Urban Assault

The following is my long overdue build-thread. I purchased this truck brand new in 1999. 4Runner, Limited, 3.4, 4wd, e-locker, etc. Somewhere, I have a picture of me at the dealer on the day of purchase, smiling from ear to ear. I had several cars before and I have had several since, though I have always hung on to my 4runner. It now has 280,000 miles on it. I drove it predominantly stock for about 5 years, with mild off-roading and camping. Then, it happened. It started with innocent things like the deck-plate mod, and the grey or blue or [insert your color here] mod. I’m ok, I thought. I can stop whenever I want. Since then, I have tried multiple combinations of lifts, springs, shocks, replaced virtually everything. Yes, even that. Ball joints, bushings, cv’s, axles, etc. I am on a first name basis with the UPS driver. Modifying/working on the truck is a disease, and I have it, and I like it.

You the members have been the most help. I reference yotatech far more than the Haynes manual.

Special thanks to: Dirtco, Habenero, Stockwell45, ScottyC, Brian2Sun, Dropzone, Bigfishallday, and countless others. (cue the academy award music).

Rather than showing pictures of lots of things you have already seen, I will focus on the things which are unique or different from others. I will simply list the more conventional mods, if I can remember what I have done.

Seriously, next time I am just going to build a tube buggy and weld on some Toyota body panels. It will be so much easier.

I used the little overhead cubby for my ScanGauge II. I never used it for sunglasses, and I wanted a heads-up display for the gauge. I made some little 'L' brackets and ran the wire under the headliner and down the pillar to the OBD port.

I sprayed the cargo area with bedliner (I believe I stole that idea from Dropzone. Thanks!) I removed the cardboard/carpet seat backs and replaced with treadplate. It is not uncommon for me to have a load of firewood, stone, or dirty bikes in the back. Carpet had to go.

My take on the 2x2 square slider. Thanks Dirtco. I double angled the front end of the slider. 30 degrees down and 30 degrees in. Front of passenger slider in pic. Welded scab plates to frame, then sliders to plate. I used 4 legs which was overkill. If I had it to do over again, I would use 3. I over-engineer everything.

Deckplate mod Diff breathers
Optima Redtop Trail-gear battery mount
Toytec front coil-overs Sonoran Steel LC rear springs
SonoranPanhard bar Daystar comp bump stops
Lower Link Skids Budbuilt skid plate
Method Wheels 315/75/16 Goodyear Wrangler Duratracs
T.A.G. Bumpers Bed Liner rockers, flares, and cargo area
1” Body Lift Super Stealth CB install

I was born in Arizona, and grew up in California. As a kid, my Dad and I had a stock class desert racing truck. I went to college in Missouri, more school in Philadelphia, PA, and have lived in Texas, Utah, Maryland, and now Georgia. I have wheeled or camped in each of these states among others. Off-roading in Georgia is fun, but nothing like the west.



I placed some louvers in the hood. Yes, they are functional. One of the first 'real mods' that I did. I didn't want a fake or functional hood scoop for my V6. Though, every engine can benefit from running cooler. I love them, though there was a moment of trepidation as I stood over my hood with a whirling cut-off wheel. Also, in this pic you can see the Hella DRL's which I fab'd into the little trim piece below the headlight. My parking or clear corner marker light now houses my amber LED turn signal. Again, a little spin on another Dirtco idea. His builds haunt me and keep me up at night. The bed-liner fender flares are also visible. Used "Bed Armor by Duplicolor" sprayed with an undercoating gun from Harbor Freight at 90psi.

Will gather some more pics and post-up soon.
Thanks.

matt92yota

sweet looking 4runner you got there, nice work!

stockwell45

iTrader: (1)

Looking good, very interesting how you made the DRL's under the lights and how you mounted them.

Do you get out to CA much anymore?

habanero

More pics! More pics!

Urban Assault

A couple more pics. This is my "stealth CB install". People typically do not steal, what they can not see. I also wanted a mid-vehicle location as my son loves to 'monitor' the CB traffic from his car-seat.

I used the little cubby in the console, next to the emergency brake, for the handset and the wiring is in the bottom of the armrest compartment. I may make a small sub-floor piece inside the console to cover the wiring and give a cleaner finish. With this particular unit, all the controls are on the handset.




Tucked out of the way, when not in use.

xXsquintyeyesXx

What kind of front bumper do you have

Urban Assault

They are the controversial Tactical Armor Group bumpers. I love the bumpers and purchase/install was easy. They are somewhat local for me, so no shipping costs. However, others (or most) have not been as fortunate. Follow this thread for more info: https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f120...inions-250207/

I reconfigured the A-hoop to suit my preference and re-worked the angle of the spare tire to sit high&tight on the vehicle.

Urban Assault

And these are my "pie in the sky build plans". Eventually, they will happen. In no particular order, and in no particular time frame.

Removeable Snorkel - So that a rubber plug, or gas door style closure conceals the opening when the snorkel is not in use. I do very few water crossings deep enough for a snorkel. I don't want to drive around all year in the 'up periscope' position, for that 2min water crossing.

