SunPilot
New member
Thanks. Skills can be acquired. Just go for it, that's what I did. This time last year I couldn't weld anything...bought a welder and some cheap tools and taught myself. You can do the same.
Sunpilot's 4Runner Official Build Thread
- Thread starter SunPilot
- Start date
Thanks. Skills can be acquired. Just go for it, that's what I did. This time last year I couldn't weld anything...bought a welder and some cheap tools and taught myself. You can do the same.
SunPilot
New member
My apologies for lost photos
Maybe this isn't the place to post this, but I am anyway. I've been tending my build thread for awhile now and have a ton of photos linked. Now, Photobucket has decided to charge $400 a year to grant us the right to link our photos. I am not paying a ransom, so I will do my best to try to find another service and repost the photos. It may take quite awhile. I'm sorry for any inconvenience.
Maybe this isn't the place to post this, but I am anyway. I've been tending my build thread for awhile now and have a ton of photos linked. Now, Photobucket has decided to charge $400 a year to grant us the right to link our photos. I am not paying a ransom, so I will do my best to try to find another service and repost the photos. It may take quite awhile. I'm sorry for any inconvenience.
gm350reratliff
New member
Same thing happened to me bud. I'm now using Smugmug and so far I really like it and I really like the fact that it works on everything including my work PC. It is a paid service but I was already paying PB for substandard service anyway.
camp332
New member
Hello Mr SunPilot. I saw you did some stereo work in the "What did you do to your 4runner today" thread. Curious if you have some insight on my below question?
I'm in the market for the Kenwood DDX574BH, and I found some good deals on the head unit, however shopping for the steering wheel harness/wiring harness seems to be tough to find good deals on. Where did you purchase your installation equipment from? Also, post up some pics!
I'm in the market for the Kenwood DDX574BH, and I found some good deals on the head unit, however shopping for the steering wheel harness/wiring harness seems to be tough to find good deals on. Where did you purchase your installation equipment from? Also, post up some pics!
SunPilot
New member
I addressed your question in the "What did you do to your 4Runner" thread. Hope it helps you.
Pics coming next week, if not earlier
camp332
New member
Yes Sir, I saw your reply in the other thread. Thanks for the information, and love the build!:clap2:
ElevationOverland
New member
Awesome build man!
SunPilot
New member
Roof Rack Build
I finished my roof rack build recently. I am in the process of uploading pics, and I will have a write-up here shortly on how I made it. I am happy how it turned out. The rack was built out of square tubing because I didn't have a decent tubing bender, and I couldn't see paying $600 or more for a good bender and dies. So, instead of round, mine is square. Functionally, it works, and I think it is easier to add accessories to a square bar than a round one anyway. I am starting the wiring for the front light bar and I also have some small lights going on the side of the rack, which will be under the rooftop tent and used for camp lighting. So far, I have invested a little over $100 in this project for the structural materials. Steel is pretty cheap! I did put some quality paint on it and that was extra. Considering how much after-market racks cost, I am a happy camper! I'll get the build pics posted later today.
I finished my roof rack build recently. I am in the process of uploading pics, and I will have a write-up here shortly on how I made it. I am happy how it turned out. The rack was built out of square tubing because I didn't have a decent tubing bender, and I couldn't see paying $600 or more for a good bender and dies. So, instead of round, mine is square. Functionally, it works, and I think it is easier to add accessories to a square bar than a round one anyway. I am starting the wiring for the front light bar and I also have some small lights going on the side of the rack, which will be under the rooftop tent and used for camp lighting. So far, I have invested a little over $100 in this project for the structural materials. Steel is pretty cheap! I did put some quality paint on it and that was extra. Considering how much after-market racks cost, I am a happy camper! I'll get the build pics posted later today.
