Another Slow Build & Random Adventures Thread by Folsom4Rnr

[Folsom4Rnr]

Here she is "currently" (Fall 2018)

And here she is stock circa Sept. 2014

Mods, Upgrades, and Fixes:
WeatherTech Floor Liners (Front, Rear & Cargo) (Sept. 2014)
Getting rear end fixed after being rear-ended on freeway (Oct. 2014)
MID/Center Console LED bulb replacements (Dec. 2014)
Headlight upgrade: Extreme HID Kit w/ Phillips 4300k Bulbs (Jan. 2015)
Hi-beam upgrade: Phillips HIR1 Bulbs (Jan. 2015)
ToyTec BOSS 3" lift w/ Sway Bar relocate, Diff drop, and SuperFlex Rear Coils (Jun. 2015)
BFG T/A KO2's 275/65R18 (Jun. 2015) (replaced w/ KM3's Aug. 2018)
Running Board delete (Jun. 2015)
Gas Cap replacement (May 2016)
10" Tablet Holder (May 2016)
Fire Extinguisher Holder (May 2016)
Headlight cleaning (May 2016)
De-badged (May 2016)
LED Interior Lights Swap (Aug. 2016)
LED Backup Lights Swap (Aug. 2016)
White Knuckle Rock Sliders (Oct. 2016) (replaced w/ RCI's Jul. 2018)
PrInSu Designs Roof Rack (Oct. 2016)
CBI Hitch-mounted Tire & Hi-Lift Jack Carrier w/ Matching Spare Wheel & Tire (Dec. 2016)
60” Hi-Lift X-Treme Jack (Jan. 2017)
Thule Snowboard Rack Retrofitted (for winter time) (Feb. 2017)
Rear Recovery Brackets (May 2017)
RCI Skid Plates [Front Filler (steel), Front/Oil (aluminum), Transmission (aluminum), Transfer Case (aluminum), Fuel Tank (aluminum)] (May 2017)
BAMF A-Arm Skid Plates (May 2017)
Replaced Inner Fender Splash Guard (May 2017)
Shovel Holder (Monkey Fists) (for summer time) (Jul. 2017)
Black Oak 30" LED Light Bar (Aug. 2017)
Replaced front amber marker lights (Nov. 2017)
Replaced windshield trim & hid light bar wiring (Nov. 2017)
PAID OFF LOAN!!!! (Mar. 2, 2018) -- this was a great day!
Fumoto Engine Oil Drain Valve (Mar. 2018)
AJT Designs Shift Knob (Mar. 2018)
AJT Designs Key Fob (Mar. 2018)
Spare keys (2) cut & programmed (May 2018)
FRP Waffle Boards / Bridging Ladders (May 2018)
RCI Rock Sliders (Jul. 2018)
BFG KM3's 295/70R17's (load E) (Aug. 2018)
FN f(x) Pro Wheels, 17" Matte Black (Aug. 2018)
Body Mount Chop / plate re-weld (Aug. 2018)
Pinch Weld flattening / other misc. cutting (Aug. 2018)
JBA Upper Control Arms (Aug. 2018)
ToyTec Sway Bar relocate brackets (Aug. 2018)
MStudt's Extended End-Links (Aug. 2018)
Optima Yellow Top Battery (Oct. 2018)

 

[Folsom4Rnr]

Selected Adventures...

Nov. 16 2014 - got her dirty for the first time @ Prairie City

more to come as I get time to back-fill details ...

 

[JeffMerr]

Nice ride. I live in the foothills. Where do you usually go wheeling?

 

[Folsom4Rnr]

Nice ride. I live in the foothills. Where do you usually go wheeling?

Thanks.
Mostly I have been exploring areas off of I80, HWY50 and HWY4 that are within a couple hours of Sacramento area or Arnold area (visit there couple times / yr). Last couple of times out, I've posted to the meetup thread (http://www.toyota-4runner.org/nor-cal/235319-bay-area-sacramento-meet-up.html).

 

[Folsom4Rnr]

Bone Stock...

A couple of pictures of her bone stock, right after I got her in 2014.

 

[Folsom4Rnr]

WeatherTech's

So the first "mod" I did was floor mats since the stealership I bought my 4R from didnt include the originals/any. I've had both Husky and WeatherTech on previous vehicles, but think I like the WeatherTechs better... so I ordered up another set for this 4R. Picked up the full package - front and rear seating plus rear cargo area (not pictured).

 

[Folsom4Rnr]

Console LED Replacement

Not to long after buying my 4R, I noticed some of the console items/controls I'd expect to light up didnt. That's really when I started lurking the forums and learning about my new to me 4th Gen ... eventually, I found a link to a great write up on replacing the center console LEDs by Expat on 120 (sorry to link to another forum... but I thought it was a good write up, worth recognizing). So, I ordered up some bulbs and swapped them out in an evening.

