DeMello 2015 build

J

jdemello

New member
2015 4runner build.

Well this build starts with saying good bye to one of my favorite builds/drivers we ever had. We've had a lot of cool and fun trucks over the years but I can't say enough good things about the compact and great package that is the v8 powered 2003-2009 4runner. I guess if I had to complain about something it would be the smallish wheel wells that don't lend them selves well to 35in tall tires like the FJC. But Aside from that IMO it was one of the best and funnest trucks we've owned.

It's off to a new owner who I'm sure will enjoy it as much as we did.


But On to new adventures and new products. Since the 2010 4runner first came out, I was a big fan of the looks but was not a fan of the new 4.0 engine. IMO toyota does it self no favors by simply relying on what looks good on paper. Being in the unique position we are in, we get to test drive and enjoy many Toyota vehicles set up a variety of different ways everyday at the shop. When the new 4.0 (roller rocker) motor came out with promises of more HP, it raised an eyebrow till I drove a couple. In my humble opinion they have poor torq in comparison to the previous 4.0 still available in the tacoma and previously to the FJC and 4th gen 4runner. The test drives I took left me un-interested and happy to keep the 2005 v8 I enjoyed as my daily driver.

But with the FJC leaving toyota's line up and the 4runner gaining head way among off road enthusiast we knew we had to get one for not only marketing but we want to be able to see what the new vehicles strengths and weakness are. Once the old runner had sold I went on a hunt to find the perfect 4runner. Trail edition white premium. Toyota again let us down when they failed to offer a 3rd row in the trail. With my blended family of 6 total, we need at least one off road vehicle that can handle that load. For work we needed the trail but for life we needed the 3rd row.

We picked up our 5th gen from Carson Toyota over the Christmas holiday. If you are in the market for a new vehicle I highly recommend their fleet sales department. They beat even my best deal by 1000.00.

This was it's first off road trip with the family. completely stock over Ortega. I find it absolutely Ironic and funny that toyota built this thing to be a serious trail machine, KDSS, rear locker, Atrac and what ever the rest of those funny buttons do. BUT then they put the cheapest minivan tires they could find on it??? Literally a dirt road we popped a tire on a guess a sharp rock? In the middle of the tread.

 
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2013 4runner 3rd row
I settled on a trail with the idea of swapping out the rear cargo tray for a 3rd row. I wanted a clean factory look and not the aftermarket look I had used in my 4th gen. I was happy to find out the swap is fairly easy if and this is a big "IF" you have a donor 4runner with the 3rd row.

I'll apologize ahead of time that these pictures aren't as detailed as I'd like if anyone is thinking about doing this swap feel free to contact me for more info. A couple notes, the best way cost wise is to find someone local to you and offer them 500-1000 to swap out the rear cargo for their un-used 3rd row. I did it around Christmas too so that may have helped:) You also have to let the person know that their rear end won't be completely stock looking but for the donor I used he was happy with the results.

I will get some better pics of mine soon but unfortunately I believe I lost the pictures of the donors rear end after the swap.

Here are both stock rears.

2015 4runner with tray





You pretty much start by removing all the plastic (refer to manual because I don't remember it all:)




3rd row 4runner




Toyota did something weird on these, the rear seats literally bolt in, the holes and threads are all there. Well except for these which you lay the seats in, mark them then remove the seats and drill and boom you have threads. Thanks toyota?



The seat belt and the rest of the holes are there except the seat belt anchors. For some reason they put the holes in and the threads for the pretensioner but not the anchor? and it couldn't be in a more hard to get to place. We made a tab with a nut on the end of it that we had to fish into the piller and once the bolt was started it locked so we could tighten it. Kinda a PITA and the hardest part of the swap.

We also had some no so pretty cuts to make in the side panels, which you need to keep yours unless you plan on swapp out the rear seats and everything else. We didn't opt for swapping the seats, they are completely different and we weren't sure if there were even holes for them. Plus our doner 4runner had cloth and we have pleather so we opted to not swap them and cut plastic.



All the cut plastic is barely noticeable and can't really be seen once everything is installed.




I will come back to this later and add more pics of the finished product. I also need to get the seats recovered to match the front seats but they are black cloth for now.
 
We have put off the modifications to this thing long enough. Our plates over here have been over flowing but we need to get this new runner done. It will be debuting at the 10th annual lone star jamboree in Texas so we need her done like last week.

On this lift she goes.



For bumper, we have been working on a bumper for the 2010 and newer 4runner for some time. We did a first rendition for sergio over at baja racks.


We've been making changes and working with our laser cutter to get it just right. We don't believe in doing the full thing in CAD and "hoping" it looks good. I'm a big believer in building with our hands and making sure it fits the truck. Because of this process we have done at least 4 different versions and we are pretty happy with the lattest one. I should have pictures soon.
but here is a teaser


For wheels we love factory wheels, the guys over at TRD hooked us up with these TRD 4runner wheels. But we couldn't leave well enough alone so we called up the guys over at OMF and said make these sexy wheels sexier. That's like asking a plastic surgeon to make Kate upton hotter? who does that? Well we did and they delivered! I hope you guys like them too!





