JasetheDamager's build thread for a 97 SR5 4x4

[JasetheDamager]

Let me begin by saying 3rd Gen 4Runners are one of the best all-around vehicles in the world, at least in this noob's humble opinion.

And a big thanks to everybody who posts useful and accurate information. I've learned so much from this forum the last few months and I'm continually amazed by my fellow T4R owners' ingenuity.

A bit about me: I'm in the OC, AKA land of the Mallcrawler or Brodozer, and I want my rig to be different, one that stands apart cuz it's actually offroad capable and a great DD. Basically, I'm trying to mix capability with good looks and safety. I started my build/upgrades from the inside out, meaning I've addressed all mechanical concerns. I originally bought the truck for 4,200$ with a mechanic friend helping me out and spent almost 6,000$ in immediate upgrades and maintenance in the first 6 weeks of ownership, which I detail throughout my thread. The truck had 131,500 miles on it when I bought it and I want to double that mileage, at least, if not triple it. If you're looking for a pure trail beast, look elsewhere. While I love traveling, camping, and backpacking, this truck is still my DD, so I can't go too overboard yet. I also have other financial obligations at this point, so I'm spacing out larger mods from here on out.

By the way, I'm well aware everybody on this forum would rather I ditch my brush guard that the PO installed. I've decided that with the help of a machinist friend, I'll going to design my own front and rear bumper. Until then I'm keeping the brush guard.

Anyway, thanks to this forum, here are pics of my rig as of today:





Now back to my original post:

I've become addicted to this forum while gathering advice for the 97 SR5 I recently purchased. Many members replied to my first thread and helped me a great deal. A few even requested pics and suggested I should start a build thread, since it's a better way to exchange info and gather advice.

And here's a pic of my rig the day I drove it home for the first time:

 

[JasetheDamager]

Upgrades/mods/maintenance I've done

These are the upgrades/maintenance items I've done since I bought my truck in late March, and I've posted some pics/details in my thread:
1) Installed Sonoran Steel 1.2 Alternate Kit
2) Replaced LBJs, UBJs, and inner/outer tie rods
3) Used Denso plugs and NGK wires
4) Flushed the tranny
5) Rear diff service
6) Replaced the left front CV, which was cracked
7) New lower control arm bushings
8) Rebuilt and rebalanced the front and rear driveshaft due to poor maintenance by PO
9) Replaced rear axle bearings and seals
10) Replaced both my front and rear brakes (Did this before I knew about the Tundra brake upgrade, so I'll eventually do this)
11) Installed Hankook Dynapro ATs 305/70R16
12) Had my Ultra wheels powder coated a semi-gloss black, which looks great
13) Installed Energy Suspension sway bar bushings
14) Installed Duralast Gold battery
15) Installed B&M tranny cooler
16) Upgraded dome and cargo light to blue LEDs I got on Oznium.com
17) Removed running boards and cheap wheel flares installed by PO
18) Plasti-Dipped the emblems
19) Replaced passenger door cuz of poor body work performed by PO
20) Aligned suspension and balanced tires
21) Installed new toggle switches for running lights and extra radiator fan
22) Installed Ultra-Gauge, though I still need to calibrate it
23) Replaced my torn up armrest with one from a 2000 Isuzu Rodeo
24) Had a pro electrician rewire most of my truck, including lights, stereo, and problems with dashboard
25) Swapped all speakers and tweeters for Pioneer
26) Painted my floormats black
27) Taco Whip Mod
28) Replaced missing plastic clips in doors and center console
29) Painted chassis/undercarriage
30) Painted front bumper, grille, rear bumper, and rear brake spoiler with SEM trim black
31) Reconnected AC clutch, so now I have a working AC just in time for summer!
32) Replaced my IAC to deal with inconsistent idle
33) Replaced fuel filter
34) Complete coolant flush and switched to Toyota red
35) Replaced A/C belt, PS belt, and alternator belt

This is my current wishlist now that I've satisfied all of my mechanical concerns. The list is in no particular order:
-Paint job
-Fab my own bumpers, roof rack, and sliders
-Buy a decent set of wheel flares
-Possibly upgrade exterior lighting (Projector retrofit)
-Add PIAA fog lights
-Tint my windows
-Build shelves/drawers for rear cargo hatch
-I'm sure I'll figure out more mods if I keep hanging around this site

 

[farmerjon]

Very nice!

