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Thread: paddlenbike's 2000 4Runner

  1. #21
    Quote Originally Posted by YotaFun View Post
    What spacer did you end up going with?

    I got in on the Tacomaworld group buy through Motorsport Technology. I ended up having to cut about a quarter inch off the 4runner rear studs to get them to work.

  2. #22
    Looking good. Finally filling out those fender flares. Now get your radio programmed.

  3. #23
    A couple of pictures with the new shoes.



  4. #24
    For the past couple of years I have had a reoccurring problem resulting in a check engine light after following other trucks on dusty roads. I have removed the mass airflow sensor (MAF) for cleaning enough times that the o-ring gasket that goes around the MAF was stretched-out and not sealing. Engine vacuum was drawing dirty, unfiltered air from between the MAF and the intake tube, as evidenced by the amount of dirt around and downstream of the MAF. Eventually the MAF would get dirty enough to build up on the sensor and trigger the check engine light. I always knew before the light even came on that it was happening--engine idle would be fine and low throttle input was also fine, but medium to hard throttle would cause the engine to bog.

    Last year I got a check engine light on the trail, so I pulled the MAF out and found the o-ring so stretched, I had to cut it in two, remove a section and use antibiotic ointment from my first aid kit to hold the gasket in place while I reinstalled the MAF. (Hey, it was all I had other than toothpaste!) I later found that Toyota does not sell the 3rd gen 4Runner o-ring gasket separate from a new MAF, which costs somewhere around $150.

    I did, however, recently learn that Toyota sells the o-ring separately for the 4.0L V6 4Runners and Tacomas and 4.7L V8 4th gen 4Runners. I did a google image search and found that the MAF for the 4th gens looked the same as the one for 3rd gens. I headed to the Toyota dealership and they were nice enough to try the 4th gen MAF o-ring on a new 3rd gen MAF sensor. It fit perfectly.

    The MAF can be removed and reinstalled in well under 10 minutes. The trick is to remove the 3 10mm bolts that hold the cruise control actuator to the passenger fender and fender wheel well and move it aside without disconnecting anything. This provides easy access to the MAF screws, which can easily be buggered up if you're trying to squeeze a tiny screwdriver or 90-degree driver in place. Next, unplug the MAF and remove the two philips head screws that secure the MAF in place. While the MAF is out, spray it down with electrical contact cleaner to remove dirt off the sensor bulb.

    The cruise control is the aluminum and white box--in the photo I have already moved it aside:


    Broken o-ring with new one:


    O-ring installed, fits like a glove:




    The MAF o-ring costs $2 and is part number 90099-14141.

  5. #25
    Wow, it has been a while since I updated this thread. Not a lot new. I replaced the blown Tokico Trekmaster front shocks with the Sonoran Steel-valved Bilstein 5100s, removed the noisy Yakima rack and put the stocker back on, I deleted the CB radio and added a Yaesu FT-1900R in the DIN slot below the stereo, added an NMO antenna mount to the roof (drill-through) and added a wideband Air-Fuel ratio meter in the deadspace next to the accessory outlets, shown here:


    This weekend I gave it a wash, clay bar and wax.



    Unfortunately it won't be leaving the pavement any time soon due to the newborn baby, but it still sees a lot of towing and home improvement duty, and with any luck a ski trip or two this winter.

  6. #26
    The old steed has been trucking along like always, and has been fulfilling the daily driver role since my Nissan Leaf lease expired back in 2016. The 4Runner hasn't seen much offloading in the past few years due to major life changes including my daughter being born, but she's of the age now where she travels well. My interest in 4wheeling has been renewed big time. Time to address an issue that cropped up recently, a torn CV boot.

    The Toyota FSM states the lower ball joint and tie rod end must be pulled to accomplish this. Let's just say that ball joints always cost me an hour or two of time and based on this guy's video I learned that the task can be performed without touching either.

    Steps are:
    1) Remove center cap & loosen wheel lugs. Raise and support vehicle, remove wheel/tire (and wheel spacers if you have them);
    2) Remove black center cap that covers the backside of the axle shaft splines and reveals the axle nut and cotter pin;
    3) Remove cotter pin, castle nut and axle nut;
    4) Support the lower A-arm and remove the 4 bolts that attach the lower ball joint to the a-arm;
    5) Tap on the end of the axle spline with a rubber mallet to free it from the hub;
    6) Using even pressure on two sides, (I used a crow bar as well as the opposite end of the factory wheel lug wrench), release axle shaft from front differential; (you're supposed to drain the front diff--I didn't; I just let the bit dribble out and later re-topped the fluid);
    7) Swing the brake rotor and hub assembly out of the way while you finesse the axle out of place. All of that is covered in the video above.

    Now you want to use the first part of Timmy the Toolman's video that shows how to do the actual rebooting. He discusses a mod for lifted trucks but I did not do that. After all, my truck is 18 years old and has been lifted since 2005 and it just now started leaking. I'm going 100% stock, so I left out his mod.
    Starting about 8 min 18 sec into his video, he gets to it.

