2003 Toxic Tacoma

[ToxicGumbo]

After running a Prestone flush and water for a bit, I was able to replace the radiator this past Saturday. So only a couple days of FreeEMS off the road here in sunny Kansas.

In recent days, I was also able to consolidate a lot of my FreeEMS notes, photos, logs, etc. That's a good feeling since they were scattered across 4 machines, several VMs, a couple remote accounts, and a cloud share.

With a few spare moments at work, I've been auditing a couple aging FreeEMS apps, but this is to practice how I might go about working with Git and perform upkeep in general. It's opened my eyes up as to how painful loosely-organized works can be for the end user and how that can be improved upon by a little bit more thought.


-Jeff

[ToxicGumbo]

Spent a couple hours this past Sunday and another hour spread over the week to install an assembled rear locker that's been collecting dust. I was crunched for time, ended up destroying the first Toyota paper gasket and ripped up the second somewhat, but it's compressed and holding fluid under load (Toyota's gaskets are crap and poorly-sized for the bolt pattern and diff fitment). Worst case, I'll pop the diff a half inch after 500mi, pull the gasket, and RTV it. Also threw in new oil seals, o-rings, and bled the brakes.

Once all that was done, I switched vehicles over lunch and hurried back in to the job, making my maiden voyage a do-or-die situation across town. Everything's working as expected. Took two years and two winters to reach this point and I'm thankful it's done.


-Jeff

[Fred]

What type of locker is it, Jeff? And where's the YT of it doing donuts in a corn field using the locking functionality/proving it really works? :-D I expect that'll be the first thing insiders see once my G80 goes into the 740 or 240.

[ToxicGumbo]

An "Aussie Locker" lunchbox locker with Nitro 4.88 ring & pinion.

[Fred]

https://www.torqmasters.com/how_it_works

So basically the outside wheel is free running around corners on the road?

What's it like to drive around sedately on? Much noise or scrubbing or anything? Works as described?

[ToxicGumbo]

Right on the money, sir.

Driving in a straight line, perfectly fine. Make a sharp turn and it sounds like the gears are soiling themselves (lots of clanking akin to dropping a tray of forks and spoons down stairs). Seems good so far--it definitely handles the bigger tires well and the vehicle isn't as sluggish. I haven't tested the locking of it yet, but confirmed that the halfshafts are engaged as I was reassembling the axle.

I've never built one of the before nor measured tolerances in this manner, so there's still room for error as it picks up miles and heat, but I know I did everything by the book as best as possible with cheap Chinese tools.


-Jeff

[Fred]

So in a more subtle turn, or turning sharply, but very slowly, what do you hear?

My experience with my MIG-special spool was that at 60+kph/35+mph it would sort of sort itself out due to the opportunity for minor slippage to correct the tensions in play. However in your case I expect that the same scenario would yield intermittent single step dog unengage/engage that you'd be unlikely to notice.

Yes, I imagine the gear ratio change would be highly beneficial :-)

To test locking, find grass, put one rear wheel on grass, accelerate. If no trench left and acceleration good, win. If trench left/acceleration poor/you get stuck, fail. :-)

Good luck with your backlash setting attempt! I'm sure it'll be fine :-)

Fred.

[ToxicGumbo]

So in a more subtle turn, or turning sharply, but very slowly, what do you hear?

I made some recordings, but essentially it sounds like horse shoes clomping on pavement.

On a very slow turn: Nothing.

On a slow turn at a 4-way intersection or into a parking lot (university): Clomp...clomp....clomp

On a turn at a busy intersection: clomp clomp clomp clomp clomp

As I've drive around more, it's a noisy bastard that sounds like the truck has some serious issues. That's initially causing some timidness in the way I drive, mostly because of noises and vibration I got used to hearing from front tire rub.

My experience with my MIG-special spool was that at 60+kph/35+mph it would sort of sort itself out due to the opportunity for minor slippage to correct the tensions in play. However in your case I expect that the same scenario would yield intermittent single step dog unengage/engage that you'd be unlikely to notice.

I like your arrangement. I've heard that purchased spools can cause some serious issues with axleshaft splines, but a GOOD weld (a real commitment) is foolproof.

To test locking, find grass, put one rear wheel on grass, accelerate. If no trench left and acceleration good, win. If trench left/acceleration poor/you get stuck, fail.

Will do. Despite the open diff, I took some highly-questionable risks in rural pockets of this town with middle-of-nowhere crawling and only one way out. It'll be nice to see how this bugger handles itself.

Good luck with your backlash setting attempt! I'm sure it'll be fine

Thanks. I put many lunchbreaks into getting that and the tooth pattern as exact as possible. Probably should upload my video clips and photos at some point.


-Jeff

[Fred]

Re slow, very slow, urgent, I hear embedded in that more and more throttle. Do you know if a trailing throttle with the same speed turn will yield the same noises? I suspect very slow could be quiet for two reasons: 1) Single dog unengage/engage at a sedate pace doesn't make an impact noise? 2) no or almost no throttle means less force on the dogs to stay engaged?

The key to offroading 2wd, which remains true, is speed. Having more traction allows you to use less speed. Having huge knobbly tyres would allow you to use less speed than smaller smoother tyres, for example.

Now all you're missing is a transfer case, and a front axle, and so forth :-D

[ToxicGumbo]

It's hard to get predictable results with the locker and I mean that genuinely. For instance, it seems to kick in at times even when backing down the driveway, but then remains silent during turns that almost demand engaging.

I do have an R150F sitting in my garage, open to the elements. The trans shifter's in my basement for some reason. To mate up, it requires a very specific bellhousing which I also have, as well as a slave cylinder, hydraulic lines, clutch, flywheel, and cover plate. One might ask why I have installed it yet. Well, what I don't have is a transmission crossmember to mount it to, nor the shock mount, nor a custom driveshaft. Otherwise I'd love to install it. Really could use a rebuild though. And the previous owner took out the mechanical speed sensor and sort of jammed an electric one in there.

For reference:

• http://www.trail-gear.com/product/4900/rock-defense-tacoma-t-case-crossmember (single)
• http://www.4xinnovations.com/Tacoma-Transmission-Mount_p_86.html
• https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/how-to-reg-cab-rear-driveshaft-flip.191798
• http://www.driveshaftsuperstore.com/CUSTOM_Toyota_drive_shafts.htm

The key to offroading 2wd, which remains true, is speed.