[07V8]

Is your transfer case leaking?

Is it stainless? Those welds look weird.

[Inv4drZm]

Originally Posted by 07V8

Is your transfer case leaking?

Is it stainless? Those welds look weird.

It had a slow drip at the rear output shaft but I had Toyota fix it a while ago. I just checked and it's not leaking, just needs washed off.

No, its just cheap aluminized steel. Maybe a step above fence steel? I probably could have done a better job bending it then the shop did....

[Inv4drZm]

1.5" body lift is done! Hardest part was taking the bumper off and moving the washer fluid bottle (without spilling) to get to the front body mount. I also need to make some extended inner engine bay covers. I followed the BL guide on the 120 forums which made it a piece of cake.

With the steering shaft spacer, I believe I still have almost 1" of spline engagement. It only looks like it pulled out 1/4" from stock:

[dkyleb]

Originally Posted by Inv4drZm

1.5" body lift is done! Hardest part was taking the bumper off and moving the washer fluid bottle (without spilling) to get to the front body mount. I also need to make some extended inner engine bay covers. I followed the BL guide on the 120 forums which made it a piece of cake.

With the steering shaft spacer, I believe I still have almost 1" of spline engagement. It only looks like it pulled out 1/4" from stock:
[/URL]

Jeeze that thing looks massive! Jealous! I think I need some new front springs...

Anyways, about your exhaust. You deleted the O2's and cats, right? What did you do about the computer after that? Did you see any MPG difference?

[groverdill]

The 02's are still there, he deleted the 2nd set of cats.

[dkyleb]

Originally Posted by groverdill

The 02's are still there, he deleted the 2nd set of cats.

Ah right on, guess I should lern 2 red mo betta.

[Inv4drZm]

Skids and rear tire carrier parts were cut by my buddy at work; YES!!

3/16" steel for the transmission and transfer skids











1/4" steel parts for the tire carrier

[Inv4drZm]

I welded my skid plate crossmember and tire carrier today! I surprised myself, turned out better than I expected. I'm only $250 into the skids and tire carrier.

Bolt protectors for underneath the skids:





Smiley face!











4x Innovations tire carrier spindle welded to rear crossmember:





Push button pin from Mcmaster-Carr works perfectly:





Finally; just needs paint:





Still need a tap to relocate the license plate onto the swing-out and a couple more lug nuts to mount the wheel LOL. Also need to figure out how to reinforce the plastic bumper tread plate that is floating 1.5" off the crossmember due to my body lift.

[Inv4drZm]

Yes!

Unfortunately the latch on the left side rattles a bit
Hardly any play but apparently enough.
Will need to incorporate a rubber pad somewhere.







Curves to match nicely around the rear crossmember.



It only took 10 minutes to whip these bad boys up. I made them 1.5" taller for my BL but they are a bit too large, although I have enough material to try again. Ordered 1/16" EPDM rubber sheet from MSC (Link).

[adkfinn]

Awesome work on that rear bumper. Figure out the rattle, add a few pads, then whip up another to sell to me please!
Nice design, I think it looks great. Keeps the factory rear corners and looks pretty stealthy doing it. Added bonus: I would guess a major weight savings over the huge full replacement, steel rear bumper option.
10/10 would buy.

[Inv4drZm]

Got back from my 2,000 mile / 8 day wheeling trip to Moab and hit up Colorado trails on the way home. Nothing too fancy, just phone pics.

Moab:
We did 7 Mile Rim, Porcupine Rim, and Fins & Things
I wanted to do Top of the World and Hell's Revenge but didn't want any damage that far from home.



The back tire never left the ground on my 4runner but it did on the FJ's at this spot:







Moab claimed the first trail damage on my rig:



Did a whole bunch of trails in Colorado around Ouray and Telluride including Imogene, Ophir pass, Engineer pass, Yankee Boy Basin, Animus Forks ghost town, Poughkeepsie gulch, California pass, Black Bear pass, Corkscrew. Pretty much all the FJ Summit trails a couple days after the event.