    In short:
    1) Pop off the retaining clip from the end of the axle shaft that goes into the front diff. I used a screwdriver;
    2) Get ready for a huge mess. Put rags under your work because sh*t is going everywhere. Cut the CV clamps; and I cut the upper boot off entirely;
    3) Put match marks on inner joint cover and on the shaft. There are three orientations you could put it in and you want to go back in the position it was in;
    4) Now you want to match mark the inner joint and the spline you are removing it from. You want the thing to go back on the exact splines you removed it from. I used a center punch;
    5) Remove the snap ring that retains the inner joint;
    6) My inner joint slid off without any effort, but you may need to use a brass drift here;
    7) Cut the clamps and remove the boots;
    8) Clean it all up, Mike-style.

    To reinstall:
    1) Slide the plastic-feeling boot into place near the outer joint. At this point I locked the smaller diameter part of the boot into its groove, turned the entire assembly upside down and filled the joint and boot with the black grease. (The kit comes with black and yellow--black is used in the outer joint and yellow on the inner)
    2) Install clamps. The outer joint uses oeklier? style clamps that need a special tool. Exactly like timmy's experience, my cheap tool did not work. I copied his idea of using a set of dykes and it clamped them very well;
    3) Slide on inner boot and clamps;
    4) Align match marks and reinstall inner joint;
    5) Install new snap ring to hold the inner joint in place. I struggled here. The taper on the ring meant every tool I had slipped off. After 20 min of fighting it, the bast*rd finally went on. You can see the match mark punch at about the 4 o'clock position.

    6) Lube the inner joint and fill the boot with the yellow grease;
    7) Reinstall the housing, making sure to align with your match marks from earlier;
    8) Slip the boot into its final resting place and use the fold-over style clamps on the inner joint. It will be obvious how to use them when you get them in your hand;
    9) Install new snap ring where inner spline goes into diff. I slipped it over the grooves and tapped it in with a hammer;
    10) Be sure that the dust seal (a metal collar) goes back on before reinstalling the shaft into the front diff. See below for proper orientation.


    You're good to go now. Just reinstall using opposite of disassembly. Be sure to top-off the front diff fluid because you probably lost a little. Overall, super messy but not too bad.

    Please follow the videos I posted to make sure I didn't miss anything!

    lower ball joint torque spec (the 4 bolts): 59 ft lbs
    Wheel lug nut torque spec: 84 ft lbs
    Axle nut: 174 ft lbs

  7. #27
    Great writeup Ken!

    A few tips I've come up with (done this way more times than I am comfortable admitting).

    Jack up the side more than necessary. This will help keep most if not all of the diff fluid in the diff. So much so that I haven't had to refill a diff (but do check the level).

    Replace the (4) ball joint bolts. They are likely 20 years old and reused the last time you did the ball joints. This (along with the BJ itself) fail and cause the tire to fold under the vehicle at the most inopportune time.

    I use a folding plastic table to do my rebooting. I place (2) 2x4s, about 2-3 feet long down and cover with multiple large high-quality trash bags. This will keep the axle from rolling off the table and then the mess is contained and easy to dispose of.

    Use a snap ring plier with this type of tip: https://smile.amazon.com/Stanley-Pro...ap+ring+pliers
    I hate those snap rings, and always fight with them. I rebooted an axle for a friend and he had a pair similar, it was the easiest snap ring experience I have ever had, HIGHLY recommended (style, not the brand, above link is for reference only).

    Have plenty of gloves and paper towels ready to go, along with a trash can (not just a bag, but something you can just toss soiled paper towels into).

    I use dull nail nippers to clamp the outer clamps, although I have moved exclusively to something similar to these: https://www.mcmaster.com/catalog/124/327



    I always forget to put match marks. It might matter, it might not. I have not noticed any kind of excess vibration, although my truck is full of 'em.
    2005 Lexus LX470 - Stock for now...

    1998 Toyota 4Runner SR5 V6 4x4 + a bunch of goodies. Lifted, Locked, Illuminated and Armored. Winner,"Best Offroad Truck" - 2010 Pismo Jamboree. It's been upside down and still drives me to work.

  8. #28
    Nice write up Ken! CV boots are good times, a few years ago I had to do all 4 boots on the 4Runner plus a boot on the WRX in the same month. The hardest part always seems to be getting the new band clamps in place. I ended up putting extended travel boots on the 4Runner since they were roughly the same cost as the factory ones.
    2000 4Runner Sport / 4x4 / 5spd / E-locker / SS 1.2 / 265x75x16 Bighorns / ARB Prado / HD-SKO

  9. #29
    Hi guys! I hadn't really intended this to be a write-up per se, I mostly wanted to point out that you don't have to mess with either the tie rod end nor the lower ball joint when doing a CV boot replacement. Maybe that's common knowledge around here, but it wasn't something I was aware of. And thanks for the helpful additions Sean.

    I'm amazed of the condition of the bearings inside. They literally looked like brand new. That was the experience I had when I tore the engine down on my Supra...the older Toyota stuff is just built so well!

    I can't express how happy I've been with this 4Runner. It's more fun to drive than anything I have driven recently and the durability is just so good. Hoping my fellow motorists will stop running into it because I'd love to keep it another 20 years.

  10. #30
    Reminds me I have a CV boot to replace on a spare CV axle. Thanks for the reminder, Ken!

    (Though the intent of my post is to add yet another reply to your thread which wasn't intended to be a write up) :P :P :P

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