ShenValleyCruiser's 500K Mile Tiki Cruiser Build Thread and CNC Creations

[D21FJ60]

.I guess only downfall would be the mating of the pad and rotor which a lot people dont even bother turning their rotors anyway so I dont know that I'm worried about that.

Apples to Oranges here but our 16 pilot needs the rotors done as it has the originals on it and we are at 98k. I went to do them in September and found a bolt seized in place. Didn't have time or resources to get it off so I put the replacement pads on. Car still stops better than it did with the old pads on there. Granted doing rotors on a pilot is easier than a 100 series but in response to your pontification, you should be OK for a little to put fresh pads on and leave the rotors...

 

[ClassyJalopy]

How many miles on the rotors? These are very stout rotors and if the surface is not scored, they won't hurt the new pads one bit. Do your brakes pulse now? if not then I won't even bother with turning rotors (just my opinion).
Just make sure the rotors are not too thin or scored, and run the new pads and repacked bearings.

 

[ShenValley100LC]

Apples to Oranges here but our 16 pilot needs the rotors done as it has the originals on it and we are at 98k. I went to do them in September and found a bolt seized in place. Didn't have time or resources to get it off so I put the replacement pads on. Car still stops better than it did with the old pads on there. Granted doing rotors on a pilot is easier than a 100 series but in response to your pontification, you should be OK for a little to put fresh pads on and leave the rotors...

My list of stuff I want to do on this is so daunting it felt like I was leaving off more than just the rotors.

How many miles on the rotors? These are very stout rotors and if the surface is not scored, they won't hurt the new pads one bit. Do your brakes pulse now? if not then I won't even bother with turning rotors (just my opinion).
Just make sure the rotors are not too thin or scored, and run the new pads and repacked bearings.

Yeah, I guess my list of stuff I want (feel I need) to do on this car is just so long I felt like I was leaving off more than I really am if I just throw new pads and re-use all the old shims and clips. I'd have to look at records to see how many miles on the rotors, I've done the rear but haven't touched the front other than to put stainless steel lines on and bleed. That was two years and 40K miles ago. They're not scored so I'll probably be alright. If I do the wheel bearings soon I'll have a chance to take the rotors off so for $10 I figure why not hopefully prevent any chance of uneven wearing/warping. Plus rebuild the calipers to give me the warm fuzzies. Eventually the dream would be to get some fancy drilled/slotted rotors and nice aftermaket pads but too many other things on the list.

 

[ShenValley100LC]

Sometimes I feel like I am getting away with murder driving a 520K mile truck that is so smooth and tight...other times I swear the clunks and noises and chasing down diagnoses for phantom vibrations gets old. Part of this I think is when you are so use to and in tune with a truck you notice every little difference almost immediately. Blessing and curse of a reliable but old truck.

 

[ClassyJalopy]

Sometimes I feel like I am getting away with murder driving a 520K mile truck that is so smooth and tight...other times I swear the clunks and noises and chasing down diagnoses for phantom vibrations gets old. Part of this I think is when you are so use to and in tune with a truck you notice every little difference almost immediately. Blessing and curse of a reliable but old truck.

At some point in my 2.5 years ownership of my (of admittedly much younger) truck, I have just given up on it being as smooth and clunk free as my other cars. I love driving it despite it's quirks and my dear wife can't fathom why!

 

[ShenValley100LC]

At some point in my 2.5 years ownership of my (of admittedly much younger) truck, I have just given up on it being as smooth and clunk free as my other cars. I love driving it despite it's quirks and my dear wife can't fathom why!

Got a great deal at the nicest salvage yard I've ever been to. Told me they had a spindle for $80, turned out to be the spindle, rotor, hub, wheel bearings, flange, and all. So I bought drivers side and passenger. Aside from surface rust on the rotor and dent on the dust shroud they're in good shape, spins very smooth, and spindle bearing is in good shape. Will be refurbishing today and tomorrow. Only thing I doubt know about is the abs sensor, @ClassyJalopy is that pretty to just put my existing abs sensor into this spindle?

 

[ClassyJalopy]

Ya done well man! Refer here for some part numbers for replacement: What have you done to your 100 Series this week?

The wheel speed sensors come out with some coaxing. I used a blunt chisel and gave it very small light taps until it turned inside the hole and then used a flat srew drive to drive as a wedge between the sensor lip and the metal spindle body. Just kept wedging alternately from either side until it came out.

Used ones are not that expensive on eBay if you break one. I am sure they are much easier to take out when you have the spindle apart, by just tapping from the other side!

 

[ShenValley100LC]

Ya done well man! Refer here for some part numbers for replacement: What have you done to your 100 Series this week?

The wheel speed sensors come out with some coaxing. I used a blunt chisel and gave it very small light taps until it turned inside the hole and then used a flat srew drive to drive as a wedge between the sensor lip and the metal spindle body. Just kept wedging alternately from either side until it came out.

