Hey guys Im new here just picked up my 1979 toyota 4x4 My names Braeden, Im 18 and started with a 2003 Dodge ram - auto to a 2004 Subaru wrx - manual awd To my "new" 1979 toyota 20R Having issues. I live in whistler. aka lots of snow and last years 2010 olympics I barley made it up a hill today. It was just a road with some snow on it. I was in 2wd, and in 1st gear but had issues. Then i got stuck in a court. The tires kept spinning so i put it in H4 and it barley worked. I kept stalling trying to reverse. After about 10 minutes i got out. I got stuck again and kept spinning on ice. My biggest concern is that i couldnt get the car in any other gears then H4 How do i use H2/L4 and when would i use these gears?
So i just talked to the dude who i bought the truck off he told me that theres locking hubs on the front wheels so i cleared that issue up. By the way i use forums alot! So il be kicking it here for a while.. So another issue i forgot about is my TACH and SPEEDO dont work. I dont need them but i would like the Tach so that i can get a feel for the truck easier. and beable to save gas. As for the speedo He told me when they rebuilt the engine/tranny something fell off that holds the speedo.
the speedo cable is a square shaft that spins and is attatched to the trans by a cap(like coke bottle top) that threads onto trans.. look for that and see that it's on there or that the square shaft is there and in the square hole. otherwise check the back of your gauges to see if it's attatched there. as for the tach.. not sure, but there is an empty test plug that you can plug a multi-meter in under the hood by the coil to check RPM.. so if you can't diag. it you can get by with an aftermarket one easily without cutting into wires.. my tach doesn't like the cold sometimes, and i haven't bothered trying to figure out why. but the speedo is mechanical trans to gauge, should be easy to see why it doesn't work on one of the ends. manual locking hubs.. yea, gotta get out and engage them.. but they are solid, so don't try to get through any puddles your unsure about without engaging them.. lol or you'll be getting wet to go into 4wd. and don't leave them engaged driving around highway, 2wd or for long periods of time of course. the high low should be all in the shifter, goes from H2 down to H4 then go over to your right and push up into L4.. Low 4 is how you tackle stuff.. lol, it's like going from stock gear ratio to that of a big rig, so it multiplies your torque i believe, go mall crawling and try it out.. find a good size curb and try to go up it in H2, then H4, and then L4 and feel the difference, H4 is the same gearing as 2wd but with the front axle getting power, L4 is the fun torque stuff where you can "crawl" up it, or if your trying to move something your truck probably shouldn't, L4.. or that icy hill.. or rock garden, or mud puddle, or enemies car.. so.. go play with it you won't go blind.
Wicked thanks alot man. An issue that poped up last night is that i was at a stop light. clicked the truck into h4 and it just turned off. The truck wouldnt start again. I got a boost and had to ride the clutch the whole way home. It wouldnt idle unless i was on the gas. None of the dash lights were turning on. Today it wont even try to turn on it just clicks really loud. Im assuming its the alternator? The guy i got the truck off says the battery was replaced a month ago, but assuming it is the alt. Wouldnt that mean the truck has been running off the battery without being recharged causing it to drain?
Apparently the truck has a 2'' lift He claims it will fit 35''s but i dont believe so. What do you guys think? 33''s?
if it's an alterntor/charging issue.... dont waste time/money/effort on toyota alternator, switch to GM 1 or 3 wire. i had a charging issue on my 82 4x4, and chased it around forever, a few alternators, batteries, grounds, terminals, looked through wiring harness.. and eventually went GM 106 amps, simple effective.. just my 2 cents.. you could fit 35"s but might not be able to flex and could rub like a sunovabiatch.. the front leafs sag quite a bit now that they are 30ish years old and are usually flat or slightly backwards, so anything above that gives you an idea on how much your lifted in the front.
I just drove it over to the local shop so hopefully monday i will know whats wrong. I had to boost it and my headlights worked. Problem was i had them on high beams and they were suuuper dim. No other lights worked not my brakes or reverse. The hibeam light came up on the dash but nothing else. Im not sure what happened if i was in 4x4 but i was driving down the road and it started shaking really bad. i fiddled around with the 4wd knob but it would only move a little and didnt do anything. as for the gm alternator. What needs to be done different then installing a toyota one?
i've read that you can go to 35's, but with stock gears it drags the motor down. people recommend swapping gears after you go bigger then 33 (assuming your's are factory ratio)
my 32s rub when the front is flexed out and its got a 3" lift. 4.88s with 32 or 33" tires will let you use 5th gear nicely and your speedo when you get that figured will read correct
I have a 4 speed not 5speed. As for the alternator i broughtthe truck to the shop to let them deal with it. And they told me there was nothing wrong with the alternator or battery, all my main fuzes were fried! I guess my battery ran out the other day and it turned off and then when i got a boost the person hooked it up wrong. So thats all fixed, I got an oil change and an over all tune up they said trucks in MINT condition they couldnt believe its 79. and a 79 in canada. Then i told them its from arizona. One issue im having is my deck doesnt work... Doesnt even turn on. The guy who had the truck before me did a goon job installing the deck and used a piece of sheet metal for the deck trim, biggest issue is he used metal rivets to hold it in!
oooh.. arizona/west coast toyotas... i didn't realize when i got rid of my 82 (from LA) how rare a mint yota was in other parts of the continent.. been fighting rust on every one since. here is what i did for my 2wd dash.. this one is a replacement one made cutting/welding spare street signs..(don't breath the vapors) installed but you could also make one that is just the face piece(to fit inside stock plastic piece) by cutting out a template and making a few tabs on the piece of metal and then cut a few slots in the dash to hold one side(passenger side) and then a screw on the side by steering wheel where there is one already.. by cig. lighter. and just cut out square holes around a/c and catch bin.. and if you cut a sideways H as the hold for the radio, when you fold the two halfs back it makes a good mount for radio holder. but you do have to cut a piece of your dash to center the radio.. that's how i did my first truck with diamond plate, and then did the same thing on other side of dash to match.. sorry no pics of it.. it was before the digital revolution. don't know if that makes sense, that whole pic is worth a 1000 words and that was like 100.....
the installed picture is very miniture How brutal are these badboys on gas? Im planing on painted this guy flat grey come spring time All grey and then the accents like my bumper,rims etc flat black
oh yeah also my cigartette lighter thing isnt working the plug. I was going to use my gps as a spedometer but it wont friggin work! My dome light doesnt work so today i bought a 3 led push button light. I would like to config some type of cente console. I guess outta mdf But i want it to look nice. not box shaped. Also my dash lights are super dim so i will probally rip that badboy apart
i made the installed one as a clickable one, it should blow up.. didn't wanna jack thread so just made the pic of piece big. cig. lighters are simple and pretty universal in fuse/light bulb section, the contact on one of my dimmers was worn out or coroded or something and i sanded the contacts and helped i would check fuses if none of that stuff works.. unless the shop already did with the not charging thing.. there is a fuse panel under the dash that has interior and crap in it. i would start there. oh.. i just clicked on it.. it is miniature.. ha ha
So today first time using H4 with the hubs locked. Somethingin the front end is making a brutal shaking and clicking noise Sounds like theres some rubbing going on in the gears? Anyone experienced this?
