Mtns_Yo Build Thread

[Mtns_Yo]

2002 Toyota 4Runner 4X4 Sport Edition

3.4L V6 5VZ-lFE

Sunfire Red Pearl

My first Toyota! A little background about me. I am a complete rookie when it comes to all of this. I have no previous mechanical experience when it come to vehicles. This is also my first 4 wheel drive vehicle. So let's just say this is all new to me. I have been creeping on this website for about a year and finally decide to make an account when I purchased my rig. Big thanks to every single of the members here. All of you have thought me everything I know, I hope you enjoy my little build. It might not be much, but here it is.


As of January 2019.

It took my at least a year to find this vehicle, more like it found me. I actually purchased this vehicle off a good friend of mine he was the second owner. I actually drove him to pick up the vehicle back in November 2015. It was completely stock with 106K miles. He paid $8,800 for it. He ended up wanting a truck and found one April 5, 2017 and that's when I took it off his hand. I paid $8,000 and it had 119K miles.

I don't know why, but I never took pictures of it when I first bought the vehicle.

Here's the first picture I took of it.

April 19, 2017

Upgrades & Mods as of February 2019


Exterior

- PIAA Yellow Fog Lights
- ExtremeLED Single Row 18" Combo Light Bar
- Rigid Industries Dually Flush Mount Floodlight, Rear Bumper
- Smittybilt XRC-9.5K Winch, Synthetic Rope W/Aluminum Fairlead
- Factor 55 Hawse Fairlead
- Factor 55 FlatLink
- LED License Plate Lights
- LED Reverse Lights
- ARB High Air Output Compressor
- S2 Sport Chase Lights
- S2 Ditch Lights on Rago Fabrication Brackets
- Custom Full Length Roof Rack
- Tepui Kukenam 3, Olive Green
- TJM Awning
- 50 & 30 Watt Goal Zero Solar Panel
- 50 Watt Amazon Foldable Solar Panel

Armor:

- Custom Front Bumper
- Custom Rear Bumper
- Custom Rock Sliders
- 4xInnovations Full Skids

Electrical:

- Blue Sea 6 Circuit Fuse Block
- Switch-Pros 9100
- Custom Fuse Panel
- Big "3" Mod

Interior:
- Weathertech Floor Liners
- Scangauge II
- LED Dome Lights, White
- Heatshield Sun Shade; Windshield, Passenger and Driver
- Sound Deadened Interior
- Paranoid Fabrication Switch Plate
- OTRATTW Switches
- Switch-Pros 9100
- EP35 Flasher
- LED Dash Lights, Red
- Passenger and Driver Window Tinted
- Custom Dual Drawer Cargo Box
- Dometic CFX-50
- Goal Zero Yeti 400
- Waterport
- Fulltime RearView Camera

Stereo
- Alpine Single Din
- Alpine KTP-445 Power Pack
- Alpine PWE-S8

Communication
- Rugged Radios RM-25R, 25 Watt Dual Band Mobile Radio

Suspension
- 1" Toytec Body Lift
- 3" Toytec Eibach Coilovers
- 3" Toytec Rear Lift Coils
- Toytec Rear Superflex Coils
- OME 861 Rear Coils
- SPC Adjustable Upper Control Arms
- Extended length Toytec Boss Rear Shocks
- Toytec Front Diff Drop Kit
- HD Extended Sway Bar Links (Front/Rear)
- Energy Suspension Sway Bar Bushings (Front/Rear)
- Energy Suspension Body Mount Bushings
- Toytec Panhard Drop Kit

Wheels & Tires
- Matte Bronze Level 8 MK6
- 285/75/16 Toyo Open County M/T
- G2 1.25 Wheel Spacers
- Tundra 231mm Brake Upgrade

Drivetrain:
- Hayden Transmission Cooler
- Magnefine Filter

Random Pictures:

 

[psraff]

Looks like that color match worked.... good job!

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[Mtns_Yo]

Looks like that color match worked.... good job!

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It sure did! [emoji16]


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[99 sr5 highlander]

Looks good, I really like the look of color matched off road bumpers.

 

[Road Bull]

That is one nice looking rig. I really dig how the bumper came out. That is a great looking finish. It sort of reminds me of Dorothy's ruby red slippers from the Wizard of Oz. I look forward to seeing more of this build.

 

[Mtns_Yo]

This weekend I took the family out on beach trip and manage to spill an ice chest full of water (melted ice) all over the cargo area. The husky liner I have in the rear manage to maintain most of the spill but a lot still spilled and soaked the carpet. When I got home from work on Monday I took the carpet out and washed/dried it. But since I already had half of the interior off I decided to order some sound deadening material and took the rest of the interior off. Front, rear seats and all.

Today I received my package from Mcaster Carr, I ordered (5) Rolls of 4" roofing mat, McMaster-Carr 9640T1. With the help of my lovely wife and a heat gun I just finished soun deadning the interior, minus the doors and headliner. I've read that just doing the floors work good enough. I'll find out tomorrow or should I say today. I would of loved to do it tomorrow but the weather here is brutal, 105+ degrees. Today was a lovely 80 degrees from 6pm till now. Sorry I don't have any pictures as my phone was charging in the house but if you look at [MENTION=57546]4-Ripcord[/MENTION] build thread, I did that exact same thing.

I'd say it took a total of 6hrs to complete. Tearing off the interior wasn't as bad as I thought. Putting it together was a breeze. Might consider redoing the padding next, and maybe the doors when I upgrade the speakers. I believe it still has the stock ones.

