[GRM]

My 3rd 4wd Vehicle as of 2002. Not the best of them all, but by far the most capiable, and the most fun.

2002:


2003:


2004:

First real buildup including new springs, highsteer, 4.7 gears, sliders, new rear bumper.

2005:
Hammers at night- no pics, just broken parts
Big Bear:


2006:
Paid for new DD purchased in 05, and went wheeling in friends trucks.


2007:


Next up: Fixing the jankiness

[GRM]

The first and most important step for me is to find a shop that will be willing to work with me to compliment my skills in order to build a better truck. There are some things I know how to do. Welding is not one of them. My cage and front bumper are testament to that.

I spend my free time on trail teams visiting 4wd shops all over the country. Every shop does a great job at tailoring their services to their clients. My needs were to find a shop that was more interested in only completing the work that is over my head. When I arrived home from Trail Teams in late november, I had yet to find a shop to complete the tasks at hand. My friend Kyle invited me over to his shop, Driven Industries Tube Worx (http://www.drivenindustriestubeworx.com/) the night after I got back. When driving up the road, I could see the cage of the truck he had just completed:

Upon seeing the work on the cruiser cage, I knew Driven Industries was going to be putting a new roll-cage in my truck in the next two weeks.
In talking with Kyle, it was decided he would build me an in cab cage, going through the dash, weld in a trailer hitch, re-weld my front bumper, and build a shock hoop brace over the top of the engine.

Since he was doing that, I decided I would fix the electrical problems, and put new doors on the truck at the same time. This task seemed easy, but its getting more complex my the minute....

Here is my basic list of projects to complete

Drivetrain:
Regear and install Tacoma V6 Elockers
Find and repair last power steering leak
Install Fan Shroud
Make sure dented radiator is not a leaking radiator
Replace rear driveshaft
Install Budbuild crossmember
Replace front shocks
Replace 12 gallon fuel sending unit with proper 16 gallon unit.
Weld on Beadlocks

Body:
Install New doors
Replace Broken rear window
Replace bushings in clutch pedal assembly
Weld nuts to floor board for Shifter boot
If time permits, repaint truck

Electrical:
Figure out why the ECU is jumped
Figure out why the key won't make the starter turn over
Replace gauge cluster, and make the rest of the gauges work
Install overlay harness for aftermarket electrical
Install dual batteries
Install 3 12voltguy.com switch panels
Install 3 aftermarket fuse blocks
Install some sort of Relay block
Re-wire winch with Superwinch Solenoid
Extend rear window and rear wiper switches to the dash
H4 Euro Spec Headlights
Wire in CB radio
Wire Power outlet for ARB fridge

Parts still needed:
Rear window glass
Fuel Tank sending unit
Wiring harness (may repair current harness)
Rear window, and rear wiper switches+harness
Most of the electrical parts

So the work begins...


...oh I almost forgot to mention. The truck has to be done for my Ocotillo Wells trip for new years!

[GRM]

Yesterday morning I placed my order from ruffstuffspecialties (http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/index.php) for my weld on beadlocks.


I purchased them after hearing 4rnr tell his beadlock story around the campfire in Attica. Lucky for me, he posted it so I don't have to re-type it. http://forum.ih8mud.com/hardcore-corner/178097-great-ih8mud-vender-story.html

purchased these off of ebay last night


These headlights seem to be the thing in the cherokee community. I figure I will give them the old college try. They can't be worse than what is on there now!

As for fuse blocks. I haven't decided which ones to purchase yet, but I am thinking about having this BlueSea mounted under the hood as a constant 12v.


Mount 2 of these; one under the dash keyed to the ignition, and one off the second battery for accessories.

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

While you're at it, get an upgraded headlight harness:

http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTri...adlights.shtml

The stock wiring is a joke...

Oh, and there's a line for Rig of the bi-week!!!!! But since you're a mod and you need the truck done by new years.... I'll let it slide

[GRM]

Dont worry, 10101 tuning out of san jose is doing most of my wiring, and they custom build over lay harness :-D.

In fact, 10101 tuning even makes a harness to make 120v christmas lights turn on, on the outside of your truck, when you hit the trunk release button on the remote to your alarm (aka: all kinds of cool stuff)

[GRM]

Shock hoop brace is complete:

[GRM]

Kyle Started on the cage. Both A-pillars and the rear hoop are just about done. I'm VERY happy with the work and how the cage is turning out.

[GRM]

Last night wasn't very productive.

I tried to swap the fuel tank pickup out for the correct one. I had pulled my 12 gallon tank for a 19? gallon out of an 89 4runner. The fuel pickup on the 19 gallon was broken, so I have been using my 12 gallon one. Went to install it and found that the 89 4runner sending unit bottomed out on the bottom of the tank, and that the 12 gallon one is .625" from the bottom. Only idea I have is that the tank is dented.

Then I tried to put the radiator shroud on that I had ordered up from Toyota of Wellesley. Low and behold the shroud for an 85 4runner auto doesnt fit the 3 core radiator I have. Saw will come out today.

