2025 San G Family Reunion 09/05/25 - 09/07/25

Little by little. I only have Sundays OFF so I can only do so much.

What I plan on doing this weekend is "practice" removing the fill and drain plugs on the differentials? Never did those before?

I believe the fill plug is a star pattern (torx) type "female plug"???

All I do know is I need a flat surface, so until then.

I removed that super rusted antenna mount. That part of the bed needs to be cut out and a fresh piece of metal needs to be welded in place. I don't know how to weld so I may need to hire a professional to do the job for me??? It's going to be a fairly small metal plate piece about maybe 1/8in thick by roughly 6in (L) x 4in (W). Those are rough estimates, but definitely want it to be at least 1/8in thick.

Annnnnyways... that is the antenna mount I need to redo. I'll take a picture so you all know what I am talking about. I think I will do a cardboard mockup as well? Done that before on other projects that I've done in the past and it worked well. It gives me a rough idea of how it will look without really doing the actual work.

But yeah, I'll take a picture.

Bryan, remember how much of a PITA that rear bumper was to install? I have to remove it so I can remove the bed so I can work on the antenna mount. LMAO, I am NOT looking forward to removing that rear bumper!!!

 

That is my next purchase is a cat-back. It's a magnaflow as well.

 

Need to be a V-8

 

Join the Tundra gang, we have cool exhaust sounds

 

That and dirty deeds makes it even better

 

Got one of those today also

 

Don't jink it

 

So if it gets canceled this year its @TXpro4X4's fault

 

Seems legit

 

GX460 has the same drivetrain with ball cooling seats . Carven exhaust go bbbrrrrrrr.

 

Changed out the CV axles, CV axle oil seal, and LBJ on the driver side.

Drained the front diff gear oil too.

Tomorrow, changing out the pass side CV axles, CV axle oil seal, and LBJ.

Change ALL the diff fluids by tomorrow.

Got a new window washer fluid reservoir tank as well. My washer neck was completely dry rotted... typical.

So, gonna try to do that tomorrow as well.

Then, I gotta replace my front brake pads. Plan on doing that in about 2x weeks.

The finished front driver...

 

I've always liked how much smaller the manual hubs are for the 1st gen tacomas. Mine stick out so far I've smacked them on rocks a couple times, and a buddy broke one of his too. I wonder if there is a way to retrofit them onto the older trucks...

 

You probably can? I would think it would be a fairly expensive conversion kit though?

You'd need to take into consideration axle length, spline count, wheel bearing hub, etc.

In other words, you would have to change out pretty much the whole front suspension components from the steering knuckle, control arms, etc etc etc.

The only thing that "engages" on the hubs is really just that very outter portion.

Pretty damn neat and impressive engineering at work there on how they figured that out.

I plan on going back and revisiting both of those hubs though because the star gasket on the driver side is ripped partially due to just wear and tear. So, going to order replacement gaskets for both sides.

I will be doing the pass side today. I've done CV axles before, but this is my first time replacing on a 4wd and with manual locking hubs. It turned out not to be all that hard as I prepared myself by watching as much YT vids as possible and reading my repair book. Just did all kinds of research.

I still ran into some minor things because doing the actual work is just always completely different in some form or fashion. BUT, all in all, it was a pretty easy job.

The ONLY thing for me that was very nerve racking was making sure the axle oil seal was not installed cockeyed or too deep. Everything went and looks fine, but I will be doing a test drive obviously.

What you don't know is that I'm working on my truck at my sister's place in Chino. "I" live in San Diego. My stupid apt parking is on a slight incline and the rest of the surrounding area is on some damn incline, so putting diff fluid in and "leveled" is near impossible!!! So, she is letting me borrow her driveway and I figured to visit for the 4th too. Just gotta make sure this all works since the distance from where she lives to me would be a very expensive tow if things somehow went south (no pun intended) during this repair work.

The brakes, cat-back exhaust, header, etc I can easily do at my apt. This repair job involves fluids and fluid leveling, which again, I'm on a slight incline where my parking spot is located and just the overall surrounding area. Trust me, I did all kinds of surveying of my area and I just had no options of where I live where I could work on my truck.

Anyways, in about 2hrs from typing this long post, as usual of me, LMAO, I will be going outside to start on the pass side.

I bought an OEM washer fluid reservoir too since the filler neck on mine was just completely dry rotted and broken in many spots. So I'm hoping to install that today as well. If not, I can at least do that at my apt. Just hoping to have enough time left to install here since my truck is already up in the air.

