After 15 years of owning 'Taka' I decided to turn my daily driver into a comfortable two person camper, primarily to explore surf in Baja (but still my daily driver). That adventure started in 2021, and I've been slowly learning along the way thanks to these forums and Timmy's videos.

1997 Base 4WD • manual 3RZ-FE • 311k miles (only ~210k on this engine)

Baja in 2021:


Baja in 2023:


Camper & Body

• Custom full length roof rack
• Four Cam Engineering cabin pressure vent filter
• Sleeping platform + drawers
• 99+ rear quarter panel trim w/ larger storage compartment + USB ports • post
• Removed rear seats and rear seat supports for extra storage
• Lithium aux battery / charge controller / drawer fridge / solar
• Fixed A/C (new condenser, compressor & dryer)
• Yakima rack - allows hatch to open with longboards on the roof
• Satoshi Grill
• Clear turn signals & corner lights
• Replaced broken rear wiper
• Replaced rear hatch strut

Engine

• New fan clutch
• New PCV valve + oil catch can
• Compression Test • Reference Doc
• Replaced cracked exhaust manifold with Taco mini header • Reference Doc
• Replaced all fluids • Reference Doc
• Valve Adjustment • Reference Doc
• Replaced heat exchange
• Replaced fuel filter
• Spiker Engineering Hood Struts

Suspension

• Front: King Extended Coilovers + JBA UCA • Reference Doc
• Rear: LC 7.5 Wraps and Tokico LC Shocks • Reference Doc
• Whiteline LCA Bushings • post
• Replace steering bushings • Reference Doc
• Replaced both LBJ w/ OEM
• Replaced both CV Axles • Reference Doc

TODO

Been spending the last weeks upgrading the sleeping platform. I built an access hatch for the electrical compartment, got the aux battery & charge controller installed & hooked up to the starting battery, and drilled 200 holes for better ventilation.





This weekend got a 30L drawer fridge from Phalcon Overland installed:


Replaced the battery terminals while I was at it:


Solar is on the way, but will probably not be permanently installed until I re-fix the roof rust (huge holes) and build a custom rack. Goal is to get surfboards on one side and solar/gas/recovery boards on the other.

I'm noticing a disturbing trend of no Baja surf pictures in this thread.

ha you are right! I'm typically sprinting down the beach as soon as it gets good rather than taking pictures, but here are a few baja shots from the last ~decade:









please let me know if the photos load, I see them no problem, but seems not everyone can?

I can see the pictures. Nice truck, looks like you've been putting it to good use over the years!

That looks so fun. I’m headed home to east coast summer waves aka Lake Atlantic, but still better than the surf in Kentucky. Keep posting pics!

Took a 2500mi trip to Baja a couple weeks ago. Scored waves and surfed some new spots.



No issues with the 4Runner, but fixed multiple issues on the Sprinter that caravanned down with us, glad I brought a bunch of tools. Even got to use the 4Runner bottle jack to fix a shock that came undone from the body:


I did have some issues with the new fridge overheating from lack of air flow. Also gave myself food poisoning, unclear if the two incidents were related. Will need to add some computer fans.

Since the trip I've mostly been doing maintenance. Replaced the shifter seat and socket with marlin crawler ones thanks to a comment/tip from @octanejunkie The socket was completely missing, and the seat was pancaked pretty good (old seat is black, new seat is white):


All those white crystals are salt from driving through salt flats in Baja and accidentally hitting a wet area. I could feel things start to rust instantly. Got a car wash about an hour later and have sprayed down the undercarriage twice since getting home, but there is still salt. Will give it a third spray, then have some fluid film waiting in the garage.

I also replaced the PCV valve that was getting pretty gunked up and threw in an oil catch can because.

I installed it low so it won't hit the Spiker Engineering hood struts, but I went too low and I'm not able to unscrew it to empty the can


Greased the driveshaft, which took a lot of cleaning to expose the zerk fittings. They've never been greased in the 15 years I've owned Taka. Slip yokes took a lot of grease.


Built some tire ramps with some scrap 2x4s from recent construction projects in the backyard. Also yanked out the blackberries growing along the fence, will be a lot more space to work now...and no thorns.

Good welding on those patches.

Just curious, What started the floor rot in that area? Cross member rot out below? Hole got a pin hole in it? As I haven't seen one rot there. Mostly they start on the seam up by the back of the rear seat. I seen several start rotting there.

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He said it in the post - wet surfing booties. Imaging putting a few ounces of salt water in that corner regularly...

-Charlie

Ah yep. That will do it. Imagine driving through salt water for several months a year. ;) Just haven't seen one rust there before. Sorry I missed that part..

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Front bumper adjustments are only the brackets and mout on bolts. So hopefully you can get enough movement to your liking.

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Suspension install


Weekend 1: Rear

Parts list

• LC 7.5 wrap springs
• Tokico LC Shocks + retaining washers
• poly swaybar bushings
• Chevy blazer bumpstops
• Extended brake line
• parking brake bracket

The rear fought me the most, largely the shocks. The issues started with the install a mechanic did of the Bilstein 4600s—they used the centering washer as retaining washer and it was very bent. I hadn't bought a replacement, so I hammered it as flat as I could.


I then spent two hours trying to get the thread started on the top before giving up and cutting 1/8" off the top bushing.

While I had the swaybar off, I decided to clean up the brackets.

I also bought new bolts because I had read of a lot of people snapping theirs. I need to apply more fluid film.


I discovered one of the rear end link boots had split, which was fine because I was planning on moving the endlinks from the front to the rear.


The front endlinks were replaced in 2017, I think the pink means these MOOGs under an alternative brand Ultra Power? Not certain, but they didn't have any play.


While I was installing the extended brake line, I also flushed the entire brake system with new fluid. I drove around with just the rear lifted and no rear swaybar—I can see why people take theirs off, but for my daily, I want them on. The rake was a little silly.



Weekend 2: Front

Parts list

• King extended Coilovers
• JBA Upper Control Arms
• LCA + Whiteline bushings
• MOOG 2nd gen rear end links
• Black with washer LBJ bolts
• Napa CV Axle

Since I was tearing everything apart, I replaced a the CV Axle that had been slinging grease for the last 5k+ miles.


Also, all 8 LBJ bolts with the black with washer - Thanks @Spiker Engineering for your experiments!


One of the upper ball joints had play, so I didn't mind cutting down the rod down. I tried pressing out directly on the ball, but that blew the bottom of the joint out into the receiving cup.


After a couple more attempts I did eventually get everything lined up and pressed out the old and in the new.


After cleaning up all the fluid film, oil and, crud, the cam bolts weren't in the worst of shape.


Thankfully they came out easy.


Everything else went in without an issue.


I only drove to the store and back to see how it felt, and it was definitely much smoother. the more level stance felt way better, no long feels like you are staring down. Will get it aligned Monday morning and then see how it feels on the highway. Next weekend we're taking it camping, so that will be the real test.

The new front suspension parts introduced a new vibration when going 55mph and above. Sometimes it goes away, usually when turning and going downhill. I rechecked all the fasteners and couldn't find anything loose.


Got the passenger e92 seat installed—interior feels so lux!


I also added a 555 timer to stop the computer from going to sleep so the functions work the whole time the car is on.


Got the bottle idea from this super helpful video. Wrapped it up in Tesa harness tape and called it done.


Cerakoted the front mudflaps.


The rear diff filler plug has been weeping for a couple years when I had the diff fluid replaced. Looks like the issue was a hard washer was used instead of a crush washer.


Gear oil was looking pretty cloudy, so I decided to drain and refill. I had my diff oil replaced a couple years ago, but I'm uncertain if it was both or one. I'm thinking it might have just been the front, since that is blue and still clear. The mechanic I had do it was not very detail oriented, so I'd be surprised if they did both and used different oil.

Looks great!!

Taking on and off my air intake has been extra easy because the little insulators at the bottom of the silencer/resonator have been separated for years. Installed new ones and painted the bracket.




Cerakoted the cowl. I'm almost out of cerakote now, but almost out of exterior trim to cerakote.


Painted the feet to the seats and an old drivers side floor mat to get a sense of the black. Looks bad with only the mat as black, but I think black carpet + all the lower trim painted as black would look good. Cements my decision to get black weathertechs.