mikey's2010SR5
New member
I have always been told with gears go to a specialist and them properly break them in.
Warthog Build and Adventure Thread
- Thread starter 2014 Warthog
- Start date
2014 Warthog
New member
San Diego Gear and Axel in El Cajon. I didn't want to /specifically/ recommend them at this time since I haven't had any real work done there yet but they did impress me with their helpfulness and seeing the shop and the kinds of cars they have worked on as well as good reviews. If I do end up changing gears, that's where I'm going...
Thanks
actually today I'm getting new wheels and tires. Those were the first things I hastily bought when the rig was new and wasn't certain exactly where I was going. I've not liked the wheels from day one, the toyo tires were actually decent but very soft sidewalls when on the rocks and rather average looking.Getting some different rims with 275s this time... Selling my current tires and wheels cheap to a friend that just bought a stock third gen
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Marcocopuffs
New member
Try pressuring the shop for some money back.
BrianSD_42
New member
im a huge fan of General Grabber AT2s, 285x75x16 in my case.
For rims maybe stock FJ or 5th gen ..
Can't wait to see what you decide.
For rims maybe stock FJ or 5th gen ..
Can't wait to see what you decide.
2014 Warthog
New member
I am giving the BFG KO 2's a try, 275s
They are supposedly MUCH improved for rain/snow handling plus being tough as nails for offroading. And surprisingly light compared to the toyos, only like 3 pounds more than my 265s.
Little trepidatious about the ride, but several people with them say it's pretty smooth.
I got some Method wheels with recessed spokes and a silver polished outter rim. Not sure yet if I will love or hate the silver rim, I opted for it due to all the scraping on the lip I did on the previous ones. With the black lip and the silver scrapes it looked bad. I figure a silver lip with scrapes won't look as bad. But in the end I may paint it red or even black, who knows
These: http://cdn3.volusion.com/sxegw.zwlry/v/vspfiles/photos/MRWDS-17-3.jpg
They are supposedly MUCH improved for rain/snow handling plus being tough as nails for offroading. And surprisingly light compared to the toyos, only like 3 pounds more than my 265s.
Little trepidatious about the ride, but several people with them say it's pretty smooth.
I got some Method wheels with recessed spokes and a silver polished outter rim. Not sure yet if I will love or hate the silver rim, I opted for it due to all the scraping on the lip I did on the previous ones. With the black lip and the silver scrapes it looked bad. I figure a silver lip with scrapes won't look as bad. But in the end I may paint it red or even black, who knows
These: http://cdn3.volusion.com/sxegw.zwlry/v/vspfiles/photos/MRWDS-17-3.jpg
2014 Warthog
New member
New tires and wheels!
Got a bonus at work so decided to spend it on new tires and wheels for the Warthog.
As I said above, my original tires and wheels were bought in haste and I wasn't ecstatic about them from the beginning, so took care of that today.
Method Wheels - MR304 - Double Standard - Matte Black/Machined
17x8.5 0mm offset (4.5 in backspacing)
275 70 R17 BFG KO2 tires
The tires fit well no rubbing at all... almost.
It turns out that the spoke design of these wheels curves back into the wheel and the spokes were just barely rubbing on a protrusion on the brake caliper! ?!?!?
So ORW put on a 1/4 inch shim spacer on the front wheels to get them to clear :/
And I thought I had it all figured out before ordering!! :doh:!
Got a bonus at work so decided to spend it on new tires and wheels for the Warthog.
As I said above, my original tires and wheels were bought in haste and I wasn't ecstatic about them from the beginning, so took care of that today.
Method Wheels - MR304 - Double Standard - Matte Black/Machined
17x8.5 0mm offset (4.5 in backspacing)
275 70 R17 BFG KO2 tires
The tires fit well no rubbing at all... almost.
It turns out that the spoke design of these wheels curves back into the wheel and the spokes were just barely rubbing on a protrusion on the brake caliper! ?!?!?
So ORW put on a 1/4 inch shim spacer on the front wheels to get them to clear :/
And I thought I had it all figured out before ordering!! :doh:!
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BrianSD_42
New member
new wheels look really good.
I would take your 4Runner back to the shop and try to get your money back for the gears work. If they did a bad job then they are responsible and normally offer a 12 month warranty.
I would take your 4Runner back to the shop and try to get your money back for the gears work. If they did a bad job then they are responsible and normally offer a 12 month warranty.
mikey's2010SR5
New member
From what I remember a lot of guys were having the same issue with the method wheels. Thought they resolved it but guess not.
