Derpiful's Build and Adventure Thread

[derpiful]

Derpiful's Build and Adventure Thread
2001 Toyota 4Runner 4x4 SR5
3.4L V6 5VZ-lFE
4-Speed Automatic Transmission
Multi-Mode 4WD
~325k Miles

As of August, 2019:
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/derpiful/48555851022/in/dateposted-public/" title="IMG_0151"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48555851022_54028d7289_b.jpg" width="1024" height="683" alt="IMG_0151"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

September, 2013
This is my first car, which was purchased in September 2013. I wasn't new to 4Runners though, as my mom had a 2002 that she bought new. When purchased it had 226,000 miles on it and was entirely stock. It had amazing maintenance logs, and the guy even logged when he washed it. There was a tad bit of rust, but nothing too bad. I was eager to have something to call my own, and something to work on!
...and so it began, the story of my 4Runner...



Upgrades & Mods:

Tires/Wheels:
- 315/75R16 Cooper STT Pros (Page 13/Post 195)
- ProComp 7069 Series, 16x8, 4" BS (Page 4/Post 60)
- 285/75R16 Goodyear Wrangler Duratracs (Page 1/Post 9)
- 1.25" Spidertrax Wheel Spacers (Page 3/Post 33)

Front Suspension:
- King 2.5 Coilovers (Page 24/Post 349)
- SPC Light Racing Upper Control Arms (Page 8/Post 117)
- Toytec Differential Drop Kit (Page 1/Post 5)
- DuroBumps Bump Stops (Page 28/Post 408)
- ToyTec/Eibach Front Coils (Page 13/Post 193)
- Bilstein 5100 Height Adjustable Shocks (Page 2/Post 4)
- OME 881 Front Coils (Page 1/Post 5)
- Top Plate Spacer (Page 1/Post 5)
- Double-Disconnect Sway Bar Endlinks (Page 2/Post 16)

Rear Suspension:
- King 2.5 Custom-Length Shocks with Resi (Page 24/Post 349)
- OME 861 Rear Coils (Page 13/Post 193)
- OME 10mm Trim Packer (Page 24/Post 349)
- Extended Bumpstops (Page 12/Post 173)
- Panhard Drop Bracket (Page 18/Post 260)
- DuroBumps Bump Stops (Page 28/Post 408)
- Bilstein 5100 Extended Travel Shocks (Page 2/Post 19)
- OME 891 Rear Coils (Page 1/Post 5)
- Double-Disconnect Sway Bar Endlinks (Page 2/Post 16)

Engine, Performance, and Recovery:
- 5.29 Front/Rear Diffs (Page 28/Post 408)
- Retrofit Rear E-Locker (Page 19/Post 285)
- Smittybilt X2O 12k Winch (Page 20/Post 297)
- Factor55 Flatlink (Page 23/Post 344)
- Factor55 Hawse Fairlead 1.0 (Page 23/Post 344)
- Hayden 679 Transmission Cooler (Page 24/Post 358)
- ISR Mod (Page 1/Post 3)
- Intake Elbow Removed (Page 11/Post 151)
- Extended Rear Differential Breather
- Extended Rear Stainless Steel Brake Lines (Page 18/Post 265)



Electrical Modifications:
- Disabled Daytime Running Lights (Page 1/Post 2)
- AndyMod 2.0 (Disable TRAC & VSC) (Page 1/Post 2)
- Switched Power for Radio and Power Outlets (without key) (Page 7/Post 101)
- Paranoid Fab Switch Panel w/ Contura V Switches (Page 15/Post 223)
- Auxiliary 8-Fuse Box (Page 16/Post 229)

Armor:
- Custom Rear Bumper (Page 2/Post 26)
- Custom Swingout with Hi-Lift Mount (Page 7/Post 103)
- Stock Skid Plate
- RCI Front Skid Plate (Page 26/Post 380)
- Addicted Offroad Front Plate Bumper (Page 6/Post 81)
- TrailGear 67" Rock Sliders (Page 6/Post 85)

Communication/Audio:
- Cobra 19DXIV 40 Channel Mobile Compact CB Radio (Page 2/Post 17)
- Firestik II 4' Black Tunable Tip Antenna (Page 2/Post 17)
- Firestik SS-3H Heavy Duty Stainless Steel Antenna Spring (Page 2/Post 17)
- Pyle 5" PA Speaker (Page 2/Post 23)
- JVC KD-R870BT Headunit (Page 15/Post 223)
- TYT-TH7800 50W Dual Band HAM Radio (Page 25/Post 368)
- 19.25" Dual Band NMO Antenna (Page 25/Post 368)

