A Couple Questions... - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

Damea · 04-10-2009, 10:54 AM

so ive had my car about a year now and the whole time its had NO power steering and the shocks are blown to hell...... i recently replaced my control arms and bought new front tires due to this issue... my question is what else can i look forward to if i dont fix it quickly? (cv boots and joints are already going/gone)

my speedo needle doesnt kick in the until about 25 or 30... why?

my E-brake dont seem to work too well.... ?

im getting a weird whine from my engine bay (think its coming from alt.)...?

sometimes on little bumps/U-turns my ass end gets squirrly... is this due to my horrid shocks?

how do you replace the drivers side power window motor....? (big hands little holes)

sunroof repair... worth the time/effort?

power shoulder belts... possible to make quick release button?

anyone have a set of shocks/springs they wanna sell? (intrax springs if possible)

aftermarket radio.... easy DIY?

i have a whole lot more questions but i want to take pictures for them... so any help will do and thanks in advance to anyone who helps

Justin727 · 04-10-2009, 01:54 PM

When you do the shocks be sure to do the upper strut mounts on the front as well.

Radio should be pretty easy for a DIY'r. Walmart makes install wire kits.

Love my moon roof so the fix would be worth it to me.

E brake... If you have rear rotors that would be the e brake shoes inside of the rotors. Remove rotors you'll be able to see them.

shoulder belts gotta live with them.

speed cable maybe needs grease/lube havent done it on the camry just yet.

Squirly booty is the rear shocks. Maybe some worn bushings as well. replace shocks first of course as they are more a safety issue like brakes.

Whine maybe the alternator or ps pump. When my a/c is on the alternator bearing goes nuts!

Havent had a chance to get at the window motor myself mine is still working thank god..

disregard · 04-10-2009, 07:45 PM

The only reason I havent done my struts/shocks is because its an 800 job for all 4 and i know im going t need the mounts too which is even more money. I just cant justify that for a 500 dollar car right now.

disregard · 04-10-2009, 07:46 PM

For these cars the shocks and struts are all one piece right ??

***toyomoho*** · 04-10-2009, 08:02 PM

Some are one piece some are rebuildable. Look for the large nut at the location where the piston rod comes out.

Jimnist · 04-10-2009, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Damea

so ive had my car about a year now and the whole time its had NO power steering and the shocks are blown to hell...... i recently replaced my control arms and bought new front tires due to this issue... my question is what else can i look forward to if i dont fix it quickly? (cv boots and joints are already going/gone)

my speedo needle doesnt kick in the until about 25 or 30... why?

my E-brake dont seem to work too well.... ? You can adjust it, since you have the v6 (i assume disc brakes all round with drum e-brake), like someone said earlier, you just pull off the rotor and there should be adjusters. Sort of looks like a gear with a metal thing over it (i think). Making it click expands the pads out.

im getting a weird whine from my engine bay (think its coming from alt.)...?
Probably the alternator then. It could either have worn bearings or the serpentine is too tight. If you loosen it and it starts squealing, you've gone too loose.

sometimes on little bumps/U-turns my ass end gets squirrly... is this due to my horrid shocks?

how do you replace the drivers side power window motor....? (big hands little holes)

sunroof repair... worth the time/effort?

power shoulder belts... possible to make quick release button?

anyone have a set of shocks/springs they wanna sell? (intrax springs if possible)

aftermarket radio.... easy DIY?
Easy. Pull out the ashtray. Then pull the fasica panel from the bottom where the ashtray would have been on an angle towards you. Be firm but not the hulk because you need to pop the bottom off a little to disconnect the ciggarette lighter. Then you can remove. After it's off, should be pretty straight forward. Pul drill out the pop rivets, uncrew it off the mounts, disconnect the connections at the back and bam, it's out. To connect the new radio, it's easiest to buy aftermarket wiring harnesses e.g. Toyota to Pioneer, or Toyota to 'brands universal connection' then 'universal connection' to Pioneer/Sony/Alpine/Kenwood.

i have a whole lot more questions but i want to take pictures for them... so any help will do and thanks in advance to anyone who helps

nuron · 04-10-2009, 08:45 PM

Quote:

im getting a weird whine from my engine bay (think its coming from alt.)...?
Probably the alternator then. It could either have worn bearings or the serpentine is too tight. If you loosen it and it starts squealing, you've gona too loose.

aftermarket radio.... easy DIY?
Easy. Pull out the ashtray. Then pull the fasica panel from the bottom where the ashtray would have been on an angle towards you. Be firm but not the hulk because you need to pop the bottom off a little to disconnect the ciggarette lighter. Then you can remove.

I get a whine at like 40mph but nothing below or above that speed, is that an alternator whine or differential?

Make sure to unscrew the two bolts at the top of the tip before pulling it all out.

Jimnist · 04-10-2009, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nuron

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I get a whine at like 40mph but nothing below or above that speed, is that an alternator whine or differential?

Make sure to unscrew the two bolts at the top of the tip before pulling it all out.

Have no idea. But since you say at 40mph only, i wouldn't think it's the alternator and you would hear it when idling. Don't know if it's the diff either, sorry.

rojo412 · 04-11-2009, 08:06 AM

I have a bad speedo in mine and it's a huge pain in the ass, I still haven't fixed it and I am pondering getting a GPS and putting it in the speedo spot. It seems like the only way to get it easily is with the motor out. Even then, from what I hear, it's not easy. If it's kicking in late, you may be able to try a new gauge cluster and that would be easy as hell. 9 screws.

Radios are easy, I've done 3 and they are among the easiest cars to do stereos... the speakers in the front, though are among the hardest. They fortunately are usually good, though. I just did a 2x12 and amp in my trunk, redialed the new radio, and the factory speakers sound phenomenal.

If your ebrake engages at all, it's easy and cheap. I had 2 camrys with bad cables though (the handle pulls too easily, no brake). That seemed to be a pricier fix. You can take off the console above it as well and make sure the cable mounted to the handle doesn't have too much slack.