That is one nice stock 'Runner! Very clean and the body seems in excellent shape! Almost NO rust and you got it for a song! (to me, that's a pretty stinkin' good deal for a 4Runner.)

In my personal opinion, those particular brush guards seem to detract from the overall look of your 4Runner... No offense to you or anyone else who likes them, they just seem a bit crudely put together/homemade looking. Glad you have an ARB planned, I LOVE mine.

Probably just me.

Sweet runner!! :cheers:

Also, pretty nice to get those Hellas included, I'm looking for some for mine (if you consider further lighting changes, consider IPF lights, they are really good quality for a cheaper price, ARB advertises them, I want some - specifically the IPF 968's or the 868's)

Need to do the tranny cooler and I'm definitely getting an ultragauge...

again, welcome! Good to have you here, always gad to have another 3rd gen owner join the site!

 

[fightman80]

Very nice shape man! BTW, the paint color is definitely Evergreen Pearl, and those bumper signal lights, are after market. (I have the same ones)

If I remember correctly, you said you were gonna get some plate bumpers for that thing?? Is that still in the plans? I had thought about doing so last year, when I had to replace my front bumper, after trying to do an impression of the Titanic's Maiden voyage! lol! To make a long story short, I opted for an aftermarket replacement, as I found I didn't really use my rig for off-roading much, and didn't want to carry the extra weight.

Anyway, looks like a good plan you have going there! Keep this thread updated, we always like to see what everyone's doing with their 4Runner's!

 

[PitbullRescuer]

Nice base, good luck with the build. What are those two switches on the dash for? I figure one is probably the Hella's but the other one?

 

[JasetheDamager]

@Farmerjon: Thanks man! Yeah, I agree with you regarding the bumper. Once I have the cash, I plan on upgrading to an ARB since I've heard great things about them and my rig will have the requisite suspension. Plus I've also read that lesser bumpers can actually cause more damage in an accident, though I'm not planning on hitting anything (fingers crossed).

@Fightman80: Thanks! I'm still kicking around what I'm going to do with the front bumper. ARBs are awesome, no doubt, but like you, this is my daily driver and I'll mostly be driving it on pavement. I hike, camp, backpack, and travel a lot but I'm not sure I need such a heavy duty bumper. What to do...what to do...what to do...Unfortunately, the previous owner installed the current grille guard and drilled through the chrome, so I'm going to make changes.

@PitbullRescuer: Like you guessed, the black switch is for the Hellas, and the red switch is actually for a secondary radiator fan that the previous owner installed. I'm guessing the fan is useful if I'm doing some serious off-roading and don't want my radiator to overheat? Somebody else will have to weigh in on that.

 

[fightman80]

Too bad about the holes in the bumper! That being said, you could get another like I did??

Mine is an aftermarket piece, the fitment was kinda "B" quality, but the price was right! It's been over a year since I installed it, and it's still in good shape, rust wise.

I opted to mod my lower valance to install my auxiliary lights, and then got a hold of a Sport Edition Skid plate, and added to the front to shake things up!

I like the look, and it's all OEM looking.... a plus for me!

 

[BrianSD_42]

Hey man welcome to forum (offically). The truck looks pretty great and sounded like a very good deal.

I'm not sure how much they are charging to powder coat your wheels but for perspective, I paid $80 / wheel including taxes at a place in El Cajon.

 

[JasetheDamager]

@Fightman80: Your bumper looks great as well. I like the way you customized your lower valance with the lights. Truthfully, I'm glad to have alternatives to the ARB bumper. Sure it's cool, no doubt, but I'll have to figure out if it's what I need or if I'm just going overboard. I guess it depends how much off-roading I'm planning on doing.