 

[Folsom4Rnr]

Let There Be Light - Conversion to HID & HIR

About the time I found this forum, I decided I wanted to upgrade my headlights. The stock bulbs in my 4R when I got it were tired at best... I debated between an HID conversion and a bulb swap to HIR ... until I saw a thread where someone (sorry, dont recall who) commented on doing HID low-beams and HIR hi-beams. I liked that idea best so I found a couple of good holiday deals, ordered them up and got em installed in an evenings work.

The HID kit was plug and play... hardest part was squeezing my hands/fingers into those awkwardly tight spaces around the housings. The HIR's required a very minor amount of trimming to fit ... but it turned out to be easy to do with a quick snip of the wire dykes. This Google image best shows what gets trimmed:

 

[theoutbackdream]

Not to long after buying my 4R, I noticed some of the console items/controls I'd expect to light up didnt. That's really when I started lurking the forums and learning about my new to me 4th Gen ... eventually, I found a link to a great write up on replacing the center console LEDs by Expat on 120 (sorry to link to another forum... but I thought it was a good write up, worth recognizing). So, I ordered up some bulbs and swapped them out in an evening.

Finally, you make a build thread. :thumb3: haha

Are you ordering OEM bulbs or just getting the bulbs to swap out the burnt bulb? If you're just swapping the bulbs, where did you order your bulbs from?

Also, good choice on the HIRs.

 

[Folsom4Rnr]

Finally, you make a build thread. :thumb3: haha

Are you ordering OEM bulbs or just getting the bulbs to swap out the burnt bulb? If you're just swapping the bulbs, where did you order your bulbs from?

Also, good choice on the HIRs.

LOL ... yeah, I've been threatening to do it for too long.

I just got some replacement bulbs to swap out the dead ones for good ones... I picked them up from toyotapart.com:

Code Item Quantity Price/Ea.
90010-09015 BULB 5 $2.75
90010-09017 BULB 2 $2.75
90010-09016 BULB 1 $2.75

With a little more effort, I probably could have found some cheaper ones/better deal... especially after shipping costs... but live and learn I guess.

 

[theoutbackdream]

LOL ... yeah, I've been threatening to do it for too long.

I just got some replacement bulbs to swap out the dead ones for good ones... I picked them up from toyotapart.com:

Code Item Quantity Price/Ea.
90010-09015 BULB 5 $2.75
90010-09017 BULB 2 $2.75
90010-09016 BULB 1 $2.75

With a little more effort, I probably could have found some cheaper ones/better deal... especially after shipping costs... but live and learn I guess.

Ahhh, good to know. I've been contemplating getting the OEM replacements, or just the bulbs themselves and reusing the mounts. Thanks for the P/N's though

 

[Folsom4Rnr]

Getting Rear-ended SUX!

A little out of order, but I guess that's what happens when you're doing the posts years later... you remember the good things (mods! adventures!) and try to put the bad things - like getting rear-ended on the freeway - out of mind. But I guess the story is incomplete without it. I cant seem to locate any pictures of the carnage... must have deleted them as soon as the settlement check cleared... In hind sight, I wish I would have taken the opportunity to get that steel plate rear-bumper ... but I guess that's why they say hindsight is 20/20... Oh well. Yet another lesson learned at the school of life...

 

[Folsom4Rnr]

Nov. 16 2014 - after first Prairie City trial

Back to the good times ...
So this is not much of a post... but wanted to memorialize the first time I took her out to Prairie City and got her dirty :heh:

And then again several days later after more rain

 

[Folsom4Rnr]

Jun 14 2015 -- Slate Mtn Lookout

A couple pictures from the first time to Slate Mountain Lookout ...

 

[Folsom4Rnr]

Lift & Tires!

So after about a year of figuring out my new to me 4Runner, I knew I needed a lift and some better tires than the soccer-mom friendly all seasons it had when I purchased it. Thats also about the time I found T4R.org and started loosing countless hours to lusting after all the great builds on here. (#Worth it!)

I ended up going with the ToyTec BOSS 3" lift as I thought it would be the best all-around solution to give some height and improve offroad performance without significantly compromising road manners... after all, its still a daily driver. I paired it with a set of 275/65R18 BF Goodrich KO2's... great tread design, nice aggressive look, great balance of durability and performance both on and off road. Looking back on them some 3 years later, I can say they've been great tires.

Here's what she looked like after the lift:

4Runners really should have come from the factory with this ride height ... its just sooo much better than the stock height.