Corax's 1st gen RN61 4runner

ADIGA

New member
Thanks man. Use whichever ideas you want and improve on them where you can - a lot of my stuff was inspired by other people's projects, I just modified or tweaked things to suit me better.

am trying to do that through you :D :wings:
i now doing some modification for my 4runner, am swaping the old engine with 1jz twinturbo ! but still dont know what kind of tranny should i use so the 4x4 still works !
if you have any idea's about this i hope to hit me with some !
i was planing to put the new engine with the same 4runner tranny! some ppl they say it wouldnt hold it coz the tranny is week for the 1jz !!!!
 

RBx

New member
Glad to see you are going to tackle a front bumper with the swap-able winch mount concept. I have been wrestling with bumper designs for a few weeks now. Nothing on 'paper', but i want it to look similar to my rear bumper/tire carrier. I have a build on yotatech with some pics of the carrier.
Any reason why you would fiberglass in-between the spaces on the bumper? Why not just use steel, maybe thinner gauge, drill a few drain holes, maybe hinge, or just use a hot-rod hood pin to hold the tops of the storage on. I would stay away from hinges, only because they could bind if damaged...just thinking out-loud. I like the look of the plate bumpers, but they can get heavy.
Are you going to put any headlight guard or stinger on the bumper? I would like to put something to protect the markers and headlights incase i bump something. If i have headlight guards i can run some limb lifters to my roof-rack/basket. Just a thought.

I look forward to your bumper build
 

corax

Explorer
Any reason why you would fiberglass in-between the spaces on the bumper? Why not just use steel, maybe thinner gauge, drill a few drain holes, maybe hinge, or just use a hot-rod hood pin to hold the tops of the storage on. I would stay away from hinges, only because they could bind if damaged...just thinking out-loud. I like the look of the plate bumpers, but they can get heavy.
Are you going to put any headlight guard or stinger on the bumper? I would like to put something to protect the markers and headlights incase i bump something. If i have headlight guards i can run some limb lifters to my roof-rack/basket. Just a thought.

I look forward to your bumper build

I was thinking of fiberglass for the weight savings and durability of it, like you said, plate bumpers get heavy. Besides, the fiberglass winch bumper has already been proven durable by Iceland Offroad (steel winch plate, the rest is fiberglass). I've given up on the front storage idea because I could see it easily just becoming a giant mold and mildew box. The basic shape of it with the headlight guards etc. is going to be close to the last 2 Sketch-Up pics above, except I may try to trim and fit a stock aluminum bumper in as close to the body as I can to cover up some of the front.
 

RBx

New member
So they are fiberglass, with a steel underpinnings...interesting, and they are just as pricey as steel bumpers...haha. I like the lightweight of them. so are you going to lay down 1/4" of glass? I've only done glass repair, and never from a 'mold/form'. I am guessing there are some reinforcement ridges, in the design behind the smooth face.
On another note, i was thinking something slim 2"x2" box tube like my rear(bumper), connected to a swappable winch mount(like the example you gave), add recovery points, aux lights and a round tube upper section to protect the lights. I haven't drawn anything up yet, love to use sketch-up for 3d, but i use AutoCAD for actual dimensions, but i don't think my 2x2 box will look nice. I guess this means i need to draw it up and get a better idea....sometimes i hate reading your threads...haha.
 

corax

Explorer
I'm not sure what I'm going to do after the tube is all done, right now it's just a matter of getting it done and painted. After it's on the truck I can visualize a bit better if I want to do more.

So u bend the sch 40 pipe with the bumper steel.

? - I'm using 1.5" sch 40 HREW pipe, which ends up being 1.9" OD with a .120" wall thickness (nearly 1/8"). To bend it I use my trusty Harbor Freight bender that I got years ago in trade for rebuilding a friend's Honda Civic transmission.
image_342.jpg
 

corax

Explorer
One more project down and mostly finished - I still want to bend up some headlight guards out of 1" pipe, but that can wait awhile. The white paint is Rustoleum oil based white metal primer, after it dries for a few days it'll get a healthy coat of black oil based paint. And yes, I need to make a stop by Fastenal for some 12mm x 1.25 bolts.
13finished.jpg


As with any project, it evolved and changed a bit while it was being put together. For example, once I get a winch, removal will have to be from the front - I don't think there's enough space between the top hoop and the grill to lift it straight up, so I had to change the top hoop a bit to make sure there was enough room to slide the winch forward.
12finished.jpg


I also decided to attach the top hoop to the lower lateral tube instead of the main tube. This allowed me to lean it forward a bit more than if it was welded to the main tube.
14finished.jpg


