Pit Stop 8/4/07 at Jeff’s House

Well it was a very long but good day. Jeff, Jenelle, Jamis, Jared, Debbie S, Dave, Heather, perspective member Joanna, Bobby and I started the day by meeting for breakfast @ Bakers Square on Almaden Expressway @ 7:30am. The food was good and the conversations were great. We got done about 9:00. Bobby and I headed to the part store for tune-up stuff for the fj40, Dave and Heather headed to their house for the welder and timing light, the 4 J’s, Debbie S and Joanna (guess that makes it 5 J’s) took off for Jeff’s house. By the time Bobby and I got there Dave was already under Joanna’s Joanna’s 4-Runner bumper looking at her bumper. Debbie’s 4 Runner was in half of Jeff’s garage right next to Jeff’s 4 – Runner. Everyone had a project that they wanted to work on. Debbie S = breaks, Jeff = timing chain, Bobby = tune up, Dave = seats and Joanna = welding her bumper. Since Dave was already under Joanna’s rig Bobby joined him to check things out. Joanna was losing up the bumper, Jeff getting tools out, compressor started and answering “Hey Jeff do you have?” questions. Debbie S was getting her rig ready for Bobby to look at the breaks. While Dave, Bobby and Joanna were checking things out they notice something in the front. The drop down brackets for the front differential was broke. The front differential was able to rock forward and back. Dave was able to weld and gusseted them back together. While Dave was working on the Welding Bobby was looking at Debbie’s breaks. They looked good but some of the hardware was old and needed replaced. Debbie got on the phone and was told by Toyota that they had them and plenty. Debbie, Heather and I loaded up in the truck and took off. Parts run #2. When we got there Debbie went in to get her parts, Heather and I took off looking at the new FJ’s. (Heather does have her license don’t ya know) When we got back to Debbie she was a little upset. They had only some of the parts she needed, the rest were special order and would be a few days. Back to Jeff’s we go. When we got back everyone was hard at work in the sun. Jeff is struggling to get the crank puller bolt off. Bobby, Dave and Joanna are still working on her rig and her goes Debbie to the phone to start calling around to other shops to see if they have the parts she needs. She was able to find them but they will not be in for an hour or so. I think this is when Bobby took a break from helping Dave to start working on the FJ40. Things were going all right there until he got to the cap and rotor. The rotor was stuck and would not come off. Finally between Bobby, Dave, Jeff and Jeff’s neighbor they broke it off. No worries we had a new one. Parts are in so Debbie, Heather and I are off to the store, part run #3. Thank goodness they had the right ones. Back to Jeff’s house we go. The hostess with the mostest Jenelle has set out some munchies. There were taqueitos, chip, salsa, beans and just out of the oven cookies. Steve and Madeline stopped by for a visit. Seemed Madeline had plans with grandma and could not stay long. Really enjoyed see her and Steve. While there Steve was able to lend advice and suggestions on how to get that darn bolt off for Jeff. Ya it was still in place and not budging. Poor Jeff. Bobby and Debbie got the breaks done on her rig, Dave and Joanna are almost done with her rig and Bobby is still working on his. As for me off to the parts store again # 4, for a part Bobby was waiting on. By know it is about 3 pm. Steve and Madeline have taken off. Debbie is trying to help Jeff. Dave and Joanna are done so they start cleaning up their stuff. Joanna wanted to check the front end and made a Starbucks run with Heather to help carry drinks. Dave then helped Bobby finish the tune up. Ok after all that and the FJ still is running poorly. They spent some time trying to figure it out but we still don’t know what is wrong with it. We hooked it up to tow home. Jeff = still trying to get bolt loose. Jenelle called her parents to cancel dinner plans for Jeff’s birthday as we were all still there. Sorry. Joanna and Debbie were getting ready to take off as well as Dave and Heather. Well it got to the point where Jeff was going to put his rig back together and drive it until the motor blows up and then just replace the whole thing. Bobby and Dave expressed to Jeff they thought his air compressor just did not hold enough PSI pressure to loosen the bolt. Jeff thought about it and decided to go to sears and buy a new one. He wanted Bobby to go with him. They went inside and I waited out in the truck so no one would bother the FJ. Boy they were quick. It seemed like they were only gone about 10-15 minutes and here they come with a compressor, air gun and impact sockets. Word has it that Jeff was able to get the bolt off Sunday morning and his 4-Runner is back together and running good. Well that raps up this Pit Stop. A lot of work done, had good Laughs and we are now ready for Pismo.