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

Well, that would be nice. There's a parts truck at a local scrap yard I'm hoping to pillage, it's a '97 standard cab, so if you're right and the driveshaft is the same then it's just a matter of some haggling.

 

I hope it's not like the scrapyard here where folks cut the driveshaft because they can't be bothered to undo four bolts when pulling the diff. Sigh.

 

Single Cab is rare as hens teeth around here. All I know is what you know, single piece shaft with a double cardan joint to minimize the effects of driveshaft angle imbalance. I'd have my local driveshaft guy rebuild it. He does tons of yotas

 

Yes single cabs have a single piece driveshaft with a double Cardin off the transfer case. It's the same drive shaft as 4runners. Assuming you have thsame transmission.

 

Could order a new Tom woods drive shaft. I was quoted like $450 for a one piece.

 

Got my exhaust leaks addressed and taken care of. About a month ago I’d built a slap-dashed adapter to make my double cat headers line up with my single system, but the flanges I sourced from a local exhaust shop were pretty inferior. I ended up burning the gaskets out of them about 500 miles into a road trip to the Midwest. So yesterday I went ahead and welded some LCE flanges onto my new catalytic converter from magnaflow and then proceeded to make a better adapter pipe for the header -> cat connection using same LCE flanges. Truck is so much quieter now and the catalytic converter no longer rattles. Now we shall see how long the P0420 code stays away. Here are a few pics of process and end result.


Now back to the driveshaft discussion.

 

Working on replacing my rusted chrome bumper, three of the four bolts holding it in broke when I put the impact wrench on it. Tried using a torch for the first time to free the bolts and that worked like a charm.

 

Got tired of my doors flinging open when I'm parked on an incline at my land, so I bought some new door checks. Had originally planned to rebuild the originals but the Russian seller on eBay of those replacement pads is not around anymore... While I had the door panels off I took a closer listen to my tweeters, and they sounded like tinnitus so I unplugged them for now.

Found some troubling rust on the bottom inside of the doors underneath the seam sealer, will have to do some wire wheeling and painting this weekend. I pulled the old seam sealant bead off of the door, anybody recommend a brand when I'm ready to run a new bead? 3M? Eastwood?

 

I have to fix similar said rust and I was looking at the 3M heavy bodied stuff but it requires a special gun/nozzle. I just want something that matches OEM durability that is sandable and paintable, so let me know what else you might see out there too.

 

eimkeith.com

 

I just got my order today thank you so much

 

Had access to my buddy's rack for a couple days and got three projects done. I've done all three before on the ground but, man, having stuff at comfortable eye level is a huge bonus. Tasks completed:

1) Had noticeable slop in the main steering rack bushing so replaced with the part from the Energy Suspension kit.



2) AC pulley (was screaming at me at an increasing frequency, now STFU'd)



3) Did both lower ball joints. Local stealership wanted close to $400 for both and I'd need to wait a few days before they came in. "Settled" on 555 brand from the local O'Reillys that had them sitting on the shelf and I know they are quality. Guy behind the counter was cool AF. Parts were $148/ea. As he's ringing me up he reaches over, grabs a pair of foam ear plugs and sits then on the two ball joint boxes. He sees me taking a breath to ask "what are those for...don't need them, etc" and says "...the two ball joints and the earplugs total 3 items so you now get 30% off." So the $148 ball joints became $118 ball joints! That's above and beyond customer service IMHO.



Actually installed the zerks this time so I can take better care of these than my last OEM pair. Seriously considering sending the olds out for this: https://anonymousfab.com/products/tacoma-4runner-lower-uniball-conversion


Celebrated with some Filet Mignon

 

Replaced my "sloppy" rear drive shaft..



..with a unit from a local wrecker.



The price wasn't as good as I'd hoped. $250 for the driveline and one 12" long high pressure A/C line.

Once I'd gotten it installed and I was out on my shakedown I forgot the price real quick. That old shaft's been going bad since I bought the truck 22k miles ago!

All the vibrations and clickity clacks and rattles that I've been dealing with right along are gone, and the truck runs smooth like a cheetah.

Here, I've been blaming my tires or the alignment, and I've been worrying about my suspension and checking on it constantly.

I sure am impressed that it takes that long for a wobbler bearing to go from bad to worse, but it's always gratifying to be able to blame the PO I'm even ready to blame the driveline vibration for the pilot bearing, the clutch, the throwout bearing, and the busted bellhousing.

I also replaced my radiator cap today and I immediately overheated... coolant spraying out the overflow...

whelp, onwards.

 

Onion, garlic, and rosemary on those beef cuts?

 

Any idea how many miles on the old OEM?

 

No onion but yes on the rest. Dry rub and then put in the oven at 200 until interior temp is 120 and then sear in the cast iron 3 minutes a side with butter, olive oil, garlic and rosemary continuously drizzled over it. Always ends up amazing.

 

They weren't horrible but I am of the opinion of "if you can make them move with a pry bar it is time to replace them." Too many stories and friend's having that bad experience of them failing at speed and taking an unwanted Mr. Toad's E-ticket ride. Nowhere near my receipts but thinking I replaced these with OEM parts in 2017. Mileage? No idea. But they are used enthusiastically.

 

280k today, mileage really slows down when I drive the work truck and my chicks drives me around town everyday

 

I believe the fsm says up to a mm is acceptable. I replace mine whenever I see play and was curious if you were going through them every year like I was or not. Sounds like they hold up a bit better for you. I've been told the reason OEM doesn't last for me is because I reuse the bolts. Doesn't make sense to me but whenever I do need to replace the Moogs that are currently going on 3 years I'll try another OEM and Moog side by side again with new hardware.

 

Was going to replace the AC on my backup car, but opened up the compressor to see this:



So then I moved on to doing the pinch weld and shaving off some of the front bumper to fit these 33s. Interesting enough, it only needed it on the driver side to keep from rubbing. I have NO idea why the drivers side of my truck would be rubbing more than the passenger side, there must be something really heavy on the driver side but no clue what that is













No more rubbing!