Finally, I'm concerned about my new LBJs because it feels as if there is NO GREASE inside the ball joint boot? Am I too put grease in by some sort of syringe or something??? Going to call/e-mail the manuf ASAP. They are made by ProForged and from my research, they are a fairly solid reputable company. I almost got the 555 Sankei's, but the ProForged were recommended to me by a member because he uses/used them and has had no issues so I just went with that.

I'm thinking I should just go ahead and order some 555's and install those instead? They are not terribly expensive and I can do that work at my apt as well if need be.


EDIT:
I had just done some research and reading that if there are no zerk fittings, then they are pregreased during manufacturing and is a "sealed design" type boot. My LBJs came without any zerk fittings and have no place to install any zerk fittings. So, it implies my new LBJs are a "sealed boot design". I mean, it didn't feel "dry" while I was maneuvering the lower ball joint during reassembly to the steering knuckle? I'm just saying that while I was pressing my finger on the boot after install it just felt like it lacked any grease, if that makes any sense.

I'm just used to seeing ball joint boots somewhat bulging at the seams with grease like a fat chick wearing a thong???

 

DONE installing my new CV axles and lower ball joints.

I finished about the same amount of time and taking small breaks here and there.

JUST F'N HOT!!! I'm in the shade and it's hot or just not the most comfortable.

Anyways...


Going to fill the gear oil tomorrow and just call it a day.

Not too hard by any means, did this before, but not on a 4wd and with manual locking hubs.

 

It shouldn't be that hard to convert my hub locks to yours. I have the last generation Pickup (pre-Tacoma), so its not the same BS of different wheel bearings and hubs like the Tacomas did. Your hub flange is based on mine and should be the same diameter and stud spacing. So in theory it would work effortlessly, the only things that could cause issue is like you mentioned spline count and shaft depth. I know on my hub locks there is a considerable amount of dead air so its possible that maybe Toyota only shortened the hub enough to get rid of that air. Hard to say, I've never gotten my hands on a set of Tacoma hubs, never done research on the idea

If you're going through the effort of ordering new star gaskets and "rebuilding" the hub, I recommend going all the way and getting new o rings and whatever other wear parts are in there. Mine started to get very hard and gritty to turn, needed pliers to move them in winter. I went in there and rebuilt them and put fresh grease and they are sooooo much better. Everything turns smoothly and with minimal effort. If you use grease in those hubs like the older trucks did, I HIGHLY recommend switching over to a high temp Marine grease for boat trailers with electric brakes. Its a little more expensive, but its worth it as it displaces any water that gets inside of there without destroying the grease as easily.

I had a CV axle pop the snap ring off and let all kinds of water inside my hub for an unknown amount of time. I pulled the locking hub off to check things and though the grease is dirty and will need to be replaced sooner than later, but its still retaining more than enough lubrication and density to keep driving on for now. I know the regular grease would've been ruined and just mucky water by then. I converted all my grease guns to the same stuff too for my tie rods, ball joints, u joints, etc.

I've never heard of that brand of ball joints but if it doesn't have grease fittings there's nothing you can do about it. Just run them and check them until they are ready to fail. Its not the end of the world, they just won't last as long as ball joints that do have the fittings. A lot of times ball joints that have a bunch of grease in the boots just end up spitting all that grease out everywhere once you hit a trail anyways

 

Yeah, I researched and read that if the boots or "part" has no zerk fittings or anywhere to install a zerk fitting then it comes pregreased during the assembly process and is a "sealed design" and that is how mine are.

Yeah, ProForged is apparently not that bad of a company, just not well known.

I will probably get the 555's anyways just to have??? I don't know? But yes, I will periodically look at them, not like it is a difficult thing to just look.

Finally, they didn't feel "stiff". Like I was saying, when I pressed my finger up against the boot with the trucks load on them and it just looked like it could use a bit more grease. Most ball joint type boots I see are fairly bulged out.

But they did move pretty good when I had to realign so I could bolt the steering knuckle on. Had a pretty good "smooth movement" to them.

Did my gear oil change on the front/rear diffs and the transfer case this morning.

So, I'm completely done with the job. I plan on doing my front brakes in about two weeks. I just have to wait for next pay day.

 

Hope to see you Randy.
Been a long few weeks .


Happy 4th everyone