Yet Another DC Manual Swap Thread

Awesome work!

 

Going to skip ahead here for just a few moments to provide some feedback to people who have been waiting. Progress updates are far behind actual build process. Don't worry, it's all documented just need to sit down and put it all together... hopefully soon.

I started the truck for the first time in a month the other day. To say I was nervous was an understatement! So many items had been touched, replaced and messed with... lots of spots for a failure on my part. Here is a brief list of stuff that was touched that could have impacted this start:

New clutch installed on back of motor
Manual tranny instead of Auto
Custom wiring to 2x clutch switches from neutral safety starter switch
Timing belt changed
Starter rebuilt
Big 3 upgrade w/ full 1g to starter, replaced both wires into fuse panel etc.
Oil pan removed and re-sealed
Rear Main Seal removed and replaced
ECU swapped from manual
Replaced valve cover gaskets
Cleaned throttle body
Changed radiator to aftermarket and replaced all belts and hoses
...

Probably some other shit I am forgetting. Lots more was done of course, but wouldn't have impacted the engines ability to start and run correctly.

Anyway just wanted to take a quick second while still in the thick of rebuilding my front end to mention that I had started it and the outcomes.

So first I just turned the key to right before cranking. Checked that everything acted as it should... and it did. Next was to start and run for 30 seconds if it would run. This is because, I had replaced my steering rack and added a power steering cooler into the mix, so it was going to be really low on fluid and I don't want to foam or cause issue to the fluid or the pump and hydraulics.

Truck cranked 2-3x at most and started right up. High idle of course... hadn't run in a month it was very cold. With only 30 seconds to run it I couldn't verify everything I wanted to of course... hell couldn't even tell if it would idle normally etc. I recorded the first start up to share with you all... but please pardon my anxiousness in the video lol.

Video was too large and of the wrong format for this forum... so here is a g-drive link. This link should take you right to the video and start playback.

After I made sure all was good, topped off fluids I started the truck 5-10 more times for 30s-1m each to bleed PS system. Once that was complete I proceeded to let the truck run for around 30 minutes. Hooked my OBD-II reader up and opened Torque. It was reading from the manual ECU without issue. New cooling parts never let the temp go above 185... turned heat on full blast to fill heater core etc...

Idle dropped down to 650-750 rpm and the engine just purrs like a kitten. Stood there for at least 10 mins just grinning and watching/listening!

So TLDR; have started truck 10+ times and run for about 40 mins total and so far zero issues with a plug and pray ECU swap of the same year. I have had zero codes or concerns related to the ECU at this time. I will continue to report back once I've driven it and of course down the track a bit (3-6 mo) but I personally consider it safe at this time to just plug and play. I would have thought if power going to those terminals would impact something it would happen by now.

Anyway lots more updates to come once I have the time to actually add them all! Thanks for reading @Madjik_Man - Just want to make sure you saw this

 

Awesome!

Had you done this first it would've saved me a bunch of time. I hated that ecu wiring!

How did you run your switches? I basically cut the plug to the nsw, extended the wires for the clutch start and Cruise cancel switches. I ended up not using the start switch and wired a toggle switch as kill switch for when were out camping/hiking etc.

 

Awesome sauce.

Clicked on your video and was anxious for you

Great news about the ECU and no CEL or issues.

Fantastic work, man. As the young ones these days say.... full send.

 

Also, when you do get it out for a drive, let me know if the cruise control still works. e.g. if you figured out the clutch switch wiring for cruise control (or whatever is involved)

 

I did the same, just split the NSSW into 1. Clutch Start Switch (bottom of clutch bracket) 2. Clutch Cruise Cancel Switch (Top of clutch bracket) 3. MTM Backup Sensor (pass side, transmission) all of which work perfectly as you'd expect they would.

 

Haha, yeah you lost me with the full send business... Based on context I can gather what it's getting at though

 

Yep cruise control works perfectly. Just as it did before. Put the truck through ~750 miles of mountains and high desert this 4th of July weekend and used the cruise several times, without issue. Clutch will cancel it just like the brake does. I will be starting a trip report section in my OG build thread once I am caught up on detailing this swap (hopefully this week). This one will likely be called "Not your average test drive"

 

Sounds awesome.

