wheel TOYOTA 4RUNNER 1998 Repair Manual

4RUNNER (1998)
If towing is necessary, we recom-
mend you to have it done by your
Toyota dealer or a commercial tow
truck service.
If towing service is not available in
an emergency, your vehicle may be
temporarily towed by a cable or
chain secured to the emergency
towing hook. Use extreme caution
when towing vehicles.
A driver must be in the vehicle to
steer it and operate the brakes.
Towing in this manner may be done
only on hard- surfaced roads for a
short distance and at low speeds.
Also, the wheels, axles, drive train,
steering and brakes must all be in
good condition.
CAUTION
Use extreme caution when towing
vehicles. Avoid sudden starts or
erratic driving maneuvers which
would place excessive stress on
the emergency towing hook and
towing cable or chain. The hook
and towing cable or chain may
break and cause serious injury or damage.
NOTICE
Use only a cable or chain specifi-
cally intended for use in towingvehicles. Securely fasten the cableor chain to the towing hook pro-
vided.
Before towing, release the parking
brake and put the transmission in neu-
tral (manual) or ºNº (automatic) and
the transfer in ºH2º (four- wheel drive
models). The key must be in ºACCº
(engine off) or ºONº (engine running).

4RUNNER (1998)
The following methods are effective to
get out when your vehicle is struck in
mud, sand or other condition from
which the vehicle cannot be driven out
under its own power. Use extreme
caution when towing vehicles. In addi-
tion, keep away from the vehicles and
towing cable or chain when towing.
Remove the soil and sand in the
front and the back of the tires.
Place a stone or wood under the
tires.
If you cannot shift the selector le-
ver out of ºPº position to other
positions even though the brake
pedal is depressed, use the shift
lock override button as follows: 1. Turn the ignition key to ºLOCKº
position. Make sure the parking
brake is set.
2. Pry up the cover with a flat- bladed screwdriver or equivalent.
ÐTips for towing a stuck
vehicle
If you cannot shift automa
t
transmission selector lever
(two- wheel drive models)

4RUNNER (1998)
3. Insert the screwdriver or equiva-
lent into the hole to push down
the shift lock override button.
You can shift out of ºPº position
only while pushing the button.
4. Shift into ºNº position.
5. Insert the cover.
6. Start the engine. For your safety, keep the brake pedal depressed.
Be sure to have the system checked
by your Toyota dealer as soon as
possible. If you cannot shift automa
t
transmission selector lever
(four- wheel drive models)

4RUNNER (1998)
High pressure water or steam is
effective for cleaning the vehicle's
underside and wheel housings. Pay
particular attention to these areas
as it is difficult to see all the mud
and dirt. It will do more harm than
good to simply wet the mud and
debris without removing them. The
lower edge of doors, rocker panels
and frame members have drain
holes which should not be allowed
to clog with dirt as trapped water
in these areas can cause corro-
sion.
Wash the underside of the vehicle
thoroughly when winter is over.
See ºWashing and waxing your Toyo-
taº for more tips.
Check the condition of your ve-
hicle's paint and trim. If you find any
chips or scratches in the paint, touch
them up immediately to prevent corro-
sion from starting. If the chips or
scratches have gone through the bare
metal, have a qualified body shop
make the repair. Check the interior of your vehicle.
Water and dirt can accumulate under
the floor mats and could cause corro-
sion. Occasionally check under the
mats to make sure the area is dry. Be
particularly careful when transporting
chemicals, cleansers, fert
ilizers, salt,
etc; these should be transported in
proper containers. If a spill or leak
should occur, immediately clean and
dry the area.
Use mud shields on your wheels. If
you drive on salted or gravel roads,
mud shields help protect your vehicle.
Full- size shields, which come as near
to the ground as possible, are the
best. We recommend that the fittings
and the area where the shields are
installed be treated to resist corrosion.
Your Toyota dealer will be happy to
assist in supplying and insta lling the
shields if they are recommended for
your area.
Keep your vehicle in a well venti-
lated garage or a roofed place. Do
not park your vehicle in a damp,
poorly ventilated garage. If you wash
your vehicle in the garage, or if you
drive it in covered with water or snow,
your garage may be so damp it will
cause corrosion. Even if your garage
is heated, a wet vehicle can corrode
if the ventilation is poor. Washing your Toyota
Keep your vehicle clean by regular
washing.
The following cases may cause weak-
ness to the paint or corrosion to the
body and parts. Wash your vehicle as
soon as possible.
When driving in a coastal area
When driving on a road sprinkled
with antifreeze
When having stuck of coal tar, tree
sap, bird droppings and carcass of
an insect
when driving in the areas where
there are a lot of smoke, soot,
dust, iron dust and chemical sub-
stance
When the vehicle becomes remark-
ably dirty with dust and mud
Hand- washing your Toyota
Work in the shade and wait until
the vehicle body is not hot to the
touch.
CAUTION
When cleaning under floor or
chassis, be careful not to injure
your hands.
Washing and waxing your
To y o t a

