MonkeyProof's Misadventures

With having a truck fridge and other accessories, it's time for a dual battery setup. But before the dual battery install, I relocated the VSW (voltage sense wire) or , ALT-S wire as Toyota calls it. And also added a $5.00 1amp diode in the ALT-S circuit as an artificial battery booster.

A VSW (ALT-S) detects and compensates for voltage drops when a 12v accessory is in use, or even when th A/C is on. A VSW relocation in conjuction with my $5.00 Diode will constantly yield the correct battery charging voltage to sufficiently charge a AGM type battery

This is the VSW Circuit highlighted in yellow. The circled red is the number of the connector and what pin# the circuit is located.

The FSM diagram tells us that it's a solid white wire from the alternator to Pin #5 in the EB1 connector


This is what the connector looks like. And it's located in the main fuse/junction box in the engine compartment



Remove the VSW from Pin #5



Once it's out, needed to decide how to install it to the Aux. Fuse Box. I chose to retain the original Pin in case for whatever reason, the wire can very easily reinstalled back into the connector.

I used this connector with a new length of wire.


Put the two together with some heat shrink wrap, and we have a solid connection.


Ring terminal on the Aux. Fuse box side and a label using clear heat shrink wrap.


This $5.00 diode that can be purchased at any autoparts store that will achieve the proper and constant higher voltage that is need to properly charge and maintain AGM style batteries.


The finished relocated VSW and diode. A note about the diode. It is directional, and it has to be facing the correct way to work. Otherwise, the battery light will illuminated on the dash. Its an easy fix just be turning it around and nothing will be harmed. My Aux. Fuse box is connected to the Secondary/House Battery with 4 gauge welding cable.


Here's the voltage measured at first cold start up.


After a few minutes voltage will drop. This is normal.

 

I got some goodies in the mail today, a pair of JD Fabrication Spindle Gussets and Heimed Steering Double Sheer Tab Kit. These gussets are nice! I know this because these will be the third brand of Gussets that I have used on my tacoma.



Fitment appears spot on right out of the box


Double Sheet Kit

 

A few years back there were two incidences of catastrophic spindle failures that were posted here at TW. Both failures happened weeks a part from each other. So, I go and inspect mine. And what did I find on my spindles?

Nothing but Cracks... These gussets were the Total Chaos Fabrication's NON Sway Bar Version.



A quick check on the alignment machine showed I was slightly out of tolerances, but not by much. And I was able to adjust everything back into specs . So decided to repair the cracks and add some homemade gussets that mimics the Total Choas's stronger Sway Bar version. It's a good thing that the extra gussets were added because a year later I had a near catastrophic passenger side spindle failure in the Back Country of Death Valley.

 

It's Front End Friday!

 

Newest project..cutting bed sides and flares to clear 35's

 

Have you tried to fix your rear cab mounts yet?

 

I don't know where to even start with those. I keep an eye on them, the cracks don't seem to be getting any bigger.

 

Subbed for MonkeyProof stuff!

 

Almost time to maybe start considering a pair aftermarket hangers

 

I haven't touched the passenger side since it's such a cluster. My driver side was pretty bad so while I had the body mounts loose for something else I ended up squirting some steel boogers over the cracks and then ground it flat for the mount. Gonna see how long it lasts before it starts cracking again.

 

Replaced the passenger side Lower Control Arm front pivot bushings today.


Wear not looking good. Ill have to get a new bushing sleeve machined since AllPro no longer supports their 1st Gen. LT Kits

 

You should just rename the thread MonkeyProof's Pile of Broken Parts.

I pulled my rear drive shaft last week. I had a really bad rotational noise/vibe and thought for sure it was the U-joints on the double cardon. Got it out and the U-joints felt OK. I pulled them out and looked at the double cardon pin and ball. The needle bearings looked like banana's and the centering pin was mushroomed out bad. I sent it out to Tom Woods and will have it back Monday. Broken parts just seem to be the price we pay to play.

 

LMAO..I haven't even posted any of the good stuff yet...

My front short section of my rear DS is out of round and causing vibes at 45mph and higher. I'll post a video of it later.

 

progress made on the bedside project..

I used an inexpensive Harbor Frieght reciprocating saw to onthe flares. Amazingly did a pretty good job at it.


Marking the line where I want to cut.

 

Back in 2017 my steering started to have some issues. Those issues were lack of power steering assist at low speeds, not returning back to center and a lot of whine from the pump when turning. All symptoms of a bad power steering pump.

I crossed referenced the Toyota Part number and found a General Motors Remanufactured Toyota pump for considerably less. Has now been in use for nearly 3 years without any issues.

 

Is that the same exact part? It looks physically smaller.

Mine is on its way out, one of the several issues I have to deal with before I take it out again.

 

Its the same exact part.

 

Taco Tuesday!!

I am the second 2nd Gen Taco to make it unassisted up Claw Hammer at the The Hammers. This was back in 2009. Sara From the old ALLPro has the claim of being the first to make it up

 

I've had my 50L Ironman 4x4 fridge for nearly 3 years now. I'm also the 3rd owner of this fridge. The previous owners were @wheeleveryweekend who had owned it for sometime before I acquired it from them. They got it from some dude at pirate4x4. So, there's some history and abuse behind my fridge. It's definitely beat up, but works great. Until very recently when the internal temps wouldn't remain steady as where it was set too. Instead, it was all wacky freezing beers. And that my friends is never a good thing.

The display would read 117° when it had nearly sub zero temps internally.

I contacted customer support at Ironman4x4 USA and told them my sad story. Right away the thermometer sensor probe was suspected to be at fault. I was asked to check the temperature variances between the bottom and top of the fridge with a thermometer to verify it was indeed the thermometer sensor probe. The customer support I had received was outstanding! And luckily for me, the temperature sensor probe is only $10 with free shipping, how rad is that?

https://ironman4x4america.com/replacement-icecube-fridge-thermometer-probe/

It's a very straight forward procedure to remove and replace the probe following the directions that were provided.

Once the lower corner cover is removed to expose the circuit board. You'll need to create some working room in order to unplug the thermometer probe from it's connector at the circuit board. These two steps are not mentioned in the Ironman 4x4 instructions, but will help out a lot.

Remove the Brown and Blue wires from the connector.


Remove this bracket that is held in place by three screws.


The thermometer probe sensor connector at the circuit board is located here.


Looks like this.


Remove one screw here, and use a pocket screwdriver to raise the wire hold down while removing the wire.


Using the same pocket screwdriver, push back the caulking and remove the sensor.


The new sensor will go in all the way until it bottoms out.

Old sensor on the left, and the new one on the right. The old sensor body is plastic, the new one is made of metal.


And finally, here's why the temperatures were all wacky, the body of the sensor was cracked.. bummer

 

Several years ago I found 3 large cracks and one small crack in the transmission cross member, I replaced it before the cracks would lead to a catastrophic failure.

Driver Side front of cross member:

Driver Side back of cross member:

Passenger side front of cross member:





The bottom of my support brackets for the cross member and the cross member itself were pretty beat up from previous rock crawling adventures. Looking at the condition, I felt some remorse and love all at the same time, knowing what we have been through. Poor thing lol.

Passenger Side:


Driver Side:





There was some excess material that had to be removed from the cross member support bracket that was trying to wrap itself around the cross member. Without removing that excess there would have be no way to remove the cross member. I used a mini sander and a mini cutoff wheel; air tools FTW!



It's obvious that Toyota has changed the design a bit. Here's a comparison between the old and new cross members. The new version is fully boxed from end to end. Also, there is a continuous bead of weld from end to end on the front side which was not present on the old style.