USNA91's Eventual Build Thread...

[USNA91]

Yes, friends, I have joined the Dark Side....

After 7 years of absolutely painless service, my 2008 SR5 will be going to my in-laws, who are in desperate need of reliable transportation. With only 75K miles on it, it's just beginning to break in.

What does that mean for me? A brand-new 2016 Trail Premium in black, which I will be picking up in the coming weeks. :dance::clap2::israel::heh::mod:

Since this is the only vehicle I plan to own for the next several years (i.e. - I plan to have them bury me in this thing), I plan to go "all out" for my dream rig.

It will be mostly an overland, with the occasional trip to places where the asphalt gods haven't pooped all over the surface. I'm pushing 50, so I hope to be able to enjoy this thing someday.

Wish me luck! :smokin:

As she sits today (24NOV15):

The Wishlist

Suspension:

• Icon Stage 3 Package
• Icon Upper Link Arm Kit
• Ultra Motorsports X106 Sawblade Wheels
• BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A K02 Tires

Armor/Protection:

• CBI Offroad Rear Bumper with Spare Carrier
• CBI Secondary Fuel Tank with Skid Plate
• ShrockWorks Rock Sliders with Dimpled Tread Plates (DONE)
• ShrockWorks Front Bumper (no hoops)
• ShrockWorks Skid Plates (Complete)

Cargo and Storage:

• Cargo Compartment Drawer System (TrauckVault, Tuffy, etc.)
• Gobi Stealth Roof Rack
• Gobi Ladder
• ConsoleVault (DONE)

Electronics:

• Excort 360 Radar Detector (DONE)
• ScanGauge II (DONE - Used iPad interface instead)
• Midland CB Radio with PA
• iPad Mini with Dash Mount (DONE)
• Headlight HID Upgrade
• Interior LED Bulb Upgrade (DONE)
• LED Light Bar
• Fog Light Upgrade/Mod
• LED Rear Light
• Secondary Battery
• Under-Hood LED's
• Cargo Area LED's

Safety:

• Recovery Gear (TBD)
• Winch (Maybe)
• Fire Extinguisher(s) (DONE)
• First Aid/Trauma Kit (DONE)
• Tool Kit
• Get-Home Bag (DONE)

Everything Else:

• Window Tint
• Locking Gas Cap (DONE - Doesn't work)
• WeatherTech Mats (DONE)
• Visor Organizer (DONE)
• AntMan's Flashlight Mod (DONE)

 

[kingofZroad]

Subscribed!!

 

[NCNewGuy]

Got nothing to add here other than (1) good luck with the build, (2) I'm subscribed, and (3) my son started his Plebe year 1 July, so Go Navy!

 

[USNA91]

Got nothing to add here other than (1) good luck with the build, (2) I'm subscribed, and (3) my son started his Plebe year 1 July, so Go Navy!

Tell him to forget about women, fun, or anything else except STUDYING and WORKING OUT.

I didn't do much of either, and I still regret it! :crybaby:

That said, CONGRATS!

 

[ST1FLER]

5 posts and already sucking on [MENTION=65614]Antman[/MENTION] lol

congrats on the new rig

 

[DannyLlama]

5 posts and already sucking on [MENTION=65614]Antman[/MENTION] lol

congrats on the new rig

 

[NCNewGuy]

Tell him to forget about women, fun, or anything else except STUDYING and WORKING OUT.

I think he gets it... First on his Christmas list is a weight vest, second new running shoes.

That said, CONGRATS!

Thanks, and thank you for your service!:high5:

 

[USNA91]

5 posts and already sucking on [MENTION=65614]Antman[/MENTION] lol

congrats on the new rig

Credit where it's due!

 

[USNA91]

I think he gets it... First on his Christmas list is a weight vest, second new running shoes.

Thanks, and thank you for your service!:high5:

You are most welcome. In turn, please thank your boy on my behalf. :tea:




So back to the truck stuff! :tongue:

One of the things I'm looking at getting from the stealership is the TRD Pro matte black alloy wheels. If I'm going black, I may as well go all the way...

Upon my asking for the price, the salesman has told me that the pressure-monitor sensors needed to be changed, and that the stock tires may not fit on those wheels.

Huh?

I'm sorry, but I don't think I buy that. Am I wrong?

If he's full of smoke, what reliable and quality alternatives exist for suitable matte black wheels that will fit the stock P265/70R17 tires, or do I just get them off eBay or wherever and get it done myself?

 

[Antman]

5 posts and already sucking on [MENTION=65614]Antman[/MENTION] lol

congrats on the new rig

Awwwwww. Does somebody need a wittle hug?

 

[ST1FLER]

Awwwwww. Does somebody need a wittle hug?


View attachment 178873

Dont be cheatin beyatch!

 

[USNA91]

She arrives!

Here she is in all her stock glory. They even come de-badged these days!

arty:

My wife has dubbed it The Super Freak. :wow:

Mod #1:

St. Jude was (and remains) the patron saint of my mother's family, and my father adopted him as the same soon after he married my mom. The patron saint of hopeless cases... Explains a lot about me! :thumb:

Anyway, my parents never began a long road trip without offering a short prayer to St. Jude to bring us back home safe. Dozens of cross-country and inter-country road trips going back as far as I can remember; it always worked.

So when I got my first car back in 1990, my mother (who also taught me to drive) gave me this little medal for it. It has gone into every car I've ever owned since, and I've rubbed it more than once after a close scare. In a few cases I can say that only divine intervention saved my butt from a serious sling. Now that Mom has passed away, it's like having her with me in the driver's seat.

