[JVC8790]

Originally Posted by T4Rmiller

I use the black and yellow storage totes from Menards for almost everything.
they are cheap, durable, stackable and the lids snap on very securely. great value for what you pay for them.

I've got a bunch of the regular black totes in my garage from Menards for storage at the moment. They're alright but I know a lot of people that have the black and yellow ones for their stuff. I'll swing by this weekend and look at their totes a bit more in depth. I'm just sick of moving stuff around the trunk to "organize" it when I need to haul something (or the dog).

[JVC8790]

Found a great option to organize my trunk! Plano Sportsmans Trunk 56qt from Menards/Home Depot. Was about $15 and fits everything except the tool box I have. The tool box would fit on an angle, but then wouldn't fit everything else.





Also parked next to another 4Runner this past weekend, good comparison of height/size!

[JVC8790]

Nothing too wild this past weekend.

Pumped a bit more grease into my driveshaft, seems to have solved the clunk. The firs time I greased them I don't think I put enough in, just a few pumps in the U joints and 5-6 pumps in the slip yoke. I went back over them all and pumped the U joints til the just started to seep and then put about 25-30 pumps into the slip yoke. I recall reading not to fill that one too much or it can cause vibration but I think I got it about right!

Also did the constant 12v mod. I installed the smokers kit a few weeks ago that I bought a few months ago and didn't realize that the 12v constant mod wouldn't keep the cigarette lighter outlet hot all the time, just the accessory power outlet. This is actually better in my opinion since I use the lighter outlet most the time so I don't have to leave the flip door open and then I know I can use the accessory power when needed to have constant while the truck is off.

Also popped the kayak racks off in advance of my roadtrip this upcoming weekend!

[JVC8790]

Went to do the TPMS bypass the other night and it looks like someone had tried to do it before.

The correct wires had shielding stripped back and were just taped together. Needless to say, this didn't work long term. I yanked the tape off, and put on a modified wire tap as the write up suggests and the light went off for good! Alright!!

Untitled by John Van Cleave, on Flickr

[JVC8790]

Not a whole lot to report here, took the 4Runner on a little roadtrip up to Chicago to then ride along with family up to our annual fishing trip in Canada.

Hit some rain on the way home but the 4Runner did great! That's where it gets interesting.

The day after I got home, I was on my way to grab some chinese food on my way home. At a stop light, I heard a beeping noise that stopped a few second later. Turned the corner and a block down the street the ABS/Brake lights came on. I did a quick search and many people mentioned it could be low brake fluid. A few blocks down the street the airbag light came on along with some other light (I don't recall).

I thought this was pretty weird and figured it might be battery related due to low voltage. I turned it off and it wouldn't re-start. Then it did restart so I grabbed my food and took it home.

Disconnected the battery while it idled in my driveway and the truck immediately died.

Charged up the battery and dropped the truck off at a friends shop 15 minutes away for him to put in an alternator. That's where these pictures come in.

As a midwest truck, my buddy noted some heavy corrosion on the PS line and a small coolant leak (the PS line has been ordered and will get replaced within the next week)



He was able to get the alternator out and only broke one bolt which he said is more of a pilot bolt to line up the other 2 bolts on the Alternator so he wasn't too concerned about extracting/tapping it and neither am I.

Here's the old alternator...



The positive post on the alternator RUSTED OFF. When he went to unbolt the connection the post just crumbled, so needless to say, the alternator wasn't charging. Also to note, there is a crack in the case, at 164k I believe this is probably original and it's definitely gotten its use.

New alternator in and everything is happy again! Glad to have my daily back as driving my Volvo for a few days wasn't what I wanted to do!

[JVC8790]

Went out and did some light exploring with a friend this past weekend. Had I known earlier, the T4R Experience was in Kentucky about 2.5hrs away, but I didn't see it til the night prior and didn't have the time to devote to the drive down. Maybe next year!

Untitled by John Van Cleave, on Flickr

Untitled by John Van Cleave, on Flickr

Untitled by John Van Cleave, on Flickr

Untitled by John Van Cleave, on Flickr

Untitled by John Van Cleave, on Flickr

Untitled by John Van Cleave, on Flickr

Untitled by John Van Cleave, on Flickr

Untitled by John Van Cleave, on Flickr

Untitled by John Van Cleave, on Flickr

Untitled by John Van Cleave, on Flickr

Then went home and quick installed my Rigid Spot Pods and Ditch Light Brackets (not wired yet).

Untitled by John Van Cleave, on Flickr

Untitled by John Van Cleave, on Flickr

Untitled by John Van Cleave, on Flickr

Then convinced my buddy to pick up a RTT from a friend. I would have bought it but I KNOW he'll get more use out of it than I would. It's the Smittybilt Overlander and it came with a brand new Annex for $700 from a friend locally who bought it basically new then took it on one trip out to the South West.

