Been doing some designs on the current offroad trailer I built.

I purchased an awning and hardshell RTT for the trailer/4runner over black friday, so il most likely sell my softshell RTT. Its been great for the past 4 years or so, but time to move on!

This design is a bit unconventional. Most teardrops/small trailers have a small sleeping space with outdoor kitchen sink etc. I have a great sleeping space already with the rtt, but what would make a big difference camping is a hot shower every few days and a toilet with some privacy for guests that may be camping with us, and my significant other.

Ive designed this small shower/bathroom stall as a sort of module that I will either weld to or bolt to the existing frame. The bolt idea is nice because I have the flexibility to remove it, but I honestly dont expect to take it off once it is installed.

It will be 1x1 steel painted with the same epoxy style rust inhibiting black matte paint used on my current trailer.

I know this isnt specific to the 4runner, but those updates will come soon...Im waiting for the weather to get a little better before I finish up and get the 4wd and interior the way I want it.

here are some photos. The new addition is from the box forward. Interior space is 50 inches high, just enough to crouch inside and do your business. It will have heated water tanks to protect from freezing and an inline on demand heater for the water itself. The door is about 3ft, but Im looking into affordable options and trying to get a 4 ft door that will work for ease of entry.

the shower pan is 24x36 which allows for enough room to rinse off. Il purchase a small shower bench that is removable for ease of use. The toilet will be a chemical toilet with removable tank (most likely). Dealing with a black water tank and plumbing isnt my idea of a great time.

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Alrighty, swapped all the doors from one 4runner to the other. Swapped both from door key cores, finishes misc bolting and fastening. Replaced front right fender . Removed fender flares from rear quarter panels (need to drill holes and buy clips to install on other 4runner).

Fixed squealing Power steering with a flush and mobil 1 synthetic atf.

Two problems now.

1. Brakes are still spongy when engine is running. Very firm when it is off. I have bled all four corners twice each (minimum). Clear fluid no bubbles...what gives?


2. Right rear door was showing open light on dash when closed...no light when open. Messed with the latch with my finger and now it says open all the time. Maybe there's a switch inside?

She needs a nice fabd bumper and the rest of her flares, but it's definitely getting close to being finished. Still have to wire up that ADD...mainly haven't because I know what to do and Ive been trying to knock other stuff out first.

Evening photos sitting in the driveway after a test drive with some new gas...

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Did you do the tundra brake upgrade? If so, that's pretty common to have a softer pedal. You might also check that your rear drums are adjusted properly.

I did, however if the upgrade makes it so at full depression of the brake pedal the tires won't even lock up (which is the issue now ) I don't want this upgrade.

I've read some things about the Abs system acting up causing this...going to have to look into that .

I did several 15mph runs where I stood on the brakes to the floor, and it stops somewhat quick, but I can't get maximum braking with antiskid operating . Definitely not how it should feel..

Did you bleed the brakes with the vehicle running? Are you still using rubber soft lines? Have you verified that your rear drums are adjusted correctly? Did you buy rebuilt/remanufactured calipers or source them from a tundra?

Check for bulges in the 3 rubber hoses (though that is rare in California), and make sure the rear drums are *just* dragging on the shoes. If the parking brake isn't used regularly, the rear drums will get out of adjustment.

-Charlie

I've had the same issue on my '98 doors. For a long time I would just press the little switch right below the striker plate on the pillars a few times and they would start working right again. I eventually caved and bought all new switches when the one on the drivers side front door wasn't working right and I ran my battery down a few times because I didn't realize I had left the headlights on and the warning buzzer didn't go off because the door switch wasn't working right..

I did some bleeding running but most off. Il do another procedure rear to front in the correct order with it running. Also, I have not verified rear adjustment . Calipers are from a tundra, not rebuilt but were in good condition. (No corrosion, leaking, etc).

Yeah I messed with the rear door switch with my finger and got it to work. Definitely going to steal 4 of em from the spare parts truck!

And Charlie, il check but I replaced the lowers with SS and the rubber had no bulging that I saw. Il check again when I'm home .

I had the door switch issue with my 97 rust bucket.

turned out that both the door switch and wire were messed up.

pick'n'pull door switch fixed that part but... all the salt had eaten the wire thru for the switch to plug on the drivers door switch. It was kind of intermittent but once I touched the wire it just broke. seriously you can see how far gone my truck is in this shot.



however, I spliced in a good length of wire... so now my dome light functions, the key ring light works again and I was able to program a keyfob.

Good that you changed to stainless lines.

Many people have had problems bleeding the brakes after the Tundra upgrade. I have a pet theory that most of the complaints about mushy brakes after the upgrade is that there is still some air left in the system somewhere (maybe at the ABS actuator).

-Charlie

Now that I have an engine that is worth a flip. You have given me an idea for my next project but ill skip the manual swap lol the toyota is the only automatic i have ever owned so ill keep that lol

But def. a 2wd to 4wd conversion. great work.

The amount of rust in this photo haunts me an the fact that i saw it on this Friday the 13th is very fitting. Mine was just a sensor, wires were all good. You dont have much metal left there!!

I think there might be some somewhere. I bled it two more times and ran it to the dirt where it went through some antilock cycles. Then bled it again. I can now chirp the tires on pavement when depressing the brakes fully (almost to the floor) but it's still not an oem feel. Il probably keep playing this bleeding game until it seems right..


Much less work involved for that, and the big mechanical stuff isn't too bad. Hard part is just all of the lil parts involved!

Cleaned up the front interior, swapped out the center console for the clean one, got the lower dash all buttoned up and the heat valve working. Also as a bonus, the center console I put in has the dual cupholder for the rear. Sweet!

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i have said it in the tundra upgrade thread, but i seriously suspect users who have issues with the pedal feel post swap either starved the ABS pump or just didnt bleed it well enough (or a combo of the two). mostly being the ABS pump.

i came from the lexus IS world before i bought my 4runner and it was the same case for everyone doing BBKs. they would bleed the sides and starve the abs pump. once you do this its easier to just take to a dealer and let them properly bleed it as most didnt have the vacuum tool to do it.

OP, you can bleed the traditional way and spend your entire life savings on DOT fluid and it wont change a thing because you may have air in the ABS pump. did you by chance try to bleed that? at any point did you starve it?

After putting in a totally braking system on my frame swap project and running 3 jugs of brand new brake fluid thru the entire sytem and having the tundra brakes my pedal is nice and firm.

I'm going to run a couple of jugs thru my other truck next spring. It took that much to get the entire system filled back up.

I think people have 20 year old brake fluid in their system and it's what's causing some of the issues. I don't think it's one big thing but a combination of air and old fluid.

this is my latest theory.