At least the headlights are bolted up. The H4 bulbs are really nice, and put off some nice light. Although they are loose in the buckets. I thought of putting foam tape in the back to snug them up; although I am afraid the foam will burn. Does anyone have an idea on how to fix this?

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

Maybe some sheet metal screws into the buckets where the lense should be hitting. The screw heads should give you 1/8 inch or so to push it out... Unless I'm not understanding the problem... Maybe where the springs attach are bent?

[GRM]

Originally Posted by 2ndGenToyotaFan

Maybe some sheet metal screws into the buckets where the lense should be hitting. The screw heads should give you 1/8 inch or so to push it out... Unless I'm not understanding the problem... Maybe where the springs attach are bent?

The buckets are tight against the truck (thus the spring is fine), but the headlights are loose in the bucket. The sheet-metal screw idea isn't bad, but the entire headlight assembly is glass. Metal+glass=Broken light.

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

Maybe some JB weld... in the right spots. That should handle the heat fine, and be a little easier on the glass.

[Q-BALL]

try and get some of those glue on clear buttons like they use on the back of bug deflectors to keep the deflector off the hood abit ...think i saw them at a craft store when i went with my girlfriend

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

I thought of the stick on rubber things too, but the heat issue...

[GRM]

Budbuilt cross member is in.

[GRM]

I figured out a solution to the headlight issue: Just bend the tabs back so it pulls the headlight closer.

Had a beadlock welding party last weekend. The keystone light got in the way of my ability to bolt the outer rings on.

BTW: that HF tire changer rocks! Complete life saver. (just make sure to bolt it to the ground and weld it together)





Also: the cage is done. No its not the exo everyone seems to want, but I love how it turned out. Thank you Kyle for building the cage EXACTLY to my specs. I am honestly amazed at how amazing it turned out.





I also got the main aux. fuse block in:


And even though everyone thinks I am a pussy for doing it, here is the sway bar (an disconnect mounts).

[GRM]

I just got home from the shop for the night. The truck is really close. Its all fit an finish work before its drivable again. Either way, most of the interior stuff is done.

[knixen]

Looking goooood!!!!

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

Sway bars or for manly men

[fortysixandtwo]

Cool 4runner man. I like the transformation. not too extreme but a definite change over time. Did you install the sway bar to combat body roll on the street? I have basicaly the same 4runner (plus or minus some parts :P) and I get some body roll on the freeway on windy days or when I hit uneven stretches of freeway. Just wondering if you have tried it out or not and if it is doing the job well. take care

[GRM]

I installed it because the truck will do a nasty side to side rock with the hard top on. I am clueless why, as I have changed shocks, springs, etc. with no effect. Only thing that makes it go away is taking the hard top off. I'm trying to see if the sway bar makes this go away. I will find out soon enough if the sway bar makes a difference or not.

Sometimes I am amazed at how long it takes to do detail work. I was at the shop 12 hours today doing nothing more than fitting the seats, modifying interior panels, and installing a new fan shroud. I shouldn't care this much on my wheeling rig, but Im anal about details like that.

I'm also happy that my 12 volt guy switch panel showed up today. Nothing is wired, but the panel is installed.





For some reason, I was 12voltguy didn't like my idea of running 4 gauge cable to my second battery (sitting in a box from a previous install), so he included some very nice 2/0 cable long enough to go from my main battery under the hood to my second battery behind the rear axle.




I also had a second 'armed' light panel made for my winch. Normally when you work with your winch, your able to pull the plug on the controller, so that your hand doesn't accidentally get sucked in. I had a second panel made, to go into the grille, so that when the in-cab winch controller is 'armed' it lights up.




And here the 4runner sits, with the m416 hitched up, all ready to go wheeling.

[GRM]

Truck is back home. The sway bar didn't help the side to side rock at all, but did make it nicer in the corners. Now I need to see if its the shocks, or springs that are bad. Or maybe the rear spring hangers aren't welded in straight, causing it to rock with the welded rear.

New problems:
The fitting on the high pressure PS line is leaking
I nicked the radiator when putting in the fan shroud, so the new radiator leaks
And I didn't order the .25" spacer for my budbuild crossmember (as I thought i would have dual cases by now), and so the transfer case hits the cross-member, and shifts into 4wd every time I hit the gas.

My goal of wheeling this truck by new years is now lost, but at least it will be done right.

[GRM]

After not completing the build on time, and having a few other setbacks, I got mad at this project and let it sit for a few weeks.

Since I knew I wouldn't be able to wheel it again anytime soon (leaving Sunday to go back to Trail Teams) I was able to take it out to Clear Creek today for a light duty shake down. Much to my surprise, there was close to 2' of snow on the ground! Since I was solo, and my winch still isn't re-installed, I decided to take it easy.

Found were a few issues... like a blown front shock, windshield wipers that don't want to work, and the shifter boot thats hitting the TC shifter.

All in all, I think the 'ol girl is ready for another couple seasons on the trail.

[GRM]

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