Lighting:
- Rear 5" Amber LED (Dust) (Page 15/Post 223)
- Rear Reverse LED Cube (Page 15/Post 223)
- Ditch Light Cubes (Page 15/Post 223)
- ExtremeLED 38" Slim Amber/White Combo Bar (Page 22/Post 330)
- 22" LED Bar (Page 15/Post 223)
- 20" ExtremeLED Black Bar (Page 26/Post 380)
- Morimoto Mini D2S 4.0 Projector Retrofits (Page 23/Post 344)

Exterior:
- Red Toyota Front Emblem
- Removed Running Boards
- TRD Emblem (Page 1/Post 15)
- Chopped Front Fenders and Flares (Page 11/Post 151)
- Relocated Windshield Washer Reservoir (Page 14/Post 205)
- Firewall Chop (Page 14/Post 206)
- CBI Ditch Light Brackets (Page 15/Post 219)
- Rocky Mountain Racks Full Length Roof Rack (Page 22/Post 318)


Interior:
- 3D Printed Window Lock Button (Page 1/Post 4)
- Rear Storage Platform and Box (Page 13/Post 186)
- Rear Storage Drawers (Page 17/Post 249)
- 20# CO2 Tank (Page 12/Post 173)
- White LED Dash Lights (Page 15/Post 221)
- Blackbox G1W Dash Cam (Page 11/Post 156)
- Spy Tec A118C Dash Cam (Page 18/Post 260)




Events/Trips:
- Rock Therapy 2015 (Page 7/Post 95)
- Colorado Toyota Jamboree 2015 (Page 8/Post 111)
- Colorado Trip 2015 (Page 8/Post 106)
- Spring Break 2016 (Moab)(Page 12/Post 174)
- Rock Therapy 2016 (Page 14/Post 209)
- Colorado Toyota Jamboree 2016 (Page 16/Post 233)
- Telluride Trip 2016 (Page 16/Post 234)
- Spring Break 2017 (Moab) (Page 20/Post 292)
- Telluride Trip 2017 (Page 21/Post 308)
- Spring Break 2018 (Moab) (Page 23/Post 339)
- Canada 2018 (Page 25/Post 371)
- Rock Therapy 2018 (Page 23/Post 383)
- Spring Break 2019 (Moab) (Page 27/Post 393)
- BroCo Colorado/Utah Trip 2019 (Page 28/Post 416)
- Rock Therapy 2019 (Page 29/Post 430)

Trails Completed:
Colorado:
- Slaughterhouse Gultch (Page 6/Post 81)
- Middle St. Vrain (Page 7/Post 98)
- Coney Flats (Page 7/Post 98)
- Caribou Creek (Page 2/Post 30)
- Wheeler Lake (Page 8/Post 106) (Page 15/Post 222) (Page 16/Post 233)
- Black Bear Pass (Page 8/Post 106) (Page 16/Post 234) (Page 21/Post 308) (Page 26/Post 382)
- Imogene Pass (Page 8/Post 106) (Page 16/Post 234) (Page 21/Post 308) (Page 26/Post 382)
- Iron Chest (Page 8/Post 111)
- Chinaman Gultch (Page 8/Post 111) (Page 22/Post 319)
(Page 27/Post 401)
- Kelly Flats (Page 11/Post 152) (Page 24/Post 357)
- Illinois Gulch (Page 11/Post 153)
- Sevenmile Creek (Page 11/Post 165)
- Yankee Hill (Page 12/Post 169)
- Pickle Gulch (Page 15/Post 219)
- Argentine Pass/ McClellen Mountain (Page 15/Post 219) (Page 16/Post 238) (Page 21/Post 303)
- Grizzly Lake (Page 16/Post 233)
- Tincup Pass (Page 22/Post 319)
- Webster Pass (Page 26/Post 381)
- Radical Hill (Page 26/Post 381)
- Red Cone Pass (Page 26/Post 381)
- Weston Pass (Page 28/Post 416)
- Alpine Loop (Corkscrew/Cinnamon/California/Engineer/Mineral Creek)(Page 28/Post 416)
- RimRocker (Page 28/Post 416)


