>BUILD THREAD< The4kbeast's 3rd-Gen 2000 T4R SR5 (Highlander Edition) 4x4 Build

[The4kbeast]

$10 side marker LED test

Replaced the stock corner bulbs...

With LEDs...

After bending the four LEDs for more forward reflection:

I wanted to see what these would look like, as I'm planning on tapping into my side marker lights to power and switch my halo DRLs. I need to run the numbers but they both should be able to run off of the same power circuit.

I don't have plans to swap over to clear corners, so I'm thinking the amber is what'll stay. Besides, any extra light from the side markers aren't really usable light, even if it was white.

ALMOST FORGOT! I ran the inline Sea Foam ahead of the throttle plate after getting good reports from my brother. He said the gook that cooked out of his engine smoked up his entire neighborhood. I didn't have the same results, only a slight initial burn off of carbon buildup when I started the spray cycle and when I drove it spiritedly as it said in the instructions. This was probably because I rebuilt and cleaned out the intake tract already two months ago. I also have run four bottles of the in tank sea foam to try see if it made a difference, as well. I'll report back at some point with my impressions and any fuel economy bumps.

 

[The4kbeast]

More LED goodness

Time to decide on interior lights.

Did some research and found a few good starting points for dome and map lights...

There's some great threads on the forum. Only witsh I knew who did this chart off of the top of my head so I could give them credit.

Here's what I ordered:

---------- PRODUCT INFORMATION ----------

Qty | Product / Options | Price/ea |
============================================================

_________________INTERIOR_________________
-----------------------
DASH LIGHTS
-----------------------
7 | 74-xHP3: 74 LED Bulb - 3 SMD LED Wide Angle Wedge Base| $ 3.49 | 74-CWHP3: Cool White
-----------------------
DASH LIGHTS
-----------------------
3 | 24-xHP: 24 LED Bulb - 1 SMD LED Wedge Base| $ 2.49 | 24-WHP: Cool White
-----------------------
READING/MAP LIGHTS
-----------------------
2 | BA9s-x-xV: BA9s LED Bulb - 1 LED | $ 1.98 | BA9SF-W-12V: Cool White 180 Degree 12VAC/DC
-----------------------
BACKUP LIGHTS????
-----------------------
2 | BA9s-xHP9: BA9s LED Bulb - 9 LED Tower | $ 9.95 | BA9S-WHP9: Cool White
-----------------------
DOME/SECOND ROW LIGHTS
-----------------------
1 | 3022-xHP4: DE3175 LED Bulb - 4 SMD LED Festoon| $ 6.95 | 3022-CWHP4: Cool White
-----------------------
CARGO AREA LIGHT
-----------------------
1 | UPCB-xWHP30-FES: 30 High Power LED Rectangle PCB Lamp w/ Festoon Base| $ 17.90 | UPCB-CWHP30-FES: Cool White Festoon Base

_________________EXTERIOR_________________
-----------------------
PARKING LIGHTS
-----------------------
2 | WLED-xHP5: 194 LED Bulb - 5 SMD LED Wide Angle Wedge Base| $ 5.95 | WLED-AHP5: Amber
-----------------------
LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS
-----------------------
2 | WLED-xHP5: 194 LED Bulb - 5 SMD LED Wide Angle Wedge Base| $ 5.95 | WLED-WHP5: Natural White
-----------------------
THIRD BRAKE LIGHT
-----------------------
1 | WLED-xHP15-TAC: 194 LED Bulb - 15 SMD LED Wedge Base Tower| $ 6.95 | WLED-CWHP15-TAC: Cool White
------------------------------------------------------------

SUBTOTAL: 111.36
PROMOTIONAL DISCOUNT: 5.56 RET71
SHIPPING: 11.18 UPS - Ground (USA) (Estimated)
TOTAL: 116.98


Took a chance on a 30 LED board for the cargo area. I saw some of the MR2 guys use them. They put out 4 times the light of the LED replacement, way more than the stock bulb. Also got the third brake light. Figure next order ill replace my reverse lights with super bright ones.

