My 4Runner Project

[jrob]

A few torturous days back in Denver doing fancy pantsy wedding stuff we headed back to Junction for a brief overnight with homies then off to Ouray to catch the 1700 opening of Red Mountain.

We pulled onto Engineer pass around 1745. There was another Grey 5th gen with an ARB bumper airing up after running the Alpine loop from Lake City. Not sure if you're on here, but thanks for letting me borrow your ARB EZ air down contraption, guy from Reno!

Having never done the wall in a truck, but having lived there all my life I figured I would go ahead and run it at night. Made for a neat photo anyway.

Victory beer at the summit.

Wanted to pop the tent and camp at lake como, but we were out of food in the camp box and starving, so back to schooly for pizza it was.
The next day we sort of chilled out since we had been running pretty much nonstop since Houston. Mellow hike around beaver ponds for some "leafing"

Few chores around the house and then we sadly pointed the runner back toward Houston. An overnight stay at Lake Sumner proved interesting as a hellatious thunderstorm rolled through around 0130 with very heavy rain, wind and lightning. It was a sporty night in the tent, but we stayed dry and cozy.
The return journey to Houston is never as exciting. But Colorado will always be there waiting for our triumphant return. Next up, ski season! Already have some trips in the works.

Cheers!

 

[blkhwk]

No worries. Hit me up whenever.

Love the trip report! Can't wait to hit up Colorado again. I will need the location of that small blue waterhole you guys were climbing at though.

 

[jrob]

No worries. Hit me up whenever.

Love the trip report! Can't wait to hit up Colorado again. I will need the location of that small blue waterhole you guys were climbing at though.

Shhhhh. Secret place.

Seriously though, I'll PM you.

 

[voodoolord]

Nice work. The rig looks great. If I wasn't building a 4x4 van for camping and exploring I would do the same to my T4R.

 

[voodoolord]

Great pics by the way.

 

[jrob]

Nice work. The rig looks great. If I wasn't building a 4x4 van for camping and exploring I would do the same to my T4R.

Oh, cool which one? Sportsmobile? Build thread anywhere?

I was eyeing those pretty hard when I bought the 4runner and was really torn.

 

[voodoolord]

Oh, cool which one? Sportsmobile? Build thread anywhere?

I was eyeing those pretty hard when I bought the 4runner and was really torn.

78 Pathfinder quadravan. I bought it and got it running great then realized the bubbles under the paint on the gutters were rotting all the way through the body. Im looking for a good body to replace it at the moment, well actually Im not looking at the moment because we just dropped a chunk on this runner. Its going to be cool when its done. That's the thing I liked about the 4x4 vans is they can go a lot of the places that dedicated 4x4 trucks go but you can sleep in it. I like your tent idea, no scorpions in your tent but I wonder about the support if a bear gets on your supports.

 

[jrob]

78 Pathfinder quadravan. I bought it and got it running great then realized the bubbles under the paint on the gutters were rotting all the way through the body. Im looking for a good body to replace it at the moment, well actually Im not looking at the moment because we just dropped a chunk on this runner. Its going to be cool when its done. That's the thing I liked about the 4x4 vans is they can go a lot of the places that dedicated 4x4 trucks go but you can sleep in it. I like your tent idea, no scorpions in your tent but I wonder about the support if a bear gets on your supports.

The tent is actually primarily supported by cantilever and a burly hinge at the pivot. The ladder does provide some support, and the stock ARB ladder was shit. I replaced it with a Tepui telescoping ladder that is much beefier and easier to use.
Anyway I keep something close for da bears. It''s made in Croatia and rhymes with ring field.

 

[voodoolord]

The tent is actually primarily supported by cantilever and a burly hinge at the pivot. The ladder does provide some support, and the stock ARB ladder was shit. I replaced it with a Tepui telescoping ladder that is much beefier and easier to use.
Anyway I keep something close for da bears. It''s made in Croatia and rhymes with ring field.