This section wreaked havoc on my A-Trac which bogged me down:

















It looks like a baby Sandstorm FJ on the roof rack of my brother's:





The end of Black Bear was the sketchiest trail I've ever been on. A cliff going up on your right, a cliff going down on the left into a small stream. Rocks to climb over in the middle. Even the switch-backs afterward were scary. One wrong gear selection on the 3 point turn and you're going over. I didn't get nervous on any of the other trails but this one.



There was an obstacle we called "The Wall" that my brother's FJ made it up. His first attempt he had to back down from and his TRD exhaust tore off the hanger from eating dirt in reverse. My 4Runner didn't fare as well. My first attempt I floored it up but couldn't make it. I slowly backed down and my rear bumper and tire carrier dug itself into the ground and I got stuck similar to this but further up the hill and more vertical:



My brother used his winch to pull me up. *bag over face*

Assessing the damage afterward:
My license plate got a little bent and paint scraped off my spindle mount.

[Inv4drZm]

More pics of the "damage" from the wall:



Pics of my new Stubbs HD-SKO sliders which I highly recommend! Richard is a great guy to work with especially when I had a few welding-related questions. Shipped them to me fast and answered all my questions quickly. All at a great price too.



Our campsite near Ouray viewed from an abandoned mine way up. You can see my white 4Runner way below:



You can see the mine tailings on the right side where I took the previous pic from:



We had a visitor in our campsite at 6:00 in the morning. I slept in my 4runner but everyone else that night slept in tents! I was already somewhat awake laying in my truck when I felt someone bump my truck. WTH? Who would be messing with me? I quickly sat up and look out my window. I scrambled for my phone to take a picture or nobody would believe me.



He casually sniffed the bushes to the left in the picture but turned around to sniff the locked plywood box we kept pots and pans in. When he started to head for a tent, there was only one thing that crossed my mind - Start the 4Runner. I dove across the front seats and extended my sweaty key-bearing hand towards the ignition and breathed life into the untamed V8. The bear jumped a couple feet up a nearby tree and quickly looked around. Then dropped down and scrambled off. V8 1 ; Bear 0

The corner of my truck where it felt like the bear touched:



I had a bunch of food inside my truck but (maybe unwisely) took the floor-jack box and spare lower link outside and set them on the ground directly below this corner to make room for the night. I can only assume the bear had to of stood up on the floor-jack box and sniffed around my hatch because he wouldn't have been that tall on all fours to leave a brush mark that high. We didn't bring any guns and only had some smaller knives so we all managed to sleep in our trucks the next few nights with flashlights and homemade bear-sticks close at hand.

We saw the same bear while cooking hot dogs the next evening 30 yards away looking at us. We yelled at him but he only ran away when we started throwing rocks.

Didn't see any bears afterward.


I was super-happy with the way the truck performed. Rolling with two FJ's, there was only a few spots all week I wished I had a rear diff locker. I still eventually want one or two lockers, but A-Trac worked great when I needed it. Next I really want to make a storage/sleeping platform for the truck and beef up on some survival/recovery gear now. Making my own high-clearance front and rear bumper might be next on the list too.

Another thing I learned: RZR's (or whatever they are called), are lower than Jeeps. Going way over the speed limit of 10mph with kids in the back, (If you want to go fast, there are these things called racetracks and open dunes!! This is a scenic trail!!) throwing rocks at you as they pass, they've probably never been "offroad" before as they usually are a group of rentals anyway. I'm sorry if I offended any perfectly-sensible RZR drivers out there, but they seem to be few and far between.

I will post more pics next week of where I hit my skid plates and the chewed-up Duratracs after I wash the 4Runner.

[Civiceg94]

Awesome story and pictures. These are the trips i have planned but never had a time to do them

[retavist]

The blemishes were from the previous owner, just don't ask how that blue streak got on there

[Too_will]

Originally Posted by Inv4drZm

Yes!

Unfortunately the latch on the left side rattles a bit
Hardly any play but apparently enough.
Will need to incorporate a rubber pad somewhere.







Curves to match nicely around the rear crossmember.



It only took 10 minutes to whip these bad boys up. I made them 1.5" taller for my BL but they are a bit too large, although I have enough material to try again. Ordered 1/16" EPDM rubber sheet from MSC (Link).

Is there anyway you can send me information/measurements on how to build the tire carrier and skid plates you made? I want to make practically the same thing. I got a guy that can cut metal for me too.