What Did You Do To Your 3rd Gen Today?

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Well the weather held out today with only a tiny downpour. So I completed the front limit straps. Everything went smoothly, I need to even them out, but I started to feel really bad, super achey and massive headach. So another day I'll even out the straps. Still waiting for the rear shocks to be sent back and then I can do the rear limit straps. Those will be much easier to weld up then the fronts.

I know the fronts are a bit abnormal vs the usual frame mounting option. Where the factory bump stop (rear) sticks out a ton on the frame, so there was to much interference to run safely. On the shock tower works for me, and provides the best alignment I could achieve.

Fully extended the strap hits the bottom of the coilover. At ride height the strap folds out to the front to the car. I made the double shear tab I welded up to the control arm. Well I don't know if you can call it double shear lol. The limit strap is outside the tab, but that space let's me clear a 2.5" coil over. Same as what I have seen eimkeith offer.

Sorry if what I'm saying makes no sense, I still feeling like crap.
 

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New time suck

Recently bought my second 2001. My first is a Limited. This one is and SR5. Beautiful on the outside. Only surface rust on the rear axle. Perfect body. Inside had 10 pounds of dog hair and desert sand. Only a driver seat. The others are in the dude's storage unit and it's been a nightmare trying to meet up with him. I got the rear seats and eyes on the passenger front. Still need that and the rear lap belts. Trans pump whines. Did a pan drop and topped off with fresh fluid and Sea Foam. Awaiting synthetic fluid for a flush....probably this afternoon. It's throwing a rear left speed sensor code and an ABS code, so I go underneath to check it out. The wire is cut. Oh. The upper control arm is broken. Been that way for who knows how long. Got the arm out. Spliced the wires. Awaiting a new control arm....or maybe the one on the parts vehicle around the corner that is owned by a guy in Hawaii. His tenant is cool, but what a process. I got tired of looking at the lights on my dash and the LH wheel speed sensor code popping back up on my reader and called it a day.
 
Installed new Kicker speakers in the front and rear doors and also added sound deadening.

The front speaker size was 6.5" and the rears are 5 1/4" but needed mounting adapters provided by Crutchfield.

For the sound deadening, I used Amazon Basics vibration dampener which works surprisingly well then I did a layer of closed cell foam from Siless over it.

Haven't taken the truck on the highway yet but the doors already sound more solid from closing them and the sound inside the cab seems more enclosed which is great. The speakers add a nice punch too.
 
Installed new Kicker speakers in the front and rear doors and also added sound deadening.

The front speaker size was 6.5" and the rears are 5 1/4" but needed mounting adapters provided by Crutchfield.

For the sound deadening, I used Amazon Basics vibration dampener which works surprisingly well then I did a layer of closed cell foam from Siless over it.

Haven't taken the truck on the highway yet but the doors already sound more solid from closing them and the sound inside the cab seems more enclosed which is great. The speakers add a nice punch too.

I haven't upgraded the speakers yet, but I recently added a mix
of Amazon and leftover KilMat CLD to the inner doors and panels and am very happy with the results!
The Amazon stuff is pretty beefy and apparently did a bit better than KM in some "semi"-independent testing.
I think it tests the Ruskie door-checks a little more, but a worthy addition.
 
Found out my driver side floor pan is rusted through. I think how i'll fix it is find someone parting out a 4Runner and take the floor pan from them and weld it into mine.
 

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I discovered my rear differential needs to be rebuilt or replaced. Any suggestions?
Thanks

Members here seem to have good luck with East Coast Gear Supplies but it depends on your goals as well.
Running larger tires and want to re-gear to a higher ratio?

Fully stock daily driver? May be better to replace with a unit from a junkyard or part out.
 
Got my rear shocks back from radflo today. Just compressing them, they feel much better. Installing them will be the test. But I have to wait a week before I'm off again. Sigh.
 
Got my rear shocks back from radflo today. Just compressing them, they feel much better. Installing them will be the test. But I have to wait a week before I'm off again. Sigh.

How do you like the RadFlo setup?
Worth the money?

I assume you also have their front suspension setup as well
 
Fronts are amazing so far! I'm not running the stock rear set up though. I have out boarded the shocks and they are a 10 inch shock. I won't know how it feels for a bit until I can test drive it. But yes, radflo is great quality and awesome customer service!
 
Engine Rebuild - The Final Boss

This was the final significant project for my 4runner build. The engine had 280,000 miles, but the previous owner swapped the left and right head gaskets during the installation. So I had to run no thermostat and had a slow leak on the rear main seal. Decide to pull the engine and completely rebuild it.

The project was more difficult than I expected, but it was not too bad. I made the mistake of swapping the spark plug wire; double-check your wires, folks.

Overall, the project was worth it. I noticed a big difference in power when driving, with a 2mpg+ gain, and my car will finally run at the right temps.

Cost Breakdown:
  • Engine rebuild kit - $1500
  • Engine and trans mounts - $200
  • Machine shop - $1000
  • Performance headers - $1300
  • Misc parts/fluids - $300
  • Air intake - $180
  • OEM ProDryS Filter - $100

Links:
Engine rebuild kit - Master Kit- Toyota V6 3.4L 5VZFE 4Runner & Tacoma Engine OEM Master Rebuild Kit (1994-2000) Kit-3002
Engine mounts - Genuine OEM Toyota Parts and Accessories Online - Toyota Parts Deal
Headers - Thorley Header, Tacoma/4Runner 95-04 3.4L V6 no EGR - Underdog Racing Development
Air filter - aFe OEM ProDryS Filter, 5VZ-FE 3.4L V6, 95-04 Tacoma, 96-02 4Runner V6 - Underdog Racing Development
Air intake - AIRAID MODULAR INTAKE TUBE, Toyota 95-04 Tacoma, 96-02 4Runner V6 - Underdog Racing Development
 

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Today I tackled the rear limit straps and swapped in the oem lc80 springs (48131-6A570) and reinstalled the radflo shocks.

I'm running a 17" offroad warehouse limit strap in the rear, off the lower shock bolt to a welded on clevis between the round subframe and the swaybar mount. Set to 9 1/8" of shock shaft showing. Works perfectly.

The revalved radflos are night and day! Holy smokes it is so much better now! Much more planted and doesn't feel like it will roll over. It does ride a bit stiff on little bumps but bigger ones are smooth like butter. I did remove the 360lbs of concrete from the back too.

I also threw on new pads for the wilwood parking brake calipers as I toasted them bedding them in.

Will be upgrading my garage wiring to a new 240v 50a circuit for a new welder. Haven't got the welder yet, but I'm going with primeweld mig285.
 

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Today, I tackled some errands early in the day. Then I was able to get a new exhaust dump pipe cut and welded up. Went from a 45° turn down to a 90° turn down. With the lift the 45 would dump the exhaust right on the center of the axle and sway bar. The 90 fixed that. After that was done, I tackled the adjustment of the parking brake cable, the rear cables for the wilwoods stretched a bit and I was out of adjustment.

Cut about 1 1/8" off the original cable, and readjusted the cable. Works like a charm!

I'll still play around with the rear springs. I'll try again the c59-210v and the ome 861. As when I had 360lbs in the back it sagged quite a bit (lc80 48131-6A570 springs now). As it sits front: 22.25" rear 24.5" so I'll bring the front up a bit still.
 
Replaced my rusted out original exhaust. Much quieter now that there isn't a hole in the muffler. I do have a leak between the flanges between the cat and muffler pipe. The gasket that came with it sucks and the cat flange is a little degraded. I think i'll get a OEM gasket and some exhaust gasket maker to help seal it up.
 
Had my friend help replace the plugs, wires and coils and clean air intake.
The shutter that was occurring when shifting into OD at around 55/2K rpms is gone! Coil had a crack in housing at the bottom.

Started chrome delete.
Before/After:
 

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New to the forum! Here is my new project 4Runner. Recently installed a Sherpa Matterhorn Sport roof rack up top, hoping to use it this fall to carry our kayaks to the lake and enjoy the outdoors. Glad to be a part of the forum!
kzDiyky.jpg
 
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