4RunAmok Build Thread

[4RunAmok]

I wrote up a build thread on another forum, but never did one here.

There are a LOT of awesome 4runners on ExPo, I doubt you will learn anything groundbreaking from me, but here goes...

We bought our 1999 4Runner SR5 4WD in 2000, it had 61K miles on it, but it looked good and ran good. And we got a decent deal.
http://www.digitalfuzz.com/4runamok/bonestock.jpg

The stereo was one thing I did shortly after getting the truck. It finally finished out with an Alpine CDA-9856 with iPod, Linear Power XO-3 Active Crossover, Linear Power 2.2HV Amplifier running the two Kicker 10" CompVR subwoofers, Kicker 600.4 amp running Polk Audio components and Kicker mid range rear door speakers.

It remained stock until 2005, when my brother-in-law took my wife and I out on a trail in Mojave in his Jeep Cherokee. The bug was set. We started modding the 4runner. First tires, then some new bilstein coilovers for the front.

I got my HAM ticket pretty early on, and started out with a Yaesu 1802 2M radio. I also had no qualms about drilling my roof, since I'd done that many times before for other reasons on other vehicles. I now have a Yaesu 8800 with the face mounted up front.
http://www.digitalfuzz.com/4runamok/2minstall.jpg
http://www.digitalfuzz.com/4runamok/nmoinstall.jpg

The running boards didn't last very long... Those got bent up in the El Paso's coming out of Goler wash. So it was time to call Jason Demello and get some sliders. I assured my wife I did NOT bend them on purpose just as an excuse to get sliders.
http://www.digitalfuzz.com/4runamok/Slider1.jpg
http://www.digitalfuzz.com/4runamok/Slider2.jpg

The suspension setup was ok for awhile, but having to be left behind because I couldn't follow up Coyote Canyon in Anza Borrego was too much to bear. (in the defense of my 4runner, we were very loaded down with an Oasis Roof Top Tent, and LOTS of camping gear!)
http://photo.digitalfuzz.com/albums/4x4/centroanza/PC169374.jpg
http://www.digitalfuzz.com/4runamok/anzacamp.jpg

So along came King. I can't find their website, but I think they're still around, ProTrux in San Diego did the lift. (Sorry about the whitebalance here)
http://www.digitalfuzz.com/4runamok/kingco.jpg
http://www.digitalfuzz.com/4runamok/ome891.jpg
These are the Old Man Emu Nitrochargers and their 891 springs. The Spare has since been changed to a BFG AT.

Now that the body is situated where it should be, it was time to work on the electrical system (It's now time again, but that will be a followup post in this thread). With the camping we've been doing, with the thermoelectric fridge (can't afford an Engel yet), I needed a better battery. Enter Odyssey PC1700. Typical fuse block installed as well... Custom bracket welded by a friend.
http://www.digitalfuzz.com/4runamok/battery1.jpg

Here's how she stands today...
http://www.digitalfuzz.com/4runamok/cleghorn.jpg

Wishlist:
Aluminum front and rear bumpers
New Engine with Supercharger
Streamlined tent mounting solution.. (see next post)
Cargo area redone (anyone got a wood shop near Glendale, CA?) :D
Some other stuff...

[4RunAmok]

When I first got my Oasis RTT, it was a total pain in the butt to mount it.

You had to balance it on the yakima's and try to clamp the U bolts with the plates that come with it.. Total hassle...
http://photo.digitalfuzz.com/albums/4x4/centroanza/PC159317.jpg

And completely ineffective... Wind force even caused it to slip off of the yakima's.

So I went to work thinking of something better (I think I even posted a thread on here about it)... I thought back to my roadie days and remembered Gibraltar had nice clamps for their drum racks. So I picked up a bunch from Guitar Center. This is NOT a cheap way out! These clamps are $30 EACH, and I needed SIX!

There was also the problem that the Gibraltars are a 1 1/2" diameter clamps to attach to their rack. So, I picked up some 1/4" rubber to reduce the size down to the 1" tent legs. This had the added benefit of dampening the connection of the tent and the rack.
http://photo.digitalfuzz.com/albums/4x4/fort-irwin/P2091258.jpg

A MUCH better solution overall, and now my larger than small body feels pretty secure up there...

[4RunAmok]

Ever seen a $150 small Rubbermaid Action Packer?

I should start out by telling you that I HATE rattles, squeaks and odd noises interiors can make while offroading.

I KNEW that throwing various items inside of an Action Packer would bang around, make noise, and in some cases, rub through the plastic, destroying the container.

So I set out to find a way to not only dampen noise, but beef up those little action packers. The end result was a Rhino Liner Action Packer.

http://www.digitalfuzz.com/4runamok/actionpacker.jpg

I did 3 of them for a total of $150 to coerce the guy to spray Rhino Liner into the action packers, he did a good job.

http://www.digitalfuzz.com/4runamok/actionpacker2.jpg

http://www.digitalfuzz.com/4runamok/actionpacker3.jpg

They're QUIET alright, and sturdy. Mission Accomplished!

[4RunAmok]

After getting the King's installed, I had issues trying to get a decent alignment.

The only way I was going to get it back to straight was by changing the upper control arms.

I went with Total Chaos because of their maintenance free Uni-ball design.

http://www.digitalfuzz.com/4runamok/chaos.jpg

After the install, I was able to get a good alignment again.

[Redline]

Nice 4Runner.

Great battery.

How many miles on your Total Chaos A-arms? Any complaints?
I put a set of TC A-arms on my 4th Gen last year and I'm hoping they are low maintenance.

[4RunAmok]

I think I have about 30K miles on them, and no, ZERO complaints.

One of my friends recommended that I lube the uniball, and a Total Chaos rep I met at a show said "ABSOLUTELY NOT! Don't lube it!", so yeah, maintenance free.

[Redline]

I will be very happy if I can get 30k out of my TC A-arms with zero maintenance (other than greasing the zerks).

Thanks for the NO LUBE warning. Not that I was itching to lube them, but the little surface rust on the top of the Uni Ball could give someone the wrong idea.




I think I have about 30K miles on them, and no, ZERO complaints.

One of my friends recommended that I lube the uniball, and a Total Chaos rep I met at a show said "ABSOLUTELY NOT! Don't lube it!", so yeah, maintenance free.

[Mist3rray]

nice build, keep it coming :)

[4RunAmok]

Did you know that plastic water bottles, left loose enough to rub against each other and other things will, over time, develop a hole and leak all over the back of your truck?!?! I didn't...

So it's time to get some of that back end in order, to keep a better grip on things and give me a bit more storage space to boot!

I started with a half sheet of 3/4" premium plywood. Cut to 46"x21" (21" is my depth because my amp rack and speaker box (and yes, it's required!) will sit behind the new deck)

I intend to store my tool bag, some 1 gallon Crystal Geyser water bottles, my PETT toilet, and some miscellaneous items under the deck. The Pett is 19" wide and shorter than the water bottles, the water bottles are 5 1/2 square.

I cut 3/4" dado's 1/4" into the deck, spaced 5 3/4" apart, and the last 19 1/4" apart to fit the PETT, the legs are 5 3/4"x21". I allowed some slack in the spacing to accommodate the carpet that will cover the wood.

Assembly, I used some outdoor patio deck screws and some wood glue along the dado's.

I only got the assembly finished. It started raining while I was out gathering pieces, so it won't go into the truck tonight. I'm taking it to the local stereo shop to have them trim the driver side to go around the wheel well, and carpet it, and install some tie-down's to keep it from jumping around.

And now, the pictures. Enjoy!

[4RunAmok]

Over to the stereo shop to make some final cuts for fitting into place, and begin carpeting!

I'd say it came out pretty good. :D

[4RunAmok]

The fit around the PETT is a BIT TIGHT with the carpet installed, I should have cut that dado to 19 1/2.

Ol well, live and learn. At least that PETT can't escape accidentally! :D

[4RunAmok]

New Toy for the Scepter MFC's!

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=54380&d=1299832650

Found it on eBay here http://cgi.ebay.com/Scepter-Military-Fuel-Gas-Can-MFC-Cap-WRENCH-/130492044258?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e61ee93e2

Very durable, and reasonable price.

[4RunAmok]

Regarding the installation of my twin NMO mounts on my 4runner, with the issue of having a Sunroof and still wanting to use it!

I did do the job myself, with a small amount of help from a friend for the extra arms when I needed them. I did not take pics during the installation. I wasn't on forums back then, and didn't document everything I did like I do now for the sake of the forums, lol :)

Items you need:

Diamond NMO mount: http://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-009384
Silicon Gel Lubricant (available from Radio shack in a tube like toothpaste)
Loctite 262 (Search for it on google shopping, or locally) 262 is waterproof and non-removable
High Temp Duct Tape (3M 1160-HTA) (http://www.plumbersurplus.com/Prod/3M-1160-HTA-Scotch-High-Temperature-Professional-HVAC-Duct-Tape-2-x-60-Yards/201943/Cat/1444)


Regarding the headliner. Yes it has to come down, but not all the way unless you want it to, but that’s more work.

Remove the rear dome light first.
Remove the top rear panel (The one that had the light in it)
You will need to remove rear-most side panels either entirely (which will require removing the plastic kick panel at the bottom of the rear door) or just pull the tops down and use a bungee cord to hold them down.


Now the headliner edges are exposed from the rear, remove the 4 clips (these will break, so pick up the matching color clips from the dealer, they're cheap), the headliner should now be dangling from the front, you should see the sunroof and the sheet metal behind it. Make sure nothing is in the way, like wiring. Either proceed with complete removal by moving to release the headliner from the front, or just deal with it being in the way a little bit.

Exit to the exterior. Put some thought into the placement... because where you put this hole will determine some things later in life: Such as how big of a cargo rack you can use, Such as how far forward a roof top tent can be mounted, etc... I chose the exact middle between the roof rack rail fronts and the sunroof (which only put it a few inches behind the sunroof. Lay down some masking tape, the tan or blue kind, where you believe center of the truck to be and above that point behind the sunroof you want the mount to be. Measure from one side of the truck to the other (I chose to use the crease in the sheet metal, measured from crease to crease) and find the center, and mark a center line on the tape. Double check your distance from the rack rails and sunroof, and mark that distance along your centerline.

The tape is not only to mark your measurements, but it will protect the paint from chipping while you drill your hole, so press it down onto the paint firmly. Say your prayers, realize there is no turning back, and drill the hole. It also helps to use a very good sharp sheet metal drill bit

I used a Diamond NMO because of its low profile beneath the roof AND because it uses a 3/8” hole instead of the usual 3/4” hole others use.

I used the Silicon Gel Lubricant to coat the underside of the NMO piece that sits atop the roof (keep it away from the threads, just "bead" the outside edge), the part with the o-ring that I also coated with the lube, both as a lubricant, and as a waterproofing method. I used the Loctite on the threads to waterproof them as well as secure the mount from coming loose.
The help of the friend really comes in handy here, because someone is going to have to hold the bottom of the mount on the inside, while someone puts on the Loctite and screws on the top piece and tightens it from the outside. Tighten firmly with a wrench, and the mount is installed.

Now for the duct tape, I chose this because it handles extreme temps that a rooftop might get sitting in the sun. I used this to secure the coax to the roof, and in 5 years, that tape isn't even peeling. This is a MUST so that the sunroof doesn't snag the coax. Clean the sheet metal with some acetone or 409, put a strip from the NMO mount to the pillar you chose to run the coax down the side of the vehicle. Now take a small piece of the tape and secure the coax at the pillar, and run a second piece of tape, sandwiching the coax between the two pieces of tape. This just gives the tape a nice surface to stick to, one that it's used to sticking to, and maybe protects the coax from the heat of the sheet metal...maybe.. I didn't do any tests to confirm, I'm just OCD that way, I'll take whatever extra protection I can get.

Now that that coax is run down the pillar, you can button up the headliner. It was no easy task getting that coax down the pillar, so have the right tools (which I did not at the time) or have some patience. I chose to go down INSIDE the pillar, because that coax is thin and fragile, and I camp and offroad and I didn't want it getting pinched between my gear and the body, eliminating my communication if I needed to use it and no practical way of field fixing it. OCD kicking in again.

From this point, you now have the coax inside the vehicle, free to run it almost anywhere you want, it’s not long enough to run to the other side of the vehicle, but that’s why you should choose the proper pillar to bring the coax down!

[4x4mike]

Thanks for the write up.
From photos I've found online there is a pocket that the sunroof glass goes into. Did this get in the way? Or is it not so much a pocket but more of a tray that is open on the top. This pocket/tray I speak of has the drain tubes for the sunroof. It doesn't sound like to had to remove said pocket/tray but how did you tape the coax without the removal? When you remove the dome light the pocket/tray is the black thing you see.

[4RunAmok]

Those are tracks, not a pocket.

The tubes are at the front of the tracks and at the back of the tracks, or at the back of the sunroof opening, I can't recall exactly.

[4RunAmok]

On MY 4Runner... There is only sheet metal/roof above my dome light. You MIGHT have an extra piece you have to remove permanently, or replace after you mount the NMO.

[4x4mike]

Ok I finally uploaded the picture I have been referring to.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-uPBY3V3H-gw/TfJ50VB94II/AAAAAAAAnQw/LfYe-DLI_jA/s800/4runner%252520sunroof.JPG

That black thing is the pocket/tray I've been referring to. When I remove my dome light I see a portion of this thing. I'd like to put an nmo in the roof above it so that's why I have the questions I do. I'm assuming mine looks just like this. I was planning on poking a hole in the roof, from the top, and then snaking the coax and mount on top of this pocket thing. I'm not sure what the top of this pocket looks like but I'm thinking I shouldn't have the coax just laying on top of it especially if there is glass moving back and forth. I'd rate to have to remove so much just to secure the coax to the roof with duct tape.

