98 SR5 - The "Dirt Duster" build

[rickashay]

Well I appreciate all the feedback. It's always cool to see other peoples opinions, especially when you know the similarities that some of us have with how we use our current built 3rd gens, and the comparisons of other Yota's.

It really is going to come down to what I plan on doing with the truck in the long run. I'll be honest, the Duster's time in my garage is limited regardless if I choose the LC or not. I simply need something a little bigger for it to truly be "The one" Toyota 4x4 I keep forever. I'm part engineer so :nerd: I've been doing some budget analysis on a couple rigs - mainly 4th gen V8 T4R vs. LX450.

To ice the cake I just borrowed the LX for a few hours. My buddy said "take it home and see how you like driving it". So I did. Definitely feels different with the solid axle up front vs. IFS. Def. taller and heavier. Still an "old" vehicle but this guys literally has $5-6,000 worth of OEM receipts for PARTS alone. The paint is in rough shape though, for my standards. Needs a solid cut and polish. After all, I'm a photo whore and if I can't get my mall shine on, this sale wont be happening! hahaha

Sorry for the babble. I'll get a pic of the Duster up soon to keep it relevant. I actually scored a Hilux FMU and got some new LED bumper turn signals. Small mods but I can't stop, even though I'm thinking of selling. Damn mod bug.

 

[Kurtis]

Well I appreciate all the feedback. It's always cool to see other peoples opinions, especially when you know the similarities that some of us have with how we use our current built 3rd gens, and the comparisons of other Yota's.

It really is going to come down to what I plan on doing with the truck in the long run. I'll be honest, the Duster's time in my garage is limited regardless if I choose the LC or not. I simply need something a little bigger for it to truly be "The one" Toyota 4x4 I keep forever. I'm part engineer so :nerd: I've been doing some budget analysis on a couple rigs - mainly 4th gen V8 T4R vs. LX450.

To ice the cake I just borrowed the LX for a few hours. My buddy said "take it home and see how you like driving it". So I did. Definitely feels different with the solid axle up front vs. IFS. Def. taller and heavier. Still an "old" vehicle but this guys literally has $5-6,000 worth of OEM receipts for PARTS alone. The paint is in rough shape though, for my standards. Needs a solid cut and polish. After all, I'm a photo whore and if I can't get my mall shine on, this sale wont be happening! hahaha

Sorry for the babble. I'll get a pic of the Duster up soon to keep it relevant. I actually scored a Hilux FMU and got some new LED bumper turn signals. Small mods but I can't stop, even though I'm thinking of selling. Damn mod bug.

Weird, I put this into Google Translate and got:

I am a traitor. I just cheated on my 4Runner with a Lexus.

 

[Kurtis]

Weird, I put this into Google Translate and got:

I am a traitor. I just cheated on my 4Runner with a Lexus.

Seriously though, when you do move on to something else, you will be missed here.

 

[nihkon]

I'd hate to see your 4Runner go man. It's been my main inspiration!
But I understand. Gotta do what you gotta do. Good luck with whatever you choose!

 

[4ever4running]

As others have said, I would hate to see the Duster go, but I completely understand your reasoning. If you do end up selling it, I hope someone on here buys it so it can get the care and appreciate it deserves.

I will say that I am not a huge fan of the larger and boxier body style of the LCs and LXs, but they do offer a ton of room and I'm sure the SAs beat the hell out of our IFS.

 

[Fishwerks]

After all, I'm a photo whore and if I can't get my mall shine on, this sale wont be happening! hahaha

ound:

If you do switch to the LX definitely link the new build thread and wheeling pictures! Those pictures in your wheeling thread are incredible, I don't care if it's a 4runner or an LX that gets you into the mountains.

Congrats on the new job too. Oil industry is pretty good right now.

