Done

Well thats enough of this. When I first heard we were doing blogs for class I was, for lack of better words, pissed. I did not want to do this at all. But after a couple of posts I felt a little more comfortable with it and I wasn't, as pissed. I have learned from this though, some things about my rig, but nothing I couldn't have learned more efficiently than reading forums and fixing my own truck. So will I continue to blog? NOPE, see ya later.

Parts Conspiracy

OK so it is not really a conspiracy because the companies are not doing anything illegal, but they are stealing our money. Any of you auto mechanics out there know most of the places to get parts for a decent price. Places like Advance Autoparts, Autozone, or Napa. All of these places do offer a great variety of parts for almost every vehicle, but there is a catch. Most of the parts are rebuilt and the ones that aren't are not built that well. Whenever they have a core charge on an item and you have to return the bad part to get the money, someday you could see that same part again. For example, brake drums; you buy some "new" ones from Advance Autoparts and slap them on. Then you return your old ones and get some money back. Now those old parts get shipped out companies that only rebuild core parts. Which means they could even get outsourced again to some other company. What I am getting at is do you think that the average Joe trying to make his quota cares about safety when rebuilding these. Some might get less treatment than others and that one part could be dangerous if it fails.
I have actually had this happen to me. My clutch master cylinder went bad and needed replacement. So I went to the closest parts store and purchased a rebuilt one, put it on, and thought everything was all better. The following day driving on the highway, my newly purchased master cylinder blew out resulting in a near accident. So what if this was my brake cylinder? I think that it could have been a lot worse.
So what do you do? I would suggest buying those special parts straight from the dealership. This means that they are more dependable and they will last much longer. Sure they are a bit more expensive but is your safety worth it? Smaller parts that are almost meant to be rebuilt such as alternators, are just right to buy from these other companies.

Toyota 8" Axle

The Toyota 8" axle is one that is famous not for its strength, but for its easy fix capabilities. Do not get me wrong though they are not a weak axle, with some upgrades you can make the front just as strong as a Dana 44(Chevy/CM axle). The stock front is notorious for having one weak point due to the fact that the front uses birfields at the knuckles instead of u-joints. The purpose for both of these is so that the front tires can turn. If you had an axle that was completely solid and straight, the only way you could go would be straight; but with joints it can change angles at the knuckles. Even this can be fixed though by getting the birfields replaced with u-joints like most other trucks use. The great thing about these axles is that any 8" third member whether from the front or rear will bolt up to any 8" axle. A third member is in the part of the axle that looks like a pumpkin; hence, it is called the pumpkin. It contains the gears that distribute the power from the drive-shaft to the tires. If you destroy your gears it is a very simple fix. Take any third member, say a v6 one from a 94, and it will bolt up to any front or rear 8" axle. This makes it very easy to replace entire housings and not have to worry about troubleshooting.
One thing that gets to a lot of Toyota fans is the fact that they stopped producing the Toyota 8" front axle after 1985. All of the 1986 and later models were converted to independent front suspension for better highway ride quality. This makes it a little bit more difficult to find the 1985 and earlier axle. So there is an abundance of third members and a lack of axles. This would make one think that they would be a more expensive axle; well they aren’t. They cost about 200-300 depending on the shape of the parts. So if you ever get a hold of a Toyota 8" front axle, keep it, do not sell it, you could get more out of it later on.
Another great quality that the Toyota 8" axles have is there high gearing. Having higher, which is bigger, gearing, makes it so that your engine doesn’t have to work as hard per tire rotation. So you can climb steeper angles with less effort. For most stock axles you will find a gearing of around 3:54:1. For stock Toyota axles you will normally find 4:10:1, which is a lot better. The V6 models even sometimes have 4:88:1 stock which is exceptional for off-roading. So overall this axle is tough, simple, and very easily maintainable. It is the right strength for the size vehicles that get ran on it and is definitely affordable. Would I say that Toyota did a good job on this axle? Yes they did a great job, but there are always things that can be better.

Help Me Choose My Next Big Step

So since I am underway with project rejuvenation, wich is simply doing more repairing and a lot less breaking, I have to start thinking about my next step toward earning it the name Toyzilla. I vowed that when my truck was big enough that I would name it Toyzilla and get a huge decal for my windshield with that on it. I feel that the last mod I need for this is a fresh set of tires. Now I have narrowed it down to the size and a couple of different tires but I wanted some input on what you think? Now for all of the choices I was going to get 38-39inch tall tire.

