I haven't done anything of interest on the 4runner lately, just been driving and enjoying it, glad summer is almost here!

My wife and I have been doing some landscaping around the house, we went up in the hills behind our place on got some rock for the flower beds, I had my 83' yota loaded down pretty good, it doesn't look like that much rock, but it was riding on the bumpstops on the way home!






^^^The house didn't have any flower beds at all, just grass, and the front steps were rotted out rail road ties, so I built some steps that better suited the rustic look.






^^^ We got the rocks back behind our house on an old grow over logging road that my Toyota would barely fit threw, had to cut up a few fallen trees and some under brush to make it threw, it was fun though!




^^^here are my helpers

 

Dude that came out looking really great. What a great idea using those rocks behind your house at no cost to you Hey btw i know i've said it before but damn i really like your house.

Like the 4Runner in the background.

 

i agree, that is a fine lookin spread you got there ed! i wish my job didn't require me to live in the big city cuz i could get used to coming home to that every day!

 

ED! Howz'it??? Yard looks great! Property does, period!

 

Wow, I have a lot of catching up to do!!!!

 

Thanks for the compliments Richard. Yeah I think we only had about $100 into the whole project (for the plants, potting soil, mulch, etc) getting the rocks behind our place saved a lot of money, (there are a couple of huge rock slides up in the woods behind our place) plus it was fun, I got to clear a trail for my pickup and do some wheelin at the same time, lol.

Thanks man! Yeah it's nice to come home to this place, really peaceful (except when the kids are arguing, lol) We saw another black bear 2 days ago (it was a young one probably a year and a half old) when I was getting some logs for the front porch steps, this is the 3rd bear we've seen in 2 weeks, my wife saw a really large one almost in are front yard last week, lol.

I hear ya on living in the city, but at least you have some really beautiful places to go wheeling at, I'm in awe every time you post pics up of your latest wheelin trip!

Thanks Mark! I wish I had your green thumb, I've seen some of the pics of your garden! I have to leave all the planting to my wife if I want it to survive, lol.

 

Hey Travis, how've you been?! I hear ya on the cacthing up, I've been busy with work and been trying to catch up with everyone else's threads! How've you been? Looking forward to summer and some warm weather I bet! We've had some nice weather here, but we had a thunder storm yesterday and it's been rainy the last 2 days :/ Looking forward to some more warm temperatures so I can finish up some projects!

 

Saw Rust Eds photo of similar trailer with hinged lid. Where can I find or have such a lid made.

JimsM100

 

http://www.sierra4x4trailers.com/pricing/

^^^ Sierra 4x4 trailers sells lids, but they're pretty pricey, around $1100.They come in 2 different sizes to fit their trailers, not sure if they would custom build one to your specs....

You would save a lot of money if you buy the metal and build it yourself, or if you know someone that can build it for you. That's what I plan on doing, the 1" square tubing at my local metal supplier is around $30 for a 20' stick. The sheetmetal for 14 gage is around $103 for a 4'x8' sheet.
I'm going to be buying some 14 gage this Monday so can start laying the "skin" down over the body frame work that I already built. Good luck, hope this helps you out some...I'd be interested to see some pics of your trailer!

 

Wow Rusted, nice joint you have there. I hope to continue to live country when I move South. A nice place in the woods would be perfect.

 

thanks man, we really enjoy living here, although the bears have been getting a little to close to the house for comfort lately, lol. We've seen 2 in our front yard in the last few weeks, and 7 bears total just this year!

 

My missus is way scared of bears. Being an Australian she was extremely anti-firearm. Living in Canada more than cured that. She asked me to go get a shotgun.

You just get black bears in Washington State or do Grizzleys come by too?


--

 

LOL...Yeah my wife had never seen a bear outside of a zoo before we got married! I have taken the time to familiarize her with all my firearms just in case!

I have heard that people have seen Grizzleys in our county, but from what I've heard they are all "un-confirmed" sightings, same with wolves. My wife is paranoid about cougars, I know they're around, they're just so darn stealthy they're hard to spot until it's to late, lol.

 

Today we took the 4Runner and went over to my mom & dad's (about 70 miles away) and spent the afternoon. Picked up a spare alternator and starter from my dad for my 83' also the long wrench that lowers down the spare tire.

Then we took a drive up in the mountains near by and looked for some rocks that we could use in our landscaping project. The kids had a good time picking out their own rocks and quickly filled a 5 gallon bucket, lol. I got a few larger rocks, we're building a small rock wall and a fire pit, kind of an outdoor eating area. I got a couple pics, nothing to exciting. I still need to put on my front bump stops and get longer rear shocks so I can get some wheelin/flex pics, lol.





^^^ don't hate on the folk's jeep, lol


^^^ 4Runner getting loaded down with rocks

 

Hey Ed,

Sorry about the late reply. Ya Ive been super busy since relocating further North. This town's an oil field community, still booming! Lots of full size diesels ripping around.

I'm in the process of selling the wifes 03' Liberty. I've cleaned and detailed it and put it up for sale last night. My Runner has been put to the sidelines for now. The starter issue is frustrating to say the least. I'm going to try bypassing the relay and seeing if it's electrical or just another bad starter. The dealer can't get parts to rebuild the stock starters anymore. Makes me want to get the SB in there even faster!!!

When the wifes Liberty sell's, I'm looking into a 3/4 ton for work. I'm trying to get a wellsite Geo job for the winters, means I'll be traveling alot of rig roads to get to work so a fullsize is mandatory! I remember all the mini truck flipped on their lids from when I used to work in the patch. They just cant handle the ruts made by all the rig moving equipment and fullsizes. I'm pretty excited to get out to work but I'm even more excited about starting the garage build. Just waiting on the city for approval on my applications.

Sorry to take up so much room on your thread Ed!!! Haha, well sort of anyways. Coffee time
Cheeers!!!

PS your runners a beauty buddy!!!

 

We get wolves and wolverines up here. My buddy was super lucky and saw a pack!! Really jealous of that.

I saw some grizzlies in BC. My favorite was a big brown sitting on a riverbank with a bus load of Japanese tourists 10ft away with small children.......

No way would I intentionally get that close to a big brown bear. Bloody tourists.

I tried to get the missus shooting. First time she did not seat the buttstock into her shoulder. Fired a 3" 12G slug with it in her bicep..... So impressed she didn't drop it to be honest.

Now I'm the permanently designated bear killer because she doesn't want to touch the shotty again.

 

WOW that's some great looking property! Also, your rig is getting me excited bout mine!.... ALMOST there! (Minus the sb, lol)....

Great reading between u and Travis..... I do miss living in the wilderness, ......but I love where I am. Lol

 

Thanks man, glad the move is working out, and you're liking the job! That will be sweet once you get your garage built, how big are you going to go?

There's no way I'd want to get that close to a brown bear, I'd shart in my pants, lol....I don't blame the missus for being a little gun shy after that experience, I've done that before bird hunting, pulling up on a pheasant in a hurry and not seating the buttstock into my shoulder properly, that hurts... and I wasn't shooting 3" slugs like you!

Every time I see your rig with the new rear bumper and sliders it makes me want armor that much more! Your rig has come a long way, can't wait to see it after the sas! I wish I could get some progress done on my runner, but I'm trying to finish my camping trailer. I'm trying to build something similar to this:



Hopefully I'll get it done this summer so I can use it!

 

It does smart a bit. I just wanted to give her the worst so anything else would be easy. My thoughts anyway, didn't work out.

I'd love to have a trailer too. I'm a bit torn on it still.

I'm not sure how I'd feel about one on a really long trip. For a weekend wheeling getaway it would be amazing though.

Do you have the tent yet? If you don't when you get a roof top tent you'll love it. Best sleep I've ever had camping. Plus it help keep above the critters.

 

Yeah, I like the idea of just dropping the trailer at the campsite and not having to unload a bunch of gear out of the 4runner... I don't have the roof top tent yet, I'm still doing some research and trying to decide on one, but that will probably be down the road a ways, from the ones I've seen they are pretty expensive!