HotRodKing's Fun Thread

[HotRodKing]

The Life and Times of HotRodKing's Runner

After just over a year of owning my 98' 4Runner, I have finally gotten around to making a thread about it. This thread is for me to post pictures and talk about what I have done with my truck. I will be posting pictures of mods and adventures.
Here is a picture of it right after I got it from a used car dealer. It was $4,700 and had 253,xxx miles.

Quick and Dirty specs:
1998 SR5 automatic, 4x4, no locker
265/75/16 Goodyear Duratrac tires
Stock Alloy rims painted black
Bilstein 4600 shocks
New OEM rear springs (to fix sag)
Curt roof rack (only when I need it)
Uniden Pro 520 XL CB radio w/ 5' Firestik antenna


My dad got this for me as a graduation present, so he was able to help me out a little with initial service. We had the usual timing belt and water pump service, plus all of the fluids changed. Within the next week, we had the original shocks replaced and had the dealer replace the cracked windshield for free. After the service was done, I took it to likely it's first trip off road with some friends. (This was no doubt a MallRunner)

Since then, I haven't really done too much modding. I took off the running boards, got new OEM rear springs to fix sag, and hot new tires. I have however taken it on a few camping road trips, as well as plenty wheeling day trips. All very fun things! Here is a relatively current picture:

Currently working on a CB Radio antenna mount. I will post pictures soon when I am finished.

List of wants:
Some kind of locker (yet to decide which)
1"-2" lift by way of OME 880/906 springs
OutdoorLogic front/rear bumpers
Savage Off-Road skid plate
Some kind of sliders (I may fab them)

 

[hrt4me]

looks good! is it a 5-speed or automatic? rear e-locker?

 

[HotRodKing]

Auto and no locker unfortunately. A locker is on my list of mods! Don't know much about them yet tho. I know that air lockers are good, but they are expensive. Are there other cheaper alternatives?

 

[downpour11]

Auto and no locker unfortunately. A locker is on my list of mods! Don't know much about them yet tho. I know that air lockers are good, but they are expensive. Are there other cheaper alternatives?

Aussie locker. 'nuff said.

 

[HotRodKing]

Aussie locker. 'nuff said.

That looks a little more in my price range. Does it have much effect on day-to-day driving? And how hard is it to install?

 

[downpour11]

That looks a little more in my price range. Does it have much effect on day-to-day driving? And how hard is it to install?

[MENTION=75445]4Running Daily[/MENTION]

 

[4Running Daily]

[MENTION=75445]4Running Daily[/MENTION]

I don't have an Aussie, I have an air locker.

 

[KidVermicious]

Aussie and Spartan lockers are a breeze to install - if you can change your brake pads you can install a lunchbox locker. And if your truck is an automatic you'll hardly even notice it's there unless you like to floor the throttle while making U turns.

 

[white_n_slow]

Aussie locker is pretty simple to install with a little bit of mechanical knowledge. It is also the best $300 you will ever spend on a truck that gets used off road. It is perfectly fine for daily driving, just makes some funny noises and may make you peel out if from time to time if you're not paying attention.

 

[downpour11]

I don't have an Aussie, I have an air locker.

Oh dammit. For some reason I thought you had an Aussie. My bad.

 

[HotRodKing]

Aussie locker is pretty simple to install with a little bit of mechanical knowledge. It is also the best $300 you will ever spend on a truck that gets used off road. It is perfectly fine for daily driving, just makes some funny noises and may make you peel out if from time to time if you're not paying attention.

Yeah that sounds good. I was thinking about my next mod being OME springs to get a little over an inch of lift, but I think my money is better spent on a locker first.

 

[HotRodKing]

Not sure if this has happened to anyone else, but last month my rear shock came off. When I saw this I was a little shocked.

Not being at home and it being pretty late in the afternoon, I had to find a bolt and washer that fit before stores closed. I ended up finding the right diameter, but the wrong threads, so I settled for this:

I didn't want to thread it on all the way because I would have ruined the threads in the mount. I was able to limp home and right when I got off the freeway, I could hear the bolt fall out. When moving forward, the shock just hangs down and rattles on the sway bar. Unfortunately, on the short drive from the freeway to my house I lost the outside bushing. The next day I went to a proper hardware store (NOT Home Depot) and managed this:

Not ideal, I know, but it got me where I needed to go. After almost two weeks the Toyota parts department couldn't get me the right washer, but I did get new bushing. On the left in the picture below are the parts I got at the hardware store. The ones on the right are the ones Toyota said would work. The problem is that the bolt goes right through the center of the Toyota washer!

In the end, I just put the washer I got from the hardware store on in front of the Toyota washer to keep it from falling out. I wanted to use that washer because it has a slight curve to hold the bushing in place. Kind of a headache that it took so long with Toyota and that they didn't even end up having the right part.

 

[GX4SEVEND]

I had the same thing happen to me. Make sure to use the correct washers and bolt and use locktite and you'll be good.

 

[HotRodKing]

I had the same thing happen to me. Make sure to use the correct washers and bolt and use locktite and you'll be good.

Where can I find the correct washer? The one with the curve that I got has the wrong inside diameter. Some local junkyards never have any 3rd gen 4runners to go take one from.

 

[HotRodKing]

So last week I got a little track time in with my Runner and did some not-so-hot laps...

Probably set the slowest lap time for this little circuit made for high output Go Karts. I have no regrets.

 

[HotRodKing]

looks good! is it a 5-speed or automatic? rear e-locker?

No 5 speed or e locker

Probably going to get a locker as my next mod

 

[HotRodKing]

Finally got my very own sticker from trackdecal.com!

 

[HotRodKing]

CB install

I ended up deciding on the Uniden Pro 520 XL and to mount it in the ash tray area. First order of business, make room for the CB.

Ahh it fits! Used some Velcro to keep it from sliding in and out on its own.

I proceded to run the 18' cable under interior trim pieces and out of the back. The cable just runs between the rear hatch and the weather stripping, then directly behind the bumper. For a few days I used an old antenna my dad found and a magnetic mount on the roof. I eventually ended up making my own mount for the antenna.

 

[HotRodKing]

CB install - The Mount

I am by no means a metalworker, and by all means a cheapskate. I decided that I would use some scrap metal and my dad's welder to make an antenna mount of my own. I am very pleased as to how it turned out! I had never actually welded anything in the past and all my dad did was show me how to adjust the voltage, wire speed, and gas. After that, he just left me to my work.

I started off with this piece. I wanted to use the existing holes used by the rubber stop. I also had to give the piece a slight bend so it stayed tight to the body of the car. Unfortunately, I don't have a picture showing the slight bend.

I wanted this piece to match the contour of the body, so I spent way longer than I should have slaving over this part.

Drilled a hole and mounted the antenna! Had to call it a day after that.

The next day I ground the side down a little because the metal would slightly rub the door. Still a tight fit, but not bad.

To stop the antenna from flexing so much, I added this piece.

I primed the bracket with white primer, but haven't painted it yet. I planned to paint it black, but I kinda like the white. I'll finish up the paint eventually... :nod:

Overall I am surprised how well this actually turned out. It makes me want to learn how to weld better and fab other cool stuff.