Next road trip: to Colorado to my driveway/garage or another TW member's shop to do my swap

 

So when last we left off this little adventure, I had the transmission all prepped and ready to install. Man had this been along time coming! I purchased a transmission jack just for this swap (the one I was gonna borrow fell through) and I didn't have anyone but my tiny GF to help me get installed so I figured I'd need it. It was such a pleasure to have the right tool for the job and to have it work so well. I loaded the trans on the jack and already had the truck on stands high enough for it to clear underneath.

Once underneath the truck I slowly started moving it into position. The adjust-ability on that jack is really great. Once I got it close to the back of the motor, I just used the knobs to adjust different angles until it was lined up perfectly and then slid it home. This got me close enough to start all the bolts and it just sucked right together after that!

One thing I wanted to shed more light on because I had to dig quite a bit; the mounting bolts (Trans to Engine) are different between the automatic and the manual. I just want to give a quick picture and also part numbers for the two different types to save others the trouble. The auto uses (6) bolts of the exact same size and length, the manual uses (3) of those same short bolts and (3) longer bolts. So assuming you have the six auto bolts you removed, you'd only need to purchase the three longer bolts.

This pic shows the six bolts and the part numbers for both:

Here is what the OG auto bolts look like (see they are the same as the part for the MTM):

Now onto the general action shots of installing the transmission: (for those in it for the pics )


Pretty nice when there is nothing in the way to mess with your install ... though those top 2 bell housing bolts still suck regardless!



There she is more or less bolted in! Clearance on the shifter base was great!


In the next post we will cover plumbing the rest of the clutch hydraulics and bleeding that system and perhaps the wiring of the clutch switches and back-up light

 

Here's a dumb question:

The transfer case j-stick is in a different position in the shift console/cab for the automatic and the manual transmissions. If you are not swapping out the transfer case for the swap, how does the transfer case j-stick change positions in the console/cab?

 

I wouldn't say that is a dumb question at all. But it is also one I don't have an answer for, having never seen an auto 4x4 1st gen in person even lol. Does make one wonder... I am sure we can find some pictures on the interwebs about it.

 

Excuse the dirty interiors. My 04 auto and 98 manual:

 

Ah yeah sorry, should have been more specific. I meant I haven't seen what they look like underneath the shifter console. Because it could be something as simple as a different shifter handle or different install direction for said handle, linkage or otherwise. For example the auto transmission shifter sits above the tunnel and links down, so it's position is misleading.

Man I cannot wait to get a double din radio that has some decent tech. Many items on the list before that though haha

I'd imagine @Uphillshunter could answer that question as he converted to 4x4 from regular auto and added a twin stick, might even have some pics somewhere in the build thread.

 

On to the clutch hydraulic system... This is really all quite straightforward, but there weren't a lot of great pictures around how exactly stuff was laid out so I wanted to shed more light on that. I detailed running the upper portion of the hard line in an earlier post, more or less just a couple pictures. The first bracket it connects to is available on the pre-runner from factory so you don't need to source it. You will need a clip for the flex side where the two join together.

Here are some pictures of how all the routing goes on the side of the transmission and how it connects to the slave cyl and the trans mounted flex to hard line connection. I was able to get one of these from @Tour991 so thanks again for your contribution to this build good sir! Toyota doesn't seem to be making them anymore as I attempted to order one and after 4 weeks the dealership said it was still on order from Toyota so I gave up. While not technically discontinued, you may have trouble locating one.

I will also note that I was basically forced to use my vacuum bleeder on the clutch slave cyl because traditional methods weren't drawing the fluid through all the dry lines. I would have used it anyway, cause it's freaking awesome but might be good to know for other folks. This also may not be an issue if you are swapping older parts from a donor vehicle because it won't all be bone dry.


In the above image you can see the routing of the lower hard line, the backside of the cab mounted bracket where the top hard line meets the SS flex hose, how the flex hose turns to meet the trans mounted bracket for flex to lower hard line connection and what bolt it attaches to.

Above is a tighter shot of the trans mounted bracket for flex to SS hard line. You can also see the clips installed on the hard line side of each bracket holding the connection in place.

In the above picture you can see where you'd mount the lower hard line using 2x line clips and a little black bolt to hold it in place.

Above is the bleeding setup that ended up working the best. Vacuum bleeder from harbor freight and a flare line wrench

This process all went quite smoothly. More or less just bolt everything up. Minor tweaking of the hard line may be required, just make small adjustments and take it really easy! After bleeding the clutch (filled with Prestone Dot 4 Synthetic) it seemed to feel correct, though I hadn't started the truck to test it at this stage.