Used ones are not that expensive on eBay if you break one. I am sure they are much easier to take out when you have the spindle apart, by just tapping from the other side!

Yup, used that to order spindle bearings, bushings, and seal from Mr. T. Though I am tempted with this being in decent shape to use it and save new ones for later (maybe at 750,000!).

These actually have the abs sensor with a cut wire, but using my already wired one seemed easier, I imagine if I break I can splice these ones in.

 

[ShenValley100LC]

Alright several updates might be merited despite my incredibly poor photography skills. I am genuinely thinking about putting myself through a youtube course or something on how not to suck at taking photos.

I'll try to do this in order. First, I got the new-to-me spindles and new bearings/races installed on both driver and passenger. No more droning noise, I think the grease was just too contaminated, turns out wheeling and puddle jumping puts extra stress and wear on your vehicles components, who knew. Also got oil report back, pretty good for 8K miles, sample was taken in November at 516,120 miles.

After this a local trail run got canceled due to ice/snow but I decided to go up and check some other trails. No precip on the slopes facing the sun and but once you crested over it ws different story and when it got closer to sunset there was def some slipping and sliding. I had chains in the back and a lot of gear so I was really never in danger but of slides made for a good adrenaline rush.

Onto projects. I organize and track everything on google spreadsheet with a gant chart projects. Jan-April a lot of trails are closed and its cold so not as much camping and trails so its go time for projects. Its usually way too ambitious and never complete most items on time but I feel like can understand a little what order things need to be done and make sure so I dont think 5 things are gonna happen at once.

 

[ShenValley100LC]

I put in a yak trac or whatever its called on the dash. Vent clip phone holder was always falling off and never held it very securely. Put quick grip ram holders, just phone and hand held radio for now. Very secure, bit of jiggle in the one arm just needed some tightening. But super secure, can put phone in with one hand in a second, and not going anywhere. Visibility, its totally not in the way and its not as far for your eyes to look from the road.

Continuing in the cockpit, was pioneer head unit with carplay upgrade and reverse camera. Even with Gaia now on carplay I feel the device mount is nice, I like to at multiple maps at a time, and get bigger picture out on the trail.

Cockpit is almost complete. I want to put in wood trim and reupholster the seats and put TikiCruiser badging to give the real luxury I think it deserves. That and some coyote tan Blue ridge Overland Gear visor molle organizers, plus seatback and other tan molle organizers will give it function and the luxury safari aesthetic I'm going for. And put in the wood/leather lexus steering wheel of course.

 

[ShenValley100LC]

Now for the back, the most important. Stained and poly the inside bits of the drawers with a nice honey satin, gives it a good rustic tiki feel. Also made a sliding cutting board/counter top. Its walnut with a cherry inlay of a monstera leaf finished with a tung oil, it was a pain but its nice. Cut channels on the bottom so it slides across the drawer top edge so you can access and pull things out underneath. I'm considering make a second slightly smaller one with bracket that will let me hang it off the side of the drawer for even more work space. Theres also eventually going to be a caddy/organizer underneath there that will hold spices, oil, spatulas, untensils, cookware, etc..

I'll get better pics of this weekend on a trail run plus i'll be making some hot buttered rum atop the mountain. I got a real nice jaggedy piece of beach driftwood for my tiki bar sign, which I plan to put in some wrought iron looking hooks in the roof at the back hatch (maybe using rivets, I'm sure how itll work). Got the worlds greatest paper towel holder and dispenser, which I need to install (again rivets maybe?). Then I got two old school lookin but led lanterns that I need to figure out hooks for that I can flip in and out of place so they can be hung for the proper ambiance when the tiki bar is deployed.

Next, for Christmas my sister-in-law got a super efficient low watt draw portable ice-maker! I dont have a pic of it but its very compact, makes 26 lbs of ice in 24hrs and starts making ice in 8 mins, all with a draw of about 90 watts while cycling and like 5 or something while idle. I go through a ton of ice, partially for my little yeti drink cooler but mainly tiki drinks require a ton of ice in general. So now this spring its paramount to figure out a dual battery system and a reliable safe inverter.

On the CNC front, got some orders around Christmas time for some custom signs and cribbage boards and junk so havent been able to a lot for The Tiki Crate or the car. I am doing some retro looking wood Tiki Cruiser badging for the truck and the old 4 wheel drive toyota badge. Dont have great photos but thought some overlanders would the national forest style welcome name sign. Got a pretty good collections of garage art growing on the wall. I don't know if anyone has seen those Drift scent bar for cars, its basically a car freshener but its a nice liitle brick of walnut, I'm trying to something similar with the old "Teq" and 4wd logo, cutting them real small out of walnut, soaking in some bay rum, cinnamon, orange, and clove oils to absorb the scent and putting a clip on the back to put them on the vent.

On the Tiki Crate front, I'm putting in some jute rope handles and ropes between the bamboo railings as bottles separators. Using metal cable stay staple hoop to better secure the bamboo in addition to wood glue as well. Once that sorted out I'm gonna make a Tiki Crate 2.0 with all my improvements as more a finished product with a better dimensions.

 

[ShenValley100LC]

Got the Huracan Fabrication Tailgate Storage unit installed. Haven't figured out what to put in it yet but love it and should help keeping everything accessbile and organized and cleaning up the back end. And ya know clean up a bit.

.Here's a little bit better (not much) pic of the device mounts and new head unit.

Getting very close to the dream set-up on the cruiser. Hopefully come spring and summer I can just use it and enjoy it instead of working on it.

 

[ShenValley100LC]

The wife actually asked me if we should do a trail ride this weekend and invite some friends, I thought she'd been kidnapped and brainwashed. Set up a chili bar at 4,000 ft, had made some hot buttered rum batter but never got to it on the trail. But the drawer system, cuttingboard/countertop, and tailgate storage was absolutely slick, stopped and had a warm meal in 5 minutes. Wife is becoming a believer so should bold well for more future trips and trail runs.

 

[ramangain]

Did you bring ET with you, or find him wandering along the trail (hooded figure lower left) ?

 

[ShenValley100LC]

Did you bring ET with you, or find him wandering along the trail (hooded figure lower left) ?

Lol, he does look like that. Probably one of the 7 kids we had with us.

 

[hotdiggitydamn]

Looking good. Did you reinforce that dash or do you find it’s rigid enough?
Also why would you warm a perfectly good cold PB&J? PB&J panini?

 

[ShenValley100LC]

Looking good. Did you reinforce that dash or do you find it’s rigid enough?
Also why would you warm a perfectly good cold PB&J? PB&J panini?

pb&j is for the kiddos as muh chili is too spicy! I didn't reincforce the dash, I could maybe use a thin hard to sandwhich the plastic I drilled through but its not going anywhere. If I'm going pretty fast on a rough it has some very slight up and down jiggle but its been fine.

 

[ShenValley100LC]

I think my truck is suicidal...is there a hotline number I can call? In summary of the last couple weeks: the transfer gear had completely seized up from corrosion and had to be dismantled, soaked, cleaned, greased, reassembled and snaked back in. Mice moved into the timing belt and threw off the timing on the passenger cam/valves so exactly 1 year from I originally redid the timing belt I had to do it again. The heater bypass pipe has been developing a leak at the neck that when from slow dribble to puking after I replace the heater hose to it. So I had to remove the intake manifold/plenum and all associated vacuum lines and hoses (went ahead and replaced the gaskets while I was at it). Rear diff breather had come off and had some nice muddy gear oil in it (luckily no metal flakes or pieces). Had oil in cylinder 4 spark plug tube and spark plug was incredibly loose. Cylinder number 4 spark plug tube had oil in it and the spark plug was loose. So there was many nights where it looked like this:

So between all that I haven't gotten out much on the weekends. And my driveway is covered in Chomp trying to pull out all the various stains. But as of now....there doesn't seem to be anything leaking...I can go in 4lo without two hands and a foot bracing against the dash... and it runs pretty good and crossing 520,000 miles today so I'll be sure snap a picture of that. Birthday camping trip was cancelled to work on the truck but did manage to sneak an afternoon picnic atop the mountains.

The now finished craved and hand painted driftwood Tiki Bar sign exactly as I envisaged it. Lantern rods on the sides still to come.

 

[ShenValley100LC]

Crossed 520,000, but I missed it, so I was gonna try to grab a photo at 520,520 but I missed that too lol. Did a quick weekend trip to Hatteras and Ocracoke. No leaks of any fluids! I did accidentally drive into the ocean while trying to take a video behind me (there was no one, like absolutely no there). Pretty cold trip, 40's and 30's at night first day, but 65 by the time we left. Unfortunately couldnt finish my Tiki Crate 2.0 or my caddy and drawer dividers in time for the trip.

Hatteras the first night, went out to the point. But the little fire wasnt much for 40 degrees and windy.

La Aroma de Cuba and a Doctor Funk (.5oz lemon, .5oz lime, .5oz demerara syrup, .25oz grenadine, .25oz absinthe, 2.25oz Smith & Cross Navy Strength Rum, 1oz club soda) on Ocracoke Island the next day, practically deserted this weekend. Perfect for the kids and dog to run around.

 

[ShenValley100LC]

Stopped at Oregon Inlet on the way back.

Alec Bradley Prensado Robusto and Jet Pilot (.5 oz lime, .5oz grapefruit, .5 oz cinnamon syrup, .5oz falernum syrup, 1oz black blended rum rum, .75oz blended aged rum, .75oz black blended overproof rum, 1 dash of agnostura and absinthe mixture

Cheers!

Dropped the truck off today for 3M ceramic tint (with some heat blocking), plus amp bypass. Ready for some more beach trips this summer.