98 4Runner - Dirt Duster Build

[TangoBlue]

Nice pics Addison! Where was this at?

[rickashay]

Nice pics Addison! Where was this at?

Thanks Tim! The pics were taking in the Crowsnest Pass Alberta for the June CT4WD trail-run.

By the way, where have you been and how are you doing? It seems I haven't seen any funny sarcastic remarks lately from our favorite Southerner!

[TangoBlue]

Thanks Tim! The pics were taking in the Crowsnest Pass Alberta for the June CT4WD trail-run.

By the way, where have you been and how are you doing? It seems I haven't seen any funny sarcastic remarks lately from our favorite Southerner!

The dismal weather gives Crowsnest a really mysterious and dramatic appearance - I'd say you lucked out.

I was in AZ in May with freeze, dragonlady, fjtent, and Mike... and where were you? Better get your truck ready for next years CT4WD trip to Moab and OX13 - it will be epic!

[rickashay]

I was in AZ in May with freeze, dragonlady, fjtent, and Mike... and where were you? Better get your truck ready for next years CT4WD trip to Moab and OX13 - it will be epic!

Are you joining up for the CT4WD "Hole in the Rock Trail" in 2013?? Count me in for that and CM13, the truck is almost ready.

Speaking of the truck, here are some more updates.

The new CBI all mounted up:


20120628-IMG_2035 by RickaShay24, on Flickr


20120628-IMG_2037 by RickaShay24, on Flickr

Bumper/body clearance:

20120628-IMG_2038 by RickaShay24, on Flickr

Slightly more gap on the back end, but I have not shimmed the bumper at all with washers. I honestly don't think I will either as you don't even notice the slight difference in spacing in person.

I also wanted to try and eliminate my rear tire rub. Now that the CBI is cut back farther than the stock bumper, I should not rub in the exact location. However, I didn't like how the pinch welds stuck out farther than the CBI, so I trimmed them down:

20120628-IMG_2033 by RickaShay24, on Flickr

Here you can see the piece I trimmed off. Unfortunately despite me checking and re-checking, I cut a little too far and ended up with a small hole leading into the body where the two pinch welds met. About the size of a dime. Next time I need some welding done I am simply going to get the welder to throw a bead on the edge of the pinch weld I trimmed, filling the hole and sealing up the trimmed pinch weld. For a temp. fix I primed the bare sheet metal and filled the hole with some black gasket maker to avoid moisture entering the body. Here is the end result from the side, nice and flush:

20120628-IMG_2034 by RickaShay24, on Flickr

I'm kinda bummed about the hole but I should have triple checked for clearance and I think I will be happy with the "mod" once I get it welded shut. No rear tire rub should be nice.

Here are a couple photos from our trip last week.

The suspension setup is working pretty good:

20120702-IMG_2180 by RickaShay24, on Flickr


20120702-IMG_2176 by RickaShay24, on Flickr


20120702-IMG_2169 by RickaShay24, on Flickr


20120702-IMG_2147 by RickaShay24, on Flickr


20120701-IMG_2136 by RickaShay24, on Flickr


20120701-IMG_2113 by RickaShay24, on Flickr


20120701-IMG_2106 by RickaShay24, on Flickr


20120701-IMG_2099 by RickaShay24, on Flickr


20120701-IMG_2097 by RickaShay24, on Flickr


20120701-IMG_2086 by RickaShay24, on Flickr


20120701-IMG_2083 by RickaShay24, on Flickr


20120701-IMG_2077 by RickaShay24, on Flickr


20120701-IMG_2071 by RickaShay24, on Flickr


20120630-IMG_2047 by RickaShay24, on Flickr

Sorry for the overload of visual stimulation....

[Rotorgeek]

Sorry for the overload of visual stimulation....

Sorry?!?! Looks like a fantastic trip. Apologize for not inviting us.

[mtnbike28]

Great pictures from the trip, thanks for sharing!

[rickashay]

Sorry?!?! Looks like a fantastic trip. Apologize for not inviting us.