Otherwise looks great.
Otherwise looks great.
Javelin
New member
When I got 4.56s on my 4th gen the gears did the same thing. I took it to a shop that did mostly jeeps and they didn't do the preset right and it made the exact same noise at the same rpms!
I had it redone at a more reputable shop. Do you know the brand of 4.56 rear gear you used? Or did you keep your stock gears?
I had it redone at a more reputable shop. Do you know the brand of 4.56 rear gear you used? Or did you keep your stock gears?
2014 Warthog
New member
I suppose I probably should try but honestly, I don't know if I could prove a case really :/ He did open it up again and check things out, refill with new oil on his own dime already. I also saw on this forum since that several others that also had this happen after a locker install and just as many that had it happen without even opening the diff. SO not sure I could really argue negligence, it might have been or it might not have been. Maybe going to Big Bear before 1000 miles on them was a problem which was my fault. no way to really tell.
So I'm willing to just let it go.
Heh, man I missed that or I would have picked a different wheel
I was so careful about width and backspacing and tire size... there's always one more thing you overlook I need to check the thread depth with the shims on, if it's sufficient then I'll just leave it. If there are only like 4 turns and the rubbing is really only a little bit then yeah I should look at doing something like that.
I kept my factory gears. 4.56 just seems to high for me since I am not really a hard core rock crawler :/ I'd love to get maybe some 4.10s in there but there are no quality gear sets at that ratio for the 8.2 diff yet.
Maybe by the time I replace these new 275s there'll be a good 4.10 gear set and I'll do that and up to 33s then
2014 Warthog
New member
Versatile DIY Camp/Work light
While I was lolling around ORW having the new shoes put on I of course drooled over all the other stuff hanging on the walls.
They had a nice 10 watt wide angle single let light module hanging there. It was kind of stupidly expensive but it had a really nice wide angle diffuser on it that is not easy to find. So I bought it.
Then got some other supplies and made this!
Unraveled we have a power plug, 15 feet of wire and the light module attached to a regular old wood clamp.
Here is a look at the diffuser
Campsite simulation pics!
Attached to rack.
Attached to tree at camp.
attached to lantern pole for wider coverage
Emergency simulations too!
Fixing engine
Finding out what that clunking noise is in the dark.
It's fairly bright, could be brighter, but also only 10 watts. With the group 31 battery with a 4 hour reserve. It could power this light for 100 hours and still have plenty of power to start the car.
I had thought about putting camp lights permanently mounted on the rack but the logistics of it, seemed a bit much and overall not as versatile in the end...
While I was lolling around ORW having the new shoes put on I of course drooled over all the other stuff hanging on the walls.
They had a nice 10 watt wide angle single let light module hanging there. It was kind of stupidly expensive but it had a really nice wide angle diffuser on it that is not easy to find. So I bought it.
Then got some other supplies and made this!
Unraveled we have a power plug, 15 feet of wire and the light module attached to a regular old wood clamp.
Here is a look at the diffuser
Campsite simulation pics!
Attached to rack.
Attached to tree at camp.
attached to lantern pole for wider coverage
Emergency simulations too!
Fixing engine
Finding out what that clunking noise is in the dark.
It's fairly bright, could be brighter, but also only 10 watts. With the group 31 battery with a 4 hour reserve. It could power this light for 100 hours and still have plenty of power to start the car.
I had thought about putting camp lights permanently mounted on the rack but the logistics of it, seemed a bit much and overall not as versatile in the end...
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Where u get the light at?
2014 Warthog
New member
Off Road Warehouse...
You can find 10 watt modules on amazon for a reasonable price ($25?), but most of them are spot beams, more like a flashlight. Look for a wide angle one if you want an area light.
YetiX
New member
I sense that I have a trip to ORW in my future...
I could wire the LED to an SAE plug and then I could run it off my motorcycle or the 4Runner. The possibilities!!
nismoxr34
New member
Loving this build thread, been looking to upgrade my 2011 TE soon, but can't seem to want to upgrade suspension until I need it. Looks like I would be doing something similar, a small 1-2 inch lift in the future.
I need to go out to Borrego sometime, maybe I can ask if you want to tag along. I also need to head up to big bear.
I need to go out to Borrego sometime, maybe I can ask if you want to tag along. I also need to head up to big bear.
2014 Warthog
New member
Heh sure. Some others have asked the same thing. Maybe I should arrange a beginners trip.
