Java's 03 4Runner

Hungary Bill wrote: Hey! I used to live on Banks lake, and my first ever 4-wheeling trip in the mountains was around that train tunnel! I really need to get my truck out with you guys this year

Yeah you do! Summer is just around the corner now too....

Banks if fun, nice spot for the boat, always warm. But the rattle snakes were brutal last year. I have never seen so many. And mosquitoes....

java230 wrote:

The guy with the Lexus and the blown axle is an old friend of mine - I've known him since kindergarten!

I helped him a bit with a new roof rack he's building. I pointed him to your thread before I knew that you two were acquainted, and he immediately recognized you and your rig. Glad to see his bad axle day could be shared here for all.

In reply to Mezzanine:

That's hilarious! Small world. Shaun is a great guy. Had a long day that day though I think.

java230 wrote:

Hungary Bill wrote: Hey! I used to live on Banks lake, and my first ever 4-wheeling trip in the mountains was around that train tunnel! I really need to get my truck out with you guys this year

Yeah you do! Summer is just around the corner now too.... Banks if fun, nice spot for the boat, always warm. But the rattle snakes were brutal last year. I have never seen so many. And mosquitoes....

I've got a spindle bushing that needs some grease and then I'm on it I've just gotta stop touching the Alfa long enough to fix something on the truck (it's a constant battle)

Man, a day like today would be perfect for an outing...

In reply to Hungary Bill:

Yep, always something. And Man is it nice!

OK I dug into this lat night. I have been wanting projector headlights, but OE ones have not been fourth coming on my local CL. Dusterbd13 mentioned The Retrofit source was having a clearance on some projectors, so I snapped up a set, and found some used non projector headlights to use.

For some reason I decided to start this after 8 last night, supposedly takes 4 hours to do... I was bored and it was indoor work.

The new headlights I got were a little yellowed across the top, a little rubbing compound and the trusty HF buffer and it looks a lot better. May need some clear on it.

Step 2, stick it in the oven. 250 for 8 mins in my case. Dont touch the metal bits when it comes out. Get all needed parts. Projector, shroud etc. Wear gloves, much easier than trying to get every little finger print off the chrome bezel. There will still be some.

Pry, curse, drop it because its 250 degrees until the lens is separated from the housing. In my case I needed to pull the lens straight out, there is a bit of trim attached to the inside of it, that catches and breaks if you dont....

Next remove the little covererator for the end of the halogen bulb. Wiggle tear whatever.

Then projector goes in the bulb hole, carefully threading the high beam wires through. And tightening the nut on the back.

Bulb holder is then attached, definitely adds some rigidity also.

Shroud clips on the front.

Back in the oven to re melt the glue and press back together. remember it comes out hot...

Repeat for second side, you know since its late and the first one went well.... Break the second one, fight it all back together and...

broken tabs....

A little 5 min epoxy and wa la!

Now to install if it stops raining and see if I got the projectors remotely straight....

Cool! I'll be curious to hear how much the whole setup cost you. I paid $350 for a ready to install pair from another forum member.

In reply to Petrolburner:

Headlights were $75, just because i wanted an extra set if I berk'ed up, and didn't want to deal with no lights in my DD. Projectors, new bulbs, and shrouds were $78 including shipping.

Damn. So under half what I paid? Ballasts too?

In reply to Petrolburner:

No I had ballasts, they were ~$25 for the pair on amazon for 55W.

That moment you turn on the headlights to compare the old vs the new..... BERK.

At least the cutoff will be awesome when you're on your roof.

In reply to MINIzguy:

Its true! I baked and flipped them both last night.....

LOL

In reply to Petrolburner:

Was not even slightly funny at the time. But I figured you guys would appreciate it.... A few beers and some time whit the oven and headlights and they are back together. There is no "top" markings on them.... I figured shields went on the top, guess I figured wrong.

Not a great pic as its an angled wall, and im aiming uphill, but whatever. Cutoff is GREAT, the projectors need to be tweaked a little to get them perfectly flat, but that should be easy. Drove past a friend of mine and he said they weren't blinding. Cutoff is right at the trunk line on most "standard" sized cars in traffic.

My brakes have been pulsing for awhile now, so new Centric rotors (on recommendation from you guys!) were ordered, and I got Hawk SD truck pads to try.

Looks like my old pads had just left deposits on the rotors.

Followed Hawk's break in procedure, and parked it back in my driveway as smoke poured out of my front wheel wells.... They got hot.

And apparently this is what you get when you let a shop change your axle because you dont have time to do it. Gorilla drove a screw driver through my dust cap instead of tapping it off..... Should I go back and bitch?

I like the look. Those are HID bulbs, not LED right? Does anything seal the backside of the housing near the bulb? In the pictures it appears as though there are gaps that would allow water/dust inside the housing.

TGMF wrote: I like the look. Those are HID bulbs, not LED right? Does anything seal the backside of the housing near the bulb? In the pictures it appears as though there are gaps that would allow water/dust inside the housing.

Yes HID bulbs, the ballasts are 55W a piece giving a poop load of light. Its awesome.

I too am a bit concerned about the sealing on the back. It looks worse than it is, but I can see light with the bulbs on, just a bit around the bulb holder. The projector is the same diameter as the 9006 bulb hole, so that is reasonably well sealed, and it has a big silicone washer as well. But the bulb is press fit in with a spring clip, there is a little slop there. We will see how it does, I only have a couple days of rain on them so far, but they will get punished with dist and mud this summer. I was thinking about seating the bulbs in a little RTV, that should be all that's needed.

I want to do this setup on my cars as well, since I live out in the country and its very dark on the back roads. Is the end of the bulb , and the high voltage wire exposed all the time? Having a exposed components seems like a corrosion and possible shock risk. Do they market some type of customizable cover?

berkeley yeah make them put on a new dust cover. If you destroy it during disassembly, fine, but don't put the mangled one back on.

In reply to TGMF:

It is somewhat covered, but its inside the headlight housing. I don't see there being a shock risk, no voltage when turned off. Same with corrosion, unless you have really leaky headlights, but even then, they get very hot and would burn off any moisture easily.

Here you can see the "cover" on the wire. I think anything else will block some output.

And I would highly recommend it, SO much better light than the stock headlights. What type of car? They are making kits that are more or less plug and play for a lot of cars now.

Petrolburner wrote: berkeley yeah make them put on a new dust cover. If you destroy it during disassembly, fine, but don't put the mangled one back on.

It was 6+ months ago at this point.... I may stop by today after work and see what they say.

Was working on getting my trans cooler installed yesterday. Found the unfortunate pink fuzz....

Looks like my radiator has a little leak.... Was only a pint or so low.

And got the brakes good and hot, they definitely grab better than the old ones.

Opinions on using Toyota dexron 4, vs any other dexron 4? Would it be ok to use synthetic dexron 6?

Trans cooler mounted.

Plumbed.

And engine shrouds back on.