4RUNNER (1998)
1. Rinse off loose dirt with a hose.
Remove any mud or road salt from
the underside of the vehicle or in
the wheel wells.
2. Wash with a mild car- wash soap, mixed according to the manufactur-
er's instructions. Use a soft cotton
mitt and keep it wet by dipping it
frequently into the wash water. Do
not rub hardÐlet the soap and wa-
ter remove the dirt.
Aluminum wheels: Use only a mild
soap or neutral detergent.
Road tar: Remove with turpentine or
cleaners that are marked safe for
painted surfaces.
NOTICE
Do not use gasoline or strong solvents, which may be toxic orcause damage.
3. Rinse thoroughlyÐdried soap can
cause streaking. In hot weather
you may need to rinse each sec-
tion right after you wash it.
4. To prevent water spots, dry the ve- hicle using a clean soft cotton tow-
el. Do not rub or press hardÐyou
might scratch the paint. Automatic car wash
Your vehicle may be washed in an
automatic car wash, but remember
that the paint can be scratched by
some type of brushes, unfiltered
washing water, or the washing process
itself. Scratching reduces paint dura-
bility and gloss, especially on darker
colors. The manager of the car wash
should be able to advise you whether
the process is safe for the paint on
your vehicle.
NOTICE
To prevent damage to the anten-
na, make sure it is retracted be-fore driving your Toyota throughan automatic car wash. On mod-
els with detachable antenna, re-move the antenna before using an automatic car wash.
Waxing your Toyota
Polishing and waxing is recom-
mended to maintain the original
beauty of your Toyota's finish.
Once a month or if the vehicle does
not repel water well, apply wax.
1. Always wash and dry the vehicle before you begin waxing, even if
you are using a combined cleaner
and wax.
2. Use a good quality polish and wax. If the finish has become extremely
weathered, use a car- cleaning pol-
ish, followed by a separate wax.
Carefully follow the manufacturer 's
instructions and precautions. Be
sure to polish and wax the chrome
trim as well as the paint.
3. Wax the vehicle again when water does not bead but remains on the
surface in large patches.

4RUNNER (1998)
Tire surface and wheel nuts
Check the tires carefully for cuts,
damage or excessive wear. See Chap-
ter 7- 2 for additional information.
When checking the tires, make sure
no nuts are missing, and check the
nuts for looseness. Tighten them if
necessary.
Tire rotation
Rotate the tires every 12000 km (7500
miles). See Chapter 7- 2 for additional
information.
Fluid leaks
Check underneath for leaking fuel, oil,
water or other fluid after the vehicle
has been parked for a while. If you
smell fuel fumes or notice any leak,
have the cause found and corrected
immediately.
Doors and engine hood
Check that all doors including back
door operate smoothly and all latches
lock securely. Make sure the engine
hood secondary latch secures the
hood from opening when the primary
latch is released. INSIDE THE VEHICLE
Items listed below should be
checked regularly, e.g. while per-
forming periodic services, cleaning
the vehicle, etc.
Lights
Make sure the headlights, stop lights,
tail lights, turn signal lights, and other
lights are all working. Check headlight
aim.
Service reminder indicators and
warning buzzers
Check that all service reminder indica-
tors and warning buzzers function
properly.
Steering wheel
Check that it has the specified free-
play. Be alert for changes in steering
condition, such as hard steering or
strange noise.
Seats
Check that all seat controls such as
seat adjusters, seatback recliner, etc.
operate smoothly and that all latches
lock securely in any position. Check
that the head restraint move up and
down smoothly and that the locks hold
securely in any latched position. For
folding- down rear seatbacks, swing- up
rear seat cushions and detachable
temporary third seat, check that the
latches lock securely.Seat belts
Check that the seat belt system such
as buckles, retractors and anchors op-
erate properly and smoothly. Make
sure the belt webbing is not cut,
frayed, worn or damaged.
Accelerator pedal
Check the pedal for smooth operation
and uneven pedal effort or catching.
Clutch pedal
Check the pedal for smooth operation.
Brake pedal
Check the pedal for smooth operation
and that the pedal has the proper
clearance. Check the brake booster
function.
Brakes
At a safe place, check that the brakes
do not pull to one side when applied.
Parking brake
Check that the lever has the proper
travel and that, on a safe incline, your
vehicle is held securely with only the
parking brake applied.