First is the Pitbull Rocker. The one word I would use to descripe this tire would be "monsterous." This is the ideal tire for rock crawling and mud slinging. It has a tough sidewall and unique tread pattern that is supposed to do amazing things offroad. Also, the price is relatively cheap for this quality tire. Sure like all great things there is a downfall though; there street ride is pretty bad and this would committ my truck to the trails and that is it. Which I don't really have a problem doing.

Next up is the TSL Super Swamper SX. Like the Pitbull tire this is an excelent offroad tire. It is a classic tire that has been around for a whyle now and has been axcelling ever since it was introduced. The price is midranged, and the road quality is sadly worse than the Pitbull's.

Lastly I chose the Michelin XZL. This is a military tire and of coarse it performs well, off the road. On the road they wear pretty quick. They are very puncture resistant and are the cheapest tire out of the three by far.

So those of you who read this comment on wich ones you like best and maybe that will help me in my decision.

Square Drive Shaft?

The driveshaft is and essential parts to making a vehicle move. Once the power moves from the engine to the transmission, it has to get to the axles. This is where the driveshaft comes in, usually it is a long cylinder made of metal that is balanced so that it can spin at high rates without wobbling. Notice I said usually; since I have done my solid axle swap with a Chevy Dana 44 instead of a Toyota axle, I can not go out and buy a stock Toyota driveshaft. This means that I am down a front driveshaft until I can get a custom one done. Tom Woods is the leading drive shaft specialist right now and I was quoted around $350 from them. After doing some research for cheaper alternatives I found that they can be made fairly easily. The supplies needed are five feet of 2.5" square tubing that is 1/4" thick; three feet of 2" square tubing that is 1/4" thick; U-joint attachment from a 1979 Chevy 1/2 ton; a CV joint from an 85 Toyota pickup/4runner. After all of this is collected the process is pretty simple. Measure from the flange to the u-bolts on the axle; subtract the CV, and u-joint length. Then make sure there is about 3-4" of compression room and 10-12 inches of slip. This is because when off road the suspension will flex up and down, which means the driveshaft has to be able to get longer, and shorter. After cutting the tubing, weld the U-joint attachment to the 2" tubing and the CV joint to the 2.5" tubing. Then you simply slide the smaller tubing into the larger tubing and bolt it up. Once this is all done you’ve got a cheaper, yet stronger driveshaft that will take whatever you can throw at it.
That is why I am going to be building one. There are many benefits and it will probably cost me around $100-150 to make. Hopefully I will have it done before the end of the class and I can post up the final product.

Whats next

Ok, since offroading is such a big topic and there are thousands of things to put on here for things that I already know, what I am going to do is present a list of subtopics that I feel I am adequately familiar with to the point that I feel I would get more out of learning about something else.
· Toyota makes and models-that is in what years did this model come out, or even particular parts.
· Suspension
· Basic maintenance
· Axles
· Drive train
· Tires
· Wheels
· Gear sizes
· Safety
· Mud-what to do and what not to do when traversing mud pits.
· Sand-the smart way to navigate beaches and deeper sand.
· Recovery-smart and safe ways to recover vehicles.
· Trail riding-navigation of basic off-road trails
· Customization
· Body work
· Water Crossings

There is still a plethora of information out there that I can and will access. Some of the major things that I would like to more about is, rock crawling, snow wheeling, setting ring and pinions, engine work, and troubleshooting. The places that I can get this information are all easily accessible, and I do it every day. Websites such as pavementsucks.com, pirate4x4.com, and yotatech.com have information for every subject that I could want, and them some.

Is This Art?

What is art? Does it have to be a painting? Does it have to be a sculpture? I'm sure that everyone realizes there is a lot more to art than just creating images on paper, or out of stone. To me art is taking something that you imagine and bring it to life so that others can share it with you. So, would you classify off road enthusiasts as artists? I most certainly would. When you can take a stock truck, imagine its potential, and then bring it to life; that is art.

There are many trucks out there that are big, sure, but it’s not until you start to incorporate your own ideas and custom work that it becomes art. For example, the truck you see below is big, clean, and looks well built. The only thing is that all of these modifications are all bought from companies, and anyone can get them. There are little to no original ideas.

Now the next truck is a creation from someone who looked at his truck as if it were a canvas. He incorporated his own ideas with a custom paint job, custom exocage, custom lights, and numerous other things. You can definitely tell by looking at it that there is no other truck out there like it. And the best part is that everything on the truck except for the paint, has a purpose. The lights are for better vision at night. The winch is for getting yourself or others unstuck. The steel cage around it is so that when there is a rollover, the truck remains intact. The big tires on this truck are for traction and axle clearance, while on the other truck they are purely aesthetic.

That is the difference between being an artist, or just having a big truck. Artists take what they have and add some metal tubing here and there to create these insane concoctions that perform great and in my opinion, look bad ass.

Improving Gas Mileage: Very Cool Stuff.

Whyle I was searching on my favorite website, http://www.yotatech.com/, which is where I get most of my information about toyota trucks; I came across a very interesting find. There has been a lot of discussion about converting trucks to run not only on air, but also on hydrogen, and increasing your fuel economy by around 40% in doing so. At first I too was throwing the B.S. flag on this, untill I did a little more research. First off this is what I found about a man named Stan Meyer. Stan Meyer is the inventor of hydrogen fuel cells. There are more details on him in the link above but simply put the research was ceased because the government stated that his invention was fraudulant. That was in 1996, throughout the years there has been lots of commotion on this subject. Turns out now that people are doing it themselves like this man.



He has converted two of his vehicles to hybrid vehicles with this fuel cell design, and he makes it seem easy. His jeep wrangler's fuel economy increased by 40%, and that is a huge accomplishment.

Now it defenitely is not easy to do, but the concept really is not that complicated. Very simply put, first you take water (H2O) and run an electrical current through it. This separates the molecules and turnes it into HHO which is a gas. This gas is then injected into the intake where it is mixed with regular oxygen, and burned with the gasoline. HHO alows the oxygen to ignite quicker and easier thus increasing your fuel economy. One thought on why this won't work effectively is the fact that you need excess energyto separate the H2O molecules. I feel that with the alternator turning all the time anyways that you will not be burning off enough energy to negate the energy that you put into your engine.

Currently I am following a forum where someone is attempting this and recording every step of the way. If it is done succesfully, then I will attempt this on my truck, which I am crossing my fingers for.

Who Is Better?

Right now I am doing what I should not be doing and am going to try and compare and contrast the numerous vehicle makes out there, trucks that is. This may not seem like a touchy subject but people have been arguing about this for a while, and I personally have ended up in a fight alongside of a friend because of a dispute about vehicles. Now, obviously since I drive a Toyota, I am a Toyota fan, but I am going to try my best and not hate on the other types.

First up is Ford the company that started it all by inventing the assembly line. Without Henry Ford and his company, where would we be today? Who knows, we could have been set back a few years if it wasn't for this company. The problem is though, that the same legacy that Henry created is not still around. Sure you see the commercials stating better fuel economy and what not, but there are numerous problems with ford trucks. One is that parts only fit certain makes and models. If you need an alternator for a 1995 F150, then you can only get one off of a 1995 F150. This doesn't sound too bad considering there are a lot of them out there, but this makes the prices for parts go up. So besides prices how is the product? Mediocre, they simple are not that good. I have seen time after time ford parts fail more than any other vehicle on and off the trail. They are simply not that dependable of a truck due to this. I would love for Ford to go back to their roots and create a vehicle that is dependable, easy to maintain, and cheap to fix. But until then they are on the bottom of mine, and many others out there’s, lists.

Next up is GM/Chevy. This is Fords big rival company. The shapes of the trucks are similar, large and bulky. This makes for a great mudslinging vehicle if that is what you are in to. But in more ways than one, GM/Chevy has the upper hand. The small block 350 cu in motor; this thing is a beast, it is reliable and parts from substitute vehicles of many different years can be swapped out on to it. This engine is still known as one of the best around, putting out almost 300 hp (wikipeda: the free encyclopedia), which it needs because of its gear ratio. GM/Chevy is also known for their axles, the Dana 44 and Dana 60. These are great axles and I am currently running a Dana 44 under my Toyota right now. Another plus for GM/Chevy but there is something that this company is lacking, design change. They continue to put out these lumbering trucks that have the capability, but are just too big for a good all around off-road vehicle. That is why GM/Chevy is number three on my list of great off-road vehicles.

The Jeep, everyone knows this vehicle as an off-road performer, and it is probably the most popular out there. It is designed for it, coming stock with solid axle setups in the front to this very day. They have been doing this business the longest so it's obvious they should be good at it. With a short wheel-base, it’s great for climbing. Parts can be mix-matched throughout many years, and overall it is a dependable rig, not the most dependable, but dependable. The two things that I do not like about them though is there lack of change in design, it’s pretty much been the same for many years now, and they’re weak axles up front, a Dana 30 just doesn't cut it strength wise. Other than this I would have to give Jeep number one except for one reason, Toyota.

My favorite of all the companies, Toyota has been developing great trucks for a while now. From the old Toyota Land Cruisers to the newer Tacoma, they are known to be "tough." Tough as in, impossible to destroy engines, capable of 300,000 plus miles easily, and flat-out rugged parts. The 22re engine has to be one of the most well developed engines out there. Sure it only puts out around 100 hp being a 4cyl, but for tough offloading vehicles you want high gearing over power any day. By changing the gears in the axles you can put it in 1st low and crawl just about anything. Go here and you will see--->TOYOTA CLIMBS ROCK WALL. The downside of the Toyotas though is the fender rust problem, and the Independent Front Suspension that is now on all of the vehicles. This provides a much better highway and road ride, but limits the off=road capabilities. So you do what I did and get rid of it, put an older solid axle under it and you will have one heck of a machine. From the generations to generations parts are easy to acquire because you have a 5-10 year spread that you can get them from, and this means almost any model in those years, if it's a truck/SUV. The models have changed greatly over the years getting rid of any boring models. And let’s face it the 1st generation Toyota is one of the coolest looking trucks out there. Small, versatile, and mean looking. There is not much more I can say about this make besides, it kicks ass.

The Misconception Of "Offroading"

What happens when a truck pulls up next to you that has over sized tires, lift, and possibly other 4x4 accessories? Well for some people, they peer into the window and might expect to see a man classified as a "redneck;" Someone who has a confederate hat on with a fish hook on the brim, chewing sunflower seeds, and blasting out some country music. I would just like to clear it up that this is just another stereotype in today’s society and it isn't always true. For those of us that do consider ourselves off-road enthusiasts, there is nothing worse than being viewed this way when we aren't. There is more to it than driving through some mud holes out in the woods. A lot of us use this hobby as a way to see the outdoors and enjoy it, much like hiking or rafting. We enjoy taking our vehicles to places that they really shouldn't be, and scaling the craziest of obstacles. Also most of the 4x4 clubs we are in are affiliated with organizations that are all about caring for the land, such as Tread Lightly, which means that instead of destroying the land, we actually care about it and would like to see more ORV parks and such open up. With off-roading growing so rapidly right now,

"Currently, there are more than 8 million who tag themselves as off-roadenthusiasts. "

Off-roadreunions: the growth in the off-road industry is proof that America is stillin love with the great outdoors and the vehicles that take them there. by Tim Sramcik

Take note that it is a harmless hobby that inspires ideas and our love for the environment, and not just people driving around with big trucks tearing up land.

Me and my Rig!

Hi, my name is Benjamin Piper, but i go by Ben or Piper. I'm 19 years old and am going to school in order to become a mechanical engineer. I am a pretty outgoing guy once you get to know me and I am told that I can be brutally honest at times. I am a military boy so I have moved around a lot and actually am planning on going into the marines after college. Some of the things that I enjoy doing are working out, offroading, wrestling, MMA, playing guitar, camping, and other outdoor activities, racquetball, and most any sport. I'm a competitive person no matter what I do, but enjoy challenges and learning from mistakes. As far as wheeling experience goes, I have been doing it since before I even got my truck. I used to go out all of the time with my friend and learned the ropes through that. After I got my truck, my life consisted of wheeling on weekends and fixing my rig on weekdays. I have the most experience in either mud or trail riding, but I enjoy trail riding a lot more. I tend to stay away from mud now. Some of the bigger events that I have done are a trip with the J-Ville Jeepers to Uwharrie National Park. I have competed in the Jump and Run Mud Bog in Havelock, NC, and many local off road events in Jacksonville, NC.

Now for my truck. It is a 1986 Toyota 4runner, that I bought at the end of my junior year in high school. I got a great deal on it for 800 bucks and it had about 186,000 miles on it. There is a stock picture of it above, and a present day picture below. Some of my first modifications were a 3" body lift from Performance Accessories. Then I got some 32x11.5 Pro-Comp Mud terrain tires for it on 15x8 American Racing wheels that I grinded and painted myself. Lots of maintenance has been done to it throughout my time as owner. Then I did a two inch suspension lift on it with new leaf springs in the rear, and BJ spacers and Downey T-Bars in the front. Then some 33x12.5 TSL Super Swappers were put on it for a little bit until I sold them because my fuel economy went way down. The carpet has been pulled up and bed liner was put down on the inside. The interior was painted black. Next up came an Aussie locker in the rear which I broke and now it is an open differential for now. I made a custom hand throttle which is a bikes brake lever attached to my shifter and I can use that for my throttle. The biggest project that was done was my solid axle swap. This replaced the entire front suspension for a Dana 44 axle and leaf spring suspension. I am not all satisfied with how this was done so I am going to have to fix that. There are many other little things that I have done but I can not think of all of them. This project is pretty much never ending and have put in around 5,000 dollars right now on the truck. Small price to pay considering how many great memories that I have gotten from it.