Building, Driving and Adventuring the MTN4RNR

[basing110]

What app are you using for weather and also mapping?

 

[MTN4RNR]

What app are you using for weather and also mapping?

For weather I am using Radar Scope Pro, which has been great if you know what you're looking at!

For maps and GPS I run Gaia GPS Pro when I am off the beaten track. I can cache areas and maps ahead of time, so I can track and navigate without a Verizon signal. It has been a great tool and I am behind it 100%.

 

[jpop8807]

You have a gorgeous vehicle. Quick question, the thing you have that looks like a weather map/gps is that just a tablet? I was thinking about buying a gps system and was wondering if there was one that can do like garmin street maps but also double as a topographical.

Edit: I just saw the above post lol. So how does that work with the gaia gps pro? So it works when you don't have service how does it work?

 

[v_man]

Looks great dood! I still want to drive it

 

[MTN4RNR]

Nice build and detailed write-up! Makes me miss my T4R Trail Edition a bit but I needed the additional dry storage.

Yeah, I hear ya! Now that I am in it, I don't think I'll ever get out of it :wings:

 

[MTN4RNR]

You have a gorgeous vehicle. Quick question, the thing you have that looks like a weather map/gps is that just a tablet? I was thinking about buying a gps system and was wondering if there was one that can do like garmin street maps but also double as a topographical.

Edit: I just saw the above post lol. So how does that work with the gaia gps pro? So it works when you don't have service how does it work?

Thanks man! It's quite the rig!

I am using the Gaia GPS on my iPad Mini (with data). So what I do is select the area that I plan on visiting, and in the app I save or cache the map layer on the iPad. That way when/if I enter the no service zone, I can pull up the pre-saved map and away we go! You don't need the Pro subscription to do it.

 

[MTN4RNR]

Looks great dood! I still want to drive it

You know, as I was driving away, I was thinking to myself that I never let you take up that offer. My apologies. I will make it up to you in the form of a test drive and some cold IPA's on the next trip! Sound fair?

 

[Colonal Angus]

Great build and write up. Enjoyed reading it and I'll stay posted.

 

[v_man]

You know, as I was driving away, I was thinking to myself that I never let you take up that offer. My apologies. I will make it up to you in the form of a test drive and some cold IPA's on the next trip! Sound fair?

Definitely !

 

[MTN4RNR]

Great build and write up. Enjoyed reading it and I'll stay posted.

Glad you're enjoying it! I'll keep current on the build information!

 

[MTN4RNR]

Big Sur Coast, CA

This last weekend, my girlfriend the dog and I took a drive down the central coast of California to meet up with my sister and her boyfriend for some dispersed camping in the Los Padres National Forest, south of Big Sur.

Always a favorite part of the trip

Packed and fueled

Drove south to Old Coast Road, on the north side of the iconic Bixby Bridge (photo is from the road, but I took it a few months back)

Continuing on, the road winds through the redwoods, along a few creeks, up into the chaparral environment on the high grassy plains, then back down to Highway 1 at Andrew Molera State Beach.

We then met up with the other party and headed down the coast, and up the hill towards our camping site for the night

Arriving at the camp site, we found a good spot and set up camp

I usually focus on the beer, but the view from the chair was too good...

Sunset wasn't bad either

Scouted our camping site for the next trip in the morning

Headed back down the hill, and back home. It was a short, but really awesome little trip. On the way down, I swapped seats and gave an "offroad 101" course to the girlfriend. We went over navigating washboards/ruts/rain channels, speed control, and how to engage the 4wd system. It's really fun knowing that she's up for learning to drive the 4Runner off road.

Until next time...​

 

[Ryanmb21]

Nice report! Hope to head out there in a few weeks!

 

[MTN4RNR]

Nice report! Hope to head out there in a few weeks!

Thanks! You should definitely head out soon, everything is green and the wildflowers are blooming!

 

[MTN4RNR]

LED bar install 1 of 3

I have been wanting to add some extra fire power to the lighting arsenal of the 4Runner for a while. After the HID install, I found that the stock halogen high beams didn’t really match the low beam output, or color. And I no longer had the function of being able to ‘flash’ my high beams to be able to signal to other drivers because unless the low beams were on, flashing the stock high beams would cause the HID ballasts to flash as well, which is not good for long term reliability. So, aftermarket light bar it was. I decided on the S8 light bar from Baja Designs because their design is fantastic. Serviceable and exchangeable lenses, great light dispersion with the combo/driving lens, low beam matching 5k light output, and the separately wired amber back-lighting. I wanted a single row, because I wanted to keep it less noticeable. I decided on the upper grille because I wanted to keep it in-line with the headlights, not to block the radiator, and to have the back-lit feature be in the ‘marker light’ position. I bought the LED bar through Apollo Optics .
Switching is controlled by an OEM style switch for now until I add a few more accessories, then I will switch to a consolidated platform (likely a Switch-Pro). Without further delay...​

Parts used:
- Baja Designs S8 20” LED bar purchased from Apollo Optics
- Wiring harness from Apollo Optics
- OEM style “Driving Lights” switch from Slee Offroad
- TRD Pro upper grille
- Drill of choice
- Milwaukee #9 step drill bit
- Supplied hardware from Baja Designs
- Flexo PET wire sheathing
- Scotch Extreme Fasterners
- Mini-blade Add-a-fuse
- Shrink wrap
- Heat gun
- Weather resistant butt connectors
- Dielectric grease
- 14 ga. wire
- Electrical tape
- Zip ties
- Wire crimpers
- Wire strippers
- Alpine Beer Company - Duet

Install:

Remove front access cover.

Remove upper grille and bezel. Remove 2 upper plastic clips and pull outwards.

TRD Pro grille vs. Trail/SR5 grille

Locate 2 existing stock holes (red) that will line up with brackets provided by Baja. Yellow holes noted could fit a set of the S2 lights from Baja based on measurements, but this is unconfirmed.

Mock up placement for new LED bar using the stock holes.

Use a step drill to widen the mounting brackets by approximately ¼” per side, and also the holes on the grille support by approximately ⅛” per side. I didn’t measure these, but I would drill and test fit until I could get the bolts to fit through.

LED bar mocked up and bolted in.

LED bar removed, grille mocked up.

LED bar installed with grille in place.

I left the painted bezel off until the install was finalized to reduce any chance of scratching or damaging it.

Bring in the wiring team…

I laid out the wiring harness as I planned on installing it and cut everything to length. I poked a hole in the existing firewall grommet and fed the unsheathed wire through to take a measurement first, then pulled it out and cut. Harness laid out.

I then wrapped all lines in the Flexo PET sheathing to protect from wear and to consolidate multiple wires into one manageable run.

All connections made were with dielectric grease, weather resistant butt connectors, and shrink wrap. Thanks to [MENTION=65614]Antman[/MENTION] for the advice on how to make a proper connection using proper tools. This shows an un-shrunk (red wire) and a shrunk butt connector (black wire).

Connectors for the supplied male weather tight connector that comes with the S8 LED bar.

Capped, sheathed, shrunk wrapped.

Laying out all sheathed wires.

Hole in firewall grommet, and feeding the wires through.

I chose the closest blank spot, and the easiest to turn on/off without looking to install the switch. This upper panel can be removed by pushing on the left side and the ‘top’ and using the tractional force to pull it towards you. Should pop pretty easily, but remember that there are connected wires behind it, so don’t pull too hard. Remove the blank piece by depressing the upper and lower ‘locks’ and pushing it out. Route the wires up through the blank hole. I used the vise-grips to hold the wires in place so they wouldn’t slip through the hole when I wasn’t looking.

​

See part 2 below

 

[MTN4RNR]

LED bar install 2 of 3

Switch harness wired up to lighting harness. After testing the wires, I wired switch black to harness black, switch red to harness blue, switch green to harness red. This turns on the light when the button is in the on position, and also turns the ‘lights' indicator on the switch when the light is on. I opt'd not to tie the switch into the dash lights because I plan on installing a Switch Pro at some point, and don't want to mess with the OEM harness. Plus, not all of the stock switches are lit anyways, so it's not out of place.

I attached the Add-a-fuse to the wire connected to the amber back-light. I then plugged in 2 10A fuses, and replaced the stock 10A Tail light fuse with the Add-a-fuse. This makes the back-light come on with the parking lights/low beams.

Interior wiring secure and tucked away, back to the engine bay.

Time to route some wiring. I attached the relay to the fender sheet metal with my favorite double 3M Extreme Fastener to allow for removal if I need to. I then routed the wires to the battery and the LED bar. Battery behind and then between the fuse panel. LED bar on the inner fender channel after removing the plastic covering.

A quick switch test. Off.

On.

Good to go!
Zip ties to hold everything in place. Wiring, DONE!

Light bar, wired and installed behind grille with painted bezel.

I then turned on the low beams to show the pattern against my rustic back drop to aim the LED bar.

LED bar on, I adjusted the angle so that the middle of the LED bar beam was at the top of the low beam cut off to emulate the high beam pattern.

All plastics reinstalled under the hood.

​

See part 3 below