MattinAZ's 85

[MattinAZ]

I posted some pics of my runner as I got it in the new member forum. I started working on some stuff that needed attention and decided to chronicle some of it here. It's not a build thread by any means. It's a fixing and improving thread, so to speak.

Had some rust on the underside of tailgate and hinges. There were also dents, dings and scratches under the body line so I did some research on DIY bedliner and came up with a plan.

Chose the rustoleum DIY bedliner. $18 a quart at Autozone. Did the tailgate bottom and back of bed. Didn't do the hinges cuz I didn't want to "glue" them on. Just spray painted the hinges.

When that was good and dry I did the outside of the tailgate from body line down.

From underneath. Gonna spray the underside of the bed and frame after a good cleaning.

 

[MattinAZ]

The next day I started on the outside.

Taped and prepped.

Goes by quicker when the wife helps roll the bedliner goo on the truck.

Finished pics coming. Also painted fiber top and bed linered the door sill/jamb, sliders and rear view mirrors.

 

[Mike Stimens.]

nice rig man

 

[MattinAZ]

where I'm at so far....

Also changed out driver side window regulator, cuz the window was skippin and droppin but no pics of that and cut out some new plastic moisture, well in AZ it's a dust barrier under the door panel.

 

[MattinAZ]

Took the insides out and finaly got a cage in...

Built a mount for the CB up top and made me a door jamb antenna mount at the tail gate.

 

[Iroke17]

-- removed by admin --

 

[illzoni]

That black along the bottom looks good. Have considered doing the same to mine.

What can you tell me about your frame sliders?

Thx,
Jon

 

[MattinAZ]

cool cage but you cant use your visors!

LOL I know good thing it's only AZ and not someplace sunny!

 

[MattinAZ]

That black along the bottom looks good. Have considered doing the same to mine.

What can you tell me about your frame sliders?

Thx,
Jon

The bed liner was pretty easy as shown above.

The sliders...Toyota, Suzuki Samurai, and Jeep Off Road Parts

 

[4runner_kid]

You don't have trail gear slider's. Is that cage a ORS cage?

 

[MattinAZ]

The PO told me they were trail gear...IDK.

I bought the cage from a dude who is 6'4" and it didn't leave him any headroom. He said it was allegedly a custom made unit out of an 86 xcab P/U. and he was going to put it in his 4runner but it didn't work for him. I got it cheap. :biggrin2:

I had to narrow it down some. After I got the numbers I needed for it to fit the dash and inside the kickplates the only welds I had to do in the truck were the two rear legs below the bend. I think it turned out OK. I just padded it up last night.

 

[4runner_kid]

The PO told me they were trail gear...IDK.

I bought the cage from a dude who is 6'4" and it didn't leave him any headroom. He said it was allegedly a custom made unit out of an 86 xcab P/U. and he was going to put it in his 4runner but it didn't work for him. I got it cheap. :biggrin2:

I had to narrow it down some. After I got the numbers I needed for it to fit the dash and inside the kickplates the only welds I had to do in the truck were the two rear legs below the bend. I think it turned out OK. I just padded it up last night.

I've never seen a rock slider like that. If i had to guess they were home built.

 

[MattinAZ]

So after getting the cage in and all padded up I took it out last weekend on the 27th. Didn't do anything crazy just hit a couple of trails near the house. On a particular off camber downhill I got some serious tire rub. No biggie. When we got home and aired up I noticed three knobs missing from the outer edge of the FR BFG with some steel belt sticking out. Other knobs before and after were tore up pretty good. Not cool.

Made some adjustments to the fender well during the week with the angle grinder and BFH, then went and got 2 new Maxxis Bighorns. Put the new ones out back and moved the old BFGs up front in case the adjustments were out of spec.

Went out today to check adjustments. Heard a little rubbing but no carnage to tire tread was observed. Tried to stuff the fronts on a couple of good climbs and downhills. Here is a still from some video my son shot.

This little u turn in a wash actually produced the loudest rub of the trip. It was a lot steeper than it looks in the pic and stuffed the tire pretty good. Saw some cuts but nothing I would call damage. I'm gonna do some more adjusting this week.

Here's my 13 year old when we took a break by the lake.

 

[MattinAZ]

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A link to my first you tube vid. Thanks to my son!

 

[MattinAZ]

Did the Sunflower Mine Trail this past weekend with a friend who is in a IH Scout club. Had a great run and 4R did outstanding.

I finished up the cage and my wife sewed me up a custom top. My original plan to tie down the rear of the top didn't work the way I wanted so I improvised for this run. I'm still thinkin about how I want to do it, although this worked great.

Couple pics and a link to my photo page with some video too.

Sunflower Mine 4-11 pictures by mattinaz - Photobucket

 

[4runner_kid]

Look's like a good time.

 

[glideraz]

looks like u had a good time nice looking runner