I then proceeded to check the clutch pedal free-play, floor to pedal distance, push rod free-play and so forth. Made a few minor adjustments as it was actually pretty dang close to begin with. Now I had the transmission installed (no-tcase) and a fully working clutch... yep I sat int he cab for a while just pressing the clutch and pretending to switch gears in the air The itch to get this done was growing stronger by the day.

Next step to getting to start the truck was wiring in the switches so when I pressed the clutch down the truck knows it's safe to start the motor because it thinks it's in neutral. This was a somewhat involved process that requires breaking down the Neutral Safety Starter Switch (NSSW) wiring plug that used to plug into the side of the automatic into several different connections that would serve different purposes.

Here is a pic of where the plug attaches on the auto transmission: You can see the knob where the shifter attaches to change the position of the switch also.

I Personally remove the wiring loom mounts on the drivers side motor and pulled the whole portion of the loom that ran down the transmission, VSS and O2 sensor up out the front of the truck for easy access and more room to make the needed adjustments

I first found all the various connections that were no longer needed because I removed the auto transmission and set them aside. Next I identified and wrapped the wires that would be used as is (02 sensor) and identified and lengthened the VSS (3 wires). I cut down a ways to keep the stock color wires at the connection for any future issues because I didn't have color matched wires (only red and black). Once lengthened these were wire loomed and then wrapped in cloth electric tape. That shit is really awesome stuff!! These connections are made with butt connectors that are heat shrunk, then covered in heat shrink (kind with glue) and then taped, loomed and taped again. They should be 100% safe and secure.

Next I de-pined the NSSW connector and you can see those wires in the picture above and in the close up below:

Important things to note here: Different years use different colors so it's best to double check your wires against the diagram. All of mine matched except one but I was able to confirm via the FSM diagram and via the pin number on the actual plug (I am color blind, so needed a fair bit of help from my GF on this front) that the wire was correct and just a different color. You won't use all of these wires and so I removed the pins from the wires I would be using and taped the rest up and added them to the loom. That way, if I ever wanted to (not that I will) go back, I just have to plug those pins back into the plug. Kind of silly and quite frankly you can just use what you need and cut the rest. Totally up to personal preference.
Here is the diagram for easy reference. This is not mine, I got it via TTORA forums:

Below is a pic of the plugs that connect to the clutch depress switch and clutch release switch along with the wire/pin pre-build if you want to go that route or need to like me because you don't have a donor vehicle.

Lastly a random shot of dinner, a monster and shitty drawn diagram to keep my sanity while I extended the VSS

While the wiring may seem daunting I found it to be one of the easier parts of the swap. It is very well documented and took just a few hours, even with my overkill methods
I ran the wires for the clutch switches and 4x4 light in through the rubber grommet next to the Clutch Master Cyl. They then run underneath all the hard lines for brakes down the inside of the fender well until they meet up with the primary harness that runs to the transmission and transfer case + 02 sensor

Happy to provide any more information or context that may be helpful.

Couple of quick shots of the interior put back together with the new console from Toyota. Bought a fresh OEM black shifter knob cause I wanted one (goes back to wanting this truck for nearly 20 years) and picked up a snazzy LROR billet manual hub mini shifter knob for the trans case. Was originally going to install a twin stick, but lots of modding is going to be required for that (cut and shorten the shifters, re-thread them and possibly bend my short throw shifter. Plus I may look at converting and going to a lefty setup for more options down the road as our V1FA transfer cases are a joke when it comes to finding parts and upgrade options.

You can see the rubber cover plate at the bottom of the image above, not sure why I don't have a picture of it installed. If I go back in at some point I will snag one, but I think you all can figure that out out lol

So in case it wasn't clear, this snowballed at some point into the full 4x4 conversion while doing the manual swap. So that and a whole lot of collateral damage from the while you're in there mentality is what will follow next!

