alan.absalon
New member
Are you in California?
JZiggy's "Grown Up" 4Runner Build
- Thread starter JZiggy
- Start date
Are you in California?
JZiggy
Senior Member
Not anymore! GA
JZiggy
Senior Member
More Napa awning upgrades! :biggrin1:
Last time at the lake my dumb self neglected to put the guy wires on. It was a nice still day until a random gust picked the awning up and threw it over the truck. It tore one of the main supports out of the base and generally screwed it all up. Fortunately my local Napa had another in stock so I swapped it out. Consider my lesson learned!
It got me thinking though... the two main horizontal supports are tied in pretty weakly to the base. Maybe there's a way to reinforce it a bit? A little noodling and some help from McMaster-Carr provided the answer.
Factory mounting is an M6 bolt through only one of the channels.
Behold the Napa awning reinforcement kit! We have one long bolt, a nylon sleeve, self-lubricated nylon washer, and clipped fender washers.
This allows the supports to tie into both channels of the base, making it far more rigid when deployed. As an added bonus the little nylon washer sits under the support to help it slide out more easily.
As a final touch I'll get some thread protectors to put on the exposed end of the long bolts.
Last time at the lake my dumb self neglected to put the guy wires on. It was a nice still day until a random gust picked the awning up and threw it over the truck. It tore one of the main supports out of the base and generally screwed it all up. Fortunately my local Napa had another in stock so I swapped it out. Consider my lesson learned!
It got me thinking though... the two main horizontal supports are tied in pretty weakly to the base. Maybe there's a way to reinforce it a bit? A little noodling and some help from McMaster-Carr provided the answer.
Factory mounting is an M6 bolt through only one of the channels.
Behold the Napa awning reinforcement kit! We have one long bolt, a nylon sleeve, self-lubricated nylon washer, and clipped fender washers.
This allows the supports to tie into both channels of the base, making it far more rigid when deployed. As an added bonus the little nylon washer sits under the support to help it slide out more easily.
As a final touch I'll get some thread protectors to put on the exposed end of the long bolts.
JZiggy
Senior Member
More shenanigans with the 4Runner today. I installed my AVS bug deflector many years back with the supplied plastic expansion clips but I was never really happy with them. They allow the deflector to shift around and are not a solid connection. Fortunately a T4R member posted recently that the mounting holes will accept an M5 rivnut perfectly -- sorry I don't remember who shared that but I will gladly give you credit if you chime in!
Off comes the deflector. I added some felt tape along the surfaces that touch the hood.
Factory holes.
Thank you Toyota for making these just the right size! In go the 4 rivnuts.
Voila! 16mm long button head screws and fender washers with a rubber washer underneath. At some point I'll upgrade these to black stainless so they don't look so out of place.
And in case you were wondering, no the heads of the screws do not touch the body.
The deflector is now much more solid and does not shift around. Hooray!
Also note the Spiker Engineering hood struts which complete the ensemble of course
Off comes the deflector. I added some felt tape along the surfaces that touch the hood.
Factory holes.
Thank you Toyota for making these just the right size! In go the 4 rivnuts.
Voila! 16mm long button head screws and fender washers with a rubber washer underneath. At some point I'll upgrade these to black stainless so they don't look so out of place.
And in case you were wondering, no the heads of the screws do not touch the body.
The deflector is now much more solid and does not shift around. Hooray!
Also note the Spiker Engineering hood struts which complete the ensemble of course
octanejunkie
Elite Member
Genius!I lost my guy wires, or never had them lol I need this mod regardlessMore Napa awning upgrades! :biggrin1:
Last time at the lake my dumb self neglected to put the guy wires on. It was a nice still day until a random gust picked the awning up and threw it over the truck. It tore one of the main supports out of the base and generally screwed it all up. Fortunately my local Napa had another in stock so I swapped it out. Consider my lesson learned!
It got me thinking though... the two main horizontal supports are tied in pretty weakly to the base. Maybe there's a way to reinforce it a bit? A little noodling and some help from McMaster-Carr provided the answer.
Factory mounting is an M6 bolt through only one of the channels.
Behold the Napa awning reinforcement kit! We have one long bolt, a nylon sleeve, self-lubricated nylon washer, and clipped fender washers.
This allows the supports to tie into both channels of the base, making it far more rigid when deployed. As an added bonus the little nylon washer sits under the support to help it slide out more easily.
As a final touch I'll get some thread protectors to put on the exposed end of the long bolts.
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Spiker Engineering
official vendor
Yup, the creativity on this thread never ceases to amaze me :thumb:.
fatherohenry
Member
More shenanigans with the 4Runner today. I installed my AVS bug deflector many years back with the supplied plastic expansion clips but I was never really happy with them. They allow the deflector to shift around and are not a solid connection. Fortunately a T4R member posted recently that the mounting holes will accept an M5 rivnut perfectly -- sorry I don't remember who shared that but I will gladly give you credit if you chime in!
...
The deflector is now much more solid and does not shift around. Hooray!
Also note the Spiker Engineering hood struts which complete the ensemble of course
I knew I needed to find some smaller washers but I hadn't thought of the felt tape. Nice touch!
The Spiker Engineering hood struts are definitely the meat here and they sure look great at night with the under hood lighting showing them off.
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JZiggy
Senior Member
Do you have a Napa awning? I'll make you a kit if you want (although I'm not sure I have enough of the little plastic washers, but they are optional). I probably have an extra set of guy wires since I had to buy a new awning. They're yours if you want them.
I'm interested in the components for the for the awning as well. Even if you could post part numbers or specs and where you got them that would be awesome.
JZiggy
Senior Member
Sure. McMaster-Carr part product pages in links
Long button head screw
Nylon spacer
M6 fender washers (which will need to be trimmed)
Optional self-lubricated nylon washer
If we leave the special washer out it's $28 + tax + ship from McMaster based on minimum quantities.
How 'bout I trim the four washers and ship you a kit for $15? It saves me having all this extra hardware.
octanejunkie
Elite Member
I have an Ironman that I got used, and the PO must have let the support poles drop at one point, so I have some fixing and strengthening to do...
I might be able to get much of those supplies from Ace but if you have spares I'm down to trade things for stuff or throw $15 cash money dollars at you
Sold! PM is inbound, thanks!
JZiggy
Senior Member
Well, I have no idea if the Ironman one has the same dimensions. You may want to just spec out your own parts.
octanejunkie
Elite Member
JZiggy
Senior Member
Outside both rails, looks like 70mm
Inside single rail, looks like 35mm
It's a little different, but with some spacers it should work.
octanejunkie
Elite Member
It's about an 1/8" different, I think I have a few washers I can wedge the spacers between that will work
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octanejunkie
Elite Member
All done. Thank you, sir.
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Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk
JZiggy
Senior Member
All done. Thank you, sir.
Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk
Awesome! Can you feel a difference in the rigidity of the poles?
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