2014 Warthog
New member
Tds... Ds (tdsds?)
Three days in the saddle...
There and Back again, a 4 wheelers journey...
We can't stop here... this is bat country!
I went to the Tierra Del Sol 53rd Desert safari this weekend. Three days of dust and offroading. I did about 200 miles worth. I was driving nearly the entire time I was awake.
I tested the new BFG AT KO2 tires in most every desert offroad condition for So Cal. High speed sandy washes, gravel roads, washboard, dunes, mud hill climbs, even a teensy bit of rock crawling. LOVE the tires! Aired down to 30 pounds they did everything and without any harshness. Great pressure for all around offroading. Rolled over pebbles and washboard and bumps smoothly but still good pressure for driving fast and fishtailing around.
I rolled up at about 2pm, having come down from Ranchita through Borrego. Many big toy haulers and motorhomes towing jeeps. I could see it was already pretty packed from the view from a nearby overlook.
I pulled into the main camp and parked on top of a hill that was lined the entire way with nothing but Jeeps! And maybe a dune buggy in there. The entire event is 95% jeeps and then 5% everything else. Lots of Toyota trucks, mostly older and heavily modified. Very few 4runners, but about half of them were first gens.
I checked out all the vendors and the food lineup. Saw lots of neat built offroaders but were mostly all Jeeps so I didn't take any pics to pollute the board with I did see this nifty toyota honcho build.
I then drove around looking for runners for a bit, but didn't see anyone from the forums, so headed out to explore the desert some. I ran into some markers for the Safari trail and followed them a ways, playing in the mud hills for a bit. At one point I'd gone up a 70-80 foot hill climb and slowly came over the top (Always scary, never know what's on the other side). My right tire dropped quickly and I was on the frame. I stopped to get out and take a picture. I backed up and tried going down to the right, but the rock face was too steep for my wheelbase and was on the frame again. Finally had to back down. Little scary! I always had weight on my tail end and the tires easily pulled the front back up as I backed up. If I'd of had more balls I could have punched it and slid over and down front ways over the rock ledge and down the hill on the other side but... ah well. Lots of other hills to climb around there.
Finally went back and found a camp spot, had a beer and rested. Got hungry and went back to the main area for foods. Parked up on the hill again.
Lots of food to choose from, all more fattening than the last. Pizza, Bacon wrapped dogs, Fish Tacos, Pulled Pork sandwiches, Ice cream, mini donuts for dessert/breakfast. I never did cook anything, just sandwiches on the trail and the rest from the main camp.
Continued...
Three days in the saddle...
There and Back again, a 4 wheelers journey...
We can't stop here... this is bat country!
I went to the Tierra Del Sol 53rd Desert safari this weekend. Three days of dust and offroading. I did about 200 miles worth. I was driving nearly the entire time I was awake.
I tested the new BFG AT KO2 tires in most every desert offroad condition for So Cal. High speed sandy washes, gravel roads, washboard, dunes, mud hill climbs, even a teensy bit of rock crawling. LOVE the tires! Aired down to 30 pounds they did everything and without any harshness. Great pressure for all around offroading. Rolled over pebbles and washboard and bumps smoothly but still good pressure for driving fast and fishtailing around.
I rolled up at about 2pm, having come down from Ranchita through Borrego. Many big toy haulers and motorhomes towing jeeps. I could see it was already pretty packed from the view from a nearby overlook.
I pulled into the main camp and parked on top of a hill that was lined the entire way with nothing but Jeeps! And maybe a dune buggy in there. The entire event is 95% jeeps and then 5% everything else. Lots of Toyota trucks, mostly older and heavily modified. Very few 4runners, but about half of them were first gens.
I checked out all the vendors and the food lineup. Saw lots of neat built offroaders but were mostly all Jeeps so I didn't take any pics to pollute the board with
I did see this nifty toyota honcho build.I then drove around looking for runners for a bit, but didn't see anyone from the forums, so headed out to explore the desert some. I ran into some markers for the Safari trail and followed them a ways, playing in the mud hills for a bit. At one point I'd gone up a 70-80 foot hill climb and slowly came over the top (Always scary, never know what's on the other side). My right tire dropped quickly and I was on the frame. I stopped to get out and take a picture. I backed up and tried going down to the right, but the rock face was too steep for my wheelbase and was on the frame again. Finally had to back down. Little scary! I always had weight on my tail end and the tires easily pulled the front back up as I backed up. If I'd of had more balls I could have punched it and slid over and down front ways over the rock ledge and down the hill on the other side but... ah well. Lots of other hills to climb around there.
Finally went back and found a camp spot, had a beer and rested. Got hungry and went back to the main area for foods. Parked up on the hill again.
Lots of food to choose from, all more fattening than the last. Pizza, Bacon wrapped dogs, Fish Tacos, Pulled Pork sandwiches, Ice cream, mini donuts for dessert/breakfast. I never did cook anything, just sandwiches on the trail and the rest from the main camp.
Continued...
Attachments
2014 Warthog
New member
Saturday I got up a bit late, didn't get a lot of sleep, lots of fireworks and people offroading all night. Ususally takes me a day or two to be tired enough to sleep through anything
While I was getting ready I could see the huge line-up of 4x4s heading to the starting point for the safari. They were bunched up but moving along ok at that point. By the time I pulled into the line, it had just stopped dead. In 45 minutes in line I moved about a half a mile :/ I made a strategic desicion to skip the safari for now and run it later. Instead I offroaded myself from Truckhaven all the way to Borrego Springs completely off road.
Hit Borrego Springs, Gassed up and headed back towards the Salton Sea. As I was passing Clark dry lake I decided to try to get back into Rockhosue Canyon which I'd been turned back by flooding twice before.
Perfectly dry today! Buzzed out to the end of the trail in Rockhouse Canyon and was going to hike up to the rock houses! Except.. a closer look at the map put them about 4 miles of desert terrain away and in 85 degree afternoon heat :/ Decided I needed to plan that hike better and zipped back down tot he highway again and abck to truckhaven.
Back at the TDS event I tried to go follow the safari trail which HAD been marked, but all the markers were gone! They cleaned those up quickly, sadly I did not have the course map with me Oh well, I did more exploring around the mud hills that the safari went through till dusk and headed back to the main camp for dinner and the raffle. I saw this Runner there, but no T4R sticker.
Got some fish tacos (Good!) and my chair and set myself up in front of the stage to await the raffle.
Three hours long! WHew, well was tired from driving all day so resting in my loungy chair for three hours wasn't terrible. Then the fireworks show which was pretty nice. All in all a great day except for not meeting up with any T4R people.
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The next morning I woke up earlyish. Sun was just up. Got a good nights sleep after driving away from the pack some. I had to get from Truckhaven to the entrance of the Ocotillo Wells SVRA by 8:30 to meet a friend and show him around some wheeling spots in his new 3rd gen he just bought. After getting ready I had 45 minutes to try to make it offroad.
I decided to head south on the cut acoss trail as it was the most direct route. BIG MISTAKE. Ghod that trail is nothing but woops. There are some fun rides in the mud hills there but I needed to be someplace and the woops were really slowing me down. Got to Tule wash and thought about racing up that way and down south but, nah, just another couple miles south I can hit the shell reef expressway and really open her up. UH! The worst poart of the trail! SO slow. Some fun parts too of course, but oy... Finally hit the expressway and bombed it all the way to the main street entrance and got there at 8:30 ON THE DOT! Whew.
Friend showed up 5 minutes later which was pretty good as he was driving out from San Diego, he aired down and we hit the trails. Squaw peak, dunes, zipped up to the top, did a litle rock climbing there. May have video later. Down again, more dunes and jetted up the sandy washes then east on cutacross to borrego mountain wash. We went up the canyon to the bottom of the drop off. There is a /tiny/ bit of moab there reddish sandstone in the canyon and teeny patch of "slick rock" to go over.
From there we went up hills of the moon wash which was kind of fun, never been there, very tight mud hills. We reached a section where there had been a collapse blocking the wash. There was a path over the fall but it was seriously dug out making it a complete cross axel trip up and down the other side. A-TRAC got me up and over no problem, but my friends 3rd gen without A-Trac or a locker didn't make it.
So back south out of the wash we go. Then went to cutacross and fault wash and up to fonts Point. That was the end of my offroading. We aired back up and headed back home through Borrego Springs.
On the way out of town and JUST starting up the mountain someone waved to me from the side of the road. It looked like they recognized my truck maybe? I was so busy trying to see if I recognized them I forgot to wave back Anyway if that was someone from the forums let me know and sorry for not waving back!
Back at home I realise I drove all the way back with my dune flag still attached. UGH. Post-embarassment ensues...
This was a VERY dusty trip. The inside is just as dusty as the outside!
Anyway, I got somewhere around 200 miles of off roading criss crossing upper Borrego State Park, Truckhaven and Ocotillo Wells for three days. Though I was alone for most of the time I still had a good time. Tons and tons of fun build machines at the main camp, makes me think about getting some old beat up something and getting out the torch and welder and going to town on it
Next year maybe we should plan better and put togeather a T4R camp!
Till then...
While I was getting ready I could see the huge line-up of 4x4s heading to the starting point for the safari. They were bunched up but moving along ok at that point. By the time I pulled into the line, it had just stopped dead. In 45 minutes in line I moved about a half a mile :/ I made a strategic desicion to skip the safari for now and run it later. Instead I offroaded myself from Truckhaven all the way to Borrego Springs completely off road.
Hit Borrego Springs, Gassed up and headed back towards the Salton Sea. As I was passing Clark dry lake I decided to try to get back into Rockhosue Canyon which I'd been turned back by flooding twice before.
Perfectly dry today! Buzzed out to the end of the trail in Rockhouse Canyon and was going to hike up to the rock houses! Except.. a closer look at the map put them about 4 miles of desert terrain away and in 85 degree afternoon heat :/ Decided I needed to plan that hike better and zipped back down tot he highway again and abck to truckhaven.
Back at the TDS event I tried to go follow the safari trail which HAD been marked, but all the markers were gone! They cleaned those up quickly, sadly I did not have the course map with me
Oh well, I did more exploring around the mud hills that the safari went through till dusk and headed back to the main camp for dinner and the raffle. I saw this Runner there, but no T4R sticker.Got some fish tacos (Good!) and my chair and set myself up in front of the stage to await the raffle.
Three hours long! WHew, well was tired from driving all day so resting in my loungy chair for three hours wasn't terrible. Then the fireworks show which was pretty nice. All in all a great day except for not meeting up with any T4R people.
---------------------------------------
The next morning I woke up earlyish. Sun was just up. Got a good nights sleep after driving away from the pack some. I had to get from Truckhaven to the entrance of the Ocotillo Wells SVRA by 8:30 to meet a friend and show him around some wheeling spots in his new 3rd gen he just bought. After getting ready I had 45 minutes to try to make it offroad.
I decided to head south on the cut acoss trail as it was the most direct route. BIG MISTAKE. Ghod that trail is nothing but woops. There are some fun rides in the mud hills there but I needed to be someplace and the woops were really slowing me down. Got to Tule wash and thought about racing up that way and down south but, nah, just another couple miles south I can hit the shell reef expressway and really open her up. UH! The worst poart of the trail! SO slow. Some fun parts too of course, but oy... Finally hit the expressway and bombed it all the way to the main street entrance and got there at 8:30 ON THE DOT! Whew.
Friend showed up 5 minutes later which was pretty good as he was driving out from San Diego, he aired down and we hit the trails. Squaw peak, dunes, zipped up to the top, did a litle rock climbing there. May have video later. Down again, more dunes and jetted up the sandy washes then east on cutacross to borrego mountain wash. We went up the canyon to the bottom of the drop off. There is a /tiny/ bit of moab there reddish sandstone in the canyon and teeny patch of "slick rock" to go over.
From there we went up hills of the moon wash which was kind of fun, never been there, very tight mud hills. We reached a section where there had been a collapse blocking the wash. There was a path over the fall but it was seriously dug out making it a complete cross axel trip up and down the other side. A-TRAC got me up and over no problem, but my friends 3rd gen without A-Trac or a locker didn't make it.
So back south out of the wash we go. Then went to cutacross and fault wash and up to fonts Point. That was the end of my offroading. We aired back up and headed back home through Borrego Springs.
On the way out of town and JUST starting up the mountain someone waved to me from the side of the road. It looked like they recognized my truck maybe? I was so busy trying to see if I recognized them I forgot to wave back
Anyway if that was someone from the forums let me know and sorry for not waving back!Back at home I realise I drove all the way back with my dune flag still attached. UGH. Post-embarassment ensues...
This was a VERY dusty trip. The inside is just as dusty as the outside!
Anyway, I got somewhere around 200 miles of off roading criss crossing upper Borrego State Park, Truckhaven and Ocotillo Wells for three days. Though I was alone for most of the time I still had a good time. Tons and tons of fun build machines at the main camp, makes me think about getting some old beat up something and getting out the torch and welder and going to town on it
Next year maybe we should plan better and put togeather a T4R camp!
Till then...
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