Extreme 3rd Gen Build! Insane!

[eatpasta]

so basically 4 whole weeks left, which is about a week of my availability (sigh). And to top it off, it's due to run the hill climb competition the first night there..

video please

 

[NotKewl]

Started plumbing up the brake lines since it's snowing outside and cold as all get out in the shop, I turned the heater on and closed the doors, which meant no welding (or at least nothing more than a few tacks here and there.

I forgot how tedious hydraulics could be. It was a frustrating evening for sure. Keep in mind that damn near EVERYTHING on this rig is custom. Which means one can't just go down to the local parts place (i wouldn't anyway, I'm a Rockauto.com user) and grab something for a 4Runner. Nope, I have both SAE and Metric parts on this beast from multiple vehicles (hence the name "Chimera" Oh just Google it!), which means crazy adapters and fittings etc. So, I yanked the front tires to start installing the brake lines, which go from SAE (Ford Dana 60) to metric (I used flex lines off a 1988 Suzuki Samurai rear axle for all flex transitions from the links to the frame). And of course, I don't have any 10mm brake line fittings to flair on the hard-lines, only 3/16 inch fittings. Sooooo, AMAZON Prime to the rescue. They will be here Thursday. OK, so I won't be mounting any hard-line tonight. Thus I installed the brake calipers and pads up front (since the remaining parts I needed for that came in today). But, guess what, I broke the H-block retaining bolt on the left caliper right the F#*K off (Bendix style brakes are funky like that). Decided that I didn't have the time nor the patience to actually yank it off, drill it out, then retap the gorram thing. Not even sure I have a tap that size. So, F&^K it! I just tack welding on so it would still allow the caliper to move. Grrrr. I can grind off the weld 10 years from now when I need to change the brakes (hello, it's a dedicated and trailered offroad vehicle moving no faster than about 15 MPH at most under its own power, so yeah it won't be going through a lot of brake pads anytime soon)!

So I gave up on the brakes for the night and I started designing the center console area as best I could by making templates to cut from 18 gauge sheet metal. Then got tired (been a long day at work). Oh well, I'll take the day off tomorrow and get as much as I can get finished.

 

[NotKewl]

Took the day off Wednesday to get more done. The amount of work left to do is starting to spook me a little. Spent the morning my oldest son, who just graduated High School, on supply runs. Mig wire, flap disks, return a broken grinder, and you know a bunch of other piddly $h!t that can stop you dead in your tracks on the weekend when all the welding supply places are closed. Then spent the rest of the afternoon in my happy place welding away.

Still waiting on some brake supplies and a few other parts that will be in today, so I started final welding on the items I knew I wasn't going to change. Started from the back and working my way forward. The entire back half of the cage is fully welded, except for the seat harness supports and the rest of the cross bracing. In between phone calls, and letting things cool off, I tried to be efficient and not waste my time, so I painted what I knew was finished and started making mounting points to bolt the rear quarters back on. You won't see any of the suspension tube unless you look inside.

For those of you wondering why I cantilevered the rear shock hoops, It is so I have an additional mounting point for the rear quarter sheet metal. And yes, some of my welds look like crap, but are strong like bull! Being 6'4" with bad knees it's difficult to climb around in those tight spaces to get good welds that also look pretty. Besides if I wanted pretty, I would TIG them and take my time. I'm on a schedule and it's an offroad vehicle designed to get beat up and look like a turd...soooooo, nice stacks of dimes and shiny paint or powder coating isn't feasible. A rattle can of primer and Kobota Orange, however, is perfect. imp:



If you don't know much about building roll cages, it's all about the Trigonometry. Triangulation baby! The smaller the triangle (space between tube sections) and the shorter the tube runs and bends, the stronger the cage. Also, don't make any stops in the center of a tube because as the force of an impact is distributed, the force will stop at the end and bend the next tube (think crumple zone). You want to place another tube on the other side to continue distributing the force around the passenger compartment to a safe and stronger stopping point, like the frame for instance. Look at the next picture at the rear cross bracing (blue arrow). The cross tube continues down at the same exact angle past the first section of tubing as if flowing through the horizontal tube, which essentially that's what the impact energy will do. Yes, I'm going to do that going the other way too. Why? Cause my kids will be back there that's why.

 

[eatpasta]

opcorn:

 

[HighHatTom]

opcorn:

I was just looking around at build threads to get ideas for my soon to be in my posession 99' and honestly just clicked on this thread because your name sounded cool. Excuse me, I mean Kewl. My jaw hit the ground when I started flipping through the pages! Holy crap man! Ditto on the popcorn! I will be watching this build for sure. This is the most insane thing I have ever seen done to any car.

 

[NotKewl]

I was just looking around at build threads to get ideas for my soon to be in my posession 99' and honestly just clicked on this thread because your name sounded cool. Excuse me, I mean Kewl. My jaw hit the ground when I started flipping through the pages! Holy crap man! Ditto on the popcorn! I will be watching this build for sure. This is the most insane thing I have ever seen done to any car.

Thanks! To date, I think it is the most extreme 3rd gen 4Runner build that I have seen online. I've seen them modified, cut up, and SAS'd, but never have I seen one yet that is running full tons, custom drivetrain, custom suspension, cut up this extreme or modified like this. If I'm wrong, let me know.

 

[eatpasta]

I will be watching this build for sure. This is the most insane thing I have ever seen done to any car.

You must not spend much time on Craigslist

 

[Chuckles89]

This one is extreme, but has a mostly stock body.

97 4runner: LQ4 6.0L with a Z06 corvette can, headers, and custom tune. Turbo 400, 203/atlas2, 60 front with chromolly shafts and ctms, drive flanges, 70hd rear, Arbs in both, 7.17 gears, 54's on 20" stazworks double bead locks.
4link front & rear

found this on FB today......Crazy 3rd gen...if you can even call it that!

View attachment 91371

View attachment 91373

You need some lambo doors too :rofl:

 

[NotKewl]

This one is extreme, but has a mostly stock body.

HA! I don't count that. It's absolutely useless. Too high for speed or offroad. It's a show car / mall crawler. LOL

But hey, it works for a bumper sticker I saw on a jeep the other day. "LIFT IT, because fat chicks can't jump!"

You need some lambo doors too :rofl:

That would require having doors.

 

[NotKewl]

you must not spend much time on craigslist

roflmao!

 

[HighHatTom]

You must not spend much time on Craigslist

I'm a college student, I don't get out much. :tape2:

 

[MN4runnerman]

This one is probably the closest someone can find to yours [MENTION=103068]NotKewl[/MENTION]
It's the Heepetr rig. Yours is more chopped up and looks better. It was for sale 2(?) years ago and the asking price was ridiculous, I'm pretty sure it was $26k

 

[NotKewl]

This one is probably the closest someone can find to yours [MENTION=103068]NotKewl[/MENTION]
It's the Heepetr rig. Yours is more chopped up and looks better. It was for sale 2(?) years ago and the asking price was ridiculous, I'm pretty sure it was $26k

I've seen that rig on here. It's running yota axles, so I don't count it either. He probably spent $20-$30k on it. So far, that's about what I have invested in mine. My axles alone in their current state, (especially the snofighter Dana 60 front axle) are worth about $5k or more each off the truck. I've got $25k in this thing, including the $5k I spent purchasing it in 2013. $20k of parts worth more than $45k if I were to part it out in its current state. Doubt I could get more than $20-$25k for it after it's finished. Probably less unless I parted it out. Custom built one off rock bouncing rigs around here (dedicated off-road buggies) sell for $30k to $75k depending on axles, drivetrain, and builder. It's insanity and people pay through the nose to get them.

 

[MN4runnerman]

I've seen that rig on here. It's running yota axles, so I don't count it either. He probably spent $20-$30k on it. So far, that's about what I have invested in mine. My axles alone in their current state, (especially the snofighter Dana 60 front axle) are worth about $5k or more each off the truck. I've got $25k in this thing, including the $5k I spent purchasing it in 2013. $20k of parts worth more than $45k if I were to part it out in its current state. Doubt I could get more than $20-$25k for it after it's finished. Probably less unless I parted it out. Custom built one off rock bouncing rigs around here (dedicated off-road buggies) sell for $30k to $75k depending on axles, drivetrain, and builder. It's insanity and people pay through the nose to get them.

The tube trucks that I posted about earlier were about $60k. That's what the guy told me he dumped into building them. He built 2 one for him and the other for a buddy. I've put about $8k in parts on mine but a lot of stuff I order through my work so I save a substantial amount of money. I've also made most of my own parts like custom links and stuff. For now I'm just gonna toss a Dana 44 up front and go leaf springs, but in the future with more money saved up I think I might put either some landcruiser straight axles like this other guy that rarely posts here. Or Dana 44 front and Dana 60 rear axles.

 

[NotKewl]

It has Brakes!

Finished up the front brakes this evening after work. Will finish the rear tomorrow because I found out one of the calipers is wrong and the banjo bolts aren't the same thread :ybrick: ....so, I need to swap it out or find the correct banjo bolt. Best to make it match the left side.

I took the day off tomorrow so I can try to catch up. Won't be long now. I want to finish brakes and fuel lines, pump, etc. tomorrow. We'll see what happens.

It's important when installing custom hard lines to have the correct cutting and shaping tools.


SAE 3/16 (for Ford Dana 60) is gold and the blue fitting is Metric 10mm for Suzuki / Toyota lines. Hodge podge, but that's ok as long as it works.


Flairing the hard lines.


All flared up!


Hard lines connect the Dana 60 flex lines at the axle to the Suzuki flex lines at the frame via the link (on both sides).


To save some space and reuse the factory front brake line blocks, I curved the line to fit.


All installed and not leaking at all!

 

[NotKewl]

The tube trucks that I posted about earlier were about $60k. That's what the guy told me he dumped into building them. He built 2 one for him and the other for a buddy. I've put about $8k in parts on mine but a lot of stuff I order through my work so I save a substantial amount of money. I've also made most of my own parts like custom links and stuff. For now I'm just gonna toss a Dana 44 up front and go leaf springs, but in the future with more money saved up I think I might put either some landcruiser straight axles like this other guy that rarely posts here. Or Dana 44 front and Dana 60 rear axles.

If you can find a Dana 60 front, get it! Best easy to install front 1-ton axle around. For the rear, go GM Corporate 14 Bolt. Super cheap to get factory used and very easy to find! If you really want a Dana 60 rear, I have one sitting in my shop that came off of the same truck my Front axle did. 1978 Ford F-350. If you want it. I'll sell it to you.

 

[MN4runnerman]

If you can find a Dana 60 front, get it! Best easy to install front 1-ton axle around. For the rear, go GM Corporate 14 Bolt. Super cheap to get factory used and very easy to find! If you really want a Dana 60 rear, I have one sitting in my shop that came off of the same truck my Front axle did. 1978 Ford F-350. If you want it. I'll sell it to you.

I might consider Dana 60 front I just don't play on the rocks as much. I like the mud and ledges and just terribly maintained logging roads in the North Woods. And I most likely won't go over a 35" tire. And whoops I meant to type corporate 14 bolt cuz I can get them off Craigslist or a salvage yard for a few hundred bucks and there's a ton(pun intended) of them.

 

[NotKewl]

I might consider Dana 60 front I just don't play on the rocks as much. I like the mud and ledges and just terribly maintained logging roads in the North Woods. And I most likely won't go over a 35" tire. And whoops I meant to type corporate 14 bolt cuz I can get them off Craigslist or a salvage yard for a few hundred bucks and there's a ton(pun intended) of them.

You know it is possible to convert a 14 Bolt to a steering axle with aftermarket Dana 60 Inner C's and knuckles. If you build it correctly, you can use factory Dana 60 axle shafts, but most end up with custom cut shafts (which is more $, but not too bad). I've thought about doing it for two reasons. 1: It's my absolute favorite axle and would be cool to have one up front. 2: convert my rear axle for 4-steer. :naughty:

 

[eatpasta]

I'm a college student, I don't get out much. :tape2:

Oh yeah - I remember those days. Well....some of them.

My record for staying up was three days straight - followed by almost two entire days of uninterrupted sleep.

When I woke up I had to pee.

 

[NotKewl]

Oh yeah - I remember those days. Well....some of them.

My record for staying up was three days straight - followed by almost two entire days of uninterrupted sleep.

When I woke up I had to pee.

Ah, College. Brings back memories. The 90's were great! :girl: