All-Pro Off Road Toyota Tacoma
AnswerMan,
I know that Armor Craft has made front skid plates for 2004 Toyota Tacoma trucks. Do they have plans to make front skid plates for 2005+ Tacoma trucks? The OEM skid plates are mostly for aesthetics. I am going to Colorado this summer and would like to give your product a try.
Husker Tacoma
York, NE
Dear Husker, it's nice to hear there are people out there still driving their Toyotas—even if the pedals stick. To answer your question, Armor Craft is no longer making skid plates. They went out of business in 2009.
Try All-Pro Off Road. They make some nice stuff for Toyota trucks.
http://www.allprooffroad.com/
Send us some pics of Colorado when you get there.
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AnswerMan,
I am looking to purchase a rear and front differential for my 1995 Toyota 4Runner. I live in Washington State and am having trouble finding the right one for my car. If anyone is any help feel free to e-mail me with advice or tips. I do not want to get rid of it; I'd rather fix the problem. Had many years with my Toy. Thanks everyone who has any tips for me.
Bre
Yakima, WA
Hi Bre,
I’m glad you’re keeping your Toyota alive. I’m assuming we are dealing with a 4x4 Toyota 4Runner, so my advice to you would be to look for a 2nd Generation axle off a 1990 to 1995 Toyota 4Runner.
If you want to learn more about your vehicles axles, you can read our article titled Toyota Differential Identification. It has useful information on how to decipher your axles based on your VIN#
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DESERT BULL BUMPER
4x4 AnswerMan,
I've been eyeing an Off Road Tech bumper for my 2500 Cummins. I was wondering if you could comment on any change in fuel mileage in the 75K miles you've logged? The bumper looks great but also less aerodynamic than some others on the market. Do you notice this in driving (wind noise) or at the pump?
Darin
Babylon, NY
Hello Darin,
Thanks for your letter. The Desert Bull is long gone from Off-Road.com, but we can assure you that a heavier off-road bumper will increase the weight of your vehicle—hence a slight decrease in MPG. The upside to having a stout off-road bumper is the extra protection and utility. Off-Road Tech makes a nice bumper, but you might also consider looking at Fab Fours if you want aerodynamic. They are burly, will not fail and make your rig look really mean. They can also accommodate a winch.
Check them out at http://www.fabfours.com/
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4x4 AnswerMan,
I have a Chevy K3500...just got it running and went to test drive it...went about 200 feet then the back wheels just locked up and skidded...put it in reverse and re-parked it. I have no idea what may cause this...anyone have a suggestion as to where I need to start to correct this so I can safely drive?
BioRobot
Las Vegas, NV
Wow, sounds like a case of the runs. You don’t want to go too far with this old Chevy until you can identify the problem. Start by checking your emergency brake. Make sure it’s not loaded or engaged. Look at the emergency brake line running under the chassis to make sure it didn’t get caught on something.
Some other areas to check are your rear brakes for any signs of damage.
If you still can’t find anything, then try lifting your truck’s rear end to see if your wheels spin freely. If they don’t you might hav a problem with gears. Crack open the rear diff and take a look. Maybe a bad locker or broken gears?
If that still doesn’t do anything for you, check your tranny and transfer case.
Remember, start with the little stuff first—and then work your way up.
Good luck. Let us know what you find.
Send your 4x4 and Truck questions Attn: 4x4 AnswerMan
to editor@off-road.com
QUADZILLA CRAZY
AnswerMan,
I have 1987 &1989 LT500r I’m redoing I need the motors both done so they’re dependable, I just want basic mods and all the problems they have fixed. I live in Buffalo NY. I would like to send them to Tudors or a comparable machine shop near me. PLEASE HELP
Jay
Buffalo, NY
Hi Jay,
Lucky for you the AnswerMan also rides quads. So you have a Suzuki Quadzilla; heavy mothers, but they sure ride nice and have plenty of grunt. If you just need some basic machining done on your Zuks, then try your local Suzuki dealer. They can at least refer you to a good machine shop in your area if they don’t do any work on these old hens.
If you’re looking for a racing/performance build, then I recommend you contact the guys at Duncan. They build amazing race motors for quads. They also have years of experience working on Quadzillas.
You can learn more about them at http://www.duncanracing.com/
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4x4 AnswerMan,
I have a 1990 full-sized Bronco w/a 351W. My rear brakes kept locking up, so I finally pulled the fuse. The brakes don't lockup anymore, but my anti-lock brake light stays on. I've checked all 4 brakes, replaced the cylinders and shoes, and changed the sensor on the differential, but it's still on... what can I do?
Bri
Boise, ID
The love-hate relationship of ABS and mechanical brakes—it really breaks my heart.
The good news is that you have been able to isolate the problem to a fuse and the ABS. The bad news is that there is a faulty electronic part causing all this havoc. It might be your ABS systems, sensors, or ECU? The only way to diagnose this correctly would be to have your vehicle scanned for error codes. This might give you a better idea of the actual part that is causing the problem.
You can also try asking your local mechanic or brake shop for advice. They’ll know.
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AnswerMan,
I have a 68 Bronco. My 1st restoration. I have a 3 in. body lift. Can I also do a 1 to 1.5 in. suspension lift and keep the same radius arms that are on the Dana 44 that is on there now?
