Vandert/Bahndrvr's Single income 4 dependents Slow Build 4 sale now 0ct 6, 2017

[t-man]

Well for me header cost is the big thing! I have made headers and exhaust, this is my daily so I will install myself and hope to make a mandrel bent modular x pipe that I put together with v-bands I will get a good x-pipe setup and probably a URD Y pipe and mod it then coat the welds. Probably have 10 hours or so into my x-pipe and will put v-bands on the headers before I install, then make the bends to where I want and tack weld in place remove and cut v-bands into it to make it truly modular and all stainless. I live in Florida now but wife wants to move in next 4-5 years and I plan on having 10 years or more so will make it so I can throw cats on if we move to a green state! She's a Grand Rapids graduate, graduated from high school there and college as well thought I'd mention since your in Michigan!

Have it all mapped out in my head, and one of the projects I'm looking very forward to to be honest sold my good welder a while back so will go to my buddies house when it's time. But I will probably make a roof rack before I tackle the headers only need tube, a better bender, and new blade to made the cuts for the rack

Anyway all things in the future I look forward to!

Dude, move closer! I need a fab buddy! I took this as partial trade for a house I'm painting for an older lady. It was her husband's before he died.

now if I could just run across a great deal on a quality welder! Lol
Grand Rapids isn't what it used to be. Crime rates are high, it's basically the new Detroit from the 80's. But lots of other great areas!

Sent from the drivers seat of my 05 4runner.

 

[vandert]

Oh the things I can do with oxy-act! I'm down to just a small harbor freight flux that I did the cap and rectifier mod on, works really really well for like 30 bucks in parts and the mods I did. Have a buddy about 35 mins away that has a generator based Miller setup have used it s few times and he's new at welding, so I have taught him a bit but he wants to hit bigger projects hence the rack probably next!

We want 4 seasons, so north for sure but not that far north, I would go to Alaska but she lived up there too long from 13-23 and was originally a Florida girl and came back once she got out of college.

I have been all over but never to Michigan, it's her 20th reunion this year but we weren't able to make it up

 

[t-man]

Oh the things I can do with oxy-act! I'm down to just a small harbor freight flux that I did the cap and rectifier mod on, works really really well for like 30 bucks in parts and the mods I did. Have a buddy about 35 mins away that has a generator based Miller setup have used it s few times and he's new at welding, so I have taught him a bit but he wants to hit bigger projects hence the rack probably next!

We want 4 seasons, so north for sure but not that far north, I would go to Alaska but she lived up there too long from 13-23 and was originally a Florida girl and came back once she got out of college.

I have been all over but never to Michigan, it's her 20th reunion this year but we weren't able to make it up

I love Michigan. All seasons, northern half of lower peninsula and of course all the upper, have awesome terrain, wildlife, woods, rivers, lakes, but I hate the economy. Just seems impossible to make a decent living. I've been working in suburban Detroit this summer. Much higher work load, but not so much of that beautiful Northern Michigan environment.
What's this mod you speak of? I haven't heard anything, mostly cause I haven't looked.. Lol
I sooooooo wish I'd had this torch set many times while working on my truck!

Sent from the drivers seat of my 05 4runner.

 

[vandert]

I love Michigan. All seasons, northern half of lower peninsula and of course all the upper, have awesome terrain, wildlife, woods, rivers, lakes, but I hate the economy. Just seems impossible to make a decent living. I've been working in suburban Detroit this summer. Much higher work load, but not so much of that beautiful Northern Michigan environment.
What's this mod you speak of? I haven't heard anything, mostly cause I haven't looked.. Lol
I sooooooo wish I'd had this torch set many times while working on my truck!

Sent from the drivers seat of my 05 4runner.

For that mod just look at my old post on garage journal, post 14 and 15. Bahndrvr's slow garage build - The Garage Journal Board

Let me know if that works, the 90 dollar HF flux is setup as a/c which makes it crsppy, this mod converts it to D/C and also gives you a solid charge etc. works 110% better I also went to smaller wire and Hobart wire as well then added a heavy duty ground clamp and it can do anything I have thrown at it now.

 

[t-man]

For that mod just look at my old post on garage journal, post 14 and 15. Bahndrvr's slow garage build - The Garage Journal Board

Let me know if that works, the 90 dollar HF flux is setup as a/c which makes it crsppy, this mod converts it to D/C and also gives you a solid charge etc. works 110% better I also went to smaller wire and Hobart wire as well then added a heavy duty ground clamp and it can do anything I have thrown at it now.

