Low-mile 2019 TRD offroad: so far so awesome.

[Humble Leader]

Haha, well, I’ve definitely mulled the hard-mount idea. I’m still sifting through varied reports of compressors getting hammered by the constant heat of the engine compartment and having issues with seals, etc.


And as far as diff breather’s go, they’re definitely on my list. I’ve opened enough diffs with a nice milkshake in them to want to avoid that experience if possible. The ARB kit is expensive-ish, but i like that it’s a package deal and can be added to:


ARB 4x4 Accessories 170112 Differential Axle Breather Kit for drivetrain differentials, transmissions and transfer cases Amazon.com: ARB 4x4 Accessories 170112 Differential Axle Breather Kit for drivetrain differentials, transmissions and transfer cases : Automotive

Here’s their replacement tubing kit, too, to set aside for replacements or to expand to the tranny/tcase.

ARB 170113 ARB Xtras For Axle Breather Kit Amazon.com: ARB 170113 ARB Xtras For Axle Breather Kit : Automotive

I looked at the arb kit too. the issue I have with the standard kit they sell on amazon is that the plastic hose they provide I am sure will not survive winter up here. I know it's cold and hot rated. but I would imagine after splashing around in cold water during the winter and getting a deep freeze at night on a regular basis (like -20+ degrees F) the hose would become brittle and eventually crack with articulation. especially over repeated heating and cooling cycles because summer weather can get pretty hot where I am. I suppose I could use fuel line but then this little project becomes much bigger than it needs to be for less than a 1% chance of me ever needing the diff breather

when it comes to onboard air I had that concern. I think though if you open your hood when you use the compressor you should be ok. I was concerned about that as well

 

[bigdaddy2021]

Rear load-out plan has been working really well for daily driver and off-road trail use.

Just a reminder of our loadout:

• AJC cargo area plate
• Rago fab molle panels and shelf (Total game changer storage-wise.)
• ICECO slide (One of our favorite additions)
• Nice “cheap” heavy duty Igloo cooler
• cheap molle bags for gear
• battery-powered LED lighting(still going on OG batteries), in addition to OEM lighting.
• Earth Pak waterproof duffels - (4) 50L duffels fit pretty darned well on upper shelf.
• Various Plano storage boxes from Home Depot for dry food, trail tools and recovery gear.

Rago shelf is perfect to allow for 2 levels of storage. ICECO slide attached to the AJC panel completely transforms the cooler/fridge access experience and NOT having drawers really allows us 100% capability to slick the rear down for carrying bulky items.

 

[bigdaddy2021]

Some more Moab shots…

 

[bigdaddy2021]

Well, what can i say…this rig has met or exceeded every expectation we had when we bought it.

Reliable
Comfortable
Sure-footed
Good aftermarket support
Great community of folks with similar builds/interests
Great audio/bluetooth
Great compromise between adequate interior space for family of 5 and minimizing size of vehicle for tight trails.

Averaging about 16mpgs, with 17-18mpg tankfulls on the long stretches to and from Moab.

Just took it on it’s first trip up to the snow at our local mountains between Xmas and New Years. Stayed up in a cabin for about 4 days and through sleet, icy roads, and fresh powder the rig and our BFG’s did great.

Some trip pics:

 

[bigdaddy2021]

Next projects on the list are:

1. Remove Hi-lift mount from roof.
2. Fab up hi-lift mount for rear swingaway
3. Scoot sandladders to the starboard edge of LFD rails near our awning.
4. Purchase and mount lo-pro Rocket/roof box, in newly cleared roof real estate, for increased storage. Plan is to stow our 5 personal dry bags (ruggedized duffels) up top to free up interior space.

2022/2023 Trip plans:

Kings canyon/Sequoia NP
Yosemite NP
Pacific NW/British Columbia wheeling/exploring
Big bear trail running
Desert wheeling and maybe a trip to the Hauser Geode beds.


Love some recommendations for locking rooftop boxes that fit the LFD rails. 70-80”L x 28-30”W x 16-18”H seems to be what we have available.

 

[Humble Leader]

Love some recommendations for locking rooftop boxes that fit the LFD rails. 70-80”L x 28-30”W x 16-18”H seems to be what we have available.

I don't have an LFD rack (they don't ship to canada) but I do have a pelican 1720 case mounted up on my thule crossbars. I've had it for a while now and really like it. I throw a master padlock through it and it keeps it locked. I keep my fire extinguisher, air compressor, hoses, recovery gear etc up in there

what I did was drilled 4 holes in the bottom of the case and mounted it up with bolts onto my crossbars (thule has a t tack system), using bonded sealed washers to create a weather tight seal. you might be able to do something similar with an LFD rack

 

[bigdaddy2021]

I don't have an LFD rack (they don't ship to canada) but I do have a pelican 1720 case mounted up on my thule crossbars. I've had it for a while now and really like it. I throw a master padlock through it and it keeps it locked. I keep my fire extinguisher, air compressor, hoses, recovery gear etc up in there

what I did was drilled 4 holes in the bottom of the case and mounted it up with bolts onto my crossbars (thule has a t tack system), using bonded sealed washers to create a weather tight seal. you might be able to do something similar with an LFD rack

Good suggestion! I’ll explore that option, thanks!

 

[Humble Leader]

Good suggestion! I’ll explore that option, thanks!

LFD now ships to Canada. I was looking at the cross bars yesterday after I made my post. I'd either use the T bolts that go into the channels and mount a case that way or have the bolt head inside the case and have a longer bolt go straight through to the bar through the channel (I probably would do this). some washers and a lock nut and you'd be fine. I suspect you would have enough clearance to get a crescent or ratchet on the bottom of the cross bar

I like LFD but they are spendy when I factor in customs, shipping and currency exchange

You could also use the accessory mount from LFD if you wanted to make mounting easier. you can pretty much mount any box up there if you are willing to drill holes in the box

question: do you have wind noise with your LFD. I've read of people having some bad wind noise even with the fairing. I drive mostly highway so that's important to me. with my thules and even pelican up there I get zero noticeable wind noise even when radio is off

 

[bigdaddy2021]

question: do you have wind noise with your LFD. I've read of people having some bad wind noise even with the fairing. I drive mostly highway so that's important to me. with my thules and even pelican up there I get zero noticeable wind noise even when radio is off

thanks for the notes on attachment. i actually did grab their multi-mount to set aside for future use, so I'm definitely considering cobbling something together, since I'm finding that roof boxes are in the 500-1000 range ($$$- ouch!)

As for our LFD bars, I have zero noticeable noise, also. We have their wind fairing bar, instead of a separate wind fairing on a square bar. I think that makes a big difference.

It fits VERY snuggly to the roof.

Overall, it's one of our favorite mods, since it looks factory from the side of the rig, but added an immense amount of utility for our "roof stuff".

 

[bigdaddy2021]

Happy new year, er'body

Anyone else just been enjoying their 4runner?!

We've taken it around town on a few winter drives, and it's been serving as a poor weather grocery-getter through some pretty crumby weather.

I love the all 5 window down option for ventilation. The throw-back nostalgia to my first-gen 4runner in college is strong with this rig.

I think our next off-highway adventure will likely be to the anza-borrego desert while the temps are still nice and comfy to see some sights and go on a few particular trails.

 

[honda250xtitan]

this thing went from 0 to 100 real quick. Nice work. I'm usually not a fan of those bulky rear bumpers but that one is clean.

 

[bigdaddy2021]

Warn M8000 with Synthetic line installed in a WARN 100022 bumper on a 2019 TRD offroad.

Bought off Amazon (don't be surprised if it says it doesnt fit a 2019. It does) and delivered 3 days later.
Installed in about 3-4 hours. My stepdad helped with the final install of the “winched” bumper. A cherry picker helped make it easy as pie.

Trimming of the bumper was easy, followed the outline of the silver trim panel. Also trimming of the plastic radiator shrouds was limited to the bottom 1/3 of each piece. Easily done with a dremel.

Just wanted to say again here that I REEEEALLY am stoked about this Warn front bumper. It was much less expensive than other options, with literally no lead time, and was a very straightforward install.

The modest weight rides well with my Dobinson's kit, and I really like that my expensive synthetic winch cable is not bombarded by sunlight all day long.

As mentioned in another thread, this winch insert took a monumental hit coming off a bowl in Moab, where we literally fell off an undercut decline to the ground below, landing on one side of the bumper. It dented, but didn't deform/degrade the bumper and protected the truck like a boss.

 

[bigdaddy2021]

this thing went from 0 to 100 real quick. Nice work. I'm usually not a fan of those bulky rear bumpers but that one is clean.

Thanks!

As to the speed: Bucket-list build - I've known what I've wanted for about 15 years...LOL.

Same here on the bulk. 3 kids, 3 kids worth of stuff, and a truck that while uber-reliable, only gets 15mpgs on a good day = Swingaway's being a requirement.

Really like that Victory allows you to add them later or not at all.

 

[SurfToy]

Anyone else just been enjoying their 4runner?!

We've taken it around town on a few winter drives, and it's been serving as a poor weather grocery-getter through some pretty crumby weather.

I love the all 5 window down option for ventilation. The throw-back nostalgia to my first-gen 4runner in college is strong with this rig.

I think our next off-highway adventure will likely be to the anza-borrego desert while the temps are still nice and comfy to see some sights and go on a few particular trails.

We haven't had a chance yet to take our new-to-us TEP off the highway yet. Can't wait...

 

[bigdaddy2021]

FINALLY got around to organizing and editing my video from some of our Moab trip in Nov '21. Enjoy!

Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WinL2W8oQqY&feature=youtu.be

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WinL2W8oQqY" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Mr_Bingley]

I do like that AJC plate, may have to pull the trigger for our fridge

 

[bigdaddy2021]

Went to anza-borrego last weekend, rig did awesome. Dobinson suspension took 30 mph offroad corrugations intermittently for hours in the OHV area and also flexed heroically through some twisty sections.

And for those who asked about having a fully armored belly, and if i was worried about heat issues: four days crawling in 4hi/4lo in 97° heat = nothing to report. Temp gauge never moved, floorboards were cool to the touch.

 

[bigdaddy2021]

This picture shows just how much storage our 4runner has for 5 people.

We have done our best to minimize/miniaturize our setup, but we simply end up with a full load with such a lean/narrow vehicle compared to something like a Sequoia/Tahoe/Expedition.

That being said, the passenger area has zero overflow and lots of legroom for my tall self, tall wife and tall kiddo's. The Frontrunner rack is a gamechanger and when we're able to strap our weatherproof duffels and other bulky/light gear, there's lots of leftover room.

Another note: Victory4x4 Strike bumper - We LOVE this bumper for the following reasons

1. Excellent step to access the rear of the roof rack
2. Excellent table/surface for fishing gear or trailside snack stops
3. Solid recovery point
4. improves breakover angle quite a bit
5. looks awesome
6. Allows for dual swingaways, but in our opinion, looks great without them.

We're honestly enjoying the unfettered access to the rear hatch (without a swing-away installed) and have moved our jack/maxtrax/fuel to the roof without much drama. Also thinking that our spare tire fits just fine in it's stock position. We carry a tire patch kit, too, so not too worried if we go up in tire size (and don't carry an exact sized spare.)

 

[bigdaddy2021]

Had a blast out in Pismo, here's the things I know:

1. Thule box: We love our thule box mounted to the roof rack for secure storage. Probably will end up getting a longer one, to better utilize the space up there.

2. Airing down: Airing down makes a HUGE difference in ride comfort. We didn't air down at all in Anza-Borrego and the corrugations rattled us silly after just a day. We basically "floated" our way around Pismo @ about 18-20 PSI. What we did notice is that we definitely traded comfort for ground clearance. We'll be going up in tire size to compensate because we are sold on the comfort/traction we gained.

3. Onboard Air: Airing down doesn't require an expensive compressor. Ours is a cheap $40.00 model off amazon that got good reviews.

4. Smell the roses: Take time to get out, pause and enjoy where you are. We paused for about an hour just watching the surf from these dunes, digging in the sand, watching the buggies zip around and made a lasting memory with our girls.

5. Cruising: With all our mods, we've been careful not to compromise the street-ability of our 4runner. Skids, sliders, Dobinson's suspension, winch bumper, rear bumper, rack, snorkel, etc. are all completely transparent on the highway cruising at 70mph to get to or from our destination. MPG's have probably taken a hit, but it's within 1-2 mpg's of where we were stock, at this point. No biggie for an adventure rig. (We have a Honda Civic for commuting. )

 

[bigdaddy2021]

Around this time last year in 2021, I was just starting to live out a decision we had made earlier in the year.

You see, i'm a car guy, a Jeep guy, a Toyota guy, but mostly a car guy and while I enjoy garage time working on projects. that's ALL a vintage jeep had been for me for the previous 4 years. as in, zero trail time. I was just burnt out on that life and grew sick of going into the garage for yet another thrash session.

Now, to be honest and clear:

1. Due to budget - the two jeeps i picked were absolute basket cases requiring extensive work. (see pic below)
2. Due to budget - i was doing all work myself with help from a few friends
3. due to nostalgia and a romantic view of older vehicles - I had picked older, carb'd vehicles that honestly always required tinkering to run/drive correctly.

Fast forward to summer 2021 and my wife and I just flat decided enough was enough, that It was time to let me build a fresh new vehicle with the ability to road-trip and tackle tough terrain and just get out there.

In the last year we've been to:

1. Anza-borrego SP - Coyote canyon
2. Ocotillo wells SRVA
3. Julian/Mt. Laguna snow wheeling
4. Moab, UT. - all over
5. Pismo beach SRVA
6. Local SD trails (otay truck trail, etc.)

Plus, numerous local trips around town and socal, in comfort to visit family, go fishing, go sightseeing, etc, etc.

Bottom pic from a couple weeks ago, on Fiesta Island here in Sandy Eggo where I took time to drive in 4wd on the sand to a good spot. I pulled out my grampa's vintage cane 5wt fly rod and proceeded to catch a respectable-sized halibut (my first), much to my delight.

cheers!