Back in the Game - Added an 2005 GX470 - Toledo Ohio (1 Viewer)

[xcmountain]

Looks great

 

[Hornd]

Rear Sway Bushings were Bad, but the bolts Came out with Wire Brush, Propane Torch and Penetrant.
Ordered 555 Links from Ebay - $43
Ordered Energy Suspension Kit on Amazon -$23
Removed Links from Truck by Removing Top Nut.
Removed Sway Bar by Wiggling it out on Passenger side after Removing Muffler.
Zip Ties Links to Bar to Aid in Removal
Removed Links from Bar in Vise using Heat and Penetrant - Not 1 Broken Bolt.
Wire Wheeled the Bar and Powder Coated it in Black.
Wire Wheeled Washers then Put in Navy Jelly - Rinsed then Heated on Stove to Warm then Sprayed with VHT and Cured them out on Stove.
New Bolts for Assembly
Ready for another 20 Years.

 

[Hornd]

Next Challenge - Exhaust System.

Tailpipe Broke off at Flange.

Forcing it out the way to put Trailer Hitch on was likely the Last Straw.

Will Prolly order a New Flange to weld on and Add New Stainless Bolts and Gaskets.

 

[Rednexus]

Be careful with that exhaust, it might drone like crazy at highway cruising speeds, particularly with the turndown at the end that will reflect exhaust noise off the pavement and back into the rig. The muffler they include is pretty short and there is no resonator to reduce the drone between ~1,700 and ~2,400 RPM that can be quite loud in a GX (this corresponds with ~55-75 mph cruising speeds). This doesn't bother some people, but drives me crazy on the highway.

You might want to find a takeoff GX/T4R stock exhaust from a less-salty part of the country if you are drone/noise sensitive.

 

[Hornd]

Be careful with that exhaust, it might drone like crazy at highway cruising speeds, particularly with the turndown at the end that will reflect exhaust noise off the pavement and back into the rig. The muffler they include is pretty short and there is no resonator to reduce the drone between ~1,700 and ~2,400 RPM that can be quite loud in a GX (this corresponds with ~55-75 mph cruising speeds). This doesn't bother some people, but drives me crazy on the highway.

You might want to find a takeoff GX/T4R stock exhaust from a less-salty part of the country if you are drone/noise sensitive.

Thanks for that Info.
I put a Magnaflow on our 80 and ended up trashing it due to Highway Speed Drone.
Went OEM after that.

What's your Opinion on this?

 

[Rednexus]

I have not used them before, so I don't have any specific experience. SS is always preferred to say the least, but I'm not sure how the overall fitment etc. will be and how restrictive that muffler will be. If you have some more money to spend, I'd suggest a Dirty Deeds muffler/midpipe and a takeoff OEM tailpipe from eBay, as that will sound good/flow better and not drone, but that will easily set you back $1,200 or more.

Another option could be to have a local muffler shop build you a new 304 or 409 stainless midpipe, from the Y pipe back to the flange that broke off, and add a new flange to the tailpipe at that location. This would assume that the rest of your tailpipe is in decent shape. I don't think that would be more than a couple hours of work and you could select a quiet and free-flowing aftermarket SS muffler and keep the OEM resonator in the tailpipe.

 

[Hornd]

I'd never get $1200 past the Supreme Allied Commander.

Will prolly just get 2 Flanges on Ebay and Weld them on using our 110V Lincoln & Wire Wheel and VHT what I have.

 

[Rednexus]

I'd never get $1200 past the Supreme Allied Commander.

Will prolly just get 2 Flanges on Ebay and Weld them on using our 110V Lincoln & Wire Wheel and VHT what I have.

Knowing that you have a welder, I built much of my exhaust using Amazon SS flux core wire and various 304 SS pieces from eBay/Amazon/Summit Racing/Stainless Works. I now have a legit mixed 304/409 SS system (the OEM system is 409SS but I think it has mild steel flanges). A few flanges, some straight pipe, bends, and a muffler, and you'd be golden. I did all of my cutting using cutoff wheels but have since upgraded to a metal-cutting bandsaw that would have made the cuts easier.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09P8N5K7M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Hornd]

Took about 1 Hour To Install.
Cleaned up the Adhesive Areas with Rubbing Alcohol
Had to Drill a Hole for the Hood Switch.
Can be Turned On/Off with Hood Pin Switch or Push Button.
Top Quality Wiring and Components.

**Will come in Handy for Late Night Timing Belt Work.

#TEQ Offroad

 

[Rednexus]

Looks good..i need to get one!

 

[Zarasa]

Zipped thru your thread. So much corrosion! Nice work! I'm tempted by the under-hood LED light kit if it only takes an hour. Good luck with your build!

 

[Hornd]

Zipped thru your thread. So much corrosion! Nice work! I'm tempted by the under-hood LED light kit if it only takes an hour. Good luck with your build!

Trying to Save it - Lots of Different Skills Needed.

The $45 Worth of Fluid Film would have saved $1000s.

 

[Hornd]

Exhaust Broke at Y Pipe Flange and at Muffler Joint.
Cut off Flange with Holes at Muffler using Sawzall.
Ordered New Joints from Bear River Converters. Parts are 409 Stainless Steel ( $90Added Corolla Parts too)
Current Muffler is Aftermarket Walker Quiet Flow (~$150) Nearly Identical Copy of OEM - Spot Welded same as OEM - I recommend
Plan is to Fit everything up and Bolt and Tack Weld Flanges then Remove and Weld Solid.
VHT is a Great Coating - Especially if Baked. I think this will last 1 to 2 years if not Retouched. All Items were Prepped with Wire wheel in an Angle Grinder.
I strongly Dislike Exhaust Work, but also Dislike driving Car with Bad Exhaust.

 

[Hornd]

Clamp was Loose on CV with Some Grease Leaked out.
Cut off Clamp - Refilled with Grease ($13 Amazon) - A Mess - Wear Gloves and Put down Cardboard
Boot in Great Shape so Put on 2 Stainless Clamps ($14 Ebay).

Then I went Crazy with the Fluid Film and added another Half Gallon.

Especially in Passenger Frame Tube - Used Magnet to remove Rust Chunks then Compressed Air to Blow Pieces out of Tube. A Mess.

 

[Hornd]

Bolts in Hitch Nutsert Pulled Thru with Very Little Torque. Threads were Rusted out (This side only - Opposite side had Tow Hook)

• Ran 3/8 Drill bit in Hole & Knocked out Remaining Nutsert with Screwdriver and Hammer
• Wrapped the Replacement Bolt & Washer with 1 turn of Bailing Wire (14ga Copper would work too) and fed it in Top Hole as show Top RH of Picture.
• Had one Person manipulate the wire while I provided Instruction while looking in Hole - First Bolt Dropped Right in.
• Second Bolt took 10 mins to Find the Hole.
• Cleaned threads with Wire Brush then installed washer and Nut and Run Tight with an Impact.

Strength is Same as Standard Configuraton as this is Bolt threads Down instead of Bolt Threads Up.
If trying to Remove - will be very Difficult - Once Nut is Loosened there is no Way to Hold the Bolt in the Tube.

 

[Hornd]

Next item is Adding SAIS (Secondary Air Injection System).
This Plug Emulates the Function of the Pump, but Pump does not Run - Got it on Ebay. Limp Mode is a No Go For me.
Will leave the Air Pump Present in Cylinder Valley till the Starter is Done.
Will remove all SAIS Components at that Time - Dreading that Job.

Have Heard that Adding Block of Plates is a Nightmare as well as there is very Little Room on Exhaust Manifolds.

