electroCrunch - 2000 SR5 Build Thread

[electroCrunch]

Ah yeah! CBI just sent me the below pic of my new bumper waiting to get shipped. They say it will get shipped out today or tomorrow.

Looks like the partial swing arm is correct, and I'm excited to see it in person. I'm relieved they didn't weld the latch mount to the middle of the bumper itself, as that would have gotten in the way of loading/unloading. AND, from that angle I think they did the rickashay mod correctly as the bend begins right after where the tube gets welded to the mount towards the outside.

Excellent!

 

[electroCrunch]

Ordered May 25. Correct bumper received September 18th. That's nearly 4 months from the day I ordered to the time it (correctly) arrived at my door. Enough whining. It's here now, time to get to work.

They added a high lift mount, as well as a through-the-spare license plate mount. I am currently planning on running rotopax where the spare is, so I'll need to find elsewhere for the license plate. I hadn't planned on the swing arm being capable of mounting a high lift, so that's a bonus +5 functionality points for the swing arm. I'ver started the test fitting, will get pics up when I have a few to share.


FYI - There are specific 3rd gen installation instructions hosted at CBI: 3rd Gen 4Runner Hybrid Rear Bumper Install

Another FYI - I had to call CBI about swing-arm/tire-carrier assembly and install instructions as there were none included in my massively mangled box. Nathan emailed them to me immediately after a quick phone call.

 

[TeamPez]

Looks great. Can't wait to see that bumper mounted up. Keep the posts coming.

 

[electroCrunch]

Made some progress over the last few days. Got the bumper installed which allowed me to start working on license plate wiring. I couldn't decide on where to splice into the tail light circuit. After watching @Chim's video, I decided to tap into the trailer wiring. The wires were already on the outside of the vehicle and easily accessible. If the Hopkins trailer controller ever goes out (again) it will just mean a simple plug and play replacement of the controller, and I can keep the harness I made.

Chim's license plate video: Look at the butt on that one! License plate leds

Testing an Amazon license light and bracket I got off of Amazon for $10: OLS LED Trailer License Plate Light

The license plate light is SAE/DOT certified, so I figure it should hold up and illuminate my plate well. We'll see. If it doesn't work out I'll move it to my trailer one day.

Testing to make sure that splicing in will work.

From there I got out my IP67 rated quick disconnects and got to work.

Spliced and soldered into the wiring.

I grabbed some brush-on electrical tape from the store. It was the only thing I could think of that would ensure a near-waterproof barrier. After the "tape" cured, I wrapped it all up in electrical tape to ensure it's going to be tight for a long time (no picture).

Next I put some abrasion shielding around the wiring for both the trailer and the license plate quick disconnect wiring.

Here it is mocked up and tucked into place.

 

[electroCrunch]

Rear bumper is on! There was little drama getting this on, just a little tricky doing it by myself. I haven't drilled the 4 holes yet as I wanted to test fit first, but it's bolted up elsewhere and feels really strong.

I'm working on the license plate relocation & wiring, and installing the swing arm now. Will hopefully have that wrapped up in the next day or so.

 

[electroCrunch]

Swing arm is installed. Overall I like the rear bumper a lot. I'm still "test fitting" everything, especially the rear tire height. You'll note the latch handle sticks out and will get hit on a steep enough climb (ignorant/rushed design?), so my thought was to put the tire down lower to protect it. However, I don't think there's enough room between the tire and my hitch-mount aluminum rack I take camping, so the tire will likely need to come up.

A few different angles of the bumper. The license plate is just held on with a magnet as I was trying to decide on the final placement.

I do like the tire sitting lower for the latch protection, as well as the visibility out the back window. Will have to see what tire height will be best for the long term (towing, rack, daily driving, bigger 33" tires...). I think I'm going to hold off on powder coat for a few weeks while I work all the bugs out on living every day with it, planning for off road, camping, adventuring, etc.. Definitely some give and take going on.

There are also some notable differences between Addicted Offroad and CBI, as far as their overall customer experience, product, installation, finish, etc. are concerned. I want to play around with the rear bumper for a while longer, but will give a review of the two different bumpers and companies once I have some more time with both.

The weight of the rear was not bad at all. The swing definitely adds weight to the bumper though. It's much more stout than anticipated, but overall I think the weight gain is moderate. No numbers yet on exact weight differences.

 

[electroCrunch]

Out of curiosity I weighed my front OEM bumper and powder coated Addicted Offroad bumper, including all hardware/brackets/etc.

OEM: 46 pounds
Addicted OffRoad Plate: 98 pounds

Total Gained: Appx. 52 pounds

I used a bathroom scale so the actual numbers likely vary some, and rounded to an even number. However, I used my body weight as a consistent baseline to make sure at least the differences were somewhat consistent.

Also, the weight doesn't all sit in the same spot OEM vs AOR, so I'd imagine that plays into this as well in regards to how the weight impacts the vehicle.

 

[Road Bull]

Cool of you to bother to weigh both OEM and AOR front bumpers. Those are good numbers to know as if at least gives people a ball park to consider for overall weight.

Nice looking rear bumper man! I know you think that latch sticks out far, but I think you would have to be in a pretty crazy steep situation for that thing to make contact. I suppose crazier things happen from time to time, but I think you would drag the bottom of the bumper before that securing latch makes contact, just going off the pics. But I understand your concern. I agonized over all my various choices that I have made along the way.

Also love those wheels. They look sharp on your rig. I am trying to convince myself that I should buy some of those FN five stars, or maybe some SCS. But I am still rubbing with 4" of BS, LOL. I imagine the 3.5" BS would need me to do a lot more pounding the pinch welds.

 

[electroCrunch]

Cool of you to bother to weigh both OEM and AOR front bumpers. Those are good numbers to know as if at least gives people a ball park to consider for overall weight.

Nice looking rear bumper man! I know you think that latch sticks out far, but I think you would have to be in a pretty crazy steep situation for that thing to make contact. I suppose crazier things happen from time to time, but I think you would drag the bottom of the bumper before that securing latch makes contact, just going off the pics. But I understand your concern. I agonized over all my various choices that I have made along the way.

Also love those wheels. They look sharp on your rig. I am trying to convince myself that I should buy some of those FN five stars, or maybe some SCS. But I am still rubbing with 4" of BS, LOL. I imagine the 3.5" BS would need me to do a lot more pounding the pinch welds.

I couldn't find great numbers to go off of for OEM bumper weights, so I figured it's a nice data point for someone else. AOR did state their bumper was 95 pounds when I called and asked. So that makes sense it came out to 98 with coating plus hardware. I saved all my rear bumper stuff too so I'll weigh that when I have some final numbers.

Yeah, I can relate to agonizing over those small details LOL. Nicely said. I think the latch will be fine 99.9% of the time, you're right. CBI allegedly warranties their bumpers to the original purchases for life of vehicle and original owner. So if it's an issue I'm hoping they could address it.

I really like the wheels too. Thanks! The wait and sudden rush for SCS just wasn't worth it, which led me to the FN Five Stars. They're allegedly a half pound lighter than the SCS. I also got a good deal, in my opinion, since I bought 5. The owner was really great to work with on the phone. And also, as an added bonus with the Five Stars, the spokes are narrow enough that I get some visibility through my back window, through the spokes. Especially nice since I just raised my spare tire up another notch last night. Don't get me wrong, the SCS F5's were my first choice, but reality sorta changed that direction for me.

I'm on 32's now so I'm not rubbing. When I move to 33's, I'm hoping my yet-to-be-installed SPC upper arms will help move the tire away from the pinch weld. I'm also just a few miles from Sonoran Steel, and know that Steve may be open to tubbing that area if need be. I have no plans for a body lift, I'd rather tub it.

I'm keeping a close eye on your build and adventures too! I'm from the PNW myself (Portland Oregon area), and miss that area so much! Drastically different from the desert I currently find myself in. Since the weather is just starting to cool off, I'm itching to get back out and do some exploring here in the Sonoran desert as soon as possible.

 

[Johnny_K]

Really liking the setup and have a few questions.

Front: ~2.5” Lift (SS 1.2 Lift Kit)
-Toyota TRD Progressive Coil (Tundra)
-Bilstein 5100 shocks

Rear: ~4" Lift (SS 1.2 lift kit)
-Land Cruiser 80 series coils

Are you still on this setup? If so how does the spring do with the extra weight of the front and rear bumper?


-SS Adjustable Trac/PanHard bar
-SS Extended bump stop adapters

What is SS?

Extended and adjustable rear sway bar end links (heim + poly bushings) - what brand?

BFG KO2 265/75R16 - you still on these? if so, why you buy these again?

 

[electroCrunch]

Really liking the setup and have a few questions.

Front: ~2.5” Lift (SS 1.2 Lift Kit)
-Toyota TRD Progressive Coil (Tundra)
-Bilstein 5100 shocks

Rear: ~4" Lift (SS 1.2 lift kit)
-Land Cruiser 80 series coils

Are you still on this setup? If so how does the spring do with the extra weight of the front and rear bumper?


-SS Adjustable Trac/PanHard bar
-SS Extended bump stop adapters

What is SS?

Extended and adjustable rear sway bar end links (heim + poly bushings) - what brand?

BFG KO2 265/75R16 - you still on these? if so, why you buy these again?

Good questions...

1: Yep, still on the same suspension setup. For the fronts I have always been and am still on the second notch of height adjustability. I think it sits perfect AND the ride is SO much better now with the added weight up front. It's not nearly as "bouncey" as it was with the stock bumper on that second perch.

As for the rears, you can see in post #106 the rear is still lifted pretty high with the bumper, swing arm, and spare all back there. The ride is also improved over the stock bumper with the added weight. More compliant compression it feels like.

I knew over the last few years my suspension was setup for that additional weight, and it's been a lot better ride since the bumpers were added. That said, when I really load down my 4Runner with camping gear and people, I will be sure to post a follow up. If I recall correctly, there are other spring options out there (OME 891?) that would go with the black Tokico Land Cruiser shocks. I don't recall the specific spring, I think RipCord ended up running it too IIRC.

2: SS = Sonoran Steel

3: They are not a specific brand, not too long ago a forum member, MStudt, was making them, but I don't think he's offering that any longer. If you're inclined and not as lazy as I am, you could piece together your own and save some money. OR, another option is to just do the sway bar relocation "kit" as offered by Sonoran Steel. In all honesty, I'm thinking I may just go back to the SS kit, and make my own end links that are close to stock length (since my originals were leaking). But that's low priority.

4: Yep, still on the same BFG KO2's 265/75R16. I'm guessing over 20k miles now, maybe even getting close to 30k. And YES, I would buy these tires again. They are stout, but for the mild offroading I do, they have never ever let me down (lots of rocks, dirt and sand). When it's time for me to buy new tires, these will be my number one choice as long as I can afford them. My #2 choice is the Falken Wildpeak AT3W. They come in a bit cheaper, D class load rating, and seem to be performing well for others. So for me it will come down mostly to costs when it's time for new tires. And I'll be moving to 33's most likely (285/75R16).

 

[Johnny_K]

Cool thanks for the detailed response.

I'm about to order some stuff for my 01 and trying to do as much research as I can.

I daily mine so ride comfort is very important to me and that's why i'm considering the TRD spring. Just wasn't sure how it would do with the extra weight.

The older I get the more i appreciate bolt on kits. When you build your own kit you can save money and really customize it but it sometimes comes out being a headache and most of the time i don't save any money because i'm having to buy other stuff because i bought the wrong part. I value my time more these days and you save a lot of time by buying kits.

I've read great things about K02s and will probably get these.

And thank you for being transparent about your interactions with vendors. I feel like lots of ppl go through similar issues but don't mention it on the forum and others have to learn the hard way.

You have any other big plans in the next 3 to 6 months?

 

[TravThePro]

Love the build, I need to get on with the SS panhard bar mount already. I've also had nothing but trouble with steering as well so if you have any advice with that I'd love to hear it.

 

[electroCrunch]

Yep, no problem. This forum has given me so much knowledge, I try to give back whenever I feel I can contribute.

Good on you for doing all your research first. The TRD front setup is a great value. If I had to do it all over again, I might consider a different front coil setup. The Radflo's offered by Sonoran Steel now (but were not at the time IIRC), are awfully tempting looking. That said, I still like the value I'm getting out of what I have. I call it an "OEM quality lift" whenever chatting about it.

I agree with the time versus money aspect. Some things are worth spending money on, and some things are worth spending time on. I opted to spend money :thumb:

Hope my transparency helps set expectations. I wasn't trying to complain and felt like I was a bit, but I felt my experience was frustrating enough to share with others who are making a similar big investment into their rigs.

Next big plans? Adventure mode!!! Aside from some fun trips I'm planning, the 4Runner is going to get new steering. I already have a new steering rack, inner and out tie rods, and bushings all waiting to get installed. Plus some SPC upper control arms will go in at the same time. My steering plain old SUCKS now and I can't stand it any more. So that's the only big next thing I have planned besides some smaller mods and maintenance stuff on the side.

There are some long term plans, but I don't want to get too far ahead of myself.

 

[electroCrunch]

Love the build, I need to get on with the SS panhard bar mount already. I've also had nothing but trouble with steering as well so if you have any advice with that I'd love to hear it.