 

[psraff]

This weekend I took the family out on beach trip and manage to spill an ice chest full of water (melted ice) all over the cargo area. The husky liner I have in the rear manage to maintain most of the spill but a lot still spilled and soaked the carpet. When I got home from work on Monday I took the carpet out and washed/dried it. But since I already had half of the interior off I decided to order some sound deadening material and took the rest of the interior off. Front, rear seats and all.

Today I received my package from Mcaster Carr, I ordered (5) Rolls of 4" roofing mat, McMaster-Carr 9640T1. With the help of my lovely wife and a heat gun I just finished soun deadning the interior, minus the doors and headliner. I've read that just doing the floors work good enough. I'll find out tomorrow or should I say today. I would of loved to do it tomorrow but the weather here is brutal, 105+ degrees.

Just think.... at 105* you don't need the heat gun much! LOL


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[Mtns_Yo]

Just think.... at 105* you don't need the heat gun much! LOL


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Haha, don't think that didn't cross my mind. I was tempted to take advantage of the heat and do it during the hottest day of the week but after being out in the sun all day I was over the heat. lol


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[Mtns_Yo]

It is safe to say the sound deadning was a success! I can definitely notice a difference in road notice transmitted to the cabin. It could just be me, but I feel like the cabin is staying a bit fresher.

Today I addressed the front end suspension clunk I've been having every so often. It would only occur when I would turn sharply going over a pot hole, or something of that sort. I have been doing extensive research in this and could not figure out what it could be. Ive have been doing extensive research on this problem for a while now. I believe I have narrowed the clunk to the steering rack. I found this thread on yotatech https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f2/how-replace-steering-rack-guide-pictures-215931/ I figured I'd start with the steering rack guide.

So after work today, I decided it was time order parts to replace the steering rack guide, but first I decided to pull off my tires and re-torque the wheel spacer before I ran out of day light. I started with the rear and moved to the front. During that process I noticed some paint chipping on the front passenger side coilovers.

It seems kind of odd so took a look at the driver side and there it was. The same paint chipping on both sides. Did a little more research and it turns out on the top of the steering knuckle there is a small metal tooth and that is what is rubbing up against my pretty new coils. [emoji22] [MENTION=44448]ToyTec Lifts[/MENTION] has anyone else reported this problem to you? I am currently using your Toytec/Eibach 3" lift kit with stock UCAs? Also, would upgrading my UCAs reduce that contact?

I ended up grinding that metal tooth off and it seems to have done the trick, for now. Hoping to take it out wheeling this weekend and really find out if that helped.

Has anyone else had this issue?


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[ToyTec Lifts]

and it turns out on the top of the steering knuckle there is a small metal tooth and that is what is rubbing up against my pretty new coils. [emoji22] [MENTION=44448]ToyTec Lifts[/MENTION] has anyone else reported this problem to you? I am currently using your Toytec/Eibach 3" lift kit with stock UCAs? Also, would upgrading my UCAs reduce that contact?

I ended up grinding that metal tooth off and it seems to have done the trick, for now. Hoping to take it out wheeling this weekend and really find out if that helped.

Has anyone else had this issue?

Aftermarket front upper control arms are always a good idea when going with 3" of lift.

Can you please snap a photo of the "top the the steering knuckle" you're referring to?

 

[Mtns_Yo]

Aftermarket front upper control arms are always a good idea when going with 3" of lift.

Can you please snap a photo of the "top the the steering knuckle" you're referring to?

Here's a photo I found online of the same problem someone else was having but this was using the tundra coils. As you can see on the picture that little tooth is what was making contact with my coils.
I'd snap a picture if mine but I already ground it down.

 

[ToyTec Lifts]

Here's a photo I found online of the same problem someone else was having but this was using the tundra coils. As you can see on the picture that little tooth is what was making contact with my coils.
I'd snap a picture if mine but I already ground it down.

I highly recommend Total Chaos upper control arms
Total Chaos UCAs 95.5-04 Tacoma, 96-02 4Runner
Enter code 508600 to receive 5% off your order

 

[Mtns_Yo]

I highly recommend Total Chaos upper control arms

Total Chaos UCAs 95.5-04 Tacoma, 96-02 4Runner

Enter code 508600 to receive 5% off your order

Thanks, that's on my todo list.


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[Mtns_Yo]

Finally got my interior LEDs installed. Well most of them, I need to look into how to swap power outlet ring and the clock. If any of you guys still have a swatch sample in red PM me and I'll send a few bucks your way for it.

While I had the dash all torn a part I also moved my Scanguage and hooked up my 6 Switch Plate with OTRATTW Switches. I went with red lower independence and green when the switch is turned on. I am really happy with the way everything came out. Especially the OTRATTW switches, I feel like the Contura XIV go well with the rest of the interior.

Lastly, I hooked up my ARB High Output Air Compressor. Used extracting holes to mount it on the passenger side. Wiring was a breeze.

 

[Mtns_Yo]

Saw this at work and thought it be fun to climb. Need to work on photography skills. Haha

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[Mtns_Yo]

Took the family out to Hungry Valley SVRA for some trail ridding. Nothing to crazy.
Powerline Road

East Freeman Trail

Freeman Canyon

 

[Mtns_Yo]

Received my extended Sway bar links yesterday, Installed them today. Thanks [MENTION=98153]MStudt[/MENTION]

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[Mtns_Yo]

Received a bunch of goodies in the mail today. Got the CB radio for free too!

 

[Renegade_Medic]

Looks great! Digging the body-color bumpers.

 

[Mtns_Yo]

Looks great! Digging the body-color bumpers.

Thanks man!


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