EatonKyleH's Build Thread
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EatonKyleH
New member
Interesting.... I was told that mine had only one owner who bought it in Fort Collins, Colorado in 2000 but had never verified that. Just what the sales guy said.
So I just ran a car fax on mine and it indeed was purchased new in Fort Collins and the original owner put 230,000 miles on it before trading it in to the same dealer in Fort Collins who I bought it from in 2013.
It doesn't look like mine has spent any time in Canada and that it has had a pretty simple Colorado life. weeeiiiirrrrddd
EatonKyleH
New member
Well I've been out wheeling with the crawl box set up a heck of a lot this summer and returned to a couple big obstacles that shut me down in years prior.
Everything has worked flawlessly and the level of comfort and control its brought to technical wheeling with the 5-speed has made it worth every penny.
Descending even the steepest trails with no use of the brake pedal whatsoever and a constant controlled speed, spinning the tires nice and slow, less parking brake workouts and not smelling the clutch. It's got me spoiled and my left foot is now often resting off to the side or sometimes hanging out the window showing off my extreme flexibility.
It took care of about all the optional obstacles on Chinamans Gulch during the Jamboree and this weekend I returned to a more local to me trail Moody Hill to attempt the largest obstacle of "The Rock Quarry" which I had to winch out of last year....with a spotter. This time no spotter, slightly more dug out than the previous year... no real problem.
Here is a pretty crappy video of me that really fails to capture how large the obstacle is. The truck is in double low (2.28 only in the front case, stock chain rear case)
https://youtu.be/1wSq2StnFVs
Glens video from a few years back shows some better angles of it and can be seen here.
https://youtu.be/OkUj_vY_DUA
In his video this obstacle starts at approx 1:20. The first part is the smaller ledge that I had just gone up before my wife started filming.
Everything has worked flawlessly and the level of comfort and control its brought to technical wheeling with the 5-speed has made it worth every penny.
Descending even the steepest trails with no use of the brake pedal whatsoever and a constant controlled speed, spinning the tires nice and slow, less parking brake workouts and not smelling the clutch. It's got me spoiled and my left foot is now often resting off to the side or sometimes hanging out the window showing off my extreme flexibility.
It took care of about all the optional obstacles on Chinamans Gulch during the Jamboree and this weekend I returned to a more local to me trail Moody Hill to attempt the largest obstacle of "The Rock Quarry" which I had to winch out of last year....with a spotter. This time no spotter, slightly more dug out than the previous year... no real problem.
Here is a pretty crappy video of me that really fails to capture how large the obstacle is. The truck is in double low (2.28 only in the front case, stock chain rear case)
https://youtu.be/1wSq2StnFVs
Glens video from a few years back shows some better angles of it and can be seen here.
https://youtu.be/OkUj_vY_DUA
In his video this obstacle starts at approx 1:20. The first part is the smaller ledge that I had just gone up before my wife started filming.
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EatonKyleH
New member
They really need to plow these damn roads in town!
I guess it's been awhile since I've updated this thing. I'm still building it and will have some big updates to show fairly soon.
But lately I've been driving it a lot and traveling. Just livin la vida loca!
I shot this in Honduras 2 weeks ago and thought I'd share it since I have some 4runner content already. Quite the contrast in weather lol.
AHHHH!!!
random Christmas post over.
I guess it's been awhile since I've updated this thing. I'm still building it and will have some big updates to show fairly soon.
But lately I've been driving it a lot and traveling. Just livin la vida loca!
I shot this in Honduras 2 weeks ago and thought I'd share it since I have some 4runner content already. Quite the contrast in weather lol.
AHHHH!!!
random Christmas post over.
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EatonKyleH
New member
I've been working on drawer system 2.0.
After using my first design I realized some changes that I wanted to make which were.
#1-Better latching system (to keep the drawers closed and quiet/locking a plus)
#2-Lower the height the fridge is mounted (so the wife can get in it easily)
#3-Custom drawer slide lengths/heavy rated (to get every usable inch)
#4-Better fridge slide (Bought a TemboTusk. It's quiet/latches automatically in and out.
#5-Taller drawer on right side (To fit bulkier gear)
I still will be adding a 2.5 gallon compressed air tank and dual ARB compressor to the area left of the fridge to incorporate a on board air system. Adding a switch panel on the left front face (water, air, lights). And paint the whole thing with probably a dark gray bed liner to keep some contrast against the hardware.
