Build The Escape Wagon Restoration

[NeverGiveUpYota]

Too funny. Three times you’ve mentioned the terrible odor from fluid film. You must not like wool sweaters either. it’s derived from lanolin. Next time try, on a small piece, boiled linseed. It has a strong odor too. Reminds me of rancid oil.

 

[brownbear]

you mentioned taking apart the steering column to fix a clunk, and that you read about it on mud. Do you know which thread you read?

 

[EscapeWagon62]

Too funny. Three times you’ve mentioned the terrible odor from fluid film. You must not like wool sweaters either. it’s derived from lanolin. Next time try, on a small piece, boiled linseed. It has a strong odor too. Reminds me of rancid oil.

Yeah, I guess I always need to be focused on something being wrong. I won’t smell it once something else goes haywire on the rig

 

[EscapeWagon62]

you mentioned taking apart the steering column to fix a clunk, and that you read about it on mud. Do you know which thread you read?

I can’t remember and just searched and couldn’t figure it out. If memory serves me I simply removed the shield covering the column toward the front of the engine bay, loosened up the nuts holding the spline (not touching the u joint in any way), compressed the spline towards the cab, pulled out spline and lubed, reinstalled.
Haven’t had a clunk since.

 

[brownbear]

Thanks, I have a clunk, and it's a bit annoying... I keep meaning to give the column a good inspection. You think of these things when on a highway..

 

[EscapeWagon62]

Ignition lock cylinder wore out, wouldn’t advance passed LOCK position without serious jiggling.
Ordered an OEM replacement from @RAGINGMATT along with a couple of fresh cut OEM keys to match the door locks.
10 minute repair

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

Ignition lock cylinder wore out, wouldn’t advance passed LOCK position without serious jiggling.
Ordered an OEM replacement from @RAGINGMATT along with a couple of fresh cut OEM keys to match the door locks.
10 minute repair

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Cool keychain swap to Matts pieces. Props to @RAGINGMATT.

 

[EscapeWagon62]

Just an entry to update/archive recent repairs:
Had an engine tick that wasn’t caused by an exhaust lead. Several tries to adjust valves were unsuccessful. Had the local Toyota dealer mill the rocker arm and I seems to have fixed it.
Went to a car show and the rig decided to cry antifreeze. Knew the water pump needed to be replaced at some point so off it went to Balise Toyota for a replacement.
While I generally do my own work, my new job keeps me too busy to do it myself.

It’ll be my first winter in Mass, getting as many miles on the rig before it goes into rust avoidance hibernation.

 

[hygge]

@EscapeWagon62 finding a balance between the desire to DIY everything and allow a shop to do the work is an art form. I find that in an ideal world I would do all the work myself, but then I start considering ( demanding job , 2 young kids, very patient wife) and I have to relent more often than I would like.

 

[EscapeWagon62]

With Spring around the corner it’s time to do some more tweaks.
I have the dreaded seepage from the steering box where the intermediate shaft of the steering column enters the box. it’s been getting worse and leaving some dribble on the garage floor.

Having moved to Western Mass, I plan to source a reman unit from Cruiserparts.net since they are only 1.5 hours away.
Anyone have experience with their reman?

The operation thus far:
I drained the fluid per FSM, removed the steering shaft, unhooked the high pressure lines to the box with the assistance of a 17mm crowfoot wrench head, didn’t have any trouble decoupling the pitman arm from the drag link.

NOW I”M STUCK. The 4 bolts holding the box onto the frame ain’t budging. Strange since they have been soaking in trans fluid for some time . I’ll try to figure that out over the next couple of days.

 

[EscapeWagon62]

Well the rig is still down as I wait for a remanufactured steering box.
Time to knock out a few projects that have been on the shelf.
My rear lift gate power door lock has never worked. Turns out my actuator works bit the lock mechanism was missing the connector to the actuator rod.
Had the 2 parts shipped in from Cruiserparts.net and 10 minutes later I have power locking.

 

[EscapeWagon62]

Ok...borrowed an impact wrench from a friend at a body shop and was able to get the four bolts holding the power steering box off.
A 1 1/4 inch wrench for the bottom bolt below the pitman arm and a pitman arm puller, a large persuader mallet and the whole thing is off the vehicle and disassembled.
NOTE - I pulled the box off and then tried to pull the pitman arm off...not smart. Had to reinstall the box so I could get enough leverage to pull the pitman arm.
Now I wait for cruiser parts.net to send me the refurbished steering Box.

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

Yeah that was the first thing I ever tackled after I bought my truck in ’16 and I knew to keep it all attached so I’d have leverage. Alternating between the puller and a 2lb sledge at the knob on the Pittman (the backside facing the rear of the truck) helped vibrate it off the splines. I saw it done that way on YouTube but when I went back to add the video to my thread I couldn’t find it. I always kinda chuckle at the folks that pull the two together then have to wrestle them apart on a bench.

 

[Skniper]

With Spring around the corner it’s time to do some more tweaks.
I have the dreaded seepage from the steering box where the intermediate shaft of the steering column enters the box. it’s been getting worse and leaving some dribble on the garage floor.

Having moved to Western Mass, I plan to source a reman unit from Cruiserparts.net since they are only 1.5 hours away.
Anyone have experience with their reman?

The operation thus far:
I drained the fluid per FSM, removed the steering shaft, unhooked the high pressure lines to the box with the assistance of a 17mm crowfoot wrench head, didn’t have any trouble decoupling the pitman arm from the drag link.

NOW I”M STUCK. The 4 bolts holding the box onto the frame ain’t budging. Strange since they have been soaking in trans fluid for some time . I’ll try to figure that out over the next couple of days.

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Much better to get a flare nut wrench on those hydraulic lines....plenty easy to get to through the fender well with solid leverage.

 

[EscapeWagon62]

Going on week 4 waiting for my rebuilt steering box.
Time for a few more cleanup projects.
Was having trouble moving the lever from outside air to recirculated. Pulled the glovebox and found a wire it harness was interfering with the mechanicals
While the glove compartment was out, I pulled the instrument cluster and radio out so I can finally relocate my SiriusXm antennae to a place with better reception. I just had it forward of the dash pad by the window and reception would cut out often.
Sprayed it 045 color and relocated it on the roof near the lift gate and ran the wire under the clip of the chrome gutter railing.

 

[EscapeWagon62]

Well, the steering box is still in process. Figured I’d rehab the steering column while I’m waiting.

 

[cruiser enthuiser]

Well, the steering box is still in process. Figured I’d rehab the steering column while I’m waiting.

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Nice. I would Like to replace these in my column. 35 years of use I think it’s probably due.

-Ed

 

[EscapeWagon62]

Well, I finally got a ship notification on my remanufactured steering box.
Moving into high gear to finish the backlog of projects.
Using the Instructions for LED Headlight upgrade
I was brave enough to attempt an LED conversion that brightens the night, keeps the low beams on when the high beams come on AND keeps the functionality of the high beam indicator light in the instrument cluster.
Built the harnesses based on @amw2320 design in that thread and presto! I still have to reassemble a few things but the electronics are dead on.

 

[EscapeWagon62]

The power steering box arrived and got installed. The steering is a billion times better now. My only issue was that I was so excited to get it in, I mounted it, hooked up the pitman arm, torqued everything, filled the reservoir with fluid, cycled it a few times with the engine shut off, then did it with the engine on. Weird noise, shut it down, realized I didn’t hook up the hydraulic lines to the box and released the magic red fluid all over my garage floor. What a friggin idiot, 10 minutes later all was set properly and the truck is great.

 

[EscapeWagon62]

Cleaned up the inner wheel wells.
Great having the rig back on the road after a month and a half waiting to do the steering box and love being able to see at night with LEDs.