Help with 3-link on '99 4-Runner (1 Viewer)

[jmvar]

On the back of the holes I welded .25 squares drilled out for a 1/2" bolt. The plate was bent up by cutting, bending, and re-welding and then sanding the welds down.

Hi JL, great thread, I have been following it for a while and I am learning a lot.

I have a question about the method you used to bend the skid plate. How deep did you cut the plate? Did you cut it with a cutting wheel on a grinder? Do you grind down the cut to make "V" in the metal?

More details would be great.

TIA

 

[JLHEEPETR]

I used a cutting disc to cut about 2/3 of the way through the plate. Once the bend is made the V to fill in is already done provided you cut from the right side. You don't want to close the cut with the bend but instead open it up to provide good penetration for the filler weld. I finally got some of the paint off of it on Pritchett Canyon this last week and it held up awesome.

 

[JLHEEPETR]

Isotel, nice putting a face to a name. Glad you enjoyed the fire. Here's a few pictures from the week. I only took a few, but will post up a few more once I copy them from some other people.

 

[JLHEEPETR]

 

[JLHEEPETR]

Overall the truck did awesome. It definately needs some sway bars or limit straps to keep the suspension under control. The body roll was a bit unnerving in the off camber stuff and on the steep stuff the front needs some limitation to keep it from unloading. I may still play with the spring rate a bit but like how it rides and flexes out. It was my first time in Moab without breaking anything and we got 6 different trails in!

 

[jmvar]

I used a cutting disc to cut about 2/3 of the way through the plate. Once the bend is made the V to fill in is already done provided you cut from the right side. You don't want to close the cut with the bend but instead open it up to provide good penetration for the filler weld. I finally got some of the paint off of it on Pritchett Canyon this last week and it held up awesome.

OK I see that makes sense, you bend the side that was cut so that it is on the convex side.

So when you put down the bead you do it on the side that was cut? Did the angle change at all on your bend due to the weld contracting when it cooled?

 

[JLHEEPETR]

Yes, use the weld to fill the opened cut, that way it can be sanded flat again and the cut won't show. I didn't notice any change in the bend from welding. I'm sure some shrinking or distortion took place but nothing noticeable. If you know the finished shape/dimensions of your plate you can also have a steel supplier do all the cutting and bending for you with professional presses/brakes. I was not sure of the finished shape so i just took the extra time and did it by hand.

 

[mmml4]

Looks like it worked out well, congrats. I may have overlooked it but what size hose and fittings did you use for the brake hoses.

 

[JLHEEPETR]

The brake hose is Aeroquip -4 teflon/stainless brake hose and the fittings are all Aeroquip too aside from the caliper adapters. I'm not sure who makes them. I sourced it all from www.bakerprecision.com.

 

[TIMZTOY]

heres a few pics for you joe.. the mem card is in the mail..

 

[farinvail]

Joe, nice job on the write up. Good to see you in Moab. Let me know if you want to come down to CO and test that thing out some more. I'm hosting a run July 24,25. Camp Hale area.

 

[JLHEEPETR]

I'd love to get out to CO for some wheeling, but I'm tying the knot on the 24th! I had a great time in Moab. I wish my Thursday run hadn't ran so late so I could have gotten to the Hot Wing Cookoff sooner but still had a blast. I was talking with a few people about re-uniting for a Rubicon run?

 

[jkimmel]

when you get to Colorado let me know, love to show you around!

love to hear what you end up with to help control body roll

Nice meeting you at CM

Jeremy (black toyota pickup)

 

[TIMZTOY]

I'd love to get out to CO for some wheeling, but I'm tying the knot on the 24th! I had a great time in Moab. I wish my Thursday run hadn't ran so late so I could have gotten to the Hot Wing Cookoff sooner but still had a blast. I was talking with a few people about re-uniting for a Rubicon run?

keep a brother posted if your coming down.. i too would like to meet up and run some trails..

 

[JLHEEPETR]

Jeremy, nice meeting you too, really like the truggy. I'll pm you if I can get down that way.

Tim, I just got the photos tonight and they're awesome. You two took a ton of pictures! Thanks again for sending them on.

I'm still looking at the sway bar options for the truck. I'm going to run the link calculator to see where I'm at and see if some adjustment will lessen the body roll. I really like the way the truck handles the twistys and climbs so I'm shying away from adjusting the spring rate for now.

 

[JLHEEPETR]

I adjusted the ride height of the truck last night. It was a bit high at 27.5" frame height. I dropped it down about 1.5" to 26" frame height. I was able to drive it today and it's amazing how much it seems to have affected to ride. Body roll is much more under control, of course it will be hard to tell for sure untill I can get it off road again. I'm curious to see how much effect it will have on the suspension geometry. This was a starting point Brook and I were discussing around the camp fire. Step two will be some limit straps to keep the suspension from completely unloading.

The truck as it sits now.

 

[Scottb]

This is one of my favorite 4runners. I like the way it looks and the way you built it. You took almost all of my ideas right out of my head

 

[TIMZTOY]

Tim, I just got the photos tonight and they're awesome. You two took a ton of pictures! Thanks again for sending them on.

thats why i wanted to send u a flash drive instead of a cd

 

[mmml4]

So where are the pics?

I have a questions about the power steering,

did you run hose on the pressure side of the pump to the steering box

did you fab your own hoses

if so where did you get the materials

Thanks

john

 

[toyrocs]

Fuel tank / supply issues?

Great looking Rig!
How did your engine run with the new fuel cell/ pump? Any starvation issues? Engine hesitation during acceleration or when hitting bumps with the fuel tank level low?

If you have problems let me know & i'll post up the history of my fuel cell problems I had. Will also post up the fixes attempted and the final fix.

Cheers.
Toyrocs