MontanaChinook

Yeah the links already posted have what you need. Not many changes in the 22R over the years they were made, other than fuel injection. Tranny length will be the same with long bed or short bed, they just have different length driveshafts. Or I guess technically the long bed has two driveshafts and a carrier bearing. Sounds like you've got what you need, other than downloading the manuals Derek posted. Hopefully you plan on doing the clutch while you're in there.

Could be a few things. Does it use any coolant? If you're really unlucky it could be a head gasket leak, but there are definitely other things it could be. What leads you towards coolant temp sensor?

I can't find anything in google which makes any sense, as far as that goes. The material is more like dense cotton fiber, or some sort of synthetic. Definitely not metal.

Yeah that link Derek posted is your best bet, short of finding a hard copy Factory Service Manual. Don't bother with Haynes or Chilton. The link is a digital copy of the 1985 Toyota Factory Service Manual (FSM). That's as good as you're going to get, and the instructions for removing a tranny are no different for 1984. It's actually a pretty straightforward job, just dirty and dealing with heavy, awkward stuff. First time I took a tranny out it took me the full 8 hour day I took off from work. The last time I did one, it was just a quick couple-hour deal. If you have specific questions or run into issues when you're doing it, just ask and we'll be able to get you through it, if you haven't done one before.

I sent those photos to Dometic and even though their response was waaay too fast and so I kind of doubt a qualified person actually looked at them, they said they are unable to identify that part, and that it's not something that would have come with the fridge for any reason. So they just want me to see how it works now. Of course, same issue. It's winter. Once I install it back in my camper, it's out in 20 degree weather, so there's really no realistic way to test it until it heats back up in the spring, or I make friends with someone with a giant garage to pull into, and wait until there is absolutely no salt on the roads...

It's not hollow like that one. I thought it was plastic or rubber but it almost seems like a really dense cigarette filter. Kind of like that material. Either way it sure looks like a plug. I kind of wondered, but then the fact that it worked great for 4 months is strange...but maybe it was knocked out of place just enough, and then somewhere along the line got bumped and blocked off the gas? I don't know. The back of the fridge was plenty hot when it was running on propane, but not cooling things. Either way...the fridge works great on AC. I had to do a partial tear down of new cabinets to get the thing out (live and learn...of course when I put things together and every appliance was brand new I figured I'd never have to take things out again), so we'll see when I get around to it. Possibly spring...but who knows. And it'll be hard to see how well the fridge is working when it's 20 degrees outside. So..I'll put it back in, and probably do a better job of installing it this time, and put a vent a bit above the back of it like the directions tell me to. Yeah, pretty crazy if that is a shipping plug. I mean I'm not going to claim to be experienced and, well...even all that observant a lot of the time, but you'd think I would have seen that...the fact that they didn't make it extremely obvious, and impossible to hook up the gas line without taking out, is kinda lame.

I finally took my fridge out to see if it works ok out of the camper (it seems like it does), and when I disconnected the propane line, this fell out. Just right out from where the propane line of the camper threads onto the fridge. Any idea what it is?? I used my keys for scale. Couldn't get a good closeup of it; for some reason my camera just wouldn't focus on it.

Oh people can't help but want to know why!! Without going into the why, no, there is absolutely no "great" reason for putting a one inch lift on the front end. I can think of a few bad reasons, like people have already mentioned. But probably not even any "good" ones.

If you want more amps flowing to your batteries, you need to replace the wire from the alternator to the isolator, and the wires going from the isolator to the two individual batteries. For the isolator to...isolate, you need to use it correctly. This puts one wire on each post. No doubling up. If you're sure that the extra energy you somehow plan to get out of a different alternator (which has been debated here at length) won't be too much for your original wiring, then it's ok to leave that wiring from the isolator to the battery you for some reason don't care as much about. So if you don't want to buy any more wire than you absolutely can get away with, then you can skip one. So you need thicker gauge wire going from the alternator to the isolator post. Then thicker gauge wire running from the "chosen" (as in 'the chosen one', the 'golden child' etc ) battery to its individual post on the isolator. The wiring from the "non chosen" battery to its individual post on the isolator can stay the same, if for some reason that's how you want it. But if you ran thicker wire from the alternator to the isolator, but instead of putting it on the correct isolator post, you're putting it on the "chosen battery" isolator post, you're doing two things. Defeating the purpose of an isolator, and getting no more charge to the chosen battery. Because the wire gauge from the isolator to that battery is still small. To get the extra amps you allow to flow from the alternator to the isolator, by using thicker wire, you also need thicker wire running from the isolator to the battery(ies). Or I could be completely off...

You mean fill the radiator up with water, not the engine, right? Won't the engine need to be running, for the pump to move the water to that passage?

