Great White Pig build/maintenance/no one cares thread.

[montijo505]

So I finally feel like I've done enough to the rig that it merits a "build thread" of sorts.

I've been on this forum since about 2014 when I bought the thing and came across it by accident searching for cheap strut replacements. Yeah that back fired big time. I don't have photos from real early on, just a few from when I got my first wheels and tires. Anyway, here goes:

2008 4Runner SR5 4x4, plain Jane and bone stock. Purchased May of 2013 with 89k on the clock for in the neighborhood of $19k. Unlike some of you, I bought this vehicle not knowing a thing about it. Never owned a Toyota, never off roaded, didn't care it was 4x4 except for driving in snow once twice a year, just caught my eye on the lot. I chalk it up to sheer luck that everything worked, including the 4x4.

List of mods

Suspension:
Icon 2.5 front coilovers (now with 14" 700lb springs)
SPC UCA's
Icon 2.5 with resis and adjusters rear shocks
Icon Overland 3" springs in rear
[MENTION=28464]eimkeith[/MENTION] panhard correction kit
Toytec 1" body lift
+2 stainless steel braided lines
Total Chaos spindle gussets
All-Pro cam tab gussets
Poly Performance Taco Tabs cam delete kit
Lower control arms rebuilt at 150k with: Whiteline Bushings, Moog ball joints
Moog tie rod ends.


Wheels/tires:

Previously ran Pro Comp 17x9 -6 with 285/70/17 Nitro Trail Grapplers. Never got stuck or flat.
Stealth Custom Series Ray 10's 17x9 -38 traded SR8 -10 with Falken Wildpeak AT3W Goodyear Duratracs in 285/70/17.

Armor:

Coastal Off-road plate bumper with single hoop.
Coastal Off-road skid plates
White Knuckle Off-road sliders.

Exterior:

Rigd Ultraswing hitch tire carrier with Rago Fab molle panel and fold down camp table/cutting board.
Satoshi grill (pain in the rear)

Performance (lol who are we kidding):

K&N intake, I hate the noise it makes recently.
Flowmaster 50 muffler with rerouted black ABRP tip.
Exhaust cam gears with 3° retard
Intake plenum spacer (1/2")

Lighting:

Diode Dynamics SS3 Sport SAE fogs in yellow.
Baja Designs squadron sport wide cornering in yellow. One pair in bumper, one pair waiting to be installed as ditch lights.
Auxiliary back up lights, random 6" off brand lights off a guy at TW.
Auxbeam LED headlights.
Most all interior is LED except door pockets and unfortunately the dash/climate etc

Wishlist:

Sherpa roof rack
Some variation of a RTT
Cargo drawers build
Fridge w/ slide
Solar panel
On board air
Dobinson 701 springs to support the extra weight eventually went Icon Overland
Katzkin leather seats w/ warmers. This is becoming a priority as my driver seat is starting to tear.
Get around to buying a winch, Probably Warn 8k w/ synthetic line.

It's taken me six years to get it where I'm happy with it. Still loads to do!

 

[montijo505]

Earliest pic I have of it after lift/wheels/tires and then some recent ones.

 

[dcraddo03]

Man, what a beauty. Pretty sure we’re going to have the same vehicle soon! I’ve only done a handful of stuff to mine but I’m looking into a satoshi grille and front bumper armor (specifically NWTI’s diy kit) Just recently did the halos and grille. Also, excuse the upload size — can’t tell if it’s correct or not because I’m on mobile. One day she’ll look just like yours!

 

[montijo505]

Man, what a beauty. Pretty sure we’re going to have the same vehicle soon! I’ve only done a handful of stuff to mine but I’m looking into a satoshi grille and front bumper armor (specifically NWTI’s diy kit) Just recently did the halos and grille. Also, excuse the upload size — can’t tell if it’s correct or not because I’m on mobile. One day she’ll look just like yours!

I can already hear your wallet complaining lol. Welcome to the never ending money pit/rabbit hole.

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[montijo505]

Some recent maintenance:

New brakes from Power Stop. I used auto parts stuff a year or two ago and they warped basically instantly. These are much nicer. I need to do the rears soon.

+2" stainless braided brake lines. On full droop the rears were dangerously close to getting stretched.

Swapped the transmission fluid using the radiator line method. Worked well and super easy. At about 150k and don't think it had been done before.

At about 150k swapped the coolant and put in new Gates upper and lower hoses. The driver side block drain is a pain to get to, took several wobble extensions to get to it.

Tore my brittle 12 year old splash guards when I installed my body lift a year ago. Finally got some Rad Rubber ones to replace and compensate for the 1" body lift. Highly recommend, much thicker than original.

Added a fumoto oil drain valve a few oil changes back. Between that, the hole in my coastal skid plate and this oil filter socket, easiest oil changes ever!

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[montijo505]

I have my work cut out over the next few weeks. Still waiting on a few things but this is the current pile of parts.

I have the cam gears I mentioned that should be here Monday as well as the intake plenum spacer. Hoping these will help a bit with driveability while I save to regear. Will post results. Will also try to document my cam gear install step by step for others to use as a reference.

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[Thebeastlives]

Always like to see 4th gen builds, tons of 3rd gen builds on this site. The 4th gen builds always take a different path, nice job

 

[montijo505]

Always like to see 4th gen builds, tons of 3rd gen builds on this site. The 4th gen builds always take a different path, nice job

Thanks for the kind words! I love reading build threads, so much inspiration.

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[montijo505]

Got these in today, just waiting for the plenum spacer so I can get started tearing it down.

Also started prepping for the LCA rebuild. Been a while since I fired up the welder, first few tabs don't look too pretty but I got dialed in towards the middle lol.

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[montijo505]

Finally, will get it done this week hopefully along with the cam gears

 

[montijo505]

Holy crap, I'm smoked.

I started Saturday tearing the suspension apart to do my front end project. Objective was rebuild LCA with whiteline bushings and Moog ball joints. Weld in Total Chaos spindle gussets and All-Pro cam tab gussets. Install Poly Performance Taco Tabs cam delete kit.

On Saturday I got most one side of the suspension apart before my graveyard shift. Sunday I slept late and got started.

Getting the LCA's out was a breeze. I observed some rust on my rear cams but thankfully they weren't seized. I began wrestling with the ball joint and holy crap it is in there. I used the press kit from Advance Auto coupled with my Dewalt 1/2 mid torque impact. I was getting frustrated because it wouldn't give. I soaked it with penetrating oil and let it sit in the sun (I forgot about my torch). I then tried using my big torque wrench which tightens/loosens and is about two foot long and couldn't turn it past a certain point. I tried the impact again and it broke loose.

I then started on the bushings. Surprisingly, no issues getting them out with a little heat, the bottle jack and a hammer. Cleaned up the arm and reassembled. Definitely throw the bushings in the freezer for a few hours and clean the bushing tube with a Dremel or drill sander. Again no issues there.

Today I got the spindle gusseted and the cam tabs installed on the driver side and reassembled it. It was fun torquing the front cam delete bolt to 250 ft/lbs....... Said no one ever. (edit: for future reference, people on TW were complaining to the company about 250 ft lbs bending/warping the LCA cradle. Instruction were revised to change torque to 150 ft lbs, which I did and its more than enough, I don't know where they got 250 to begin with! I had only done one side when I posted this, looked around and found the thread and adjusted.)

Took the passenger side apart. Welded in the cam tab gussets. Started trying to remove the ball joint before gusseting the spindle.

I'm just so damn tired after two full days of getting after it for literally 8 hours each day lol. I gave up, jumped with my 4 year old on the trampoline, had dinner, drank a few beers and licked my wounds.

I'll soak the damn thing in oil again tomorrow in preparation for Wednesday. Hopefully have it all buttoned up by Thursday or Friday.

Garage looks like a tornado hit.

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[y=mx+b]

Holy crap, I'm smoked.

I started Saturday tearing the suspension apart to do my front end project. Objective was rebuild LCA with whiteline bushings and Moog ball joints. Weld in Total Chaos spindle gussets and All-Pro cam tab gussets. Install Poly Performance Taco Tabs cam delete kit.

On Saturday I got most one side of the suspension apart before my graveyard shift. Sunday I slept late and got started.

Getting the LCA's out was a breeze. I observed some rust on my rear cams but thankfully they weren't seized. I began wrestling with the ball joint and holy crap it is in there. I used the press kit from Advance Auto coupled with my Dewalt 1/2 mid torque impact. I was getting frustrated because it wouldn't give. I soaked it with penetrating oil and let it sit in the sun (I forgot about my torch). I then tried using my big torque wrench which tightens/loosens and is about two foot long and couldn't turn it past a certain point. I tried the impact again and it broke loose.

I then started on the bushings. Surprisingly, no issues getting them out with a little heat, the bottle jack and a hammer. Cleaned up the arm and reassembled. Definitely throw the bushings in the freezer for a few hours and clean the bushing tube with a Dremel or drill sander. Again no issues there.

Today I got the spindle gusseted and the cam tabs installed on the driver side and reassembled it. It was fun torquing the front cam delete bolt to 250 ft/lbs....... Said no one ever.

Took the passenger side apart. Welded in the cam tab gussets. Started trying to remove the ball joint before gusseting the spindle.

I'm just so damn tired after two full days of getting after it for literally 8 hours each day lol. I gave up, jumped with my 4 year old on the trampoline, had dinner, drank a few beers and licked my wounds.

