Builds "Red Lobster" Build (1 Viewer)

[robustbambi]

Bumper looks great. Just get it done this weekend... So we can get back to work on mine.

 

[KingKong]

Looks like poop <3 <3 <3

 

[Chachie]

sharp lookin rig

 

[Tennessee80]

What rattle can color did you end up doing, dude? I used Rustoleum matte nickel on my labs rear. I like yours though... Nice rig!

Cheers

 

[pandathrust]

Looks like poop <3 <3 <3

thanks. there's a spot on yours for a 4x4 labs rear bumper as well... join the party!

What rattle can color did you end up doing, dude? I used Rustoleum matte nickel on my labs rear. I like yours though... Nice rig!

Cheers

it is duplicolor graphite wheel paint. it ends up being a dark gray with a small bit of metallic that looks similar to gray powder coat. I really like it and so far its held up great.

 

[jynx]

it is duplicolor graphite wheel paint. it ends up being a dark gray with a small bit of metallic that looks similar to gray powder coat. I really like it and so far its held up great.

They Say imitation is the sincerest form of Flattery.... Ever since I saw TreeRoots white and grey/silver combo on his truck a few years ago I have been wanting to ditch the black armor. Seeing your labs rear may have sealed the deal and I believe that your old IPOR may be getting a similar treatment soon, followed by the sliders and eventually the ARB.

Looking forward to seeing the Labs front finished. Curious is that all the pieces to it? Seems like there are a few gaps that seem like they should be covered. I think the tow points may fill the ones that I am seeing above the frame horns. But curious.

One other question, if I wanted to get a single swing out to put on that IPOR, could I call Luke and just ask for the Aidan special? Or does he have a single swing out kit?

 

[pandathrust]

They Say imitation is the sincerest form of Flattery.... Ever since I saw TreeRoots white and grey/silver combo on his truck a few years ago I have been wanting to ditch the black armor. Seeing your labs rear may have sealed the deal and I believe that your old IPOR may be getting a similar treatment soon, followed by the sliders and eventually the ARB.

Looking forward to seeing the Labs front finished. Curious is that all the pieces to it? Seems like there are a few gaps that seem like they should be covered. I think the tow points may fill the ones that I am seeing above the frame horns. But curious.

One other question, if I wanted to get a single swing out to put on that IPOR, could I call Luke and just ask for the Aidan special? Or does he have a single swing out kit?

Sweet! I really like the look of gray armor on trucks opposed to the normal black and your truck will look great with the new color.

There are a few more pieces left to weld on. There are is a small tube hoop as well as a straight length of tube that I might put under the hoop if it ends up looking good. I'm still kinda on the fence about it, but we will see. Then, your correct, the recovery points go into the rectangular space between the frame mounts and the first wing section, and finally there are two smaller pieces of tube that will be used as reinforcers/gussets for the main hoop structure.

Haha the "Aidan special". I know that the IPOR website says that Luke makes the swing outs for their bumpers but they use a different sort of spindle (solid 1.5" IIRC instead of the trailer axle spindle type that 4x4 labs uses). I'm sure he could provide you with some information about it and if he makes one there probably is a kit that will save you some $$. If you are interested in making something that looks similar to mine you'll probably have to make it yourself, but I'm sure that Luke will be able to help you out with the swing out. Let me know if you have anymore questions about it.

 

[Tennessee80]

I'm going to switch colors on my bumpers after seeing this graphite, looks good. Mine is a matte silver look, but this is cool since I want to paint my wheels that graphite color anyway

 

[jcardona1]

Sweet! I really like the look of gray armor on trucks opposed to the normal black and your truck will look great with the new color.

I agree. Any color looks better than black for armor. Black just doesn't do the design any justice and the nice details disappear.

 

[pandathrust]

I'm going to switch colors on my bumpers after seeing this graphite, looks good. Mine is a matte silver look, but this is cool since I want to paint my wheels that graphite color anyway

Thanks. I was thinking about repainting the wheels as well. I think it would look pretty good when its all said and done.

 

[pandathrust]

Today I ground down the welds, smoothed the corners, and tacked on the hoop and stiffeners. It is starting to look complete now.



Those smaller tube stiffeners behind the main tube really connect the whole bumper together. Even just tacked on, the main hoop doesn't budge a bit.



I think I ended up making the main hoop a bit greater of an angle with respect to the ground than it is usually. When I first tacked it on it was too low and stuck way to far out in my opinion and after about 30 minutes of grinding it, I got a nice fit up with the angle that I wanted.



Looks good despite that huge open section where a which would go... It really tucks close to the body and after fully welding it up, I don't think that it will move much when hit on stuff.





This is the horizontal tube that can be added if you'd like. I really liked it on the first pictures that Luke sent me, then once I got the kit I was unsure about whether I wanted to add it, but now, I think that I'll end up welding it on after I confirm that it will not interfere with my "hypothetical" winch and my 14" light bar that will go below the main hoop in that void space.