Anyway its far enough along now that I figured I'd share a few pics.
I've got a lot of trips planned coming up and this improved organization is really gonna be nice!
After using my first design I realized some changes that I wanted to make which were.
#1-Better latching system (to keep the drawers closed and quiet/locking a plus)
#2-Lower the height the fridge is mounted (so the wife can get in it easily)
#3-Custom drawer slide lengths/heavy rated (to get every usable inch)
#4-Better fridge slide (Bought a TemboTusk. It's quiet/latches automatically in and out.
#5-Taller drawer on right side (To fit bulkier gear)
I still will be adding a 2.5 gallon compressed air tank and dual ARB compressor to the area left of the fridge to incorporate a on board air system. Adding a switch panel on the left front face (water, air, lights). And paint the whole thing with probably a dark gray bed liner to keep some contrast against the hardware.
Anyway its far enough along now that I figured I'd share a few pics.
I've got a lot of trips planned coming up and this improved organization is really gonna be nice!
99 sr5 highlander
New member
Haha, I honestly jumped! The drawer system looks awesome! I really need to build one.
EatonKyleH
New member
Thanks!
Really I looked for something cheap! lol. But really I just found one that looked in decent shape. Shifted it into high and low on the bench and spun the input/watched the output. I removed the 4 bolts for the shifter (they were already loose on the one I bought because the guy was going to use if for a crawl box) and checked for water/rust/basically that oil was on the internals and that it hadn't been sitting outside unsealed. Honestly just really basic junk. Sounds like you already know what years and the top shift/forward shift differences.
Are there specific years I need to be looking for? I was under the impression that top shift and 4 cylinder was all I had to pay attention to.
Do you feel that the added crossmember was absolutely necessary?
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EatonKyleH
New member
Basically 85-89 for simplicity sake.
This link has a table that spells out what years/model came with these top shift cases.
Toyota Gear Driven Transfer Case Information
I'd definitely recommend a crossmember. If you are sticking with 2.28 gears you could get away without one for awhile (I wheeled mine without the crossmember for a bit). But I wouldn't recommend ignoring it. You'll notice that the whole transfer case assembly will be quite a lot longer and it all hangs off the transmission mount which will sag it a lot. Without a crossmember it is very unlikely that your belly pan skid will fit back on because the case will sit too low. I already had a 4xInnovations trans mount so I was able to use that and shim the mounts up lifting everything because I didn't want to space the skids down closer to the ground or leave the skids off. It will also be a lot of torque on one mount point especially if you are wanting to do 4.7 gears.
EatonKyleH
New member
It's been awhile!
Figured this thing could use an update.
Well really lately I've made some minor mods to the rig and bought a tent.
Mostly though I've been driving the absolute poo out of it and taking my family to (somewhat) far away places.
My new (to me) Sony a6000 and I have fallen in love and I've really been trying to step up my photography game with it.
Here are some pics and story of where I've taken it in the last couple months.
(Hope you like Waterfalls)
Mandatory 4Runner pic (ohh do you like Ovvvvverlaaaand brah!?)
Picked up the tent for a few hundred bucks on Craigslist locally and it is in like new condition. I was on the fence about getting an RTT for years but for the price couldn't resist trying it out. So far I dig it but see myself putting it on a trailer fairly soon.
---Supai Trip--
My wife and drove to the south rim of the Grand Canyon and backpacked in and down to Supai for a week. These falls are on the Havasupai Indian reservation in the Grand Canyon and are stunning beyond words. The water color is mind boggling! Supai is the most isolated settlement in the lower 48 states and arguably one of the most beautiful.
Beaver Falls:
Havasu Falls:
Little Navajo Falls:
On the way down to AZ we hiked to Delicate Arch in Moab. (because why not)
And checked out Newspaper Rock one of the largest groupings of petroglyphs ever discovered.
(Monticello, UT)
--Yellowstone/Grand Teton/Wyoming Trip--
I got back today from another epic journey this time with my 10 year old son and 7 year old stepdaughter to Wyoming. We met my in-laws in Pinedale WY and my son and I split off for a bit into the National Parks.
