What have you done to your Tacoma today? 1st Gen Edition

Finally got around to replacing the LH LBJ today. Now both LBJs are in (Moog 555). But I had an adventure in it. I have been flipping the castle nut on the tie rods to tap against to help loosen the tie rod. Which I now realize is dumb, as I can whack the ever loving crap out of the housing since it is being replaced as part of the LBJ. Anyway, wound up doing this to the threads:



Could not get the castle nut to tighten past that point without the rod spinning, and no amount of force to bind it would work. So, got to install a new outer tie rod too. Yay Since this has become my DD (my Camry is out of commission waiting on a throttle body) I had no choice but to replace it with a Duralast TR from AutoZone. Which is a tad longer, so I had to try to match up to get to sort of aligned. I can tell I am slightly cocked right, so I suppose next weekend I will take it off and do another clockwise revolution on it. Yee haw.

 

$12 tie rod puller from Autozone will do all that and a bag of chips without any damage.

http://www.autozone.com/loan-a-tools/pitman-arm-puller/oem-tie-rod-puller/555631_0_0/

The whopping $15 one is great for the LBJs.

http://www.autozone.com/loan-a-tool...-pitman-arm-puller/555623/?_requestid=8628050

 

^^ I bought a puller from AZ, and the damn thing doesn't fit anything - tie rods, LBJ, nada. So, have to get the right one I suppose I just posted a thread about UBJs, so looks like I shall rent the three arm puller. My preference is to remove the knuckle and do it that way - I could also sand down and paint the knuckle as it is rusty - but I have seen some videos that suggest this is quite the job thanks to my manual hubs. I have some bad lug studs as well, so should bite the bullet and get it done. Damn cold weather and no garage to work in! I need to clean my garage stat so I can use it. Grrrr.

But, as to the new tie rod - meh. 129k, original tie rods - might as well replace them. Will do the passenger side next weekend I suppose. If it is not insane cold.

 

Thread file:

 

^^ Was thinking about something like that, but no time to deal with it, no place to buy it, etc. Had to be operational before the sun went down (and it stared snowing on me. Literally.) But I may pick one up and fix this, as the TR seems perfectly fine. Can keep them as spares.

 

Removed and cleaned both the throttle body and the iac valve. Relatively easy and the truck runs 10x better. Changed the oil/filter while I was at it.

 

TB cleaning really is an easy job, and makes a good difference!

 

replaced these

With these

 

Nice! Love my weathertechs

 

Pic and end of Part I and 2nd pic on Part II show how to mount the puller for the OTRE and the LBJ.

http://www.bajataco.com/tech/control_arms_01.html

 

As we speak

 

I have that same ground magnet. They are awesome!

 

Went wheeling today:

 

Hmm.. I won it in a contest. I'm just sick of it taking up room in the cab.

 

where'd you get the digital weatertechs? their site says they're not offered?

 

Oh man. Link for the exact one you used? I've been wanting to get mine to shut up on the highway.

 

Im sorry, but the whole run out of Co2 thing is the worst argument ever. If you don't have the brains to check your CO2 before a trip..you shouldn't be going on a trip.

20lb of CO2 lasts a long time with 33s. Hell it lasted me a whole summer and i was filling my 35s and my dads 34s and random friends. The gains in speed is so worth it. I filled my 35x112.5r15s from 10 to 32 psi then a dual arb compressor filled 33x10.5r15s from 20-35 i think. A lot faster actually.

Id rather have something that has almost nothing in it that can fail on the trail rather then a compressor that can fail *cough* Mike and his ARB *cough*

that said, i still carry a tiny compressor for back up cause why not...but i will say it would take about an hour for it to do my 35s..lol While airing up time is nice sometimes. There are plenty of times where it isn't...like 10˚ in the mountains in december..haha

I'll never go back. But i will enjoy my time waiting on all the friends that don't have CO2 with lots of mockery haha....although..most of my friends have CO2 now...

Well..that is an interesting looking tub job haha cool.

 

Just picked it up from a nearby advanced auto parts store. Came in a pack of 2 strips, you can cut them to whatever desired length.

 

thanks! we tried to actually make it look like a tub. flanges with spot welds will be seam sealed to try and keep a "factory" look.

*not saying anyone on here does* but we try and take time to figure stuff out and do it nicely rather than just pound a piece of metal in place