Dear St. Jude, please ask the Lord to keep my wife and I safe as we enjoy this new toy. ray2:

So there is Mod #1. :whoo:

 

[USNA91]

Mods I intend to do in the near future:

• ConsoleVault
• Fire Extinguisher
• First Aid Kit
• AntMan's Flashlight Mod
• iPad Mini Mount
• Escort 360 Radar Detector with BlendMount
• Under-Hood LED's

All simple stuff that is relatively inexpensive, but begins to make it mine. I'll post a full list of mods I've though of in a bit, as well as some questions regarding how to do some of the first ones.

So totally psyched! :dancin:


Question #1: Fire Extinguishers

I'm former Navy, which means I know more about firefighting than the average bear (they teach you that before they even let you go aboard a ship). Unfortunately, the question I have regarding fire extinguishers wasn't part of the Navy DC Manual...

I'm very familiar with Halon and it's greenie-weenie counterpart, Halotron. My question is, is the added expense of these particular types of extinguishers worth it?

Part of me wants to be able to put out a fire without damaging anything else in the process. By the same token, I can't help but think that ANY fire in a vehicle (especially under the hood) will pretty well destroy it anyway, so the heck with finesse and just kill the damned thing with a regular extinguisher that costs 9 times less, mess or no mess.

What say ye?

The intended mounting location is horizontally in the cubicle in the starboard aft cargo compartment. Yes, I still use shipboard terminology...

Thanks!

 

[USNA91]

Question...

One of the mods I want to do is a second battery. Unlike other Runners I've seen here, mine would require the relocation of some items, but I'll deal with that when I get to it.

In the meantime, I have an Optima yellow top battery I purchased in 2006, used until 2009, and which has sat in my garage since then. What's the best way to determine if it's still any good? Just take it down to autozone or something?

I have a charger I can use. Just been so long I can't remember how to use it right now. I'll look when I get home...

 

[bane]

Question #1: Fire Extinguishers

I'm former Navy, which means I know more about firefighting than the average bear (they teach you that before they even let you go aboard a ship). Unfortunately, the question I have regarding fire extinguishers wasn't part of the Navy DC Manual...

I'm very familiar with Halon and it's greenie-weenie counterpart, Halotron. My question is, is the added expense of these particular types of extinguishers worth it?

Part of me wants to be able to put out a fire without damaging anything else in the process. By the same token, I can't help but think that ANY fire in a vehicle (especially under the hood) will pretty well destroy it anyway, so the heck with finesse and just kill the damned thing with a regular extinguisher that costs 9 times less, mess or no mess.

What say ye?

The intended mounting location is horizontally in the cubicle in the starboard aft cargo compartment. Yes, I still use shipboard terminology...

Thanks!

Very informative thread on fire extinguishers here http://www.toyota-4runner.org/off-topic/187094-fire-extinguisher-information.html. Some discussion on Halon/Halotron as well. I think generally the answer was "not worth it."

 

[USNA91]

Very informative thread on fire extinguishers here http://www.toyota-4runner.org/off-topic/187094-fire-extinguisher-information.html. Some discussion on Halon/Halotron as well. I think generally the answer was "not worth it."

:wow2:

Outstanding thread. Thanks for the link.

Off to scratch that Kidde off my Wishlist on Amazon... :doh:

 

[USNA91]

Minor update:

• WeatherTech Floor Mats are in. Not sure if I actually like them, though...
• Escort 360 installed. Wow, these things have come a long way since my 1990's Passport!
• License Plate frames in (Big woop)
• Sunshade organizer from Overland installed and filled. Nifty little thing...
• One of those trail-hitch vaults. Another nifty gizmo.
• First-Aid Kits packed, but those still need work, and I'll do a seperate writeup on those later.
• Garbage receptacle, because I'm OCD about my rig.

Still waiting on the first real mod, which will be the ShrockWorks sliders.

Two questions, though...

Where in the HELL can I find the following hardware?

and

Yeah, I want to build my own drawer system, and while I have drawer pulls, I like the simplicity of the TruckVault hardware. I've looked everywhere. Even WoodCraft was left scratching their heads...

Thanks.

 

[USNA91]

As shown in the OP, I've been busy the past two weeks. Got the rock sliders installed, and put in all the smaller updates. Pics will follow very soon, as will explanations where helpful.

The biggest snag is that I must have blown a fuse when doing the LED bulb swap. This was when I discovered how horrible the location and documentation of the fuse box is on the '16 Runner. I'm beyond ticked.

And then, to add insult to injury, I popped out the DOME fuse in the engine compartment, and the little bastard leapt to its death somewhere in the engine compartment, probably on a skid plate. I can't get the plates off right now (tools and weather are lacking), so off I go tomorrow to the stealership. I'll have them turn off the damned seat belt chime while I'm there...

I just hope I got all the LEDs put in correctly. No way to tell right now. Sigh...

Update to follow...

 

[USNA91]

Stealership won't deactivate the seatbelt chime. "It's a safety feature."

Jerks.

Oh, and they want to charge me for any setting changes.

Gotta find a decent private shop around here...

 

[USNA91]

All done!

The good news is that yep, it was just a silly fuse. The bad news is that I lost the relay and not even they could find it. What an idiot I am... ound:

Further good news: it looks as if I got all but two of the LED bulbs correctly oriented, and they are shining bright. Fortunately, the two I missed are easy to get to and flip.

Oh, and they turned off my chime after all. Go figure...:clock: