Dark knight's Front Face, By Weinowei

[weiasian]

Dark Knight is the 4runner, Darkie for short. And I go by Wei, like that way.

It all start with some sketches... well, maybe it was the cheap stock cover i got.

I learned that materials don't cost much... but tools did. For godsake, the Shrockwork tank cost more than what i spend on steel. The 4x4 lab steering kit's cost can match the hardware...

I went with the tube/baja style, because of weight, the bumper itself weight less than my smittybilt X20-10k, 99lbs. And also because there is not a lot of people rolling with a tube bumper on their 5th gen.

I had tested my welds by pulling the 4runner in a empty parking lot, pull it in N, in P (stupid me, forgot), pull the 4runner over 4x4 blocks at each tires (even did it in park and over 4x4, again dumb ass i am). The real test was when I pull my friend and his 4runner over a boulder and keep him sliding off the edge... Than we also trying to winch the boulder that my friend back over. the boulder did not, not even 1/64". While my 4runner move a good 6 inch forward...

Thank you guys for reading and looking. Thanks guys, i couldn't got this far without all the great info, mods, and awesome group buys (been slow lately).

Hit me up with any questions, problems, pointers, tips, or concerns.

P.S. I am a true "ricer" of the offroad live... I will tell you why in my build thread soon.

 

[JSparky]

Looks good! Always love the clean custom work, I’d be proud of that bumper! Sounds like you’re new to welding, or metalwork in general?

 

[Heavy_GD]

Darkie for short.

 

[redneckcrawler]

Can you post some upclose pics of the front corners please?

 

[Engineer]

Looks good! Always love the clean custom work, I’d be proud of that bumper! Sounds like you’re new to welding, or metalwork in general?

I Agree, I think think it looks good and its always nice to see people doing their own custom work - I hope to be there one day but I am guilty of more a bolt on guy (at least I do it vs a shop....)

 

[Jetboy]

Looks good!

Do you have any cooling problems? It looks like you're blocking about 50% of the radiator's air flow. Typically not an issue at trail speed - more of a problem at highway speed. I don't know how much of an issue it is for the 5th gens. On my early toyota pickups they were pretty sensitive to overheating. Just a winch in front of the grill was enough. I have no idea how the 5th gens are in respect to that issue. Probably something to keep an eye on.

 

[97BlackAckCL]

Very cool!

 

[weiasian]

Looks good! Always love the clean custom work, I’d be proud of that bumper! Sounds like you’re new to welding, or metalwork in general?

Thank you, I am happy with how it turn out. But yes, I am pretty new to metal work. learn and lay a few beads back when I was in architecture school. But I did try to practice before the bumper, I make the steel legs for the table in the picture, the tube bender's stand and some other things. You can only be so clean with flux-core.... For sure get some gas for the rear.

 

[weiasian]

HAHAHAHAHA - I am maybe just a little. But I do own him/it. And man he costed and costing more and more to keep around.

 

[weiasian]

Looks good!

Do you have any cooling problems? It looks like you're blocking about 50% of the radiator's air flow. Typically not an issue at trail speed - more of a problem at highway speed. I don't know how much of an issue it is for the 5th gens. On my early toyota pickups they were pretty sensitive to overheating. Just a winch in front of the grill was enough. I have no idea how the 5th gens are in respect to that issue. Probably something to keep an eye on.

Good catch, my buddy did bring that issues up. But I been driving on the freeway from 15 minute to 1.5 hours, no problems so far. But i do need to keep an eye out. I do plan on take the cover piece off and drill and press in some dimple holes.

 

[weiasian]

The only pic i have now

Can you post some upclose pics of the front corners please?

This is the only pic i have now... the bumper do sit outside of the stock cut, so the bumper can flex however it want. And the tube do wrap around the corner.

 

[hardyplante]

Nice job! I like the look of it on there and kudos for you for setting out and building your own thing.:yo:

 

[WabdaQ]

Looks great! This is what I am looking to do with an added bar around the lights. Did I read it correctly in that is weighs 99 pounds?

 

[1996_Valencia_Owen]

You need to cut/drill a LOT of holes.

Nearly your whole radiator is obstructed lol.

The top part that's exposed isn't really even open to the radiator... it just funnels air down lower to the real radiator. And I bet the airflow has changed from the new bumper to the extent that no air is getting in, and you're only getting cooling from the vaccum effect of air passing under the car.

Looks great, but clear a ton of space there asap, or you'll be overheating in the mountains or towing, and having head gasket issues in short order.

 

[calcrc]

Dark Knight is the 4runner, Darkie for short. And I go by Wei, like that way.

It all start with some sketches... well, maybe it was the cheap stock cover i got.

I learned that materials don't cost much... but tools did. For godsake, the Shrockwork tank cost more than what i spend on steel. The 4x4 lab steering kit's cost can match the hardware...

I went with the tube/baja style, because of weight, the bumper itself weight less than my smittybilt X20-10k, 99lbs. And also because there is not a lot of people rolling with a tube bumper on their 5th gen.

I had tested my welds by pulling the 4runner in a empty parking lot, pull it in N, in P (stupid me, forgot), pull the 4runner over 4x4 blocks at each tires (even did it in park and over 4x4, again dumb ass i am). The real test was when I pull my friend and his 4runner over a boulder and keep him sliding off the edge... Than we also trying to winch the boulder that my friend back over. the boulder did not, not even 1/64". While my 4runner move a good 6 inch forward...

Thank you guys for reading and looking. Thanks guys, i couldn't got this far without all the great info, mods, and awesome group buys (been slow lately).

Hit me up with any questions, problems, pointers, tips, or concerns.

P.S. I am a true "ricer" of the offroad live... I will tell you why in my build thread soon.

Hi man, what is that piston in front of the radiator? in the 3rd picture ?

 

[weiasian]

Looks great! This is what I am looking to do with an added bar around the lights. Did I read it correctly in that is weighs 99 pounds?

The winch is 99 lbs, the bumper is close to 85 to 90 lbs. forget to weight at the end.

 

[weiasian]

You need to cut/drill a LOT of holes.

Nearly your whole radiator is obstructed lol.

The top part that's exposed isn't really even open to the radiator... it just funnels air down lower to the real radiator. And I bet the airflow has changed from the new bumper to the extent that no air is getting in, and you're only getting cooling from the vaccum effect of air passing under the car.

Looks great, but clear a ton of space there asap, or you'll be overheating in the mountains or towing, and having head gasket issues in short order.

For sure, it will get there, I have done a 2 hour one way free way drive and up climbing the mountains, it didn't get too hot. For sure do a ton of holes, even less weights

 

[weiasian]

Hi man, what is that piston in front of the radiator? in the 3rd picture ?

That is the 4x4 lab steering line relocation kit

 

[headpaneer]

I like the tube style! Reminds me of the one I had made for an '89 2WD pre runner pickup. Do you have a photo directly from the side?

 

[1jzgte]

For sure, it will get there, I have done a 2 hour one way free way drive and up climbing the mountains, it didn't get too hot. For sure do a ton of holes, even less weights

how about some gills instead of holes? Tack weld that onto the front!

OR

something similar to Bane's mask to stay true to your theme