 

Just for the record and because I needed to make a complete list for my maintenance log, here is all the stuff that was done to the old girl while I had it in the garage to swap the transmission lol


Replaced Grill Clips

Installed CBI Ditch Light Brackets

Replaced Fender Clips

Replaced Fender Flare Clips

Replaced Inner Fender Clips

Cut and shaped plastic to fit 33” tires (Flares and Inners)

Pinch weld “Mod” for 33” tires

Painted underside of fender wells

Installed Power Steering Cooler & Inline Filter

Replaced All Drive Belts

Replaced Upper and Lower Radiator Hoses & Clamps

Replaced Oil Cooler Coolant Hoses (Front & Rear)

Replaced Oil Bypass/Breather Tube

Replaced LCA Bushings (Both Sides) OEM

Installed Duro Bump Front Bump Stops

Installed SPC UCA

Replaced UBJ w/ SPC adjustable (Both Sides)

Replaced LBJ w/ OEM & New Hardware w/ Loctite blue

Installed New Koyo Front Wheel Bearings L&R

Installed New OEM 4x4 Manual Wheel Hubs L&R

Installed New Dust Seals Inner and Outer for Wheel Hub Assembly L&R

Installed New Axle Set Nut L&R set @205 LBS

Installed New C-Clip Bearing Retainer

Installed New Manual Hub Studs x6 L&R

Installed New Manual Hub Mating Surface Gasket L&R

Installed New Manual Hubs and All New Hardware L&R

Installed New Lower Fan Shroud Half and New Metal Clips X2

Installed New HD Fan Clutch & Belt Pulleys

Replaced Water Pump & Gasket

Replaced Thermostat

Replaced Cam Seals Front

Replaced Crank Seal Front

Replaced Idler Pulley

Replaced Tensioner Pulley

Replaced Alternator w/ 105A Denso

Replaced O-Rings for Dipstick Upper and Lower

Replaced Oil Pickup Tube & Gasket

Re-sealed Oil Pan w/ Toyota FIPG Black

Installed Toyota Remanufactured Starter

Replaced Starter to Battery Wiring w/ 1g & New Loom

Replaced Valve Cover Gaskets & Grommets L&R

Replaced and Re-Sealed Cam Seals Rear

Replaced and Re-Sealed Cam Half Moons

Replaced Plenum Gaskets Upper and Lower

Replaced Throttle Body Gasket

Cleaned Throttle Body and IAC Ports

Installed New PCV Valve Hose

Installed New Koyo Radiator & Cap

Flushed and Filled Coolant w/ Toyota Red

Upgraded “Big 3” Wiring and Custom Loom

Replaced Battery w/ AGM Plat 24F

Replaced Battery Terminals w/ Military Spec

Swapped A.D.D Tube to Manual Jackshaft Tube

Installed New Seals L&R Front Diff

Installed New Bushings L&R Front Diff

Converted Drain Plug to Lexus Type on Front Diff

Installed Front Diff & Filled w/ Redline Synthetic Gear Oil

Installed Remanufactured CVJ Axles L&R

Installed New Retaining Gear Washers & C-Clips @ Hub

Installed New Tundra 13WL Calipers OEM L&R

Installed 4Runner Hard Brake Lines & Brackets L&R

Installed SS Brake Lines Front L&R

Installed New OEM Tundra Brake Shim Kit L&R

Installed New OEM Tundra Brake Pads L&R

Bled Front Brakes (L&R)

Replaced Oil Filter w/ Wix Filter

Filled with Mobile 1 High Mileage Synthetic & Lucas Oil High Mileage Treatment

Replaced Rear Main Seal

Re-Sealed Rear Main Seal Housing w/ Toyota FIPG Black

Installed New Pilot Bearing

Installed New Flywheel & Hardware

Installed New Clutch

Installed New Pressure Plate & Hardware

Installed New Clutch Master Cyl

Installed New Clutch Pedal Bracket & all Hardware/Springs

Installed New Clutch Pedal & Pad

Installed New Clutch Start Switch

Installed New Clutch Cruise Cancel Switch

Split NSSW Wiring 3-Ways (2x Clutch Switch & Backup Switch)

