3rd gen 4Runner potential buyer. Advice needed

bkg

Explorer
When you hit the power mode button in the center console, all the windows should go down to prevent them from getting blown out from the surge. This feature often fails, and is often overlooked during a pre-purchase inspection.

Can you elaborate? Never heard of this. /hijack
 

Saint Nick

Active member
Very solid advice.

I wasn’t aware axle seals were that much $$. I think I paid $800 for rear bearings and seals back in 04-05 timeframe while trying to chase a weird him from the axle.

Even here in the UK that's expensive for axle seals :eek: I can get a brand new set of axles and seals for less than that (y)
 

Simons

Adventurer
If the price is good and it isn’t a rust bucket buy it, the rest is just parts as long as you are mechanically inclined enough to do the repairs yourself. I have three of them and love them all. The lower ball joints are not really a “weak” point but are typically overlooked because they’re under tension and don’t make noise or show play like a normal joint so if you don’t know how to check them they’ll eventually fail and fold a wheel under your truck! The jobber stuff doesn’t last so go OEM. Rad’s and steering racks can be swapped with jobber stuff, just go with a separate trans cooler to be sure of no “milkshake”. Wheel bearings and axle seals are easy peasy if you have access to a decent press. Timing belt and water pump, idler pulleys etc if over 150k.... the rest is really just reg maintenance stuff. Have fun!


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Last edited:

devero4

Adventurer
If the price is good and it isn’t a rust bucket buy it, the rest is just parts as long as you are mechanically inclined enough to do the repairs yourself. I have three of them and love them all. The lower ball joints are not really a “weak” point but are typically overlooked because they’re under tension and don’t make noise or show play like a normal joint so if you don’t know how to check them they’ll eventually fail and fold a wheel under your truck! The jobber stuff doesn’t last so go OEM. Rad’s and steering racks can be swapped with jobber stuff, just go with a separate trans cooler to be sure of no “milkshake”. Wheel bearings and axle seals are easy peasy if you have access to a decent press. Timing belt and water pump, idler pulleys etc if over 150k.... the rest is really just reg maintenance stuff. Have fun!


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The lower ball joint will indeed show excessive play with a pry bar between the control arm and joint - while the front end is in the air. Also Denso replacement radiators from Amazon have shown to be jut as good as the originals. A trans cooler is a benefit but is not needed.
 

Simons

Adventurer
The lower ball joint will indeed show excessive play with a pry bar between the control arm and joint - while the front end is in the air. Also Denso replacement radiators from Amazon have shown to be jut as good as the originals. A trans cooler is a benefit but is not needed.

....yes, I totally agree you can check it like that if you are supporting the weight of the vehicle from the lower control arm, like with a floor jack and not letting the control arm just hang as when raised on a hoist. I also agree that there’s no worries running jobber rads, I have used them successfully in all three of my own 3rd gen’s.... running a separate trans cooler is merely an easy way to avoid any possibility of the dreaded “milkshake” if it’s a worry.


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devero4

Adventurer
....yes, I totally agree you can check it like that if you are supporting the weight of the vehicle from the lower control arm, like with a floor jack and not letting the control arm just hang as when raised on a hoist. I also agree that there’s no worries running jobber rads, I have used them successfully in all three of my own 3rd gen’s.... running a separate trans cooler is merely an easy way to avoid any possibility of the dreaded “milkshake” if it’s a worry.


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No you are still incorrect - On a hoist is the best possible way to inspect them, as stated, with a pry bar between the ball joint bolts and control arm. If jacked up on control arm you are loading the suspension and will not see play
 

Simons

Adventurer
No you are still incorrect - On a hoist is the best possible way to inspect them, as stated, with a pry bar between the ball joint bolts and control arm. If jacked up on control arm you are loading the suspension and will not see play

...loading the suspension yes, but unloading the lower balljoint at the same time. Give it a try, I double dog dare ya...

If you’ve got access to a ramp hoist with a pneumatic centre jack, lift the front end with the centre jack arms stretched as far under the front control arms as you can get ‘em. If not a floor jack does the job. Then slip a pry bar between the deck of the ramp hoist and the bottom of the tire, lift and you’ll see. If there’s any play at all you’ll be able to lift the tire/knuckle/upper control arm up and down in the ball joint socket.
If left just hanging with the suspension stretched out. The front coil over will be stretching the lower control arm away, the upper control arm will be restricting the knuckle assembly from drooping effectively pulling the ball joint apart in tension, sooo in most situations (unless maybe if it’s severely fawked) you’ll have a hard time seeing any play in that lower BJ.
A lot of worn out tension style ball joints go undetected because of this. That’s why you see those horrific photos of wheels folded under Teeyoters, and Honder Civics...



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