[gm350reratliff]

So, as promised, here are just some of the pics from the FJ Summit. Still have a ton of pics, video, from multiple cameras to go through.





Leaving the beautiful Ouray area. I definitely miss it!


On the way back we stopped at Honeyville just North of Durango. Pretty cool little store.


Finally had a chance to clean it up yesterday.

[gm350reratliff]

[gm350reratliff]

Like I said earlier, this Comet HD-5 (I think that's the model) seemed sturdy at first but ended up breaking last year on Imogene pass. Apparently, a 4' Firestik, HD spring, and quick connect are just too much to handle on a rough road. I fixed it using what was available at the Ouray hardware store and it has stayed that way since.

Where the big silver fender washers are used to be a thick machined washer. Unfortunately, that big thick washer is what broke on the trail.


I cut this piece of 1/8"x1.5"x1.5" aluminum angle stock and ground it down to this.


I applied some 3M VHB double sided tape to the "feet" of the bracket I made then painted it black. Originally, the Comet mount used a small metric allen screw and threaded into the end piece. I drilled through that end piece and used a longer stainless steel 1/4" bolt that goes through my bracket as well and secures with a stainless steel acorn nut.


The Comet mount is now very sturdy and held up great on the rough roads in the mountains around Ouray, CO. It doesn't stick out much further than the Comet already did. Hopefully, if someone else is having trouble with their Comet mount, this can give you an idea of how to brace it a little better.

[gm350reratliff]

Today I installed some Rokmen rear trailing arms Rear Trailing Arms, Trail-Series - Toyota that I purchased pretty cheap through Red Dirt Offroad https://www.reddirtoffroad.com at this year's FJ summit X. These trailing arms are much beefier than the OEM ones and come with maintenance free bushings. The install was super easy but here's some pics anyway.

The packaging is very nice with Rokmen products. You can tell they take pride in what they sell.






Also today, I had the 4runner re-aligned. I felt the 6112's settled enough and after the beating I put this 4runner through at the FJ summit I felt it needed it. Not to mention, it still had a pull to the right. Typically, this is something I do myself, at a friends shop but their shop is busy and I don't want to have to drive 100 miles one way. I had the local mom-n-pop shop do it and I was pleased that the kid that does them there is actually pretty savvy on the rack. It took them 2 tries but I think they got it pretty good. I think these ST Maxx Coopers make it pull to the right a little more than it should but they were able to get it to go straight by having a pretty good caster split.

[Coley]

That grill is awesome!!

[gm350reratliff]

Originally Posted by Coley

That grill is awesome!!

Thanks!

[gm350reratliff]

Today was a pretty productive day just not on my 4runners. I lifted my buddy's FJ today using some Bilstein 6112's and the Daystar rear spacers and my old rear 5100's.

However, I did do a little bit of work to my 4th gen after the FJ was finished. I removed the rear quick disconnect sway bar links and put some extended length non-disconnect sway bar links on.

Anyway here's a pic of the new links.

[aryuary]

Not too bad. Where do you go wheeling around NM?

[gm350reratliff]

We mostly go on Mt Taylor or in the Zuni Mountains because they are close to home.

[gm350reratliff]

While I should probably be flushing the transmission and antifreeze or finishing the fence around my house, I decided this morning that I was going to finally start welding together my Relentless Fab front bumper. Originally ordered in February or March, this bumper kit didn't come in until May. The first bumper Relentless Fab sent me showed up right away but was absolutely destroyed by UPS so I had to wait while UPS processed the claim and for Relentless to cut a new one out, which really sucked because I had some down time back then and could've knocked this thing out instead of waiting until now. I know I won't get to finish it this weekend but at least there's progress.

Off with the factory bumper.



Bye bye plastic bumper! Oh wait, I still need that for Tuesday.



Center section in.



Almost all tacked in place.

[luke87gt]

nice work! have you considered painting the door handles black?

[gm350reratliff]

Originally Posted by luke87gt

nice work! have you considered painting the door handles black?

Thanks! Yes, black door handles are on the list of things to do, just haven't got there yet. I'm probably just going to replace them with prepainted handles when the time comes though. Honestly, I thought my kids would've broke the handles off by now by the way they open the doors.

[gm350reratliff]

I put in a little more work on the bumper today. Got the center and headlight hoops tacked as well as welded some of the inside of the bumper. It seems pretty stout now. Unfortunately, probably won't be able to work on it for a while again but at least it's together. Here's how it looks so far.

[luke87gt]

Originally Posted by gm350reratliff

Thanks! Yes, black door handles are on the list of things to do, just haven't got there yet. I'm probably just going to replace them with prepainted handles when the time comes though. Honestly, I thought my kids would've broke the handles off by now by the way they open the doors.

I've considered the same but would like to repaint my existing handles... I just don't know what would have to be done about the existing chrome

[gm350reratliff]

Originally Posted by luke87gt

I've considered the same but would like to repaint my existing handles... I just don't know what would have to be done about the existing chrome

I think you would be ok if you thoroughly scuffed the chrome, cleaned them, sprayed with some adhesion promoter like Bulldog, then painted. You would have to remove the handles for the best results though.