Installed New Hard Clutch Hydro lines x2

Installed SS Clutch Hydro Flex Hose

Installed New Front Output Seal MTM

Re-sealed Front Bearing Retainer

Installed New Backup Switch MTM

Installed New Bell Housing Hardware

Installed New Shifter Base Gasket

Installed New MC HD Shifter Bushing & Seat

Installed Marlin Short Throw Shifter

Installed New Slave Cyl

Installed New Throw-out Bearing

Installed New Shift Fork

Installed New Shift Fork Boot

Converted Drain & Fill Plugs to Magnetic Allen Head MC MTM

Installed Used JDM MTM & New Mounting Hardware

Installed New MTM Mount

Installed Reman Steering Rack w/ New Inner and Outer Tie Rods & Bushings

Drained, Cleaned and Filled Power Steering System with Synthetic ATF

Bleed PS System

Filled Clutch Hydro w/ Synthetic Dot 4 Brake Fluid

Vacuum Bleed Clutch Hydro System

Replaced Transfer Case Input Shaft Seal

Replaced Front and Rear Flanged Output Seals on Transfer Case

Re-Sealed Rear Bearing Cover w/ Toyota FIPG Orange

Converted to Allen/Magnetic Drain and Fill Plugs

Installed New Shifter Base Gasket

Installed New MC HD Shift Seat

Installed Used JDM Transfer Case

Filled MTM w/ Redline MT-90 Full Synthetic

Filled Transfer Case w/ Redline Synthetic Gear Oil 75/90

Shortened and Balanced Rear Drive Shaft

Built Front and Rear Diff Breathers

Installed 4x4 MTM ECU

Installed New Shift Console Cover

Installed New Shifter Knobs MTM and Transfer Case


TLDR; Be careful with the "while you're in there" mentality, cause it can get expensive. All of the above are why I didn't care about buying a truck with almost 300k on it. Why pay for a low mileage truck when those items likely need replaced anyway. Now at least my whole front end is new and should be problem free for many miles to come. Some time this winter or early spring I plan to rebuild the back half (all new brakes, bearings, seals and hardware for the various brake systems)

 

I have been on the fence about where to put the rest of this build. This thread was originally going to just be the manual trans swap but it snowballed in so many ways. Did the full 4x4 conversion and a whole host of other changes and upgrades along the way. I have decided to just put everything that was done during the manual and 4x4 swap all in this thread. Then I will be heading back to my main build thread to continue with the rest of the build (Project: 1.21 Gigawatts, Armor-ups, Storage, Comms & Tech) to name a few

Now back to the build:

So when last we left off, I had gotten the manual transmission installed and the inside all buttoned up. Wiring was done to the clutch switches, 4x4 sensor and back-up light switch. I stuffed the transfer case in by hand so didn't have any pictures of that. Just benched it into place and had my GF put in the bolts while I held it. Hooked the driveshafts back in after having the front portion shortened to accommodate the manual transmission and transfer case instead of just the A340E.

Finally it was time to start rebuilding the front end and converting to 4wd w/ manual hubs. I started with the steering rack because that was the next item keeping me from starting the truck! Can't run it with an open power steering system and empty pump after all. I purchased a kit from Low Range Off-Road you can find it here. I was very happy with the rebuild quality. Came with a full set of bushes from energy suspension also and new outer 555 tie rods.

Swapping this out was really pretty easy. It was again the right time to do this replacement for a few reasons. First my current (I think original) rack was leaking at least during some point in it's life and had quite a bit of play and the bushes were toast. The tie rod ends just flopped around with no resistance at all. Second was everything was out of the way. Front differential hadn't been installed yet, no front drive shaft to deal with and so on.

I also was wanting to add a power steering cooler to the mix because of where I live. With big tires and idling around the desert in 115° it can get a bit rough on the PS components and I don't want to have any drama out on the trails or driving down the blacktop. While putting in a PS cooler it kind of logically follows to put an in-line filter while you have it apart. I mean if you're going to upgrade a system, might as well get as much done as you can while you're doing it!

Timmy has a great video on replacing the steering rack and the bushes so if you need guidance check those out. Otherwise these are mostly action shots with some explanation on choices along the way.

Decent pic of the new steering rack installed. Really dead simple swap because I had already yanked out the entire front end (LCA, UCA, Spindles, Hubs, Brakes etc)

I did run into one problem... I had purchased a set of SPC Cam Bolts (2 sets, one set for each side) but when I installed them per the directions they came with, the bolts touched my rubber boots on the steering rack. Now, I am not a complete back-birth so I realize that I could have just installed the SPC's like the factory cam bolts and been off to the races. But my OEM were still in great shape and the design of the SPC kind of turned me off (plastic sheath inside & the direction issue) so I just cleaned up my stock back to new and reinstalled those.

