Monday, July 22, 2013

2013 ToyotaFest car show: A definite must attend for Toyota, Lexus and Scion fans Part 3

A very nice MKIV Supra on HRE wheels.
We head into part 3 of our coverage of the 2013 ToyotaFest, where we waded past row after row of Supras and MR2s.

Thursday, July 11, 2013

2013 ToyotaFest car show: A definite must attend for Toyota, Lexus and Scion fans Part 2


ITBs and a Levin front end conversion.  Very nice!
In part 2 of our coverage of the 2013 ToyotaFest, we move away from the Lexus vehicles and onto the Scions and Toyotas. 

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

DIY Fix: How to Remove and Replace Lower Ball Joints and Outer Tie Rods (Lexus GS 300/Toyota Aristo JZS161)


Ball joints and tie rods are critical for maintaining steering control and safety.  A broken ball joint or tie rod can result in a catastrophic accident.
In recent weeks, we've received quite a few questions from people asking if we can help them identify odd noises coming from their vehicles.  While we cannot guarantee we can help them pinpoint the exact cause of the noise, we generally ask them a few questions or ask them to send us a video to help us get an idea of the general location of the noise. 

The most common one thus far has been odd noises coming from the front end of a person's car, and aside from shocks or wheel bearings, we noticed that ball joints and tie rods are the usual culprits.  Follow along as we explain how to check for bad ball joints and tie rod ends, and show a general how to on our very own project car.

Monday, July 8, 2013

2013 ToyotaFest car show: A definite must attend for Toyota, Lexus and Scion fans Part 1


Each year in the spring, the Toyota Owner's and Restorer's Club (TORC) hold an event for all fans of Toyota, Lexus and Scion cars to attend.  This year's event held at the Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA continued the tradition of a family friendly event filled with cars that any gear head can appreciate.  There were project cars in various stages of their build, fully restored classics, heavily modified cars, and factory stock cars in mint condition.  Toyota also set up shop with games, allowing attendees the chance to win prizes such as cell phone holders, MKIII Toyota Supra shaped air fresheners, and portable chairs.