**Ebay Harness is Cheaper Version of this Emulator - Hewitt-Tech: Gen 1 Secondary Air Injection System Bypass kits - https://hewitt-tech.com/product-category/bypass-kit/gen-1-secondary-air-injection-bypass-kits/

 

[Rednexus]

My nutsets were also broke. I cut a hole in the back of the frame (with a Dremel cutoff wheel), took a piece of 1" steel flat strap, drilled holes in it at the same place as the OEM holes in the frame, welded nuts there, then welded to the bottom of the frame (just inside the hole), and patched up the hole I made in the frame. After that, I soaked the whole inside in Fluid Film. It was actually pretty easy with a basic HF flux core welder.

Also, thanks for the note on the SAIS bypass. I have a 3 year old Slyfox75 eBay bypass (which is NLA - betting he got a nasty letter from USEPA), but it's not worked a couple times (it's thrown the PO2441 code and gone in to limp-home mode during cold weather). I'm also getting some weird behavior with my MAF where my fuel trims go super-negative, indicating the MAF is reading high. Unplugging and re-plugging the MAF seems to fix that. I can't help but wonder if the Slyfox75 kit, which splices into the MAF, is having issues and both problems are related. I just ordered the Hewitt kit and will see if that fixes both problems.

 

[Hornd]

My nutsets were also broke. I cut a hole in the back of the frame (with a Dremel cutoff wheel), took a piece of 1" steel flat strap, drilled holes in it at the same place as the OEM holes in the frame, welded nuts there, then welded to the bottom of the frame (just inside the hole), and patched up the hole I made in the frame. After that, I soaked the whole inside in Fluid Film. It was actually pretty easy with a basic HF flux core welder.


Also, thanks for the note on the SAIS bypass. I have a 3 year old Slyfox75 eBay bypass (which is NLA - betting he got a nasty letter from USEPA), but it's not worked a couple times (it's thrown the PO2441 code and gone in to limp-home mode during cold weather). I'm also getting some weird behavior with my MAF where my fuel trims go super-negative, indicating the MAF is reading high. Unplugging and re-plugging the MAF seems to fix that. I can't help but wonder if the Slyfox75 kit, which splices into the MAF, is having issues and both problems are related. I just ordered the Hewitt kit and will see if that fixes both problems.

I have a Buddy Running the Hewitt Kit with Success on his 100.
He said installing the Block off Plates in the Exhaust was a Major Pain.

 

[Rednexus]

I have a Buddy Running the Hewitt Kit with Success on his 100.
He said installing the Block off Plates in the Exhaust was a Major Pain.

I already put the plates in when I installed the Slyfox kit (while doing a starter). I DIY'd them with some 1/8" alluminum stock, which was actually pretty easy.

But....yes.....they are a total pain, and I hope to never do it again .

 

[Hornd]

I have been Working on Truck but not Posting - Taking Family Camping, so been Busy Packing.

Bought the Console Cubby to Replace the Ride Height Switch - Ebay Details Attached.


Removing the Suspension Fuse and Relay took 1 Minute - Wish I knew it Sooner. Would not have watched that Flashing Dash light for 500 miles.



Bought New Ends For Resonator Exhaust Pipe and Muffler Pipe and Tacked them on using 110V Welder. Took them to work and had them welded out.
Gave the Welder $10 to get a Sammich and he and I were both Happy.

Put new Exhaust Springs and Donuts in from Bear River Converters - Top Quality (Stainless) and Reasonable Prices for Exhaust Fittings.

**Do not Due Aluminized Steel for Exhaust or you will be on the 2 year return Plan. Low Grade Stainless is what you want.

Welcome to our Online Store - https://www.bearriverconverters.store/

Front Left Turn Signal Bulb Went out so Put in 2 New Sylvania Long Lifes ($5 Autozone).

Ordered LED Brake Lights for Rear - Invoice below. - 10 min install after removing Rear Light - 10mm socket for 2 Bolts and Pull LIght forward.

Sprayed Lithium Grease down in Light Holes for Rust Prevention.