What have you done to your rig today?

[CardinalFJ60]

Added the rear tailgate insert I got from Paul. Dynamatted the tailgate, nutserted and no more nasty broken up carpet thing.

 

[allen.wrench]

chains on the rear tires

Those look great Dom! For a while I've wondered about getting chains from my 🌮

You only got them for the rear?

Allen

 

[DomOfTheDead]

Those look great Dom! For a while I've wondered about getting chains from my 🌮

You only got them for the rear?

Allen

@allen.wrench , I went rear only due to clearances issues up front. Too close or would make contact with UCAs, tie rods, brake lines, body and frame. 😵

 

[allen.wrench]

@DomOfTheDead copy that. Definitely makes sense. Those aren't parts where close contact is desired. And I'm guessing if only the rear tires have the chains that should be enough traction to get thru whatever, plus I assume it saves a few bucks too. The savings there could go towards a set of recovery boards for use on the front tires

allen

 

[Cruisertrash]

Well my front bumper and winch ended up not being heavy enough to preload the front Old Man Emu heavy springs enough. The ride in my 60 has been super stiff in the 6 months since install .... so I popped a leaf out each pack in the front yesterday. Doing the rears today (X-heavy -> heavy, pull one leaf each side). Nothing like doing a suspension install twice. Maybe I should go into business doing it 🤣

And yeah - everything is coated in oil and grease. I know. It’s my way of rust-proofing the frame!

 

[gungriffin]

Well my front bumper and winch ended up not being heavy enough to preload the front Old Man Emu heavy springs enough. The ride in my 60 has been super stiff in the 6 months since install .... so I popped a leaf out each pack in the front yesterday. Doing the rears today (X-heavy -> heavy, pull one leaf each side). Nothing like doing a suspension install twice. Maybe I should go into business doing it 🤣

And yeah - everything is coated in oil and grease. I know. It’s my way of rust-proofing the frame!

Amazing how much quicker it is the second time though!

 

[Cruisertrash]

Amazing how much quicker it is the second time though!

Oh yeah! Fucking warp speed now. It’s amazing how long it takes to cut/grind/drill/melt original suspension and bushings off, too. Took me 4 days for removal and two full days for install when I did it. I could probably do it in 1/4 the time now. It’s all those little tricks you pick up on the first time around - creative uses of a bottle Jack, ratchet straps, etc.

 

[nakman]

Well my front bumper and winch ended up not being heavy enough to preload the front Old Man Emu heavy springs enough. The ride in my 60 has been super stiff in the 6 months since install .... so I popped a leaf out each pack in the front yesterday. Doing the rears today (X-heavy -> heavy, pull one leaf each side). Nothing like doing a suspension install twice. Maybe I should go into business doing it 🤣

And yeah - everything is coated in oil and grease. I know. It’s my way of rust-proofing the frame!

Did you measure any before/after for ride height? I'm curious how much lower it sits..

 

[Cruisertrash]

Did you measure any before/after for ride height? I'm curious how much lower it sits..

I didn’t..... I have a tendency to just attack projects. Probably should have measured first. The front appears down maybe 1/2” to my eyes. About to get this last corner before it gets dark and then we’ll see how the whole thing sits.
To me though even 1” extra lift with OME AAL doesn’t justify how harsh the ride is or how little the springs flex on the trails. They were STIFF before.

 

[AlpineAccess]

Not a huge project but got my new synthetic winch cable (christmas gift) installed, along with my Slee fairlead from @Hants which came to me by way of @gr8fulabe. Have yet to make my winch line extension out of the extra dyneema, but felt good to get a few things done.

Also have had a rattle in the back for several years so went and pulled out my storage drawers and started messing around with the interior panels in the cargo area. Someone replaced the subwoofer/speaker unit at some point and seems to have not installed the panels back in properly. Had to button it up for another day, but will dive into it sometime this winter yet.

Anyone find a box of interior christmas tree clips/push pin things for the 100 that they like? I have several assorted boxes of the dang things (probably 30 different variations of interior panel and various clips and it seems they never match what is broken.

 

[Shuksan]

As part of my project to replace bushings everywhere, I worked on a couple of the D bushings for the front sway bar. On the 100 this is kinda a pain since it is right underneath the wonderful torsion bar. First one went pretty smooth, but on the PS bracket a bolt snapped off. With cold and snow on the way I attacked it this morning marking and dropping the torsion bar. Drilled out the broken bolt and retapped the frame. With the torsion bar out it was very easy to put the bushing back on and reattach everything. One of those operations that actually went exactly how I planned it.

