Black798's 98 limited build thread

[Black798]

[MENTION=82211]TCMach[/MENTION] thanks for the heads up on that locker. I sent him a PM last night, hopefully, I can get it. Even though it will probably sit in a box for a few months until I get the gears.

I also started talking to Zuk about setting up the diffs this time. He apparently doesn't install ARBs in the front clamshells anymore though, so if I can't get him to do it Ill be having ECGS do it because I just don't have the patience to do it.

 

[Black798]

Wiring Overhaul

A few months back I installed one of [MENTION=129084]Flemster[/MENTION]s Rocky Mountain Racks. One of the main reasons I bought the rack was to upgrade my lighting system for both improved visibility for night wheeling and camp life. I also am a dealer for Extreme Led which gave me a perfect opportunity to do the upgrade without breaking the bank.

One of the driving factors behind buying the RMR over another option was the modularity. It makes mounting accessories super easy and I can also pull the whole rack off for detailing purposes with 8 bolts. That was something I didn't want to lose which meant I needed a central way to manage all the wires that also didn't affect the clean look of the rack.

For new lighting, I decided to add an X6S 38 inch amber/white combo bar across the front. 2 5 inch Scene lights on the side, a pair of amber Extreme Stackerz on the rear for dust/reverse lights, and a set of 6 rock lights under the truck.

For the switching system, I briefly considered and Spod or Switch pros but for 500$ or more they left something to be desired for me and they also still required a lot of work on my end to get everything wired in. I also considered getting the paranoid fab switch panel to go below the radio like [MENTION=57546]4-Ripcord[/MENTION] did on his last truck but I wasn't wild about losing the small cubby and wanted to keep my options open for adding a double din radio down the road if I so desire.

What I ended up going with was a Fenix industries 4200 Mini switch controller. I work next to a company does a lot of wiring in the city police cruisers and they use these a lot. For 100$ you get a full aluminum switch panel with integrated strobe functions and 6 outputs that can all be wired independently. Heres a link for those interested. Link

The only downside to the Fenix system is that the outputs are only rated at 3.5 amps each. So I knew I would need to run some relays for most of my lights.

Onto the actual wiring part, this took a TON of time, close to 4 days in total. I started with the roof rack side of things.

Got the side and rear facing lights mounted
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/147275993@N05/44215414940/in/dateposted-public/" title="IMAG0726"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4898/44215414940_bc322abc70_b.jpg" width="768" height="1024" alt="IMAG0726"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/147275993@N05/31092340067/in/dateposted-public/" title="IMAG0725"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4832/31092340067_2843bc1d80_b.jpg" width="768" height="1024" alt="IMAG0725"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


For managing the wires I really didnt want to have a ton of zipties along the cross bars and sides of the rack. Instead I wrapped all the wires in split loom and used these nice stainless brackets that bolt to the rack itself.
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/147275993@N05/31092416357/in/dateposted-public/" title="IMAG0708"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4831/31092416357_784ff6a306_b.jpg" width="768" height="1024" alt="IMAG0708"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

After getting all the wires ran to one spot just behind the drivers door I needed to get down through the roof. I really didnt want a mass of wires going down through the weatherstrip creating the potential for leaks or weird wind whistles and what not. Instead, I turned to blue sea systems and used one of their cables clams, these are a waterproof pass through that are used a lot on boats for gps wiring and other things of that nature. This meant I needed to drill a sizeable hole in the roof but after a lot of time deciding on the best spot to place the fitting I was able to route all my wires down through the headliner and through the A pillar to the firewall. This is what was left on the roof, one 8 pin deutchse connector to make removing the rack super easy.
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/147275993@N05/31092341767/in/dateposted-public/" title="IMAG0722"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4814/31092341767_78c1aa5c6b_b.jpg" width="768" height="1024" alt="IMAG0722"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

After getting all the feed wires down from the roof I mounted the switch system to the A pillar and ran a bundle of wires down behind the firewall to use for the trigger wires on the relay. I used another 8 pin connector to allow removing the switch pod easily if necessary.
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/147275993@N05/32160306138/in/dateposted-public/" title="IMAG0731"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4809/32160306138_c671193788_b.jpg" width="768" height="1024" alt="IMAG0731"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

I now needed a way to get the wires out to my blue sea fuse block and to the relays. Obviously pushing them through the stock grommet wasn't going to work because of the number of wires and it just looks unprofessional IMO although I am guilty of having a few wires going through it. I ended up pulling the hood off and using the same bulkhead fitting others have used which turns out very clean, waterproof, and remains serviceable.

