[rickashay]

Nice mod list incoming... I just picked up a pro dry AFE filter and some synthetic PS fluid. Samies.

[gaara46]

could u tell me what (and where) i need to buy to make sure my rci skidplate doesnt rub against the differential after a diff drop kit?

[Inv4drZm]

Originally Posted by gaara46

could u tell me what (and where) i need to buy to make sure my rci skidplate doesnt rub against the differential after a diff drop kit?

Your CV angles in your other thread look completely fine, mine are quite a bit higher, even with the diff drop. (Are you sure you're at 3" lift? Maybe mine is more like 3.5"?)

The RCI skid plate should have came with 1/4" spacers for the back bolts and the Wheeler's diff drop kit I used came with 4 similiar spacers for the skid plates. I actually had to add a couple washers for each bolt to space it even further down. I couldn't have a Toyota tech take my skid plate off and expect it to go back on the same way with all those spacers stacked on there.

It has held up alright but I'm still seeking a more permanent solution. (I would take pictures but the skid plate isn't on my truck currently) I might need to machine a single solid spacer for each of the bolts .5" long. Or two solid bars .5" thick that run across the skid plate along each crossmember for more strength. Maybe machine down the diff spacers to .5" and find a compromise between skid plate spacing and CV angles.

Sorry for the paragraph, I just don't like spacing my skid plate down. I've actually though about selling my RCI skid and making my own skid plate .5" lower so at least I don't have to worry about stacking spacers.

[t-man]

Originally Posted by Inv4drZm

Your CV angles in your other thread look completely fine, mine are quite a bit higher, even with the diff drop. (Are you sure you're at 3" lift? Maybe mine is more like 3.5"?)

The RCI skid plate should have came with 1/4" spacers for the back bolts and the Wheeler's diff drop kit I used came with 4 similiar spacers for the skid plates. I actually had to add a couple washers for each bolt to space it even further down. I couldn't have a Toyota tech take my skid plate off and expect it to go back on the same way with all those spacers stacked on there.

It has held up alright but I'm still seeking a more permanent solution. (I would take pictures but the skid plate isn't on my truck currently) I might need to machine a single solid spacer for each of the bolts .5" long. Or two solid bars .5" thick that run across the skid plate along each crossmember for more strength. Maybe machine down the diff spacers to .5" and find a compromise between skid plate spacing and CV angles.

Sorry for the paragraph, I just don't like spacing my skid plate down. I've actually though about selling my RCI skid and making my own skid plate .5" lower so at least I don't have to worry about stacking spacers.

I think I'd add a bar across the bolt holes, weld it on for strength and so it isn't falling when you remove the plate for any reason. It would stronger, no parts to loosen and fall out, and generally better overall. Making one would work, but why? All that extra time and material when you already have a plate that just needs a small modification.

Sent from the drivers seat of my 05 4runner.

[Inv4drZm]

Instead of doing my Calc. 2 hw I decided to work on the 4Runner.

• Changed out the PS fluid and swapped that leaky lower line. I only used 2qts before it started looking clean. I bought 4qts so I guess we can do the FJ with the leftovers.
  
• Changed out the transfer and rear diff fluids.
  
• Installed the AIP bypass kit. Full set of instructions with color pictures made it super easy. Hopefully I don't get another code from the pump again.

The FJ got fixed as well finally. ECGS's 3rd member came in:



The old gears look horrible. They drug the FJ halfway across the park to get it to the parking lot on a trailer. Every tooth had at least a chip in it. You can even see where it chewed up right below the ring gear. ("I think we found your problem!"):




Hooray for the internet! Without it I would have no idea how to do this stuff.

[4thgenblake]

Damn. Writeup for flushing/refilling power steering fluid PLEASE

Heard something that it's tied in with the power stop brakes or something.

And how about a transmission fluid flush/refill write up. I want to change all my fluids so lemme know what I should do. Don't think they have ever been swapped

[07V8]

What PS fluid do you use?

[Inv4drZm]

Originally Posted by 07V8

What PS fluid do you use?

Mobil 1 synthetic ATF.

[ewewisis]

Congrats on your purchase. Welcome to the 4runner family. I bought my '04 new, have had it and modded it the past 11 years,and never regretted the purchase a day yet. Have fun with your build.

[Inv4drZm]

Originally Posted by 4thgenblake

Damn. Writeup for flushing/refilling power steering fluid PLEASE

Heard something that it's tied in with the power stop brakes or something.

