Inv4drZm's Build Thread

[aemravan]

Not a terrible price, can't wait to see how this thing works out for you man!

 

[Inv4drZm]

Not a terrible price, can't wait to see how this thing works out for you man!

I'm dreaming of that high-clearance belly where I don't have to worry every time I crunch the stock fuel tank skid.

Any extra capacity and improved weight distribution is a plus.

 

[Inv4drZm]

Picked up a fun used toy. 2020 Specialized Fuse mountain bike (cause we have so many mountains in Kansas)

Got a Yakima 4 bike carrier, need to make the bike more level though.

Have a big Colorado backpacking trip planned soon and been training for a marathon while doing my normal gym stuff so only had time for a single local 10 mile ride.

 

[Inv4drZm]

I forgot, I entered my 4Runner into the car show at work. I even washed it beforehand lol. Floor jack to show off the front suspension.

 

[Inv4drZm]

OH MAN it looks so good.

 

[Inv4drZm]

 

[aemravan]

dang, that thing look fantastic man!

 

[Inv4drZm]

dang, that thing look fantastic man!

As long as I don't screw it up with bad welds.

Sadly I'm out of space to work on it unless I rent storage for the Celica in the garage which I'm considering, or wait for my parents to move out in a year or two once they finish building their house. They get the left side of the garage and I get the right.

 

[Inv4drZm]

Pics to keep me motivated over the winter. 21" ground clearance vs current tank has 16". Tank might fit tight under the body, might need to trim body bracing or space skid down. But plenty of clearance with the axle. Still thinking I might just weld the skid to the bumper

 

[Inv4drZm]

For my future reference, rear seats weigh 75lbs

 

[Inv4drZm]

I have my front bumper and skid plate files still on my computer somewhere, hopefully. If not its easy enough to remeasure and remodel.

Been thinking about redesigning using either 1/8" AR plate, or hybrid steel frame with replaceable aluminum (6061?) panels for skids and front bumper.

Front bumper is currently all 1/4", could shed 70 lbs in front and 30lbs underneath. An 1/8" AR plate bumper with aluminum panels should weigh roughly 50lbs.

Might be a good winter project, and brother currently sells DIY toyota bumpers on his website (Iconic Fabrication) with AR plate as an option, could work in some sort of deal.

 

[aemravan]

I still want to go hybrid both front and rear on mine for weight savings … I love the Coastal bumpers.. but man .. they are solid steel…


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[Inv4drZm]

Rough design so far but more or less matches my current bumper but with plate wings instead of tube wings. And 1/8" AR plate will be plenty strong and 70lbs lighter than my 1/4" steel bumper. Thinking about Diode Dynamics 30" lightbar plus their 2" amber SAE lights for each side. I can't afford Baja Designs lightbars lol.

 

[4RunnerAquasport]

Rough design so far but more or less matches my current bumper but with plate wings instead of tube wings. And 1/8" AR plate will be plenty strong and 70lbs lighter than my 1/4" steel bumper. Thinking about Diode Dynamics 30" lightbar plus their 2" amber SAE lights for each side. I can't afford Baja Designs lightbars lol.

Not very many of us CAN afford BD lol. The Rigids I have do the job well enough.

 

[Inv4drZm]

Mostly done, should weigh 73 lbs. Can't decide on triple hoop or single hoop.

 

[aemravan]

Single hoop if it were mine .. looks great though !


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[Inv4drZm]

Figured out I could weld aluminum with my mig machine without a $500 spool gun. This is 3/16" 6061 I had lying around, using 100% argon (tig) gas. More testing is needed to see if I can weld 1/4" aluminum, I'm at max wire feed speed already. I figured out 1/8" steel bumper at my work's cost is roughly $75 and a 1/4" alum bumper is $220. Was thinking to weld a 3/16" or 1/4" aluminum bumper to daily without a winch, and keep the winch in a heavier steel bumper ready to install for offroad trips a few times a year.

I have a tig machine and can weld aluminum, though it takes more skill, harder if out of position, and will take forever to weld a bumper together. That's why mig makes sense to me and I believe its what bumper mfg's use on aluminum.

Rough weights for a flat top bumper:

10 ga steel 78lbs
3/16" steel 110lbs
1/4" alum 47lbs
3/16" alum 36lbs
current 1/4" bumper 140lbs

 

[aemravan]

I've been meaning to get into aluminum welding.. I would absolutely LOVE aluminum bumpers over the current steel ones front and rear... I probably stand to save like 400lbs worth of weight if I switched to an aluminum bumper set...

The other options for a bit less weight savings would be a hybrid bumper setup.. which is probably a bit more realistic for me..

 

[Inv4drZm]

I've been meaning to get into aluminum welding.. I would absolutely LOVE aluminum bumpers over the current steel ones front and rear... I probably stand to save like 400lbs worth of weight if I switched to an aluminum bumper set...

The other options for a bit less weight savings would be a hybrid bumper setup.. which is probably a bit more realistic for me..

I think I've decided to get an 1/8" mild steel bumper cut out at work. Test fitup and make any design improvements.

Then have it cut at a real shop that has access to 1/8" AR plate.

Brother has made a few FJ bumpers from the stuff and supposedly its crazy strong. Very high price fluctuations but currently he says its reasonable.

I don't really want to deal with welding aluminum.

 

[Inv4drZm]

Went offroading for the first time in a few years (other than during a few backpacking trips). I got stuck in the mud until my rear air locker decided it would work.