Lots of connections were made and countless hours spent organizing everything. So there isnt much to explain throughout the process but here are the pictures of the final product.

Only one fuse left open
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/147275993@N05/32160302698/in/dateposted-public/" title="IMAG0747"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4806/32160302698_60500f9010_b.jpg" width="768" height="1024" alt="IMAG0747"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Inside the firewall
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/147275993@N05/45306731364/in/dateposted-public/" title="IMAG0744"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4822/45306731364_a9035dcbbd_b.jpg" width="768" height="1024" alt="IMAG0744"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Relays mounted up
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/147275993@N05/45981272182/in/dateposted-public/" title="IMAG0738"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4903/45981272182_5639498de3_b.jpg" width="768" height="1024" alt="IMAG0738"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Pass through to get to the bulkhead fitting
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/147275993@N05/45981273372/in/dateposted-public/" title="IMAG0734"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4905/45981273372_39e5bab738_b.jpg" width="768" height="1024" alt="IMAG0734"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

I haven't had a chance to go get decent output pictures of everything but testing in the driveway everything worked on the first try and creates a fantastic light setup with very few shadows. Should make camp life and night wheeling much more enjoyable Output pics to come soon

 

[Flemster]

Super clean Pheonix! Making me not excited about the day or maybe 4 Ill spend cleaning up my wiring when I get the motivation!. Those clamps worked great on the rack to hold the looms!

 

[Black798]

It was a ton of work and I was definitely getting burnt out by the end of it but the end result of having a system that's easy to troubleshoot and is all clean was well worth it. The nice thing about wiring is its not greasy and its just tedious, but it takes a lot of patience.

 

[Black798]

Arb

Well thanks to [MENTION=82211]TCMach[/MENTION] I was able to get an essentially brand new ARB front locker for pretty cheap off of Tacoma World. I picked it up from ups last week and immediately took the whole thing apart to give it a good once over and get it ready for when I do the gear work sometime in December.

It was cool to finally see how one of these lockers works up close and in person.

As it came out of the box. Thanks to UPS I have to buy a new seal housing for it already. See how they wrapped the copper line over the edge of the diff? Well they also failed to put any significant amount of bubble wrap around that edge so when the box was dropped during transit the airline got smashed flat. i asked the guy I bought the locker from what was up and he said they packed it and he made it abundantly clear the copper line was very fragile, obviously they didnt listen to that. I opened a claim with them so well see how long that takes to get sorted out.
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/147275993@N05/32160836948/in/album-72157702469608111/" title="IMAG0774"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4914/32160836948_8336c83d8e_b.jpg" width="768" height="1024" alt="IMAG0774"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

With the seal housing ruined I moved onto inspecting everything else.
Split the case open and this is what you'll see, the actual locker mechanism on the thin side and the rest of the diff on the other. Careful there are a bunch of little springs that will fall out of the locker mechanism. These are the return springs and to my understanding, newer lockers have a single wave spring instead of the 8 coil spring

Close up of the diff. Unlike the stock diff that uses two spider pinions, the ARB uses 4 that are also machined to a much tighter tolerance and out of a stronger material. Chipped spider gears should be a thing of the past now
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/147275993@N05/46031716481/in/album-72157702469608111/" title="IMAG0757"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4858/46031716481_b461804f40_b.jpg" width="768" height="1024" alt="IMAG0757"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

I was told the diff was pulled out of a 95 truck and had only been in for roughly 5,000 miles before the truck was totaled. Looking at the wear on the gears I think this is true, there was hardly any wear and a perfect wear pattern.
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/147275993@N05/45119885645/in/album-72157702469608111/" title="IMAG0755"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4907/45119885645_91704efaea_b.jpg" width="768" height="1024" alt="IMAG0755"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Cross pins and retaining screws. The spiral notches are to allow gear oil to easily pass through and cushion the cross pins.
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/147275993@N05/45307481724/in/album-72157702469608111/" title="IMAG0758"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4894/45307481724_0e13037fb3_b.jpg" width="768" height="1024" alt="IMAG0758"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Spider gears, side gears, and the "spider block" laid out
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/147275993@N05/45119883085/in/album-72157702469608111/" title="IMAG0761"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4818/45119883085_a0af775197_b.jpg" width="768" height="1024" alt="IMAG0761"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Bonded piston seal removed for inspection. All looked good and was dry behind the seal so I just put a light coating of oil on the seal and reinstalled it. This is the part that actually actuates the clutch gear that locks the diff together when air is supplied.