LOL

Great pictures from the trip, thanks for sharing!

No problem! Glad to share em'. I feel deprived, I have been camping in the truck for the past 3 weekends in a row. This weekend I went throgh withdrawals because I stayed home and was "productive."

[Glenn C]

first off wow what a rig you have , you should be very proud mate , second im currently in the process of getting rid of my LR Discovery one for a Hilux surf (what a 4runner is called here in Ireland) and you have given me great ideas, I am 6"2 and like to sleep in the back of my wagon aswell so your rear arrangement has me very interested , I will be onto you more once I actually get my 4 runner , congrats on the thread i have subscribed

Glenn

[rickashay]

Hey Glenn!

Thanks for the interest in my thread. I only wish the diesel hilux was more abundant in my neck of the woods. Feel free to ask as many questions as you can and I can try and help! Cheers

[rickashay]

A few updates and some pics from my most recent run to follow:

I have installed my ODL bumper. If you've been following my build at all, I was contemplating a few options but I am very happy with the result. I went with ODL, no hoops, limited width version (more protection) and their satin powdercoat. The finish of the bumper is excellent and I'm very happy with the mounts and construction at this point. I may need to enlarge one of the mounting holes as I have slightly more bumper gap on one side, but I think it's due to the truck, not the bumper as my OEM bumper had the same gap difference. (must have been in a fender bender at some point before I purchased it!)

I plan on adding a very LOW center hoop down the road to accommodate an LED bar and also will be adding some small hoops on the sides of the bumper next to the corner markers to give some added trail protection there (another reason for the "limited width version")

And of course when I did the bumper install, I threw in my TJM Stealth 9000 winch:bluejump: Man, the wireless remote is AWESOME! haha

On to some poser shots:

20121014-IMG_3073 by RickaShay24, on Flickr


20121014-IMG_3086 by RickaShay24, on Flickr


20121014-IMG_3078 by RickaShay24, on Flickr

And another update, that I haven't really mentioned, is my iPad. I have been wanting a new GPS setup for a while as the Garmin I have doesnt quite cut it for trail use. I needed something that could create and upload existing tracks and I wanted a topography option as well. A fellow CT4WD member proposed me with his iPad 1 at the perfect time. It's the first gen iPad, but it is the 64GB version and has 3G ---> the only iPad with the built in GPS chip! I was sold....

I went with a universal RAM mount that bolts to the seat mount. It's pretty sturdy but does wobble back and forth a bit on rough roads. I will be fine-tuning this setup in the future to make it slightly more stable, but it is definitely livable now. I am running the "GPS-kit" software and so far, I am very pleased with it!


20121014-IMG_3098 by RickaShay24, on Flickr

Here are a few close-ups of my bumper/winch install. I mounted my wireless winch controller inside the truck where I would have easy access to it; whether inside or outside of the 4Runner during a recovery. I also wont hit my knee on it in this location and accidentally "bump" the winch in/out.


20121021-IMG_3130 by RickaShay24, on Flickr

I then made a new bracket for my aux. fuse block using steel instead of the old one which was stainless. I just found the stainless to be a b**ch to drill through when I wanted to ad new relays and I wanted to make the bracket a little different this time. While I was there, I also mounted my battery kill switch for the winch. I leave it OFF when I'm not on the trail so there can never be accidental winch operation or any kind of possibility of shorting out the winch.


20121021-IMG_3136 by RickaShay24, on Flickr


20121021-IMG_3137 by RickaShay24, on Flickr

I had to remove the solenoid box from my TJM winch in order for it to fit inside the bumper. I made my own extended wire for the solenoid box using 2-Guage cable. The original TJM wires were extremely short and not flexible so this is a must-do with this winch if you plan on re-locating the solenoid box at all. I then made a small bracket out of a piece of L-channel and mounted that to the bumper. Here is where the solenoid box now sits, giving me easy access to the winch controller plug, should my wireless remote battery die out on the trail.


20121021-IMG_3141 by RickaShay24, on Flickr