88WIT

On an '88, before the model change to your vintage, it's just left of center, slightly forward of top dead center. Small hex fitting. You should be able to blow out through it, but note suck in. An earlier note in this thread commented that your type of leak shouldn't happen with grease-packed bearings. Perhaps this means the 89s-on are oil bath.

On an '88, before the model change to your vintage, it's just left of center, slightly forward of top dead center. Small hex fitting. You should be able to blow out through it, but not suck in. An earlier note in this thread commented that your type of leak shouldn't happen with a greased-bearing set up. Perhaps it means the 89s-on are oil bath.

http://www.ryderfleetproducts.com/cgi-bin/...0&oid=51731 Try this link for mail order service. This one's white, but once you're on the site you can see black, stainless, and glass-only. The company is Ryder Fleet Products. (ryderfleetproducts.com) I just ordered from them to get a 6.5 X 10.5 primary and a spare 6.5 X 6. The stainless are very nice.

The axle vent is a spring-loaded check valve. I took mine apart after checking it -- no clog, simply one-way. Loose metal cap; thin, filament-like spring; flat rubber disc; slightly concave seat on the threaded fitting. When I removed it for testing it had held vacuum for five days. I drained about a pint of differential oil to the proper level. Will watch for bleeding. Anybody want to check theirs to see if they also have a vacuum condition?

Dennis; It sounds like you're describing a leak between glass and factory seal that then sits inside an aluminum frame. I can't completely visualize your front window/frame interface, but if you're talking about fixed panes I don't think you should drill the frames. Drain holes are intended for sliders that will definitely admit water, when they're vertical panes in a horizontal track. I believe your front windows are steeply raked forward (45 degrees?). Any water between glass and seal will try to go behind or below the window at that angle. In motion, and possibly even at rest, I think you would actually let water in through front pinholes in wet weather. If you've removed the glass seal you can reseal it with a crystal-clear product like Lexel or acrylic latex caulk as you reapply the seal. If still attached, perhaps you can apply a consistent bead even if small, under the lip of the seal (with an assistant?). Thoroughness is more important than volume. You're right to use a vinyl/putty/tape product for the frame-to-coach unless you're one hundred percent sure the window will never need to be removed again. The product should be as thin as possible or the frame will float and need periodic adjustments. As for your wood repair, I wish I could remember the name of a product for dry-rot damage that keeps soaking in until it reaches good wood, then crystallizes the rotted material. It may take multiple passes and a certain patience, but it allows an aggressive application of repair products without disturbing the finishes. Steve R.

Thanks Bill; Come to think of it, I buried that side of the axle last year and never thought of the vent. I'll get on it. Downey Off Road has a vent kit intended for 4X4s that gets it out of harms way for 'wet crossings.' That was a reasonable explanation for the grease-lubed bearing. Steve R.

Since I'll one day upgrade the rear brakes, I'd better be prepared. My Toyota manual exploded view doesn't show an outer seal, but the installation sketch shows an outer seal lip being greased. Is there actually an outer seal? What advantage is the grease-packed design over a fluid-bath design, especially given the maintenance headache for something so basic as wheel bearings?

(I did find that the diff. vent was totally clogged (thanks to a heads up from Shoprat) which may have been part of the problem.) Quote I checked the differential fluid level recently, and had vacuum or pressure released as the plug loosened up. The level was too high and I'll let it run out to the lip of the opening. Can't say for sure whether I had road tested the vehicle yet that day or not. There's also very noticeable bleeding around the vent and down and along the housing (no drip, just an obvious dampness). Should the vent be always atmospheric with no buildup, or is it a gradual release? I've got another axle with a vent I can raid if necessary.

Sorry, I didn't see this question when you posted. Yes, I installed it. With a pair of lovely 4/0 cables to reach the six feet from battery to inverter position. Yes, the converter was removed and the charging is now done in what is apparently four stages. The unit can also 'equalize,' which is a periodic manual function to de-sulfate and bring all the individual cells into uniformity. I use twin golf cart batteries. I removed the guts of the old converter/charger but kept the ac/dc distribution panel and housing.

It sounds to me like you should have a basic inverter wired directly to your house battery to give you one 110ac outlet in your coach for the times you're not connected to shore power. The capacity would be determined by your intended use. You can wire up a simple 12vdc outlet near your panel on an existing circuit and plug in a small inverter (150 watt) if you're just running a TV, but if you're going for a microwave or hair dryer (1500 w) then you need to come off the battery to get the proper wire guage and fusing. In the first scenario, the battery drain will sneak up on you in a hurry. In the second, you'll have to idle the engine to avoid overtaxing the battery. The alternator, even at idle, will take up some but not all of the load. I presume you have either a Group 24 (85 amp-hour) or Group 27 (115 ah). The formula for sizing an inverter goes something like this: take the known watts of the appliance, add 15% for inverter loss, add a 25% for startup and anomalies. You're looking at a minimum 40 - 50% cushion to avoid nuisance tripping. I don't have my Xantrex manufacturer's literature with me this week, but I believe it's xantrex.com... I got into this for the purposes of conserving propane while driving, state-of-the-art charging, and providing a very clean ac souce for electronics, so I went all the way to a full-sine-wave inverter/charger and removed the original converter. I have full-time 110ac throughout the coach, but still no microwave or computer (maybe this season). I'm going to post separately requesting advice on a good internet set-up. Steve R.

poqi; It looks like your reply didn't get sent along with the quote. Can you send again? I'm hoping you're going to comment on an oversized replacement tank....

