PNW `03 Mica Blue Limited V8

[SAR_Runner]

Hello,

My name is Mike and as our family is growing, our vehicle choices needed to as well. I traded in my 2003 Jeep Wrangler (lifted and lots of goodies) for a 2003 4Runner Limited with the V8. I hope to make this beast less of a baby hauler and more of an all purpose vehicle.

Prior to purchasing I spent a lot of time looking at different build threads on here and researching the mods and adds. The 4runner needs to do 3 primary activites; search and rescue, rally sweep and haul the family. Currently it does amazing at the last one. I will be putting at a minimum, a leveling kit on the front (maybe coil overs to take the additional weight of the bumper and the winch) a front winch bumper and lots of lights. The other bits and pieces that still need to get sorted out in the very short time are; radio location, build a truck vault or buy one... and emergency lighting.

I know that this forum will provide me all the resources to make the best sense of all of the options and the best way forward...

Cheers!

~Mike

 

[SAR_Runner]

Figured I should add some photos...
Here is the Runner...

And here is my jeep.

 

[SAR_Runner]

Thanks to [MENTION=94858]vegastoy[/MENTION] for the daystar spacers, that has made the rig. I also used the linkage on the RAS to bring up the rear. I am horrible about taking pics during projects. The spacer kit was a 2.5" and I think I raised the rear 1". The ride is better and now I am not bounding off the bump stops every time I go over a speed bump.

One of the other things I have done recently is to pick up a 30" LED light bar. It ran 275 through a friend that is starting to tinker with these. His plan is to make the outside bank of lights switchable. so if you only wanted part of the bar on at a time, or if the outer LED bank was amber for fog... for now it is all one unit. Also I am working on a replacement panel for the flip open cubby to the left of the selector. My plan is a piece of aluminum with 1 DC port and 4-5 contura rockers from OTRATTW.com Jim makes some very nicely done laser etched switches. I only wish I could have snagged one of his jeep switch panels when he was still making them...

I will post some pics of the light bar tonight. Have to finish a final detail on the wiring.

I almost forgot, I have run the 4runner in a rally and it was a lot better to drive than the jeep. Dont get me wrong, the jeep can handle its self great off road, but on a gravel road at 35+ mph, I would rather be driving the 4runner...

 

[Dawg4Runner]

:welcome:

 

[Mytoy4]

Welcome!

 

[SAR_Runner]

So, Here are the photos of the light bar and the light output.

Light bar on the rig,

Low Beams and Fogs

High Beams

LED Bar Only

Low Beams, Fogs and LED Bar

LED BAR and High Beams

I will post some more pics of it in use on the rally course and hopefully in snow...! So far I am really happy with this bar and I will be ordering a 50" for the roof rack, once that becomes part of the build...

I also ordered from OTRATTW.com:

and

My plan is to install the 6 switch holder on the center console in place of the ash tray/pocket insert. The switches will be for the LED bars, power to my HAM/Commercial radios and siren controls, plus a switch to select the backup lights to either come on with reverse or independently.

 

[SAR_Runner]

Maintenance

I started to get a wobble coming from the driver front shortly after going wheeling up to Surprise lake. I thought I had seen a decent amount of grease piling up on the A-arm as well. So it was time for a CV replacement.

Thanks to the forums I had the old one off and the new one on in less than an hour and a half. I used a slide hammer with a hose clamp to hold it in place. With a couple of quick blows it came right out.

Also I think I may have spun one of the wheel weights on the rim as well...