I'll soak the damn thing in oil again tomorrow in preparation for Wednesday. Hopefully have it all buttoned up by Thursday or Friday.

Garage looks like a tornado hit.

Did your bushing shells come out with with the bushings? If so, I'm jealous!

The ball joints really benefited from heat when I did mine, I had it cranked as much as I could with a 16" breaker bar and wasn't getting anywhere, also forgetting I had a torch. After I torched that puppy for a while, the slightest little tap with a hammer and it make a huge pop and slid 1/8" lol. For the second arm, I got smart and bought an electric impact. It still needed heat, but not as much as when doing it by hand haha.

I love the progress, looks awesome!

 

[montijo505]

Did your bushing shells come out with with the bushings? If so, I'm jealous!



The ball joints really benefited from heat when I did mine, I had it cranked as much as I could with a 16" breaker bar and wasn't getting anywhere, also forgetting I had a torch. After I torched that puppy for a while, the slightest little tap with a hammer and it make a huge pop and slid 1/8" lol. For the second arm, I got smart and bought an electric impact. It still needed heat, but not as much as when doing it by hand haha.



I love the progress, looks awesome!

You misled me thinking this would be an easy job lol.

I used my impact which is rated for 330 ft/lbs at first, no dice. Could barely turn my torque wrench like one turn. After a while the impact did it. I think the big thing is breaking that sort of vacuum/rust seal with the LCA.

Yeah they came out as a whole, I was pleasantly surprised. Looking to have this job behind me.......

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[y=mx+b]

You misled me thinking this would be an easy job lol.

I used my impact which is rated for 330 ft/lbs at first, no dice. Could barely turn my torque wrench like one turn. After a while the impact did it. I think the big thing is breaking that sort of vacuum/rust seal with the LCA.

Yeah they came out as a whole, I was pleasantly surprised. Looking to have this job behind me.......

oh crap, welp I didn't try to be misleading whoops, what do you think I could change in the writeup to make it more realistic?

I think you hit the nail on the head with the rust/vacuum seal thing. Once the ball joint gets going, it comes out okay.

Good that they came out as a whole, Hi-DesertT4R's came out like that too. For me, digging out the shells from the LCA was the worst part.

 

[oh24runner]

Did you fabricate the coastal front bumper yourself or have a shop do it? Either way what was your experience, thinking about getting one.

 

[montijo505]

oh crap, welp I didn't try to be misleading whoops, what do you think I could change in the writeup to make it more realistic?



I think you hit the nail on the head with the rust/vacuum seal thing. Once the ball joint gets going, it comes out okay.



Good that they came out as a whole, Hi-DesertT4R's came out like that too. For me, digging out the shells from the LCA was the worst part.

I was just poking fun, your write up was great actually. Very informative since you had a hard time doing it, my experience pales in comparison.

I was glad not to have to battle with the bushings as well as the ball joint.

On an unrelated note, I took the CV's out to have room to drill the cam tabs. 12" chisel and 3lb sledge, like two or three taps each and popped right out from the flat spots. I still don't understand how people have such a hard time popping them out. To get it back in, like in your write up, line up the splines and use the outer half as a slide hammer, popped right in.

I was most worried about getting the cam tabs off, again surprisingly no issues, came right off.

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[montijo505]

Did you fabricate the coastal front bumper yourself or have a shop do it? Either way what was your experience, thinking about getting one.

I did it myself. I planned on having a local guy do it and he quoted me $400ish all said and done.

I figured for the price I should try to learn. Scored a Lincoln mig welder on Craigslist and necessary tools/consumables for about $300.

Practiced on scraps, just melting them together at the angles I thought looked appropriate from looking at the parts.

Once I felt comfortable, I dove in. No major issues along the way other than on the insides some of the angles/depth were challenging for a novice.

I still have to get a winch. That will be the true test lol. I have pulled a few cars with tow straps from the shackles on the bumpers and no stress/cracks I can see.

Only advice is if you get tubes, make sure the hood opens and closes before welding. I made the mistake of not checking clearances and had to cut off my headlight hoops. Still want to get around to getting some to weld on as I like the look better.

I would say go for it, really not too bad of a project.

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[gfxcruncher]

Great thread man, love the dry humor/sarcasm! It's how I feel on most every project once I get into it.

Bumper looks great!

 

[montijo505]

Great thread man, love the dry humor/sarcasm! It's how I feel on most every project once I get into it.



Bumper looks great!

Thanks my dude. I need to get around to selling my tire carrier and building your swing outs. I like the look much better.

Maybe once I button up the front end and a few other small projects.

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[gfxcruncher]

Thanks my dude. I need to get around to selling my tire carrier and building your swing outs. I like the look much better.

Maybe once I button up the front end and a few other small projects.

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Yeah man, one of the best mods I've done, love them! hit me up if you have any questions when you get into them.