Thanks
Mike

Is it making sense? Did your look similar?

[4RunAmok]

Wow, what the H is THAT?!

Mine looks NOTHING like that... I have the glass, track on both sides, and WIDE open in between!

What year is your 4Runner?

And I would not try to snake the mount in there, because remember, you're going to have to hold the bottom assembly with a WRENCH while someone else tightens the top with a wrench. This takes some finesse, because there is a lock washer that has to be held in place on the bottom assembly.

[4RunAmok]

I would attempt to partially remove that "pocket"... so I could get to the space above it..

As for the coax, the reason I taped my coax to the roof was so the window sliding could not snag the coax. I'm assuming that box is solid on top too, so I guess you could skip the tape part.

But you need to get that box out of the way... One of two ways...

Either drop the box down, so you can work above it,...or..

Cut access through the bottom and top of the box (8" squares) so you can access the roof. This SHOULDN'T affect the operation of the window if the box is just serving as a place for the window to sit while open.

[4x4mike]

That isn't my 4runner but it is a 3rd gen 4runner. I got the pic from someone parting one out. I have not pulled my headliner so I assume it looks like that, hence my questions to you. If I remove my center dome I see the 2 little left to right indentions as you can see.

I thought all 3rd gens were like this. The black tray has tubes in the corners that drain water that comes in the window crack and off the window. You've got to have something up there. If you window is wet and you retract it where does the water go? It looks like I've got some more research to do but that's why I have asked for pictures. I think I'll have to remove the entire headliner, remove the pocket and then go at it. If that's the case this project has taken the way back burner.

If you scan craigslist adds you'll find guys selling sunroofs out of 4runners. Most are already removed and in the pic the glass is attached to the rails and the rails to the pocket. Is there any chance yours could be after market? I've got a '99 highlander.

[4RunAmok]

I have the tubes, 4 of them, two fore, two aft. The difference is the pocket... In lieu of having a pocket, there's just a tray that encircles the sunroof, and it ends directly behind the sunroof but follows the tracks back where the aft drain tubes are.

This is going to force me to drop my headliner, and take pics! lol!

This is the closest pic I could find on the web, on a site talking about sound deadening the 4runner (http://www.4runners.org/writeups/sound/index.html), which I also intend to do someday, but that's another story...

http://www.4runners.org/image/sound/big_bare_spot.jpg

[4RunAmok]

I've started designing my chuck box, after a few trips to the local parks for bbq trials and errors (mostly errors), I've decided to build my own, so it can fit my unique array of items, such as our Vector Portable Gas Burner, our Kelly Kettle, and the myriad of other items a good outdoor kitchen needs to have on hand.

So here are the preliminary plans...

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Comments welcome, of course...

[4RunAmok]

I leave nothing to chance when I build a wood product... It's the former professional cabinet maker in me coming out I guess.. So I use dado's to set things like the drawer bottoms, and shelves on the main box. They'll never slip this way. I also intend to screw on the backs of the drawers as opposed to using nails and glue, so that I can replace the drawer bottoms if necessary...

Anyways, on to the pic!

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[4x4mike]

I have the tubes, 4 of them, two fore, two aft. The difference is the pocket... In lieu of having a pocket, there's just a tray that encircles the sunroof, and it ends directly behind the sunroof but follows the tracks back where the aft drain tubes are.

This is going to force me to drop my headliner, and take pics! lol!

This is the closest pic I could find on the web, on a site talking about sound deadening the 4runner (http://www.4runners.org/writeups/sound/index.html), which I also intend to do someday, but that's another story...

http://www.4runners.org/image/sound/big_bare_spot.jpg

I just saw that you updated with a roof pic. Question: If you unscrewed your center dome light can you see the backside of the roof (white sheet metal)? I see what looks like the black tray in the pic I posted.

It's funny I found the thread again. I was about to buy an NMO mount last night but needed to call HRO because of another question I had.

[trump]

That chuck box seems well planned out, but is your camp grill only 1.5" tall? If yes, point me to one cause I'd be interested.

[4RunAmok]

For Trump: http://www.amazon.com/Texsport-Heavy-Duty-Camp-Grill/dp/B000P9F092/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1315506886&sr=8-1 This for the 16x24, I have the 12x16
The legs fold up, and it works great! Cooked food directly on the grate, right next to a pot of corn last trip out, worked great!

For 4x4Mike: I see my rooftop sheetmetal... I have family up in Folsom... I wish I visited more often, we'd knock that out in a couple hours... You're welcome to come down to LA and we'll take care of it no time flat!

[trump]

I thought that seemed magically flat for a propane camp grill.:chef:

[4RunAmok]

Hold on second... the Vector Portable Gas Burner goes at the top/right, and is 3 3/4 tall with the burner grate stowed (turned over)

http://www.amazon.com/Deluxe-Butane-Burner-Stove-Free/dp/B000BVC4NY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1315509519&sr=8-1

I LOVE this burner because it has a flame like my burners at home, not like a jet burner.

[4RunAmok]

I figure I'm going to need to get 270° hinges to make the lid go completely over the back, so I'm still working on that, but here's how that design is looking so far, and another shot of the insides with a nice maple texture :)

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[socal4x]

Looks like Google Sketch-Up. Have you built it yet? If not I have access to CAD for Cabinets and CNC machines so everything fits like a glove the first time. I like your design and clearly you have put some thought into this one.

[socal4x]

You got my creative juices flowing, well not really creative since I just replicated your layout using my cabinet software and used blind dadoes so you still have a clean front edge that we could even edgeband if wanted. For the wood I would probably use 9-ply baltic birch (not stuff you can get at Home Depot). The baltic birch is incredibly strong and lighter weight than some other materials. It's also typically very flat which makes for a strong and square cabinet.

I just threw this together and would probably change the dado depth and width and I would also add dadoes into the back panel for added strength. This would be one heck of a strong cabinet. If your interested let me know and we could work out the lid and hinges, I just need to know how you want it to open up.

82490824918249282493

[socal4x]

Couple more images.
82495824968249782498

[4RunAmok]

Wow, what a cool program!

I've already got most of mine made, except for the drawers...which only need bottoms, and I chose to use polycarbonate for the bottoms.

I've made a huge move from LA to San Diego, so everything is a bit on hold, even though I work where I have access to a complete wood shop...

[4RunAmok]

Wow, there is a lot missing from this thread it would seem...

Off the top of my head, it is missing updates regarding our Edgestar 43qt fridge, info regarding the engine trouble we'd been having, some chuckbox info (but you can find that in the Storage Solutions forum and the Camping Equipment forum)...

Fast-forward to June 2012... Long story short, the engine was drinking water. Under pressure, the coolant was leaking into Cylinder #3, either via head gasket or cracked head. We have 229,393 miles on the 4runner... So what to do?

Say farewell to my 4runner and get the Tacoma/FlipPac we want? (What would I do with my vanity plate?!?!)
Rebuild the top end?
Rebuild the whole engine?
Get a replacement from a junkyard and swap it in?

Option 1 wasn't looking very likely with the finances...
Option 2 didn't make any sense because it was almost just as much in labor to do this as it was to just swap in another engine, and it REALLY didn't make any sense considering I'd have a low end with 230,000 miles on it still..
Option 3 would just take too long, and our situation wouldn't allow for it...
So we went with option 4...

We wound up with a motor from a junk yard with ~80K miles on it, from a rolled 4runner. The upper intake plenum was damaged, so the mechanic used my old one, making the new engine a great complete swap-in!

I'm also getting rid of the belt driven fan and putting on a Flex-a-Lite dual electric fans
104703
They arrived Wednesday, and due to a glitch in the included mounting hardware, the mechanic was not able to install them with the swap. So I'm going to get on this later today and get them installed.

So... Mileage-wise, we're back to roughly where we were in 2002! We have been dealing with the water issue for about 2 years now. So couple the high mileage with the rough starts and having to keep water in the radiator, you can imagine the anxiety I endured while taking this truck deep in to the desert for camp trips, or on other long trips. I look forward to putting that behind me.


In other news... Thanks to a really good friend (You know who you are!), I have a second battery, another Odyssey PC1700!! So I will begin working on installing this sometime soon. This will help with the fridge and the other accessories. At the same time, I'll be relocating the Yaesu to the rear of the truck as well as building a power station back there for camping comforts :)

[TACODOC]

And the machine rolls on... Nice ;)

[4RunAmok]

I got the fans installed this weekend with the help of barlowrs! :D

These are the vehicle specific fans by Flex-a-Lite, purchased through Amazon.com
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There's a lot more room in there now!
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I removed the studs from the pulley and put in bolts, otherwise you have to use washers up against the pulley setup..
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The control unit is on the back firewall
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Pretty straight forward controller, wires easy
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Ran power and ground wires over to the fuse box on top of my battery
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I have it set to come on at about 195-200, it runs for short periods. It's kind of loud, so I'll be either replacing the controller with a variable speed controller or putting in a resistor of some kind to slow the fans down to reduce noise. It's not so loud that it's annoying, it's just louder than I'd like it...

So far so good!

[Redline]

Very nice update!

[TACODOC]

Very nice update!

X2!

[crismateski]

great to hear it is back on the road and ready for some fun

[washington taco]

Why did you change to the electric fans?

[JeepTreeHouse]

Why did you change to the electric fans?

X2?

[4RunAmok]

Originally it was to ease supposed tension the weight of the fan clutch and fan puts on the water pump. But then I found out that the water pump is driven by the timing belt. I've gone through 2 water pumps on the old engine, and now a new one on the new engine, and I was told (by a toyota parts counter guy no less) that the bearing goes out from the weight. He must have been talking about some other water pump because the fan is supported by a whole different assembly on the 5FVZE egine.

There are other reasons, even though that one is negated, faster warmup, better fuel economy (not that I've seen any yet). But I do notice it to be peppier off the line, not sure if that's the lack of a fan or just the new motor being more responsive..

Either way, no regrets, but don't let someone tell you that the water pump will benefit from it.

[4RunAmok]

Ok, so a few updates in one post (I thought I posted this earlier, but I guess it disappeared...)

First, a cellphone booster. I bought the Wilson Electronics 801201 (multiple user version)... I ended up using one of my existing NMO mounts, but needed an adapter to go from Mini-UHF to FME to fit into the booster... The unit came with a 12" dual band (800mhz/1900mhz) magnetic mount antenna, obviously not going to work with my NMO, so I bought a Laird Tech Phantom 800/1900 antenna, mostly because I need it to fit under the roof rack/RTT.

I don't have the Booster's interior antenna sorted out yet, I'm not sure where I want to mount it, so no photos of that just yet...

But I have a couple of the antenna...
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I also picked up some CalTrend Neoprene Seat Covers from Autoanything.com (http://www.autoanything.com/seat-covers/75A4610A0A0.aspx)
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The other cool mod I did recently is for my ham mic... A couple months ago I came up with this idea, and told Barlowrs, he got to executing it before I did, and I recently rode along with him offroad, and it worked so well, I had to get it installed. My prior setup was a way overmodeled Ram Mount 1" ball and arm holding a mic clip... this had to be replaced... The new magnetic system works flawlessly, and the mic refuses to fall off so far! It didn't fall off even once while offroading with Barlow!

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Lastly, I got tired of the USB/cigarette adapter, and my wife got tired of the cord limiting her photo taking abilities since it was tethered to the bottom of the dash... So I picked up some USB ports from cyclebots.com, and put one in the door bezel on her side, and one in the dash bezel for my phone...

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Pretty easy mods overall, but they're really improving the interior workings of the 4runner...

Next up??? Redoing the entire rear storage area.. reducing the subwoofer to eliminate the huge box/amplifier rack, getting a drawer setup built, a mid-height pullout working surface, and an upper platform sturdy enough to heavy transport utilizing the existing mounts for the rollup cover that comes with the 4runner...

[rickashay]

Wow great idea for the USB ports. I might just have to copy you!

[4RunAmok]

Please do! And if you need tips, let me know... Hardest part of this mod is getting the wire through the door snorkel, because they tape it closed on the vehicle side, you have to pull it from the vehicle, cut the tape, and feed your wire.

The wire I used is 18 gauge "Zip Cord" from powerwerx.com, it has a red power and black ground molded together (like speaker wire, but meant for +/-). I also used molex (you can use Anderson) connectors behind the bezels so if I need to remove it, I can unplug it.

[CYi5]

That is also the first time i've seen the flush mount USB ports, very trick! :)

[MountainBiker]

That is very clean! Do you have a part number or link for the USB port from Cylcebots? I can't find it. Thanks!

[4RunAmok]

Here you go!
http://cyclebots.com/power-accessories/isimple-12-volt-battery-to-5-volt-usb-charger.html

Apparently it doesn't charge a 3rd Gen iPad though...

[red87]

Tell me more about that magnetic mount. Did you just put it behind the dash piece there or what? I've been looking for a new way to hold my mic and that's super clean.

[4RunAmok]

You got it! There's two Neodymium magnets at work here... One glued to the back of the dash bezel, and one screwed to the back of the microphone...

The little fabric piece is just there to keep the sliding noise down and so the magnets don't hurt themselves!

[red87]

Clever clever. I may be borrowing your ideas...

[trump]

Clever clever. I may be borrowing your ideas...

Just remember to call it the Mitch Mod. :D

[red87]

Ha, deal. Now if only those USB outlets came in a faux wood finish to match my limited's interior...

[TACODOC]

Just remember to call it the Mitch Mod. :D

:victory:

[4RunAmok]

As part of my reform process, you are prohibited from giving me credit for any of these ideas you copy.

Required disclaimer: Some of the ideas in this thread, in whole or in part, may have been stolen from others!

:D

[racemedic]

You got it! There's two Neodymium magnets at work here... One glued to the back of the dash bezel, and one screwed to the back of the microphone...

The little fabric piece is just there to keep the sliding noise down and so the magnets don't hurt themselves!

Where did you buy these from?

[4RunAmok]

3/4" Countersink Magnet: http://www.rare-earth-magnets.com/p-20-nsn0589.aspx

3/4" Flat Disk Magnet: http://www.rare-earth-magnets.com/p-52-nsn0703.aspx

[racemedic]

Thanks for the info.

[4RunAmok]

So I did some testing on the Wilson Electronics cellular booster yesterday... Nothing too remote, but I went to a spot I had no service once. The corner of S2 and HWY 79 headed towards Borrego. I sat here one night waiting for Barlow to go to the Borrego Fest. Instead of bars, I had "No Service"... So with the booster powered off, I drove up to the spot, and sure enough, no service, I turned on the booster, and it quickly built its way up to 5 bars (full) and 3G service. I was able to browse the web quickly, and send and receive texts.

Now, with the Model 801201, I've seen people complain that the internal antenna has to be close. So we tested this too.. My wife had her cellphone in the passenger seat, mine was in it's mount on the dash with the internal antenna very close to the mount (very near where I intend to mount it permanently). If she kept her phone away greater than 18" inches from the antenna, it didn't provide any boost in signal for her. You have to have your phone close.

This isn't a problem for me, since I put the phone in it's mount, and I have the hotspot feature, so the internet enabled devices will catch wi-fi through my phone.

Overall, I'm pleased with how well it worked in a semi-remote location. Driving on out to the place I noticed my phone rarely had less than 5 bars... which that drive can be spotty on service (from San Diego to Lake Henshaw)..

[Mc Taco]

I may need this for my house!

[TACODOC]

I may need this for my house!

Seriously...

[4RunAmok]

They make a model for houses!

[4RunAmok]

After having the cellular booster for awhile now, it's time I give an update...

I am very satisfied with this booster. Some out there aren't. And I have a pretty good idea why they aren't. You just have to understand a few things about the Wilson Electronics Booster.

First, understand how it's designed to work. The interior antenna and the exterior antenna need to have some distance from one another, otherwise they each reduce the effectiveness of the other. I've heard of installs where the interior antenna is placed above the headliner near the driver (theoretically where the driver might hold the phone while talking) but this is close to the installation of the exterior antenna on the roof. Wilson Electronics is also pretty clear that a sheet metal roof is part of the system, helping shield the two antennas from each other.

Second, know the limitations of the interior antenna. It is NO JOKE that the interior antenna has limited range, as I mentioned before, Wilson says up to 24 inches, but it is clearly less than this. My phone sits mounted to the dash in a RAM cradle with the interior antenna no more than 5 inches away. My wife, sitting in the passenger seat, can wind up with a phone that says "NO SERVICE" while mine sits there with 3 to 5 bars, and 3G connection! I can however turn on my wifi hotspot and she can connect through my phone to the internet! :)

Lastly, understand that this device can not create signal out of nothing. I can assure you that you will have signal long after others have lost theirs. It is a signal amplifier. But if you're too far from a tower, nothing is going to help you. Except ham radio :) ...and maybe smoke signals.

Overall: I'm happy with this device, knowing it's limitations, and working within them, it's kept me connected where others have "Searching..." :D

[4RunAmok]

You can never have enough storage. Camping for four days in Death Valley really had me thinking about what I wanted from a storage system.

I know that buying one wouldn't suit my needs, and I would also miss out on making it myself.

So... Remember this thing???
142763
(Click to enlarge)

Well forget about it... It's gone, it went into the trash today!
It did what I needed it to do for the time I had it, until I decided that we no longer had the need nor the space for our stereo system. The amps and rack are gone, and the huge heavy speaker box is gone. That will be replaced with a compact subwoofer box (14"x9"x3") sometime in the future.

I went to work on a more practical system, designed to eliminate the action packers entirely, or at least move them to "optional" status instead of required as they were up until now. What I dislike about the action packers is the wasted space. Instead of having 90° vertical walls, they have angled walls, causing a lot of wasted space between the containers. I will be able to fit everything from all three action packers into ONE 17.5"Wx35"Dx9"H drawer, leaving the other drawer for food and other items we currently use a large tote for.

Here's the progress I made today... Click to enlarge any pic.

Base and walls, with plenty of material removed for weight reduction...
Leaving enough material to attach the drawer slides to and support the deck.
Size 38" deep, 39" wide, 10 1/4" tall
142764

Deck attached
Size 38" deep, 39" wide, 11" tall
142765

Wings installed, shoring up the deck to the width of the interior.
Size 38" deep, 52 1/2" wide, 11" tall
142766

The wings are easily removable with 1/4-20 hardware (threaded inserts on the wing side)
142767

The space between the wheel wells is 39" wide, keeping the main body from moving side to side, and with the wings installed, movement from front to rear is near impossible, but I'll be using some turnbuckles to hold it all down when it's all finished.

Speaking of finish... what to do... I'm undecided. There's trunk liner carpeting.. There's Lon Coin (see example photo below)... There's Line-X... There's Raptor bed liner, but I'm waiting to see how Trump's finish comes together, since he's using the Raptor liner. If Raptor liner compares to Line-X, it will probably end up being the way I'll go, since going with Line-X is not the cheap way out!

(Lon Coin rubberized flooring example)
142770

I got the drawers assembled, and the slides installed. I have two different types of the slides, locking and non-locking... I'm not pleased with the locking slides, they extend slightly longer than the non-locking, causing the drawer to lock sort of twisted... I'll be swapping them out for non-locking. I got a good deal on these slide sets, and I have more than I'm going to use (extras already claimed :)), so switching out to non-locking is not a problem.

143352

The drawers extend nicely to the full length! No problem getting something out of the back of the drawer!
143353

I also got the threaded eyelets installed for the turnbuckles, I just need to pick up a set up in the proper length.
143354

[4RunAmok]

The drawers are finished; faced and sanded.
143483
The grain kinda looks cool, but that will be covered with something, probably Line-X due to the Durability.

The drawers extend quite a bit, and will offer nice access to everything.
143484

143485

143486

I still need to do sanding on the main box, and move on to the electronics compartment (dual battery placement, air compressor, Ham, cell booster, etc), this will be in the front of the box, in the space behind the drawers, shown here...
143487

So far, I am VERY happy with how this is turning out... It was hard to actually visualize it all, even after drawing it in Sketchup, but as it came together piece by piece, it's exactly how I wanted it thus far.

Here is a sort of concept image of what I may end up doing. The "3rd level" shown will be supported using the mounts for the stock Toyota pull out cargo cover. Shown here is the drawer box, a pull out platform/storage area, and the 3rd level storage area.
143488

We will see if I actually get that far. :D

[TACODOC]

Awesome work :lurk:

[hrt4me]

nice!

[rickashay]

Looks very well thought out... looking forward to seeing the finished product.

[trump]

Looking good, Mitch! What are you planning for drawer latches?

I still need to take care of a few things before I can try the UPOL Raptor.

[4RunAmok]

The latches I was planning on using won't fit my drawer faces, so I'm looking at options. As of right now, there are two pads sticky taped to my rear door that hold the drawers shut while I drive around :D

I was looking at these
http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-push-to-close-latches/=le5j8j (Fuggin McMaster doesn't allow direct link, so look for "Recessed-Handle Pull-to-Open Latches")
But I'd have to recess them quite a bit.

I'm also considering an internal vault using a combo lock, where the drawer will only open so far (say 80%) until you enter the combo and turn a knob. I put this combo lock on the SDSO SRT Sniper lockers, and it works great!

[4RunAmok]

The drawers are nearing completion.. I have the latches, and some other cool progress completed...And a keen eye might even catch a glimpse...

But this happened last weekend while on the trail...

147230

This could be why...

147231

So I ordered these...

147232

The folks at Icon are awesome, they got these to me before this weekend's trip even though Jeremy had to get these made yesterday so that I could have them and install them today.

It didn't take too long to install, and thankfully, I was able to use a bay at work to do the job. Thanks Boss! :D

Installed and awaiting abuse!

147233

[jds0912]

:Wow1:

[rickashay]

Wow those are purdy shocks. Interested to see how much you like them. (Notice how I said "how much" and not "if"? They are supposed to be pretty wicked...)

[TACODOC]

Nice. Make sure you add the boots to protect that shaft... ;)

[Wainiha]

Wow those are purdy shocks. Interested to see how much you like them. (Notice how I said "how much" and not "if"? They are supposed to be pretty wicked...)
X2

[4RunAmok]

What boots???

[TACODOC]

Icon sells black rubber shock boots that go over that chrome shaft. That shaft will get peppered from sand and rocks coming off the front tires... eventually making them rough and eating shaft seals. I have the boots on my rear resis for this very reason.

[Wainiha]

They also have new wraps for the front coilovers. I'm considering a pair.