The Official Build Thread

kregg

kregg

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The Official Build Thread **LOTS of Pics**

Alright guys... It's time, I'm building a weekend wheeler/DD out of my '96 Toyota 4Runner... I'm committed to doing the build, and have decided to start it now with this thread, taking you guys through it all, if you'd like to go along... I'm gonna start now during the saving $/planning phase and follow all the way through to the end...

So, step 1: Planning...

Sonoran Steel Lift Kit 1.2===DONE!
4Crawler 2" Body lift===DONE!
Light Racing Uniball Upper Control Arms===DONE!
Addicted Offroad front and custom rear bumper===DONE! ARB SOLD!
Rola Rack w/ Extension and Lo-Pro Mounts===DONE!
Addicted Off Road Winch Bumper===DONE!
199mm Tundra Brake upgrade===DONE!
Wheelers Offroad Stainless Steel Brake lines===DONE!
"TRD Satoshi" Grill===DONE!
1999+ Black trimmed headlights and corner lenses===DONE!
Rear Diff Breather Extend===DONE!
Regear to 4.88s in front and rear diffs
Half Doors===DONE!
315/75 Cooper Discoverer STT===DONE!
1st Gen. Roll Bar Retrofit===DONE!
4xInnovations SKO Sliders===DONE!
BudBuilt Skids - Front and Belly===DONE!
New wheels (Pro-Comp 8069)===DONE!
WABFAB Front Sway bar Quick Disconnects===DONE!
WABFAB Hi-Lift Slider Adapter===DONE!
SmittyBilt XRC10 Comp Series Winch===DONE!

Fast Forward Pic:

_DSC0444 by Chris Hallmark, on Flickr

And I think that'll do it... I'm going into this project head first and using it as an opportunity to learn how to weld and wrench a little more... My dad works at a steel fab shop and my younger brother is taking auto tech at school so they'll be helping out too... I'm really excited about getting all this stuff started, I've already got some ideas for my bumpers down on paper and I'm mocking some things up with cardboard... It'll be slow and bit by bit but i'm determined to do it myself and learn a lot along the way... So anything you guys can suggest or you wanna see let me know!

Any ideas would be much appreciated!

Thanks guys,
Chris H.
 
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sounds good! i have a few Q's,

are you planning on doing write ups for all of that? i would like to see how you design your sliders.

what are you starting with? year, model, engine size... stuff like that

thanks
pat
 
yea you should post pictures from when you first got it to now, then from now to the future with the next upgrades.

if i was you i would call it quits after the lift, tires, and rack but it would still look sweet with all that other stuff. also you can try a toytec lift, i think it is a bit cheaper then the SS ones.
 
shootmymime said:
sounds good! i have a few Q's,

are you planning on doing write ups for all of that? i would like to see how you design your sliders.

what are you starting with? year, model, engine size... stuff like that

thanks
pat
Click to expand...

Write-Ups are difficult for me because if I can't put my hands on it and show you, I can't explain it... But I'll def be putting up walk throughs and updates...

I have some ideas on graph paper for bumpers and sliders, with all sorts of dimensions etc... I don't have a CAD program or anything so I'll be going off of my hand written designs and my garage floor painters tape... :biggrin2:

And I'm starting with a 1996 Toyota 4Runner Limited, on 265/75/R16 Michelin LTX M/S... 3.4L V6... 4x4...
 
Sloan said:
yea you should post pictures from when you first got it to now, then from now to the future with the next upgrades.

if i was you i would call it quits after the lift, tires, and rack but it would still look sweet with all that other stuff. also you can try a toytec lift, i think it is a bit cheaper then the SS ones.
Click to expand...

I'll get some pics up hopefully tongiht of when I first got it, up to recently, then update them as I add stuff...

Toytec stuff is good, but I decided that if i'm going to do this deal, then i'm gonna do it right the first time, and the SS kits are the best performing lifts I have seen and Steve is a great guy to talk to and he knows his stuff! :bigok:
 
So, for the first of what I'm sure will be many questions...

I need ideas for skids...

Bolt on or weld on sliders?

And some tool time--

Stick or wire-feed welding? I've seen a little of both done, and tried stick welding, wasn't too great at it and i've heard wire-feed is easier... What do you guys think? What would be best for the bumpers? i'll be using 3/16" plate...

My dad runs a CNC plasma burner so getting peices cut is no problem, just concerned with warping when we put the heat to it...

Thanks guys!!!!
 
Well a bit of an update ladies and gents... So you can semi see where I'm headed...

Front bumper will be a Shrockworks style with no bars, rear will be modeled after Bruce's and sliders will be single kickout's a la Stubbs design...

Front and rear bumpers will be a mix of 3/16" square tubing and 1/8" plate... Still trying to figure out mounts for the front, anyone with ARB/TJM and can show/tell me how yours mounts would be awesome!

Found my roof rack too, it's by Rola.. only thing is, I'll have to fab up some light mounts or find some that'll fit their rack...


Thoughts? :bigok:
 
kaiser said:
hmm my thoughts are how much for the bumpers and the brushguard? :D
Click to expand...


Well let's see here...

SS Kit is about 1200 bones
New Bumpers will be around 650
Sliders 150
New tires around a grand (align, mount, balance)

So we'll start the bidding at $3,000... going once, going twice....:bash:

Haha, I want to get the lift purchased first, tires can be done on credit... So right now I need around $1500 bucks... I think I have $80 in my piggy bank and will be saving like $100 a week... I hope!

I have no idea how much this stuff is worth to anyone...
 
Sooooo..... I was browsing the archives today and found this pic of my truck, I thnk it's the oldest one I have... We were out looking at the land where we built our house and I have the only 4WD vehicle so we naturally took mine... Anywho, I think this is like 2 weeks after I got it, running boards removed already!


Sweet poser flex shot and long hair too... lol
 

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Here she is all nice and clean after the brushguard, clear corners and clear turns...

Night shot, my bad...
 

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What kind of tires you looking to get ? Discounttire.com has good prices. I got my nittos from there. Waiting on them to come in. Im actually building my runner up too. I dont wheel enough to justify getting the ss lit so I went with the toytec. Will be good enough for me. No reason to spend money when I dont have to.
 
haddix said:
What kind of tires you looking to get ? Discounttire.com has good prices. I got my nittos from there. Waiting on them to come in. Im actually building my runner up too. I dont wheel enough to justify getting the ss lit so I went with the toytec. Will be good enough for me. No reason to spend money when I dont have to.
Click to expand...


I'm looking at the Nitto's, Cooper SST's, and Toyo M/T's...
I've been talking with Steve @ SSF and he agrees that the SS kits ride like new compared my 12 y.o. suspension...

So with the better on road ride and off road prowess that these kits bring, have me hooked on getting them... Which TT lift are you getting?
 
The ups guy just dropped off my nittos. They look really good in person. Ive heard nothing but good things about them so I chose them. I got 3''coil lift with ome shocks. Anything will be better than your 12 y/o suspension lol. Dont get me wrong i would love the ss lift but like i said I couldnt spend that much money for what I do. The toytec will be more than enough. I also ordered the helo maxx 6 rims this morning. Should be here friday. What rims you gonna go with ?
 
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