Zombie Truck 2.0 MPAV Build!

[BlackWorksInc]

I have come across many of your posts through researching various topics well before I actually joined this site and started posting. I always found them very helpful so it's nice to see some new posts. I thought you had left for good. thanks for your contributions and detailed write ups, they've helped me quite a bit and help keep forums like this going

Na, if I retire from being a tech or decide to move on from the forum I would make a post to let people know and update my profile so you'd guys know. I just haven't been around as much is all. At this point I'd just expect me to kind of float in and out of existence as life allows for now. lol

 

[BlackWorksInc]

Dusting off the old build thread for a minor update. Finally got off my lazy ass and balanced all 5 of my tires after having almost 30k on them with the balance beads the original company I ordered them from threw in.

Long story short, had to unmount the tires, clean the balance beads out, then remount them and road force and force match them to the rims. It seems like the company I ordered them from (I had bought these already mounted on the wheels with new TPMS sensors installed) actually seemed to match the tires to the wheels before throwing in the beads. I only had to rotate one tire on the rim to bring the road force variation below 18lbs (that one was in the yellow at 31lbs and was probably the tire that hit the log a while back), but after rotating it on the rim once or twice it came down to 16lbs. In any case, they all balanced rather well and only one wheel used more than 5-6oz or less; given how much of a nightmare I have with some of our aftermarket chonky tires and wheels we put on customer's vehicles I'm calling that a win!

As for my opinions on running balance beads? I would say that as long as you're fine living with the quirks that come with using balance beads, they work very well. I decided to swap out to traditional sticky weights because I hit corners a bit hard and when getting on freeways (particularly from work where it's just a right turn onto the 97 with no on-ramp) they will be unbalanced for a bit as the beads will slosh to one side and it takes them a bit to even out. That quirk was getting more and more noticeable as the tires wore in, the last month or two has been almost like baby death wobbly for a about 5-6 miles after getting on the freeway before they start to adjust themselves. I could have thrown in another pouch of beads and I'm sure it'd be fine, but honestly that quirk always bothered me from the very beginning and I put off balancing them properly for a long long time.

Now I just need to decide if I want to change out the tires next year or not... they still have decent tread but they're getting up there in age, I think they're close to 7yrs old now and you can see some very minor dry rot starting...

 

[BlackWorksInc]

Installed a new Panhard Correction Kit bracket from eimkeith.com – good stuff for your Toyota., rather happy with the result... even if my weld looks less than appealing...

Anyways, decided to just do a separate thread for you guys so here's the link:

https://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/305346-panhard-correction-kit-upgrade.html#post3735070

I also decided to start on the seat cover replacement project, this one will probably be a bit more spread out, but here's a thread link for you guys:

https://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-...ory-seat-cover-lumbar-repair.html#post3735076

 

[BlackWorksInc]

Didn't do too much today, just swapped out the old/worn upper links for the rear axle. The tech said that the old ones were worn out, but I think that hack doesn't know what he's talking about; plenty of rubber in them bushings! Damn stealerships!

Also threw in the new light switch and sub-harness for Auto Headlights (there's a couple of good write-ups so I won't bother with the details, just check out this thread: https://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/103786-oem-automatic-headlight-install.html); though one note is don't be a dumb ass like me and mix up your part numbers... 89121-30010 is the light sensor for the A/C and 89121-12010 is for the Light Sensor for Automatic Headlights... I'll have the correct sensor in a couple days, so no big worry.

I have mostly been busy with work, house projects, and such so I haven't had too much time to work on the seat project beyond just washing the seat covers and tearing down the lumbar section. I will update it with the pictures and thoughts I have, but I am not happy with how the "attachments" function works, so I need to find a better way to upload pictures to T4R.org since looking through many of my old threads I see that photbucket or whatever I was using basically stopped hosting them for free.

 

[[email protected]]

Rodent screen/ HVAC problems

Installed a Rodent Screen on the 4Runner,
This is what it looks like when you pull the cowling off,

I need to do this. I've found rodent sign in my cabin filter a few times. I wasn't sure what leads where so I installed a screen under the filter hoping that would keep them away from anything important. I guess it didn't. Turned on the AC today for the first time this summer and it blows cold air thru all the vents on the pax side, but not the driver side. I'm guessing I need to take it to the dealer, but, for the future, I'd like to add this screen you described. Question, how do you remove the cowl?
Thanks for anything.
Bill, outside of Bend

 

[[email protected]]

Rodent screen/ HVAC problem

Installed a Rodent Screen on the 4Runner,
This is what it looks like when you pull the cowling off,

I need to do this. I've found rodent sign in my cabin filter a few times. I wasn't sure what leads where so I installed a screen under the filter hoping that would keep them away from anything important. I guess it didn't. Turned on the AC today for the first time this summer and it blows cold air thru all the vents on the pax side, but only non-cold air on the driver side. I'm guessing I need to take it to the dealer, but, for the future, I'd like to add this screen you described. Question, how do you remove the cowl?
Thanks for anything.
Bill, outside of Bend