Now how the locker itself works. When the system is pressurized the piston seal pushes inward, overcoming the return spring pressure, this puts pressure on the side gear until it all lines up and the clutch gear fully engages into the to side gear fully spooling the diff. When the air is released the return springs push the clutch gear out returning the system to an open diff state. A total of 2 moving parts, pretty simple if you ask me. And for me it also laid to rest the whole argument of Harrop E locker VS. ARB. The arb at most can spin 1/16 of a rotation before locking in and has 2 moving parts with 2 air seals that if installed correctly will last for years to come. In contrast, the Harrop has to rotate roughly 1/4 of a turn minimum to lock, has 4 moving parts, and will unlock when switching from forward to reverse due to the way the locking mechanism works. Add to that the Harrop is 30% more expensive

Unlocked position. Clutch gear on the bottom and side gear on top
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/147275993@N05/46031708921/in/album-72157702469608111/" title="IMAG0765"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4850/46031708921_492a97a91f_b.jpg" width="768" height="1024" alt="IMAG0765"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Locked position.
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/147275993@N05/46031705811/in/album-72157702469608111/" title="IMAG0766"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4918/46031705811_54b5ab0dcb_b.jpg" width="768" height="1024" alt="IMAG0766"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


With all that wrapped up, I reassembled the locker, did a basic air test to verify everything was working and it performed flawlessly without air leaks. Good to go into the diff. Gears should be here soon and then I just need to buy a dial indicator and make a few specialty tools and Ill be ready to install the gears. I've decided to just do the gear work myself to save time, money, and because I want to know how to do it.

 

[TCMach]

Well thanks to [MENTION=82211]TCMach[/MENTION] I was able to get an essentially brand new ARB front locker for pretty cheap off of Tacoma World. I picked it up from ups last week and immediately took the whole thing apart to give it a good once over and get it ready for when I do the gear work sometime in December.

I've decided to just do the gear work myself to save time, money, and because I want to know how to do it.

Glad it worked out for you. Sucks about the shipping debacle though. Guess thats why ECGS ships in boxes 2 times as big as they need to be and fills it with all kinds of crap.

Gear work is good to know. I installed my Yukon & 5.29s in the rear and it wasn't too bad. I tried to convince myself to do the front as well after reading every Zuk writeup on the website but eventually just gave in and ordered it. I'll be interested to see your process.

 

[Black798]

Glad it worked out for you. Sucks about the shipping debacle though. Guess thats why ECGS ships in boxes 2 times as big as they need to be and fills it with all kinds of crap.

Gear work is good to know. I installed my Yukon & 5.29s in the rear and it wasn't too bad. I tried to convince myself to do the front as well after reading every Zuk writeup on the website but eventually just gave in and ordered it. I'll be interested to see your process.

Yeah the seal housing is a real bummer but it is looking like UPS will be covering the damage. Surprising that they caused the issue being the shipping company and the ones who packed it but I know how they love to throw packages. Did some more digging and called ARB to have them look up the serial number as well. Looks like this locker was made in June of 2005 so not so sure I buy the "5000 miles on it" anymore but still looks good none the less. All the bearings are good with minimal wear so it shouldn't be a problem.

My thoughts on the gears were one the cost. I was quote 1100 for a complete install and that was if I already took the diffs out of the truck and had them totally clean. Second I figured, while the 5 year warranty through ECGS is nice, it means should I ever use it Im looking at a minimum of 2 weeks downtime. Doing the gear work myself I can cut that in half and Ill still have a two-year warranty through nitro. From what I can see reading write ups from Zuk and a few places on pirate, the rear is stupid easy as long as you understand what parts do what and the front isn't really that hard either. It's just super tedious because of the stupid clamshell design. I'm not really looking forward to the front but I'm sure it won't be too bad and in the end well worth it.

 

[Black798]

Finally, some light output shots, as you can see There are very few dark spots, keep in mind I have 2 LED flood pods hooked up to the reverse lights.

You can also see how nice of a beam pattern the baja designs squadron pros throw for fog lights. These are one of the most expensive lights on the truck but they are night and day above the amazon pods I had before and definitely worth the money.