Here is a pic of the SPC's installed and how they rubbed & were shown to be installed: (pink nipple just for safety lol...)


So I just decided I'd rather go with the OEM and will be selling these along with a huge pile of other stuff shortly.

Here is where I mounted the power steering cooler and how I plumbed the lines for it. I put the in-line filter right after the hard line under the pump as you will see from the underside in a few pictures.

Parts for install:


Location of the cooler: (Pardon the bad picture, it was after the fact)

Lines going to the PS pump:

These were wrapped with extra hose split in two and zip tied to prevent issues with rubbing or abrasion ^

Here is the underside of the in-line filter to show more of the location and routing:

I've had zero issues or drama with the power steering system. Bled the system once I had things started back up. Filled it with Valvoline Max Life ATF Synthetic and have had no leaks or sounds from the steering. Everything feels nice and tight and works as it should. I did have to re-index my steering wheel after I hooked up the outer tie rods and stuff. I had always planned to let a professional do my alignment once I got everything back together anyway, so as long as the steering was straight and I could get it to the alignment shop I was happy!

One of the reasons I had torn out the front end a few weeks ahead of schedule was to provide time to clean and re-paint under where the steering rack, UCA and LCA etc sit. There had been oil leaks for some time and it was really nasty down there. Shit caked on that had probably been there for years. I spent a good few days scrubbing, sanding and painting it again so that once I installed all the new components it would be close to back to square one again.

Quick picture of the clean-up and fresh paint. Ever notice the creepy face on the shock tower thingy? Makes me think the truck is saying "Wtf Toyota, why didn't you rust proof my ass? Sup with that?"


Next post will start digging into the replacement of all the various front end components. Thanks for reading

 

Posted these in the wrong order... just pretend these lower control arms were done BEFORE the steering rack discussed above... It actually really sucked because I had to mostly pull the rack again anyway to go back to the OEM cam bolts for the LCA's...

Next item on the list was to replace the lower control arm bushings with new OEM. I decided to go OEM because the originals lasted a damn long time, they are well made and I knew I wouldn't have any drama with noise. I referenced as always Timmy's video on this job but went the route of using my shop press like he showed at the end of the video. I didn't want to risk bending my LCA's with the bottle jack and hey I had invested in the shop press already anyhow... time for it to start earning it's place in the garage!

Doing this by myself was a giant PITA. It is a really awkward press due to the shape of the LCA's and trying to line everything up and press it really sucked. Glad to have this job behind me. I will also add I did one set with heat of a torch before pressing and one without. If you have the torch, use it! It reduced the amount of force required to press out the bearings significantly and this is doubly important because of the way you have to grip the lip of the LCA with a bearing splitter.

LCA and new / old bushes. Cleaned up the inside with steel wool and pipe sanding tape before lubing and installing the new bushes.

Here is the setup on the press:

Lastly the new bushes all pressed in and the LCA ready for install:

My Durobumps hadn't arrived yet so aren't pictured here but that is why the factory ones were missing above ^

After I had both sets of LCA bushes installed I was waiting for some parts for the front end manual hub swap and decided get the conversion of the front differential to a manual shaft instead of an A.D.D shaft done. I had originally attempted to purchase a new part from Toyota directly but they had no ETA on the tube itself or the axle shaft inside it. So I was very lucky to be able to score one off of @BlackPearl and he shipped it right out to me from WA. This was a real life saver man so thanks a bunch! Kept me from having to do the clamp trick on my A.D.D variety

This was pretty straight forward. You remove the bolts, pop off the old tube, remove the gear stub, clean the surfaces and install the manual one. Here are the action shots for those in it for the pics

A.D.D Stock from the yard where I got it:

Split open:

Dirty surface that will need cleaned up and re-sealed with FIPG Red/Orange:

Popped the gear out and cleaned the surface up:

Old seal out of the way and time for the new on the tube side:

All sealed back up on the tube side and ready for some CV Axle action

Time to re-seal the drivers side next:

Cleaned up all the mounting hardware and prepared the 1" diff drop kit:

Here it is all loaded up on the transmission jack and heading in to it's new home:

In the picture above you can see the FIPG where the tube was sealed to the clam shell again. You can also see the new bushes I installed from durobumps. That was a nasty, smelly job but wasn't particularly difficult. No pictures because I was trying not to get covered in molten plastic while I heated up the metal arms lol.

