Weezerbot, get your own stinkin' truck! Sierra Expeditions 4Runner SR5

weezerbot · 05-11-2009, 11:08 AM

It's finally time to get this going! I hope to make this not just a build thread but more the tale of a girl and her 4Runner; our adventures together, the love, the hate, the passion, the lies...well you get the idea. I've been inspired by different build threads on different forums, so here is the translation of my truck. I plan on keeping this first post updated.

The day the keys exchanged hands:

How it sits as of 5/1//09:

The Specs
Owner: Heidi Van Camp
Location: Phoenix, Az
Make and Model: Toyota 4Runner SR5
Year: 1998

Engine: 3.4L V6
Transmission: Automatic
T-Case: Stock
Front Axle: IFS, Icon Vehicle Dynamics Coil-overs
Rear Axle: Factory E-Locker, Bilstein 5100, Performance Products Springs
Tires: 265/75/16 BFG AT's
Wheels: 16x7.5 TRD FJ Cruiser Special Edition Anthracite

Trail Armor:
All-Pro Sliders

Electrics:
Uniden PRO510XL CB
Wilson Lil Wil Mag Mount Antenna
Scanguage II
Rino 530 HCx handheld GPS/FRS
SPOT Global Messenger

Additional Modifications:
Sonoran Steel Adjustable Panhard Bar
TRD Air Filter
20% window tint
Rear Diff Breather Extension
No-Loss Tire Valve Caps
Sylvania Silverstars

Adventure Gear:
ARB Recovery bag, holding ARB Snatch Strap, Tree Saver, 9000 Snatch Block, gloves, Petzl Tikka LED Headlamp, and Bow Shackle.
Camp Time Roll-A-Cot

Currently Waiting in the garage:
Quick-Fist Clamps
New OEM Spark Plugs, Spark Plug Wires, and Fuel Filter
6 Circuit ST Blade Fuse Block
LED Maglite
Daystar Bump Stops

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weezerbot · 05-11-2009, 11:09 AM

So this story actually began around October 2007. Josh and I took a camping trip with some friends up to Fossil Creek in his Subaru WRX Wagon...which probably would have turned out better if it wasn't a lowered race car.

After scraping our way through that adventure, we decided it was time for a truck. We began the process of bugging his parents to sell us their 4Runner which they hardly ever drove...but they wouldn't budge. Josh had admired the FJ Cruiser since its release so we checked one out, along with a 4th Gen 4Runner and a Rav4. We liked them all for different reasons. We had our list of options for all three and headed out one night to a giant tent sale. Long story short we came home with this:

And so started our love affair with the FJ, or now known as R2FJ. We began our build up of it and the affair grew. Long story short we both loved it so much we would actually get into tiffs over who got to drive it...and when I got to drive it, I did things like this:

And that worried MR. R2FJ..........

We soon came to the conclusion that I needed my own truck to beat on, not to mention with the daily driving of the FJ we were racking on the miles. In my mind I had a few options: a 60 Series LC (of which I'd been in love with since high school); an 80 Series (which we both loved) or a 3rd Gen 4Runner (nice styling, practical, also loved). For as long as I wanted the 60 I decided I didn't want the maintenance of an older truck that went along with it. If I was able to find an 80 in decent condition for the right price I might have ended up with that, but the poor gas mileage for a daily driver drove me away, so my focus ended up on the 4Runner. We searched and searched, test drove a few, and once again bugged Josh's parents about their 4Runner they still weren't driving very much. The day we were about to make an offer on a local 4Runner, we got the email: the parents were finally willing to give up the Runner. We picked it up Christmas of 2008 in Huntington Beach and drove it home...Happy Festivus!

The specs when picking up: 1998 Toyota 4Runner SR5, fully optioned out minus the leather interior (thank god), but including the woodgrain dash (I must admit I've come to like it), moonroof, Smitty Bilt Step Bars, Factory E-Locker and about 76K miles.

weezerbot · 05-11-2009, 11:10 AM

January 3, 2009: Seven Springs Run

Upon our return to Phoenix I was itching to get the truck out on the trail and see how it would do....along with making sure that rear locker was still functioning! So myself, Josh (Mr R2FJ) and Mike (Tibaal89) headed north to run the Seven Springs trail, an easy but equally scenic route north of Phoenix. The 4Runner did quite well, and I was surprised just how much it handled very similar to the FJ. I only needed to engage the locker in one spot, but it worked....and I was a happy camper!

photo by Tibaal89

weezerbot · 05-11-2009, 11:11 AM

January 4, 2009

So I'm an admin on a local group site called AZFJ.org and every couple of months people get together for mod days, and after all the holiday goodies roll in what better time to have one? So knowing one was coming up, and knowing the amazing Bellydoc was going to be there with his mad welding skills, I decided to seize the moment. I was certainly not planning on having sliders be the first mod to the Runner, but the timing was right. So on our way back to Phoenix from Cali we detoured to Hemet, CA to pick up some sliders at All Pro. These are the same style we have on the FJ and I love them.

First a little paint:

Let the sparks fly!

The finished product:

Big thanks once again to John. And if you don't know who John "Bellydoc" Goodman is, you should! A Fool and His Money

A few days later it was CB install time. After reading through various forums I found out about the Uniden PRO510XLc that will fit perfectly into the ashtray location. But wiring? Ya no clue...so I enlisted my local wiring guy to assist. I helped! Really! I cut out the back of the dash so it would fit in there and velcroed it in....Josh did the rest.

Its hooked up to a Wilson Lil Wil Mag Mount Antenna, which I ran under the door sill and up the side.

Following that I installed the Scanguage II, drilling a hole and running the cable under the center console. It's secured by velcro to the top of the console.

The whole enchilada:

weezerbot · 05-11-2009, 11:13 AM

January 16-17, 2009: Sedonafest Pre-Run

For those of you who don't know I'm helping organize the third annual Sedonafest. We decided to add some new trail runs to the mix so Mike (Tibaal89) and I needed to go up to Sedona for some exploring. I was just excited to get the Runner on some dirt again!

February 7th, 2009: Four Peaks Pick-up

Mr. Tim SOAZ decided it would be a good thing to do his clean-up again this year out at 4 Peaks, so Josh and I took both the FJ and the 4Runner out for some camping and garbage fun. With the FJ in display-mode, the Runner was delegated to be the site transportation of people, garbage bags, and water. Hopefully we can do it all again next year!

Next on the mod list were some new wheels and tires. I really wanted to with the Goodyear Wrangler MT/R, as they have proven to be tride and true running on the FJ, but they are not made in the size I wanted. I ended up with some used (but FREE) 265/75/16 BFG AT's and so far they are doing great. With all the daily driving I do I'm liking these tires more and more. But now I needed new wheels! Lucky me, the Tim SOAZ FJ TRD Special Edition wheels I had lusted after for so long came up for sale...I have to admit I did think about it...but I'm glad to be running the SOAZ Special because they just look hella good!

And a big thanks to Travis (Safari Pacific) for hooking me up with the wheel mount!

weezerbot · 05-11-2009, 11:17 AM

Its time to get some gear in this rig!

I picked up this awesome ARB Recovery Bag and all my goodies from Wil and Wen at Sierra. I'd had my eye on that bag for a while but wasn't sure how well it would work fitting all the stuff, but it totally rocks. I can fit my gloves, snatch strap, tree save, snatch block, shackle, tire repair kit, and headlamp plus room for more. And its all compartmentalized for the specific items so they stow away really neatly.

Next were some of the No Loss Valve Caps...not exciting to some but exciting for those of us who tend to lose things!

Then I mounted up my trusty Rino 530 HCX. I like to do some geocaching from time to time and since I'm not running any other kind of gps this will do for now.

Jacque at TRDParts4U was kind enough to hook me up with a new TRD air filter!

weezerbot · 05-11-2009, 11:20 AM

Getting gear in the rig continued......

Mounted the Spot to the drivers side grip handle. This location has worked out really well because its close enough to the windshield to still get the signal out and its mounted facing me so I can monitor it.

1LegLance also hooked me up with this awesome Adventure Medical kit.

For anyone who lives in Arizona you know how important this mod was: 20% window tint all around!

weezerbot · 05-11-2009, 11:21 AM

April 5, 2009: Lift install

First of all I want to say a HUGE thank you to Tim (SOAZ) for all of his help, not only with the lift but with the 4Runner in general. He has answered endless questions from me and had the patience of a saint so THANK YOU!!! :beer:

Tim offered to help me install the front Icon coilovers for the 4Runner so we headed to his house Sunday morning to start the project. He's done this so many times it was over in a flash! Not only that, but Danica made us cookies and coffee to boot!

Tim also let us borrow some equipment to complete the rear Bilstein 5100/Performance Products install at home. All I have to say is what a pain! Whoever designed the rear shock mounts in this truck should be shot. Corroded nuts and bolts from SoCal didn't help any either! Also another big THANKS! to Wil at Sierra Expeditions. He also spent countless hours on the phone with me and answering my emails about suspension questions, calling the companies, etc. In the end I settled on the Bilsteins and he continued with his great customer service in getting them ordered up for me! Thanks Wil! :coffeedrink:

Clearly at this point in the install Josh has lost his mind:

I decided while we were down there I may as well do the rear diff breather extension. I wasn't too keen on mounting it in the gas cap area and I didn't have enough hose to run to the engine bay so I just ran the line up near the gas cap, which I think should suffice.

We also cut off 2 notches on the spring cones and I went ahead and removed the front and rear mud flaps. Looks better already.

weezerbot · 05-11-2009, 11:22 AM

April 12, 2009: Castle Hot Springs

It was killing me to get out on some dirt and test out the new suspension, so Corbin and Mimi joined Caesar and I for a nice Sunday run out to Castle Hot Springs. The new suspension did great and it was a beautiful day for a drive!

Caesar says: "Finally! A window I can stick my head out of!!"

And tonight I knocked another little project off the list: installing the Sylvania Silverstar bulbs. I have a very hard time seeing at night 9night blind) so I was looking for a reasonably priced upgrade from the stock bulbs. These were a popular choice over on Yotatech and also what we put in the FJ. They are no HID's but they are whiter and the beam pattern seems to be wider than stock so I'm happy.

05-11-2009, 11:10 AM	#3 (permalink)
weezerbot Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 32	January 3, 2009: Seven Springs Run Upon our return to Phoenix I was itching to get the truck out on the trail and see how it would do....along with making sure that rear locker was still functioning! So myself, Josh (Mr R2FJ) and Mike (Tibaal89) headed north to run the Seven Springs trail, an easy but equally scenic route north of Phoenix. The 4Runner did quite well, and I was surprised just how much it handled very similar to the FJ. I only needed to engage the locker in one spot, but it worked....and I was a happy camper! photo by Tibaal89 photo by Tibaal89

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05-11-2009, 11:09 AM	#2 (permalink)
weezerbot Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 32	So this story actually began around October 2007. Josh and I took a camping trip with some friends up to Fossil Creek in his Subaru WRX Wagon...which probably would have turned out better if it wasn't a lowered race car. After scraping our way through that adventure, we decided it was time for a truck. We began the process of bugging his parents to sell us their 4Runner which they hardly ever drove...but they wouldn't budge. Josh had admired the FJ Cruiser since its release so we checked one out, along with a 4th Gen 4Runner and a Rav4. We liked them all for different reasons. We had our list of options for all three and headed out one night to a giant tent sale. Long story short we came home with this: And so started our love affair with the FJ, or now known as R2FJ. We began our build up of it and the affair grew. Long story short we both loved it so much we would actually get into tiffs over who got to drive it...and when I got to drive it, I did things like this: And that worried MR. R2FJ.......... We soon came to the conclusion that I needed my own truck to beat on, not to mention with the daily driving of the FJ we were racking on the miles. In my mind I had a few options: a 60 Series LC (of which I'd been in love with since high school); an 80 Series (which we both loved) or a 3rd Gen 4Runner (nice styling, practical, also loved). For as long as I wanted the 60 I decided I didn't want the maintenance of an older truck that went along with it. If I was able to find an 80 in decent condition for the right price I might have ended up with that, but the poor gas mileage for a daily driver drove me away, so my focus ended up on the 4Runner. We searched and searched, test drove a few, and once again bugged Josh's parents about their 4Runner they still weren't driving very much. The day we were about to make an offer on a local 4Runner, we got the email: the parents were finally willing to give up the Runner. We picked it up Christmas of 2008 in Huntington Beach and drove it home...Happy Festivus! The specs when picking up: 1998 Toyota 4Runner SR5, fully optioned out minus the leather interior (thank god), but including the woodgrain dash (I must admit I've come to like it), moonroof, Smitty Bilt Step Bars, Factory E-Locker and about 76K miles.

05-11-2009, 11:11 AM	#4 (permalink)
weezerbot Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 32	January 4, 2009 So I'm an admin on a local group site called AZFJ.org and every couple of months people get together for mod days, and after all the holiday goodies roll in what better time to have one? So knowing one was coming up, and knowing the amazing Bellydoc was going to be there with his mad welding skills, I decided to seize the moment. I was certainly not planning on having sliders be the first mod to the Runner, but the timing was right. So on our way back to Phoenix from Cali we detoured to Hemet, CA to pick up some sliders at All Pro. These are the same style we have on the FJ and I love them. First a little paint: Let the sparks fly! The finished product: Big thanks once again to John. And if you don't know who John "Bellydoc" Goodman is, you should! A Fool and His Money A few days later it was CB install time. After reading through various forums I found out about the Uniden PRO510XLc that will fit perfectly into the ashtray location. But wiring? Ya no clue...so I enlisted my local wiring guy to assist. I helped! Really! I cut out the back of the dash so it would fit in there and velcroed it in....Josh did the rest. Its hooked up to a Wilson Lil Wil Mag Mount Antenna, which I ran under the door sill and up the side. Following that I installed the Scanguage II, drilling a hole and running the cable under the center console. It's secured by velcro to the top of the console. The whole enchilada:

05-11-2009, 11:13 AM	#5 (permalink)
weezerbot Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 32	January 16-17, 2009: Sedonafest Pre-Run For those of you who don't know I'm helping organize the third annual Sedonafest. We decided to add some new trail runs to the mix so Mike (Tibaal89) and I needed to go up to Sedona for some exploring. I was just excited to get the Runner on some dirt again! February 7th, 2009: Four Peaks Pick-up Mr. Tim SOAZ decided it would be a good thing to do his clean-up again this year out at 4 Peaks, so Josh and I took both the FJ and the 4Runner out for some camping and garbage fun. With the FJ in display-mode, the Runner was delegated to be the site transportation of people, garbage bags, and water. Hopefully we can do it all again next year! Next on the mod list were some new wheels and tires. I really wanted to with the Goodyear Wrangler MT/R, as they have proven to be tride and true running on the FJ, but they are not made in the size I wanted. I ended up with some used (but FREE) 265/75/16 BFG AT's and so far they are doing great. With all the daily driving I do I'm liking these tires more and more. But now I needed new wheels! Lucky me, the Tim SOAZ FJ TRD Special Edition wheels I had lusted after for so long came up for sale...I have to admit I did think about it...but I'm glad to be running the SOAZ Special because they just look hella good! And a big thanks to Travis (Safari Pacific) for hooking me up with the wheel mount!

05-11-2009, 11:17 AM	#6 (permalink)
weezerbot Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 32	Its time to get some gear in this rig! I picked up this awesome ARB Recovery Bag and all my goodies from Wil and Wen at Sierra. I'd had my eye on that bag for a while but wasn't sure how well it would work fitting all the stuff, but it totally rocks. I can fit my gloves, snatch strap, tree save, snatch block, shackle, tire repair kit, and headlamp plus room for more. And its all compartmentalized for the specific items so they stow away really neatly. Next were some of the No Loss Valve Caps...not exciting to some but exciting for those of us who tend to lose things! Then I mounted up my trusty Rino 530 HCX. I like to do some geocaching from time to time and since I'm not running any other kind of gps this will do for now. Jacque at TRDParts4U was kind enough to hook me up with a new TRD air filter!

05-11-2009, 11:20 AM	#7 (permalink)
weezerbot Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 32	Getting gear in the rig continued...... Mounted the Spot to the drivers side grip handle. This location has worked out really well because its close enough to the windshield to still get the signal out and its mounted facing me so I can monitor it. 1LegLance also hooked me up with this awesome Adventure Medical kit. For anyone who lives in Arizona you know how important this mod was: 20% window tint all around!

05-11-2009, 11:21 AM	#8 (permalink)
weezerbot Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 32	April 5, 2009: Lift install First of all I want to say a HUGE thank you to Tim (SOAZ) for all of his help, not only with the lift but with the 4Runner in general. He has answered endless questions from me and had the patience of a saint so THANK YOU!!! :beer: Tim offered to help me install the front Icon coilovers for the 4Runner so we headed to his house Sunday morning to start the project. He's done this so many times it was over in a flash! Not only that, but Danica made us cookies and coffee to boot! Tim also let us borrow some equipment to complete the rear Bilstein 5100/Performance Products install at home. All I have to say is what a pain! Whoever designed the rear shock mounts in this truck should be shot. Corroded nuts and bolts from SoCal didn't help any either! Also another big THANKS! to Wil at Sierra Expeditions. He also spent countless hours on the phone with me and answering my emails about suspension questions, calling the companies, etc. In the end I settled on the Bilsteins and he continued with his great customer service in getting them ordered up for me! Thanks Wil! :coffeedrink: Clearly at this point in the install Josh has lost his mind: I decided while we were down there I may as well do the rear diff breather extension. I wasn't too keen on mounting it in the gas cap area and I didn't have enough hose to run to the engine bay so I just ran the line up near the gas cap, which I think should suffice. We also cut off 2 notches on the spring cones and I went ahead and removed the front and rear mud flaps. Looks better already.

05-11-2009, 11:22 AM	#9 (permalink)
weezerbot Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 32	April 12, 2009: Castle Hot Springs It was killing me to get out on some dirt and test out the new suspension, so Corbin and Mimi joined Caesar and I for a nice Sunday run out to Castle Hot Springs. The new suspension did great and it was a beautiful day for a drive! Caesar says: "Finally! A window I can stick my head out of!!" And tonight I knocked another little project off the list: installing the Sylvania Silverstar bulbs. I have a very hard time seeing at night 9night blind) so I was looking for a reasonably priced upgrade from the stock bulbs. These were a popular choice over on Yotatech and also what we put in the FJ. They are no HID's but they are whiter and the beam pattern seems to be wider than stock so I'm happy.