Build Thread: Mothra, the (blown) budget camping rig

[fightman80]

Not that you need my approval... but gotta say... the Flat Tan Color on your rig looks pretty sick. I wasn't really a fan of these paint colors at first... but now that I've seen a couple... It's really growing on me!

I like the winch setup you have too... discrete... but totally legit. Keep up the good work... truck looks killer dude!

 

[wisetroll]

Quick question. I too recently did a retrofit with the same setup, but my headlight indicator does not work. What is this $5 dollar gadget that you plug into the other headlight? Got a link for it?

 

[zanes71]

The lift rides great. The front spring springs are a little firm without extra weight on the front, and with extra weight the front is not a 3" lift, closer to 2.25-2.5". The rear springs are perfect. They are not harsh or anything like that. The rear Bilstein Shocks seem a little short for the lift, NEEDS longer bumpstops to keep from bottoming out. Other than that, it rides great, those are just nick-picking things.
With wide wheels, I had to trim the front bumper pretty good, but it's easy. That's about it. I definitely would do this lift again and wheels/tires again.

Awesome, thanks for the info!

 

[Renegade_Medic]

Not that you need my approval... but gotta say... the Flat Tan Color on your rig looks pretty sick. I wasn't really a fan of these paint colors at first... but now that I've seen a couple... It's really growing on me!

I like the winch setup you have too... discrete... but totally legit. Keep up the good work... truck looks killer dude!

Thanks, yes I'm really happy with the color. I am thinking Monstaliner soon. The spray paint just isn't holding up as well as I thought it would. Although it was mostly to try out the color.

Quick question. I too recently did a retrofit with the same setup, but my headlight indicator does not work. What is this $5 dollar gadget that you plug into the other headlight? Got a link for it?

I ordered from ebay. The one linked above would be faster and about the same price. It's basically a load resistor that makes the truck think the high beams are on when they are on so the light works properly.

 

[Mgizler]

It's from Harbor Freight. I know some people may not like them for whatever reason, but I have them on 2 previous vehicles wirh no issues. One jeep i used it about 10 times total, another jeep I used it once pull out someone who was stuck in the mud. I think if people are going to be using it alot, then it may be worth it to buy an expensive mount, but for my purposes, this one is fine.

Thanks for the info.

Also, I saw where you asked a question about the Bilstein 5100 clip setting in the front. Which setting did you end up going with. I just picked up a set of these with the same toytec 3" lift springs, and cannot find any real info on which setting people are going with.

Thanks
Mark

 

[Renegade_Medic]

Thanks for the info.

Also, I saw where you asked a question about the Bilstein 5100 clip setting in the front. Which setting did you end up going with. I just picked up a set of these with the same toytec 3" lift springs, and cannot find any real info on which setting people are going with.

Thanks
Mark

I used the lowest setting with the lift spring and got an even 3". If you have a winch and/or bumper I'd go middle. With my winch under the stock bumper, I lost about .5 inches or maybe a little more.

 

[Renegade_Medic]

So with the help from a friend, I took some comparison shots of the HID conversion for anyone who hasn't seen a good side by side. The settings are locked, so these photos are as close as you can get to reality.

Factory Low

Factory High

HID Low

HID High

Also got some air bags installed today, super easy and helps to smooth out some bumps, will help when loading down for camping.

I also went to the scrap yard to recycle some steel and get a free weight on the truck. As it sits with cargo box and full fuel tank it weighs 4550 pounds, without me, just in case anyone is wondering. The stock weight should then be roughly 4300-4340 pounds.

 

[Mgizler]

I used the lowest setting with the lift spring and got an even 3". If you have a winch and/or bumper I'd go middle. With my winch under the stock bumper, I lost about .5 inches or maybe a little more.

Perfect! Thats the info I was looking for. I need to collect a few more parts and Im putting it all on my runner.

Those HID's are an incredible improvement over the stock lights! WOW

 

[owyheerat]

Wow! The light output looks 10 fold better!

This will be my next mod. I keep thinking my mod list will begin to shrink, but it continues to grow.

 

[185Runner]

So much inspiration

 

[theesotericone]

This will be my next mod. I keep thinking my mod list will begin to shrink, but it continues to grow.

A word of advice. Stop reading this forum. Unsubscribe to all threads. Remove all traces of it from your browser.

Failure to head this advice will result in a pissed off wife, bloody knuckles and an empty wallet. You'll have a bad ass rig though if you stay around. lol

 

[owyheerat]

A word of advice. Stop reading this forum. Unsubscribe to all threads. Remove all traces of it from your browser.

Failure to head this advice will result in a pissed off wife, bloody knuckles and an empty wallet. You'll have a bad ass rig though if you stay around. lol

You should have told me this sooner....ha ha

 

[Renegade_Medic]

New Sunroof and side lighting

I haven't had much time to work on the 4Runner lately, mainly due to school, both teaching and learning.

