Builds 1990 Hilux LN106 (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Nov 22, 2010
Threads
15
Messages
183
Location
Nanaimo BC
I'm starting a thread to document the build of my RHD Ln106 Hilux. This truck has been in Canada about 10 years and I am its third North American owner. I picked it up this spring from a guy who clearly loved it but didn't have time for tinkering and the truck showed it. For example, it had a terrible knocking noise when I bought it that you couldn't think past, but it turned out to just be worn bushings to mount the air box.

Previously I had a FJ60 that I swapped and turboed 3B into. I sold that a few years back and had a camperized Mitsubishi Delica l300 for a while. I had to move on from the Delica as it only had two seats and I needed a family hauler, which the Hilux is perfect for. After the Delica experience I am happy to be back in a Toyota.

The specs are:
Factory solid axle
3L 2.8 liter NA diesel
5 speed
4.30 gears
Crew cab, 4' box
250,000 km
27" 1st gen BFG ATs on original suspension.
Factory mechanical bell in the cluster that dings over 100km/hr.

When I picked it up it had the following issues:
-Injection pump needed a rebuild and was leaking diesel badly
-Unknown history on timing belt. The 3L is an interference engine, and needs the belt changed every 100k km or 10 years.
-Fuel tank seemed to only fill to 2/3 and seemed to build pressure. (pressure build up fixed with new vented gas cap, turns out the gauge just reads low and this is a common problem)
-Rear diff has bearing play in the pinion bearings and leaks out the pinion seal
-Some minor rust around the windshield frame, causing a leak into the front left footwell.
-Radiator leaking from the seam.
-Other minor issues as can be expected for this age of truck.

My plans are to build it into a DD capable of the moderate trails, etc. we have here on Vancouver Island.

Currently my build plan:
- Baseline it (injection pump and timing belt done)
- Turbo the engine with a factory Toyota setup off a 2L-T engine.
-Upgrade the radiator capacity to keep it cool once turboed. (done)
-Build a stainless straight exhaust out of 2.5" mandrel bent tube.
-Replace worn 4.30 rear with a 4.30 elocker in an Ifs width pickup rear axle.
-Rebuild front axle and upgrade front to ifs hubs so I can run 16" ifs wheels.
-2"ish suspension lift.
-Tall skinny tires, currently leaning towards 235/85r16 Cooper STT pros.
-Address rust as needed
-Enough amour to avoid smashing up the body.

My time is very limited at the moment due to our baby, but I will start documenting my progress here. It might take a year or two to knock off the list.

Here it is shortly after I got it:



Upgraded rad with a larger 3 row TQ core:


Rebuilt injection pump. I had a shop do this and the timing belt because I didn't have the time.
 
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I like it! Factory solid axle! :cheers:
 
Found one on Craigslist that the guy had already pulled out of a 4runner (99 limited auto I think) and was going to put in the front of his crawler. The price was right so I got it picked up sight unseen by a buddy who was on the mainland about ($160 in ferries away...). Hoping everything is as described, gotta pick it up soon.

I am currently researching how to best install it into an IFS rear leaf sprung housing so I can get it all setup off the truck and then swap it in. My current understanding is that that the pickup (86-95) IFS rear housing (leaf sprung) is about 14mm narrower (58") than the 4runner IFS rear (coil sprung, 58.5"), and the elocker has marginal axle shaft engagement with the stock axle shafts of a given housing/shaft combo, but the ideal combo is the ifs rear leaf sprung housing with the ifs rear coil sprung axles shafts (which are 7 mm longer, providing full engagement into the elocker). Anyone have experience with this and the best setup?
 
I love those old double cab Hilux. I was going to being one back from Japan but they wanted way too much money for it.
 
Found one on Craigslist that the guy had already pulled out of a 4runner (99 limited auto I think) and was going to put in the front of his crawler. The price was right so I got it picked up sight unseen by a buddy who was on the mainland about ($160 in ferries away...). Hoping everything is as described, gotta pick it up soon.

I am currently researching how to best install it into an IFS rear leaf sprung housing so I can get it all setup off the truck and then swap it in. My current understanding is that that the pickup (86-95) IFS rear housing (leaf sprung) is about 14mm narrower (58") than the 4runner IFS rear (coil sprung, 58.5"), and the elocker has marginal axle shaft engagement with the stock axle shafts of a given housing/shaft combo, but the ideal combo is the ifs rear leaf sprung housing with the ifs rear coil sprung axles shafts (which are 7 mm longer, providing full engagement into the elocker). Anyone have experience with this and the best setup?
Cool. Let us know how that goes. I'm looking for one too. Prices have been pretty high, and I want 4:56 gears.
 
I haven't had much time to work on the truck but I did a little today. Also, I found a row of newer Tacomas and Tundras and parked the Hilux in it for size comparison. They have grown...

1544806820172.jpg


Today I swapped out the speedometer cable and removed the speed chime, which rings a bell when you drive over about 100 km/hr. It is a much more civilized ride without the squealing speedo cable and the speed bell. Here are some pictures.

New speedometer cable.

IMG_20181227_101111.jpg

The steps I took to repace the speedo cable:
-Disconnect speedo cable from upper two clips on firewall to allow slack. This allows you more space to reach behind cluster and disconnect the cable.
-Pull upper drivers dash panels. I didn't realize the heater control bexel snaps off until I'd taken more than I needed to apart (see pic).
-Unscrew cluster, disconnect wiring. Disconnect speedo cable.
-Undo the rest of the speedo cable clips (4 total).
-Tie cord to dash end of speedo cable. Pull old cable to transmission, leaving the cord in place along the path the cable followed.
-Install tranny end of new cable. Tie cord to dash end of new cable and protect with tape. Pull cord through to dash and install cable in rearmost 2 clips.
-Plug speedo cable in to cluster. Reinstall cluster. Reinstall 2 clips on on firewall (helps to unbolt the upper bracket on the upper clip to reinstall it).



IMG_20181227_101928.jpg


IMG_20181227_125003.jpg


While I was in there I also pulled off the speed chime, which is the silver box bolted screwed into the back of the cluster.

IMG_20181227_083428.jpg
 
Cool Hilux! I’ve always wanted a 84-88 doublecab, but I can’t convince the wife that rhd is easy to deal with. Save that speed chime for when your kids are old enough to drive! Do you deal with RADD at all? They seem to have a good handle on JDM stuff.
 
The RHD is not bad at all. The only trouble we have switching between RHD and LHD is that the wipers and turn signals are reversed, so you will do the opposite sometimes. You can mitigate this by swapping in a LHD turn signal switch. Although if I keep this truck for a while I might consider a swap to LHD 5+ years out if my living situation changes and I get access to a shop/garage.

For parts, I have found it easiest to get things online. Speedo cable was from amayama.com and I have gotten a bunch of other things from partsouq.com. I didn’t get charged duty on my amayama order (ships from japan), while there is always a pit of duty on partsouq.com (ships from UAE). Both sites things show up pretty quick (<1 week) and are a decent value for OEM parts. Radd has closed down, but there is another JDM shop here (Coombs Country) that stocks major parts like timing belt kits, etc.
 
Yeah, I just saw that RADD had shut down. They are trying to just be an online retailer with direct and Amazon sales.

I’ve driven RHD lots in Australia and have a running bet going with one of my regular surf trip friends as to who will wipe instead of turn first! It always happens, it’s just a matter of time!
 

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