4RUNNER (1998)
Part 7
DO- IT- YOURSELF
MAINTENANCEÐ
Chapter 7- 2
Engine and Chassis
Checking the engine oil level
Checking the engine coolant
level
Checking brake fluid
Checking power steering fluid
Checking tire pressure
Checking and replacing tires
Rotating tires
Installing snow tires and
chains
Replacing wheels
Aluminum wheel precautions
Checking the engine oil level

4RUNNER (1998)
CAUTION
Do not mix radial, bias belted,
or bias- ply tires on your ve-
hicle. It can cause dangerous
handling characteristics, result-
ing in loss of control.
Do not use tires or wheels oth-
er than the manufacture's rec-
ommended size.
Toyota recommends all four tires,
or at least both of the front or rear
tires be replaced at a time as a set.
See ºIf you have a flat tireº in Part
4 for tire change procedure.
When a tire is replaced, the wheel
should always be balanced.
An unbalanced wheel may affect ve-
hicle handling and tire life. Wheels
can get out of balance with regular
use and should therefore be balanced
occasionally.
When replacing a tubeless tire, the
air valve should also be replaced
with a new one. Rotating tires

4RUNNER (1998)
To equalize tire wear and help ex-
tend tire life, Toyota recommends
that you rotate your tires approxi-
mately every 12000 km (7500 miles).
However, the most appropriate tim-
ing for tire rotation may vary ac-
cording to your driving habits and
road surface conditions.
See ºIf you have a flat tireº in Part
4 for tire change procedure.
When rotating tires, check for uneven
wear and damage. Abnormal wear is
usually caused by incorrect tire pres-
sure, improper wheel alignment, out-
of- balance wheels, or severe braking. WHEN TO USE SNOW TIRES OR
CHAINS
Snow tires or chains are recom-
mended when driving on snow or
ice.
On wet or dry roads, conventional
tires provide better traction than snow
tires.
SNOW TIRE SELECTION
If you need snow tires, select the
same size, construction and load
capacity as the original tires on
your Toyota.
Do not use tires other than those
mentioned above. Do not install
studded tires without first checking lo-
cal regulations for possible restric-
tions.SNOW TIRE INSTALLATION
Snow tires should be installed on
all wheels.
Installing snow tires on the front
wheels only can lead to an excessive
difference in road grip capab
ility be-
tween the front and rear tires which
could cause loss of vehicle control.
When storing removed tires, you
should store them in a cool dry place.
Mark the direction of rotation and be
sure to install them in the same direc-
tion when replacing.
Installing snow tires
and chains

4RUNNER (1998)
CAUTION
Do not drive with the snow
tires incorrectly inflated.
Never drive over 120 km/h (75
mph) with any type of snow
tires.
TIRE CHAIN SELECTION
Use the tire chains of correct size.
Regulations regarding the use of
tire chains vary according to loca-
tion or type of road, so always
check them before installing chains.
CHAIN INSTALLATION
Install the chains on the rear tires
as tightly as possible. Do not use
tire chains on the front tires. Re-
tighten chains after driving 0.5Ð1.0
km (1/4Ð1/2 mile).
When installing chains on your tires,
carefully follow the instructions of the
chain manufacturer.
If wheel covers are used, they will be
scratched by the chain band, so re-
move the covers before putting on the
chains.
CAUTION
Do not exceed 50 km/h (30
mph) or the chain manufactur-
er 's recommended speed limit,
whichever is lower.
Drive carefully avoiding bumps,
holes, and sharp turns, which
may cause the vehicle to bounce.
Avoid sharp turns or locked-
wheel braking, as use of chains
may adversely affect vehicle
handling.
Replacing wheels
WHEN TO REPLACE YOUR WHEELS
If you have wheel damage such as
bending, cracks or heavy corrosion,
the wheel should be replaced.
If you fail to replace damaged wheels,
the tire may slip off the wheel or they
may cause loss of handling control.
WHEEL SELECTION
When replacing wheels, care should
be taken to ensure that the wheels
are replaced by ones with the same
load capacity, diameter, rim width,
and offset.
Correct replacement wheels are avail-
able at your Toyota dealer.
A wheel of a different size or type
may adversely affect handling, wheel
and bearing life, brake cooling,
speedometer/odometer calibration,
stopping ab ility, headlight aim, bumper
height, vehicle ground clearance, and
tire or snow chain clearance to the
body and chassis.