2024 San G Family Reunion 09/20-22

9/20-22

 

Let’s take over the whole campsite this year

 

Como

 

I bought one of those camp stoves

 

Reserved site 32 for me and @bigbarlo

 

With more people

 

Truck is now fixed/running.

Brand new OEM 3RZ-FE head. Too long of a story... Just glad it is now running.

Still need/MUST do before San G:
-lower ball joints... already have the new parts, just need to install them

-CV axles... I'm getting ready to buy some CV axles from LC Engineering. My OEM boots are blown. Going to buy a rebuild kit and hopefully rebuild my OEM axles assuming the bearings are good. In the mean time, replace with CV axles bought from LC Engineering.

-bed bolts... basically 1x is stripped, maybe 2? I have brand new OEM bed bolts and hoping I can "retap" the threads? Not stripped too bad, but bad enough to where the bolts that are on right now tighten down, but don't want to stop tightening indicating the hole is stripped and/or the threads on the bolt itself and/or both??? I won't know until I am finally able to look into it. Right now, concentrating on the lower ball joints and CV axles.

-redoing my CB radio mount. Lots of work there and need help with someone that knows how to weld? Or, I buy a welder and learn to weld myself?

-I'm hoping to buy some Camburg UCAs before this trip? I've been wanting to replace my UCAs with Camburg unis

Other work to be done after San G:
-LC Engineering long tube headers (C.A.R.B. compliant)

-cat-back exhaust (C.A.R.B. compliant)

-ICON ext trav coilovers

-ICON resi rears

-All Pro Off-road std rear leafs

-start doing surface rust repairs that are starting to show up on the cab of the truck... before it is too late

 

Hell yea

 

I may be unofficially in with the 4Runner.
Time will tell.

 

LBJ's will be easy. they're bolt on so they don't take long to remove like the UBJ's.

Be careful with LCE. They are a good company, but they are just another parts distributer with an upcharge just like Autozone, Oreilly, Napa, etc. The likelihood of the axle you receive being a lower quality Cardone or something like that is fairly high. I'd recommend calling them and asking them what kind of axle they sell and seeing who makes it. You might be able to get it cheaper else where (I did this with my clutch kit) or be able to get a better warranty as LCE isn't known for having much of one. For example, if its a Cardone axle, its not necessarily the end of the world to get a lower quality axle, but if Napa also offers that axle with a lifetime warranty for around the same price and locally, just go get it from them. CV's are wear items, so getting ones with free lifetime warranties is really handy. I've replaced maybe 20 over the last 10 years over 3 different vehicles, only bought 3 axles.

For the bed bolts are these the brand new bed bolts that are stripped or were you just mentioning you had some? If they stripped already that is not a good sign. Also are you talking about the bolts that have the tab hanging off the top or the standard bolts?

 

Sounds good Randy!!
I lend a hand, when I can let me know if ya need an extra set of hands.
I'll bring spaghetti on this trip

 

Well, at leat there's the possibility

 

Hey Kyle,

The bed bolts were "frozen" and I had to spray PB Blaster on them. They started coming out okay, but eventually started "stripping" as they were coming out? Hard to describe. Before reinstalling, I had put a little bit of EZ-Break on the bolt threads and did notice the bolt threads were a little "mashed". The bolts went back in as I slowly turned them, but at the very end, they never would really tighten down... basically "spinning". So I'm thinking the truck bed nut itself is likely stripped???

In the 1st Gen, at least on a '98, the bed bolts are underneath. There are 4x regular bolts and then there are 2x t-type bolts at the very rear, they kind of self-stop spinning as you bolt them in. The "t" part kind of grabs on so that the bolt stops spinning as you tighten it is the best way I can describe it.

Anyways, the left-front bolt, right behind driver, is one of the bolts from what I remember that is "stripped". The other one I don't remember, but I believe is the front bolt behind passenger. Also, the one behind driver is a bed center bolt, meaning it, more or less, helps center the bed as you bolt the bed on.

Annnnnyways, the best I can describe what is going on with the bed bolts. I bought OEM bolts and will look into that very likely next weekend. I will take pictures and post them here. So be on the look out for my post next weekend.

I need to redo my radio antenna feed lines and in order to really do all that, I need to unbolt my truck bed. Obviously, I need to make sure when bolting the bed back on the bed bolts tighten down properly. Hence, needing to see if I can get the bed bolts fixed accordingly. Plus other things I need to take care of while the bed is unbolted.

Regarding the CV axles, I was also thinking about NAPA as well. I heard their CV axles are pretty decent? OEM Toyota axles are pretty expensive, which I am hoping mine are still in decent shape to rebuild. CV axle rebuilding is NOT hard to do. I've done it before on a different car way back when. Just a very messy job to rebuild them. I just need to buy the rebuild kit.

But yeah, just to help get by I just want to purchase, as much as possible, semi decent CV axles so I can take my OEM's out before they are destroyed. So the sooner the better.

Summit racing also sells them if I remember right? "Cordone axles" if I remember right? Either case, it's either LCE or NAPA or Summit I will be ordering from.

The LCE axles are $133.40. I have manual locking hubs. NOT the ADD hubs.

