Keyboard Shortcuts
ctrl + shift + ? :
Show all keyboard shortcuts
ctrl + g :
Navigate to a group
ctrl + shift + f :
Find
ctrl + / :
Quick actions
esc to dismiss
Likes
- Toyota-Campers
- Messages
Search
|
Transmission
Hi folks. I talked to the owner of the shop in Oregon City that did
the transmission rebuild today and he gave me some information that might be of use to Toyota motorhome owners, as well as those interested in the details of the rebuild job. Here goes: When I shared with him the AAAMCO manager's opinion about how one should always pay top dollar for repair work, his response was, and I quote: "That's the biggest crock of horse manure the world ever invented." He likened this sort of thinking to a person who believes it's better to buy a $55 pair of jeans from Fred Meyer than a $12 pair from K Mart and thinks the jeans are better just because they cost more. He said, "The dollar amount has no specific factor on what the quality of a transmission rebuild is, what matters is who rebuilt it, and where the torque converter came from." He said his shop does five times the volume of the chain transmission shop I talked to, that he has over $200,000 of inventory in his warehouse, and he gets his transmission parts cheap because of the volume he deals with, and then he passes this savings on to his customer. He rattled off a list of the parts they install when doing a rebuild (my invoice just says: A43D Transmission custom remanufactured w/ rebuilt converter and 8 qts ATF fluid, plus a rear U-joint installed) and here are a few of the things I caught: friction seal clutches, bearings, seals, torque converter, and any hard parts that show wear. He said they try to rebuild it so it's at least as good as the original, and seemed to take it personally that someone would suggest his shop's transmission rebuild might not be a better job than AAMCO. I think this guy knows his business, and he was kind enough to share some suggestions for preserving the transmission in general, which I thought I'd pass on to you all: I don't have all his exact words, and I might get some of this wrong-- he was talking fast because he had customers waiting. I tried to take notes on it all and I know I missed some of it (anyone who notices errors, please correct me if I mistranslated his words, or add to this if you know more details), but here's what he said about transmission failures, roughly: He said the primary cause of transmission failures happens when the rear seal external housing bushing fails and takes the support out of the back of the transmission. The rear bushing is critical because it supports the drive shaft. When this bushing goes, so does the transmission. He explained that if the bushing goes, the drive shaft will start to move up and down and you don't want that, that it pulls the whole transmission apart and causes the fluids to leak out and blows the transmission eventually. He advised me to have the bushing checked every time the oil is changed, that you need to keep an eye on it since it's key to the life of the transmission. He then gave some general advice for how to preserve the transmission on these rigs: 1) Don't run it in Overdrive all the time. He said people want to get good gas mileage and not make the cars behind them angry, so they lug it along in OD and this burns out the transmission (drive shaft?). He advised me to do what I could to keep the RPMs at about 2500, that too many people will lug it along at 1200 RPM at 40 miles an hour, and this will destroy the transmission. In order to avoid this problem, he said to downshift to whatever gear to keep the rig from lugging. 2) Don't use the transmission as a brake. When going down a mountain, put the load on the brakes (as Click and Clack say, it's cheaper to replace brakes than it is to rebuild a transmission). He said it's allright to downshift a little, but to put most of the braking load on the brakes. 3) When going uphill, never put the gas pedal to the floor. He advised a 7/8 throttle (does this mean only put the pedal to the floor 7/8 of the way?), and to downshift to avoid lugging it. I asked why not put the pedal to the floor and he said when you do this the pressure regulator valve goes to maximum and this boosts the line pressure to the max, which cuts the lube oil and fluid when you need it most. This causes overheating when going up a mountain, and eventual transmission failure. His advice was to let people behind you fume, and pull out when you need to, but don't floor it just to keep other people from getting impatient. I hope this information will be of help/interest to listmembers. best, Rosannah |
|
Wind
Zia,
You have discovered one of the biggest obstacles to driving a Toyota camper "THE WIND"! If you are driving directly into a strong wind, it kills your mileage. If you have fighting a strong crosswind, it keeps you busy. Some Toyota's handle the wind better than others. My dad has a 1978 Toyota 17ft, that is really high off the ground and he does not have power steering, so he fights it worse than my 1986 21ft becuase I have a lower profile. The only time I like wind if it as your back "great mileage"! I just put up the sail and coast to were I want to go! Happy Trails, Nate |
|
rear axle
I have to agree with the danger issue. my thinking after I bought
