1999 Tacoma SR5 TRD Imperial Jade Build, Sweat and Tears

Googling the number on the clutch comes back as autozone duralast clutch kit. Pretty much what I thought was in there. Actually more expensive than Aisin. Ill hang on to it for a back up and then never end up using it.

Just a quick review of it, other than it was installed wrong and the pilot and throwout are portably garbage quality, the clutch never slipped even once with heavy off roading in moab. Not even during the burnouts I did the get rid of the cupping on my tires. It held good. Wonder how well it would of done installed correctly. I think I have like 100-120K mile on it too.

 

Love the humor

 

FML. The shitty harbor trans jack wont go up. I muscled the trans/tcase off. Sprayed everywhere where with pb blaster. It barley even wants to raise with one hand pressing down on it.

What a nightmare.

 

Got it to go with a breaker bar. Now the ratchet strap is on the wrong side so I cant raise it. Crazy. Will update later.

 

Blue loktite. Torque wrench wasnt working right. Torqued to FSM star pattern but a something like 20lbs.




Markings

 

I tried






Jack coming apart

 

Ill update later but back in business.

 

What an absolute hellish week.

So the Aisin clutch now engages from the top of the pedal. The previous autozone clutch was definitely the wrong way. Ive seen some people say it doesnt matter which way you face the clutch plate on the 5vz. Well it sure as shit seems like it does. It may work but it aint gonna last nearly as long. Also the weight of the clutch is now about half the weight. I hope the clamping pressure on the Aisin is good. I dont want any slipping off road.

*if youre reading this because youre installing a clutch on the 5VZ V6, PUT THE FAT OF THE CLUTCH PLATE TOWARDS THE FLYWHEEL! Yes it seems incorrect, but you need too!

I had to adjust my clutch pedal to take pressure off the throw out bearing. It was adjusted to compensate for the other cutch being in the wrong way.

I always knew there was something wrong with the previous clutch. Really wish they would have installed it the right way. It had a ton of life left. Which leads to my next point. Rev matching really seems to save the clutch. I rev match everything I own and its good to know it works. I cant believe how new the clutch, pressure plate and flywheel looked. To still have the machining marks after at least a 100k is crazy.

Shout out to Aisin for having an Amazon store and for having free overnight.

Harbor freight is garbage, I dont care how many people they con into promoting their stuff on youtube. That trans jack is designed poorly, it started failing immediately and was very hard to get it to lift. Theres no way the 5vz trans is near 450lb. I lifted it myself and I doubt I could lift 400lbs. Especially from such a bad angle. It cost me a ton of time messing with, messed up my positioning by having to take it off the jack to try and mess with it and get it to lift. I had to cut the ratchet strap off after I got it mounted there was no way to release it. I tried to take the bolts out but it would not come out and I was over it.

Trans in


Took @rocknbil advice and jack up the front of the engine a little to tip the back down some.

 

Just did some research on the Aisin CTX 107 pressure plate I just put in and seen a couple people say its considered "heavy duty" so good to know.

Also the SKF throw out came in, not sure what to do with it, send it back or hang on to it, I paid like $50 shipping to get it here asap.

 

Surprised you didn't clean out your bell housing purdy well. Did you at least try (or will you) source an inspection cover?

Send the SKF back for refund. You won't be pulling trans to replace just TOB and not replace clutch while you're in there anyway. Or maybe you would...

I myself used the same jack and had success with a couple of wood wedges. I cursed the shit out of the job; just not limber like I used to be under there. I used Exedy kit (japan) and it too has an extremely light pedal feel. Love it.

 

That dust in there is really toxic. I would just leave it alone. I used a dust mask during the whole thing and my lungs and teeth hurt.

I still need to find a cover. Def going to be adding one to keep water out on water crossings.

 

Just read through your entire build thread. What an epic adventure and phenomenal photography to go along with it. Your pictures from your last trip to Moab has me wanting to go back and run some of the trails as it's been ~15 years since I was last there.

 

Thanks for taking the time, much appreciated.

When I look at youtube stuff I see people say Moab is overrated and played out. When I was there a week ago, the town part of it was insane busy, so busy I stayed away. The crazy part though, I seen pretty much no one on actual 4x4 trails, like dead. It was honestly great. Trying to see when I can go back again.

 

Had some time today so went to the junk yard in search of an extra alternator. Just in case.

Damn LQK, the 4 runner on the website looked clean and when I got there is was burned down.




Found a Tacoma. Most stuff was gone but finally got what ive been needing for years, a good parking brake cable.




Theres still good people left in the world?! WTF. Someone was nice enough to put the pins back. Most of these I see are just cut off.




Looks like someone replaced the needle bearings. I think mine are gone. Gonna have to do that soon.

 

So when I was going through the alternator mess I found this thread saying a Suzuki Grand Vitara Denso alternator puts out 105amps and it fits. https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/1st-gen-105-amp-bolt-in-alternator.630459/page-15

So I was in search of one. I found a 2001 Grand Vitara, I think its an XL7. Supposedly its needs to be this year and model.






Too bad the part number is worn off. I hope this is the 105amp one.

 

Feels good to be back on the road after such a break down. The shifting feels better than ever, goes in and out of gear much better, night and day. Bummer ive been driving it for years like it was.

 

Just ran the vin number on the Suzuki Grand Vitara I pulled the alternator from and it looks like its a 2.5L, so it would appear the alternator I took is an 80amp. Oh well. Still going to hang on to it as a back up.

Just a little follow up on the RAV4 alternator I put in, which I think is also an 80amp (Denso), is charging like mad. Its always above 14v now. Which is pretty good. I wonder if the pulley is a hair smaller than the Tacoma one. Ill need to do a test where I put everything on at idle and see what happens. Even though the RAV4 one is only 80amps its charing a lot better than the stock Tacoma one. I only used to get like 13v maybe. It was usually around 12.8v.

 

Just went and did a test on the RAV4 alternator (factory denso off a 1999), I think its 80amps.

Here it is at idle running no accessories.
14.4v at 700rpm


Here it is with lights (high beams), all of my off road lights, spots, pillars, back ups, rock light and fogs, radio on, dash cam mirror, gps.
14v at idle. Not bad.


The absolute killer was putting the ac/heater fan on full blast. The fan cost more than everything.
12.6v at idle


Heres the same, everything on with fan full blast but raised the rpm to 1500.
14v. Not bad for an alternator off a 2L 4 cylinder. Much better than my stock one.

 

Bendix Metlock pads just started shitting the bed badly. They are smoking and fading under normal braking and just ate deep grooves in both of my rotors. Rotors are junk now.

I called Bendix to give them a chance to explain this, waiting to hear back.

Highly disappointed I now have to do brakes all over again and buy new rotors and a little worried about driving on steep grades.