fred heath Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 Not sure which category this should go under. For those of us that travel a lot, would be nice to know what garages in what states are good at fixing old Toys without charging an arm and a leg. This would be a great reference source. Beats depending on the tow truck to take you to their favorite spot. My contribution: Frank,s Garage, Hampton NH. (603) 926-4900. (Seacoast NH). This man has done all the work on my toy and can fix or fabricate anything you may need. I guess I should qualify by saying major work. (work which requires a lift). Any accessible area I do myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 No suggestions but find an independent garage their overhead is far lower. If it's real shiny and clean they most likely are not the type that likes to fix things more so parts replacers. The MH's are old if the place of full of young guys they may have never seen a Toyota motor home much less ever worked on one. Don't get me wrong nothing wrong with young tech's there are a good bunch of bright one's out there but experience is a good thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totem Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 Haha my mechs name is Franks Transmission; they are the only guys I will use for anything... Must be something in the name "Franks"... Coldwater Mi. They will do absolutely anything, and do it perfect. Very competitive labor rate too. They know my toyhome well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fred heath Posted December 4, 2012 Author Share Posted December 4, 2012 yeah, my Frank fabricated a completely new exhaust from the header pipe back. Increased exhaust diameter to 2",new muffler and labor $200.00. Hard to go wrong there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totem Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 Mine did a 1 ton full floater, 1 ton front hubs and new brakes all around. also installed new spring bushings without messing up my black tank. I just picked up a 2" high flo cat converter and matching muffler... I wonder if he would do em.. will have to call. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stamar Posted December 5, 2012 Share Posted December 5, 2012 Well in general a toyota truck is the most common vehicle. mine hasnt needed a lot of work I couldnt do yet but id feel confident in hiring a shadetree mechanic. Im from california and the best spot to find someone to replace parts was in front of the pick n pulls in a big city. theyve got a good system where someone will literally drive by them and let them use a van full of tools. so id answer never use a shop. most any amature can fix everything wrong with this that doesnt require machining. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totem Posted December 5, 2012 Share Posted December 5, 2012 I'd like to see an amateur replace an Axle without a lift and some significant gear. I did a stabilizer kit ok, I have done breaks and shocks before..but some things are just bears... like swapping trannies etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stamar Posted December 5, 2012 Share Posted December 5, 2012 there are definitely a few things you cant do on the pavement. I dont think axels or transmissions are one of them though they do those all day. replacing a transmission is one thing I wouldnt do myself at all because I have done a clutch job and putting the tranny back on is really difficult. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nam Posted December 5, 2012 Share Posted December 5, 2012 Just like many here, I haven't used the shop that much so I can't recommend but I will need one soon to do my muffler since that thing has too many holes in it. Any recommend for a good muffler shop in the San Francisco Bay area? Just for your info. I've seen a Toy home being towed with Uhaul dolly...incase one needs to be towed, this may be the lowest cost solution since those tow trucks charge an arm and leg for towing a motor home...most often time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stamar Posted December 5, 2012 Share Posted December 5, 2012 thanks I wish there was a way to record all of the good advice people have into one place. kind of like a verified advice page. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totem Posted December 5, 2012 Share Posted December 5, 2012 I just scored high flow stainless steel 2 inch cat converter and also a 2 inch stainless muffler for 80 bucks delivered... I too need a Tuffy. My current cat converter is stock I think; rusted so bad its crimped rolled edges came loose and it makes a horrible racket at times... made me worry it was transmission when i first bought rig. I ended up re-crimping it with vise grips which ended the noise for a year. the noise is now back... time to install these stainless beauties. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted December 5, 2012 Share Posted December 5, 2012 there are definitely a few things you cant do on the pavement. I dont think axels or transmissions are one of them though they do those all day. replacing a transmission is one thing I wouldnt do myself at all because I have done a clutch job and putting the tranny back on is really difficult. Aw, come on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totem Posted December 5, 2012 Share Posted December 5, 2012 I remember replacing a set of shocks, springs and coilovers on my old 2000 toyota celica GTS TRD edition. It had badly rusted coil overs et al and I did NOT have a spring compressor; I still found a way to get them off but the job took me 4 days of cursing and most of an emergency medical kit contents... nice pics... lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stamar Posted December 5, 2012 Share Posted December 5, 2012 ha! the roadside transmission change has gotten a lot easier in recent years but that truck transmission even in our 4 bangers is huge. I dont discount it its would need like 5 feet of clearance to put it on a jack. replacing the whole rear axel id do on jack stands though I guess thats a strange one to throw in. figure the car is on them now raise it up six inches. . like a lot of things its harder putting it back on than taking it off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MontanaChinook Posted December 5, 2012 Share Posted December 5, 2012 I'm definitely having to get used to this 2wd truck...my 83 4x4 has enough space under it to get under there and do about anything. I've done the transmission more times than I'd like to admit...but I'm still having to remind myself that with this 2wd, there are a lot of things I can't do, unless i carry four jack stands around with me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 I'm definitely having to get used to this 2wd truck...my 83 4x4 has enough space under it to get under there and do about anything. I've done the transmission more times than I'd like to admit...but I'm still having to remind myself that with this 2wd, there are a lot of things I can't do, unless i carry four jack stands around with me... I just pulled the trans out of 1978 Toyota Chinook. Plenty of room to use a transmission jack with the truck 2 feet off the ground. The entire trans and bell-housing weighs a total of 85 lbs. I've also done them with no jack. Pulling the trans out with 85 lbs.your chest is big deal. Getting back in that way is not so easy. That 85 lbs. gets feeling like 200 lbs. if you don't get the trans back in right away. MUCH easier then doing a full-size 4WD with a big trans and transfer case that come out as a unit. I just had the 4L460 trans/NP241 trans and transfercase out of my Chevy full-size diesel truck. Also 2 feet off the ground. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 Aw, come on! I just pulled the trans and transfercase out of full size Chevy diesel with no jacks or props. I did chain it to a tree stump just in case it wanted to fall over. This approach obviously isn't good for a truck you want to ever drive again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MontanaChinook Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiter Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 Makes oil changes incredibly easy. :-) JOhn Mc 88 Dolphin 4 Auto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acudoc Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 ie high flow muffler. I put one on m7 84 sunrader, and wish I hadn't. I believe it was a magnaflow, done at a very good muffler shop. I got the quiet one and I found it annoyingly voom, voom.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totem Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 yikes thats the one I got.. magnaflow... scheduled to go on next week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nam Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 I just scored high flow stainless steel 2 inch cat converter and also a 2 inch stainless muffler for 80 bucks delivered... I too need a Tuffy. My current cat converter is stock I think; rusted so bad its crimped rolled edges came loose and it makes a horrible racket at times... made me worry it was transmission when i first bought rig. I ended up re-crimping it with vise grips which ended the noise for a year. the noise is now back... time to install these stainless beauties. Totem: you mind sharing where you got them from? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5Toyota Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 for me pavement under me has been a luxery done clutch and change trans w 50 and diff aways on dirt but big stacks of cement blocks and a floor jack take trans under first .roll on to jack wich is already under and start raising it up you can get lined up work it of the jack in place my jack has a very large saddle. YOU DONT HAVE TOO HAVE A FLOOR BUT YOU NEED A GOOD BIG FLOOR JACK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fred heath Posted December 8, 2012 Author Share Posted December 8, 2012 I guess my question was a little vague. Pretend your 400 miles from home. Nighttime or pouring rain. Did I mention your on the interstate? Your toy starts making bad noises or stops completely. It would be nice to have some type of data base from members who have used repair facilities they would recommend. I plan to travel the U.S. Starting the end of December. My toy is almost completely rebuilt mechanically,but Murphy's Law is always out there. Thanks, Fred Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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