mine rig with the small read=r axle was,after reading all the bad stuff on here about the dangers of it was I was mad. at myself and all the talk about how dangerous it was. Then I thought, if I were to go camping and went around a mountain road somewhere and it were to break, the camper may go over the side, if someone were with me and they got killed would I be able to live with myself knowing it would have only cost me a $1000.00 to save their life. I couldn't drive my rig until I got it fixed knowing that. I read a whole lot of bad stuff about it. When you have the small rear end with all the weight on the axle, when you go around a turn or a curve all the weight goes to the side of the axle. The axle is what the wheel bolts too. The small read axles were I think 3/4 ton rear ends. there is much more weight than that on the side of the axle. On the 1 ton, the axle is floating (it has NO WEIGHT on it) .. all the weight sits on the hub and bearings..which are really big..like a 18 wheeler..so.. I spent the money and am changing it now. I couldn't live with myself after I am informed with the right information..anyhow..good luck..Thomas |
|
Re: chialo
Tommy Howze
¿ªÔÆÌåÓýMichael..? the way I got to National RV was I went to their web site
and left an e mail asking for contact questions for TOyota for the recall..
someone in parts gave me a number..they ran me around with some more calls to
ultimately find out that Toyota was going to do nothing to help me. The guy at
National said they had a kit that they would sell me for 1000..? Let me get
it installed totally and make sure it works good before I check for you..I will
check.but don't want to push it incase it is any problems.. I think the
differences between the rear ends is purely a gear ratio thing. Toyota had 5
speeds..4 and automatics..I am sure they all take a different one..anyhow.. The
kit comes with all the mounting hardware..U bolts and the whole deal..it looks
as though the lower plates for the shocks are the same as the ones I took
off..so the mounting of the shocks looks the same.. I used to work in a shop
through the 80;s and it is all pretty straight foreward..that is the only reason
I tackled it in my driveway.. I just have my bad back to contend with now.. it
is hard to accept at 37 that I have so many problems with it..it used to be so
strong..anyhow..have a great day..Thomas
|
|
Wind and Trip to Tucson
I'm still wondering about the wind. I took a small
trip to Tucson last week (I stayed in Catalina State Park) and was bouncing on the road. I was beginning to think that I was going to sell my new motorhome but then the wind stopped and the drive was much better. However, I find that driving at about 60 m.p.h. feels the most comfortable - anything above that I don't feel safe if there is a sudden wind gust. I live in a very windy area (last week schools were closed at 1:00 p.m. because of wind gusts up to 70 m.p.h.) Anyway, coming home from Tucson, I got hit with a gust that literally moved me three feet into the oncoming lane on a two lane road. (No one was coming, it's lonely country out here in some places!) When there is no other wind, I'm used to the semi's overtaking me. I guess it's something I'll just have to get used to. On another note, it was a wonderful trip. I drove through the Coronado National Forest and spent the first night at Wal-Mart in Sierra Vista, AZ. I went in to ask them of RV camping in the area, and they told me to stay right there! The only other RV was a larger Sunrader pulling a motorcycle from CO. When I saw the larger Sunrader I was jealous (very cute RV), but my RV is perfect (and comfortable) for me! Since the Sunrader doesn't drive like my Honda Accord, a $10.00 back cushion from Pep Boys has made ALL the difference! ;-) I'm getting ready to travel to New Orleans a week from Saturday for a conference. Any suggestions along I-10 from Las Cruces? "Zia" __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Auctions - buy the things you want at great prices |
|
child seats
Hi Tika--thanks for your advice re. the tv, we'll give it a try. I
just wanted to share a recent experience with car seats. You wrote: Re: Baby seat. I have already purchased some seat belts to boltI don't know if you got shoulder or lap belt type restraints, but I just wanted to mention that not all car seat belts will work with all child safety seats. We had a extra-cab Mazda pickup and one of the reasons we sold it is because the child car seat situation wasn't working. Our 4 year- old's booster seat wouldn't work in the back because it's not built to be used with a lap belt. It's only safe for use with a shoulder belt, which meant she had to sit in back on the jump seats with no seat at all (baby rode in front in an infant seat and I sat in back with our older child). Since the truck's jump seat backs only went as high as the rear window glass, she would sometimes bump her head on the window glass when the truck accelerated or decelerated, which wasn't a good situation at all. Most infant seats will work with lap belts, though I'm not sure all of them do. Just something to consider when purchasing car seats, cars, and seat belts. A shoulder belt system might be more versatile, depending on the age of your children. I appreciate the suggestions re. installing a child seat behind the cab; we'll either do this retrofit or our youngest will ride up front with whoever's driving and my husband or I can sit in back with our 4 year-old. There's no emergency airbags in the cab, so this shouldn't be a problem. best, Rosannah |
|
Old Axles are Unsafe!!