And how about a transmission fluid flush/refill write up. I want to change all my fluids so lemme know what I should do. Don't think they have ever been swapped

It was easy except I had to replace a leaky lower hose and those barb fittings are so annoying! Maybe the hose I used was smaller.

As for writeups, I just followed the ones on the forums:

Writeup to replace PS pump, but a flush is after step 11:
https://www.4runners.com/threads/how...luid-flush.18/

3rd Gen but same process:
DIY: Power Steering Flush

1 more just in case:
Power Steering flush? - Toyota 120 Platforms Forum

[Codys 2004 4runner]

Originally Posted by Inv4drZm

Got the spindle in and will be finalizing the design. It can hold x2 2 gallon Rotopax. Will hopefully have a buddy at work cut this out along with my skids on the plasma table once I get those designed.

Please let me know asap if you could send me exact plans for this tire holder.... i can pay... i can build it.... but if you could send me the exact plans id absolutely love it!! You can pm me or whatever... but seriously... in love with this...

[Codys 2004 4runner]

Originally Posted by Inv4drZm

Alright! The moment you've all been waiting for people! My how-to on my rear tire carrier swing-out! Time to break out your reading glasses.



Steel Materials:

• 41" 2" square tubing for main arm.
• 20" 2" square tubing for vertical tire support.
• 6" 2" square tubing for wheel mount standoff.
• 1/4" plate gussets for upright tire support.
• Steel unthreaded spacer McMaster-Carr # 92415A159 for inside the swing arm to locate the latch pin.
• 3 studs to mount spare tire.
• T-Handle Push-button Pin McMaster-Carr # 93750A713

Latch system:

I used the same 2" square tubing and cut off 3 of the sides most of the way down a 3" section. I then welded on the CNC-cut top and bottom plates of the latch with 1/2" bushings from McMaster Carr. I went with a pin because I knew I would be paranoid of it swinging out while driving if I used a bolt with a welded on handle or a red-handled latch and I only wanted to use 1 hand to open it. These other two options would be easier to keep from rattling though. I had a perfect fit with my latch system; it slid in so smooth and hardly had any play. But the way it's designed (metal on metal) if there was half a millimeter of play, it would rattle when you drove it. I temporarily placed a small rubber strand which gets pinched when the swing-out locks in place and that little guy has solved my rattling problem (pictured below). If I were to redesign the latch, I would add some rubber bushings around the pin to reduce metal on metal rattling.







Hinge System:

I used the 4Xinnovations hinge and it has worked great except for the two holes they use to locate the spring-loaded pin. The first hole the pin locks into doesn't allow the tire to swing far enough away and hits the hatch when it opens. I welded in a steel spacer plate in the stainless steel plate that comes with the kit so the spring-loaded pin slides overtop the hole and into the next one. This all depends on where you weld the spring-loaded pin in relation to the spindle so don't just weld it anywhere! Unfortunately the steel I welded in of course caused some rust issues in the stainless plate.



Other Design Considerations:

The most important thing with a swing-out on our trucks- make sure when the hatch door opens it clears the tire!! Mine does by 2-3" with a 33" tire so I'm pretty sure a 35 would fit. This is a function of the length of the swing arm aka the distance the tire is mounted from the spindle and where the spindle gets welded to the frame. My spindle plate from the 4Xinnovations kit is welded hanging off the right side of my frame an inch or so to get the arm distance as long as possible shown in the below picture. You probably don't want your tire to cover up your rear tailight so it involves a bit of math. (Or guess and check)

I welded the latch to the truck with the tire mounted on the swing arm. Without the tire mounted, I have to push down on the arm to get it to latch.

You will need to relocate your license plate.

I had to remove the factory towing accessory because of how close I wanted the swing arm to the frame and the accessory has a plate that bolts to the center of the rear crossmember and sticks out. I didn't really mind losing it because I wanted as large of departure angle as possible.

I can see the rear tire in the rearview mirror bounce front to back a bit even on the interstate, but it survived a 2000mi wheeling trip to Moab and Colorado so I'm not too concerned. I think most of this comes from the torsional stress (twisting) of the swing arm and less from the vertical tire support tube. I would make sure to use some thick-walled tubing for the swing arm unlike me where I could only find like .1" wall at work.

I obviously trimmed the rear bumper with a dremel, the pictures are pretty self-explanatory. There is a gap below the grey tread plate from my body lift and if I would have welded the tire carrier a bit higher it would have covered this up. But since I trimmed the rear bumper this tread plate basically has no support underneath so I will need to add a spacer like the factory foam piece that fits under there if I plan on using the tread plate.



For more pictures- they are a couple pages back in this build thread.



Resources:

Spare tire carrier - Toyota 120 Platforms Forum

Rear Tire Carrier

t4rman's build - Page 11 - Toyota 120 Platforms Forum

chiplee's LTD '04 V8 - Page 2 - Toyota 120 Platforms Forum

What did you do with your 4runner today?

Show me your homemade bumper swing outs! - Page 3 - Expedition Portal

Now go and build your own! Don't bother me about selling one to you.

Update

This whole time I thought it was my latch that was the weak point allowing the tire to continuously rock front to back an inch on certain parts of the interstate, making me nervous watching it in the rearview mirror. As you can see I've continued to weld scrap metal on to try and stop this. I bought a destaco 334 latch clamp and welded it on this weekend to find out it really didn't help either. My end conclusion is that the main tube is simply too weak to support the tire's torsional stress; it just twists even though the two ends are solidly anchored. I could only find this thin wall 2" tube at work at the time. Wish I used 1/4 wall.

I learned a lot about making swing-outs, and this one will still hold me over until I make a full rear bumper, I know how I would improve the tire carrier for next time.

Some of my welds turned out crappy because I was in a hurry and it was breezy outside which of course blew away all the shielding gas.

Nvm.... kept reading!! Thanks!

I do have one question tho... i need my hitch for small trailors and dirt bike carriers... how could you change this to still allow a hitch? Im assuming it would just have to be out a coupple inches extra right?

[BlackWorksInc]

@Inv4drZm

Do you remember the angle from edge of the frame to the crossmember? I'm finally getting around to doodling the design up and I can't for the life of me seem to figure that angle out (I'd go and take the bumper skin off and make more measurements; but at the moment I'm not supposed to do much hard work since I got a cortisone shot in my shoulder).

Was referencing this diagram and looking at my old notes from when I measured the frame a while back:



Between your measurements and mine there's an uncomfortable discrepancy that I need to account for before buying stock. (i.e. you got 4" for the height of the frame rail and I got 110mm, which is roughly 4.3")

I'm thinking I'll go with a bracket that bolts around frame ends and then use dual heim joints for the hinge (saw it online looking for hinges and I really liked the simplicity of the idea) so I can utilize a 4x2"section of tubing for the main swing out arm to provide better rigidity.

[Inv4drZm]

Originally Posted by BlackWorksInc

@Inv4drZm

Do you remember the angle from edge of the frame to the crossmember? I'm finally getting around to doodling the design up and I can't for the life of me seem to figure that angle out (I'd go and take the bumper skin off and make more measurements; but at the moment I'm not supposed to do much hard work since I got a cortisone shot in my shoulder).

Was referencing this diagram and looking at my old notes from when I measured the frame a while back:



Between your measurements and mine there's an uncomfortable discrepancy that I need to account for before buying stock. (i.e. you got 4" for the height of the frame rail and I got 110mm, which is roughly 4.3")

I'm thinking I'll go with a bracket that bolts around frame ends and then use dual heim joints for the hinge (saw it online looking for hinges and I really liked the simplicity of the idea) so I can utilize a 4x2"section of tubing for the main swing out arm to provide better rigidity.

From my drawing, 86° or 4° for each of the angles. The 4" height discrepancy is because I measured the frame rail from the backside where the spare tire mounts. I missed the weld seam underneath the crossmember.

The larger swing arm tubing will be good. At least make the hinge and latch taller than my 2"; that should add some strength. I would like to do a revision 2.0 on mine but I'm probably going to make a full bumper anyway, so at least I've learned a thing or two (or so I feel) about the swing-out portion of the bumper.

[BlackWorksInc]

Originally Posted by Inv4drZm

From my drawing, 86° or 4° for each of the angles. The 4" height discrepancy is because I measured the frame rail from the backside where the spare tire mounts. I missed the weld seam underneath the crossmember.

The larger swing arm tubing will be good. At least make the hinge and latch taller than my 2"; that should add some strength. I would like to do a revision 2.0 on mine but I'm probably going to make a full bumper anyway, so at least I've learned a thing or two (or so I feel) about the swing-out portion of the bumper.

Yeah that's why I am thinking of a double heim joint, so I can just go 4" Tall like the cross member and make the swingout arm a 4x2" square stock.