Old Faithful blowing the heck up:
Lewis Falls:
Kepler Cascades:
Tetons:
My son slaying fish:
Portrait of my stepdaughter looking mighty tough:
If you checked in and thought....."Oh sweet RTT but nature is soooo lame... post more T4R pics dude!"
Don't worry I'm leaving again in a few days on an epic "Overlanding" trip through a huge amount of Colorado back country with some of my personal favorite rigs and people I've met on here. It is going to be EPIC.
Then shortly after is the Colorado Toyota Jamboree! Soo much driving. Gonna need new tires soon. yay!
If ya'll are on Instagram I've been dinkin around there as of lately. Check me out @mtn_weasel
Figured this thing could use an update.
Well really lately I've made some minor mods to the rig and bought a tent.
Mostly though I've been driving the absolute poo out of it and taking my family to (somewhat) far away places.
My new (to me) Sony a6000 and I have fallen in love and I've really been trying to step up my photography game with it.
Here are some pics and story of where I've taken it in the last couple months.
(Hope you like Waterfalls)
Mandatory 4Runner pic (ohh do you like Ovvvvverlaaaand brah!?)
Picked up the tent for a few hundred bucks on Craigslist locally and it is in like new condition. I was on the fence about getting an RTT for years but for the price couldn't resist trying it out. So far I dig it but see myself putting it on a trailer fairly soon.
---Supai Trip--
My wife and drove to the south rim of the Grand Canyon and backpacked in and down to Supai for a week. These falls are on the Havasupai Indian reservation in the Grand Canyon and are stunning beyond words. The water color is mind boggling! Supai is the most isolated settlement in the lower 48 states and arguably one of the most beautiful.
Beaver Falls:
Havasu Falls:
Little Navajo Falls:
On the way down to AZ we hiked to Delicate Arch in Moab. (because why not)
And checked out Newspaper Rock one of the largest groupings of petroglyphs ever discovered.
(Monticello, UT)
--Yellowstone/Grand Teton/Wyoming Trip--
I got back today from another epic journey this time with my 10 year old son and 7 year old stepdaughter to Wyoming. We met my in-laws in Pinedale WY and my son and I split off for a bit into the National Parks.
Old Faithful blowing the heck up:
Lewis Falls:
Kepler Cascades:
Tetons:
My son slaying fish:
Portrait of my stepdaughter looking mighty tough:
If you checked in and thought....."Oh sweet RTT but nature is soooo lame... post more T4R pics dude!"
Don't worry I'm leaving again in a few days on an epic "Overlanding" trip through a huge amount of Colorado back country with some of my personal favorite rigs and people I've met on here. It is going to be EPIC.
Then shortly after is the Colorado Toyota Jamboree! Soo much driving. Gonna need new tires soon. yay!
If ya'll are on Instagram I've been dinkin around there as of lately. Check me out @mtn_weasel
Volcom
New member
Awesome pictures and trip reports Kyle! Wow! Yup, this trip is going to be epic!! Over two years in the planning and it's finally here. See ya early tomorrow morning! Don't forget your camera, I need some sick pictures to print out and hang up on my walls at home!
EatonKyleH
New member
No prob! Are you coming to the Jamboree this year in CO!?
Honestly I couldn't tell ya on the tires. I've still got at least another year left in them and they've been great all in all. I've just been wanting to go bigger for awhile and try to psyche myself up on replacing them sooner than I need to lol.
Haha I'll definitely be taking a lot more on this trip and at the Jambo than I have in the past. Stoked for it all man!
EatonKyleH
New member
Gettin all funky fresh
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derpiful
New member
35s... do it.....!
Tent is looking awesome, I'm super jealous! Excited to see it at the Jambo!
EatonKyleH
New member
Thanks man! I plan to have it on a trailer before the Jambo.
I've been dodging tree limbs and feeling it up there on the more technical trails already. I don't want to push my luck wheeling even harder at the Jambo nor do I want to tear it down every morning and set it up again when we get back every night. Its worked awesome up there though on road trips and wider trails though and is super comfy. Will be good to have options.
Mayybbbe will just rent a Uhaul box trailer and stick it up there. Like the poor mans expo rig lol.
35s are coming probably next year! lol
See you at the Jambo man. I'm sure it will be a blast all over again!
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