Ambulance Doors - Yes, on a 3rd gen 4Runner. I do not know why, but I have always liked them. Whether they be on Land Cruisers or Suburbans, I think they look good, and functional. Will obviously be a complete custom fab, yet...I'm intrigued.

Flat Belly Bottom, with Full (modular) Skid - My BMW M5 has it. It is plastic...but a cool concept. I have seen desert racing trucks with full flat belly metal skids. Put it on the list.

stockwell45

iTrader: (1)

That snorkel idea is awesome. I bet you could actually fab in a gas door somehow to make it work. Looking forward to whats in store!

mmml4

Nice build, got any pics of the louver install? I would really like to do that to mine.

dropzone

iTrader: (6)

Ambulance doors would be an ambitious but cool project. Start collecting donor material. I wish I had them on my Tahoe.

Flat belly will take some tunnel work but be well worth it to get the trans/TC tucked up.

DIRTCO

Nice work! Any more pictures of the 4Runners in action?

Urban Assault

I get back to CA 1-2x/yr. Usually involves a little bit of visiting family and a lot of fun and games. I will post-up next time I am headed out.

I did not take pics during install, though will add some more including the underside of the hood. I did this mod around 2006. Basically, I measured everything no fewer than 10x. Then used masking tape to mock up the position and then finally made the cuts. Secured to hood using hand rivet gun. There are probably 50 rivets for each panel. I should have rented or purchased the air rivet gun. I still have tendonitis from that one. The underlying hood cross braces are left in-tact, though I did drill a few holes in them to prevent water from accumulating in there. I forget the name of the company that makes these. I saw a tiny ad for them in the 4WD Toyota Owner magazine years ago, but haven't seen it in recent years. Hopefully, they are still around. I love the louvers.

Thanks! The 'action' has been pretty mild lately since I have had a 2yr old as my co-pilot on the last few trips. Also, still sorting a few tire rubbing spots, in which I fix one and then find another. Good news though, after switching over to coil-overs in front the knuckle no longer contacts the spring in full droop. I followed that story on your build as well. So, yeah, -sigh- I will post up a pic of me crossing a ditch or something. I really miss the West!

Urban Assault

A few pics of a recent 'trail ride'. The trail is very easy and you could probably do 90% of it in a Camry. Though, there are a few places that give you some flex, which is why I go. I have been working on the last few tire rubbing spots, and now I think I am in the clear, or at least ready to step-up to some more difficult trails.




The obligatory pose:

Urban Assault

A few pics of my current lighting configuration. I love the LED's. Very bright on minimal watts. I think I will also swap out my 3.5in fogs for LED cubes.


Daytime mode: Hella DRL's.




Nightime Mode: Factory headlights and Hella's



Offroad Mode: Factory headlights, Hellas, 3.5in fogs, Rigid Industries 10in spot/flood combo.



UFO Mode: Hellas and Rigid.

garretj

Thats one nasty looking 4runner

Urban Assault

Apparently, a nationwide memo went out to 3rd gen 4runner owners to drop your axles. Just noticed where Stockwell45, and Bigfishallday have 'enjoyed' the same experience. And when people say, "just unbolt the rear dif and pop in the new one", what they mean to say is, "get ready for 5.5 hours of sweat, blood, and profanity to figure out the quirky combinations of studs/bolts, and elocker nuances." I no longer rate projects based on time, but rather how many beers it will take me to finish. The front dif looks like a kegger, so taking her to the shop for that one.

East Coast Gear Supply provided the hardware. 4.88's with front ARB air locker. Rear has the factory elocker.

Urban Assault

Thanks!

stockwell45

iTrader: (1)

Well on the bright side, beer was close at hand! For me reassembling was easier, because I wasn't fighting frozen bolts and nuts. Hope it's the same for you, good luck!

Urban Assault

I finally got around to getting a few things off of the list. I had the front diff installed at ACC in Atlanta. Great Toyota offroad shop. I knew I was at the right place when I saw lots of custom FJ40's, and 4Runners in the parking lot. If you live in the southeast, go there. www.acctoyota.com
After fumbling around with the rear diff for 5.5 hours, I was more than happy to take it to the shop for the front.



I made a little room under the hood for the compressor, next to the windshield wiper motor. I had to trim a bit of the ledge off the firewall.

I put 4 threaded rivet nuts in the firewall so the compressor will mount solid and tight. I also put some small pieces of left-over dynamat on the mounting surface of the compressor to diminish vibration.

Plumbed, wired, installed and functioning.

I also finally got around to installing my Lil Skips Fuel Tank Skid. If you have a 3rd gen and plan on wheeling, get one of these. www.lilskipsoffroad.wordpress.com

It is significantly stronger than stock. Install was very straight forward, but this thing is heavy. I rate this a 2 beer project, and will go much easier with a friend, rather than a precarious assortment of floor jack, jack stands and wood blocks holding it up while bolting it down.

I also did my steering rack bushings with the wheelersoffroad poly kit. One of those simple projects, yet you seem to use almost every tool in your arsenal. It makes a nice, noticeable improvement. Also a 2 beer project.

Cheers.