 

[sschaefer3]

You have me miss-quoted in here. I mentioned that shocks valved for leaf springs will have too little dampening for some coil springs. The some is the rear coil in the rear of the 3rd Gen 4Runner. Shocks valved for a coil spring will have a much higher compression and rebound, than a shock designed for a leaf spring. IFS versus a Straight Axle is the same thing.

eshocks.com: Bilstein Off-Road Shock Guide

 

[The4kbeast]

You have me miss-quoted in here. I mentioned that shocks valved for leaf springs will have too little dampening for some coil springs. The some is the rear coil in the rear of the 3rd Gen 4Runner. Shocks valved for a coil spring will have a much higher compression and rebound, than a shock designed for a leaf spring. IFS versus a Straight Axle is the same thing.

eshocks.com: Bilstein Off-Road Shock Guide

Hey Steve,
So your saying in relation to valving, that in general with all things being the same:

Coil valving > leaf valving
&
IFS valving > SA valving

Let me know, an ill be sure to correct it in previous posts. Do you remember the post number, by chance?

 

[sschaefer3]

That is correct.

On page 62 of the March 2013 issue of Off-Road Magazine, on sale at your local news stand right now, is an outstanding article about coil springs and coil spring rates. By Jay Kopycinski

 

[The4kbeast]

Installing my retrofit assemblies, first had to take apart the front:

To remove the grille, there are tabs on the front side of the mounts that allow the clips to release. Will have to snap a photo. I broke one or two

In the oven, first one was at 275 for a spot over 10 minutes... It popped apart with no issues with a second set of hands:

Took lacquer thinner to try to get the ooey, gooey crap off of the reflector surface and promptly went from a stock looking chrome retrofit to a painted build. There is a clear coat that protects the silver reflective surface, then plastic.

Trimmed the inner mounts for the stock mounts so the new projector will seat and aim well, as well as keep water out:

Had to trim the lock adapters key, as it was 180* the wrong way.

Test fitting the assemblies, only had to shave the tops of my shrouds:

Pre cut - have to round the edges on the top:

After shaving:

The lower flat part of the Apollo 2.0s are perfect for the 4Runner light. Just enough clearance:

Was thinking of doing something different, used tape and a 9v to test:
Rear facing LED halo:

Front facing LED halo:

What I decided on:

Trimmed the rear of the headlights so I can tighten the locks on the Minis:

 

[BrianSD_42]

Man I just did part of my retrofit this weekend. I went with FX-R, Apollo v2, Amber Halos, Phillips bulbs.

Getting the cutoff alignment correct and drilling the holes is one of the most difficult things to do.

I'm not gluing it together until tomorrow night. Wish me luck.

 

[The4kbeast]

Projectors...

Finished with mock-up, now for paint:
Silver... Not my first choice.

Second coat of silver:

 

[SCRunner12]

I was waiting for these updates. Looks good so far and the Apollo looks good in there. I still need to open mine up again and swap shrouds, but that will be a little while. Can't wait to see the final product!

 

[The4kbeast]

Projector Retrofit pt... 3?

This is just a quick update Since I came in for dinner. I color sanded the headlight and here is what they look like before going back together:

There is the passenger side, final product:

With flash:

 

[The4kbeast]

Finished the install:

Initial test of new halos tied to LED parking lights, positive. Also pulled DRL fuse:

Lights look good on, warm up time is noticable:

Wait, the low beams look really bright... Testing high beams:

WTFH!?! I installed the reflector upside down in the housing!!! So it wasn't upside down, I thought the key on the H4 adjuster was wrong from the retrofit guys, some notes on HID Planet said to sand down the inner indexing key. Crap. We're going on a wheeling trip soon, guess I know what I'll be doing tonight. Crap.

 

[SCRunner12]

Hahahaha, sorry not laughing at you, but that's pretty funny and frustrating. I was wondering why you needed to modify the alignment ring so much, but I've heard people need to trim them up a bit to slide in smoothly. They look sweet though and give me some motivation to get mine fixed now.

 

[The4kbeast]

In other words...

; )

 

[4Running Daily]

I agree, your projectors do look very clean on your rig!

Any details on your Scion tC?

 

[Dezert4Runner]

The silver shrouds make your runner look like a classy broad... That being said, I'm about to start my retrofit and mine will be more of a dirty Sanchez type of job.








Giggity.

 

[The4kbeast]

I agree, your projectors do look very clean on your rig!

Any details on your Scion tC?

