The Story of My Tundra...

w666 · Nov 26, 2024

w666[OP] said: ↑

effing FedEx!!

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w666 · Nov 26, 2024

w666[OP] said: ↑

After lurking around ShockSurplus and checking out the Bilsteins, they finally sent me a $25 off coupon (on April 1st, no less)...So I ordered the set for $344!
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w666 · Nov 26, 2024

w666[OP] said: ↑

Well, a funny thing happened on the way to the forum (not the forum actually, rather the supermarket...and on the way home, and not on the way) and, actually not so funny...backing out of my space I hit the brakes, and the pedal went straight to the floor! Aaah! Scary!. I tried pumping it up, but it wouldn't hold pressure. So I limped home on the back roads using my ebrake (which I have been nearly obsessive about using every day to keep the rears adjusted) and this is what I found:

Alright, it could have been worse, I suppose...I could have wrecked and died had this happened while I was in traffic. So now I'll check the parts system to see if I can still buy this hard line, or if I have to make one

Q: I thought the idea of a dual brake system was so that if just such a failure occurred, the side that wasn't leaking (in this case the rear) would still work? Does this mean I may need a new MC too?

Edit: The hard line appears to be p/n 473170C011, and appears to be available.

2nd Edit: OK, I lied...when my helper (rather my wife) got home I was able to observe the leak, and it's this long squiggly line that runs all the way to the ABS. Thankfully, that too is available. Now I just nee to wait 'til Tuesday for parts <sigh>

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w666[OP] said: ↑

OK, this is the line that failed (although the other line was not far behind). It runs from the ABS pump to the 90 degree connector.

I think my summer project will be to inspect every inch of brake line, and replace anything that's even remotely sketchy!

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w666 · Nov 26, 2024

w666[OP] said: ↑

It's never the starter...

The other day I hopped in the truck to go to work, turned the key, and "Click". SFP! Well I've been to this movie before, in fact, I recently got a new battery and ground cables because of the same problem. So I hopped out, gave cables and battery camps a little twist...and "Vroom", off to work I go. Today I had time to fix it right. I pulled the camps off the posts, scrubbed them up with that bristly battery post thingy, and clamped them up good and tight. "Click!" SFP!! I peeled back the conduit on the positive cable to inspect for corrosion...good as new (The green electrical tape is because I didn't have any black handy. The aesthetic bugs me, but I'll change it when I find my black tape). I pull the starter relay (major pain in the ass, BTW) to test it...no problem. I used a shorting cable to turn the starter while the relay was out..."Click". "Click!!". "Click!!!" SFP squared! Then I saw it...

The two spade lugs on each of the positive cable were corroded underneath where they bolt on to the after market clamp. I unbolted those connections, scrubbed them clean with a file and then Emery cloth, then bolted the sandwich back together (7/16" BTW...Hmm, I wonder what else on my truck will turn out to be SAE). "Vroom"!

It's never the starter! But there went two hours of my life I'll never get back.

(Note to self: Add Emery cloth and SAE combination wrenches to my road tools).

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w666 · Nov 26, 2024

w666[OP] said: ↑

Although my truck is "off road" on the factory configuration, it has never had the decal (at least not since I've owned it). Since I de-badged I though she looked a bit naked, so I ordered the decal and finally got around to installing it today. I'm not sure I like it though...seems too white. Maybe I should have used silver?

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w666 · Nov 26, 2024

w666[OP] said: ↑

So I decided to install my upper and lower control arms this weekend. While I'm at it, this would be a great time to install my new Bilstiens as well. It turns out I have to drop the rack to get to the rear cam bolts. While I'm at it, I may as well install new rack bushings. While the spindles are free, I may as well install new upper ball joints (bought them on sale...just in case). And a good time to install that steering shaft seal as well. Easy peasy, right?.

4 days later...

- Thank god the upper ball joints were still nice and tight (been watching @shifty` s trauma with the UBJs). Pain and suffering postponed for another day.
- I knew that I would have to saw the lowers off, but nothing prepared me for just how big a pain this would be! It's easy if you have a lift (like the numerous YouTube videos), but when you're up on jack stands there's not so much room. Hours of contortion.
- I knew Diablo blades were the best, but I did not anticipate how quickly they would wear out. 3 trips to Home Depot, and I finally returned with Diablo Carbide Blades for thick metal. I burned through 4 of these:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/DIABLO-...hick-Metal-Cutting-3-Pack-DS0908CF3/207192133
- I used anti-seize on the new cam bolts. Why doesn't Toyota do this at the factory?!
- It was a great time to remove and treat rust that I otherwise would not have been able to see or reach, so that added some time.
- Turns out that my rack is not OEM, but must have been replaced by a prior owner. Never heard of 3F before.

