MontanaChinook

Ok, gotcha. Looks like from your email in the Chinook users group, then, the wide muscle car tires actually have a proper load rating for these things? I will admit that because of a. the fact that Chinook recommends a wider tire in the back b. the thought that a wider tire might give more stability (please correct me if that's wrong!) c. It actually does look kinda cool I'm hoping to go with a wider tire. But NOT at the expense of handling and performance. Plus the whole having to carry two different size spare tire issue. I would also guess that even though the Chinook will rarely see snow, I'm sure the wide rear tire is terrible in snow. So I'm completely ready and willing to go with the same size tire all around, probably 185/70 R14, load rate D. But if Chinook knew what they were talking about with the wider rear tire, and it in any way makes good sense to stick with it, that's what I'd like to do. I'm just completely uneducated about this stuff.

Interesting. Good to see that the earlier chinooks weigh the same as my Newport. Surprising that mine doesn't weigh a bit more, though. Well..."cool factor" of having tires that look like racing slicks aside...I guess going with the same tires (185/r14, load rate of D?) all around might be my best bet. That what I'm hearing? I just want to be totally sure no one can see a reason, since my Newport is a bit wider than the pop top Chinooks, why I should stay with the manufacturers recommended wider rear tire size? I have my tax returns, and am ready to spend them on some tires!

It DOES look cool with those wide rear tires. BUT, it also calls for wide rear tires on the stock door tag. So it seems like there's a function... I'm ok with using the same size tire on all four, I was just hoping someone might know whether or why it might matter. Just for more information, the same door tag on my Chinook says "GVWR 4600lbs. Front 1850lbs, Rear 2900lbs"....

I'm seeing part of their problem. If you search 255/60r15 or 295/50 r15, all you get are muscle car tires... Same with L60x14...so what should I do for rear tires?

So the guy in the thread Linda linked ended up going with the same size tire all around. If stock says to go wider in the back... What do people think? Does the reasoning hold up still, to go wider in the back? Or is there good reason (other than the issue of having to carry two spares) that I could go with more narrow tires than they recommend, and go the same size all around?

Thank you! That should get me there. Yeah Derek, I saw the Tuffy email. But since it just had sizes, and no load range or anything, I wasn't sure..thanks!

Not the best experience for my first attempt at the tire store. Everything they could find was passenger tires, no LT, and the best they found was passenger van tires. What works for these? I'd like to give this place business, but it seems like they're limited by their suppliers, and knowledge... I'll give you the door tag sizes, and the size I have on it now...: Stock: front- 14x7.5 14x5 rims rear- L60x14. 14.8 rims On it: front- 185/70 r14 back- P255/60 r15 I plan to get new tires all around, and new rims for the rears. If I have to order tires over the Internet I will, and I'll take suggestions as to what tires. But I'd like to go through this shop. They're local, and have been good to me. If I could go back in there armed with "ok, this is what I know WONT work (like car tires), and here are some ideas for what WILL, can you help me?", that would be cool. I don't care if I stick with 15" rear rims like are on it now, or go back to the stock 14". Whatever works best for the tires and vehicle. Any help?

Thank you! And I don't know how different the newports are from the regular chinooks...I'll do some measuring. Visually, it all looks good with no noticeable slumping, but I'll measure to make sure. I know you're a member of the yahoo chinook users group. I've got a ton of photos of the project up there under Zachs Newport project, or something like that..

It's true. He's no nonsense and doesn't sugar coat anything and doesn't let even a slight miswording slip by ...but clearly knows what he's talking about.

I found some rot in my Chinook. Drivers side, front, under the window that had been leaking. I'm sure, after reading this thread, that its probably more extensive than just that area ... but the rest of the floor looks really good. I'm in no position to get into a full restore and remove the entire floor. You boat repair people ... I know it depends on how bad the rot is, but if its around the mounting bolts up behind the drivers seat, and all the other mounting bolt corners are solid, what do you think is my best bet? Seal the leak and move on, or is there a reasonable way cut out and patch that section? Nothing is so bad that any one is going to fall through the floor, I just don't like that its rotting around the mounting bolts and seatbelt bolts. I'm sure that aside from the wood being rotted, my bolts look just like yours ... only one corner, but maybe not super safe ... I think I'd just like to reinforce that area, somehow.

Agreed

And Gibson stopped making banjos anyways, so I guess it doesn't matter...federal exotic wood raids aside.