I Agree 100% with Michael Smith. These things
were not recalled for fun. This is a Safety issue. The older and more miles driven increase the odds of an accident. IMHO it is irresponsible for members of this list to encourage others to drive these un- safe rigs. Newcomers expect, and should get informed advice from this list. Let's all try to be careful what we say, and if we error, let it be on the side of safety. Jack A2 |
|
Group 4 Month Anniversary
Group,
I just wanted to thank everyone for their help in establishing this group! I think it is developing into a great source of information for current and future Toyota Camper owners! In the 4 months since I started this group, we have grown to 149 members and with almost 1,200 posts! That is a pretty good growth rate! I want to encourage everyone to keep up the good posts. Feel free to share anything that you think the group might find relavent (ex. repairs, travels, past experiences). Happy Toyota-Traveling! Thanks again, Nate |
|
chinook ac
----------Forwarded message ----------
Return-Path: <happycam@...> Delivered-To: theeagle@... Received: (qmail 12947 invoked from network); 20 Apr 2001 02:53:05 -0000 Received: from travelbyroad.net (128.121.221.49) by kenton.com with SMTP; 20 Apr 2001 02:53:05 -0000 Received: (happycam@localhost) by travelbyroad.net (8.8.8) id UAA77354; Thu, 19 Apr 2001 20:53:04 -0600 (MDT) Date: Thu, 19 Apr 2001 20:53:04 -0600 (MDT) Message-Id: <200104200253.UAA77354@...> To: theeagle@... Subject: Forum Post From: Travel By Road <bbs@...> DO NOT reply to this email. Some time back, you posted a message to a Travel By Road Message Forum, requesting that responses be emailed to you. Willie Agans posted the following message: ========================================= I have a 1978 Chinook Toyota based Plus 2 and want to put in roof air. I have talked to the factory and they do not have the position for the roof air. If any of you have a Chinook with roof air let me know so I can locate the correct position for the 14 inch hole. Thanks, Willie Agans ========================================= The complete thread can be viewed at Please do not reply to this message. The reply will not reach a human. |
|
Re: Odyssey comments/questions
Hi Rosannah. Congratulations. I've been following your story
with interest because I soon hope to have a similar success story to tell about finding a new motohome for ourselves. (See message #1123.) Regarding the TV: I would be a bit worried too. May I suggest that you test it by running it for quite a while, but checking it every 20 minutes or so. If any part of the back gets too hot to touch, (assuming you can somehow get to it), then you probably need to modify the installation. Lastly, I'm looking for a coach with a deep showerpan (mini tub). How deep is your Odyssey? Tika --- In toyota-campers@y..., r_hayden@e... wrote: Thanks for the encouragement and advice, Jack Redman andjacka2, Tommiez, Rednipcan, and all--I really appreciate it.possible, hopefully by May. Before we set out, I want to get the repairsmade to the Toyota, including the exhaust, steering, and air bags. Myalready. a 10" or so television into one of the upper cupboards, and putwood trim around it so it's sealed in. He used open-cell foam tocushion the tv and make it fit into the space, but this can't be okay, aswonder if it's safe for it to be in a cupboard space at all--does anyoneabove the couch? Will it overheat and create a fire danger? Anythoughts or opinions welcome. |
|
Re: Tub & Baby Seat
Hi, Allen & Linda, I've heard from another source that some '91
Toyota Winnie Warriors have mini-tubs under the showers. Does yours? Or do you have any more info if this rumor is true? Re: Baby seat. I have already purchased some seat belts to bolt in, and we'll install them solidly. Now all we need is a new motorhome to put them in (and then the kid/s we're hoping to adopt!). --- In toyota-campers@y..., amrock@p... wrote: -Hi owen,that was my 91 warrior MH having the V6 head gasketabout 3 miles from our house!.I hope you have a great trip to themountains We will all look forward to hearing all about it when you getback. Happy toyota MH camping and have a safe trip.Allen & Linda. wouldPS,we have two kids but they are out of the car seats now.I sure theagree with the newest posting about car seats,and make seatunder/overbelts are bolted through the floor and have big washers thethebolts.The car seat should face forward or backward as per carseatinstructions.Good luck with kids/seats. |
|
Re: rear axle(again)
Hi. I have a 1978 Toyota Musketeer which I have owned since
1986. It now has over 130,000 miles on a rear end with bolt-on wheels and a non-floating axle. Finally last fall I had to replace the rear wheel bearings and axle because the noise was getting increasingly worse. You don't say anywhere that I could read what the mileage is on the coach that you're considering. I would say if it has say 60,000 miles or so, that you might have at least that much left on the axle if it isn't overloaded. You'll hear a grinding noise to let you know when the bearings start to go bad. I wouldn't be afraid of buying it because of the axle style, but I would listen carefully and be prepared to do the replacement on short notice if you begin to hear anything unusual. Tika --- In toyota-campers@y..., chsar@h... wrote: I really want a toyota rv, and I've read the messages for 3months now, but.. I get really excited when one comes up for sale in mycity and IF I buy one with the 1/2 ton axle, am I definitely asking fortrips (300mi. roundtrip) until I find a 1ton replacement?? I couldnttake a long trip(days or weeks travel)anytime soon,so I wouldnt beputting myself in a position of trouble for a while, so what do you folksjust get worried that I wont see another sunraider model as cheapas this one. thanks chris |
|
Re: Chilao CG
Just for the record it is spelled Chilao, and pronounced
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
Chill-LAY-oh. It is in the Angeles National Forest, about 1 hour north of Pasadena. There are several large campground loops and a fancier-than-most Visitors' Center. Buckhorn is indeed prettier -- it goes down fairly steeply alongside a stream with more tall trees. But for our wedding we needed a flatter place for the tables and reception. At that time I worked for the Forest Service Visitors' Center as a Naturalist, and the meadow seemed like the perfect spot for us. --- In toyota-campers@y..., jacka2@e... wrote:
Tommize. |
|
Odyssey comments/questions
Thanks for the encouragement and advice, Jack Redman and jacka2,
Tommiez, Rednipcan, and all--I really appreciate it. We're looking forward to taking a weekend trip as soon as possible, hopefully by May. Before we set out, I want to get the repairs made to the Toyota, including the exhaust, steering, and air bags. My husband did get the Chilton's manual, and it's been helpful already. I had a few thoughts and questions to share: My friend said we should fix the idler arm in the steering system sooner rather than later because big vehicles in need of steering repair will shake other parts loose and cause extensive damage in a short amount of time. This friend also suggested we go for headers and a two-pipe exhaust to improve horsepower and fuel economy. He guessed headers and exhaust would cost around $400, not too much more than the $150 for a regular muffler replacement. Does anyone ever put headers on Toyota microminis? I know my friend had dual exhaust, etc. on his VW camper, and it did improve performance significantly. Would headers alter the vehicle's performance negatively in any way? Would it affect ground clearance any? I don't have the transmission paperwork at hand right now, but I'll post the details as soon as I can locate it. I do know the parts breakdown isn't very detailed, but I'll report what I have. My husband asked the local Toyota dealer service manager what the compression should be (thanks also for your input, jacka2), and he said around 170 is normal. He said it's possible to have too-high compression, often due to carbon build-up, that anything over 220-230 is too high, but that 190 is just fine. Re. Rednipcan's comments about compresssion numbers matching, I have heard it's important for the numbers to be in the same range--I once had a '69 Skylark Special Deluxe (with a 350 engine) with compression readings ranging between 90-130 and was told this unevenness indicated more of a problem than the actual compression levels themselves. (I was wondering, do folks here use any engine or fuel additives to improve performance and/or engine life in their Toyota motorhomes?) A more thorough inspection of the rig reveals only one new problem, though I'm hoping it's not too major. There's a slight bulging in the paneling along the refrigerator (we have the Santa Fe Odyssey model, if that means anything to anyone), which is located next to the bathroom in the rear. There's a panel covering the side of the fridge and going along the back of the couch, and in the middle of this panel, it bows out slightly and there's a one-inch crack in the paneling. There's no visible water damage, but I wonder if there's some sort of water leakage/moisture coming from inside the paneling, from the fridge, or what caused this. We didn't notice it when we bought it, and it doesn't look too bad, but I'm a little concerned. Other than this, things look good. One last question (for tonight!): The folks we bought it from put a 10" or so television into one of the upper cupboards, and put wood trim around it so it's sealed in. He used open-cell foam to cushion the tv and make it fit into the space, but this can't be okay, as electronic equipment must need more ventilation than this. I wonder if it's safe for it to be in a cupboard space at all--does anyone else have any insight or experience with this sort of issue? Is it okay for the tv to be inset like this into the cupboard space above the couch? Will it overheat and create a fire danger? Any thoughts or opinions welcome. best, Rosannah |
|
Re: rear axle(again)
Michael Smith
Chris,
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
In my opinion you would be making a mistake to purchase a rig that has had an axle recall unless you had imediate plans to replace the axle and the price of the unit was reflective of the need for a $2000 repair and still a good deal at that. It's not that it will ruin your day if your axle breaks off it's that it can kill you or some other folks on the road. The National Highway Transortation Safety Administration does not issue recalls litely, nor does Toyota participate in such a recall without good reason. Remember what can and does happen. The axle breaks and the wheels leave the vechile taking rear brakeing with them. If it isn't a good deal after adding the price of the axle fix it isn't a good deal. Michaeal Smith chsar@... wrote: I really want a toyota rv, and I've read the messages for 3 months |
|
Re: chialo
Michael Smith
Tonniez,
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
I think you lucked out. In my search for an axle kit I called National and they said that they didn't have any. You must have an in there. Do be careful installing your new axle. I had a shop do mine but they screwed the shock mount up so bad that I had to totally redo it. I was under my rig at one point when I realized that both ubolts on each side must be in place for the unit to be secure. I only had one on each side on. It freaked me out to realize that I could have easily made a mistake that could have ended my toyota rving days in a hurry and for good. Do you know what the difference was in the three different axle kits? My guess is that it is either shock mounting or gear ratio. It would be great information to know which kit should go with which rig. Do you think it would be possible to find out from your contact that information? Sorry to hear about your back, mine does the exact same thing. I'm out for 3 days every time. Nothing seems to help but I wouldn't use a heating pad if I were you. Ice is usually the best for the first few days. Michael Smith tommiez@... wrote: Jack, Chialo is down the 2 freeway about 25 miles past Mt. Wilson. |
|
Re: rear axle(again)
Jack Redman
Hi Chris,
Welcome to the group. Some will say that the weak axle is a disaster waiting to happen, so beware. On the other hand, the camper you are considering has survived for all these years, and with caution and preventive maintenance it should continue to work well. I believe the latter is true. I have personally talked to people with smaller units (18 feet or so) with the weak axle. They are careful not to overload them, and they are doing just fine. So, if you like the Sunrader I say you should get it. Your choices are pretty limited when it comes to a small motorhome. These Toyota units have a loyal following whose experience and advice is gladly shared. Jack R _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at |
to navigate to use esc to dismiss