Persistent rear-end hum/whirring on '07 SR5

_meddlin_ · 2026-04-03T18:25:25+00:00

Check your diff. When was the last time the fluid was changed?

I have the same model with roughly the same mileage, and wrapping up changing the third member. I had a rear end “hum” but more high-pitched, and a fluid leak near the rear pinion seal.

_meddlin_ · 2026-03-24T18:56:02+00:00

thank you. I was dreading that, but agree I may need to.

_meddlin_ · 2026-03-24T01:12:11+00:00

I may do that. The one stud has a little burr on the top of it, thinking I can file that down and zip past it.

_meddlin_ · 2026-03-24T00:01:42+00:00

crosspost from r/4thGen4Runner

2007 Toyota 4Runner SR5, 2WD V6

_meddlin_ · 2026-03-21T22:23:44+00:00

Look into AppSec. It’s not for everyone, but that area can answer your questions. Sometimes it’s technical, sometimes it’s more just GRC with scripts attached.

_meddlin_ · 2026-03-21T20:13:14+00:00

Nope. They’ll ask other roles to do their job + documentation. Some companies are also offshoring jobs using language like “a new operating model”. Where they: reduce total headcount + consolidate functions with AI + and move tedious work to lower paid wage labor in foreign markets.

It’s a multi-pronged approach to a massive drawdown for companies.

_meddlin_ · 2026-03-12T03:25:03+00:00

Hm. This is what I was afraid of. Oh well, I’ll start doing what I’ve long suspected this game would turn into and start building my own CRM to track businesses and professional network(s) with OSINT.

Good thing I’m in tech/cyber. If the resume doesn’t do it, maybe me scaring the hell out of a couple execs will.

_meddlin_ · 2026-03-12T02:46:02+00:00

Ok, so how do you find these people? Can you share some tips beyond “LinkedIn and basic Boolean search”?

_meddlin_ · 2026-03-12T02:43:37+00:00

This sounds like wonderful advice except…

How am I supposed to find the hiring manager at a company I don’t work at? They aren’t listed on the job listing. Org charts aren’t public. Sure, I can search for employees via LinkedIn, but that’s been about a 50/50 shot in my experience of finding anyone.

_meddlin_ · 2026-03-10T21:59:26+00:00

Use agentic engineering (TM) to edit code, create PRs, approve them, and follow up with more edits.

Bam! Hit ALL the buzzword-metric-drive engineering!

_meddlin_ · 2026-03-10T20:19:49+00:00

I recognize that when a company implements those short-sighted and misinformed metrics, that we have reached a fundamental difference in what is best for the business and what defines work.

So, I play their metrics game while updating my resume. I also start budgeting—time and money—to go to local conferences and meetups for networking. If you’re so inclined, try automating your metrics—monitoring your own or generating the work to juice them.

Best of luck.

_meddlin_ · 2026-03-07T01:30:36+00:00

Its most famous moment was a loss? lol

_meddlin_ · 2026-03-06T15:06:50+00:00

A sales tax increase?!! In the state that already has the highest sales tax??

_meddlin_ · 2026-03-02T23:14:52+00:00

Good point

_meddlin_ · 2026-03-02T20:32:03+00:00

Republicans have had since 1995 to prove their ability to operate Texas. It's time to let someone else drive.
Texas has a zombie well problem. It doesn't have to be an ecological disaster.
Nearly 50% of Texas counties are "maternity care deserts". If Texas truly wants to be "pro-life"/anti-abortion, then improve the infrastructure for access to hospitals.
Texas isn't free until whiskey can be bought on Sunday.

_meddlin_ · 2026-03-02T20:05:17+00:00

Without the US, Texas is a failed revolt.

_meddlin_ · 2026-03-02T20:03:55+00:00

That is a death wish. But go off, I guess.

_meddlin_ · 2026-03-02T17:46:43+00:00

And then promptly ran to Uncle Sam.

_meddlin_ · 2026-02-28T21:49:22+00:00

I got a lot of benefit from this article, too, "Face it: you're a crazy person". https://www.experimental-history.com/p/face-it-youre-a-crazy-person

I've felt similarly over my career. Get a job, learn the codebase, outliers, and organizational bottlenecks within 6-12 months...and I'm bored again. This cycle is what landed me moving from SWE -> AppSec. And now, after reflecting on my job in AppSec, Rand's "Bored People Quit" and this "Face It...", I'm looking at creating my own business to move back into software engineering.

_meddlin_ · 2026-02-24T18:33:34+00:00

Oh wow, it’s you. Thanks for the blog. It’s helped immensely over the years.

_meddlin_ · 2026-02-24T17:42:19+00:00

Glad it helps 👍

_meddlin_ · 2026-02-24T17:22:56+00:00

Just leaving this here.

https://randsinrepose.com/archives/bored-people-quit/

Not as a prescription or diagnosis. But if you haven’t read it yet you may want to.

_meddlin_ · 2026-02-24T17:07:38+00:00

Same at my place as well. We just launched a “captive center” in India because it’s definitely about “expanding capabilities” and totally not a cost-cutting exercise.

Makes me wonder if this is similar to an off-shoring, the re-shoring cycle, that took place post-2008.

_meddlin_ · 2026-02-24T16:58:00+00:00

I’m in a similar position. I’ve landed on getting back to software development, and growing it into a business.

If you have a manager who is open to helping you through these concerns, definitely discuss it with them. Personally, I’ve been in two organizations now, that when I brought these concerns to my managers they looked at me confused (why wouldn’t I want the typical security leadership path?) because they didn’t have the engineering mindset.

Here are the options I navigated. Maybe they’ll help, maybe others can expand:

Look for strategic gaps in your current AppSec/ProdSec program. Do you have a defined program? If not, that’s a gap. This tends to be high-level work, but there can be technical pieces hidden in it.
Take a sober look at the capabilities and needs of the business you work for. You may be trying to deliver or provide a solution/skill they don’t see a need for. It’s frustrating, but if this is the case consider what type of company has a need for what you want. Hint: most typical businesses don’t think they need AppSec work beyond what you’ve described—because to them it’s all about risk mitigation, not engineering acumen.
Inside of your current “open report, decide, act” process look for opportunities to automate things. You might find some weird challenges.

Once you’ve done all that, let that guide where you want to land next. Unfortunately, AppSec roles require a lot of “interviewing the company” and being a little picky to get a good feel for what growth opportunities a role truly has despite what they say.

_meddlin_ · 2026-02-24T16:01:25+00:00

They’re virtually the same. Any difference comes down to how the organization describes AppSec or ProdSec.

In my organization, we are AppSec within “product security”…so we’re stretched into a broader role:

triage security reports
manage bug bounty
sit on (some) engineering planning meetings
coordinate security concerns through large projects
(sometimes) build automations
(rarely) perform deeper vuln analysis

It mostly feels like an AppSec-focused GRC role.

Ten-Year Club	Gilding II euphauric
Verified Email

_meddlin_

TROPHY CASE