Utah:
- Hell's Revenge (Page 7/Post 95) (Page 14/Post 209) (Page 20/Post 292) (Page 26/Post 383) (Page 23/Post 383) (Page 27/Post 393)
- Gold Bar Rim (Page 7/Post 95) (Page 20/Post 292) (Page 26/Post 383) (Page 23/Post 383)
- Golden Spike (Page 7/Post 95) (Page 20/Post 292) (Page 26/Post 383) (Page 23/Post 383)
- Top of the World (Page 7/Post 95) (Page 14/Post 209) (Page 28/Post 416)
- Flat Iron Mesa (Page 12/Post 174)
- Steel Bender (Page 12/Post 174) (Page 27/Post 393)
- Kane Creek Canyon (Page 14/Post 209)
- Sevenmile Rim (Page 20/Post 292)
- Metal Masher (Page 23/Post 339) (Page 29/Post 430)
- Poison Spider Mesa (Page 23/Post 339)
- Fins n Things (Page 23/Post 339)
- RimRocker (Page 28/Post 416)
-Moab Rim (Page 29/Post 430)


Wyoming:
- Morrison Jeep Trail (Page 25/Post 372)



More Pictures:
Derpiful - Flickr

Instagram:
Derpiful - Instagram

 

[derpiful]

Original Sticker:

One of the first things I did was the typical AndyMod 2.0 and disabling the DRL.

With the install of my fog lights, AndyMod 2.0, and the DRL disable, I had to put in a few new switches.

The top-left one (with the light on it) is for the fog lights.
The top of the other two is the DRL disable, and the bottom one is to disable VSC & TRAC.

..and I still have one space left over! (two if you count removing the security!)

 

[derpiful]

This past week I was able to do the ISR mod. It took me a bit to find the necessary parts, but once I did, this project was relatively easy. I had to order the two hose clamps that are one each side as well, as my old ones were rusted out and I had to cut them off.

(Ignore the very dirty engine, I did this right after I came back from a little weekend adventure!)

 

[derpiful]

I decided to get a bit creative while in between bigger projects.
Since I bought it, the window lock button was missing. The button itself is not purchasable, leaving me with an ugly spot with a missing piece of plastic.

So, I CADed one up to my liking, and 3D printed it! Neon green was the filament that was in there already, and I figured it would work. Look at how well it works!

Not pressed:

Pressed:

I also headed up to Toytec today (the joys of living in Colorado!) and picked up some goodies! So exciting!

OME 881s and 891s, with a diff drop kit.

Can't wait to get these installed, and hopefully get some new tires to go along with them!

 

[derpiful]

What a long weekend in the garage! Managed to get my new coils installed, and so far, I'm really loving the look of them!

Before:

After:

The front end:

and the rear end:

Broken sway bar endlinks:

So much dirt! I need a pressure washer.

You'll notice that there are yellow Bilsteins in the front post lift. When we were attempting to compress the new coil enough to fit the stock shock in, it simply wouldn't fit, no matter how compressed. Luckily, my dad had his old (stock) shocks from his '00 Tacoma, and they are slightly longer. We installed these, and so far so good!

Also, managed to break both sway bar endlinks while trying to get them off. The bolts were suuuper rusted on, and ended up even having to angle grind one of them off. Now I'm trying to decide whether to buy new ones, or just leave them off.


Stock vs. Lifted:

Overall, it went fairly well!

Hopefully the next post will be some new tires, 285 Duratracs?

 

[Fishwerks]

Looks good so far. What other plans do you have for it?

 

[MStudt]

Looks like you've got a nice start. I don't like pimping my product like this, but I can resist when I see broken links. Check out my group buy in my signature for some beefy sway bar links.

 

[derpiful]

Looks good so far. What other plans do you have for it?

Thanks!

Working on CADing up front and rear bumpers right now, hoping to build them this summer. It's a big project, but it should be fun!

Other than that, CB and more lights are a must. Slowly, I will get there!

 

[derpiful]

Tires happened! I'm in love with how they look, and can't wait to try them out off-roading.

Went with the Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac 285/75/16 after seeing so many great things about them on there.








The pictures don't really do justice to showing it, but it's the best I could do with the weather being so overcast for the past few days. Soon I'll try to have some better pictures.

I have noticed a bit of rubbing driving it around recently, but nothing terrible.

My major concern at this point is the rubbing on the UCAs. It seems to very slightly rub at specific times, but again, nothing terrible. New wheels or even wheel spacers should fix this... soon?

 

[derpiful]

This past week, I got bored and decided that it was time for some new paint on my skid plate. It was covered in rust, and generally looked pretty bad... so I took it off, used the angle grinder to give it a nice, new, shiny surface, and then painted it.

Before:



After:



New Paint:



Installed:



I'm really liking the look of it now. Added aftermarket skids to the list!

 

[DizzyDoyle]

Looking great! Can't wait to see where this goes.

 

[shootmymime]

Installed:



I'm really liking the look of it now. Added aftermarket skids to the list!

looks good dude, a few things for maintenance, check your rear passenger axle seal, bottom of the dust shield looks damp and the wheel looks like it used to have oil on it.

also from this picture above it looks like you have some surface rust around some places, clean that up and you will like the way the frame looks.

but enjoy the lift, tires and summer of colorado!

 

[TheArkMaster]

Hell yeah man! Look like a good start! Stoked to see where this build goes :tea:

 

[derpiful]

Had some time, so I took a little camping/ offroading trip with a few friends! It was a quick and easy trip, but a nice way to just have some fun.

On the trail, I got a liiiiiitle stuck. Luckily, had a Jeep friend there to get me out!

Back:



Side:



Other Side:



Had no idea that my tires could fit that far up in the wheel well. Sweet!

Also, notice how the front left AND the back right tires are off the ground... even without sway bars! I need longer shocks soon...

 

[derpiful]

I was busy this last week! I did a few things:

First, I put a TRD Emblem where the 4WD one was. Mine was non-existent, so I figured I would add something to make it look a little better.

Before:




After:

 

[derpiful]

Next, I had sway bars again! @Mstudt makes some awesome custom sway bar endlinks, and so I figured I would give them a try. Got 2 pairs of double-disconnects, with black bushings. I got them installed, and so far I'm very pleased with them! I haven't been able to try out the quick-disconnect feature off-road yet, but in my garage, they work great!

What they looked like:



Installed:

 

[derpiful]

I got my CB installed recently! It went alright overall, and I love it. I haven't had a use for it yet... but I'm hoping that will change in the future.

I did confirm it works, as I heard a bit of talk driving along I-70. However, I haven't actually tried transmitting, as I haven't tuned my tip and don't want to hurt the radio at all. Soon!

Radio installed:



I decided to make my own antenna mount, as it seemed fairly simple and straightforward. I took some .125" x 2" steel, bent one piece for the curve, and then bent another one for the antenna plate. I welded those two together, painted it, and installed it.

Before install:



Antenna installed:



It seemed like it would work, but I quickly realized a problem. I spaced the antenna too close to the rear hatch, and now I can't open the rear hatch without taking the antenna off. Oh well, this mount was only temporary, until I make my rear bumper and but the mount inside of that!

 

[derpiful]

Decided I would get underneath today and fix some rust! I was tired of looking under it and only seeing rust. So, wire brush was first, then some black paint to follow.

I'm not nearly done, but that's what I was able to get done on my remaining can of paint. Once I go pick up some more, I'll be on my way to finishing it all up. It looks soooooo much better though...

(and just to calm any concerns, the "fluid" on there is only water.. I took a hose to the bottom today to get whatever dirt I could off)

Before:



After:




Also, this showed up at my door yesterday!

Box:

 

[derpiful]

Got my new shocks installed today! I'm loving them so far.
Also, that shiny silver is awesome!

Bilstein 5100s all around, which I bought from Wheeler's.

You'll see in the pictures that we ran into a problem tightening the rear shock top bolt. After searching and searching for a good way to do it, I decided I would simply open the boot (by cutting the zip tie holding it on) and hold the shaft from spinning. I was careful not to damage the shaft, and it worked!

Rear:




How we managed to tighten the rears:




Front:




Now, the best part is that it seems as if my rig leveled out a bit. before, the front was a bit shorter... maybe about .5". However, after installing these, it sits flat! Hopefully it stays that way and doesn't settle down.

The ride seems a bit better and smoother, although not too much. I'm just excited to have new stuff!

 

[derpiful]

So my steering rack has been leaking for a bit now. I've noticed it, and it wasn't terrible, so I put it off for the time being. I looked at it again today, and it has gotten worse... I figured I should try to fix it now.

However, I've looked at the dealer catalog, and I'm really not sure which piece it is.

Can anyone help me out with this?

Leak:




Closer:




It's the piece right behind the sway bar- some sort of connection between the piece above it and below it?



I also tried to take my gas tank skid off today to clean it up and get it painted... then this happened! I guess I won't be doing that right now..
Good news, it's a 12mm, which I have the tap for! Had a skid plate bolt do this a while back.

Broken bolt: