Blackdiamond (Gup-C build-up)

[Gnarly4X]

My maintenance program for the 4Runner involves taking it to my mechanic before most trip with instructions to make sure it'll get me home along with an oil change. I really do target an oil change at least once a year.

Going forward, if I were you, based upon your miles-driven-per-year, I would have done or do a valve lash check/adjustment at least every 10,000 miles, or if your butt dyno senses something, or hear some rocker tick that is unusual. 

Gnarls. 

[Gnarly4X]

I LOVE THE PHOTOS!!!!!!!!!

NICE JOB ON PHOTOGRAPHY!!!!


Gnarls.

[blackdiamond]

Going forward, if I were you, based upon your miles-driven-per-year, I would have done or do a valve lash check/adjustment at least every 10,000 miles, or if your butt dyno senses something, or hear some rocker tick that is unusual. 

Gnarls. 

Trust me when I say that I'll be more in tune with how the engine is running in the future.  On the last local wheeling trip with Bestgen he looked at the "shake rattle and roll" of my engine and showed me how smooth his was.  We discussed some possible causes and I pretty much came away thinking that given how little it gets driven I would just leave well enough alone.  On the Moab trip things degraded significantly to the point that I knew that something was wrong and not just not quite right.  Like most things, in retrospect several things have been resolved in the process.

Another example of my poor maintenance is the Sequoia getting a timing belt this week and it close to 20,000 miles overdue.  Just too many other things that are more important.  When I take the Civic in (OLM) or Sequoia (7,500 to 10,000 mile OCI) he will often let me know that something like the brakes will be needed soon and then we have the conversation if it'll for sure make it to the next OCI.  If he's not confident then it get's done then because it's not worth another trip.

[blackdiamond]

I LOVE THE PHOTOS!!!!!!!!!

NICE JOB ON PHOTOGRAPHY!!!!


Gnarls.

The pictures and video were taken by at least 7 different people, but there are some nice shots.

[blackdiamond]

So which ones should I get?

https://www.discounttire.com/buy-wheels/pro-comp-69/p/72818

https://www.discounttire.com/buy-wheels/american-racing-ar172-baja/p/60182

I think these are the best options at Discount Tire for being black, alloy, and affordable.

[redneckcustoms13]

2nd option. The large holes in the 1st womt look right on your rig in my opinion.

[Rockcrawlintoy]

I like the american racing wheels.

[blackdiamond]

I agree, except I would choose 15x8 over 15x10

I like my 10s and will be sticking with them.

2nd option. The large holes in the 1st womt look right on your rig in my opinion.

The smaller holes almost seem to small. I may see if they can order both into the store.

[Rockcrawlintoy]

If you are talking about the wheels he has now, I agree, especially if they're made in USA which they aren't anymore, so the US made ones are now classics

I was talking about the second option .

[blackdiamond]

If you are talking about the wheels he has now, I agree, especially if they're made in USA which they aren't anymore, so the US made ones are now classics

My current wheels were purchased in 2002, I think, when I stepped the 85 up to 33x12.50s.  I like the look, but they are showing their age cosmetically, I am curious to run a significantly lighter alloy, and the nail in the coffin is the amount of weight that was required to get them balanced a couple weeks ago. I really think that the wheels may not be a round as they once were.

[cbeers]

Will your wheel studs be long enough?
I have similar wheels and there is not enough thread engagement for me.

CB

[blackdiamond]

Will your wheel studs be long enough?
I have similar wheels and there is not enough thread engagement for me.

CB

I guess a trial fit before making the switch would be in order to verify. When I had the tires balanced I inquired about wheels for a quick quote and he included aftermarket lug nuts and indicated that I would probably need them. He didn't say why.

[blackdiamond]

when I worked at a dealer I had access to tire machines and would balance my wheels/tires often. when it would call for a lot of weight I would break the bead and spin the tire around and check it again until I found the sweet spot that would take the least amount of weight. it's a pity most shops don't take/have the time to do this

I have requested that they do this in the past, but on this occasion they were working past closing so I didn't bother with it.  My driver's front tire has a rack of four large weights on the outside and then another rack of at least three on the inside that are offset entirely from the outside.  This makes me think that there's a wiggle in there somewhere.  The driver's rear isn't too bad an doesn't have any weights on the outside but does have at least three on the inside.  I know I've put them against the rocks quite a few times over the past 15+ years so have no problem replacing them.  Maybe I'll end up with the same result, but I know they will look newer and weigh close to 10 lbs less each.

[blackdiamond]

If you are talking about the wheels he has now, I agree, especially if they're made in USA which they aren't anymore, so the US made ones are now classics

I don't think my current ones are American Racing wheels.  I don't remember the brand though.

[cbeers]

Here is what I was saying. 
I think AllPro/TG offers a special lug nut that extends deeper to gain back some threads lost with the thicker wheel.
I don't care for my wheels so I will be changing them out otherwise I would have looked into those.  Perhaps that is what your wheel shop is offering too.

CB

[blackdiamond]

Here is what I was saying. 
I think AllPro/TG offers a special lug nut that extends deeper to gain back some threads lost with the thicker wheel.
I don't care for my wheels so I will be changing them out otherwise I would have looked into those.  Perhaps that is what your wheel shop is offering too.

CB

Are those American Racing wheels?

[cbeers]

Are those American Racing wheels?

With a cam!   

I honestly have no idea. If you are serious I will pay attention next time I pull off a wheel.

CB

[blackdiamond]

With a cam!   

I honestly have no idea. If you are serious I will pay attention next time I pull off a wheel.

CB

I was just curious about the stud length relative to the same wheel. I pulled one of mine and there's a lot of stuf left after the steel wheel.

[blackdiamond]

Both my 8" spare and 10" wheels look to have 3.75" backspacing.

[blackdiamond]

Pro Comp: https://i.imgur.com/M4uuPPn.jpg

[:)bestgen4runner]

The wheel can be dismounted and checked to see if it's out of balance or out of round.
Simply remove the tire and place just the wheel on the tire balancer.
9 times out of 10 it's the tire and not the wheel.

[blackdiamond]

The wheel can be dismounted and checked to see if it's out of balance or out of round.
Simply remove the tire and place just the wheel on the tire balancer.
9 times out of 10 it's the tire and not the wheel.

You are correct. The balance is just the factor that made the final decision for me to make the move.

[blackdiamond]

I put a deposit on a set of 15x10 American Racing AR172 Baja wheels today.  Not to be confused with "Assault Rims" as their is no intent to do harm to the landscape.

[blackdiamond]

I like the new look.

[:)bestgen4runner]

I like the new look.

We need a need a balance report

[blackdiamond]

We need a need a balance report

They are now stick-on weights so hard to compare, but the fronts have a pretty sizable stack so I'd say minimal approval on that front.  They won't get knocked off where they are so that's a plus.

[blackdiamond]

It was another great experience with Discount Tire.  When I walked into the store Jesse pointed at me like he'd be right back and disappeared into the shop.  I figured that he was just finishing something up before helping me, but instead he came back in with one of the wheel boxes to show me.  I've worked with Jesse in the distant past, but hadn't seen him in the store for a long time (he was at the Sequim store for several years) but he either remembered me or my 4Runner.  I think I ordered the wheels from him and didn't remember who he was.  Jacob was working in the shop and had done some of my best balances in the past so I requested that he do the work.  I was running out of faces that I knew in the store, but it seems that several are back in the store again.

I couldn't be more happy with the look of the wheels.  I'd say that they are exactly what I was wanting, but thought there was a chance that the holes might be smaller than I would prefer which was why I had interest in the Pro Comp wheel.  In the end, I don't think I'd change anything about the wheels and my lug nuts worked so I didn't have to get another fancy set of black lug nuts.

A good end to a not so perfect day.  Maybe tomorrow things will go as expected...

[Gnarly4X]

I like the new look.

Hey BD,

I'm not a big fan of the black rims on just about any vehicle... BUT.. on yours it look right! 

Here in AZ we'd say "It looks puss!" 

By the way, your Runner is really nice!  ... and it looks more like an AZ rock thrasher than a WA mud dobber. 

Gnarls. 

[blackdiamond]

Hey BD,

I'm not a big fan of the black rims on just about any vehicle... BUT.. on yours it look right! 

Here in AZ we'd say "It looks puss!" 

By the way, your Runner is really nice!  ... and it looks more like an AZ rock thrasher than a WA mud dobber. 

Gnarls. 

I prefer the look of black wheels partly because they make the overall combination look bigger and since I only run 35s need them to look as big as possible to scare the rocks into submission.  Call it a UT rock crawler, I don't go looking for mud.

The new wheels should be about 10 lbs lighter each than the steel wheels.  I was curious about the performance improvement, if any, that might result.  I found an SVT forum where someone indicated that the rule of thumb is 1 lb in the wheels/tires is the equivalent of 10 lbs in passenger/cargo weight.  I can assure you that I'd notice a 400 lb difference in cargo since even one passenger made a difference in my 2000 SS Camaro.

Any worthless insights in 250,000 words or less?

[blackdiamond]

went on a little trip over the weekend

#mealso