 

[the great him]

your a traitor and a whore, i hope you die a thousand deaths... naw man im just giving you a bad time. yeah the 4runner is kinda small i hear ya on that one -wife, two kids and a large dog... basically need a trailer to make a day trip to the beach lol.

you can only sell if you let me swap headlights with you... other wise ill be upset and kick a box in my garage and swear at you from vancouver(my vancouver)...

what kinda job are you looking at taking? if your gonna spend the money on a truck, why not get a real truck, like a cummins dodge 4x4... the only reason i sugest this is it could be nice to have a tow rig... i mean either way if you keep the 4runner or land cruiser, the dodge would be able to pull it if need be. where as a tundra, yeah sure it could pull the 4runner but the LC, i wouldnt pull one if i didnt absolutely have to. -yes i know ive towed a full size ford power stroke -4x4 long bed quad cab with my runner, but it probably wasnt the smartest thing ive ever done(especially without the TBU)
not that a tundra isnt a real truck, but its kinda like half-assing it if you ask me. its still only a half ton truck, i mean why not get a tacoma then more options to modify and upgrade... more capable. lets be honest, a tundra or a tacoma are probably gonna be more tempting for you to modify and build on(effectively making it harder to spend the money on the LC(if you get it)), than say if you got a 3/4+ ton truck, and if you get a cummins with a 6spd they can get 24mpg if you dont put huge tires on it.

just my thoughts, and thats how id look at it if i was in your shoes. but again not knowing the type of job your are taking, that could have its own imput on things

 

[Shibby!]

your a traitor and a whore, i hope you die a thousand deaths... naw man im just giving you a bad time. yeah the 4runner is kinda small i hear ya on that one -wife, two kids and a large dog... basically need a trailer to make a day trip to the beach lol.

you can only sell if you let me swap headlights with you... other wise ill be upset and kick a box in my garage and swear at you from vancouver(my vancouver)...

what kinda job are you looking at taking? if your gonna spend the money on a truck, why not get a real truck, like a cummins dodge 4x4... the only reason i sugest this is it could be nice to have a tow rig... i mean either way if you keep the 4runner or land cruiser, the dodge would be able to pull it if need be. where as a tundra, yeah sure it could pull the 4runner but the LC, i wouldnt pull one if i didnt absolutely have to. -yes i know ive towed a full size ford power stroke -4x4 long bed quad cab with my runner, but it probably wasnt the smartest thing ive ever done(especially without the TBU)
not that a tundra isnt a real truck, but its kinda like half-assing it if you ask me. its still only a half ton truck, i mean why not get a tacoma then more options to modify and upgrade... more capable. lets be honest, a tundra or a tacoma are probably gonna be more tempting for you to modify and build on(effectively making it harder to spend the money on the LC(if you get it)), than say if you got a 3/4+ ton truck, and if you get a cummins with a 6spd they can get 24mpg if you dont put huge tires on it.

just my thoughts, and thats how id look at it if i was in your shoes. but again not knowing the type of job your are taking, that could have its own imput on things

Trucks often have to sit un-plugged in temps as low as -50 C on site for days on end and start at the end. Lots of riggers do it, but I don't know how the trucks cope.... I sure as hell wouldn't want to buy one of those used... Oh yea. They also suck on questionable roads. My buddy usually says it's the Tacos that get through, while the diesels have to wait for farmers and tractors to pull them out. haha.

That being said my buddy is a MWD (Measurement while drilling) and directional driller and has had a dirty max, then went 5.3 gas, and back to a dirty again.

Measurement while drilling is what it sounds like. They take measurements for both the location and load of the drill while drilling for oil. Addison can correct me on the finer details, but that's the basics.

 

[the great him]

Trucks often have to sit un-plugged in temps as low as -50 C on site for days on end and start at the end. Lots of riggers do it, but I don't know how the trucks cope.... I sure as hell wouldn't want to buy one of those used... Oh yea. They also suck on questionable roads. My buddy usually says it's the Tacos that get through, while the diesels have to wait for farmers and tractors to pull them out. haha.