<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/147275993@N05/31129639687/in/dateposted-public/" title="DJI_0048"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4857/31129639687_cd85eb8650_b.jpg" width="983" height="1024" alt="DJI_0048"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/147275993@N05/46068350241/in/dateposted-public/" title="DJI_0045"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4847/46068350241_23bd180408_b.jpg" width="1024" height="949" alt="DJI_0045"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/147275993@N05/46018515872/in/dateposted-public/" title="DJI_0044"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4864/46018515872_c668bf2c5d_b.jpg" width="1024" height="767" alt="DJI_0044"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/147275993@N05/46018524532/in/dateposted-public/" title="IMG_0709"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4910/46018524532_b550a16aca_b.jpg" width="1024" height="683" alt="IMG_0709"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/147275993@N05/46018522112/in/dateposted-public/" title="DJI_0053"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4835/46018522112_ea9f70e32d_b.jpg" width="1024" height="650" alt="DJI_0053"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

These little dust lights fit perfect under the rack, thanks for the idea on that [MENTION=129084]Flemster[/MENTION]
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/147275993@N05/46068346971/in/dateposted-public/" title="IMG_0713"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4845/46068346971_e64b83936b_b.jpg" width="1024" height="603" alt="IMG_0713"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[tS_kStin]

Mad props to you for all the custom work you have done on that! I ahve been seriously out of the loop this year with the 406 cruisers, wheeling and anything to do with T4R.org so it is awesome to stop in here occasionally to see what else you have done. Wasn't all that long ago when I had one of the most modified 3rd gens in Bozeman, well that is definitely not the case any more! Well done, can't wait to actually see it in person when I get around to coming to 406cruiser meetings and such again.

 

[4-Ripcord]

Holy moly those pics are amazing

 

[derpiful]

Amazing photos! The output and coverage you have is perfect

 

[TCMach]

Yeah the seal housing is a real bummer but it is looking like UPS will be covering the damage. Surprising that they caused the issue being the shipping company and the ones who packed it but I know how they love to throw packages. Did some more digging and called ARB to have them look up the serial number as well. Looks like this locker was made in June of 2005 so not so sure I buy the "5000 miles on it" anymore but still looks good none the less. All the bearings are good with minimal wear so it shouldn't be a problem.

My thoughts on the gears were one the cost. I was quote 1100 for a complete install and that was if I already took the diffs out of the truck and had them totally clean. Second I figured, while the 5 year warranty through ECGS is nice, it means should I ever use it Im looking at a minimum of 2 weeks downtime. Doing the gear work myself I can cut that in half and Ill still have a two-year warranty through nitro. From what I can see reading write ups from Zuk and a few places on pirate, the rear is stupid easy as long as you understand what parts do what and the front isn't really that hard either. It's just super tedious because of the stupid clamshell design. I'm not really looking forward to the front but I'm sure it won't be too bad and in the end well worth it.

Here's to hoping it just sat on a shelf somewhere. Its worth a shot regardless on the front. If you figure it out then you can just become the next Zuk and boom there is your side business.

Plus ECGS only warranties up to 35s :eyebrows:

 

[TonyB66]

...You can also see how nice of a beam pattern the baja designs squadron pros throw for fog lights. These are one of the most expensive lights on the truck but they are night and day above the amazon pods I had before and definitely worth the money.

Fantastic photos and impressive lighting. I'm in the market for fog lights now and you have me quite interested in the Baja Designs Squadron Pros. I searched this thread, and my apologies if I missed it, but which model did you decide upon, a true fog or flood? Thanks much.

 

[Lamer]

Finally, some light output shots, as you can see There are very few dark spots, keep in mind I have 2 LED flood pods hooked up to the reverse lights.

You can also see how nice of a beam pattern the baja designs squadron pros throw for fog lights. These are one of the most expensive lights on the truck but they are night and day above the amazon pods I had before and definitely worth the money.

dang that looks sharp. what camera/lense combo are you using?

 

[Black798]

Fantastic photos and impressive lighting. I'm in the market for fog lights now and you have me quite interested in the Baja Designs Squadron Pros. I searched this thread, and my apologies if I missed it, but which model did you decide upon, a true fog or flood? Thanks much.

Here is the set I bought. https://www.bajadesigns.com/products/squadron-r-sport-pair-wide-cornering-amber.asp

I went with the corning beam pattern because I have a friend with the "combo" beam pattern and it's way too much of a spot beam to run on the road. The corning pattern is a very nice slim and wide pattern that doesn't bleed a lot of light upwards so Im not blinding oncoming traffic. I have them aimed to hit just below the mid point of my headlight beams and it lays out perfectly when driving. Ive found a lot of times I can actually see better by turning the headlights off and just using the squadrons.

dang that looks sharp. what camera/lense combo are you using?

