What did you work on tonight? (3 Viewers)

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Is that 80 that Mikey down in Belen had still available? @AmericanKing did you talk to him?
No he never responded on FB. I found his contact info on CL.


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I made a few of these. I'll be giving them away. If I make it to the breakfast on Saturday I'll hand out what I have. Nothing fancy, they are fake leather, but I did add velcro to the back. View attachment 3730281
Thanks, Virgil. I'm proud of this.
 
I just had my brakes/rotors and system flushed at American Tire in Rio Rancho. They suggested that I have the heavy duty Napa Fleet items installed since the truck is 8K pounds loaded. They install this heavy duty stuff on commercial vehicles that are towing heavy loads and first responder vehicles.

Napa Fleet Rotors

Cheers!
 
I just had my brakes/rotors and system flushed at American Tire in Rio Rancho. They suggested that I have the heavy duty Napa Fleet items installed since the truck is 8K pounds loaded. They install this heavy duty stuff on commercial vehicles that are towing heavy loads and first responder vehicles.

Napa Fleet Rotors

Cheers!
Uh oh. You are gonna catch hell. A lot of folks around here think if its not OEM you are gonna die.
 
Uh oh. You are gonna catch hell. A lot of folks around here think if its not OEM you are gonna die.
Yes, good point Virgil. That has been drilled into my head for years. This is why I requested that the shop install OEM bits and we engaged in the dialog. I am open to hear the argument for Toyota OEM in this situation.

My thinking, and Walt/Slee and others, is that I have significantly altered the truck from the OEM configuration by adding all the weight (factory OEM weight 5400 lbs, vs 8000 lbs in current dressed configuration). Making sure that the truck is balanced to compensate for the alterations seems important. Walt has suggested that I need to up my coil over springs and rear springs and re-valve the king shocks during overhaul.

I do agree that things like drive shafts, windshields, lift gate struts etc, where there is an exact replacement, should be Toyota OEM. The shop guy suggested that since I was so much heavier than the OEM configuration and towing at capacity, that the beefier rotors/pads are appropriate. I tend to agree with this logic and had them install. So no going back, but open to the argument if there are important things to consider in the future.
 
I hope not as she recognized something was wrong and parked at work quickly. I drove it yesterday, after filling the radiator with water for about one block. Radiator got pressurized something fierce. Opened up the cap, and saw volcanic eruptions and steam coming out of the exhaust pipe .
I don't want to hear this. I've been battling a coolant leak on the boy's 2002 and haven't fixed it yet. Current leakage is at the upper radiator hose connection, with new radiator hoses and two clamps (worm gear screw type). Did a coolant flush and a new Aisin thermostat in it too. Next batch of money I throw at it will be a new OEM radiator cap and OEM-style spring clamps, and maybe even a thin layer of FIPG applied to the nipple. I had put a new Stant aftermarket cap on it but wonder if it's not opening to allow coolant into the overflow at the right pressure. So here's another $40 and weekends to spend on it when I have other things I'd prefer to work on.
 
Yes, good point Virgil. That has been drilled into my head for years. This is why I requested that the shop install OEM bits and we engaged in the dialog. I am open to hear the argument for Toyota OEM in this situation.

My thinking, and Walt/Slee and others, is that I have significantly altered the truck from the OEM configuration by adding all the weight (factory OEM weight 5400 lbs, vs 8000 lbs in current dressed configuration). Making sure that the truck is balanced to compensate for the alterations seems important. Walt has suggested that I need to up my coil over springs and rear springs and re-valve the king shocks during overhaul.

I do agree that things like drive shafts, windshields, lift gate struts etc, where there is an exact replacement, should be Toyota OEM. The shop guy suggested that since I was so much heavier than the OEM configuration and towing at capacity, that the beefier rotors/pads are appropriate. I tend to agree with this logic and had them install. So no going back, but open to the argument if there are important things to consider in the future.
I am one that doesn't have a problem with aftermarket parts for the most part. Some things like wheel bearings I like to use what the engineers thought best, but others aftermarket is just as good to me. Anymore for a lot of our aging vehicles Toyota only offers reman parts like some steering racks and they aren't any better than aftermarket rebuilds and Toyota's warantee sucks and is a pain in the ass to deal with.

In my opinion just brake rotors won't change much for you. A rotor is a rotor. If you really want better stopping power you really need to look into calipers and pads.

Toyota seems to use ceramic brake pads a lot. The nice thing about those is that they last a long time and don't get brake dust on your wheels. I really think organic brakes stop better, but are dusty.
 