- I did remember put the tires back on and drop the truck to the ground before torquing down the upper, lower, and strut bolts.
- Quick test drive was uneventful. Didn't want to go far until I get an alignment. But the new steering shaft seal is AMAZING! Sofa King quiet!! Well worth the effort.

I wonder if I can find an alignment shop open tomorrow?
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w666 · Nov 26, 2024

w666[OP] said: ↑

Holy Batman! I just bought Toyota Re-manufactured CV Axles (43430-0C010-84) for 83.93 each, with no core charge!!

https://parts.lakelandtoyota.com/p/__/16422743/434300C01084.html

With shipping, both axles land on my front door for under $200!

I'd read here on tundras.com that Toyota was exiting the reman business, so I figured I'd better grab them while I can. I don't need them at the moment, but for $200 I can buy them just in case. Film at 11:00...
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Ed Note: I did get delivery of two CV Axles, and just installed the first of them last week

w666 · Nov 26, 2024

w666[OP] said: ↑

Seconds before some asshole backed into me at the supermarket I discovered that my horn no longer works. I can't remember the last time I used it TBH. The cruise control still functions.

As a diagnostic I hit the red panic button on my key fob, and the horns blared loudly. So I'm thinking that the fault is on the other side of the relay. That leaves the horn switch itself (eh, not likely IMHO), or the dreaded Spiral Cable (more likely, me thinks, because the PO had it changed ~ 4 years ago to pass inspection). In the back of random stuff he gave me was the old spiral cable (not OEM) so I'm not confident that he replaced with OEM.

(Full disclosure, my SRS light has been on since I got the car, more or less. Actually, it came on after I bought a new battery in the first weeks I owned it. I later took it to the stealer for an open airbag recall hoping maybe the light would go out, but no cigar. "Open squib circuit" they said. Later, when I got my own copy of Techstream, the failure was..."open squib circuit". Also BTW, my Techstream now complains about "license activation", so I have to go through the whole re-installation process, which I'm not in the mood for right now.)

So as I said, I'm leaning toward the Spiral Cable being the culprit. Before I go that direction I'd like to try testing then bypassing the horn switch to preclude that as the fault. I've found one or two threads here that deal with that (BTW, the search function sucks!). What I'm still looking for is any information (pictures!) that show exactly where the horn switch is, and how to change it if bad.

Does anyone have any wisdom to share?
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w666[OP] said: ↑

So...I spent a few days debating whether to buy an OEM clock spring ($300) or some cheap nameless import ($30 - $50). Finally I went for the OEM (but I had to get a second mortgage to afford it!).

The one on top is the shiny new OEM part that I got from McGeorge Ourisman Toyota. The one in the middle is the one I removed (clearly NOT an OEM part). The one on the bottom was given to me by the prior owner in a bag of miscellaneous parts that had been changed on his watch (I guess I'm not the only one who saves the old parts).

This is my shiny new clock spring installed just before closing the patient. The horn now works, cruise control still works, and the SRS light is now out! (I assume the airbag will work, but I hope that I never have to find out).

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w666 · Nov 26, 2024

w666[OP] said: ↑

I rolled over 250K on the way home from work the other night, but did not notice until the next day

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w666 · Nov 26, 2024

w666[OP] said: ↑

Finally got around to installing my new (used) leaf springs (thanks @shifty` ). First I had to remove my aftermarket hitch which conveniently blocked access to the spring and shackle mounting bolts. Then I started on the starboard side, which I knew was going to be a problem. The rear hanger had severe rust, and had to be replaced (I still have no idea how it got so rusty...the frame around it was fine, and there are no holes in the bed above it to leak water down). After I got the spring and shackle off I was able to expose the 4 rivets holding the hanger on. All I had to do was to grind off the rivet heads, pop them out the other side, and the install the new hanger.

Sounds easy...but it was not. There was barely enough room for my hands and the grinder. The truck was high enough off the ground that I couldn't lie down to work, but not quite high enough to sit comfortably and grind. But I motored through it, and finally ground away all 4 rivets, holding the grinder with one hand while leaning on my other elbow. Now all I had to do was just knock them through the other side with a hammer and punch...wrong! Same problem, not enough room to swing a hammer, and awkward angles and visibility. I'll just drill them out...also wrong! Finally I gave up, got my compressor, dug up my air hammer and a proper punch, and coaxed the stubborn fuckers out one at a time.

The new hanger is a bolt on, so it was short work to get it on.

