Thanks guys, a lot to unpack here. So let me go through this one by one.
I did a flex on a ramp in Hawaii with my TC LT in my FJ. But didnt get a reading as right as I was getting pretty high up on the ramp she started to totter quite a bit. Very lucky she didnt roll. All said you gain more travel than flex and the way that it will now soak up bumps and jokts while on the trail will make it more comfortable, inspiring confidence, and enjoyable on most any obstacle. Not to mention driving down forest roads or fire cuts at a higher speed is loads of fun. You will stay much more level on moguls. Even street driving is improved alot.
Dud you end up removing your rear sway bar as well since the front sway bar wont connect with the tc. Also did you gusset the front spindles your now weak points?
Keep it up, and plans on adding bump stop shocks or waiting to see how she feels but fore venturing there?
We may do a flex ramp if we can, or just get some photos of it using a forklift. But I'm not trying to beat anyone's scores here. The truck was never built to be a crawler. It was meant to be a super stable and comfortable overlander. I want to do the Rubicon but the truck was never meant to scramble up boulders, though it can. It's just a lot heavier than most other rigs.
As you said the truck gains more travel and flex, so it'll be more stable, and comfortable on and off road. The ICONs treated me well, but we're not up to the task long term for how much weight I was carrying even in a daily configuration.
We did remove the rear sway bars but replaced them with the Currie Anti-Rock setup, which is the first time as far as I am aware (and I did check) that anyone has done that in a 5th gen. The result from what I've heard Walt say is, "FRIGGIN AWESOME!" and we may have defined a new must have upgrade for people even without LT in their offroad rigs. We're getting more usable travel than any other setup out there. The sway bar delete gives more impressive numbers, but it's not usable travel with just a sway bar removal.
And yep we did the spindle gussets as well! There's really no room for the hydro bumps, if we wanted to put them in we would have to french them into the frame to make it happen. Which we may do maybe next summer after or before FJ Summit 11. But the truck is not meant to haul ass off road. Just be super awesome at normal speeds.
First off, it looks great. I'm hoping to get to see it in person next week but my schedule is filling up and I'd like to at least make a little progress on a bumper I'm building for my 4th gen. I'm sure it'll handle and ride great with the Kings.
Both my wife and I follow you on IG but I've pretty much abandoned social media. I just don't have time for the BS and drama that takes place. There's always some A-hole who thinks they know it all and won't move on. It's true that Kings, LT, 35's, gears, yeah it's all been done before but I'd still definitely consider your 4runner one of a kind. Above that, it's your build, and a very impressive one at that. It definitely gives me some ideas on what level I'd like to take my 5th gen (and 4th gen) to.
Thanks! I don't want to get in to the IG drama, but it was absurd. Like I said I built the truck for ME. On my dime. Full stop.
Here's the thing, rigs like the XO 4Runners really inspired me, I feel like I've surpassed those rigs, but I still look at what others are doing here on the forum and think to myself, "oooh that's really smart, I want to incorporate that into my rig!" it's never my way or the highway, and I'm always down to correct my previous thinking. If this truck lets people get inspired and do bigger and better things, rad. I'm only in competition with myself.
This is it right here. Just imagine it in black with a little Overland Empire elephant in the corner :wave:
SO well done. Jealous. Great work to you and Walt. Can't wait to see it in person!
Thanks. Hopefully we meet up soon! So many great rigs out there, yours especially!
Enjoy YOUR truck and do what you will with it, I'm pretty torqued off to hear people are acting like that, ridiculous.
:lalala:
People gonna people. It's the internet. Overlanding is really an adult sport, some people don't get that.
You have definitely embraced the "do it once, do it right" theory on this upgrade. Big props to you and Walt, can't wait to see this thing moving...fast...on dirt...preferably air-born :thumb3:
Good news is that next time we wheel together, I can spot your driveshaft clearance from my driver's seat
Buy once, cry once. And yeah you'll be able to park your 4Runner under mine.