Which model is it? At that price it should be very 'clean' in every sense of the word. If it is, snap it up.

I have this model Xantrex in my Itasca and highly recommend it. I run the reefer and water heater on 110 electric while underway, and occasionally the roof air at a rest stop at fast idle. Will probably take a small microwave this year. I don't have any sensitive electronics yet, which this unit is designed to pamper, but I'm ready! It does a great job with recharging my golf cart batteries, with the charge rate and pattern selectable per manufacturer's spec, and temperature-adjusted. Very good price as listed in the link!

Ditto the thermal breakers. My Itasca has two of them in the battery compartment: one to the fuse panel and one dierectly to the reefer/propane detector, 60- and 30-amp, respectively. Had to replace the 60 a while back.

It would mean camping only with hookups. Once the truck engine or generator is off, you'd have to plug in to shore power for refrigeration and hot water.

Presumably the alignment will reveal any worn steering links, and it sounds like excessive play if you're talking about a struggle to keep it between the ditches. You might try tightening the steering gear adjustment with the set screw and locknut on the box itself. First season in my '88 I did that to get rid of the annoying micro-wander and I've never thought of since until now. There are hard specs on the tension adjustment which involves disconnecting the gear from the linkage and measuring torque on the steering wheel through a full wind stop-to-stop. I've never had that kind of equipment. So with everything intact, I tighten the set screw until it affects returnability coming out of a 90 degree turn on a road test. If you barely need to assist the return (after your alignment) you're slightly (quarter turn?) too tight -- the steering geometry must return you. Once you find the sweet spot you can fine tune it even on the staightaway. You'll feel the drag or play. The trick is to hold the set screw while cinching the locknut. During adjustment the locknut should be barely loose enough to let the screw grudgingly adjust. You must of course mark the original position....

As Greg noted, the altitude sensor starts working and the processor doesn't forward the signal to a relay that operates a solenoid mounted on the transmission case. You can bypass the relay easily but I don't have my '88 with me presently to tell you exactly where it is. It's tucked up under the dashboard left of the steering column. It's got full-time 12 Volts and the relay (switched at the shifter OD button) lets that through. Upshot, you can use a toggle switch to bypass the relay. If you have a wiring diagram for your model it'll give you the color coding. I won't be able to give you a better description for a week or so until I get my unit back.

With a Prosine 2000 watt inverter/charger, I've been running my reefer on 110 V while underway. Most of the time I remember to manually change to the gas function at camp. The golf cart batteries don't care about rest stops with engine off. I turn on the Hot Rodd water heater element (also 110V) when within an hour or so from camp, and have to remember to turn it off even for short stops, as it pulls about 50 DC amps. I've always assumed the 12V reefer function was intended only for underway use to save propane in the early days of small tanks, and was a holdover from the days of 12V/propane two-way reefers. I don't think safety has ever been an issue with underway propane use. Surely the manufacturers would've gotten onto that problem and prevented it with some kind of isolator/solenoid shutoff. By the way, does anyone still have a solenoid gas regulator wired to the propane detector? That was a useful function. I had one incident where my partner inadvertently left a cooktop burner on and left the coach. When she went back in she complained of a terrible sewer smell (rotten eggs). Turns out the old detector switch has an off function and wasn't beeping, so it wouldn't have shut the regulator anyway....

Shoprat; If you're in California, go with the replacement 26 gallon. Footnote #9 (on the website)states the gravity feed is illegal in the state. You'd probably get popped at inspection time. I think a transfer feed is likewise verboten. If elsewhere, knowltondata has a point. Just yesterday I glanced at the frame extension weld on the '86 Sunrader. It's not much of an overlap. You've got three or feet of distance from the bumper but it wouldn't take much to snap those welds and get the accordion effect. You could make a structural cage behind the tank. The replacement 26-gal. has its own issues, like depth below the frame and running gear (it presents a nice square face to oncoming projectiles, and should have a skid plate) and fill tube routing (possibly four offsets to the Sunrader gas cap -- opportunity for pinching and chafing). Many of us, I'm sure, thank you for the reference to the website for the replacement / auxillary tanks, as the Transfer Flow source has effectively dried up. I'll certainly use it for my '88 Itasca soon. Hasta la vista, twin Jerry cans, Steve R.

Tucker; I'm planning to crash the Big Sur Toy-in with the 4X4 on the 20th. Short hop from Salinas, isn't it? It'll probably be weeks before I get around to posting pictures privately and on this site. Steve R.

Ms; (?) Will talk soon. I'm out of time on my session in Honolulu. Back in town tonight. Haven't seen any toys on Oahu. Steve R.

Tucker; Thanks to your good offices I am now the new registered owner of said 4X4 Sunrader. I saw your note and called the seller immediately; I was first to drive the next morning while the phone went crazy. Ironically, I had cash in my pocket because a different deal had fallen through two weeks earlier. One door closes and another opens. I haven't responded until now due to personal pressures here, and the sense of impending doom if tell anyone about my acquisition -- "if it's too good to be true then it probably is." -- even though it was smogged, tagged, insured, and stored within twenty-four hours. Now I've got another major project at a difficult time -- much of the coach must be stripped and restored just to permit a brief walk-through. I'm choosing to send you my thanks in the discussion forum, rather than private message, to emphasize to readers the impact these forums on this site can have for those interested in the Toyota chassis. In this case, the instant email notification of a new discussion topic is what put me in first position to buy the Rader -- that and a member's consideration of other members' interests. I hope to return the favor in the near future. I'll post this unit's particulars in the Gallery and 4X4 forums soon. Is there something you need, Tucker? I'm good with upgrading batteries, holding tanks, electrical, and plumbing. How about some secret hideaways out West? Then there's wine, theater tickets, home remodeling, exotic vacations. Feel free to private message me and we'll work something out. I won't get too extravagant because it'll be a long time before the verdict is in on the overall viability of this project in my life. It may be the death of me. I must also make a generous gesture to the seller who held his price in the face of overwhelming advice to withdraw the offer. A certain kinship between us was apparent. It's now my responsibility to 'keep it in the fold.' The seller bought it in '87. Drop me a line, sir. Steve R. San Francisco

I made that comment from my Ford literature which states the pumps are designed for immersion cooling. It's pure conjecture on my part that the guage is calibrated to help ensure this. I replaced both pump assemblies twice in my twin-tank F150 in the first four or five years, and once in a co-worker's Econoline. We tried to maximize the number of long commutes based on our gallonage. After I spotted the Ford information, I've had no problem for about eleven years. It may not be a burn-out that occurs, either. There may be a check valve and a bypass valve in the assembly. I recall those were a bigger problem than the actual pumps quitting. Seems the pumps were being starved because they didn't get their allotment of return from the injector rail, and performance suffered. It appeared Ford's strategy ('92 - '96) was to use the returned fuel before the tank fuel, probably to avoid having a tank full of very warm gasoline. Maybe Toyota's mounting position in the tank would allow a truer calibration of the float arm. Ford's would not -- the bouyant material nearly touched the tank at factory setting. Until I get into a V-6 and upgrade to a 26-gal primary tank (Transfer Flow?) and maybe a little transfer tank tucked away somewhere, I've contented myself with running another twenty-five miles or so after the guage hits a certain point near E. Works fine except when I snap out of road hypnosis and ask: now just when did that needle get down there? Hopefully I wrote mileage on the last receipt and can calculate the remaining fuel. On true road trips I carry two Jerry Cans.... I'll check my mostly-pictoral Toyota-authorized 3-volume set to see if there's any mention of strategy. Steve R.

You're right about the sweetness of the 22RE; Every time I start it I ask aloud "are you really gonna let this go?" It has done right by me. Packaged with the 18-footer it might be plenty, and better yet with a five-speed manual. I've yet to drive one that's up for sale, much less loaded for a cross country run. I would hate to invest the time and effort in another four and find I'm still not satisfied with hill climbing and wind resistance problems. I will be running at the weight limit. The degree of uncertainty is enough to put my focus on the best stock horsepower option, the V-6. Many moons ago I put the finishing touches on Volvo B-16 running gear dropped into a '57 Morris Minor that was supposed to rocket away, but it was geared way down. I sprained my ankle at basketball and had to drive home and later to the hospital with improper clutch leverage from altered dimensioning. I'm cured of the extreme conversion bug. I want to hold top gear in level flight, and keep about two-thirds of my road speed in the long or steep grades. As far as impressing people, I'm impressed with the basic chassis and that's about as far as I need to go. Where I've gone in the Itasca, the heartland, it seems no one is impressed with the Toyota under any circumstance. It's like being invisible to hunters, veterans, and at family campgrounds. Some very cool receptions. No one has refused service, but the room gets a little quiet when I ask to fill propane and it takes three gallons....

The Ventura unit was badly misrepresented, which I had an inkling of. But it was intended to be a learning trip anyway, and it was well worth the prop hop to Santa Barbara. I neglected to take sharp measurements for the three holding tank areas. I even got a little (drifting) sand under the tread of the rental car at two of the coastal campgrounds at the start of Highway 1. Gotta find dirt every trip. Hawaii on April 1 (no fooling)....