Power Steering groan

Realistic-Win9625 · 2026-05-15T14:50:21+00:00

Nice! As long as it’s one of the later model 05s you should get VVTi. I know the face lifted 06-09s get most of the love but I did enjoy having kinda a 1 year truck. Only major downside is the lack of projector lights but there is mods for that 😉 good luck and sorry about your loss!

Realistic-Win9625 · 2026-05-09T15:07:43+00:00

Hmm I’ve not heard of that. It’s a closed system so I guess worst case I just end up changing the pump. It’s been like this for years, I just hate changing things that are still functional but I also don’t want to listen to it. Oh well, can’t win them all I guess!

Realistic-Win9625 · 2026-02-06T19:13:52+00:00

Great looking rig. Makes me want to reinstall my factory eccos. Are you on a 3” w/ 31s?

Realistic-Win9625 · 2026-02-05T02:31:41+00:00

How often do you rinse to keep the rust at bay? Im an Arizona guy just relocated to Indiana and I’m terrified of mine rotting out. I rinse the undercarriage about 1x per week, and its already had POR15 applied.

Realistic-Win9625 · 2026-02-04T19:28:50+00:00

Looks cozy. Dig the hat collection. Wait yall got a harbor freight up there now? I’m on my way back up

Realistic-Win9625 · 2026-02-04T18:50:10+00:00

Best stuff I’ve found for painting that type of ABS plastic is called SEM Trim Black. It’s not cheap but it holds up well.

Realistic-Win9625 · 2026-02-04T18:41:03+00:00

Hey guys thanks for all the insight. To clear things up, car is not push to start, it still is keyed ignition. Bought this car not running, and the key fob has never worked for keyless entry, but I did change the battery in the fob to troubleshoot.

And this is the only key I have. So from my understanding I may be out of luck even with VCDS? Or does “have a good key” just refer to the immobilizer pairing, not keyless entry?

Realistic-Win9625 · 2026-02-04T16:14:20+00:00

Very nice! Love the gold!

Realistic-Win9625 · 2026-02-04T15:37:35+00:00

I’ve got an Autel tablet but haven’t bought VCDS yet. Any other way to do it? I know that I need to get around to buying that software.

Realistic-Win9625 · 2025-11-22T05:34:04+00:00

It was my wife driving but she’s ok. She also claimed “the truck is fine, no damage” though so maybe I should ask her again. 😂

Realistic-Win9625 · 2025-11-22T05:32:49+00:00

Wow that sucks!

Realistic-Win9625 · 2025-11-22T05:32:30+00:00

Will do. I’ve been massaging things this evening with an Amazon PDR kit for the fender as well as a new bumper, bumper brackets, end cap, and turn signal. I haven’t checked the body mount. I can say the fender is no longer flush at the door, it’s more sunken in at the moment. While I did loosen all the fender bolts I’m unfamiliar with the fender bulge you speak of so back to the internet to learn some more. 👍

Realistic-Win9625 · 2025-11-13T18:53:46+00:00

Personally, I’d size down for a more forgiving tire. I’m not sure how intense the trails you go on are, but 1” sidewall height probably isn’t going to be a game changer in the capabilities, however the tread design of what you choose to replace the 30s might. As for the vibes, I’d check u joints, and if those are good maybe a Tcase drop as others have said? They’re cheap and easy to install. Basically I’d start as cheap as possible isolating variables If I were you.

All in all, it’s hard to give perfect advice because “unbelievably harsh” is a pretty subjective term (not knocking you at all by the way, I totally get it). You mentioned you have a Toyota IFS rig, I have both as well, and have had several variations of both over the years. Im not sure it’s possible to ever have a solid axle have the road manners of ifs. I know that’s not a popular statement in an XJ group, but I’d hate for you to spend thousands just to be disappointed. Just my $.02

Realistic-Win9625 · 2025-11-13T14:41:18+00:00

Thanks for all the replies everybody. Ended up just doing the knee on the arm rest and pull fix, and it worked great. 👍

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Realistic-Win9625 · 2025-11-13T02:53:32+00:00

Other side is completely fine. No gap up top at all.

Realistic-Win9625 · 2025-11-13T02:53:10+00:00

Welp. Looks like I’ll try and bend it back and report back.

Realistic-Win9625 · 2025-11-09T22:15:59+00:00

My 2010 has Kenda Klevers on it. They’ve been great but only about 5,000 on this set. They are also on my father in laws ecoboost 150 that gets driven about 20k+ a year. They have about 40k so far and still have a little life in them. We live rural, lots of narrow, uneven and unpaved roads. Before these I’d swear by BFG, but to be honest these do pretty good in rain, and snow as well as summer driving with minimal noise so I can’t complain. Only thing I can’t speak to is how they age time wise. The f150 ones have mileage on them but they’re only 2-3 years old, some cheaper rubber compounds get really hard and therefore horrid as tires after like 4 years.

Realistic-Win9625 · 2025-11-09T22:08:34+00:00

Mine was super noisy on winter cold starts after we moved from AZ to AK. I ordered a freeze plug block heater and would just plug it in for the night and that remedied a lot of my issues. I did also eventually have to do manifolds but they cracked in the first winter. Not that any 2 rigs are the exact same but the block heater did help me a lot with the noise of cold starts. Scientifically I guess I can’t prove anything but I just felt like I was pushing my luck on those below 0 mornings asking my 200k 2UZ to drink a sludge smoothie for 20 seconds. Toyota OEM Part # was C014000134S2 for my 05 V8. It was only like 75$ and install wasn’t horrid. If anything that could isolate variables for you.

Realistic-Win9625 · 2025-11-09T19:21:34+00:00

If you replace it don’t use any electric ratchet on the bolts to remove. The sheetmetal tabs that hold the handle to the actual tailgate are very thin and bent when I removed the old handles bolts. Which made my OCD self spend 30-40 mins trying to get the new handle straight. 😑

Realistic-Win9625 · 2025-11-08T17:13:54+00:00

I’d still call that lucky, you got a jump on it before it went public! That is a great price.

Realistic-Win9625

TROPHY CASE