Then lastly all installed with the drop bracket kit. My CV angles came out really quite fine I think will have to get a pic of them now that everything has settled. I also took this time to upgrade to the lexus drain plug and a magnetic allen type from MC for the fill plug.


Next was to install the CV axles mainly cause I wanted to lol... I went with OEM rebuilds from CVJ Axles in Denver and have to say they look to be really well rebuilt. Here is a picture of them on the work bench. Installing these is stupid straight forward so not even going to cover it. I went with OEM outer boots and the long travel inner. We shall see how she goes. Worth noting for folks reading down the track a bit, manual hubs require different CV's so be careful when selecting wherever you purchase from and request whichever kind you need.


Ok more to come in next post... Knuckle/spindle/hub/locking hub and bearings just for a start!

 

Did you install a front locker before installing the front diff?
Also, is there a difference between the black FIPG and orange, perhaps more specific applications/ratings or something? Or is it just a different brand? My brother recently used some of my black Toyota FIPG to seal his rear diff cover on his sprinter. Toyota stuff on a Mercedes. Is that sacrilegious?

 

Well if this picture doesn't draw you in for the next part of this build... I don't know what to tell you!

Pictured above is all the bits and bobs you need to more or less rebuild you spindles from scratch. I wanted to do this for a few different reasons. Chief among them was being able to retain my ABS and have manual hubs. Kind of the best of both worlds if you will and keeps me from having to do a ABS delete right now. I can always put in a switch or just pull the fuse if I don't want it functioning off-road for example. This would leave me with a great foundation to build from and I know I won't have any drama from the spindles, wheel bearings, hubs and ball joints. Along with the planned Tundra brake upgrade and other items this would complete the rebuild of my front end!

Spindle freshly removed from the truck and onto the bench for disassembly:

First step was to remove the plate that covers the where the CV would enter the back of the wheel hub assembly:

Shot of the abs ring and axle set nut (You will come to hate that damn thing!) Removed the indent from the axle nut before removal:

Installed as per Timmy's video in a spare wheel and a couple lugs tightened on to loosen the damn nut:

All the old crap pressed out and the inside cleaned back up with steel wool. Ready to receive the new drive components:

Used the old bearing as a perfect guide to press the new bearing in (trick as old as bearings have been around I think lol). Here is the press setup for the bearings:

New C-clip installed and ready for the new dust shield before having the new brake backing plate and new hub:

Press setup for the hub going into the wheel bearing. It's important to note here to support he back side of the bearing while you press in the wheel hub.

Pictures of front and back after hub was pressed in:


Next was the ABS ring and new axle set nut for the pre-load of 205 ft-lbs

New manual hub studs installed: (You can also see the converter for the SPC UBJ's installed in the top of the spindle)

Manual hub test fit:

Here was the setup for removing the UBJ's:

Lower Ball Joints Replaced with new hardware and blue loctite:


Full spindle installed:

And finally the Tundra brakes. I went with brand new OEM calipers, rotors and pads / shims. Got the SS flex lines and hard lines & brackets from @turbodb's website and they worked perfectly as expected. Took a quick minute to paint the calipers red before install:

You can also see the SPC UCA's installed in the picture above. That is a very easy process but annoying.

Realized I also forgot to mention putting the starter in. I purchased all the wear parts for the starter and intended to rebuild my from one end to the other. But that demon starter had other plans! All 4 of the screws that held the different sections of the starter together were welded in. They would not budge... heat, penetrating oil hammer... nothing worked. So purchased a rebuilt starter from Toyota and installed that instead. I removed the same 4 screws on the rebuilt unit and put anti-seize on them before installing. So now I have a fully rebuilt starter and spares to rebuild it again when and if the time comes lol.

Here is the new unit installed:


Worth noting here also that the starter bolts are different for the manual transmission than the auto. The manual uses one long and one short as seen below. The auto uses two of the same shorter one.


Test fit the new wire I had built before wrapping both in plastic loom and then "heat proof" cloth electrical tape. Says it's good to 240°F but who knows. It is nice and works for what I wanted it for. Just getting a lot of protection on this semi vulnerable connection. Also used tinned lugs so they will resist rust/corrosion.

Here they are all wrapped up safe and sound:

The heat/electrical wrap goes all the way to the white plastic harness that holds the wire to the front of the oil pan