Untitled by John Van Cleave, on Flickr

All in all, a good weekend for the 4Runner! If you've managed to read this far, I ALSO bought a set of ARB skid plates. I don't anticipate any hard off roading so I think these will be just fine and do a good job of replacing the non-existent skids on my truck currently. Snagged em for $377 with a coupon code for Labor Day and free shipping. Should be here next week!

[hinmo24t]

Originally Posted by JVC8790

All in all, a good weekend for the 4Runner! If you've managed to read this far, I ALSO bought a set of ARB skid plates. I don't anticipate any hard off roading so I think these will be just fine and do a good job of replacing the non-existent skids on my truck currently. Snagged em for $377 with a coupon code for Labor Day and free shipping. Should be here next week!

keep us posted how that skid plate set fits...im curious about them for my v6 without anyone getting into how they function, just curious on fitment.

[JVC8790]

Originally Posted by hinmo24t

keep us posted how that skid plate set fits...im curious about them for my v6 without anyone getting into how they function, just curious on fitment.

Will do! They're less beefy than many other options, but my opinion is that even the cheapest option is going to be better than nothing on the trail. Based on the amount of true offroading this rig will see, these should be just fine for now. I've read there are some light fitment issues and some things require massaging so I'll be sure to take some pics and details of the install once they arrive!

[That_Titanium_4RNR]

The rig is looking great man. Im normally not crazy about the 03-05s and especially white ones, but I really like the look you have going with the tires and wheels. Plus that silver trim on the bumpers looks great too. Keep up the good work!

[JVC8790]

Originally Posted by That_Titanium_4RNR

The rig is looking great man. Im normally not crazy about the 03-05s and especially white ones, but I really like the look you have going with the tires and wheels. Plus that silver trim on the bumpers looks great too. Keep up the good work!

Thanks!

I'm also not a huge fan of 03-05 but it's growing on me enough that I don't want to 06-09 headlight swap it anymore and instead I'll retrofit the stock housings (or another set of them I'll buy) to retain the look.

I've been toying with color matching the silver bumper trim, but it does a good job of tying in the roof rack as well so I'm hesitant. I do think the silver/gray ARB Skids will go well with the silver on the bumpers/roof rack, so we'll see if I still want to color match once I get the ARB skids on!

[That_Titanium_4RNR]

Originally Posted by JVC8790

Thanks!

I'm also not a huge fan of 03-05 but it's growing on me enough that I don't want to 06-09 headlight swap it anymore and instead I'll retrofit the stock housings (or another set of them I'll buy) to retain the look.

I've been toying with color matching the silver bumper trim, but it does a good job of tying in the roof rack as well so I'm hesitant. I do think the silver/gray ARB Skids will go well with the silver on the bumpers/roof rack, so we'll see if I still want to color match once I get the ARB skids on!

Yeah man its your vehicle but I would definitely leave the silver alone. Like you said, the rack ties in so well with it and the skids are going to look killer!

[apohl17]

This is an awesome build! Definitely going to be buying that console org you put in right away to fill in the vast, dark hole below the armrest. Can't wait to see how your skids look on the rig! Definitely subbed for more updates.

[JVC8790]

A Big box showed up yesterday!



The packaging job was pretty poor, the box had torn open in a few spots, and when I finally cut the bands (that were the only thing holding it together) the box basically fell open. Everything was just kinda in the box and each skid was wrapped in a bubble wrap pouch. They seem to have traveled fine with minimal damage. (only from Southern Indiana to Southern Ohio)









Might try to get these put on this weekend if the weather holds out!

[JVC8790]

Got a little bit of work done over this weekend!

Test fit some Traction Board brackets my buddy made for his XTerra ladder, still waiting for his ladder to show up, but he wanted to see what they'd look like on the 4Runner Ladder.







Then we got onto the fun stuff of mounting my ARB Skids!

Promptly ran into some of the midwest crust... I'll probably have a friend cut out this lower rad support and weld in a replacement beam this winter. This seems like one of the most common places to rot out on midwest trucks.



Scraped a bunch of shit from the inside of this support and it's definitely a bit mushy in a few spots.



After looking over the front, moved to the back of the first skid mount.





It now all makes sense why there was no factory skid on this. The passenger side rear bolt was snapped off. So after a quick trip to ACE, grabbed a bolt removal tool and went to town drilling it out then tapping it afterwards.





Finally got the front skid mounted up!



Fitment was pretty good, made a few adjustments to the front bolts since the threadserts in the lower rad support were stripped out. Ended up just through bolting it with a nut on top. Should hold just fine!

Moved onto the second skid, and once again... hit a snag.





This is where I called it for the day, College Football was starting and I was hungry. I'll get back in there with some heat and see if I can get that bolt out without having to cut the head off/drill/tap it out. Otherwise that's the gameplan for some day after work this week.

We have a trip at the end of the month down to do some of the Kentucky Adventure Tour so I've got some work to do before it's all ready to go!

[WildBill1990]

sub'd. Build looks awesome man, cant wait to see what you do next!