Is there a writeup that you followed somewhere that is more specific? Makes sense to convert it to DC. I like the idea. Does it weld thicker metal better now?

Sent from the drivers seat of my 05 4runner.

 

[vandert]

Yeah will have to find it again been a while since I did it but it may have been on garage journal - which is a super dangerous site btw - but yes I have welded 1/4 plate and put in load bearing situations with no issues, have a lot more control now so won't burn through exhaust pipe like it did stock, and I can actually use it with an extension cord, before it was useless if ran though any kind of extension. It's not perfect by any means but it was easily a 100% improvement in the performance of the little cheap welder. I will be getting a nice tig/mig setup and back to 220v in the future but this works for what I need right now for my rack will work for tacing up then driving the 35 miles to my buddies and use his Miller and his wire

 

[vandert]

FYI

Just joking about using his wire and gas if I use will provide him with new stuff and a refill

 

[vandert]

Couldn't wait, didn't finish as wife had stuff all day had baby most of the day a swell it never goes as soothing as you expect it to.


Before:





During:

Inside drivers side need to replace ASAP



Old and new




Bottle jack lol



After




Cv angle looks almost stock, so no diff drop for me

 

[vandert]

Side shot with nasty Cali lean:/

Actually these are after ones abive are the tears lol









Spacer in on drivers side but couldn't get the bottoms of the cheap Gabriel shock off so this is how she is sitting tonight. Hit with OB blaster and will try to finish up rear tomorrow then drive and flex out a bit then hit up alignment tomorrow or Monday during work. Actually doesn't look bad at all on the stock tires if I realized that would have done this last week

Hands hurt and on phone so screw the spelling. I do expect it to go down a bit but it's the Trd Tacoma struts and the 2.5" spacers in front and adding Sahara 1.5" in rear with the Tacoma rears if I can get the cheap shocks that are on there kff

 

[vandert]

I'll rem easier after a drive don't even know if it's at 37 or 38" in front right now hoping the 37" but either way driver and passenger are level!. I did back out the driveway and bounce it a bunch in breaks after some measurements so it may be the 37's I posted above first I think the 1.5" in the rear is going to work out oerfect with what I have in be front as well!

I'll do final measurements and post after alignment and some driving I can say my cv's were extremely negative before and look way better now, so the massive lift from this won't be had for most just my stokers were behind shit, it does looked like these bilsteins are fairly new though so will be selling the stock fronts maybe a spacer on them would work nice for someone or throw some fj' son them?

 

[vandert]

Done drives and looks great!

Now focus on this test Froday for a cert required for my job, and tattoo while saving up for other things.

Need alignment and CV's sooner rather than Later will be getting the hose clamps for the passenger as it's leaking a little but is salvageable.









Trimmed rearmed flaps and removed fronts!

 

[vandert]

Measurements from center of wheel

Passenger 22 3/4
Driver same from center of rim
Rear driver 22 3/4
Passenger 23 1/4

Rear passenger is a slight bit higher, I that will go away once I get the alignment and can flex everything out some more I think. May get the rear Tacoma shock extensions but may not.

I also flexed it out without away bar and have too much droop so put it back on which means I can't put my front skid plate back on. So swaybar relocation, diff drop, and the skid plate drop will go on, CV angles are fine but I would like to remove my swaybar for added flex Offeoad and not comfortable doing that without the diff drop.

My passenger front CV is leaking but wasn't before I flexed it out with it swaybar

 

[vandert]

My last few days have been hurricane prep! 4Runner is guarding the house now Eye is predicted to come within 25 miles of us, work on Patrick and Cape Canaveral and they closed and sent us home at 11, here's hoping we keep power most if the storm!

I will make it over to the beach if they let us - barrier islands are under mandatory evac- but calling for 20ft swells and that's not including the storm surge!

Should be interesting as most of the barrier islands here are around 8ft above sea level!











24 foot ladders suck!!!

 

[vandert]

Had a huge post but daughter hit the button and lost it all. Anyway Long night but eyebis finally passing us!





I'm at the dot, been a long night and not rewriting the whole story post I had with a lot of pics lol

 

[ace402]

Glad you guys are all right!

 

[vandert]

Us too! Almost time to go find some puddles to play in going out to explore when baby goes down for a nap and momma goes for a nap as well!