Also, I just wanted to say to everyone else that there are some great build threads that not only show pictures, but list prices as well. I'll try my best to keep up and be honest with prices. My one problem right now is I'm pretty nomadic and I lack space to do my own work if it becomes complicated or messy. I split time between living with my girlfriend and working, so I mostly have to use my local shop, which inevitably jacks up prices. I know the owner and he's a cool guy who treats me well, but he still has to make a living. So I'll separate out prices for parts, and the total fees with install.

I'll keep everyone posted and make sure to take some pics.

 

[farmerjon]

@Fightman80: Your bumper looks great as well. I like the way you customized your lower valance with the lights. Truthfully, I'm glad to have alternatives to the ARB bumper. Sure it's cool, no doubt, but I'll have to figure out if it's what I need or if I'm just going overboard. I guess it depends how much off-roading I'm planning on doing.

Also, I just wanted to say to everyone else that there are some great build threads that not only show pictures, but list prices as well. I'll try my best to keep up and be honest with prices. My one problem right now is I'm pretty nomadic and I lack space to do my own work if it becomes complicated or messy. I split time between living with my girlfriend and taking care of my grandma, not to mention working, so I mostly have to use my local shop, which inevitably jacks up prices. I know the owner and he's a cool guy who treats me well, but he still has to make a living. So I'll separate out prices for parts, and the total fees with install. A big test is coming up this Friday when I get my complete suspension package installed and my new tires/wheels combo.

I'll keep everyone posted and make sure to take some pics.

One thing to consider regarding the pros and cons of a bumper like the ARB is other potential uses of it, besides off road... (why do people have them for off road anyway? just for front protection in case of skidding?)

The point is, consider other factors like:

Is there deer in your area? One deer can take out your entire front end and be a BIG pain to fix. I've read a number of stories where people with ARBs just shredded a deer that they hit at 65 MPH... ARB is an Australian company that tests their products extensively and they test the bumpers on the kangaroos that bounce across the highway. They've also been around longer than most alternatives, so they are more advanced, in my opinion.

What about weather? If you have a lot of weather extremes or just lots of cold weather in particular, you may want a front ARB bumper in case you lose control, also, it's 150 LBs of extra weight to help your tires...

If someone stops suddenly and you don't have enough space to brake properly, your Runner will be fine...

Food for thought... Any questions about the bumper, let me know.

 

[JasetheDamager]

Before finally going to bed, I just wanted to post the lit of parts and prices for my complete suspension upgrade. I'm going from stock to an SS 1.2 Alternate Kit from Sonoran Steel and paid 1,286$ including shipping. Here's what I got for my cash:
(1)-Toyota Progressive TRD Front Coil: Driver/Left Side
(1)-Toyota Progressive TRD Front Coil: Passenger/Right Side
(2)-Toyota Stover Nuts
(2)-Toyota Upper Shock Bushings
(2)-Sonoran Steel Fabrication L.L.C. Custom Polyurethane Top Plate Retainers
(2)-Bilstein 5100 Series Height Adjustable Nickel Plated Heavy Duty Front Shocks
(2)-Sonoran Steel Fabrication L.L.C. Front Differential Drop Spacers

Rear:
(2)-Toyota 80 Series Land Cruiser Coils
(2)-Genuine Toyota Tokico Black Rear Shocks & Supporting Hardware
(1)-Sonoran Steel Fabrication L.L.C. Adjustable Trac/PanHard Bar
(2)-Sonoran Steel Fabrication L.L.C. Extended Bump Stop Adapters with
(2)-Daystar "Competition Style" Bump Stops
(2)-Sonoran Steel Fabrication L.L.C. Rear Sway Bar Adjustment Brackets
(1)-Sonoran Steel Fabrication L.L.C. Braided Stainless Steel Extended Brake Line
(1)-Sonoran Steel Fabrication L.L.C. Parking/Emergency Brake Bracket

Obviously this is what you call a major upgrade. Thanks again to Brianemc2 for sending me down this road!

