New England B.S. Thread

Sounds like my old employer!

 

Hey all, I actually have a Toyota question! Not trading the Ford, but I have a co-worker with an older 4Runner, I think the 2005 era body style. The steering has gotten hard in spots. Looking in the Ho-Runner forums, seems like it could be the steering shaft u-joint going out. Anyone replaced the u-joint or is it just better off to replace the whole unit? Hard to believe the u-joint would go bad on the steering shaft but it apparently seems sort of common based on the forum info.

 

From what i've read it's easier to just replace the entire steering shaft. I also don't know if you can source just the u-joint. But you're going to have to remove the assembly anyways, so might as well just replace it. Chances are the splines are also somewhat wallowed out, so replacing the whole thing should make it feel much tighter.

 

I've had similar hard spots in the steering... Fluid film or pb blaster the shit out of the shaft and u joints. Probably just rusty. If that doesn't work look into the new but worked for me a few times now

 

I was wondering about that, trying to actually source the u-joint alone. I haven't looked into how much of a pain in the testies it is to pull the full shaft but, you're likely correct in that I'll need to pull the whole thing in order to replace just the joint regardless. Likely not enough room to just swap the u-joint in the engine bay.

That's the plan for today, dose the shit out of it with something oily. I'm worried about one of the needles breaking and really binding on him. Right now, it's just hard in spots but if a needle breaks, that could cause a serious bind and cause an accident.

 

A cursory google gives me a whole shaft for 75 bucks (giggity). For that cost - yeah, I'm not fighting rusty BS from 2005 in New England for 5 hours to save 20 bucks.

 

If its the same shaft as the Tacoma, which it probably is, its super common, and its not a rebuildable part that I'm aware of. I just swap out the lower intermediate shaft and call it good

 

The I-shaft isn't a rebuildable part. Many moons ago, I used to work for Timken making steering columns at their former Watertown CT plant. I was the Manufacturing Engineer that oversaw the PN/UN (F-150), DR (Ram), TJ/KJ (Jeep) product lines. Although you may be able to find a u-joint to fit, it needs to be preloaded when installed to eliminate lash and then staked in place. Start soaking the connection points now - They are guaranteed to be rusted together.

 

I was thinking the same. What kind of management has the time to be concerned about 20 minutes where someone may not be working? As long as things that need to get done are done in a reasonable amount of time, I do not care what my guys are up to every minute.

 

I do not miss being hourly. Sure, I end up working a bit longer but it's a trade off. I am paying (with my time) to not have the hassle of dealing with time sheets and micromanagement of my time. Worth it.

 

I'm salary but still need to do timesheets. That's how we know what to bill clients each month.

 

I have to punch in and out c for each trip. I get paid by the hour as I wait but I get paid by the mile as I drive.

 

Some of management definitely puts in a lot of hours. If you divided their salary into hours, I probably make more per hour, and I don't have to babysit anyone.

 

yup. I’m a senior QA engineer. The desire to move up from here is minimal. I do typically 8.5/day once you average it all together (some days 430 rolls around and it’s sunny and 75 on a Friday. Other times it’s raining and 30 - I’ll stay late then - it all averages out).

 

Same. However, if I go above 40 hours and the project I'm on allows it, I can charge OT by the hour. I don't stress a half hour here or there, but if I come in on an off Friday (we're 9/80) I will charge it and management is 100% okay with it.

 

Just meet up with @Markcal , it was nice meeting you Mark. Great talking with you even in this heat.

 

It's nice to drop people off at the airport when there's no traffic!

 

Replacing my trailer axle was a success.

Here's the old versus the new. You can see where the arc is mostly gone on the old one and it's bent on both sides:



Halfway through the brake install:


...and testing with the truck:


I think I need to tighten them slightly since I have the gain higher than I'd like, but otherwise all is good!

 

@Taco01863 - Thanks again John for your set of mudflaps, it was nice to meet you too in spite of the heat.

 

Wheel/tire/lift looks great Jason!