I took my truck down to the Cat Scale fully loaded and my trailer, which was also fully loaded. Here are the results.

Man, this white hippo is fat/heavy!
View attachment 3733998View attachment 3733999
Good gravy she's porky. I'm assuming you've got a weight distributing hitch to get that 1,000# increase on the drive axle with trailer hooked up? I'm in the market to upgrade my camper but with my 'little' 100-series that probably weighs only 6K and wimpy 4.7, I want the new camper to not exceed 3,500# unloaded and would honestly prefer under 3K as that's what the current popup weighs.
 
Good gravy she's porky. I'm assuming you've got a weight distributing hitch to get that 1,000# increase on the drive axle with trailer hooked up? I'm in the market to upgrade my camper but with my 'little' 100-series that probably weighs only 6K and wimpy 4.7, I want the new camper to not exceed 3,500# unloaded and would honestly prefer under 3K as that's what the current popup weighs.
I think 4000 lbs loaded is about the max you really want to pull with a non VVTI 4.7. The wifes 2005 GX pulls our little trailer a lot better than the 98 LX. Maybe in the flatlands it would be better, but not in the hills.
 
Good gravy she's porky. I'm assuming you've got a weight distributing hitch to get that 1,000# increase on the drive axle with trailer hooked up? I'm in the market to upgrade my camper but with my 'little' 100-series that probably weighs only 6K and wimpy 4.7, I want the new camper to not exceed 3,500# unloaded and would honestly prefer under 3K as that's what the current popup weighs.
I only have 750 lb. spring bars on my blue ox distribution. I have ordered the 1K lb bars based on the increased trailer/tongue weight.
 
I only have 750 lb. spring bars on my blue ox distribution. I have ordered the 1K lb bars based on the increased trailer/tongue weight.
Smart man. I don't understand why more people don't use weight distribution hitches. I am also one that doubles up on anti sway devices after seeing a Tacoma turn over coming down Raton Pass. I just checked and was suprised to see that the towing capacity of your 200 is 8100 lbs.
 
Smart man. I don't understand why more people don't use weight distribution hitches. I am also one that doubles up on anti sway devices after seeing a Tacoma turn over coming down Raton Pass. I just checked and was suprised to see that the towing capacity of your 200 is 8100 lbs.
Yeah, I called Blue Ox, the weight distribution manufacturer. They confirmed that I should get the 1K lbs bars and not the 1500 lb. They said the 1K pound bar should be sufficient/ideal for the 6400 lbs trailer and that there is no benefit in increasing the spring bar rating to the next size, even though I am at the top of the 1K rating with a tongue weight of 950 lbs. In fact, they said the 1500 spring bars will degrade performance resulting in a rough, unstable ride.

There you go. A small amount of research to get things dialed in. Cheers.
 
I think 4000 lbs loaded is about the max you really want to pull with a non VVTI 4.7. The wifes 2005 GX pulls our little trailer a lot better than the 98 LX. Maybe in the flatlands it would be better, but not in the hills.
That's kind of been my limit and I'd like to avoid getting to that number too. Most of my camping is NM and CO so definitely not the flatlands. Even pulling my popup, with 20 gal of water, and all the extra gear that goes on camping trips is quite the chore for the '99 LC when I get to any sort of incline. Going over Molas and Coal Bank pass I'm typically in 2nd gear and not exceeding 20 mph with my foot to the floor.
 
That's kind of been my limit and I'd like to avoid getting to that number too. Most of my camping is NM and CO so definitely not the flatlands. Even pulling my popup, with 20 gal of water, and all the extra gear that goes on camping trips is quite the chore for the '99 LC when I get to any sort of incline. Going over Molas and Coal Bank pass I'm typically in 2nd gear and not exceeding 20 mph with my foot to the floor.
Time for a 200!

I may get the 5.7 turbo. Slee said they would install one for 10K. Would give me the extra "umph" to drag that turd box over these hills.
 
Time for a 200!

I may get the 5.7 turbo. Slee said they would install one for 10K. Would give me the extra "umph" to drag that turd box over these hills.

Oh yeah baby, now we're talking :rofl:
 
Time for a 200!

I may get the 5.7 turbo. Slee said they would install one for 10K. Would give me the extra "umph" to drag that turd box over these hills.
They're still not cheap enough for my budget. But it is in the realm of possibilities I've considered. I've also thought about just getting a Tundra and then turning my 2011 4R into the off-roader. Pros and cons to every option.
 
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