SunPilot
New member
First, of course, is remove your existing rack. Here it sits on the ground. The rack is nice, but too light, in my opinion, to carry the weight of a rooftop tent. The rack got sold, and I got enough from it to pay for all the steel I used in the new rack...not a bad deal
20171103_131335 by sunpilot1, on Flickr
Here is what it looks like when the cover is taken off the leg
20171103_131512 by sunpilot1, on Flickr
Here is what the bottom of the original rack looks like.
20171103_131448 by sunpilot1, on Flickr
When I sold the rack I gave the purchaser the original bolts. I plan on using stainless steel cap screws on the new rack
20171103_131335 by sunpilot1, on FlickrHere is what it looks like when the cover is taken off the leg
20171103_131512 by sunpilot1, on FlickrHere is what the bottom of the original rack looks like.
20171103_131448 by sunpilot1, on FlickrWhen I sold the rack I gave the purchaser the original bolts. I plan on using stainless steel cap screws on the new rack
SunPilot
New member
Here are some pics of the roof attachment point from the original rack. We will use these existing mounting points for our new rack
20171103_131624 by sunpilot1, on Flickr
20171103_131549 by sunpilot1, on Flickr
After I cleaned up the dirt and dust, I applied some black silicone sealant so any rain (highly unlikely here in Arizona), doesn't make it's way into the cabin... I covered the holes.
20171104_111512 by sunpilot1, on Flickr
20171103_131624 by sunpilot1, on Flickr20171103_131549 by sunpilot1, on FlickrAfter I cleaned up the dirt and dust, I applied some black silicone sealant so any rain (highly unlikely here in Arizona), doesn't make it's way into the cabin... I covered the holes.
20171104_111512 by sunpilot1, on Flickr
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SunPilot
New member
I saw some aftermarket racks bolt the steel legs right on top of the roof. I thought this was a bit harsh on the paint, so I bought a sheet of nylon off Amazon. The nylon comes in different thicknesses, and I got a sheet of 1/2" and a sheet of 3/8". It was cheap, and I can use the left overs for other projects. I will cut this sheet to the proper size and use it as a spacer to lift my rack brackets off the roof, and to help seal the joint.
20171106_110920 by sunpilot1, on Flickr
These are what the spacers will look like. They fit nicely, and I drilled the holes larger than the bolts to give me room for sealant when they are installed.
20171106_110908 by sunpilot1, on Flickr
20171106_110905 by sunpilot1, on Flickr
This is how they will sit in the roof channel, under the new brackets. They are very hard and will not compress.
20171106_112529 by sunpilot1, on Flickr
20171106_112554 by sunpilot1, on Flickr
20171106_110920 by sunpilot1, on FlickrThese are what the spacers will look like. They fit nicely, and I drilled the holes larger than the bolts to give me room for sealant when they are installed.
20171106_110908 by sunpilot1, on Flickr20171106_110905 by sunpilot1, on FlickrThis is how they will sit in the roof channel, under the new brackets. They are very hard and will not compress.
20171106_112529 by sunpilot1, on Flickr20171106_112554 by sunpilot1, on Flickr
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SunPilot
New member
In the previous photos, you can see brass spacers inside the holes drilled in the nylon blocks. I made these spacers from spent .40 caliber ammo casings. The brass is exactly the right size to fit snugly over Toyota tubes that come through the roof. The new bolts will go through these spacers and will be sealed with silicone. The brass spacers were sized to come up to the top of the nylon blocks. I will be using a rubber gasket over the nylon and under the brackets.
Here is what the brass spacers look like
20171106_111448 by sunpilot1, on Flickr
Here is what the brass spacers look like
20171106_111448 by sunpilot1, on Flickr
SunPilot
New member
After I figured the spacers out, the next step was to build the mounting legs that will hold the rack. In case you didn't realize it, the Toyota roof is narrower in the back than the front.. If you make the front and rear brackets identical, then you would have to narrow your rack in the back. I didn't know this until after I built the rack and placed it on the roof...to my surprise! So, I made the rear brackets differently, rather than narrow the rack itself. Something else to consider when doing your design, the roof slopes forward and rearward, so the middle of the rack will have less clearance from the roof line. Not a big deal, but something to consider.
