gotta love Toyota engineering!

[D'mon]

Hi, this D'mon with another tale of my Tonka Truck. As a reminder, I have a sweet '88 4Runner in the best Toyota color (metallic charcoal).

I felt that my front wheel bearings were not set up right, so I readjusted them today. Turns out the previous owner had actually set them up to have free play! Anyway, long story short, had to replace bearings and seal on the driver's side.

My parents were over for dinner, so my Dad helped me out. As a former heavy equipment mechanic and shade tree mechanic my whole life, I've never and I mean NEVER had such an easy job of doing races. The hub is notched in four places for easier driving of the old race out.....almost a 1/4 inch in! This allows you to run your long punch down thru the hub and beat the race out easily. They even line the inner and outer race notches so when you are trying to run out the outer and you are already having to run at an angle, it is lessened by the 1/4 inch notch for the inner race. And to top it all off, the new outer race can be driven in very easily by using the old race to pound on against the new one without gettting stuck in the channel. The inner is not quite that easy, but close.

There was a real nice feeling of satisfaction as my Dad ooh'd and ah'd over so many Toyota engineering perks. Once again he's driving home thinking that a Toyota truck may be better for him than his Chev Silverado....

I have also done the valve set this weekend, but that is another story. Suffice it to say, it is so easy the valve set is quite easy to do while the engine is hot.

Once again, thanks to all of you who emailed me or posted with your advice and tips. The mod list for spring gets longer and longer every day.

[toy283]

They are easy aren't they? Too bad Toyota blew it with the later trucks and 4Runners. Those are a royal PITA and require tools that even an above average mechanic won't have.