That being said my buddy is a MWD (Measurement while drilling) and directional driller and has had a dirty max, then went 5.3 gas, and back to a dirty again.

Measurement while drilling is what it sounds like. They take measurements for both the location and load of the drill while drilling for oil. Addison can correct me on the finer details, but that's the basics.

good point on the cold weather and being out in the remote... living in suburbia i for get about that... and really vancouver wa doesnt get all that cold so yeah i would not think of that. ok yeah then a tundra would be a good choice in that case

 

[rickashay]

Yah [MENTION=80456]Shibby![/MENTION] nailed it. MWD Operator.

I went with the Tundra cause it's a Toyota, they are proven and reliable, and despite my work vehicle allowance - I didnt want to finance myself to the wall to pay for the truck. I also will not need to tow/haul anything for work. I just need the box space to carry my stuff and maybe haul a couple tools on occasion. I'd rather buy something clean and cheaper, maintain the hell out of it, and have it paid for quickly. I've already got a few awkward looks when I told people I bought an 04', but they don't know Toyota's like I do.... haha

I'm still "pending" on the LX. The potential deal-breaker for me is that aweful, gutless, and thirsty inline 6 motor. Although a 2UZ or D4D swap would make a cool project. Damn, I still want a 2JZ-GTE SC300 in the next couple years. Ughh... I hate my car addiction, I think I need automotive-therapy.

 

[the great him]

The Tundra is NOT the 4Runner's replacement. I needed a "full-size" truck for work and get paid a decent vehicle allowance every month. I wanted something newer but I got REALLY lucky and found a local, fully dealer serviced, all maintenance records, no accidents, MINT 04' Limited Tundra. It's got around 100K miles which is higher than I wanted but I know this thing has had every oil change and service at it's intervals. It's getting SCS wheels, some 32" tires, Bilstein leveling kit, and a Softopper in the near future. I'll post some pics in my build thread when I can. I really like the 4.7L motor and have already been having thought of bobbing the bed and doing 35's and LT to it one day.... wicked plans that may never come to fruition but it would be damn cool.

-qouted from the pic thread, as i didnt want to clutter that up with this as its really not a pic post, and has more to do with you and the rig ect.

i dont know if id be so hot on bobbing the bed on your tundra... i mean you are buying a truck for a truck right? something to haul things with, tools and the like- im assuming? while yes i like the bobbed beds on wheelers but when it comes down to it thats really all they become good for... now while i have not bobbed the bed on either one of my trucks i have thought about it, and decided against it for one simple reason. i would lose a large majority of my ability to haul things with my truck and the use of my truck as a truck. -i learned this once i put the roll-bar in. with the roll-bar in i have already lost a lot of cargo area, i can no longer haul a sheet of ply-wood for instance... moving things has become harder to do. it was a pain in the ass to move my tool box/bench from the shop(s) when i was working as a tech, and switched jobs... i had to get creative and use a lot of straps to secure it. bobbing the bed would give you great departure angles, and look "different" -and that could be cool, but i think the coolness would soon and quickly wear off once you realized you could not haul what you once were able to, or need to. -say you go to 35s, and you have a spare in there, thats gonna take up a lot of room, even standing up... imo work trucks are just that work trucks, and their is a reason you dont see very many work trucks with shortened beds or even short beds, -yes their are some but yeah they defiantly are not shot beds that have been bobbed. cargo space can be invaluable if you need it and dont have it. -and are you really gonna be wheeling that truck hard enough and extreme enough to justify the need for a bobbed bed?

again just my thoughts on this, and its your truck and your money so i wont tell you what to do, but i would advise against it.

but yeah you need to post up some pics of this thing!

 

[rickashay]

-qouted from the pic thread, as i didnt want to clutter that up with this as its really not a pic post, and has more to do with you and the rig ect.

i dont know if id be so hot on bobbing the bed on your tundra... i mean you are buying a truck for a truck right? something to haul things with, tools and the like- im assuming? while yes i like the bobbed beds on wheelers but when it comes down to it thats really all they become good for... now while i have not bobbed the bed on either one of my trucks i have thought about it, and decided against it for one simple reason. i would lose a large majority of my ability to haul things with my truck and the use of my truck as a truck. -i learned this once i put the roll-bar in. with the roll-bar in i have already lost a lot of cargo area, i can no longer haul a sheet of ply-wood for instance... moving things has become harder to do. it was a pain in the ass to move my tool box/bench from the shop(s) when i was working as a tech, and switched jobs... i had to get creative and use a lot of straps to secure it. bobbing the bed would give you great departure angles, and look "different" -and that could be cool, but i think the coolness would soon and quickly wear off once you realized you could not haul what you once were able to, or need to. -say you go to 35s, and you have a spare in there, thats gonna take up a lot of room, even standing up... imo work trucks are just that work trucks, and their is a reason you dont see very many work trucks with shortened beds or even short beds, -yes their are some but yeah they defiantly are not shot beds that have been bobbed. cargo space can be invaluable if you need it and dont have it. -and are you really gonna be wheeling that truck hard enough and extreme enough to justify the need for a bobbed bed?

again just my thoughts on this, and its your truck and your money so i wont tell you what to do, but i would advise against it.

but yeah you need to post up some pics of this thing!

Thanks for pulling this convo from the pic thread - we can derail my build thread without anyone getting upset.

Hahah I think your taking me too seriously, it's hard to communicate correctly using only text sometimes. I completely agree with everything you've said above. LT, 35's, and a bobbed bed is more of a pipe dream of me spinning my creative wheels of how a Tundra could be turned into a cool offroad truck. Maybe one day I would do something like this, but I guarantee you that at that point, this truck would no longer be in "work truck" rotation.

This is all hypothetical rambling but my thoughts on the 1st Gen Tundra - You just don't really ever see properly built 1st Gen Tundras. Sure they are pretty big, but a 00-06 Tundra is nearly identical in width to a second gen Tacoma and the access cab Tundra has a very similar wheelbase length to the DCLB 2nd gen Tacoma's. Only difference is looks and the Tundra has the V8! Both made in the USA, not Japan - quality levels should be similar. The downfalls of the Tundra are that it has an ugly dash and the weaker front diff. (7.5" vs. the 8" of the newer Taco's)

As of now, my Tundra will see some 32" AT tires, wheels, Bilstein leveling kit to bring the front up, a Softopper, some Aux. lighting, and maintenance. Longer term I'll be doing headers and a cat-back exhaust to milk some MPG's and delete the weak factory manifolds. Oh and some WeatherTech mats and a Scanguage. Pretty basic but I think it will look great and be a super solid truck for me out in the field.

I like hearing all the feedback, Isaac, despite a little misunderstanding. Keep it coming!

Pics to come. I'm too busy prepping the 4Runner for it's debut car show this weekend. haha

 

[the great him]

well then, as you were...


yeah no i agree with you, if i had the money to build a truck for wheeling or a fun toy it would be a first gen tundra over even a taco. i think they are awesome looking trucks and love the style of them, they are so clean looking, personally i think it has timeless lines like the 3rd gen 4runners.

i cant wait to see what you come up with for it, i know it will look great.


-about the duster, you wanta swap headlights before you sell?

 

[SCRunner12]

Nice buy! Did you get the access cab or double cab? I'm even more jealous now that you have a Tundra as well. I would trade my 4runner right now for a DC Tundra if someone wanted to. I agree with Farmer Jon, we need pics!!!

 

[rickashay]

well then, as you were...


yeah no i agree with you, if i had the money to build a truck for wheeling or a fun toy it would be a first gen tundra over even a taco. i think they are awesome looking trucks and love the style of them, they are so clean looking, personally i think it has timeless lines like the 3rd gen 4runners.

i cant wait to see what you come up with for it, i know it will look great.