 

[Hepar]

Great list and great price for it too. Holes in the chrome? Yeah, better get an aftermarket bumper. Only question is, plate or tube? :frog:

 

[JasetheDamager]

Hey man welcome to forum (offically). The truck looks pretty great and sounded like a very good deal.

I'm not sure how much they are charging to powder coat your wheels but for perspective, I paid $80 / wheel including taxes at a place in El Cajon.

I'm paying the exact same rate to have my wheels powder coated. I'm hoping to get everything done in one day, but it depends when my SS kit arrives in the mail.

And thanks again for your advice regarding the lift. Everybody I know who actually knows anything about trucks thinks this is an awesome kit!

 

[JasetheDamager]

One thing to consider regarding the pros and cons of a bumper like the ARB is other potential uses of it, besides off road... (why do people have them for off road anyway? just for front protection in case of skidding?)

Food for thought... Any questions about the bumper, let me know.

Hey Farmerjon, you raise some excellent points. Like I've stated throughout this thread, my first goal is a quality suspension upgrade (SS 1.2 Kit), bigger tires, and making sure that my truck is mechanically sound. I'm hoping to address all of these issues this week, depending when my kit arrives in the mail, and then I want my mechanic to check out my LBJs and brakes. Once I'm satisfied with everything, then I'm looking at the ARB. I spend time on winding mountain roads, especially during backcountry trips, so the deer issue is on my mind. In my previous truck, I had two separate encounters that nearly ended in disaster, so I'm somewhat paranoid of deer.

I've spent hours researching prices, trying to get the best deal, but it seems the ARB is at least 800$, excluding shipping, which I'm sure runs another 100$ or so. Because of my nomadic nature at this time, I need to have the bumper professionally installed as well. Did you run into any trouble with that? It seems our 3rd Gens require slight modification for the ARB to fit.

 

[Hepar]

Hey Farmerjon, you raise some excellent points. Like I've stated throughout this thread, my first goal is a quality suspension upgrade (SS 1.2 Kit), bigger tires, and making sure that my truck is mechanically sound. I'm hoping to address all of these issues this week, depending when my kit arrives in the mail, and then I want my mechanic to check out my LBJs and brakes. Once I'm satisfied with everything, then I'm looking at the ARB. I spend time on winding mountain roads, especially during backcountry trips, so the deer issue is on my mind. In my previous truck, I had two separate encounters that nearly ended in disaster, so I'm somewhat paranoid of deer.

I've spent hours researching prices, trying to get the best deal, but it seems the ARB is at least 800$, excluding shipping, which I'm sure runs another 100$ or so. Because of my nomadic nature at this time, I need to have the bumper professionally installed as well. Did you run into any trouble with that? It seems our 3rd Gens require slight modification for the ARB to fit.

Are you set on an ARB? Not trying to say there's anything wrong with them, but there's quite a few options out there. Shrockworks, Outdoor Logic, Addicted, etc etc. The list goes on and on for great bumper options!

 

[JasetheDamager]

Hey Hepar, thanks for checking out my just-getting-started build thread. Cuz of this forum and other T4R owners, I've started off, at least in my opinion, my build in the correct manner by addressing all mechanical concerns.

As far as the bumper, no I don't need an ARB necessarily, I'm just not aware of other options as I'm new to the after-market bumper world. I've vaguely heard of Shrockworks, but none of the other companies. Is there a thread regarding bumpers? Do you have any particular recommendations?

 

[JasetheDamager]

Oh, and this is just a general cry and moan post, but I called Sonoran Steel today to check when they were shipping my 1.2 Kit (I was hoping yesterday or today) and it turns out they're just putting my kit together now and won't be shipping it until next Monday at the earliest, which means I won't get it until Wednesday, maybe Thursday. We're talking another 8-10 days before I get my suspension, tires, and wheel upgrades. I need a beer...:cry2:

 

[Hepar]

Hey Hepar, thanks for checking out my just-getting-started build thread. Cuz of this forum and other T4R owners, I've started off, at least in my opinion, my build in the correct manner by addressing all mechanical concerns.

