There are no upgrades that I know of; this is the first time I broke one, so I'm hoping it's just a fluke thing.

I wish it was that easy! I don't have the money to take on that project at this time.

I went to Loveland that day! You should have done that instead lol. Glad you got out safely!

I’ve been going back and forth about what to do for a battery. I have a brand new Yellow Top I could throw in it, but I just can’t bring myself to do it. It’s kind of like getting super sick after eating at a restaurant; all your friends might love the place and it might be an isolated case, but your still not going to go back there to find out.

I started looking at dual batteries, I know I could make them fit, but it gets really expensive once you figure in the price of two batteries and the isolator system. So that killed that idea.

So I’m stuck with one battery, and I wanted something that I could exchange locally if there was another issue. That pretty much left the Duralast AGM line through AutoZone. I looked through their selection comparing specifications on each model until I said screw it, I’m getting the biggest battery they make and stock in my local store!

So I bought a Duralast Platinum AGM H8, or group 49, and as you would imagine the numbers are better than the Yellow Top.

Duralast Platinum/Battery H8-AGM- Read6Reviews onDuralast Platinum #H8-AGM

CA - 975
CCA - 900
AH - 92
RC - 170

Here is the Yellow Top in comparison

CA - 870
CCA - 750
AH - 55
RC - 120

“Say hello to my little friend!”

I had to build a custom battery tray to hold the battery in place.





It's a tight fit but I'm happy with the outcome. I also installed some new battery terminals, and a power distribution box to clean up the wiring and add some available circuits.

That looks fantastic!!! I've had good luck so far with my duralast AGM.

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You are right that it's usually not the weak link but he does have upgraded cv axles and it moves the weak link further up the line. It just comes down to where you want the weak link to be at.

Nice. That is a huge battery. Kinda glad you are running single battery. The cost of two batteries every 5-7 years can get expensive.

Do you carry a jumper pack? If not. It be a good investment.


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Hey man, love the build! I've read it through and kept up with it for a while, always look forward to updates! I've recently decided to start modding my 99 and wanted to let you know yours has been a huge inspiration!!

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wow, i missed a few weeks of adventure
Glad you made it out OK, sucks about the breakage, but as you know that is part of the fun

You have got me wondering if I can stuff that beast into my 2nd gen..
It cost half of what I paid for my project

I've always wanted to pick up one of those small jumper packs but it never seemed to be a priority, it's on my list again once I have the extra money to spend.

Thank you!!

I love snow wheeling, but this last winter has been rough when it comes to broken parts. I was pushing the boundaries of what my vehicle was capable of and thats when things happen. Hopefully this summer is nicer to me!

I started reassembling the passenger side CV (I tore it apart to inspect for damage) when I came across this. The splines on the inner CV joint were twisted and cracked, I’m just glad I caught it before it snapped inside the ADD tube! I had another inner joint, so I rebuilt the CV with it. I will need to pull the driver side and check for damage before I button the 4Runner back together.

What it should look like, the replacement



Broken and twisted





I also ordered the replacement stub shaft from Camelback Toyota, here is the part number for anyone curious, and future reference.

It seemed like a good time to take on some other small projects while I was waiting for parts, and the 4Runner was down.

I rewired the trailer earlier this year so I could tow it behind the Tacoma. It's better for non-wheeling family camping trips; it's faster, gets better fuel economy and has a bed for extra "family" camping gear.





For the most part the trailer will be behind the 4Runner, that meant I had to rewire it to a 7way plug (like the Tacoma). It also had to be tucked up high enough that it wouldn't get damaged dragging the back of the truck through rocks and dirt.





I have a couple trips coming up and I needed a spot for my handheld GPS. I wanted something that was within reach while sitting in the truck, but also removable.

Since I haven't heard you day anything about the rear axle (after trussing it), I figured I'd ask how it's holding up.

i have several ram mounts. Initially it took me a little while to get use to some of the prices but it is awesome how expandable Ram mounts are.