-about the duster, you wanta swap headlights before you sell?

Hahah your not the first person to ask about swapping the lights! As of now they are staying to keep the Duster "whole". If something changes I'll let people know as they are one item that could drop my asking price for the potential buyer. I WONT part the truck out but I would consider taking a couple easy to remove items off if needed.

Nice buy! Did you get the access cab or double cab? I'm even more jealous now that you have a Tundra as well. I would trade my 4runner right now for a DC Tundra if someone wanted to. I agree with Farmer Jon, we need pics!!!

Hey Rob, I got an Access Cab which is what I wanted. I really like the double cabs too but I will be solo so I didnt need the extra space. Although if the particular truck I bought was a double cab, I would still have bought it. It's way too clean....

 

[Shibby!]

Roof rack?

Ahem..

 

[the great him]

hey man, i got enough lights that i could send you mine and be fine getting around till those sexy projectors get here if you decide to go that route... -just sayin

 

[rickashay]

Well here is a teaser from the weekend. What a crazy weekend it was...

Friday - wash truck, vacuum truck, cut paint, polish paint, wax paint, wax paint again. Meet with the CT4WD gang to enter the Calgary Olympic oval for the Driven 2013 Car Show. Set up the booth and head home by 11pm.

Saturday - on our way to the car show by 11. Meet some awesome people, check out some awesome cars, and spread the CT4WD love at the show until 9pm. Award ceremony starts at 9,the Duster takes "Best 4x4" at the whole show! Awesome. Awards end at 10, pack up the CT4WD booth, get in the truck and drive 2 hours to Lethbridge. Home at 12:30am.

Sunday - wake up at 8, drive to a friend of a friends house to "show" the 4Runner. The guy was sold on getting a 100 Series, but after seeing my 4Runner, seems pretty interested in it. I find out he has a RARE 2UZ supercharger + install setup he bought in preparation for his 100 series. We talk and begin to discuss possibilities of a partial trade. The SC would work very nicely on my new Tundra but would probably delete my chances of a new trail-rig, for the time being. 11am, start packing my life up and tuck the Duster in my garage where it is safe and sound. Load the Tundra and drive back to Calgary , arrive at 11pm. Now typing this and falling asleep, new job starts at 8am.

Gawd I love/hate Toyotas.

Teaser from the car show:

20120510-IMG_1421.jpg by RickaShay24, on Flickr

 

[TCMach]

Award ceremony starts at 9,the Duster takes "Best 4x4" at the whole show! Awesome.

Congrats!! Not really surprising considering how good your rig looks though haha!

A 2UZ supercharger with install? Pretty sweet if you ask me. That's a nice gem if you got in in a trade with some cash. Depending on how much he thinks it's worth you might be able to pick up a more beat up wheeling rig. I've always wanted a 1 gen on some 37s that has more dents than not, but to each their own haha. No pics of the tundra yet? Or am I totally missing them?

 

[rickashay]

Congrats!! Not really surprising considering how good your rig looks though haha!

A 2UZ supercharger with install? Pretty sweet if you ask me. That's a nice gem if you got in in a trade with some cash. Depending on how much he thinks it's worth you might be able to pick up a more beat up wheeling rig. I've always wanted a 1 gen on some 37s that has more dents than not, but to each their own haha. No pics of the tundra yet? Or am I totally missing them?

Yah it's a tough call on the SC because I really don't need it. The 4.L V8 (2UZ) is an absolutely awesome motor and has plenty of power (at least coming from the 5VZ). It's just hard to flat out turn the offer down knowing how rare these chargers and install setups are. Which I guess could pose a problem on it's own down the road..... I might low-ball him my value on the SC and see what he says. If not, I'll just ask for cash so I can swing the Cruiser.

Pics of the Tundra? Finally:


The new truck. by RickaShay24, on Flickr


20120513-IMG_1604.jpg by RickaShay24, on Flickr