Austinquick's Build and Adventure Thread

[austinquick]

2019 Magnetic Grey TRD Off Road Premium

Finally starting a build thread for my T4R, mostly to track what I have done and when. I am using it and upgrading things as I need them. So far the stock 4Runner, even on stock tires, has done everything I have asked it to do.

Instagram: @austinquick

T4R:
2019 Magnetic Grey TRD Off Road Premium
Sunroof
Non-KDSS
OEM Cross Bars
Purchased 4/20/2019
------------------------------
Mods

Interior:
Xpel Ceramic Window Tint

Exterior:
Bad Plasti-Dip job of TRD Off Road badges.

Communication:
Cobra 25LTD Pro CB Radio
Rago Fab hood antenna mount
2' and 7' Firestiks with QD
BaoFeng UV-82HP Handheld HAM (Here)

Electrical:
Any Time Backup Camera + front camera/dual switch.(Post)


Etc:
Hitch Mounted D-ring


Trips:
Hole In The Ground, OR
Mt. Hood NF > Pendleton > Emigrant Springs, OR (Post)
East Fork Eagle Creek, Cornucopia, OR

 

[austinquick]

Held for future!

 

[Globetrotter78]

Hey Austin!, I see you have a CB setup AND a HAM radio. I have been looking into doing the same but I have found conflicting suggestions regarding HAM vs CB on the trails. From your experience, do you see more guys with HAM or traditional CB?

Thanks!

 

[austinquick]

Hey Austin!, I see you have a CB setup AND a HAM radio. I have been looking into doing the same but I have found conflicting suggestions regarding HAM vs CB on the trails. From your experience, do you see more guys with HAM or traditional CB?

Thanks!

Hey!

I am a part of a couple overland groups in the PNW/PDX area who mainly use HAM, and in general it seems people are moving more towards HAM. I have a decent CB set up because the two people I go out with the most have CB only.

 

[austinquick]

May 12th, 2019 - Anytime Backup Camera

I ordered and received the Anytime Backup Camera kit, with front camera and two-way switch for the 4Runner.
Packaging was great, super easy instructions, plus youtube videos to follow. This write up is definitely not a detailed install, but will hopefully be enough to show how easy it was to do in a couple hours.

The hardest parts for me were drilling the front camera hole and cramming the harness back into the dash.

First, I pulled off the panels over the climate control dials. They just pop off with a little force.

Next, I popped out the climate control module. I cannot say how much I like these reusable clips Toyota has.

Four screws later, and you can pop the Entune brick out. Again, just a firm tug is all it takes. I would recommend putting a towel or something between the screen and shift knob.

Another less-than-fun part is removing the door sill plastic. This must be removed to access the under wheel dash panel. Some people don't have to remove this, or barely pop it off depending on where they place their toggle switch. I chose to put mine in the right blank, by the ignition.

I do wish the switch wasn't so bright in the off position, but a layer of Elmers glue toned it down. I chose this location because it is on the shifter side, so it feels a little more natural.

Switch wiring through the dash.

This is the best part of the kit. No chopping your stock harness! Everything is plug-n-play. Getting all of this back behind the Entune brick takes time, but it will eventually fit.

The end was in sight, and I did not take any pictures putting it back together or drilling the camera. Here is the switch after it is put back together, and a front camera view.

The install took me about three hours due to multiple hardware store trips. I had zero wiring tools. Should have taken my ~1.5 hours. I use it on a daily basis, squeezing as far into my garage as possible. 100% recommend.

 

[mogg851]

Where did you mount the CB? Any thoughts on a mobile 2m rig?

Love the look of a dirty MGM.

 

[austinquick]

Where did you mount the CB? Any thoughts on a mobile 2m rig?

Love the look of a dirty MGM.

I am actually in the process of doing a write up about the CB install!

Sneak peak, I put it in the center console and had mic extension flush mounted outside of the console.

I'm not sure what a mobile 2m rig is, but a cursory google tells me it is a 2 meter, high power HAM. I will most likely replace the CB with a much better HAM set up, but right now the handheld HAM should be more than enough.
I'll definitely have to look into that set up, though!

Plenty of dirty MGM pictures incoming, too.

 

[austinquick]

Mt. Hood NF > Pendleton > Emigrant Springs, OR

Trip: May 25th, 2019 - Mt. Hood NF > Pendleton > Emigrant Springs, OR

After work on Friday, Memorial Day weekend, I headed up to Mt. Hood for the first camping trip in the 4Runner. It was a nice camping spot a ways off the road that my friends had been to multiple times before. We got there and the Forest Service had put rocks in the trail to get back to the camp with signs saying there was a problem with people setting up semi-permanent camp sites during summer months. We were only going to be there for a few days, so we hiked our stuff 100 yards back to camp. It was right along a fast-moving creek and had the remains of a large fire pit.

It ended up raining all evening, night, and all day Saturday. We made breakfast, a small fire and chatted about what the plan for the weekend was. It was Sunday morning and we still had two days out and about. We decided to chase the sun and drive the three hours to Pendleton, Oregon. We packed up and started driving east through the Columbia River Gorge, passing a huge storm on the way.

We pulled into Pendleton around 1pm and had lunch at a brewery named The Prodigal Son. They had a super diverse menu from what I expected for Pendleton. I had calamari tacos, my friends had cauliflower buffalo wing and a huge burger.

While waiting for our food we started looking for camping spots, even asking our waitress if she knew anything good. Just about everything that we found said to go up in the hills toward Bingham Springs. We stopped a few times to take pictures of the sky and the rigs.

Just as we were making it into the hills, we could see snow. We checked the forecast, sure enough, 30 degrees and snowing near our proposed camp spot. Not wanting to camp in the snow, nor being prepared for it, we turned around and headed south. We just wanted to explore, and checked out places along the way. McKay Reservoir was a great spot that we hung out and let the dog run until the rain came again.

Farther south, we went over Deadman Pass. The winding and steep highway was beautiful, with a great view out over the valley below. My friend Peter got some pretty cool ‘rollers’ of the 4Runner as well!

After a couple hours of driving, we were going down a dirt road trying to find a spot to camp for the night. By this time it was about 5pm and we were ready to be done searching. Unfortunately we saw No Trespassing signs on the dirt road we wanted to camp down, so we made our way back out to the main road. About a mile from our location, we found Emigrant Springs State Park, which had a campground that was relatively empty for Memorial Day weekend. As much as I dislike paying to camp, we found a good campsite that was big enough to get both vehicles in and still have a great fire and eating area.

We unpacked and got a fire going. No time was wasted getting our sausage, onion and pepper fajitas going on the Skottle, accompanied by a beer. After dinner, we enjoyed the fire and a Hoyo De Monterrey Epicure Especial and an IPA.

The next morning, we packed up and rolled out early, stopping at Paradise Mountain Viewpoint to hangout before the six hour trek home. It was a great way to end the trip.

 

[austinquick]

July 17th, 2019 - CB Install

July 17th, 2019 - CB Install

Cobra 25LTD Pro CB Radio (Here)
Rago Fab Hood Antenna Mount (Here)
Firestik 2’ Antenna
Antenna QD
Firestik 9’ low profile Coax cable
4-Pin Mic 90 degree 6” extension
Cheap Amazon PA

Installed by Wanderlust Overland in Oregon City, OR

I had the CB professionally installed because I don’t trust myself making clean cuts in my brand new center console. We removed the center console Kleenex holder and cut a small portion out of the bottom to route the coax, power, and PA cables. The radio is velcroed to the side of the center console with the 4-pin mic cable extension routed going through the front of the console so that I do not have to always have the mic plugged in, and it looks much cleaner.

Hood mounted 2’ Firestik antenna so I can fit into my tiny garage, but has a QD so I can swap out to my 7’ Firestik for long trips. Rago Fab makes mounts for both the driver and passenger side. In retrospect, I would have just bought the ditch light mount pair and made an adapter so one of the sides has the ditch light and antenna.

 

[mogg851]

I like the mic interface through the front of the console. Looks great.

 

[austinquick]

I like the mic interface through the front of the console. Looks great.

I appreciate it! I wanted it accessible but also not in the way when I don't need it.