Nice. It really looks like a cool setup. Ill have to pick your brain about your build.

 

[mgosts]

Hey jrob. Question for you, assuming you would know based on your skill set.

I installed a winch and had same issue will low pressure power steering line rubbing against passenger side of winch housing. Unfortunately I have an integrated controller.

I tried the loosening of the PS line bracket and raising PS line, however, that didn't do the trick for me. Maybe I am afraid to push too hard.

Finally, the question. Does the PS line get hot or will the winch controller housing get hot to where either would melt a piece of rubber hose?

I currently put a 1.5" piece of rubber hose between the PS line and winch housing. This piece of hose IS putting stress on the PS line. Not sure if that stress on the hard PS line will be an issue???

Thanks

 

[jrob]

Hey jrob. Question for you, assuming you would know based on your skill set.

I installed a winch and had same issue will low pressure power steering line rubbing against passenger side of winch housing. Unfortunately I have an integrated controller.

I tried the loosening of the PS line bracket and raising PS line, however, that didn't do the trick for me. Maybe I am afraid to push too hard.

Finally, the question. Does the PS line get hot or will the winch controller housing get hot to where either would melt a piece of rubber hose?

I currently put a 1.5" piece of rubber hose between the PS line and winch housing. This piece of hose IS putting stress on the PS line. Not sure if that stress on the hard PS line will be an issue???

Thanks

Sorry bud, just seeing this.
Personally I just pulled up on the hard line, deflecting it enough to clear the winch controller. Not the most subtle or scientific approach, and there was a slow and steady approach to it, not just grabbing and pulling. You really don't want to kink it. You have to pull fairly hard, just be really careful not to kink it.
Disclaimer: I did this with the full knowledge and comfort that it may result ( though very unlikely) in going to the parts store for some tubing/hose to make a new line.

The "correct" way to do it, though more expensive, time consuming, and no more effective, would be to bend a new tube or run hose for that section of line.But simply putting a sweeping bend in the tubing is enough.

The rubber hose you put in here as chafing gear is certainly not a bad idea. I would just try to "persuade" that tubing upward a little to get it off the controller all together. Neither one of them should get hot enough to melt automotive rubber hose. If they do you have a problem.

Cheers

 

[mgosts]

Thank you very much. I may try getting a bend in the hard line next weekend. Gonna do some wheeling this holiday weekend, so hopefully my piece of rubber hose does the trick for a couple of days. I really appreciate your response.

 

[jrob]

Finally got moving on a cargo build. I have been wanting to do this for a year or two and have spent a LOT of time assessing my needs and designing this. I got a lot of ideas from the storage solutions section on Expo and from production companies designs, and came up with a construction that I feel drastically simplified a lot of things at a great price. I used sanded 3/4" plywood for the shell and drawer faces, with the base being secured to the factory cargo tray mounting holes, and 1/2" birch for the drawers. Slides for the fridge, and the two big drawers are 32" accuride from Mcmaster Carr and the small drawer under the fridge uses 24" self close from Home Depot. I intend to make some butcher block lids for the fridge drawer, as well as the lower big drawer for working space, then carpet the shell, and stain/poly the faces, as well as do some paracord/survival bracelet style pulls to finish it off. All told I am into the project for just shy of $900 so far, with all stainless fasteners/T-nuts, and it weighs in at 200 lbs. Pretty happy with how it is shaping up.

More to come when I complete it.

In other news I sold my ARB tent and took a trip to Virginia to pick up an Airtop from a guy. Thanks Ryan!! Absolutely love this tent, super comfortable, and ridiculously easy to set up/take down. Between the cargo system and the new tent, camp setup has dropped from 20-30 minutes down to less than 5.

That's all for now, Thanks for looking.

 

[Titanpat57]

Finally got moving on a cargo build. I have been wanting to do this for a year or two and have spent a LOT of time assessing my needs and designing this. I got a lot of ideas from the storage solutions section on Expo and from production companies designs, and came up with a construction that I feel drastically simplified a lot of things at a great price. I used sanded 3/4" plywood for the shell and drawer faces, with the base being secured to the factory cargo tray mounting holes, and 1/2" birch for the drawers. Slides for the fridge, and the two big drawers are 32" accuride from Mcmaster Carr and the small drawer under the fridge uses 24" self close from Home Depot. I intend to make some butcher block lids for the fridge drawer, as well as the lower big drawer for working space, then carpet the shell, and stain/poly the faces, as well as do some paracord/survival bracelet style pulls to finish it off. All told I am into the project for just shy of $900 so far, with all stainless fasteners/T-nuts, and it weighs in at 200 lbs. Pretty happy with how it is shaping up.

More to come when I complete it.

In other news I sold my ARB tent and took a trip to Virginia to pick up an Airtop from a guy. Thanks Ryan!! Absolutely love this tent, super comfortable, and ridiculously easy to set up/take down. Between the cargo system and the new tent, camp setup has dropped from 20-30 minutes down to less than 5.

That's all for now, Thanks for looking.

I apologize it took me so long to compliment you on what a greet job you did with your truck...the storage system is excellent and you're using that rig like a Boss..nice work!

 

[jrob]

I apologize it took me so long to compliment you on what a greet job you did with your truck...the storage system is excellent and you're using that rig like a Boss..nice work!

Hey thanks man, that means a lot coming from you.

I'm a big fan of your stuff as well, especially that awesome trailer build.

We certainly like to get out as much as we can. Coming up in August will be a big trip to Co for moto and some house work.

 

[vailTRD]

Nice build, I stole your spoiler light mount idea. How did you run your wires? Judging by the pictures you routed through your 'access' hole? Did you not just feed them through the spoiler to the wiper assembly harness?

 

[jrob]

Nice build, I stole your spoiler light mount idea. How did you run your wires? Judging by the pictures you routed through your 'access' hole? Did you not just feed them through the spoiler to the wiper assembly harness?

Sorry, I suck at replying.
Yes that is precisely correct, I ran the wire through the wiper harness access point. Two wires coming in for power/gnd through the rubber penetrator and the two lights are actually soldered into one harness inside the spoiler.

 

[Lightenup_bro]

:nicethread: Everything about this build is great. :thumb3:

 

[Spenny]

I dig your cargo set up! The fridge slide and drawer look really great. What drawer slides are you using there? built in locks? And did you hard mount the fridge to some lengths of L metal? Would love to see a close up of that.

OK, scratch half of my questions, re-read where you say accuride slides!

But would still love to see more of that set up.

 

[jrob]

Bit of a time delay on these,
We spent 4 weeks back home in Durango getting some work done on the cabin, riding a lot of moto and managed to get some short camping trips in here and there.
One of our visitors pulled the trigger on a '16 Trail Premium while in Durango and wanted to break it in, so we made the drive over Imogene for her first off road experience.

Imogene summit with less than 200 miles on the clock

The beta test of the cargo system went great. Definitely want to add some dividers, a lid/table for the port side bottom drawer and some form of retention for the cupboard behind the fridge. Shit always wants to fall out of there from shifting. Also going to build the below fridge slide into a custom stove somehow when I find the time.

Also had a friend from Louisiana stop in that had never seen "real" mountains before, so I took him over Black Bear. Pretty cool to watch his head explode around every corner.

Didn't really take a ton of truck pics this time as our primary focus was Moto and house work. We did get a ton of riding in up in the high country and down in the desert. Hard to believe it had been 6 years since my last 2 wheel swaret in the hills. Better than ever. Covering close to 100 miles of alpine in just a few hours with ease is always amazing to me.

To answer the above question, yes the fridge is bolted to 3" aluminum angle. I pulled the feet off the bottom of the fridge, drilled holes in the aluminum to match and used the same screws to to secure it. Took 10 minutes, looks super clean, bomb proof, cost nothing.
No good pics of that really, but I will try to get some.