I took my roof rack down to measure it and figure out a plan to finally finish the roof rack out. It really bugs me that it isn't finished, even though it is 100% functional. I took my plans to a local metal fab shop and after being dicked around for 3 weeks, I finally am just going to do it on my own.

While the rack was down, I decided to add some led work lights I've had laying around for a while waiting for a project. They turned out well. Very good spread and not blindingly bright. I will wire them up independently, when I hook them up. I'm also going to add a front light bar and some rear lighting.

First plan didn't quite fit properly.

I also took some time to finally fix my sunroof which stopped working. I took it down, but for the life of me, could not get it apart to fix the cables. So I did the sensible thing and went to the junkyard.

Oh and in case anyone was wondering, the nuts for the sunroof do 100% just empty into the headliner area. I was told that they are nutserts or just attached to the skin, which made me nervous about putting a RTT on it. They are welded to long tracks welded to the roof, they aren't going anywhere.

Found a 2002 in good shape with unknown miles at the yard. The tracks on the roof looked like they had never been used even.

$36 later...

I saw some people posting about buying new cables for over $100 and still having to mess with it. I like my approach better. Also, I added a grab handle above the driver side, to match the passenger. Holes are already there and it accepted a passenger side handle.

I also replaced my sway bar bushings.

Second Gen Rear end links:

Third Gen Front End links:

And I get to go back to the yard tomorrow in search of an axle, or at least an axle shaft. I keep losing seals on this axle and I have a bent axle shaft at least. I am going to try to buy just an axle shaft first and see if that works. If I can find a locking axle, I will buy the whole assembly, regardless of gear ratio. I can always swap third members.

 

[austinmarti]

Did the fab shop just not care about your project?

I did the same thing with the handle on the driver's side. It's pretty handy when you have a 3" suspension + 2" body lift.

 

[Renegade_Medic]

Did the fab shop just not care about your project?

I did the same thing with the handle on the driver's side. It's pretty handy when you have a 3" suspension + 2" body lift.

Yes and no. When he stopped taking my calls I went by and he said he called to tell me he couldn't do it. He said he tried, but couldn't bend the pipe without kinking it. He said He would have had to fill it with sand and cap it. Yes, that's correct, that's why I took it to a metal fab shop. He said he had a lot of big orders come in and didn't have time to mess with making mine properly.

I can get prebent 90s from Westbrook, up north, and just weld them to the pipe myself, it will only take a couple hours to do it all.

 

[austinmarti]

What fab shop was it? I happened upon one behind Audio Mobile at Goodrich and Lamar the other day. Can't remember the name and it's not on Google Maps.

 

[Mark_BC]

Somehow those $30 conduit benders you get at Home Depot can do it. All you have to do is support the sides while you are bending and it doesn't kink. I would be going that route but I want square tubing for mine so I'll make up my own bender.

 

[Renegade_Medic]

What fab shop was it? I happened upon one behind Audio Mobile at Goodrich and Lamar the other day. Can't remember the name and it's not on Google Maps.

No, it was down in South Austin, let's just say they Specialize in Securing Compounds. I was able to make exactly what I wanted today, for a whopping $42 and 2 hours of time....

 

[Renegade_Medic]

Roof Rack pt 2

Went by 2 yards and it was a no-go on the axle shaft. All of the third members had already been taken from every 4runner. I don't know why, is there a good market for them?
This was the best bet, but the rust made me suspect and after finally getting the drum off, i discovered it has the small 15" brakes. Damn.

So I at least got something accomplished. For less than $50, less my fuel, I picked up the materials I needed to finish my rack out. I got the pipe and realized afterward I should have got 1.25" tubing instead, this stuff is heavy!!!

Grinder and paint makes me the welder I ain't!

It isn't exactly what I had in mind, but this was about the only way I could get it together with what I have to work with. I picked up some hardware tonight so I can put the bolts on to tension the front tomorrow.

The rack front will serve 2 purposes. First, will be to support an LED lightbar (32") and also to mount a wind deflector (removable, for when the RTT is on).

 

[Renegade_Medic]

Roof rack pt 3

Finished building the roof rack and the front mounts for tension.

It is pretty close to how I wanted it. I will have to make an air dam for the front, this thing howls like banshee over 40mph. It was incredibly windy here today and it was howling when it was parked.

I borrowed an idea from a company who makes roof racks, who shall remain unnamed because of their hyperactive legal department. I made some tensioners instead of legs for the front, that way I could adjust the height more easily.

They are 5/16" carriage bolts (3/4" head) and fit perfectly in these chair leg tips. I just ran them through my scroll saw to cut them down to size. Then epoxied them to the carriage bolts. They work well.