I made my brackets from 3/16" square tubing I had lying around. You only need a foot or so because you can cut two brackets from the same length. Cut the tube to the length of the bottom of the leg and then you can get two pieces from that one length.
20171106_113740 by sunpilot1, on Flickr
Here is what one leg will look like before I welded the top (resting area for the rack) on to it. I shaped it with a grinder to get a nicer look than a square piece would have been
20171108_122510 by sunpilot1, on Flickr
20171108_122517 by sunpilot1, on Flickr
The reason I chose to use square tubing to cut the legs from, and not angle iron is because square tubing has a nice outside radius that fits nicely in the Toyota roof channel... just make it narrow enough to sit inside the channel and it won't mar the paint like a sharper edge on angle iron would. I know the leg will be on top of the nylon spacer and probably wouldn't come near the paint anyway, but I think the nice rounded edge of the tubing is nicer.
One other thing to consider, the legs will not be sitting perfectly upright because the channel in the roof is slanted towards the outside of the vehicle. This means that when we weld the top onto the legs, it has to be welded at an angle that will allow the rack to come in full contact, so I decided to fab the rack next, and then fit and weld the tops onto the legs.
I made my brackets from 3/16" square tubing I had lying around. You only need a foot or so because you can cut two brackets from the same length. Cut the tube to the length of the bottom of the leg and then you can get two pieces from that one length.
20171106_113740 by sunpilot1, on FlickrHere is what one leg will look like before I welded the top (resting area for the rack) on to it. I shaped it with a grinder to get a nicer look than a square piece would have been
20171108_122510 by sunpilot1, on Flickr20171108_122517 by sunpilot1, on FlickrThe reason I chose to use square tubing to cut the legs from, and not angle iron is because square tubing has a nice outside radius that fits nicely in the Toyota roof channel... just make it narrow enough to sit inside the channel and it won't mar the paint like a sharper edge on angle iron would. I know the leg will be on top of the nylon spacer and probably wouldn't come near the paint anyway, but I think the nice rounded edge of the tubing is nicer.
One other thing to consider, the legs will not be sitting perfectly upright because the channel in the roof is slanted towards the outside of the vehicle. This means that when we weld the top onto the legs, it has to be welded at an angle that will allow the rack to come in full contact, so I decided to fab the rack next, and then fit and weld the tops onto the legs.
SunPilot
New member
This is how the legs will sit. If you look closely, you can see the nylon blocks under the leg
20171108_122543 by sunpilot1, on Flickr
20171108_122553 by sunpilot1, on Flickr
Also notice that I made the lower part of the legs, where they sit on the nylon blocks, longer than the blocks. They will overlap the Toyota plastic trim that rests in the roof channel. This will give extra water protection and looks nicer. As I mentioned earlier, I will have a rubber gasket between the nylon and the steel legs, and it will also extend over the plastic roof trim.
20171108_122543 by sunpilot1, on Flickr20171108_122553 by sunpilot1, on FlickrAlso notice that I made the lower part of the legs, where they sit on the nylon blocks, longer than the blocks. They will overlap the Toyota plastic trim that rests in the roof channel. This will give extra water protection and looks nicer. As I mentioned earlier, I will have a rubber gasket between the nylon and the steel legs, and it will also extend over the plastic roof trim.
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SunPilot
New member
Now that the legs are started, it was time to start the fab on the rack itself. I used 1" square tubing for all the pieces. The bottom of the rack carries the weight and loads, etc., so I used 14ga steel (.083" wall), and for the top of the cage, which won't be carrying any weight, I went with 16ga (.065" wall). That way, I get a stronger main rack and a little weight reduction from the top where the strength isn't important. The design of my rack is simple. It is only a single tier in the rear because it will be holding my rooftop tent, and I want the tent as low to the roof as I can get it (not good to have heavy weight too high). I am putting a simple cage in the front to provide a storage space in case I decide to carry any lightweight items up there, and also to help protect my light bar.