Phil
Mount Juliet, TN
Hi Phil,
Congrats on the Bronco, these are nice 4x4s. As for the suspension lift, if you’re going to stay under 2 inches on the lift you should be fine with the factory radius arms. If you feel like it just doesn’t work for you after finishing the lift, you can always add drop down brackets for the radius arms from James Duff. These guys really know their early Broncos.
Feel free to call them before you start your suspension lift to get some ideas. Let them know what you plan to use your Bronco for (e.g. trails, mud, rock crawling, etc.) The crew ad James Duff will set you up with the right kit for you.
http://www.jamesduff.com/
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AnswerMan,
I am looking for torque specs for a 1970 IH 392. Does anyone have these or know where I can attain them? Thank you.
Terry
Saint Johns, MI
Wow, one should be so lucky to own an International Harvester 4x4. If you ever get tired of it send it my way—I’ll take good care of it.
Well Terry, the best way to find torque specs for your IH 392 is by purchasing the repair manual. The folks over at Binder Books have re-prints of these manuals for under $25
Not a bad investment considering what can go wrong if you don’t torque things to spec.
You can find Binder Books' complete list of repair manulas for the IH at www.binderbooks.com
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AnswerMan,
I need to find good references to good parts to make my Rodeo pound dirt. I live in Massachusetts, good 4x4 people nonexistent, find me
Steve
North Shore, MA
Howdy Steve,
Sorry to hear you are lacking a good 4x4 shop in North Shore, MA. Thank goodness for the Internet. Look around Off-Road.com and for Isuzu tech, you can also try getting a thread going on the forum boards or my.off-road.com
There is so much you can do to get your Rodeo to “pound dirt”. It all depends on your budget and what type of off-roading you like to do. For starters, you can add some more aggressive off-road tires and off-road shocks. This should give you a good starting point. Then you can move into lifting if you need to gain clearance.
Some good places to look for parts are 4Wheel Parts and Off Road Warehouse.
Send your 4x4 and Truck questions Attn: 4x4 AnswerMan
to editor@off-road.com
POWER WAGONS ROCK!
AnswerMan,
I own a 1977 dodge powerwagon. The speedometer is in kilometers, so I am assuming the truck is Candian issue. The truck is a w100 full time four-wheel drive. When in two wheels, the steer axle is the drive axle. This truck has factory 440, tilt steering, a/c, cruise control, factory sunroof; factory tach. This truck is a short bed. I like to know what this truck is worth. Can you help me?
-Anonymous
Now why in the heck would you want to get rid of your Power Wagon? I hope the only reason you are trying to get a value on the vehicle is for insurance purposes.
Here’s the deal. The market determines the value of your Power Wagon. The same vehicle might be worth a different amount from state to state, country to country, person to person. A good place to start your search would be the NADA Guides or Kelley Blue Book. You can also do searches in the local Truck Trader or Craigslist to see what they are selling for.
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AnswerMan,
I have a 88 sammi and I’m wanting to put a 2.8 Chevy engine in it and I was just wondering if the 2 wheel drive 5 speed tranny would work with the divorced t-case. If anybody has ever or know of anybody doing this please let me no before I try.
Blake
Cleveland, TN
Hello Blake,
Yes, this might work, but you didn’t give us specifics on what type of transfer case and transmission you are planning on using. It will require some heavy modification to make this work, but it is do-able if you’re ready for the challenge.
Why don’t you just stick your Sami’s engine and do some other hop-ups like larger carb, ignition, header, and intake if you are looking for more HP.
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AnswerMan,
I have a 1979 Bronco that pushes fluid from the fill hole of the power steering pump when steering, Is the problem in the pump or steering box?
Lloyd Smith
Dallas, PA
Hi Loyd,
Love those full size early Broncos, especially the 1979. If your power steering pump isn’t making any funny noises or is difficult to steer, I would say it’s not broken. You might have over filled it; so it’s trying to get the excess fluid out. Check your fluid level and take some out if needed.
Also, make sure the correct cap is being used to assure you are getting a tight seal.
If it’s still pushing fluid out or squealing, it might be ready for a re-build.
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Dear AnswerMan
We have decided to make a mid engine Chevy mud buggy. We would like to turn the engine, transmission, and transfer case around backwards. What will we have to do to the axles? We will be using 3/4-ton axles. It’s under discussion between friends if the axles would turn backwards. Your comments would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Denny McDaniel
Canada
Mid-engine buggy—very nice. To answer your question: yes the axles would turn backwards if you only flipped the engine and trans around.
To get it working correctly, you can either flip your transfer case, or you can try using a V-Drive set-up; similar to the ones used in old monster trucks and drag boats. The V-drive gearing would make your rear driveline spin in the correct direction. I’m assuming that you will be running a divorced transfer case as well?
If you were planning on keeping it simple, then flipping your transfer case would be the best choice.
Give the guys at Marken’s V-Drive a call if you’re interested learning more about the V-drive set up. They are the experts and have experience with off-road trucks.
Visit them at www.menkensvdrives.com
Let us know which route you go. Sounds like an interesting project.
Send your 4x4 and Truck questions Attn: 4x4 AnswerMan
to editor@off-road.com
