Igor: Double Cab 4x4. Frankenstein's Helper

Yeah, it is time again for the redhead to get another WP and belt and gaskets.. Party?

 

haha i mean if you wanna come..haha

 

After i've rolled it and exploded it.

That mod is coming.

 

bought it with...i think..149k.

Driving to St. Louis is a long trip man. Did it 5-6 times. Then driving around St. Louis. Was a 20mile round trip commute to work there. About the same to the audio gig i had. Put on a lot of miles there. But its about 10k a year so maybe average since I've own Igor.

 

Who is due? Mike or me? I mean...im due.

Mike i think is just being cautious and loving to the red head and getting it done.

Most valve cover gaskets are seeping oil after 130-150k. Id be shocked and amazed if you're didn't show signs of seeping. Ive never seen them full on leaking. Just slowly die off. Im just doing it to do it and be done. Do plugs too. Igor is due for a ton of that stuff.

 

I did it first time it 82K, I am coming up on the 2nd round soon. Currently at ~165K

 

trucks are getting old...



except Frank...haha still a baby with like 135k i think..ish...

 

Fix him... So you can wear him out.

 

No doubt! Hopefully be able to this summer as well. We will see how much i can save.

 

Tac Weld Mod:

This Mod is fairly well know on here already and many have done it. I was skeptical of it myself really, but considering it was easy to do and easy to reverse. I figured I'd give it a shot.

The original write up is here on TTORA: Its a great document and I didn't really have the intention of writing this up. But then i realized that no one likes going to TTORA anymore since it got sold out. So figured what the hell. That said, the TTORA doc is a great one.

So here we go, time to pull this bitch out.

ManyMods-22.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

First, disconnect the ground. Unless you want an air bag to go off in your face potentially.

ManyMods-23.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

i skipped removing the air bag. Mostly because mine wouldn't come out. Never had an issue though. I just removed the cover. There are screws behind the wheel, just turn it and you'll see one on each side. Remove those.

ManyMods-24.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

And this one on the bottom.

ManyMods-25.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

After that the plastic will separate. Takes a bit of effort and at first more then you'll be comfortable with, but will come apart.

ManyMods-26.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

After that pull the lower panel, 4 10mm bolts and a body screw.

ManyMods-27.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

You'll also want to totally remove the hood latch handle as you'll want to remove the entire lower dash panel. Not just set it down.

Couple body screws hold it in.

ManyMods-28.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
ManyMods-29.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Remove the heat tube. To do this you have to take off the screw holding it in place.

ManyMods-31.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

It'll just pull out easily after that.

Bit dirty in there...

ManyMods-32.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Anyways should look like this

ManyMods-33.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Now disconnect all the wiring from the steering wheel.

ManyMods-34.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

On the key side you'll want to undo this clip holding the wiring.

ManyMods-35.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

and then underneath the column you'll want to undo this clip.

ManyMods-36.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Now if you are totally stock. The OEM wiring harness will simple fall to the floor and be out of your way. I have run my wiring harness to my switches and clipped it to the OEM harness. So mine did not. But it had enough play that i could still remove my column.

ManyMods-39.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Next you'll want to remove the plastic around the Key and the clock.

ManyMods-37.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
ManyMods-38.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Then remove the top two springs for adjusting the wheel. These can be a bit tricky. Needle nose vice grips helped a lot here and for the reinstall.

ManyMods-30.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

We are now ready to undo the bolts holding it in!

Undo the bolt at the rear joint by the brake pedal.

ManyMods-40.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

While your under then, undo the brake pedal spring.

ManyMods-41.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Now its time to do the 4 nuts holding the column up. They look like this.

ManyMods-42.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

There are two rear ones and two front ones. Rear being towards the firewall and front towards the wheel.

ManyMods-43.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Undo the two back ones. Then break the front two loose! DO NOT UNDO THEM! or you'll have a column fall all over the place.

These are the front two.

ManyMods-44.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

With the front two nuts loose. Get in the drivers seat and undo the nuts by hand. You'll be able to catch the column in your lap with your legs and hands. Then pull straight out to detach the column from the joint and you'll be home free!

ManyMods-45.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Like the headless horseman!

ManyMods-46.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Now you have to separate the column to see the joint. Start by undoing these two allen bolts.

ManyMods-47.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Then stand up the column like so and pull up on the mounting brackets.

ManyMods-48.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Will come apart like so

ManyMods-49.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Grabe the shaft and bend it downwards at a 90º angle.

ManyMods-50.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

It will lift right out after that. Don't touch the grease ball at the joint.

And there will be the small slip joint we are after.

ManyMods-51.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Grabbed the welder and put two small tacks on it 180º from eachother.

ManyMods-52.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Then reassemble the column and you're done. Was pretty easy really.

Now, was it worth it?

Yes. Yes it was.

Now yes, I did steering rack bushings at the same time. But this mod does something else. I shall do my best to describe it.

The overall feeling of the steering is the same. I mean come on, we didn't actually CHANGE anything. Its not quicker, it can't be, its not more responsive really. But it does feel more direct. I can go down the highway at 75mph now and LITERALLY almost not move the wheel. Bushings alone will not do that. Its more connected to me when on the highway in that way. Am i still making corrections to stay straight? yes. But they are super super small movements if at all vs what I had to do before. Bushings will help with wander a lot i know i know. But this is a whole other level.

Around town I don't feel like my steering has changed all the much from the stock bushings i had.

I'll be very curious how it feels offroad though. My biggest worry is too much road feel back into the wheel.

It is hard to describe. But if you own a welder, do it. Well worth the effort I think.




While i was here, I replaced my broken door handle.

ManyMods-61.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

poor thing snapped.

Not sure how many people have done this so here is how.

ManyMods-62.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Start here by popping these covers off, they cover screws, remove them.

ManyMods-63.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
ManyMods-64.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Go to the switches and you're going to pop it up and unplug them.

ManyMods-66.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
ManyMods-67.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
ManyMods-68.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Then move to the interior door handle and remove the screw in it.

ManyMods-65.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Once the screw is out, push on the handle sideways towards the cab, it'll slide like so

ManyMods-69.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Pull it out.

ManyMods-70.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Undo the rod clip careful not to break it, like I did

ManyMods-71.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Pop the corner cover off.

ManyMods-72.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
ManyMods-73.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Now to remove the panel.

First, GET ONE OF THESE

ManyMods-74.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Seriously, it'll save you a lot of headache and more importantly a lot of broken clips.

Works wonders.

ManyMods-75.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

I removed the panel twice in the day and didn't break a single clip. The only clip that is broken is from the PO near as i can tell.

Work your way around the panel with the tool popping off the clips till its free.

ManyMods-76.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Then push the panel up to remove.

Undo the tweeter wire to be completely free(if you have them)

ManyMods-77.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

And you'll be left with this.

ManyMods-78.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

peel back the plastic and you'll see the door handle(worth noting you'll need the window UP to get to the door handle. Helps it its DOWN for the panel removal and install. Just plug the controls back in as needed)

ManyMods-79.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

There are two 8mm bolts holding it to the door. Two rods are also connected, one to ope the door and one to unlock the truck.

ManyMods-80.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

I found it easier to undo the locks rod clip(DON'T BREAK IT) and pull the lock. You'll need it for your new door handle.

ManyMods-81.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Then you can fish the handle out mostly. The door rod is all thats left. Go ahead and break this clip, you won't be able to not break it and remove the handle. The new handle has the new clip though.

ManyMods-83.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
ManyMods-84.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
ManyMods-85.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

i went full OEM for my handle and paid a $90 shipped preimium price tag ouch. But worth it I think. Toyota plastic is always better then any aftermarket options ive seen.

ManyMods-82.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr
ManyMods-86.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Install the lock on the new handle.

ManyMods-87.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

Then just reassemble. So nice to have a working door handle again!

 

Phew. Good day of writing all that.

Hope its helpful to some.

Now i need some food...

 

Fugly almost had you beat. Just turned over 140k last week.

 

I remove the corner for ease of access. It just gets in the way. And is so easy to take off and on why not?

Damn! Even after a year and a half hiatus.

 

The bolts on the handle?? huh. Thats odd. Yea dab of locktite would work good for that. Id use blue for that.

You really should get the tool man. Helps a ton.

 

hmm interesting.

Im having a locking issue. Locking my keys in the truck the other day of course. The door handle will just lock instead of open. So im going to open it back up and maybe ill add some locktite too the the bolts too.

 

no see its not electrical locking.

Toyota has this built in security type thing. So if you pull on the door the locking mechanism locks. The electric actuator doesn't fire, the lock just goes down from the act of the handle and door.

Im not sure wtf is out of alignment to cause it yet..

 

yea hard to explain. Ill send you a video later.

But the door half opens. Its weird.

 

Curious about your feedback on the tack weld mod offroad. That would be the main reason I would want it as the noise it makes when driving offroad from it shifting in that slip joint drives me insane.

 

I've read it's works wonders for that. I never noticed the noise personally. But I'm sure it's quiet.


Also pretty certain my front driver wheel bearing is gone. Sucks. Gonna have to replace it soon.

 

Is it howling? Never had my fronts go bad, but all videos for other cars mention a howl. So hard to try to listen for a howl when your tires make noise too. Only reason I knew my rear blew was because of the seal spitting oil.