True enough. "OEM" suppliers for parts change over the years. It's true, it's just "stuff I read on the Internet". But it's the same site that when I bought my 83 and slowly realized it needed a full rebuild, I had people guide me through everything from diagnosing the issue, to disassembly, parts, and reassembly. People know what they're talking about. There is the occasional person who talks like they know, but don't. And everyone, whether on the Internet or face to face, will be mistaken from time to time. But there's just as much crap out there face to face. The Internet is not some inherently false place. It's just easier and faster to find all the good AND bad info. I've routinely found info on toyota based sites that my mechanics and parts guys don't know. There are people on yotatech, marlin crawler and pirate 4x4 who know more about toyota trucks than every mechanic in my town combined. I have seen people post with temp issues, and mention they just replaced their thermostat with some aftermarket "upgraded" part. They're encouraged to stick with OEM. Problem goes away...I don't have the experience you do, I just know that I've read, on the Internet, more than a dozen people on just one toyota site who go aftermarket with tstats, and immediately have issues. Going back to OEM corrects the problem. The issue of who supplies the OEM parts and whether aftermarket can be better is a whole different discussion. Marlin crawler and quite a few other offroad centered companies are making stronger-than-stock parts, for 4x4s, mostly. But in my very limited experience, that's about it. When it comes to your typical, non 4x4 parts, unless you know the business, and know who supplies toyota with each OEM part, and know in which case the aftermarket is making a better part and in which case they aren't (and the majority of us aren't in a position to know those things), I think the advice of "always go with OEM" is sound. Or a more correct way for people to frame their question, to avoid overwhelming them with confusing debates like this, would be "is there an aftermarket (insert part name here) that is an upgrade from what toyota sells?" Or when I suggest sticking with OEM, I can say "I thinks it's best to stick with OEM, in most cases", and not go any more in depth than that.

Yes, yes, no auto company makes their own parts, as far as I know (I'm sure you'll correct me), but I think we can agree, not all of us having as much knowledge, that it's ok to use Toyota and OEM interchangeably without having to be corrected. And if you know just a little more, you can find an OEM part at NAPA or online from someone other than Toyota. Same idea. These days it's somewhat rare that a company makes their own parts. I play banjo. There's lot's of talk about buying "American made" banjos. Well...the wood comes from overseas, in more than 50% of the cases they aren't making one single metal part on the banjo, but importing them all from Czech Republic. But most people would call the metal parts they buy, as replacements, from the Gibson company, to be Gibson parts. Even though they're really Prucha. It's not wrong to call them Gibson parts. They are what Gibson would put on your banjo if they were making it new. Calling them Gibson parts is ok by me. Seems like every time I see someone post about a temperature problem, and they've just replaced their thermostat, going back to OEM solves the problem. Obviously there are more things that can cause temp issues. I'd just say there's no "upgrade" for Toyota thermostats. Stick with stock.

GO WITH OEM T-STATS. Always. Period. No reason to go with anything else, endless stories from people/reasons not to buy non-toyota.

Well that would explain it. I was born in Hamilton, my dad lives outside of Eaton.

That looks a lot like the area of New York my dad lives in. Syracuse is the closest city, but he's out in the country.

Yes, and my guess is that the people offering up their "yards" in Montana often own 20+ acres and are in the mountains. No "front yard" parking. Of course, out here, it's easy to find a free spot on public land...

There was a 2wd 5 speed tranny available in 78 (W50?), but I have no way of knowing if the chinooks came with them, or if somebody swapped this one in....

My chinook has a 5 speed, which it seems like is a rarity, on an already rare vehicle. I assumed all the 78 Newport/Omegas would be 5 speed, but every one I've seen come up for sale lately is a 4 speed. Luckily, on my chinook, 5th gear is very useable.

Samuel Clemens

Maybe I've got some X. That would make me feel special. I do have Iroquois in me.

Or at least, if you want quality it won't be cheap. Some of the chains (like maaco?) might do it for a couple hundred. But from what I've heard, the product is NOT worth even that much. It mostly comes down to labor, and most of that is prep work, which mostly depends on how much rust you have and how much they have to take off the vehicle, grind down etc. if you do the prep work like sanding down the old paint, that would help. I'd think it would cost you a grand though, if you took it to a good place and had them do everything. But like Linda said, it varies, so go get an estimate.

Yeah, my 83 4x4 does fine with the normal vent. Only if I was doing a lot of river crossings or mudding would I put a hose on it. Can't hurt though! Having the rear axle slightly overfilled is fine, just not really overfilled. The way I know mine is full is that oil starts pouring out. But with the little hand pump I use, I can't get it too over full. Sounds like you've got it fixed!

That link is also just what I have. There are plenty of other brands/models out there!