 

[vandert]

Not much posting lately as finished my big cert test and started my Dual Masters program back up - want more cheddar for projects and stuff I did pick up a thrush turbo welded muffler that I'm going tk throw in this weekend had a discount so only paid 35 for it so why not

Just now had a 30% off coupon at advanced auto so got two reman cv's and much needed wiper blades headed my way as well! I did not order the seals but from what I have read should be good to go as the axles have never been removed. I will watch closely and if I have to replace I'll do that when I do the front wheel bearings as preventative maint in the next 5k miles or so.

Tires will be the next big purchase and I'm starting to really lean towards just doing spacers as opposed to new rims and having to buy 5 as with the full time 4wd I will need a 285 sized spare. So I guess spacers are next big purchase lol and I'm actually kinda happy that my current tires are badly cupped from the shot suspension that was on the runner when I got it, will help with justification with the wife for new tires soon. Still leaning towards the new faulken wild peaks or the fierce attitudes mainly due to cost and weight if the tires.

oh I picked up some gunmetal plastidip to coat my rims as well and I believe it will match the fender trim pretty good so should look pretty damn good when I get it on, and working in the beach the salt spray eats up rims pretty good, then consider I stripped mine a while back so they are starting to look bad now will hit again with stripper and hit with a light wire brush before I put the dip in so should be good to go!

The front cv's are loud as hell now as I "may" have played to much during the hurricane and got water in the open boots so had to do these now

 

[vandert]

Got he muffler thrown in - big difference in weight - sound is meh, not loud enough but does add some depth to the truck, I think maybe it needs a little break in lol - it's welded chambers. May grow on me I think the second time I started it I could tell, also have a few pinholes in my very very quick weld job. Total time to do this was around 65 mins - was very rushed, only have one hanger on it right now as well.

Can't wait till the front CV's come in - then will throw in next weekend and put my stockers away for rebuid when I have time...

Will get back under when I do the CV's and probably pull the rims off to paint them, and while I have them off and the truck up - will go ahead and re-weld the exhaust the right way, I have a couple of choices on tip - not sure I want to put one on the Runner but may throw one on to see when I do all of that.





Welded in and one hanger added, will definately be adding one more hanger as well, probably on the inside side to ensure it stays away from the driveshaft.

 

[vandert]

Wow, hadn't updated in a while.

So, in addition to being an engineer and working on Patrick and doing fun stuff on NASA and Cape Canaveral I'm using my Post 9/11 GI bill and getting a Dual Masters - recent change but happy to be working on it again - got my first payment from that yesterday so made a big purchase today.

Found the SPC upper control arms on Amazon for 419 so got them with prime, went ahead and got a revtech diff drop, and Moog balljoints for my lower control arms, I have a call in to Advanced as I only received one of my CV's I ordered a week or so ago, so thinking it will all come in at the same time now and will do the upper arms, the lower ball joints, the CV's and the diff drop all at the same time then take back to my alignment shop as it's a 6 month guarantee so will get it done again and be set. Also went ahead and bought some 1.25 spacers for all around, guess that settles the rim dilemma, unfortunatly will probably be a while for anything else...

If this all works out - will possibly do the Tires next, or the Bodylift and bodymount chop prior to ordering tires. Time will tell, haven't told wife yet so if you don't hear from me for a bit - that's why lol.

I also decided I'm going to sell my current CB setup and go with one of my old favorites, the Cobra Nitehawk, and do the comet mount on the rear hatch, the uniden and lil wil isn't working out like i wanted and I hit the antenna on alot of when I'm driving around, alot of low hanging trees. Taht will be in not too distant future.

 

[vandert]

Parts

Feels a little like Christmas,

Beard Brush and trimmer - wife hates it but we aren't doing well so **** it - growing a beard around 2 weeks into it now and just getting past the itchy faze
Lower Ball Joints
Wheel Spacers
Diff Drop
All arrive today

Monday the SPC arms and my cabin filter should arrive honestly will probably do Diff drop and spacers tonight in the dark - and may clean it up and dip the rims tonight as well. Found some 315/70/17's about a 2 hour drive for 65 bucks, considering trying to get them and mount them when I do the upper arms as will have spacers and I don't mind cutting;-) Will be doing the body chop soon and the 315's are worn down so probably only around 33.8-34" and would only last around 10-15k miles which would be perfect for budget issues- would probably wear out just after tax return, and if I had already clearance for 35's, may end up buying 35's when I can afford new, hmm, kinda hoping it works out and I can get over to pick them up.