I didn't primer the lower half of the lateral tube because I need to heat it up to get the bolt holes at the bottom to line up again. BTW, like the parking light? That was just radiant heat from the tube when I heated it up to fine tune the bend. By the time I saw what was happening it was already too late.
15finished.jpg
 

corax

Explorer
Oh yeah, and the next project is already waiting to get done though it's not really an Expo mod. Just have to decide if I want to mount on top of the Yak bars . . .
11090402.jpg


. . . or recess it down a bit lower
11090403.jpg
 

corax

Explorer
I've been thinking about this project for a little while now. I just don't have anywhere to mount my Yaesu FT2800 2M Ham and I don't use 70cm enough to justify buying a new radio with a remote mount head yet - my eventual plan is to upgrade to an FT8900 or FT8800 which is slightly smaller and should fit the frame I'm building now. A few months ago I found this console on Dept of the Interior and that got the gears turning (BTW, their application list is HUGE - don't know if they export though)
Forerunner%20_low_2.jpg


This is my starting point, wall shelf track cut and tacked to the profile of my headliner (excuse the poor stitch job on the panoramic). It's a structural shape and will be fine supporting the minimal loads I plan to use it for.
100_4821.jpg


The front mount is getting sandwiched between the rear view and the roof. The rear is where I had a problem. Pulling the interior light out and feeling around, I realized there is a metal channel at the back of the roof nearly 2.5" wide. This would suffice with the help of some RivNuts. So I measured and drilled holes . . .
100_4818.jpg


. . . before popping in a few 1/4" RivNuts. The ones I got from the local Grainger are Stainless and were a lot harder to put in place than the cheapie aluminum ones - I have no doubt they will not pull out of the sheet metal
100_4822.jpg


BTW, for cheap 2" wide x 1/8" thick (12ga) flat stock, check out the lumber tie straps at the big box home improvement stores - I got this 36" piece for less than $10
100_4825.jpg


I got it bolted up, but far from finished, today.
Front sandwiched between the rearview and the roof:
100_4827.jpg


Rear needs some slight "fine-tuning" to get the rest of the bolts in + I'm going to run 2 scraps of channel back onto the plate for reinforcement:
100_4828.jpg


Overall, for now:
100_4829.jpg
 

blakeape

Adventurer
I really like what you have done with your 4runner particularly the Supra motor, but what are you putting that light on top for? Volunteer firefighter? I think you have a cool rig, but that light is a little obnoxious in my humble opinion. There are other, very small, clean options out there, some even go behind the grill.
 

corax

Explorer
I really like what you have done with your 4runner particularly the Supra motor, but what are you putting that light on top for? Volunteer firefighter? I think you have a cool rig, but that light is a little obnoxious in my humble opinion. There are other, very small, clean options out there, some even go behind the grill.

because racecar! . . . It's required equipment for when I'm driving "Sweep" at any of the rally events - I already brought it up with the team captain, grill mount wouldn't work. I ended up mounting it low, it doesn't look bad in person just adds some authority the 4runner's look ;). I also do volunteer SAR work, and while it's not required for that, it's nice to have for visibility should I be parked on the side of the road.
 

blakeape

Adventurer
because racecar! . . . It's required equipment for when I'm driving "Sweep" at any of the rally events - I already brought it up with the team captain, grill mount wouldn't work. I ended up mounting it low, it doesn't look bad in person just adds some authority the 4runner's look ;). I also do volunteer SAR work, and while it's not required for that, it's nice to have for visibility should I be parked on the side of the road.

That Sir is a very legit answer. Onward with your progress!
 

corax

Explorer
I just realized there are a bunch of projects that are missing here. One of the latest ones is a Cadillac 4 note horn install to replace the weak factory horn. If you've never heard the Caddy horns check this link out (kinda sounds like a train):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3e5BCE9zFI&feature=player_embedded

I picked up a set at the local Pick-N-Pull from a Buick Park Avenue that had all 4 notes - A, C, D and F notes are marked on the horn by the opening - and can say they are definitely larger and louder than the stock ones.
12184notehorn.jpg


Here they are mounted, they barely fit behind the grill - to mount them I just used a bolt through one of the holes in the bracket and cut the excess bracket off. I have them wired with a 20 amp fuse on a relay (blew the 10amp fuse I used originally). Another indication of how powerful these are: when I first tested them my wrenches vibrated right off the radiator support ;)
12184notehorn02.jpg

12184notehorn03.jpg
 

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