OEM(ish) Parts Recommendations

I just picked up a 2002 double cab 4X4 TRD. It will mostly be a project truck. My wife thinks this means I will use it for doing projects around the house but really the truck is the project. All kidding aside, I'm looking for recs on stock or close to stock hardware and a good repair manual for it.

It has a new frame and lower control arms (~5 years ago) but I don't like the looks of the lower control arm bushings. Haven't gotten it up in the air yet to really check them out but something isn't right. Whole new assembly with bushings and ball joints vs pressing out the bushings and replacing the ball joints. I'd prefer the former if there are reasonable quality assemblies available.

Brakes feel soft and while I'm in there I'd like to put new pads and rotors on the front.

I'm not positive about maintenance history (Odometer may have been rolled back 100+K miles) so I'd like to do a timing belt/front of the engine - front main seal, cam seals, water pump etc. There seem to be OEM parts kits available on ebay, Are these legit? https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-GENUIN...G-BELT-KIT-17-PCS-4RUNNER-TACOMA/231029498024

And the rear main seal looks to be leaking - not so much that it is dripping but it is wet back there. Anything else I should change at the same time?

Other thing I should look at besides the obvious oil change, transmission flush, rear dif oil change?

 

Welcome aboard new member

 

Many members on here use only Denso or Toyota parts since they seem to have the least amount of trouble and highest quality. I personally wouldn't trust anything on ebay. I usually buy my stuff from legit auto parts stores like Advance Auto, Autozone, Napa, etc.

 

Welcome!

The eBay waterpump kit from aircabinman (I think that’s the name without double checking) is very well received here. I ordered one up based on the reviews, received it a week or two ago and everything is legit, the only part not included is a new crankshaft pulley bolt.

 

Ordered some OEM lower ball joints. Now I'm wondering if I should replace the upper control arms and ball joints while I'm at it. The upper arms seem pretty rusty and it doesn't seem worth it to clean them up and press new bushings into them so I'm leaning towards new. I like the trucks height but wouldn't be opposed to lifting an inch or two down the road and would like the flexibility if it isn't too much more then OEM. What reasonably priced options are there for upper control arms and ball joints? I'm not sure if it is stock height. The shocks were replaced when the frame was done. Is there a way to measure stock height? It's a TRD SR5 DC.

 

I generally avoid ebay for car parts like the plague, but I have seen recommendations for 'aircabinman' on there.

Other than that, I get all the things from rockauto.

A project truck is good for the sanity.

 

I'd replace anything rusty especially in the front suspension. Do all the ball joints or really really bad stuff happens.

While it's in the air check the wheel bearings for play. Also check the common rust areas, the front leaf spring hangar especially. If possible try and stop some of that rust.

 

Here's a good write up with parts and tools links for doing the Timing Belt work, if you haven't done it already...

Tools for this were a great investment from my POV since I've used them a few times, and it's nice to have them around when buddies need them. I've included links below as well for your convenience.
full write up: Step by Step Toyota Tacoma Timing Belt Replacement for 3.4L V6 5VZFE

Parts

1. 100% OEM parts kit from aircabinman
2. The crank pulley bolt, which Toyota says is a single-use bolt given the 217 ft-lbs of torque it's under while in service. (90119-16006)
3. Two gallons of red coolant concentrate, to refill the radiator when it's reinstalled. (00272-1LLAC)
4. Six gallons of distilled water - again, for the radiator.

Tools

1. OTC 6673 Universal Belt Tension Gauge
2. Lisle 58430 Shaft Type Seal Puller
3. Schley Products SP 64400 Harmonic Damper Pulley Holding Tool
4. OTC 4518 Stinger 5-ton Bar-Type Puller/Bearing Separator Set
   1. (2) M8 Metric Bolts with a 1.25 Pitch, 100mm long with 4 washers - these are the bolts we used in conjunction with the OTC 4518 puller or other puller you have to remove the crankshaft pulley.
5. PRIVATE BRAND TOOLS PBT70960 Crankshaft and Camshaft Seal Tool Kit
6. Lisle 24680 Spill-Free Funnel
7. Performance Tool W89208 Cam Pulley Holder
8. TEKTON 24320 1/4-Inch Drive Click Torque Wrench (20-200 in.-lb./2.26-22.6 Nm)

​

Of course, these tools were in addition to a standard set of tools that you'd need for this job - short and deep sockets, extensions, larger torque wrenches, oil, grease, etc. Here was a list of the additional tools we used:

1. 10mm, 12mm, 14mm, 17mm, and 19mm sockets - both short and deep. This is a great set, but not cheap.
2. 10mm, 12mm, and 14mm wrenches. This is a good set.
3. 3-, 6-, ad 9-inch socket extensions
4. 10-inch socket wobble extension
5. A set of socket adapters (from 1/4"-to-3/8", and from 1/2"-to-3/8")
6. 90º needle nose pliers (for hose clamps)
7. Two, 2-foot breaker bars
8. A set of picks
9. Shop towels
10. Torque wrench capable of 250 ft-lbs
11. A box of ziplock bags to hold bolts that have been removed.
12. A pad of post-it notes to label said bags.
13. 5 gallon container to catch coolant (bucket with trash bag liner)
14. 5 qt container to catch transmission fluid

 

@petecarlson I have a good set of stock upper control arms if you didn’t want to go aftermarket. Shoot me a PM if interested.

 

Welcome

It is good for us to know where the truck lives and grew up.

As far as Parts I go with Toyota or Napa because they deliver.

That little bit of rust is normal for any place Winter means any type of frozen water falling from the sky and all kinds of chemicals to melt things for people that can`t drive.

I will say Aircabinman is about the only person I would buy from on Ebay not like the good old days

 

Trying to bring this back to upper control arms. Options:

OEM 48066-35120 (Right $351.73) and 48067-35050 (left $351.73) $703.46 total - seems to be complete with upper ball joints, control arm, bushings, and hardware. just the control arms are about $200ea, ball joint assys are about ~60, bushings ~25, hardware ~70.

JBA JBA-10.00.HC.EZ - $459.95 for the set. Seems to be complete except hardware (long bolt) 2 arms with ball joints, JBA EZ Lube bushing kit, 2 ball joint adapters. - Will these work without a lift? ie on a normal height TRD? Seems like a cheaper option then OEM and its red too which must mean its better.

MOGG $115 per side for just the control arm and bushing - I would likely use OEM ball joints with these.

Clean up and paint originals. $20 in shop supplies, $15 POR15. New bushings $50 (both sides), Joint assys ($120). So about $200 plus some PITA.

I know there are a bunch of other options and I know you smart cookies have already done this every way possible. Any thoughts on above? $700 to OEM something that isn't broken seems a bit excessive. I'm leaning towards ether MOGG with an OEM ball joint assy or JBA if it works at stock heights and has a stock feel.

 

I think it really depends on your end goal. If you don’t plan on doing a lift or bigger tires sticking with OEM or an OEM like replacement is fine. If you do plan on lifting or running bigger tires then considering an aftermarket UCA becomes much more digestible since it gives you more range of adjustment for that lift or bigger tires.

I also think you probably have more room for an aftermarket OEM style replacement on the upper ball joint than the lower. I know the lower ball joint is critical and documented many times over here on TW, but I don’t remember stumbling across a whole lot of upper ball joint issues. Anyone who knows more on the upper ball joint please feel free to chime in, perhaps it isn’t as documented because so many choose to upgrade the upper control arm and thus the ball joint (delta joint, etc).