Just picked up a 4Th Gen 4Runner...feel like I may have made a mistake.

[bdp1978]

SOoOOOOooo, I just picked up an '04 Sport Edition. 130k w/ the xreas system, center diff lock yadda yadda. I bought this because I travel more for work now and want to keep the miles off my fullsize truck and give the wife something to drive to keep miles off her lease occasionally.

So...I'll just drive it stock for awhile...not. I picked it up Thursday night and the Daystar spacer lift was here Sunday morning. Already has oversized A/T's on it. I figured I could get it installed during my kids nap, WOW was I wrong.

Every nut and bolt was a pipe on the wrench removal, I had to cut the sway bar links....and to finish it off....the Struts WILL NOT come out of the towers. I hit them with PB Blaster, Heat, the 10lb...and nothing, wont budge. 4hrs later I put it all loosely back together and am just soaking it in PB Blaster for the rest of the week. Not sure how I'm going to get the struts out.

So, from stock to now it needs all new front brakes, new sway bar links, ball joints, and apparently the ABS sensor wires are made of "Angel Hair Pasta" because when I started it back up I had ABS OFF VSC OFF TRACTION OFF like a christmas tree. Lets see how deep this "Project" ends up going before I can drive it again. The "May Have Made a Mistake" title was mostly a joke...we all know we get ourselves into these things...especially with 12 yr old trucks.

 

[p nut]

Ouch. Must be a local purchase? I try to buy from southern states (i.e. AZ, NM), but that's not always possible. I hate dealing with rust. Good luck. I believe Costco sells PB Blaster.......in bulk.

 

[bdp1978]

Ouch. Must be a local purchase? I try to buy from southern states (i.e. AZ, NM), but that's not always possible. I hate dealing with rust. Good luck. I believe Costco sells PB Blaster.......in bulk.

Yeah, it was kind of a spur of the moment purchase. I hate seeing undercarriages of cars out in AZ etc....makes me jealous.

 

[Drewsifer]

I was in the same boat my friend. One gallon of PB and a can of mapp gas after the PB soaked in did the trick. have fun with it and don't let the frustration get the best of you.
-Drew

 

[Sunpilot]

I just got mine this week. Getting ready to some major work, but my undercarriage looks pretty clean. Time will tell, but all in all, it is still a fantastic vehicle, and I love it already!

 

[bdp1978]

I was in the same boat my friend. One gallon of PB and a can of mapp gas after the PB soaked in did the trick. have fun with it and don't let the frustration get the best of you.
-Drew

I read of a few others having the same issues on T4R Org. Its crazy the struts become so fused to the towers over time.

 

[Sunpilot]

I read of a few others having the same issues on T4R Org. Its crazy the struts become so fused to the towers over time.

I should be starting my build early next week...I'll let you know how much difficulty I have. I hope it's not a general vehicle problem, but more a function of where the vehicle spent it's life.

 

[CobaltFire]

Just bought an 04 GX470 with 152k, and I'm getting ready to start digging in. I only hope it's not as painful as yours...

 

[bdp1978]

I should be starting my build early next week...I'll let you know how much difficulty I have. I hope it's not a general vehicle problem, but more a function of where the vehicle spent it's life.

I'm guessing you'll be fine in AZ. It seems to be more an issue with the Northeastern rust 4runners. I'm still soaking the top of the struts and will be back at it tomorrow night. If they still dont come out I'll give serious thought to draining the XREAS system and just cutting out the struts and replacing with normal struts. I only have so much time and patience to deal with rusty bolts etc.

 

[JLee]

I should be starting my build early next week...I'll let you know how much difficulty I have. I hope it's not a general vehicle problem, but more a function of where the vehicle spent it's life.

Yep. Something kept in a desert is going to be gloriously easy to take apart. My first Tacoma was a NH truck and Toyota bought it back because the frame rotted out (1998, bought back in 2008 at 198k). My second one had more miles (1999, bought in 2011 with 260k+ in Arizona) and I removed the shock bolts with a ratchet and no oil.

 

[Sunpilot]

I'm guessing you'll be fine in AZ. It seems to be more an issue with the Northeastern rust 4runners. I'm still soaking the top of the struts and will be back at it tomorrow night. If they still dont come out I'll give serious thought to draining the XREAS system and just cutting out the struts and replacing with normal struts. I only have so much time and patience to deal with rusty bolts etc.

I bought here in AZ, but the truck spent it's entire life in Colorado...still, it looks pretty clean on the bottom end. I'll find out next week!

 

[bdp1978]

LUBE, HEAT, BEAT, REPEAT................ Another hour of beating and finally...........it popped. Same with Drivers side....an hr of heating lubing and beating. All new brakes front and rear are next on the list.




Daystar lift is on.

Lastly for now...can anybody tell me what the little plug type thing by the shifter is for?

 

[Adventurous]

That plug covers up the shift lock override. Nothing to worry about really, unless you find yourself in that situation of course.

 

[bdp1978]

That plug covers up the shift lock override. Nothing to worry about really, unless you find yourself in that situation of course.

Good deal, thanks!

 

[p nut]

I was at an intersection a few years ago, where a lady's 4Runner had come to a stop in the middle of it. 4 men trying to push it without avail, as they were unable to get it out of park. No one knew of the override button, so I went in there and pushed the button, got it in neutral, and we pushed her to safety.