Rusty Red

[SByota]

September 2021

Put the front shocks together for the passenger side, painted more parts and shock bodies. Going to put together the front arms and work on the CV’s next. My gears have been back ordered for 2+ months now, I’m getting close to the point that I’ll need them. The front diff is a bitch to install and I only want to do it once. Especially since I have the front end all stripped down making it easier.

 

[SByota]

October 2021

Put the last shock together and realized the fucking shaft is bent! Fuck! I really wanted to be done with all the shocks and move on. You can see the bend about 2 inches from the rod end. Hopefully someone had a shaft in stock, parts availability had been rough lately.

 

[SByota]

October 2021

Kartek coming through with next day delivery

 

[SByota]

October 2021

Painted more parts, installed bushing with new 4130 inner sleeves, uniballs and poly motor mount from RuffStuff. Motor mounts took forever, OE trans cooler lines were in the way of course. Took forever to pull those and get the motor mounts installed.

 

[SByota]

October 2021

Starting fitting the double shear plates for the upper arms. I got the total chaos ones and they fit good! I used the All-Pro Off-road ones on the Tundra rebuild and they fit like shit!!
Also changed to upper arms to separate 9/16” bolts instead of that uber long factory 14mm bolt.

Did some staring at the engine bay and trying to visualize an engine cage. There is zero room above the intake when the hood is closed. I’m going to have to work around the intake for sure.

 

[SByota]

November 2021

This smells bad

 

[SByota]

November 2021


So much caked on oil!! Those valve covers have been leaking for a LONG time. Rear man and oil pan are suspect too. I’m going to change them all while I’m here.

Totally sketchy doing it by myself too. The old floor jack with 2 4x6’s stacked up got it done without too much drama. I did forget to unbolt the dip stuck from the engine on my first attempt [emoji2361]

 

[SByota]

November 2021


Cleaned it up some and installed the new rear main and oil pan gaskets today. Made a huge mess in my garage, but one step closer to getting the 4wd transmission installed.

Hopefully I get my ring and pinion soon so I can get the front end together.

 

[SByota]

November 2021

It has a 4wd transmission now! Crossmember and mount lined up prefect with the new transmission. Transfer case goes in next and I’ll finish the front end. Next step is to pull bed off and start the rear cage work and spring set up. This truck had F67’s on it when I got it, but I doubt I’ll be happy with the placement of the mounts.

 

[SByota]

November 2021

Transfer case in, Speedo sensor harness modified and installed. Welded in the bung for the transmission temp sensor. I finally found a front ring and pinion, should be here next week and I’ll get the front end completely together.

Anyone want to offer an opinion on that runner dong hanging off the T-case. I figure it probably for some king of noise/vibration damping. Leave it or yank it? We all know this truck will be loud and buzzy.

 

[SByota]

December 2021

Finally!! I have been trying to find ring and pinions for this thing since August! The internet says these are 2nd rate Yukons. I wanted 4:88’s but could only find 5:29’s what’s another 300 rpm at cruising speed?!
The front setup looks to be a total pain in the ass, should be fun.

This guy does a ton of Toyota gear installs and documents a lot of them in great detail. Definitely worth a look.

http://www.gearinstalls.com/index1.htm

 

[SByota]

December 2021

This is less the fun. I have had this apart 10 times now. I’m finally ready to put it back together for good.

 

[SByota]

December 2021

Front differential finished and installed. Front end going together quick now!

What a pain in the ass!! I overshot the pinion bearing preload the first time and had to get a new pinion seal. I almost said fuck it, but I knew it would burn up, probably at the worst time possible.

It’s all together and installed now. Specs are all in range and the pattern looked good.

 

[SByota]

December 2021

She’s got front legs again. One more day to put the brakes, fenders and steering rack on it and it’s onto the back half. Trying real hard to get it driving by the end of January. I have my annual trip to KOH and want to take it with me. It won’t have the cab cage yet, but will have at least the external C pillar and bed cage.

 

[SByota]

December 2021

Well that escalated quickly. Got to get all the old mounts and tubing ends off and start laying some tube. I’m doing en external C pillar and bed cage first. I’ll do the cab cage after my KOH trip. About a month to go, it’s going to be close.

 

[SByota]

December 2021

Grinding away. Didn’t have the 30mm socket to pull the pinion out. Ran out of time anyway. Got the ring gear, locker, carrier and lower pinion bearing installed. Check out the mini harmonic balancer on the pinion flange.

 

[SByota]

December 2021

This was less than fun. I’m glad it’s done. It’s the last “clean” thing I needed to do. Going full bore with the bed cage/leaf spring setup/shock mounts starting Friday

 

[SByota]

January 2022

Started working on the sequoia axle housing. So many brackets to cut off, spring plates, track bar, link mounts, sway bar mounts, shock mounts.

Made a huge mess with the amazon special $250 Lotos plasma I got several years ago, it kicked ass for yet another job. Pulled out the corded grinder and went to town.

Look at all that PPE, I’m definitely getting older. Zero black grinder dust boogers in the shower later too.

I also almost burned my whole garage down. Plasma sparks got to a cardboard box filled with trans cooler parts that was under the truck. Didn’t realize it right away and half the box was burned before I got to it. Nothing got damaged other than the box. Wife was complaining about the fire smell that was creeping into the house.

Hopefully getting the axle and springs mocked up on Friday.

 

[SByota]

January 2022

Made some progress on the leaf springs today. Hopefully the front mounts are in an acceptable location, I don’t really want to cut them off. All the bolt holes in the shackles were egged out, Ruffstuff weld washers to the rescue.

The current upper shackle bushings are 3.5” wide, the leaf spring bushing is 3” wide. No idea why they are different. The frame is only 2.5” wide, I don’t get why someone would make the upper bushing wider like that, maybe that’s the reason the shackles were so hammered.

 

[SByota]

January 2022


Started setting up the springs. Looks like the existing front hangers are going to work. Wheelbase is within 1/8” from side to side.

The shackle hits the frame at bump before the spring is completely flat. It’s limiting it to about 17” of travel. I started at the “magic” number of 52.5” between the front hanger mounting hole and the rear upper shackle mount. I think if I move the shackle mounts back just a little bit to where the shackle is 90° at full droop, I can gain some up travel and keep the shackle off the frame.

As always, if there is anything I missing let me know.