shinyblackdeer's 98 T4R SR5 V6 build thread

[shinyblackdeer]

Revisiting the front bumper

Since we had the bumper off to fix the body mounts, Jeff had some plate welded to the frame for extra mounting points. When we first test-fit the 4X Innovations bumper, it was perfect. The extra weight of the winch must have thrown off the geometry at the final install, as it seemed a little droopy afterward.

Before:

After:

Jeff also took time to better fill the holes in the front of the bumper that were meant for offroad lights:

The final result -- perfectly straight and no droop:

Notice we swapped the roller fairlead and wire rope for a hawse and synthetic from Off-Road Solutions:

 

[shinyblackdeer]

Offroad lights

We installed some PIAA 520 ATPs, now known as Zombie Lights!

 

[shinyblackdeer]

Accessory fuse block install

The coolest thing we've done to the truck this summer is add an accessory fuse block with 6 constant/6 switched circuits. I can't take credit for this because I resourced a lot of existing ideas.

 

[shootmymime]

:smashputer: damn you and your money, time and awesome truck.

 

[shinyblackdeer]

Enjoying life outside

Next week we'll be doing more of this, but in Utah, not Iowa:

 

[shootmymime]

but in Utah, not Iowa:

where? exactly?

 

[shinyblackdeer]

where? exactly?

Moab -- not sure yet where, exactly.

 

[shootmymime]

Moab -- not sure yet where, exactly.

your bumper is the same color as the body, but have you ever thought of painting the grill the same? its the style of new cars, ether fake chrome or the bumper is all the same color. jw if you have or not. or am i just :der:

 

[habanero]

Thanks for that write up on the rr diff light in the cluster, very useful. Awesome stuff going on here, back to reading/drooling/wishing.

 

[derpiful]

Oh my it's soooooo clean. I love your guys' work so far. Especially on the bumper patch work, it looks perfect and I wouldn't have even known it had holes.

Be sure to post some pics from Utah.. But post more from Colorado when you pass through (assuming you are)!!

Also, I love the red emblem!

 

[shinyblackdeer]

your bumper is the same color as the body, but have you ever thought of painting the grill the same? its the style of new cars, ether fake chrome or the bumper is all the same color. jw if you have or not. or am i just :der:

I wouldn't be against that. Maybe if we come across a spare -- Jeff would like to do the Satoshi mod as well.

 

[shinyblackdeer]

Thanks for that write up on the rr diff light in the cluster, very useful. Awesome stuff going on here, back to reading/drooling/wishing.

You're welcome, and thank you!

 

[shinyblackdeer]

Oh my it's soooooo clean. I love your guys' work so far. Especially on the bumper patch work, it looks perfect and I wouldn't have even known it had holes.

Be sure to post some pics from Utah.. But post more from Colorado when you pass through (assuming you are)!!

Also, I love the red emblem!

Thank you! To be clear, the holes were already filled with metal by 4X Innovations (you can custom order them with or without -- they just had extra bumpers on hand that already holes and it was cheaper to fill them). They were still noticeable, so Jeff smoothed them out.

I will definitely post pics!

 

[shinyblackdeer]

Moab teaser

 

[paddlenbike]

By all means, more photos and details of the trailer! Wife and I are exploring our trailer options from tent trailers to R-pods to something like the Turtleback. Not sure what would be best for us at this point.

 

[shinyblackdeer]

If you are running an actual Sonoran Steel lift kit, DO NOT use poly bushings on the sway bars, you will remove all the movement you just bought. Go to the Toyota dealer and get brand new soft, flexible factory rubber. It will articulate more and the rear sway bar will not break in half.

From my experience, factory sway bar links are the best quality.

Great advice as usual from [MENTION=1795]sschaefer3[/MENTION]. Our aftermarket Moogs kept popping out on the trail in CO and Moab, causing a lot of noisy growling from underneath. Jeff had to crawl under and pop them back in multiple times. We've since replaced them with Toyota bushings.

 

[shinyblackdeer]

Pics from September Moab trip

We took an amazing trip to Colorado and Utah last month. Here's a tiny sample of the awesome places our T4R took us. Hope these inspire you to get out there:

Medano Pass Primitive Road inside Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve (Mosca, CO):

Just outside Moab, UT:

Campsite in Sandflats Recreation Area (Moab, UT):

Start of awesome Chicken Corners trail that follows the Colorado River through lower Kane Springs Canyon (UT):

Jeff fixing our janky Moog swaybar bushings that kept popping out on the trail. Lesson learned: use Toyota factory bushings!

The famed Lion's Back at the entrance to Sandflats Recreation Area (Moab, UT). Access is closed, with rumors of being purchased by a developer:

On the La Sal Mountain Loop trail:

 

[shinyblackdeer]

By all means, more photos and details of the trailer! Wife and I are exploring our trailer options from tent trailers to R-pods to something like the Turtleback. Not sure what would be best for us at this point.

After a couple trips with the Turtleback trailer, I can say it suits our taste for adventure. The trailer is awesome -- so much better than just tent or car-camping. Hot water, electricity, storage, sleeping above ground, go anywhere -- what more can you ask for?

 

[sschaefer3]

Kane Creek is a good one. The end is tricky, harder that what I took you on in Arizona.

I did Lions Back years ago when it was open. You had to pay the campsite guy 5 bucks or something like that to go up.

http://sonoransteel.com/4Runner_008.jpg

The picture is big.

 

[shinyblackdeer]

Kane Creek is a good one. The end is tricky, harder that what I took you on in Arizona.

I did Lions Back years ago when it was open. You had to pay the campsite guy 5 bucks or something like that to go up.

http://sonoransteel.com/4Runner_008.jpg

The picture is big.

The picture is awesome! Much better from that perspective than from the road.