My new find... 1999 LX470 (1 Viewer)

[TEXAS 57]

A couple weeks ago, I got the sway bar mounting cushions and put them in and also drilled out the center skid plate bolt that was broken by a PO.
This cushion really helped firm the corners.

The old broken bolt from a PO that I drilled out.

 

[TEXAS 57]

About a week ago, I replaced all the front sway bar bushings and end links. They were well worn. Much firmer around the corners and I don’t feel the push as much around big rigs. The Metal "Eyes" have completely broken loose.

There were pieces of Fabric Tape on the inside of the old sway bar bushings. You can see how wallowed out they are.

The metal "eyes" just fell out. Notice the bend in the bushing washer.

 

[TEXAS 57]

Yesterday, I felt a change in my normal vibrations that I have been suspecting was U-Joints. I crawled underneath and finally found the culprit and this one is bad. Probably the worse I have ever seen.

Caps were broken

The awful wasn’t revealed until I got the front driveshaft out.
After driving the caps out, I found one cap had no (zero) needle bearings and dry.
The opposite cap was mostly dry and had bearings starting to seize.

These have been done before as I could see the marks. I cannot make out a brand but it is not Spicer / Dana or Factory.

I had no extra debris after driving these out so everything broke on the road. You can see how bad it is. I am surprised it stayed together. I don’t need a driveshaft coming through the floorboard.

Grease was in the perpendicular caps and they were surprisingly tight. This photo is not cleaned up. This is how dry they were.

After pulling the driveshaft, I locked the center diff and went for a drive and had the smoothest ride I have ever had in it. It is comparable to our LC now. All vibrations are gone.

The rear U joint is surprisingly tight (Actually feels new) and grease comes out all caps.

I cleaned up the Cap rests and pulled the slip yoke out, cleaned the zerks and splines and polished the slip yoke shaft and regreased the splines and put it back together. I had to wait to finish the install because the impact was too loud for that late at night.

I will be using the Spicer/ Dana 1510X greasable.

Drove it to work today without the front driveshaft and it was great.

 

[TEXAS 57]

Well, come to find out the Spicer 1510X won’t fit in the front driveshaft so I ordered a couple of Toyota OEM ones. I understand they will fit in the rear driveshaft. The Spicer was a full mm larger than the OEM one. No wonder it wouldn’t fit. The OEM one went right in. The old one I took out looks exactly the same as the OEM one so I will assume no one greased it until me but by that time it was already clogged and dry.

Those ball joint presses make easy work of the U-Joints. I also cleaned out the Slip Yoke and polished the shaft some then regreased it and put it all back together.

I greased it all up and put it all in and she is super smooth (as smooth as it is w/o the shaft in). No more vibrations for me!

 

[TEXAS 57]

With it driving so smooth now I can feel other things. I found that the lower ball joints have a little bit of play. Sankei 555s on order.

I bought some OEM Toyota reboot kits for the CV axles a while back when I discovered they were all broken.

My least favorite job. Dirty, long, greasy…

Using Purple Power, a roll of paper towels and a can of Brake Cleaner on each side got them cleaned up, painted, regreased, rebooted, and put back together.

Neither of the inner clamps fit. Luckily I had a clamp kit from my 4Runner (that took me half a day to find). I find starting the clamps with the End Cutting Pliers and then finishing off with the cheap clamp crimpers works best. You can see how loose the big silver clamp is in this pic. Worm Clamp was temporary while trying to clamp the big end before finding the old CV Clamp Kit in my garage.
The Yellow Clamps fit perfect.

Everything all pulled out. Look at all the grease sling build up. I also need to replace the rubber Brake Lines as they have gotten soft from the Power Steering reservoir leaking on it.

BTW - IMPORTANT TIPS:

I have seen where people beat on the inner CV flange (where the inner rubber boot is) with a block of wood to mount the CV into the transaxle. I tried that and with a long metal dowel banging on the metal flange with a hammer but found the best way is get a pry bar or nail bar, go underneath the car, and pry on the A-Arm bolts that hang out while turning the CV axle and it slips right in with little effort.

Conical Washers on the flange - Air Impact Gun in the end of the studs (with the nut on) and they pop right out in a second.