Canon rebel t3i with a 50mm fixed lens and an 18-250 Tamron. Relatively cheap setup but what it comes down to is understanding how the manual settings work and what settings work best with a given lens. Add to that some lightroom magic and you can take some pretty incredible pictures without selling a kidney on a camera.

The aerial shots were done with my DJI Mavic Pro. This was my first time flying it at night and using it for low light photography. Needless to say, I was very impressed.

 

[TonyB66]

Here is the set I bought. https://www.bajadesigns.com/products/squadron-r-sport-pair-wide-cornering-amber.asp

I went with the corning beam pattern because I have a friend with the "combo" beam pattern and it's way too much of a spot beam to run on the road. The corning pattern is a very nice slim and wide pattern that doesn't bleed a lot of light upwards so Im not blinding oncoming traffic. I have them aimed to hit just below the mid point of my headlight beams and it lays out perfectly when driving. Ive found a lot of times I can actually see better by turning the headlights off and just using the squadrons....

Thanks much Phoenix. The "-R" looks to be the way to go with an aftermarket bumper. Yup, not cheap, but I really like your fog pattern. I'll start looking for some deals...

 

[Black798]

Lots of exciting things happening in the near future to the truck so I need to get this updated. A few weeks ago I decided to get everything as ready as I can for rebuilding the diffs. So I pulled the rear 3rd member out and put my spare that I literally found in the trash at the steel yard way back at the begining of the summer. Its an older V6 3rd member but it has factory 4.30 gears and is in excellent condition, this allows me to still drive the truck while Im building the other two diffs.

With both diffs out I cleaned up the rear 3rd and then decided to do an autopsy on the original front diff since I had never been able to figure out how I managed to break it. First step was to open up the case. Ten bolts and a few smacks with the deadblow later I had the clamshell separated and the carrier removed. And apparently sitting for a year didn't make the damage look any better. Look at all that glitter.
IMAG0817 by Phoenix Black, on Flickr

A closer look at the case revealed some heavy scarring from gear chunks getting wedged in between the ring gear and the case. The rig gear also had some light chipping on the toe of almost all the teeth.
IMAG0818 by Phoenix Black, on Flickr

I spent some time wiping all the chunks out and then I removed the pinion and the bearings. Not surprisingly several chunks fell out of the pinion bearings but the races and bearing rollers themselves actually were still in pretty good shape all things considered
IMAG0833 by Phoenix Black, on Flickr

Now it was time to focus on the carrier, this is where the damage really starts to show. The two small spiders didn't have a single tooth that wasn't chipped, cracked, or other side damage. The side gears that connect to the CVs fared a little better but still had significant damage. I still couldn't see any signs of what could have caused the gears to chip so badly and like I have said before I don't use a lot of wheel speed and compared to some trucks Im running pretty small tires. Then I spun the gears a few times and the cause became very clear

There was an assload of slop in the gears and it seemed like they really weren't machined very well, to begin with. I looked closer though and saw this.
IMAG0821 by Phoenix Black, on Flickr

See that nice 1/16th inch size gap between the side gear and the carrier? yeah thats not supposed to be there, this was causing the massive amount of slop and I think at some point what happened was I took a tight turn in 4wd and when the drivetrain went under tension the two side gears slid outward untill they hit the case and this allowed the gear contact patch to decrease a ton and then the teeth fractured and later chipped off.

After all this was done I took the two clamshell halves out to the car wash and spent some time hosing them down and getting all the grease off so I had a nice fresh case to start the rebuild with.

The last thing I needed to do was clean out the ADD tube since it was also full of chunks and gear paste. I was fully expecting the outer ball bearing to be trashed but after a really thorough inspection, I determined it was in great shape and I will be reusing it. Overall shot for those curious of what the ADD system looks like without the tube

IMAG0862 by Phoenix Black, on Flickr

At this point with the diffs Im just waiting to buy a press and get everything setup. Should be happening this week.