SunPilot
New member
I laid out the rack on my garage floor. It is nice and flat, so I will use the floor to keep the rack in line as I weld it. I don't have a big welding table...
Here are some pieces getting fitted:
20171115_140450 by sunpilot1, on Flickr
here is a close up of the rear corner
20171115_140459 by sunpilot1, on Flickr
Here is the front corner
20171115_140506 by sunpilot1, on Flickr
20171115_140442 by sunpilot1, on Flickr
I am using 45° corners, and if you do also, remember to make each cut at 22-1/2° so they equal a 45° angle.
Here is a pic of getting things lined up
20171115_143411 by sunpilot1, on Flickr
20171115_143424 by sunpilot1, on Flickr
After I got the frame squared up I did a tack weld on each joint, then went back and did a more solid weld. The rack came out nice and square and wasn't racked or warped at all...
I set the rack on some jack stands and did the finish joint welds and I ground the outside and top and bottom of the welds to give a smooth surface. I left the inside corners a little heavier to give the rack more rigidity at the corners. I also added the cross bracing at this time to strengthen the rack and keep it in alignment, especially when it is carrying the tent.
20171121_130726 by sunpilot1, on Flickr
20171127_151915 by sunpilot1, on Flickr
You can see the steel parts resting on the top of the rack, getting ready to build the cage. I bought some mesh to use as a floor...just sitting on the rack loosely for now and it helps hold the tools!
20171127_151854 by sunpilot1, on Flickr
The bracket you see hanging down in the middle of the rack is where the thrid leg will attach. This leg is similar to the main support legs, but doesn't get bolted to the roof (that would have meant drilling holes in the roof, and taking the headliner down, etc. A lot of work! Instead, the middle leg will rest on nylon blocks placed in the roof channel, and give support for carrying the tent weight, so the rack frame doesn't sag.
Here are some pieces getting fitted:
20171115_140450 by sunpilot1, on Flickrhere is a close up of the rear corner
20171115_140459 by sunpilot1, on FlickrHere is the front corner
20171115_140506 by sunpilot1, on Flickr20171115_140442 by sunpilot1, on FlickrI am using 45° corners, and if you do also, remember to make each cut at 22-1/2° so they equal a 45° angle.
Here is a pic of getting things lined up
20171115_143411 by sunpilot1, on Flickr20171115_143424 by sunpilot1, on FlickrAfter I got the frame squared up I did a tack weld on each joint, then went back and did a more solid weld. The rack came out nice and square and wasn't racked or warped at all...
I set the rack on some jack stands and did the finish joint welds and I ground the outside and top and bottom of the welds to give a smooth surface. I left the inside corners a little heavier to give the rack more rigidity at the corners. I also added the cross bracing at this time to strengthen the rack and keep it in alignment, especially when it is carrying the tent.
20171121_130726 by sunpilot1, on Flickr20171127_151915 by sunpilot1, on FlickrYou can see the steel parts resting on the top of the rack, getting ready to build the cage. I bought some mesh to use as a floor...just sitting on the rack loosely for now and it helps hold the tools!
20171127_151854 by sunpilot1, on FlickrThe bracket you see hanging down in the middle of the rack is where the thrid leg will attach. This leg is similar to the main support legs, but doesn't get bolted to the roof (that would have meant drilling holes in the roof, and taking the headliner down, etc. A lot of work! Instead, the middle leg will rest on nylon blocks placed in the roof channel, and give support for carrying the tent weight, so the rack frame doesn't sag.
SunPilot
New member
After the lower portion was finished, I made the front cage. I also cut and welded the mesh onto the main rack frame. Note: It's a lot easier to weld your mesh or floor material on before adding the top of the cage.