Thanks, I was going to do them up chrome but screwed that up with the lacquer thinner. Too many beers that night I guess, lol. I had a few people over for Supercross (Phoenix) and was mid-project. The tC is my daily car, so just running a TRD intake, exhaust, rear sway bar. They are actually a lot of fun to drive. I've actually had a quite few first and second gens of them over the years; they make a great budget track day car. But it's definitely harder with a 4 month old to lug around. But it's worth the effort. My wife was broad sided in a first gen xB and it flipped through the intersection, but saved her life. Scary moment since I was on the phone with her 3,000 miles away.

The silver shrouds make your runner look like a classy broad... That being said, I'm about to start my retrofit and mine will be more of a dirty Sanchez type of job.

Giggity.

Classy broad, eh? Guess I'll have to find some mud pronto. Orange County, CA is nuts though... There's no freaking dirt to drive in. Lol, I've got to see this dirty Sanchez setup. What setup are you going with?

 

[The4kbeast]

It took 5 hours, but I got both headlights tore apart and rebuilt. The shrouds fit differently, but not enough me readjusting and repainting. I highly recommend black FIPG silicone for mounting shrouds. It is high temp safe, has a fairly easy to work with cure time and is rock solid. The best part is it is still possible to take the shroud off. Also, I recommend a commercial grade heat gun for taking the headlights apart and putting them back together... I used the oven the first time, but found it much easier to add heat via the gun. After popping things apart, the heat would make the stretching glue strings pull apart, and before you go back together I actually re-spreaded the glue out using a dental tool. Anyway, the projectors are now the right way, but I have some new things on my to do list:

-Re-aim headlights
-Permanently disable DRL
-Figure out why I blew my illumination circuit... The ebrake was off this time, so I'm thinking the DRL had something to do with it. Wll have to look at the EWD to see if there's a connection. Hope my halos aren't overloading the circuit. May need to monitor the voltage and find out what the stock range is. That was my one fear running the wiring like this.

"Well, look at that! 'Breach hull, all die' — I even had it underlined!" / "Well, believe me, Mike, I calculated the odds of this succeeding versus the odds I was doing something incredibly stupid, and...I went ahead anyway."
--> Name the movie this quote came from... if you can.

-Monitor left headlight, as the solenoid seems to be catching or sticking open. I have to tap the brights twice to get it to shut again for low
-Monitor right headlight, it seems to have a flicker like it isn't getting steady voltage. May also be related to the DRL somehow.
-Monitor bulb color. On the road during a brief shakedown, i didnt see a difference. But looking at the lights themselves, One has a white look and the other is slightly more blue.

It's late. Long day tomorrow. Maybe I'll process this stuff then.... But the new light output is amazing. I love the brights. Zzz

 

[4Running Daily]

Thanks, I was going to do them up chrome but screwed that up with the lacquer thinner. Too many beers that night I guess, lol. I had a few people over for Supercross (Phoenix) and was mid-project. The tC is my daily car, so just running a TRD intake, exhaust, rear sway bar. They are actually a lot of fun to drive. I've actually had a quite few first and second gens of them over the years; they make a great budget track day car. But it's definitely harder with a 4 month old to lug around. But it's worth the effort. My wife was broad sided in a first gen xB and it flipped through the intersection, but saved her life. Scary moment since I was on the phone with her 3,000 miles away.

Exactly what I wanted to hear. Thanks!

 

[Dezert4Runner]

Going with a FX-R kit I got off of SCrunner12. Just got my bench power supply the other day, so about ready to start it. Dirty Sanchez meaning not low key or necessarily classy lol.

 

[SCRunner12]

-Monitor left headlight, as the solenoid seems to be catching or sticking open. I have to tap the brights twice to get it to shut again for low
-Monitor right headlight, it seems to have a flicker like it isn't getting steady voltage. May also be related to the DRL somehow.
-Monitor bulb color. On the road during a brief shakedown, i didnt see a difference. But looking at the lights themselves, One has a white look and the other is slightly more blue.

Regarding the right light flickering, I had the same problem. It was pretty annoying, but I ended up scraping some of the paint off my ground point on that side and it went away. You may want to do that if you grounded it to the fender.

The color of the bulbs will change over time and as they break in. Mine were bluish, but have since settled on a pure white. I have 5000k, but yours will change to the off-white color of 4300k bulbs in time.

That sucks about the shield sticking. Might need to be worked in or unfortunately reopened and adjusted. Hopefully it fixes itself and no glue got on it from the shroud install.