I really don't wheel all that hard anyways. I'm more of a desert/camping type and on some occasions fairly high speed desert wash runs. @Nicklovin is definitely KRAZIER, by FAR, on the high speed desert wash runs!!!

But yeah, that is the gist of the main things I would like to get done. I know the lower ball joints is a pretty easy job. Going to my storage unit this Sunday to grab my tools I will be needing along with my jack. I live in San Diego now due to where I work, but my storage unit is in Huntington Beach. So, a bit of a drive.

Also going to LKQ Pick Your Parts junk yard too pretty soon for certain other parts I would like to check out and maybe get. Been too long since I've gone to a junk yard. Actually a playground for me. Very fun actually. The last time I went to a junk yard was when "Ecology" was still around... So a very Long time ago!!! LOL, I feel very OLD!!!

The eventual plan is to move my storage unit down to San Diego, but not a reality just yet. When I see you, very likely, you'll know when we talk.

Finally, I can only stay one night. I have 2x cats. The only person I can think of to help take care of my cats is my sister who lives in Chino. If she can help with that, then I should be able to stay 2x nights and leave very early Sunday morning to pick them up and continue home to San Diego. Just have to see what I can do there? The one cat has a very special strict urinary diet. I'll tell you all about that one as well. You think THIS POST is long? Just wait until we talk.

 

I'll be visiting soon pretty sure before San G. for sketty night

Just working Mon-Sat with only Sunday off is very tiring. I typically get up Sunday morning by around 5:30am, wash my clothes before all my neighbors decide to get their asses up and do the same. I HATE living the apt life brother!!! Then usually go back to sleep for a couple hours.

My typical times, Mon-Sat I get up at about 2:30am, feed my little punk cats of mine, get ready for work, get to work by around 4:30am well before the cars start piling up at the main gate entrance, eat my little morning breakfast/lunch I always bring with me while checking e-mails, start work at 5am, then leave work by about 1:30pm. Typically from there, I run whatever errands that need to be done. When all said and done, I typically go to sleep around 7:30pm or 8pm and rinse repeat.

I'm only up right now because there is so much crap on my mind at the moment. Looking at parts right now online and budgeting my money while getting said parts.

Getting ready to go to bed because I gotta get up in a couple hours for work.

My little "angels"... Beethoven and Blizzard. They look like they just had a beer binge???

 

Normally I quote who I'm replying to but I'm worried I might hit a character limit on here lol @WileECoyote

Sounds like your regular bolts are what got stripped, not the Tbolts you mentioned. Bummer. I'm not as familiar with how the Tacos beds bolt down. I'm guessing its just threaded metal those regular bolts go into, nothing removable or replaceable. Hopefully its just the bolts that got damaged. If that's not the case you're probably looking at drilling and tapping new threads for a bigger bolt if there is room. If not a helicoil will probably be in your future. If they're good enough for head bolts they'll be more than good enough for the bed though. Why Toyota moved away from just using the Tbolts I will never know...

Go with the Napa axles. A few years back I put one Napa and one Oreilly CV on my truck to test which one was better because I got tired of the Autozone garbage and both have lifetime warranty. 3-4 years later and they are both going strong and I have forgotten which one is which I'm extremely abusive on my truck though and they've lasted this long, so they should do fantastic on yours.

Good luck with the junkyard. These trucks are becoming very hard to find in them and when they do show up the internet part out guys show up and have them stripped in 2 days flat. There are several parts I've been on the hunt for that used to be very readily available but can't be found without paying a premium Toyota tax

 

Yeah, you are correct, it's "threaded metal" that the bolts go in. The truck's bed frame ARE the "nuts". I was coming to the same conclusion of possibly needing to drill/tap a bigger bolt in place, but I hope not.

Okay, I will go with the NAPA then. I know you and @Nicklovin Nicj are harder on your rigs than me. I've done my fair share of "pucker factor moments", but it really is pretty rare I do those types of trails.

Yeah, I am always hearing about the AutoZone axles being total garbage? So I will just go with the NAPA axles then.

Well, gotta leave here for work. HAHAHA, SO DAMN TIRED I lost a LOT of sleep. Getting ready to order my parts, but making sure to do as much research. I have to budget my money right now. Again, at least my truck is running now... that was the hardest part.

Stay tuned for pictures next weekend of my bed bolts as I will take pictures. Tomorrow, going to go to HB to my storage unit for my tools.

Well, gotta go...

EDIT: just got into work... HAHAHA, MAN, AM "I" TIRED!!!

Late peeps and @Trd420 you still rescuing animals man???

 

Hey I understand life man!
Let me know!
And those are nice looking cats!
You still have the lizard?

 

Yeah, still have CJ. She's going on 4yrs old here soon in Sept.

Getting her crickets as soon as I get out of work. Need to get some Calc powder too as well as the supp vitamin powder.

Thanks, those little bastard cats are hilarious!!! FML though they are extremely fussy and VERY DEMANDING about getting their food ON TIME???!!! Just walking in the door as soon as I get home from work and they're already yelling at me???!!! Like, WTF???

 

Who's this asshole who makes unnecessary long posts...