I've been on yotatech for a few years now and have learned a hell of a lot since I got here. Lately I've also been going over to the Pirate 4x4 forums in hopes to gain more knowledge on more advanced projects. The problem is that it seems everyone on that board already knows what they are talking about and all the lingo so its very hard for others with less knowledge to understand. Does anyone know of a website or really good book that could help me catch up and actually be able to learn more? Not everyone has been raised in an auto mechanic/engineering setting. Plus, I'm in college and bored as hell... might as well learn something I like.

 

Not really, I find there is a bit of a gap between Yotatech and Pirate. Plenty of people here are members of both, like myself, and know what you mean. Yotatech is a safe place to just ask those kind of questions if you can't find or figure out the lingo. I do not visit the chat room so much anymore, but thats a great place to learn the inbetween stuff because of the more fluid dialouge.
Personally I do not beleive web forums can take the place of hanging out in a garage. I spent a few years as a web wheeler and untill I really put my time in holding the wrench in a garage.
The Factory Service Manual is a great place start reading - litterally everything you need to know is in there. Regular Chiltins and Haynes are fun to read cover to cover a few times.

 

I have some general 4x4 information on my web page:
- http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/index.shtml#Introduction

 

Thanks guys

phorunninduke - I definitly agree with you that spending time in the garage is most valuable, but I'm looking for info that you cant find by just fooling around under your truck or in a service manual. I'm looking, for example, on info for desigining a 4 link suspension, working with tubes, and different techniques of welding.

4Crawler - Your website has been a help to me in the past. I will definitly be reading over it again.

 

Most of Pirate's forums have a "READ THIS NOW NEWBIE" thread, or a general FAQ. When I first had my 85' Runner, I knew Pirate was the place to be, so I just indulged in their general Toyota section and learned TONS. Most of the things in the Toy section there aren't that hard to understand, and have lots of pictures, some with measurements, and or links to more information. It helped alot to have an older rig right outside to go and look/wrench on for refence after reading. Good luck.

 

Thanks Stump... I found an awesome posting on Pirate http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showt...8&page=1&pp=25

 

Yup that was the page I was talking about. You'll almost never run out of material to read there. I was about to head off to class when I was posting so I didn't have time to link it though. But now others can make their way onto that page and start learning the basic of what Pirate has to offer.

Although first and foremost

 

www.4x4abc.com - try this website and read the entire thing, all the seperate pages. You'll learn a lot about how diffs work and things like that.

 

I've been doing a lot of reading and 4x4wire has some good just basic DIY pages and things like that to help you learn.

If you just figure out something specific that you wanna learn about search for it, usually there will be TONS of knowledge on just one topic if you use the search function.

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