 

[allen.wrench]

Seeing my family is the best part of the holidays! Hands down!! And got my dad's helping hands with installing a new (to me) rhino rack I bought from a friend's friend for a couple hundred bucks. Haha no pun intended.

We figured out a good process to the installation. Instructions were decent. The black "sealing" washers got some silicone improvement. And only needed to file/clearance one hole on each of the two attachment brackets. Overall it'll hold together, should keep out the dihydrogen monoxide, and work for it's purpose I'm still deciding if I just like it or if I love it, lol.

How do you guys think it looks?? Any ideas for next year's Xmas lights or decor???

Side note if anyone would like a rhino rack, the guy from whom I bought mine has a number of other Toyota Rhino Racks on hand he'd like to sell for cheap. From the sound of it, the racks are new but the dealer where he works was tossing them because they're "old" to make room for newer versions. He saved them from the dumpster and wants to sell them. I understood he has 13 racks for 200 series land cruisers along with others. So if anyone is interested please let me know. I'll put you in contact.

Anyway hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season with friends and family at least it seems like folks are getting projects done! So it's gotta be pretty good.

Allen

 

[Inukshuk]

How do you guys think it looks??

Looks great!

View attachment 91526

Did you fit out of the carport after installation?

Always make sure the "silicone" you use is the proper type to be in contact with metal. What you used looks to actually be a latex-based caulk, so not silicone and no issue.

 

[allen.wrench]

Looks great!

Cool. Thanks Daniel!

Hmm I didn't know that about silicone. If a silicone is not meant for metal contact does it harm the metal (like it causes corrosion) or does the metal harm the silicone (like it prevents full curing)?

But yeah I think you're right, it's not silicone. It's latex based caulking. A while ago I tested this stuff on a couple nuts/bolts to confirm it seals thread and could be taken apart afterwards. Plus I've also used it in the bathroom to seal gaps on an older bathtub with aluminum guide rails for shower doors. It works decently well in my experience so far, if anyone is interested in a recommendation. It also seems to last a long time in the tube without curing. I've had this tube since about 2016 and it's still good.

Allen

 

[Inukshuk]

Hmm I didn't know that about silicone. If a silicone is not meant for metal contact does it harm the metal (like it causes corrosion) or does the metal harm the silicone (like it prevents full curing)?

Only some silicone formulations. some types are fines. Google it.

 

[Notyourmomslx450]

Drove the 80 to Starbucks this morning.

 

[SteveH]

'06 GX 470. What should have been a 30 minute oil change took 2 hours, to fix the POs (Lexus servicing dealer's) idiocy.

The front metal skid plate that covers the oil filter was tweaked and one bolt was missing. I egged out the two rear bolt holes with a die grinder so that all 4 bolts could be installed - and then found that one of the rear skid plate bolt hole is stripped. 3 bolts are enough, so I let that slide.

I also noticed that someone sheared off both of the 'pins' that allow you to hang the front of the skid plate on the cross member while you install the bolts - a real arm-saver. These pins project into the front cross member. I created two new 'pins' from sheet metal, and then welded them in place. After some testing and debugging, they work well and make it much easier to install the skid plate - just like the OEM design.

The first photo shows one of the two pins I created (welded to the front lip of the skid plate), and the second photo shows the pin projecting into the cross member (as it should with the skid plate installed). I want to know why someone sheared off both pins? On a lift, it wouldn't matter, but in your driveway, they are critical. The last photo (blurry) shows the location of the pins on the skid plate.

 

[Notyourmomslx450]

Drove the 80 to Starbucks this morning.

Did it again this morning..... I don't even drink coffee!

 

[DomOfTheDead]

Replaced the steering rack on the tacoma. Oh boy what fun.

big thanks to @DanielChase and to @J1000 for letting me use the shop and for help wrestling this hunk from its poorly designed home and back in again.

 

[RayRay27]

Yanked out the alternator, belts and A/C idler pulley to replace. Unfortunately due to the old age of the connectors on the alternator and wire harness above it the little retention clips broke off.

Does anyone know if those will stay plugged in or do I need to replace them?