After 7 hours I'd had enough fun, and left the port side for tomorrow. I expected this to be a multi-day project, and it will indeed be. These are the challenges of dealing with a rusty truck...what should be a few hour job turns out to be a few days. To be continued...
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w666[OP] said: ↑

Day 2 (short day today...appointments in the afternoon). No pics today

I didn't quite finish on the starboard side last night. I had a difficult time fitting the front spring bushing into the front hanger. With a clear head this morning I figured it out...the space in between the two sides of the hanger should be nominally 3.000". Mine measured up at ~ 2.856". The bushing on the spring measures ~ 2.887, so I had to find ~ 0.030" somewhere.

First hour:
- Tried to pry the hanger open. This might have worked if I had the jaws of life, but alas...
- Ground away some material from the inside spaces between the hanger
- Ground away some material from both sides of the bushing.
- Applied bushing grease generously
This worked well. I was able to persuade the bushing into the hanger with a floor jack and a BFH. But I just could not get it to slide forward enough to see all the way through the bolt hole <sigh>

Hour two:
- Rummage through the basement to find the come-along (it's been ~ 30 years since I last used it).
- Rummage through the garage looking for a length of chain to wrap around the axle
- Drive to the hardware store (Ace is the place!) to buy 2 feet of chain ($12!!!!)
I used the come-along to drag the axle ~ 1/4" forward, and drove the last bolt home (yay!)

Hour three.
- Removed the front bolt on the driver side
- Cut through the u-bolt on the driver side
- Removed the rear bolt on the driver side
- Removed the driver side spring

This was the one that caused me to want to change them in the first place. I had an annoying "clunk" on the left side, that has only gotten worse over time. I was expecting the find a cracked leaf, or maybe a bad bushing, or perhaps the center bolt rusted out or broken...but so far I have not. I'll have to sleuth more tomorrow.

Off to my appointments. Tomorrow is another day. All I have left to do is install the new spring. Should be a piece of cake, right? Should only take an hour, right?!
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w666[OP] said: ↑

Day 3 - Done!!

- Mounted the new spring
- Ran the bolts through the hangers
- Put the bolts back through the shocks
- But the tires back on, and dropped that fucker back on the ground!

I bounced up and down on the bumper a bunch of times, then crawled underneath to tighten everything back down. I tightened everything "gutentight" with an impact, except for the u-bolts where I used a torque wrench.

Total time so far today = ~90 minutes. I still need to re-install the trailer hitch and hang the spare (it's amazing how much room there is to work without the spare in the way), but I'm sick of this job!! I'll have another cup of coffee then finish up at a leisurely pace. I figure I need one more hour to finish up before the road test.

It went much faster today because I've already done one side, and I knew what to expect. I also knew to measure and adjust the bushings while on the ground (much easier). And most importantly...plenty of lubricant (To quote the great prophet Zappa "keep it greasy")

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w666 · Nov 26, 2024

w666[OP] said: ↑

Well, that didn't suck. I doesn't look like it went exactly according to plan, but the needle bearing is removed.

Now, to get the new busing installed. That DOES suck...I'm taking a break while it cools off in the freezer
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w666[OP] said: ↑

Alrighty then! I took a break for lunch, recharged the brain, and watched some more Youtubes. I learned that I could use my jack handle to extend the tool, giving me ample room to swing the hammer. Et voila!

I have two suggestions for those of you who may be foolish enough to try this mod:

1. Use a lift so you have room swing a hammer
2. Get a helper!
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w666 · Nov 26, 2024

Alright...enough of this for now. My head hurts from staring at the computer all morning!

There are a number of things I've done that either I missed in my search, and/or failed to post:

- New Denso Radiator
- Rebuilt Denso Alternator
- New Denso Ignition Coils (x8)
- New TYC Headlight Housings and Mini-projector upgrade
- LED Lamps installed everywhere!
- Denso O2 sensors (x4), and one more after a recent failure
- Rebuilt my Transfer Case 4WD Actuator
- Front Rotors/Pads
- Rear Drums/Shoes
- Rear Axle Bearings and Brake Backing Plates (and new hard brake lines while I was at it
- Used (~ 100,000 mi) OEM LSD Rear Carrier
- Front Driver Side Hub Bearing and Backing Plate
- New Rear Bumper and DrawTite Hitch (to replace OEM Bumper/Hitch that rusted into dust!)
- Used OEM Skid Plate (the original rusted into dust

It's been quite a journey! Not much left to fix...right? I have a thick manila file folder with all the receipts, but I'm not brave enough to add it all up. I spent $5,500 to buy the truck (October 2019, just before the COVID shit hit the fan, and prices skyrocketed!). I estimate I've spent at least $6,000 more since (and that's with me doing substantially all of the work myself).

KNABORES · Nov 26, 2024

Subbed

ATBAV8 · Nov 26, 2024

Happy for ya. But honestly, TLDR.

w666 · Nov 27, 2024

Oh...and new washer jets

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The Story of My Tundra...

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