Misadventures in Vulgaria

[Vulgarian]

Alrighty, here goes... While I've owned other capable four wheel drive vehicles, the 4Runner has always been at the top of my list of trucks available to me. As I spend a lot of time outdoors doing a variety of activities, I plan on building an overland vehicle. Hopefully, this will begin to chronicle that build and the (mis)adventures had in my 'runner.

 

[Vulgarian]

I went to the East Side of the Sierra to do some fly fishing. In Bishop I saw the Mothership...


We hit the upper Owen's River.


...which sucked, so I begged off and went skiing in Mammoth for two days. It's good to have choices.


While skiing I met this fellow T4R'r but forgot his name. Nice guy though with a nice truck.

 

[Vulgarian]

The following weekend I ended up in Joshua Tree for some climbing. We did some exploring outside the park and played around.





Hopefully, in the next two weeks I'll get my lift installed. It's making me crazy owning it and not having it on.

 

[Vulgarian]

Lift and Tires!!!

Demello Offroad installed my lift and tires for me this week. I couldn't be happier with the results.

Here's Before:


Here's After:

 

[Vulgarian]

This surprised me...

The amount of actual clearance gained from the tires upsizing and Icon lift surprised me. I was expecting about 5/8" less.

 

[bjohnston115]

Awesome pics... LOVE that mother ship. That thing can beam me up anytime.

 

[itsdchz]

Great start! Thanks for sharing your adventures!

 

[Ski Wagon]

I begged off and went skiing in Mammoth for two days. It's good to have choices.

Nice! I'll be packing similar multi-choice equipment for a trip next weekend near Crested Butte.

 

[brockvond]

Is Vulgaria in Eastern Europe?

 

[Spenny]

how great are those Coopers! Just had mine put on last Friday, almost silent on the road.

 

[Vulgarian]

how great are those Coopers! Just had mine put on last Friday, almost silent on the road.

So far, I'm digging 'em. They are quiet and good looking too.

 

[Vulgarian]

Is Vulgaria in Eastern Europe?

No, actually it's where ever I am...

 

[Vulgarian]

Lowering My Expectations

Well, this build hasn't been without frustration. Big-0 scratched my wheels putting on my tires and getting the alignment worked out has been a sh!t show. Good thing, I paid extra for all that easily align-able extra crap in the Icon Stage-7 - Pffffft. Oh well, live and learn.

On the advice of Icon I went to So Cal Super Trucks who drove my truck and said, "yup, it's pulling" and then spent the next three hours trying to get it to drive right. During that time they had it on the rack three times minimum and test drove it every time. I'll admit they worked hard trying to get it there. Big-O wouldn't even test drive it after each go. I have to say, the one thing I've learned in all this is to lower my expectations around mods, vendors and after market hooey.

 

[bimrunner]

Well, this build hasn't been without frustration. Big-0 scratched my wheels putting on my tires and getting the alignment worked out has been a sh!t show. Good thing, I paid extra for all that easily align-able extra crap in the Icon Stage-7 - Pffffft. Oh well, live and learn.

On the advice of Icon I went to So Cal Super Trucks who drove my truck and said, "yup, it's pulling" and then spent the next three hours trying to get it to drive right. During that time they had it on the rack three times minimum and test drove it every time. I'll admit they worked hard trying to get it there. Big-O wouldn't even test drive it after each go. I have to say, the one thing I've learned in all this is to lower my expectations around mods, vendors and after market hooey.

Probably would be worth uca. Lots of folks with experience here with endless threads about alignment after lifting. Uca gets you there easily. Stock is tough at 3" up front.

 

[Jeremy556]

and getting the alignment worked out has been a sh!t show. Good thing, I paid extra for all that easily align-able extra crap in the Icon Stage-7 - Pffffft. Oh well, live and learn.

It always is. Using all of the stock LCA adjusters is outside the realm of about 95% of alignment "techs." I highly doubt you'll find anyone that is even willing to touch heim joints on UCAs to dial in alignment.

 

[Jeremy556]

Probably would be worth uca. Lots of folks with experience here with endless threads about alignment after lifting. Uca gets you there easily. Stock is tough at 3" up front.

Pretty sure I see Icon billet UCAs in that after lift pic. He just needs to find a half way competent alignment guy, which is very difficult.

 

[bimrunner]

Pretty sure I see Icon billet UCAs in that after lift pic. He just needs to find a half way competent alignment guy

Haha. I didn't look closely. Just read the signature block. I'm with you, it shouldn't be hard for a halfway decent alignment tech.

 

[Vulgarian]

Haha. I didn't look closely. Just read the signature block. I'm with you, it shouldn't be hard for a halfway decent alignment tech.

Yes, the UCA's are the Icon billet. What a f'n joke those turned out to be.

 

[bimrunner]

Yes, the UCA's are the Icon billet. What a f'n joke those turned out to be.

Billet is simply a looks thing, but they aren't bad UCAs. I think you just got some bad techs working on your rig. I've not had any issues getting +5 castor and in spec for camber and toe. I'm using a different UCA, but the should be able to get you where you need to go. Having the castor further forward keeps it tracking very nice on the highway at speed. Hope you get it dialed and can move forward.