Ball Joints unseating from spindle - same as above. Air Impact Gun on the side where you would typically hit with a BFH to distort the hole. 2-3 seconds of impact gun strikes.

 

[changingground]

With it driving so smooth now I can feel other things. I found that the lower ball joints have a little bit of play. Sankei 555s on order.

I bought some OEM Toyota reboot kits for the CV axles a while back when I discovered they were all broken.

View attachment 3035474

My least favorite job. Dirty, long, greasy…
View attachment 3035475

Using Purple Power, a roll of paper towels and a can of Brake Cleaner on each side got them cleaned up, painted, regreased, rebooted, and put back together.
View attachment 3035476

Neither of the inner clamps fit. Luckily I had a clamp kit from my 4Runner (that took me half a day to find). I find starting the clamps with the End Cutting Pliers and then finishing off with the cheap clamp crimpers works best. You can see how loose the big silver clamp is in this pic. Worm Clamp was temporary while trying to clamp the big end before finding the old CV Clamp Kit in my garage.
The Yellow Clamps fit perfect.
View attachment 3035477
Everything all pulled out. Look at all the grease sling build up. I also need to replace the rubber Brake Lines as they have gotten soft from the Power Steering reservoir leaking on it.
View attachment 3035478

Your thread ought to be required reading for all new LX (and LC) owners. Thanks for the effort and keeping up with documentation. Invaluable.

 

[TEXAS 57]

“While I was in there” I decided to swap the front brake rotors and pads as I had the pulsing brakes to a stop. It was very light but noticeable.
I went with the Power Stop Z23 Evolution Sport Brake Kit (K1132) for the fronts. I purchased this a while back from Rockauto.
It has High performance pads and slotted and drilled zinc plated rotors.

Of course, if you do these front brakes, you might as well repack and check wheel bearings. I cleaned them all out (as much as I could and repacked all the bearings with Lucas Red and Tacky.
Bearings and races looked good.
Those rotors look good.

Bearings preloaded to 43 ft lbs then 43 in lbs then tightened until we got in the mid range with the fish scale.
Taking them off, passenger side was fine, driver side was too loose. I bent the star washer and unscrewed the lock nut and bearing retainer nut by hand. Scary…

I threw a quick coat of black engine enamel on the calipers on and buttoned it up. The pads that where on it did not have the bottom springs that separate the pads from each other at rest.

Driving impressions- WOW!
I wasn’t able to get the double pump the brakes syndrome completely solved and haven’t wanted to send the master off to that guy that rebuilds them yet but after bedding in these brakes I don’t feel the difference between a single pump and double pump.
These brakes grab!
They grab so much so that I have to learn to drive it differently. I am thoroughly impressed.

 

[ClassyJalopy]

“While I was in there” I decided to swap the front brake rotors and pads as I had the pulsing brakes to a stop. It was very light but noticeable.
I went with the Power Stop Z23 Evolution Sport Brake Kit (K1132) for the fronts. I purchased this a while back from Rockauto.
It has High performance pads and slotted and drilled zinc plated rotors.

View attachment 3035628

Of course, if you do these front brakes, you might as well repack and check wheel bearings. I cleaned them all out (as much as I could and repacked all the bearings with Lucas Red and Tacky.
Bearings and races looked good.
Those rotors look good.
View attachment 3035626

Bearings preloaded to 43 ft lbs then 43 in lbs then tightened until we got in the mid range with the fish scale.
Taking them off, passenger side was fine, driver side was too loose. I bent the star washer and unscrewed the lock nut and bearing retainer nut by hand. Scary…
View attachment 3035625

I threw a quick coat of black engine enamel on the calipers on and buttoned it up. The pads that where on it did not have the bottom springs that separate the pads from each other at rest.
View attachment 3035629

View attachment 3035627

Driving impressions- WOW!
I wasn’t able to get the double pump the brakes syndrome completely solved and haven’t wanted to send the master off to that guy that rebuilds them yet but after bedding in these brakes I don’t feel the difference between a single pump and double pump.
These brakes grab!
They grab so much so that I have to learn to drive it differently. I am thoroughly impressed.

Good work!
When my 98 had the double pump issue, I got sacred and replaced the booster motor and booster and rebuilt the master cylinder. To my dismay the double pump issue remained

Many moons later someone suggested adjusting the pushrod length where it connects the MC piston to the brake pedal. You have to take the clevis pin off to be able to turn the pushrod connector to adjust the length.
So I put the truck in neutral, took off the parking brake and starting adjusting the length until the brakes started dragging. Then I backed down just a smidge and tightened the lock nut. That took care of the double pump issue.

See the highlighted part of the diagram below:

Here's the procedure from FSM. I crossed off the steps I didn't have to do:

 

[TEXAS 57]

Good work!
When my 98 had the double pump issue, I got sacred and replaced the booster motor and booster and rebuilt the master cylinder. To my dismay the double pump issue remained

Many moons later someone suggested adjusting the pushrod length where it connects the MC piston to the brake pedal. You have to take the clevis pin off to be able to turn the pushrod connector to adjust the length.
So I put the truck in neutral, took off the parking brake and starting adjusting the length until the brakes started dragging. Then I backed down just a smidge and tightened the lock nut. That took care of the double pump issue.

See the highlighted part of the diagram below:
View attachment 3035864

Here's the procedure from FSM. I crossed off the steps I didn't have to do:
View attachment 3035874

Awesome. I am guessing my new rotors and pads has a similar effect pushing the piston to a new resting point. It definitely grabs higher in the pedal travel.

 

[TEXAS 57]

Ball joints have arrived (along with Lower BJs for the Third Gen 4Runner in the big boxes).

She’s been good to me so I rewarded her with a clay bar scrub, polish and wax. Meguires Ultimate Line.

Got carried away with Cold Snacks and washed all 3.

 

[ClassyJalopy]

Ball joints have arrived (along with Lower BJs for the Third Gen 4Runner in the big boxes).
View attachment 3036995

She’s been good to me so I rewarded her with a clay bar scrub, polish and wax. Meguires Ultimate Line.

View attachment 3036993

Got carried away with Cold Snacks and washed all 3.
View attachment 3036994

Don't forget to paint them after installing them. They are only coated with hopes and wishes instead of actual paint and flash rust the moment you look away!

 

[PabloCruise]

Well, after restoring a 2002 TLC and handing it to my wife a year ago (due to 3 kids and needing a larger vehicle), I decided I need to get something bigger. I actually started this process a few months ago in mid Dec 2018.

I am redirecting from my previous thread just to keep the two trucks separate.

Builds - I happened upon a 100 Series 4 month build

Hello everyone. This is my first post. I have been a lurker here for a while as I am a Toyota guy. I have a 1997 3rd Gen black 4Runner SR5 4WD with 277,xxx miles Toytec 3" lift, Tundra 231mm calipers and perfectly maintained. I live in Houston, TX in the Meyerland area so our neighborhood...

forum.ih8mud.com

I had been looking online for my brother in law (he wanted a 4Runner) for a while and I thought to myself if something comes along that is too good to pass up I will grab it (a cheap LC or LX 80 or 100)

This one popped up on OfferUp for $5,000 and I was at a janky little car lot within hours. He said it had an odometer discrepancy (it read 97k miles but looked like 250k). I had my buddy pull a Carfax while I explored it. Crawled underneath and it looked bone dry except two torn outer CV boots. Inside, the carpet looked clean, it had new front and middle seat covers (except headrests... kinda odd) and the third row was very worn. Steering wheel was worn through but it had a nice cover. Shifter leather was decent and all the lighter wood was there and not faded or peeling. Door panels looked rough, especially the tops.

So I started it up and it ran just fine with some whining (maybe Power Steering Pump or pulleys) but ran pretty smooth. On the test drive the suspension handled fine (although the AHC did not work) brakes had a slight shimmy from a high speed stop and the pedal feels better when I double pump the brakes. Everything works electronically except the AUTO AC button. Rear air is fine, ice cold AC and Hot Heat.
My buddy gets me the CarFax and it was corporately owned from day one to 40k miles and the rest of the time it was owned by the same person in Colorado. Almost every maintenance record was at a Lexus dealership in CO until 296k miles. I am still going through the Toyota Owners site over all the work done. It had a cluster swap at 347k miles but no documentation.

I felt like it may have been a flood car that was not documented so I aimed low at $3000. They said no. I told them to make me buy it today. They said $4500, I said, “I will drive it home with $4000 in cash in your hand right now.” I drove home with paper plates 20 min later.

The driver side headlight has a chip and moisture.

Pic of the seats and console:

Welcome to the club!!!

We're in! '99 LX - new to us!

It seems like I have seen a few '99 LX470s changing hands lately, here is another one! We got plates and applied for title today, so I guess it is official, eh? I think they called this color Champagne Biege? 140k miles (had over 139k when we started looking at it, seller let us 'test drive'...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[PabloCruise]

Ball joints have arrived (along with Lower BJs for the Third Gen 4Runner in the big boxes).
View attachment 3036995

She’s been good to me so I rewarded her with a clay bar scrub, polish and wax. Meguires Ultimate Line.

View attachment 3036993

Got carried away with Cold Snacks and washed all 3.
View attachment 3036994

How often do you replace ball joints? Interval or based on feel?

 

[TEXAS 57]

How often do you replace ball joints? Interval or based on feel?

On my 3rd Gen 4Runner (and similar year Tacoma’s, Sequoias, T100s and Tundras), those get done every 100k miles regardless of feel. They have catastrophic failure based in design.

On the LC/ LX line, I let the wheel hang and have my wife pry up and down against the tire and the floor with a long 2x4 and another under it to act as a fulcrum as I watch. Any movement between the ball and socket is too much and they get changed.

 

[wrigh003]

I have seen where people beat on the inner CV flange (where the inner rubber boot is) with a block of wood to mount the CV into the transaxle. I tried that and with a long metal dowel banging on the metal flange with a hammer but found the best way is get a pry bar or nail bar, go underneath the car, and pry on the A-Arm bolts that hang out while turning the CV axle and it slips right in with little effort.

That. That so much. I banged on mine for about half a day before I looked around on the net and asked the guys in my local club. If it's aligned right, it doesn't take gorilla force to get it in. So- keep that in mind. If it feels like you're beating it to death and it's not seating... adjust the position a bit.

 

[PabloCruise]

With the dash off, I disconnected and inspected every single connection and removed every single ground (I could get to). I hit each ground with a wire wheel and reattached.

I am thinking that the little contact in the Telescoping Slider Bushing may have fixed the electrical issue.

I CAN TURN MY HEADLIGHTS OFF NOW!!!!!!!! They now work just as they are supposed to...

I always took that for granted.

So cool that you fixed it! That would have driven me nuts!!!

 

[PabloCruise]

I removed the driver side panel and vacuumed, dusted and 409 cleaned the metal insides of the doors. The Land Cruiser door panel does not have the cut out for the seat memory buttons. I need to figure out what to do there. Any insight would be helpful.

View attachment 1923779

LC panel in the front / LX in the back... for now.
View attachment 1923776
I used Meguires PlastX Polish to clean up the control panel switches. They were filthy and came out real nice. My faux wood is actually imprinted into the plastic switch bezel instead of the stick on laminated woods I see on most of these.
View attachment 1923777

The Eagle Eyes black headlights came in yesterday as well. Should look good against the black paint and add a more aggressive look in the parking lot at at Saks Fifth Avenue for their next sale. Lol.
View attachment 1923778

Are the Eagle Eyes glass? Or plastic?

 

[TEXAS 57]

Are the Eagle Eyes glass? Or plastic?

Unfortunately, they are plastic, but with several broken glass lenses I didn’t want to pay the prices again.

 

[TexLexican]

Awesome. I am guessing my new rotors and pads has a similar effect pushing the piston to a new resting point. It definitely grabs higher in the pedal travel.

Any idea why my pedal travel feels the same after replacing all pads? The old ones had very little life left and I didn’t replace the rotors. I feel like the travel is too far considering the new pads.

 

[TEXAS 57]

Any idea why my pedal travel feels the same after replacing all pads? The old ones had very little life left and I didn’t replace the rotors. I feel like the travel is too far considering the new pads.

I wish I could answer that, but i don't really know. Air in the system? Leaky O-Ring in the master cylinder piston? Old expanding brake lines? Old brake fluid? Just some ideas...