For tires our friends over at Falken tire took care of us again. 35's wrapped on 17in wheels should do the trick. Later this year we should have something even better from them :)


For suspension, we've been running Icon suspension before they were Icon. The engineering IMO is un-matched as well as the customer service and attention to detail. They are one of the few companies we deal with that take feed back from us and turn it into products. They are small enough to still care and big enough to make it happen. We are proud to always run their latest and greatest as well as test out the new stuff for them to make sure it can hold up to you guys!

This time we opted for their S2 system, it allows you to run a secondary shock on the front and a lower control arm skid. the kit doesn't currently fit the Trail edition so we modified it for ours. They should be working on this in the near future for anyone that want's to go all out.

We also wanted to make sure this front end was as strong as it could be, keeping alignment and not bending shock towers or spindles. For those that know me and know how I drive, this is very much needed insurance from the guys over at Total choas fabrication.

Here is a shot before suspension was added. All gusseted up.


And after




Lower control arm modified

For the secondary shock we went with CDC Icon's compression control valve so we can stiffen the front end up with the turn of a knob or soften it up for when momma wants a soft cushy ride.

The rear got the same CDC rear along with a full icon treatment of aluminum links and arms.





You can't really see it in the picture but we also added Icon's rear air bumps for the ultimate whoops control.

Finally got the new girl out in the dirt. Not sure if "butherface" is an appropriate name for her any more. We gave her a face lift, nipped and tucked her where she needed it, gave her some protection, put some new shoes on her and a couple tattoos and sent her to Texas to have a good time. She got a little dirty but she's on her way back and we can't wait to take her out again. Who's going when and where and can we come?












 
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jdemello said:
2015 4runner build.

Well this build starts with saying good bye to one of my favorite builds/drivers we ever had. We've had a lot of cool and fun trucks over the years but I can't say enough good things about the compact and great package that is the v8 powered 2003-2009 4runner. I guess if I had to complain about something it would be the smallish wheel wells that don't lend them selves well to 35in tall tires like the FJC. But Aside from that IMO it was one of the best and funnest trucks we've owned.

It's off to a new owner who I'm sure will enjoy it as much as we did.


But On to new adventures and new products. Since the 2010 4runner first came out, I was a big fan of the looks but was not a fan of the new 4.0 engine. IMO toyota does it self no favors by simply relying on what looks good on paper. Being in the unique position we are in, we get to test drive and enjoy many Toyota vehicles set up a variety of different ways everyday at the shop. When the new 4.0 (roller rocker) motor came out with promises of more HP, it raised an eyebrow till I drove a couple. In my humble opinion they have poor torq in comparison to the previous 4.0 still available in the tacoma and previously to the FJC and 4th gen 4runner. The test drives I took left me un-interested and happy to keep the 2005 v8 I enjoyed as my daily driver.

But with the FJC leaving toyota's line up and the 4runner gaining head way among off road enthusiast we knew we had to get one for not only marketing but we want to be able to see what the new vehicles strengths and weakness are. Once the old runner had sold I went on a hunt to find the perfect 4runner. Trail edition white premium. Toyota again let us down when they failed to offer a 3rd row in the trail. With my blended family of 6 total, we need at least one off road vehicle that can handle that load. For work we needed the trail but for life we needed the 3rd row.

We picked up our 5th gen from Carson Toyota over the Christmas holiday. If you are in the market for a new vehicle I highly recommend their fleet sales department. They beat even my best deal by 1000.00.

This was it's first off road trip with the family. completely stock over Ortega. I find it absolutely Ironic and funny that toyota built this thing to be a serious trail machine, KDSS, rear locker, Atrac and what ever the rest of those funny buttons do. BUT then they put the cheapest minivan tires they could find on it??? Literally a dirt road we popped a tire on a guess a sharp rock? In the middle of the tread.

Click to expand...

Awesome! Great color choice, and I too, wanted a trail so bad, but without the 3rd Row option, I couldn't [get the wife to] compromise!

Looking forward to another awesome build! I came from the FJC scene as well, and am very glad that you guys are here!
 
that looks horrible jason, you should just give it to me j/k thats a lot of icon porn under there, droool looking forward to the 4runner reveal before jamboree!
 
Damn You!! Watching an off road fabrication company trick out a truck that takes most of us a year or two to do (except for jicko....that gangster is literally building an AT AT) is like pulling duct tape off my pubes!! Damn You!!

But I am pretty excited to watch this.
 
You mentioned the tire size you're running is a 35. I was taking a look at that Falken tire size 315/70/17. The website says they are a 34/12.5/17. Did you end up running a different size than the pic?
Nice build so far. Looking forward to seeing the finished bumper.
 
Hurry up with the bumper :whipping2 PLEASE! Especially the aluminum ones :eyebrows:.. The suspense is killing us!
Honestly thanks for taking notice of the 5th gen! I cannot wait to bolt your aluminum bumper on the front of my Runner!
 
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Just in case anybody is wondering , the wheels are 330$ plus cost of the wheel
 

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