The next big thing that happened was a surprise to me. I was talking with a friend and they floated the idea of selling my bumpers. At first I was like no way, but then I thought for a bit about how I had been wanting to change some things up with them and they both were in need of some paint. After awhile I said screw it, threw them up for sale and had them sold in less than 2 hours. and this was the result the next weekend
IMAG0875 by Phoenix Black, on Flickr
IMAG0877 by Phoenix Black, on Flickr

And the naked 4runner lurking in the back
IMAG0876 by Phoenix Black, on Flickr

Ive got the new steel for the bumpers but Im waiting for the new body mounts and 1 inch body lift to be delivered and installed before I start the fab work. And yes Im running a body lift and I give zero shits. Heres why, it raises the COG hardly at all, doesn't affect suspension geometry, and despite what everyone says, I have never seen a 3rd gen on 35s with no body lift that doesn't rub. It may be limited but rubbing is rubbing. To me it just made sense to save myself hours of work trimming and it will also allow me to get a really good approach angle with the new bumper. I still will be tubbing for 35s but It should be a whole lot less.

 

[Greenmachine86]

What a awesome build!! A good looking truck. And that trip you took looked like a ton of fun!

 

[Black798]

Since Im waiting on a bunch of parts for rebuilding the diffs and my body lift Im limited on what I can do to make progress. So I shoved the diffs in the back of the shop and got to work making the main substructure of the rear bumper.

I choose to go with 1/4 inch steel this time around for strength and also spent a lot more time on it. I wanted to improve on the old bumper that admittedly didnt have the greatest mounting system or structure. And since I broke 5 out of the 6 bolts removing the old bumper it was a good excuse to make some better mounts.

I couldnt reuse the stock captive nuts in the frame since they had broken bolts in them and I didnt want to deal with drilling them out, so I made some captive bolts that can be slid into the frame and the drop down through two existing holes. Using 1/2" grade 8 hardware was a no brainier seeing as I want this bumper to have no chance of braking and I use it a lot for some really heavy pulls recovering some of the trucks I wheel with.
IMAG0908 by Phoenix Black, on Flickr

With that out of the way I started making the main frame and tow hitch frame. I didnt take many pictures because it was just a lot of measuring on the truck, building to of everything, than test fitting and fine tuning as necessary before fully welding it.

Here is the final frame, I added two more mounting bolts for a total of 4 on each side, 3 coming up from the bottom of the frame and 1 from the side.
IMAG0918 by Phoenix Black, on Flickr

On the truck
IMAG0922 by Phoenix Black, on Flickr

And some weld porn because I dont have pictures of much else. You can see I already have the recovery tabs welded on, this time I got some extra long tabs from Ruff Stuff, love that company, that will be both welded on the exterior of the bumper skin and now tied directly into the bumper frame for maximum strength.
IMAG0921 by Phoenix Black, on Flickr
IMAG0919 by Phoenix Black, on Flickr
IMAG0916 by Phoenix Black, on Flickr

And who says you need a CNC plasma table to get repeatable results lol. I picked up an everlast power plasma 50s last month since my last no name cutter crapped out. I love this thing, amazing cut quality that is on par with the hyperthem I use at work, CNC capability should I desire in the future, and a max material thickness of 7/8" all for under 1000 dollars.
IMAG0913 by Phoenix Black, on Flickr

 

[Black798]

Officially part of the double-locked gang! Last week I got both diffs rebuilt with new bearings, front locker, and new Nitro 5.29 gears. I didnt take many pictures through the process but it wasn't too bad, just very tedious and time-consuming, it didn't help I was sicker than shit and the garage was only 30 degrees but gotta make do. The new gears are amazing and Im loving the added power, they're a bit deep with 285s but I easily maintain 70 at 3000 rpm in 4th gear. Im now trying to track down a nasty vibration I have above 60mph but Im confident its not coming from the diffs.

It seems like its more prominent going downhill or under part throttle. Ive replaced all the u joints but it didn't make much of a difference so Im at a loss. Im thinking maybe a wheel bearing now?

Some of the pictures I took,

Diffs assembled before install
IMAG0990 by Phoenix Black, on Flickr

ADD system stripped down for cleaning
IMAG0862 by Phoenix Black, on Flickr

4.30 ring compared to 5.29. The 5.29 is much thicker and overall seems beefier, coupled with the added case rigidity of the ARB and plenty of carrier bearing preload it makes for a very strong setup
IMAG0959 by Phoenix Black, on Flickr

And the patterns,

Drive on the rear
IMAG1010 by Phoenix Black, on Flickr

Drive on the front
IMAG0941 by Phoenix Black, on Flickr

Coast on the front
IMAG0942 by Phoenix Black, on Flickr