I didn't extend the mesh all the way back, because the tent will be sitting there most of the time and it would be useless added weight. I have a piece of mesh set aside to lay on the rack, should I need to take the tent off and carry something else.
20171130_153128 by sunpilot1, on Flickr
20171130_153134_001 by sunpilot1, on Flickr
20171130_153119 by sunpilot1, on Flickr
After all the welds were ground down and the steel properly prepared, I sprayed the primer and let it dry
20171210_095836 by sunpilot1, on Flickr
20171210_095850 by sunpilot1, on Flickr
You will notice some extra brackets on the rack. The front brackets will be holding the light bar, and the ones to the rear will be attachment points for my camping lights (one each side). You can also see the mounting tab (horizontal tabs) that will secure the rack to the legs
20171210_095842 by sunpilot1, on Flickr
I didn't extend the mesh all the way back, because the tent will be sitting there most of the time and it would be useless added weight. I have a piece of mesh set aside to lay on the rack, should I need to take the tent off and carry something else.
20171130_153128 by sunpilot1, on Flickr20171130_153134_001 by sunpilot1, on Flickr20171130_153119 by sunpilot1, on FlickrAfter all the welds were ground down and the steel properly prepared, I sprayed the primer and let it dry
20171210_095836 by sunpilot1, on Flickr20171210_095850 by sunpilot1, on FlickrYou will notice some extra brackets on the rack. The front brackets will be holding the light bar, and the ones to the rear will be attachment points for my camping lights (one each side). You can also see the mounting tab (horizontal tabs) that will secure the rack to the legs
20171210_095842 by sunpilot1, on Flickr
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SunPilot
New member
A note on securing the rack to the legs. As you may recall, I only made the bottom of the legs and didn't weld the flat plates on top of them until the rack was made. This was because the roof is curved, side to side, and the legs don't point straight up. Before I did any painting I loosely bolted the 4 corner legs to the roof, then I placed the rack in it's proper position and supported the rack on wood blocks. I made the tops of the legs (which are just steel plates) and clamped them to the rack so I could get the proper angle ( so they fit flush with the rack). Then I was able to weld the flat plates on to the top of the legs at that angle. When I bolted them back on the roof, the legs were perfectly aligned with the rack and provided a nice solid resting place for the rack tabs. Then I clamped the rack to the legs and drilled my upper rack mounting holes. During this time I also measured the distance from the rack to the roof-line and fabricated the middle support legs. After I got everything the way I wanted it, I did the finish and paint work.
Here is a pic of one of the rear legs after I welded the top on...notice it sits in the middle of the leg because the roof is narrower in the back
20171212_113752 by sunpilot1, on Flickr
Here is a pic of one of the front legs finished...As you can see, most of the flat top is to the inside of the leg because the roof is wider at the front
20171212_113728 by sunpilot1, on Flickr
Here is a pic of one of the rear legs after I welded the top on...notice it sits in the middle of the leg because the roof is narrower in the back
20171212_113752 by sunpilot1, on FlickrHere is a pic of one of the front legs finished...As you can see, most of the flat top is to the inside of the leg because the roof is wider at the front
20171212_113728 by sunpilot1, on Flickr
SunPilot
New member
The only thing to do now was to paint the rack. I'm not a painter, but I decided to use a good urethane paint instead of rattle cans. I felt the job would look nicer and the paint would hold up better. I admit, I got some runs in the paint, but to tell you the truth, they aren't that noticeable, and when the tent is on, will be hard to see. I am happy!
20171211_143042 by sunpilot1, on Flickr
20171211_143037 by sunpilot1, on Flickr
20171211_143009 by sunpilot1, on Flickr
20171211_143008 by sunpilot1, on Flickr
20171211_143042 by sunpilot1, on Flickr20171211_143037 by sunpilot1, on Flickr20171211_143009 by sunpilot1, on Flickr20171211_143008 by sunpilot1, on FlickrSimilar threads
