What have you done to your 4th Gen 4Runner today?

U-joints very, very rarely fail all at once if ever, unless you ignore the signs/sounds of a failing u-joint, normally when and as a u-joint wears out you get a clunking sound when shifting into and out of gear, more so from forward to reverse or reverse to forward, the chunking get more pronounced as the wears get worse.

If your zerks aren't clogged then the grease inside the u-joint has gotten hard and can't push out, if a little grease gets in the joint when you try it could slowly soften the old grease so keep trying from time to time, you may get lucky, you might also try removing the zerk and try flushing out some of the old grease with some penetrating oil/spray using a spray nozzle straw and then try greasing it again

 

Just what I was gunna say. Remove the zerk, clean as best you can and try again. Or just install a new zerk fitting.

I also highly recommend these LocknLube grease gun couplers. They are really fantastic and make greasing with zerks much easier -

$33 LockNLube Grease Gun Coupler locks onto Zerk fittings. Grease goes in, not on the machine. World's best-selling original locking grease coupler. Rated 10000 PSI. Long-lasting rebuildable tool.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00H7LPKKU

 

Sweet, thanks! Picked up the gun fitting and some new grease.

I don’t get any typical signs of clunking yet, but would like to stay on top of it.

 

Greased all 4 zerks with the new attachment. It worked! Pushed out some nasty ass black grease from a couple of the joints.

interesting, there were two additional zerks on the rear driveshaft like on the actual U part of it that just kept taking grease. I stopped after a while cause I didn’t know where the grease was actually going… they were not zerks to grease the joints, apparently.

then while under there I noticed this piece looked ripped or damaged



That black felt looking piece in the upper middle. Looks like it protects something from the exhaust pipe that routes over the axle, any ideas?

 

Glad the grease coupler worked for you! Really makes greasing much easier.

The torn felt thing appears to be a heat shield for the exhaust. Not super critical I don't think. It's probably been like that for a while. Looks like it's towards the back, where the exhaust goes up and over the axle?

 

Ya its definitely is up above and behind the rear axle. I’m laying on my back (angle of picture) with the differential like off the bottom right of the picture. I’ll see about replacing that piece.

 

Not 100% positive that this is the correct part but I'm fairly sure.

https://www.lexuspartsnow.com/parts/lexus-insulator-front-floor-heat-no-3~58155-35020.html

Toyota/Lexus part # 58155-35020 is the heat shield. It also takes 3 nuts to retain it, part # 9017806012.

Update - verified that is the correct part, took a look under my 4Runner and it's the right one.

 

Awesome, thanks for finding that P/N for me, appreciate it.

Edit: Ordered!

 

Your welcome, happy to help!

 

Just got back from another road trip San Diego to Bay Area and back for a wedding.

4R did great in this heat wave. In dash temp reached 103 driving through the Central Valley. AC kept up and had it on the entire trip basically.

One thing I may consider is a transmission fluid flush, down shifts seem a little slow and had some issues shifting from reverse to drive if the car wasn’t like completely stopped for a solid second. Other than that, she ran great. Passed over 241k on this trip.

 

Since you are in San Diego, I have a trans shop I used when I lived there that I highly recommend. It's in Kearny Mesa, veteran owned and operated (retired SEAL) and they do stand up work. Owner is a super nice guy and knows his stuff.

https://drtrans.com/

Generally, you don't want to do a flush, just a fluid change and maybe change the strainer since there is no actual filter on the A750F transmission.

 

Awesome, will check them out. Thanks for the recommendation.

 

Just passed smog, woohoo.

 

In the last week we have installed new tires (Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain plus) Changed oil, changed rear diff oil, and full detail (wash, clay, polish, wax, interior, carpet/seat shampoo).
old girl still looks good. 215k miles.

 

She's looking very good!

 

Swapped over to fj rims and got some new rubber. Getting pretty close to 200k.

 

I’m getting there too, 185k right now.

 

Just took him on a seven day camping road trip up the coast of Cali, then gave him a good douching after because he was so dirty from it. Haha

 

New rubber on the new-to-me 05.

As purchased with dry rotting 265/65R17 rubber


Now with 265/70R17 Sumitomo Encounter AT's


More bigger, more better

 

Much improved.

 

Installed the wiring harness for my light bar but it looks like crud because the wires were not long enough to mount the relay vertically to hide the wires. Instead they're draped across the top of the battery and fuse box. Looks pretty redneck. Plus the switch doesn't work when fully seated in the dash bezel.

Anyone know where to get a better harness and switch?

 

I'm not sure about the harness, but perhaps the switch might benefit from the o-ring tweak.

https://www.4runners.com/threads/how-to-make-add-on-switches-light-up.30388/#post-440691

 

FYI, this is the 4th gen forum. Yes, a switch is pretty universal in most cases but if you are looking for an answer specific to a 5th gen (2022), then this isn't the correct forum.

 

Damnit, so I recently swapped all my TPMS sensors with oem Toyota ones from a dealership (so I would assume no chance of knockoffs) due to a lingering TPMS light on the dash. Light went off since then till now. I just got in and drove somewhere today and the lights back on. All tires ‘look’ aired up, I do need to check actual pressures, but will be bummed out if they are aired up properly and the light is back on. That was like $350!

 

Check the pressures, I believe the light comes on if any of the pressures are below like 25 PSI.

Did you put a new sensor in the spare?

 

Definitely need to check the pressure of each tire, and yes I did replace the spare sensor (and new tire).

 

Finally made an appointment to have the transmission looked at with DrTrans for this upcoming wednesday.

 

Took a pic inside the frame. People say they rust from the inside out so I wanted to get a look. But how? I assumed an endoscopic cam would be expensive. Nope, $25 on Amazon. Here’s a pic I took just to try it out. Looks pretty good here (red GA clay looks like rust but it’s just dirt). Next time I’ll place an LED light through another hole farther on so as to get more area.



I unfortunately have to return the one I bought b/c the lightning connector isn’t snug in the phone so it only works intermittently. I’ll post more once I’m able to check more of the frame. I have high hopes for the scope; maybe I’ll find the 10mm socket that fell into the dash during my HU installation 3 years ago. LOL

 

Had the transmission flushed. Talked to the owner of DrTrans shop and voiced my concerns over the flush causing slippage issues and what not since its high mileage and last fluid change is unknown. He assured me that typically you get those conditions if there is already a problem present.

Either way, went ahead and got it flushed, shifts like butter now. He did compliment the vehicle being in such good condition, so that was nice.

 

He's a great guy and does know his transmissions. The flush system that they use flushes in the same direction that the trans fluid follows already, so shouldn't cause you issues. It's mainly a concern when fluid is flushed in the opposite direction as that can dislodge debris that might be in the system.