Who Lives in So Cal?

[octanejunkie]

Checking in from Santa Monica

 

[tomtundra]

First, I've been mostly lurking this site for years and have got lots of great information. However, I had no idea there was a SoCal section till today.

Second, I'm in the IE.

Can't do Offroad Expo this weekend, but looking forward to actually meeting some T4R Cals.

 

[joneblaze]

Santa Clarita here.

T4R forum newbie - haven't been on car forums for a good decade, but used to be active on Honda-Tech, NASIOC, e90post, etc.

Just picked up my first ever 4x4 over the weekend - super clean example of 4G V8. Happy to be falling down multithread forum rabbit holes again - it's been way too long!

Looking forward to getting out and about in this beast, doing some "light" mods and meeting some local members.

Jon

 

[octanejunkie]

Welcome [MENTION=177261]joneblaze[/MENTION] what you planning?

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[joneblaze]

Welcome [MENTION=177261]joneblaze[/MENTION] what you planning?

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

[MENTION=95183]octanejunkie[/MENTION] - TBH I'm still in read & learn mode. Lots to understand before I jump into any actual mechanical mods.

My first order of business is to do a basic 4x4 intro course to get a baseline of comfort offroad. Tom Severin does a full day clinic out Gorman way.

Once I better understand my vehicle I'll probably want to do the whole lift/suspension, new wheels/tyres, UCA etc thing. The slightly lifted stance is definitely a nice aggressive look. It's funny, coming from the modified car scene back when I was younger, where suspension mods were focused on getting you LOWER lol.

I have a small list of peripherals to keep me busy in the meantime, eg.

- ceramic front window tints
- yellow fogs
- Weathertechs
- upgraded Sylvania/Philips low beams while I weigh up a full blown Lightwerkz retrofit

 

[octanejunkie]

Cool!
Retrofit projectors are a worthwhile investment over halogen and a great overall upgrade, it was my first major mod and I got great results with my 3rd Gen - the work was pretty easy too. Retrofits can be done on a budget, almost any budget actually.
Personally I wouldn't go brighter than 5000K, optimally 4300-4500. Same with fogs. I had 6000K and replaced the bulbs, it was too blue for me and just doesn't penetrate fog as well as 4300K.

WeatherTechs are also a no brainer, at least fronts. Another great investment. If I encounter rain, snow or mud, I have 100% confidence in these mats protecting my carpet.

Happy researching!

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[joneblaze]

Cool!
Retrofit projectors are a worthwhile investment over halogen and a great overall upgrade, it was my first major mod and I got great results with my 3rd Gen - the work was pretty easy too. Retrofits can be done on a budget, almost any budget actually.
Personally I wouldn't go brighter than 5000K, optimally 4300-4500. Same with fogs. I had 6000K and replaced the bulbs, it was too blue for me and just doesn't penetrate fog as well as 4300K.

WeatherTechs are also a no brainer, at least fronts. Another great investment. If I encounter rain, snow or mud, I have 100% confidence in these mats protecting my carpet.

Happy researching!

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

I don't have the level of expertise to DIY a project like a retrofit, so would have to outsource. I've been following the work of Cesar at Lightwerkz since the mid/late 2000s (which is probably the last time I had a non-OEM HID car lol).

I'm actually considering just trialing the drop-in plug and play Xenondepot HID kit in my current halogen Depo projectors and seeing if that will tide me over instead of spending the $1k on new headlamps shipped to the East Coast for a full D2S projector job.

And you're spot on - 4300K is the perfect Kelvin temp. Anything else is too over the top, IMO.

 

[octanejunkie]

HID kits in stock housings are ass, they typically cast too much light; oncoming drivers will hate you - but its a good stepping stone way to get your feet wet on a DIY projector retrofit. I don't recommend it though; ask me how I know [emoji51] [emoji23]

Check this out: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showthread.php?t=87465

If you can acquire a set of donor headlamps and follow the thread above as a guide you can do this in your own time rather than rush and ruin your stock headlamps.

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[06_dark_knight]

Representing Rialto!!

 

[mikel]

[MENTION=95183]octanejunkie[/MENTION] - TBH I'm still in read & learn mode. Lots to understand before I jump into any actual mechanical mods.

My first order of business is to do a basic 4x4 intro course to get a baseline of comfort offroad. Tom Severin does a full day clinic out Gorman way.

I can vouch for Tom Severin's classes. I have no affiliation with Tom, just a satisfied customer. He's easy-going, very personable and takes his time working with you.

Bad Lands Off Road Adventures, Inc.

Badlands Off-Road Adventures

I've taken his 2 1-day classes with my 4Runner. Well worth the time & effort. I learned more about my 4Runner in those 2 days then I could anywhere. Gave me a new appreciation for my 4R. I'll give out long before my 4R does. :bounce:

Took a few other of his workshops too.

Mike

 

[cooler2442]

I can vouch for Tom Severin's classes. I have no affiliation with Tom, just a satisfied customer. He's easy-going, very personable and takes his time working with you.

Bad Lands Off Road Adventures, Inc.

Badlands Off-Road Adventures

I've taken his 2 1-day classes with my 4Runner. Well worth the time & effort. I learned more about my 4Runner in those 2 days then I could anywhere. Gave me a new appreciation for my 4R. I'll give out long before my 4R does. :bounce:

Took a few other of his workshops too.

Mike

Is there anyone else that offers something similar locally? I just picked up my TRD Pro but $275 per person(if I wanted to bring my GF along as a passenger) seems a bit expensive.

 

[mwray8909]

Is there anyone else that offers something similar locally? I just picked up my TRD Pro but $275 per person(if I wanted to bring my GF along as a passenger) seems a bit expensive.

I would have no issue taking a few new members out to hungry valley and then to run around Frasier mountain.

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[cooler2442]

I would have no issue taking a few new members out to hungry valley and then to run around Frasier mountain.

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I would definitely be interested. If there's a place to stop for lunch, I'll buy lunch for you in exchange for showing me the ropes!

I just ordered Four-Wheeler's Bible 2nd edition since that seems like a good read as well for me to get the basics. This is my first off road car(I used to do track days in various sports cars but never got into off roading until now).

 

[grave]

Yeah you can pay out the nose for some old guy to tell you how to use your truck, or you can just go on weekend runs with the crew here and learn yourself. There are always runs being posted during the week and on the weekends so there's never really a shortage. If you say "cleghorn this weekend?" you will get at least three others willing to head out. Holy Jim in OC is a good place to get your feet wet, too. Follow @oc_overland on IG. They're always up to something.

 

[joneblaze]

I can vouch for Tom Severin's classes. I have no affiliation with Tom, just a satisfied customer. He's easy-going, very personable and takes his time working with you.

Bad Lands Off Road Adventures, Inc.

Badlands Off-Road Adventures

I've taken his 2 1-day classes with my 4Runner. Well worth the time & effort. I learned more about my 4Runner in those 2 days then I could anywhere. Gave me a new appreciation for my 4R. I'll give out long before my 4R does. :bounce:

Took a few other of his workshops too.

Mike

Thanks, [MENTION=4767]mikel[/MENTION] - this feedback is helpful. I came across his business on a random Jeep forum thread while Googling a little while back. I am registering for his Dec 2 Intro clinic and really looking forward to it. No use having a new toy/tool if you don't know how to use it properly. Feel like such a fish out of water in the 4x4 world - similar to my ricerocket/track day car days 10+ years ago. Exciting!

 

[joneblaze]

I would definitely be interested. If there's a place to stop for lunch, I'll buy lunch for you in exchange for showing me the ropes!

I just ordered Four-Wheeler's Bible 2nd edition since that seems like a good read as well for me to get the basics. This is my first off road car(I used to do track days in various sports cars but never got into off roading until now).

I'm in your exact shoes.
[MENTION=109205]mwray8909[/MENTION] - I'm down sometime this year, too.

 

[joneblaze]

Yeah you can pay out the nose for some old guy to tell you how to use your truck, or you can just go on weekend runs with the crew here and learn yourself. There are always runs being posted during the week and on the weekends so there's never really a shortage. If you say "cleghorn this weekend?" you will get at least three others willing to head out. Holy Jim in OC is a good place to get your feet wet, too. Follow @oc_overland on IG. They're always up to something.

I hear you, man - but I like to have a baseline understanding before heading out with regulars and potentially being a burden.

Plus, I'd rather pay the 'old guy' who's been doing it for 20+ years instructing military and overlanders and learn it the right way the first time around (not saying that forumers don't have the right experience).

 

[Dezert4Runner]

I hear you, man - but I like to have a baseline understanding before heading out with regulars and potentially being a burden.

Plus, I'd rather pay the 'old guy' who's been doing it for 20+ years instructing military and overlanders and learn it the right way the first time around (not saying that forumers don't have the right experience).

This was exactly my mindset when I took a Welding class a few years ago. YouTube is great and everything, but I wanted to have formal training so that I know what's the right way of doing things. Especially anything that has potentially life threatening safety hazards.

 

[AKmoney]

I don't have the level of expertise to DIY a project like a retrofit, so would have to outsource. I've been following the work of Cesar at Lightwerkz since the mid/late 2000s (which is probably the last time I had a non-OEM HID car lol).

I'm actually considering just trialing the drop-in plug and play Xenondepot HID kit in my current halogen Depo projectors and seeing if that will tide me over instead of spending the $1k on new headlamps shipped to the East Coast for a full D2S projector job.

And you're spot on - 4300K is the perfect Kelvin temp. Anything else is too over the top, IMO.

I created a projector retrofit thread for my truck on the 4th Gen forum:
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/222763-installed-morimoto-d2s-hid-projectors-my-04-a.html

It was a huge PITA and I wound up scrapping the first job and completely re-doing it (there's no turning back from improperly applied JB Weld). But I'd be lying if I told you this wasn't my favorite mod...

I think if your truck is an '06+ with the factory projectors you have some more options as far as retrofits go compared to the pre-'06 models like mine that came with reflector halogen bulbs. The job should be easier to handle.

 

[joneblaze]

I created a projector retrofit thread for my truck on the 4th Gen forum:
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/222763-installed-morimoto-d2s-hid-projectors-my-04-a.html

It was a huge PITA and I wound up scrapping the first job and completely re-doing it (there's no turning back from improperly applied JB Weld). But I'd be lying if I told you this wasn't my favorite mod...

I think if your truck is an '06+ with the factory projectors you have some more options as far as retrofits go compared to the pre-'06 models like mine that came with reflector halogen bulbs. The job should be easier to handle.

Thanks for sharing - that's a nice clean DIY job. I wish I had the time/patience/skill to DIY retro, but it's just not going to happen.