..and I discovered that the outer tie-rod ends are indeed shot. As well as the inner tie-rod ends and the pitman arm. Slop slop slop slop slop. I'm pretty sure that's where 80-90% of my steering play is from, and also why it wants to 'dive-and-turn' at higher speeds. And of course, no local parts stores carry them instock, so I get to special order em, and wait a day or two....

Sigh.. another $100 into the 'beater'...

(But I'm still under budget! )

 

I just ran into the same problem. Steering was pulling at high speeds, not enough to take me off the road but enough to make me wonder if I had always been a bad driver (swaying from side to side because of the wheel play). I just did the whole front end....pitman arm, idler arm, inner and outer tie rod ends, upper and lower ball joints. But I got a pretty good deal...ended up costing just a hair over 500 canadian (installed) to do this....then the 50 for the alignment but still a pretty sweet deal. The only thing that sucks is that I am used to having to bad wheel play and am now still a bad driver on the highway....haha

 

I just replace my outter Tie Rods and Lower Ball Joints only to find out that I needed an Idler Arm when I went to get an allignment done.

Get in touch with My Buddy Ara. I buy all my toyota stuff from him. I got the two outter tie rods and two lower ball joints for $77 bucks For EVERYTHING shipped to my door.



Email him at: ara.bulunmaz@bellnet.ca

Tell Him Mike with the chopped 4Runner sent ya.

 

Well.. I got both outer and both inner tie-rod ends for about $70 total at the local parts store.

iforgot to get teh pitman arm though, but it's not a big deal as I need to check the ball joints too befor trying to get an alignment.

I must say though I'm gaining a new respect for this little tonka-truck. While I was under the rig I did some more looking over, and found a full boxed frame and a carrier bearing for the drive shaft. This thing's built like a friggen TANK.

 

i take it you've got a longbed? never noticed a carrier bearing under the old trucks, but it's been a LOOONG time since i've had a peak under a pre-79

they sure can handle a lot of abuse, i've been through some stuff that would've killed lesser rigs...

 

Yup. Longbed. I wasn't even looking for a long bed but I'm glad it is. My work puts out a lot of scrap wood for the employees to take for free, (firewood basicly), but most of it comes in the form of 2x3, 2x4, and 4x4, ranging from 8-12 feet long, with the occasional odd ball 6x6x3foot OAK blocks.

My heating bill this winter is going to be non-existant!