I think that I'll have it completed by the end of next weekend, but whenever I say something like that I always run into problems, so i won't make any promises. I have a bit of grinding on that horizontal bar to make it fit where I want it to, fully welding the recovery points in as well as the hoop and stiffeners, and making/welding on my light bar mounts before I can paint it up. Then after I finish and paint the bumper I have to cut the main support and figure out what I am going to do with that pesky AC dryer...

 

[jynx]

Looking sharp Aidan.

Does the horizontal tube have enough length to be modified to fit flush with the top of the fairlead mount? Kind of tie that into the rest of the bumper?

Also, what are your plans for turn signals? I think I remember jcardone doing some little LED's on the front edge and then something on the end if the frame horn.

 

[pandathrust]

Looking sharp Aidan.

Does the horizontal tube have enough length to be modified to fit flush with the top of the fairlead mount? Kind of tie that into the rest of the bumper?

Also, what are your plans for turn signals? I think I remember jcardone doing some little LED's on the front edge and then something on the end if the frame horn.

Thanks Matthew.

The tube that Luke provides has notches cut into it so it kinda has to connect up with the main hoop, but I'm sure that another piece of 2" tube could be used and could be tied into the fairlead. As for the blinkers, I converted the orange running lights on wither side of the headlights to dual 1157 type bulbs running/blinker lights when I first got the truck. They can be seen well from the front as well as the sides so I'm planning on just leaving them and not adding any additional lights.

 

[pandathrust]

Finally finished welding the bumper today, now all I gotta do is grind some more and paint. I tacked up the horizontal bar, light trick tabs, and CB antenna mount and fit the antenna and light bar in to see how it all looked. It looked good so I burned it in. I think a 14" light bar is the perfect size for this bumper, but it's really the only one that'll fit in there...



It is pretty well protected in between the tubes. Gotta figure out how i'm gonna make those wires disappear...



Tomorrow I'm gonna grind some more and hopefully will be able to paint in the next few days if it is sunny...

 

[pandathrust]

Yesterday I finished all the sanding and moved to the truck to start cutting the main support and inner fender. It was pretty easy except when it came to the driver side with the AC condenser which got in the way of both the sawzall and the cutoff wheel. I ended up just bending it over to get more room, but ended up cutting halfway through one of the trans cooler soft line (hidden inside the inner fender) so I had ATF dripping out a bit, but had all the hose already so I fixed that real quick. Here is the difference between main support and no main support.



I will probably end up capping off the main support later on and possibly figure out what to do about the gap between the inner fender and where the main support was later on as I don't really want any mud/crap to get up in the engine bay when wheeling, but here is what it looks like after the cut



On the driver side, I rotated and pushed the AC condenser up so it is sitting horizontal right under the blinker housing. It's probably not ideal but the AC still blows cold so I'm happy so far.



I got the bumper painted and installed yesterday and let the paint dry/cure completely overnight. I figured out when tightening the bolts that I lost 2 of the 12mm bolts so I'll need to buy those sometime, but here is the completed 4x4labs front bumper...













I liked the way it all turned out. It was a little more complex than the rear kit to make, but it is definitely not impossible to make. It just took a little time getting all the pieces where they needed to go so that it all turned out looking good. I think i'll like it a lot more than the ARB because of the massively increased approach angle and the overall strength, but we will see how it fairs after I nail it on some rocks at GSTMR.

 

[Tennessee80]

Sick, dude!

 

[Fairbanks40]

Great looking build!! I'm from Cartersville Ga. I moved to Alaska 3 years ago where I built my 40. It's great to see some Cruiser action happening back home! You do good work, man! Cheers!

 

[pandathrust]

Next thing to do is throw some Monstaliner on the fenders from where the flare holes were. I looked at the options that monstaliner had for the red and decided going with blood bath which seemed like it was the closest match to the stock color. I think it might be a little darker, but I think it will come out looking good.



Here are the colors in darker lighting, Blood Bath is on the far right



Here are the colors in bright light, blood bath on the far right still



Finished welding up the holes on the rear doors and grinded them down...



Dropped the headliner, which wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, so i could make sure i didn't set the 80 on fire while welding the factory roof rack holes.



I still have to figure out what i want to do with the spoiler holes... I want them gone but i don't want the nutserts to shake all around when i open and close the hatch. I'll figure that out because i hate the look of shiny screws in there. After I do that, I'll get some bondo and get to work with that on the welded areas. The Monstaliner should be here hopefully later this week and I'll get it on next week if the weather is right.

 

[Tennessee80]

That looks better than my spoiler holes, man. I silicone filled mine and it looks dirty all of the time, especially with a white rig...!

 

[Heckraiser]

reminds me of this guy's build: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/65520-turbo-rock-lobster.html

Hey, maybe you should put a big honking turbo on it!