Ah, that's why I love the camper...in weather that would normally mean "roughing it", you can still be perfectly comfy and cozy. Nice pics. Looks like a fun weekend.

Sounds like you're on the right track. Yeah, swapping engines really isn't that big of a deal. As long as you have a process to keep track of vacuum hoses, it's fairly straightforward. Definitely doable in two days if you don't want to rush yourself and bust it out in one. That's kind of no fun. When you're doing your research, be very sure to take into account the reputation of the local machine shop. Just because they have a good price, obviously doesn't mean they're any good. There are definitely some horror stories out there.

I hope you've drained the oil??? Leaving coolant in the oil will start to eat away at your bearings, crank etc...

I'd check your frame extension real close...get under there and look at it, and the welds holding it together. Most of the frame extensions are pretty sketchy to begin with, then you'd be pulling a bunch more weight with it. People do tow with these. I'd say in general it's not a good idea, but if your brakes are good, frame is good, and you know what you're doing, you'd likely be ok. I find it's hard enough to stop my Chinook when something unexpected happens in traffic. I can't imagine having to do it with another 500lbs or so pushing me from behind.

Yeah I understand your reasoning but I haven't smelled a glue yet that someone used in anything like a camper that smells like an air freshener. I think like people are saying to you - it's probably the tanks.

Someone who wants to download it from there and upload to this site can use this link. Just follow his instructions in the first post.

There's a digital 1983 FSM floating around Yotatech. I'll see if I can find it. Otherwise the only pre-85 FSMs out there will be ones from people who were willing to tear out and scan every page...

Black water tank kinda depends on how you want to use the camper. If you don't want to carry around your poop with you, you can get away with doing the same thing the previous owner did. Every slide-in pickup truck camper I've seen is made with a drain hose sticking out the side, so you can stick a 5-gallon bucket under it for the sink water to drain into. No black water tank. Then just dump it in the fire ring or somewhere similar when you're done, so long as it's just dish water and toothpaste or whatever, and nothing nasty. Then just use public restrooms and maybe carry a porta potty. Is the fridge a two or three-way, or just propane? If it also runs on 12V or 120V, try 120V AC and see if that gets it cold, before giving up on it. Having a propane fridge is great, but when they break down, it can be a pretty big cost, unfortunately. If you're testing it, just remember that it takes hours to cool down, and especially if there's nothing in it to absorb the cold, opening the door once every hour to check it will let all the cold air out. I'd plug it in, put a thermometer inside, and leave it alone for 4-5 hours at least.

I get very very nervous anytime any kind of mechanic or whatever drives or works on my camper. They tend not to be gentle, and don't treat it like their baby, which these things, at their age, really need.

Ah, you just bought it. Yeah, someone else will hopefully speak up if they disagree, but I don't think AAA had anything to do with the brake getting stuck.

Do you typically not use the e-brake? I know that it's lame that they unloaded it with the e-brake on, but I can't think of how moving a truck with it on would make the brake stick. I mean probably all of us have driven a long ways down the road at some point before looking down and realizing the e-brake was on. It would cause the brake pads to wear down and the brakes to overheat, but it wouldn't cause the brake to jam and not release. Typically that would happen when it's a vehicle that's been used for years without the e-brake. So parts rust up. When someone finally goes to use it, it either doesn't work at all, or works, then sticks.

What have you tried? Have your crawled under and tried to bang on stuff, or spray rust removal stuff on the linkages, or just pushed on the handle from the cab?

My Chinook came with super wide rear tires and wheels. I switched to stock Toyota size, and haven't had any problems. I don't see why you'd have any problem finding a new axle shaft... Or are you looking for the entire axle housing?

I doubt a Ranger would be an upgrade. They're pretty little trucks... I believe you that your oak didn't overload the axles. But I'm not sure I agree that any suspension upgrade somehow allows the axle to handle more weight. Weight is weight. Suspension doesn't add an extra bearing or anything to your axle shaft. The springs and leaves are still sitting on the axle. It doesn't look like you're heavier than my camper, so I'd just figure it was a fluke (I mean, kind of...we know these axles are way overloaded), or the bearings just weren't replaced when they should have been, or..? Who knows. So the axle actually snapped? Not just a bearing failure? I think that unless you're swapping a one ton axle in, what's the point? Why swap a weak axle for another weak axle?

As far as the southern Utah parks, most require some sort of hiking. Just depends on how much hiking you two can do. There are some scenic drives, but a lot of the stuff requires getting out and walking to really see. Zion, during the busy season, doesn't let you drive through the park. You've got to park and ride in their shuttles, which is actually a good thing. But a good thing to be aware of. Crater Lake is an easy one to see without much walking. Glacier, too. Not sure you can get your RV through Going to the Sun Road, unfortunately...