief I guess, try to remove the two mount bolts in place, so the diff can more easily come forward, or just wrestle the thing out with the mount causing grief. Not fun. And Toyota could have made the whole process massively easier by just using a bolt to hold the rear mount on the crossmember, instead of a nut. I guess the stud/nut configuration works slightly better in the factory setting.
Anyhow, all back together, realigned, now I can switch out of 4WD without backing up.
Due to a small brain fart a while back, I managed to get different ratios front rear on my '99. Basically, got lucky and snagged a very nice 4.30 rear diff at a junkyard a while back, then last year my rear diff started to make some bearing noises (not sure why, 220K-ish miles, plenty of oil?) so I swapped the JY diff in. For some reason, I was firmly convinced my car was a 4.30, like pretty much every single other factory e-locker 3rd gen.
But, perhaps because it's a 5 speed(?), apparently I had the 4.10 ratio. So for the latter 2/3rds of last year, I had a 4.10 on the front and a 4.30 on the back. And this caused surprisingly few issues, I never really even realized something was up until later on in the fall. It wheeled quite well, perhaps even better than normal, because the fronts were turning *slightly* faster than the rears, it seemed to go around corners better, instead of slightly pushing wide as normal. And no real issues to note going straight either - not enough of a difference to matter on dirt? A few more chirps and squeaks on slick rock out in Utah, but they do that normally, just not quite as much. Only real symptom was that I always had to back up to get out of 4HI. Driving in an S-curve didn't do it, but back up a couple of feet and voila. That was what finally bothered me enough to check it by engaging 4WD and jacking one side up, then rotating the wheels and seeing them get out of synch...
Anyhow, got a 4.30 front diff from a junkyard, which settled the question of how to fix it (rebuild the 4.10 rear locker? put a 4.30 diff in front? swap both to 4.56 or something else?). And since you have to take a LOT of stuff apart to swap a diff, I did the following as well:
- new LBJ's on both sides - about 70K of use on them, but really, better safe than sorry on those things
- new outer tie rod ends - the driver's side was ever so slightly loose. Might as well do the passenger side at the same time? Since it's getting an alignment afterwards anyhow
- rebooted one CV shaft - the other had split not all that long after my suspension lift and was rebooted then, this one, for whatever reason, was still soldiering on. But the rubber had cracks, seemed likely to cause issues soon, so since 90% of the hassle of rebooting is taking them out, and it was out already, I did it now
- drivers side lower control arm - this was just a slightly loose bushing, but a new arm doesn't cost all that much more than both bushings plus the labor to have them pressed out and back in. But mostly - just to save time on the job - otherwise, you have to stop part way through, take the arm to a machine shop, wait a day or two, then resume.
- front diff mounts - the original on the driver's side was falling apart. Replaced with some nice poly bushings.
And man, is swapping that front diff a royal PITA. The design of the rear mount, with a nut reaching up from the crossmember, and a long bolt reaching down from it through the crossmember, means that it is *REALLY* hard to get a diff out with the engine in place. It's heavy, awkward, and there's some magical combination of rotation, tilting, wiggling, etc that allows it to come out. The mount bolts to the diff with two bolts, but those are incredibly hard to get to as well. One points upward at the bottom of the bellhousing, not all that bad to get to, but the other points down, blocked by the crossmember. Dunno, choose your grief I guess, try to remove the two mount bolts in place, so the diff can more easily come forward, or just wrestle the thing out with the mount causing grief. Not fun. And Toyota could have made the whole process massively easier by just using a bolt to hold the rear mount on the crossmember, instead of a nut. I guess the stud/nut configuration works slightly better in the factory setting.
Anyhow, all back together, realigned, now I can switch out of 4WD without backing up.
So glad I found this post. This confirms that my 4R has the exact same issue. Honestly reversing for a few feet to get out of 4wd seems much easier than rebuilding the front diff. Also, as you mentioned, I think it gives me a slight leg up that the fronts are turning ever so slightly faster than the rear.
Tomffmedic
New member
CS 144 Alternator
I installed the CS 144 altenator in my 2001. I ordered the adapter pigtail so I would not have to cut and splice the harness. Also let's me swap the original back in should I need to in a bind. So far after going back and tightening the belt all seems to be well.
I installed the CS 144 altenator in my 2001. I ordered the adapter pigtail so I would not have to cut and splice the harness. Also let's me swap the original back in should I need to in a bind. So far after going back and tightening the belt all seems to be well.
Tomffmedic
New member
atcpup
New member
Scoop'02
New member
Will I need to replace the intake and TB gaskets again when I go in and re-torque the VC cover bolts or do you think I can reuse them?
TejasRunner01
New member
Hit 180k recently! Still runs like a champ.
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4RBuddha
New member
Finally got all my parts installed, plus a drive axle and belts.
octanejunkie
Elite Member
Did you replace or reuse the factory ones the first time?
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Scoop'02
New member
replaced with new OEM gaskets
bigcap76
New member
Where can I get a set of these? They look good!
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