Thanks man!! I appreciate it. Would like to see a build thread of your rig. Sounds cool based what's in your signature.

Ugh, steering. Yeah, about that. In my post above this one, you can see I'm doing an all out rebuild of the steering and its components and have all the parts ready to go. So for me, wobbly front end was fixed by new tires. Constant pull and really loose steering should be fixed by new rack plus inner/outer tie rods. I think that, unfortunately, at higher mileage like this a full steering rebuild is about the only guarantee. I'm also hoping new upper and adjustable control arms will help me get some handling back to par after a proper alignment. I know there are other things you can do to address steering woes, like look at bushings first, then the updated rack guide, etc... BUT, my rack is leaking, it's loose, it pulls, and it's original. So it's all getting replaced.

I'll probably need to pull the steering column out still, to tack weld the slip joint. I am 99% sure that's also attributing to some odd steering characteristics. Here is a link to that thread: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/164396-diagnose-repair-steering-play-rattle.html

Good luck!

 

[TravThePro]

Thanks man!! I appreciate it. Would like to see a build thread of your rig. Sounds cool based what's in your signature.

Ugh, steering. Yeah, about that. In my post above this one, you can see I'm doing an all out rebuild of the steering and its components and have all the parts ready to go. So for me, wobbly front end was fixed by new tires. Constant pull and really loose steering should be fixed by new rack plus inner/outer tie rods. I think that, unfortunately, at higher mileage like this a full steering rebuild is about the only guarantee. I'm also hoping new upper and adjustable control arms will help me get some handling back to par after a proper alignment. I know there are other things you can do to address steering woes, like look at bushings first, then the updated rack guide, etc... BUT, my rack is leaking, it's loose, it pulls, and it's original. So it's all getting replaced.

I'll probably need to pull the steering column out still, to tack weld the slip joint. I am 99% sure that's also attributing to some odd steering characteristics. Here is a link to that thread: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/164396-diagnose-repair-steering-play-rattle.html

Good luck!

Yeah, I've already had my rack and pinion replaced and (unfortunately) already blown the drivers side main seal on the new one. With my race brakes that I put on, the car now pulls hard as hell (as opposed to the stock brakes) to the left then back to right which all turns the steering wheel roughly 1/8 a turn. I'm almost certain it's something to do with the steering. I've re-aligned the front end twice, bled the brakes ~10 times, replaced the master cylinder, and replaced brake lines with no significant changes. Also the TRE and all ball joints are still perfect.

Aside from all that crap, I'm just trying to hit the 15 post thing so that I can post something on much nicer replacement seats that I just found out.

I've done a decent bit to my rig but hardly anything is cosmetic, I can't fit even 1/20th of what I've done in the signature so I'll eventually make a post on that and slowly put what I've done up (because I'm quite forgetful).

I'm sure you have plenty of advice for me, and I could show you some cool interior mod stuff if you would like or anything with the diffs, CVs and so on.

 

[Johnny_K]

The Radflo's offered by Sonoran Steel now (but were not at the time IIRC), are awfully tempting looking. That said, I still like the value I'm getting out of what I have. I call it an "OEM quality lift" whenever chatting about it.

Yea i saw the Radflo's kit and it looks awesome but seems like you are still getting a good value with the 1.2 kit.

 

[electroCrunch]

Wrapped up the license plate relocation work. I'm pleased with the end result.

First up was making a wiring harness I could disconnect if need be. Did some preliminary wire running to determine length and got it built.

Next up I needed to modify the license plate mount CBI included, to be more universal. Just a bit of trimming and grinding.

Before:

After:

Most of the wiring is nicely tucked in the swing arm. I'll likely move the wiring though where it sits on the bumper near the hinge as that's just going to get damaged over time I'd suspect.

I welded the mount onto the arm and got the light and plate installed. I didn't put on a ton of welds so if need be down the road, it could be somewhat easily cut off the arm.

Final product:

The image I captured looks brighter than the light really is. It's still pretty bright and very visible.

 

[electroCrunch]

Small and quick update. Working on getting my tail end of the rig migrated to LED. I know there's no license plate there now, but the old and dim halogen license plate lights looked out of place with the new crips LED license plate light back there. Grabbed two of these off of my favorite LED supplier VLEDs.

Cleaned up the dusty gasket and lens cover.


Original halogen on left. New #194 LED on right.

Much better.

 

[infamousRNR]

There's some cool stuff going on here. I like!