Tom's V8 4Runner build

tom5191

tom5191

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Launch Member

Contributor II

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St. Louis, MO
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5634

I had been searching for a Tacoma or 4Runner for a while, and finally decided a 4Runner would be a better choice. Finally found a 2004 T4R Limited V8 about 3 hours away in Champaign, Il. Went with a few friends and checked it out and ended up going home with it June 13th, 2015. Has a few cosmetic issues, but nothing major. I figured if I'm going to off road it I shouldn't be too worried about the outside appearance. It just has to be mechanically sound. It has a few scratches the buffing won't take out, and the front bumper is cracked, but that's it. Everything else is pretty much perfect.

Day it actually became mine (Got plates)
0626151911 by Thomas Horner, on Flickr

Day after I got plates I ordered OME lift from ToyTec. 885 front 896 rear. Also got Light Racing UCA.
They came in a few days later
IMG_20150630_175830 by Thomas Horner, on Flickr


They sat almost all summer and I finally put it on at the beginning of October. Then started my long fight with trying to figure out all my issues the lift caused.

Tried to get an alignment and found out my alignment cams were seized. Ended up buying new cams, lower control arms, tie rod assemblies, and CVJ reman axles.

Replaced everything and got an alignment, but still had a bad vibration. Started taking the suspension apart and retightening everything. Triple checking my work cause something wasn't right. Replaced one U joint cause it was getting kinda bad, thinking that was my problem. Nope. Ended up being the top plate spacer that can be an add on to the lift. Took that out and It drove fantastic. The spacer was making me max out the CV axle angle.

About a week after I got the suspension figured out I ordered Trail Gear rock sliders and BFGoodrich 275/70/17 tires.
1208151737 by Thomas Horner, on Flickr

Got the tires installed Saturday. They were a bit too close to the UCA and were rubbing on corners. Ordered Spidertrax the same day.

After getting the tires on
1212151018 by Thomas Horner, on Flickr

I got my Spidertrax in last night so I put them on.
Before:
1215151910 by Thomas Horner, on Flickr

After:

1215151948 by Thomas Horner, on Flickr

Dang spacers make it sit so nice.


Full shots of how it looks currently
1216151032 by Thomas Horner, on Flickr

1216151032a by Thomas Horner, on Flickr


Next week I'm getting the sliders welded on, and I might start looking into mounting my CB next week too. My dad gave me his old Cobra 25 LTD Classic CB, mic, external speaker, and a magnetic antenna. Looking into hard wiring the cb, trying to find a good place for the speaker. Might have to get a different one because of the size. It's a bit much. Also looking into a mount firestik instead of the magnetic antenna.



Current Mods:
Suspension/steering:
Light Racing Upper Control arms
885 front springs with 90000 Nitrocharger Sport shocks and trim packer
896 rear spring with 60004 rear shocks
Moog lower control arms
Moog alignment cams
Moog tie rod assemblies
CVJ reman axles
275/70/17 BFG K02

Exterior:
Trail Gear rock sliders
LC80 snorkel




Future plans:
Demello single hoop front bumper
Smittybilt winch
CBI rear bumper with tire carrier and jerry can holder
Budbuilt skid plates
Roof rack (Undecided on who. Need something to hold a roof top tent)
Roof top tent
ARB 2500 awning
ARB awning room
Storage organization
High lift jack
Recovery gear
ARB fridge (maybe)
Might make a portable kitchen in back for camping
Air Compressor
Light bars
Debating between SPOD with digital screen or just running a relay panel and switches. Kinda worried about the screen attracting people to break into the truck thinking it's a GPS or some shit.
 
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After like 9 months of buying it, I finally put my LC80 snorkel on the 4runner. I used 3.5" brake duct hose to connect the air box to the snorkel. I think it fits pretty damn well.

Mocking it up
20170521_162616 by Thomas Horner, on Flickr

Mounted
20170521_183841 by Thomas Horner, on Flickr

You need about 1' of hose to get it to fit.
20170528_154214 by Thomas Horner, on Flickr

Since the brake duct hose was 3.5" ID, I had to heat it up and stretch it onto the inlet for the airbox. Worked out pretty well, IMO. There's a bit of a lip on the airbox, so the duct wouldn't sit flush. I used clear RTV to seal that up.
20170528_143232 by Thomas Horner, on Flickr

You can see I had to cut some metal out to get the duct to work because of the location of the snorkel. It was way too close to the fender to be able to bend the duct to get it on the snorkel and through the factory hole. I pretty much just followed the widest part of the circle and cut upwards.
20170528_154346 by Thomas Horner, on Flickr

From between the snorkel.
20170528_155004 by Thomas Horner, on Flickr

Overall I'm pretty happy with it. Less than $100 and I have a working snorkel. I'm ready to explore the deserts and some water crossings.

Now I just need to finally drill out one of the bolts for the skid plate and I can actually mount the RCI front skid plate that I've had for over a year... lol
 
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0bf9ce9ac05680c60a86dd85db331827.jpg
isthis the same one you got?


Sent from my iPhone using OB Talk
 
collinrach22 said:
That's tight braddah! Da snorkel looks tight. Front and rear bumper on the way?


Sent from my iPhone using OB Talk
Click to expand...

Ordering my Demello single hoop front bumper this week. Hopefully next year I'll buy the rear. I got some other hobbies that are going to eat my money up soon too. Gotta spread things out lol.

collinrach22 said:
isthis the same one you got?


Sent from my iPhone using OB Talk
Click to expand...

That's the one. You can get them on Amazon or eBay.
 
Do have any videos or more pictures of your install for the snorkel? I would really like to make that addition as my air intake got completely filled with water last week. I added a K&N air filter just need to add that extra security to it. Thank you!


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collinrach22 said:
Do have any videos or more pictures of your install for the snorkel? I would really like to make that addition as my air intake got completely filled with water last week. I added a K&N air filter just need to add that extra security to it. Thank you!


Sent from my iPhone using OB Talk
Click to expand...


I didn't take any other pictures other than these. There's quite a few people who show how to mount it to the fender on toyota-4runner.org. The snorkel comes with a template of where to drill all the holes. Like this
8d5a86f556c239b0e710473fdcc72f4b.jpg


I recommend making the holes a size bigger than you need them so you can make adjustments easier. Some of my holes are oval now to get that to fit. The kit comes with big washers so you won't need to worry about the nuts not fitting unless you make giant holes.

You're supposed to use self tapping screws for the A pillar mount, but I said F that. I'm not drilling into my A pillar. I used 3m double sided tape, and I've seen a few others do that same.
 
collinrach22 said:
What kind of hose is that?


Sent from my iPhone using OB Talk
Click to expand...

3 1/2 " brake duct hose. If you use it, you'll have to heat it up a bit to get it on the air box since it's a 4" OD. Also wear a mask if you do. Heating that hose up with a propane torch gave me 3 different types of cancer, I think lol.
 
I haven't updated this in a long time. Figure it's time. In July I got my Demello single hoop bumper in. (Along with a Smittybilt XRC9.5k winch)

20170720_213748 by Thomas Horner, on Flickr

Few weeks later I went over to a friend's house to got it all put together.

I changed out the turn signals for a different set of LED turns from Amazon. Also finally got my RCI skid plate mounted. Drilling out the rear mounting holes that were rusted and what not was not fun.

IMG_20171015_114623 by Thomas Horner, on Flickr


At the end of October I went to Rendezvous in the Ozarks in Arkansas with a few local MO4WD members, and met up with some Tornado Alley Land Cruiser members. That was a pretty good weekend even if the 4runner was making some uncomfortable noises for me to push it off road too much.

20171020_115901 by Thomas Horner, on Flickr

20171020_102924 by Thomas Horner, on Flickr

20171020_102004 by Thomas Horner, on Flickr

20171020_105139 by Thomas Horner, on Flickr

20171020_115518 by Thomas Horner, on Flickr

20171020_115548 by Thomas Horner, on Flickr

Messing around at camp

20171021_094721 by Thomas Horner, on Flickr

I'm not LC status, but it still works.

20171021_100937 by Thomas Horner, on Flickr

20171021_100950 by Thomas Horner, on Flickr


I was hanging out at a friend of mine's booth while I was down there and got talked into a 30" Diode Dynamic light bar. I wasn't planning on buying it that soon, but we were talking about it, then we tested fitted it, then next thing I know we're finding a drill to mount the thing to my bumper. It all happened to fast :laugh:. It looks good and fits perfect though. This is basically where it sits for not. I still need to wire the light bar to an actual switch, and not the cheap one it comes with. I still need to wire the winch to a switch too.

20171113_145301 by Thomas Horner, on Flickr

Edit:
Forgot I also picked up some LED fogs from Amazon too. Once I do the fog light mod I'll get some pictures of the fogs actually on the rig.

MVIMG_20171118_160107 by Thomas Horner, on Flickr
 
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Been a while since I've done anything with my 4Runner.

Decided to drown the 4runner while crossing a creek.

83308246_4496985145105_3929912899954278400_o by Thomas Horner, on Flickr

Cleaned it out and then the following weekend went out to Shawnee National Forest last weekend with a few people. Mostly just gravel/dirt roads since a lot of the trails were blocked off by private land, and they had their gates closed at the time.

83129516_4506988835191_2495278425908969472_n by Thomas Horner, on Flickr

Still managed to find some mud to play in and get stuck. Finally got to test out my winch.
83931073_10158326268893487_9095626498152333312_o by Thomas Horner, on Flickr

After this weekend I need to rethink my storage situation (I have none), and start planning on getting 315/70/17s. After that I'll see if I need to re-gear, and do that while I'm putting in lockers later this year.
 
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