As far as the bumper, no I don't need an ARB necessarily, I'm just not aware of other options as I'm new to the after-market bumper world. I've vaguely heard of Shrockworks, but none of the other companies. Is there a thread regarding bumpers? Do you have any particular recommendations?

Definitely the way to go doing the maintenance first. As far as bumpers go, first question I think you need to ask is plate or tube and then go from there. The build thread sticky has TONS of examples of various bumpers. Might help, but also might make the decision that much harder.

Oh, and this is just a general cry and moan post, but I called Sonoran Steel today to check when they were shipping my 1.2 Kit (I was hoping yesterday or today) and it turns out they're just putting my kit together now and won't be shipping it until next Monday at the earliest, which means I won't get it until Wednesday, maybe Thursday. We're talking another 8-10 days before I get my suspension, tires, and wheel upgrades. I need a beer...:cry2:

Ouch! Worse than being a kid at Christmas!

 

[farmerjon]

Hey Farmerjon, you raise some excellent points. Like I've stated throughout this thread, my first goal is a quality suspension upgrade (SS 1.2 Kit), bigger tires, and making sure that my truck is mechanically sound. I'm hoping to address all of these issues this week, depending when my kit arrives in the mail, and then I want my mechanic to check out my LBJs and brakes. Once I'm satisfied with everything, then I'm looking at the ARB. I spend time on winding mountain roads, especially during backcountry trips, so the deer issue is on my mind. In my previous truck, I had two separate encounters that nearly ended in disaster, so I'm somewhat paranoid of deer.

I've spent hours researching prices, trying to get the best deal, but it seems the ARB is at least 800$, excluding shipping, which I'm sure runs another 100$ or so. Because of my nomadic nature at this time, I need to have the bumper professionally installed as well. Did you run into any trouble with that? It seems our 3rd Gens require slight modification for the ARB to fit.

I actually bought my T4R with the ARB already installed - for which I'm thankful, since they can bit a bit tricky to get on... If you look around, there are some how-to's and such on how to install them yourself... I would recommend professional installation, like you're thinking, but that's me...

To me, the ARB is well worth it, another plus is you can see exactly where your front end is, like for parking or whatever, and that's a pretty nice plus (this is true for any brush guard or other bumpers)

Also, despite what Hepar said, D haha sorry Hepar )I think the ARB's are waayyyyy better than any of the other alternatives, they've been around longer, they also work with your airbags better (not as much as a stock bumper, but better than with other alternatives) (see http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/53925-arb-air-bags.html for an interesting read)

:gun6: As for deer, if you live on that kind of road with lots of deer (I can relate, seen some nasty deer accidents and my Lumina hit an 8 point buck @ 65MPH) - I would definitely recommend a stronger bumper of some sort, if not the ARB...

 

[JasetheDamager]

@Farmerjon: Hey man, I've been reading through other threads and stumbled across your posts and agree with you about all-around rigs. I'm not looking for a rock crawler or a trail beast, since my truck is my daily driver, but I do want a capable truck I can take into the backcountry when need arises. I feel like I'm taking those steps in the correct order with my upcoming upgrades. Mechanical first. Appearance second.

However, what you can't see from the pics I posted (Maybe some trick photography at work is that the front passenger door is a different shade of Evergreen Pearl than the rest of my truck cuz my mechanic buddy replaced the door with one from another 97 SR5. It's a faded color and has several scratches. Of course I have scratches all over the truck and some clear coat peel on the roof.

So I've decided that I'm going to get a decent paint job before I buy my front bumper. I feel like the truck looks awesome except for that damn door. I'm doing some research today and tomorrow to find a shop here in OC and get a few estimates. With the new lift, tires, wheels, and paint job, I think my rig will be a unique truck here in MallCrawler land where every other vehicle is a Tahoe, Hummer, or Escalade :gun4: