rusted,
I like the 4runner! Im studying up on the 5.0 swap and you have been a wealth of information. Have you been able to break the 15mpg mark?

 

Are you planning to have a roof top tent on your trailer or your 4Runner. I also thought about this for the roof top. But I concluded that there's no way in hell the fiberglass top will hold a rack, roof top tent and then 2 people to sleep on there. Only way I figured it'd be do able is by getting a roll cage built into the 4runner and then getting the same exact set up as I did with my 4runner but instead of mounting on the fiberflass I'd mount straight through the hard top and weld onto the roll cage. Thatd definitely do the job. But it seemed like a bit too much work for my limited skills and to buy the 4xInnovations roll cage that I like I'm sure it woukd be a costly mod. So that's why I just went with the regular roof rack set up that I have now and bought that suv tent that mounts to the rear of the 4Runner. I definitely like the roof tent much better though. Kinda wish i had gone that route instead.

 

Thanks Chickenman, it's pleasing to hear that others find my build helpful!...
To answer your question, I haven't worked on improving the MPG on my 4runner yet, I have been doing a lot of home improvement projects lately, and haven't worked on the runner. There's a few other projects that the runner needs done first (new aluminum radiator, and power steering) before I move on to improving the mpg's. I will probably eventually go with a 4 barrel carb and intake manifold and then start fine tuning the motor from there, although the lure of going with propane still intrigues me, I still need to do research on that. If I hadn't gotten such a good deal on my parts truck with the 302 in it, I probably would have sourced a motor that had EFI on it out of a mustang and gone that route instead, but over all I happy with the truck so far!

 

Hi Richard,... My plan was to build a hard tonneau cover for the trailer and mount the roof top tent to the trailer. I like how your roof rack turned out, I would like to build one similar for mine eventually. How do you like the suv tent? I saw pics of it when you had it all set up on your 4runner and thought it looked good! If you don't mind me asking, how much did the suv tent cost ya?

 

Honestly i havent tried out the tent on any comping trips yet. I'm really looking forward to using it a couple of times this year *crossing fingers*

The tent normally goes for $340 plus s&h and tax. this is off the website and other vendors. Here is all the info to the tent.
https://us.napieroutdoors.com/store/.../product_id:3/
And i have better pix of that SUV tent on my thread somewhere. lol (let me know if you want the pix i'll look them up on my photobucket). Like i said it normally sells for $340 but i bought it for $103 on ebay. Says its used but the thing looks damn new to me. Was only missing 2 rubber washer like things which isnt critical at all to the tent to have. There is a vendor that sells these Napier Sportz SUV and truck tents all used with one or 2 things missing sometimes.

btw you or you know anyone interested, dont buy the green one. It is made of cheaper material. get the blue ones or the dark blue ones. you can read the website i linked.

this one is brand new and only $86 dang......
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Napier-84500-Blue-Grey-Orange-Sportz-Full-Rain-Fly-for-84000-SUV-Tent-/300891357646?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item460e85c1ce&vxp=mtr
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Btw i would rather go for a roof tent too. that is much better. And you'll be off the floor! thats a much better idea.

If you do the roof rack on your truck i recomend you do something more like Mark's 4runner. His seems much more durable and stable then mine because of the way it sits completely flat across the roof distributing the weight evenly. Unlike mine where all the weight is distributed on the 4 feet instead. just my opinion thats all. Unless you dont plan to carry a lot of heavy weight on there then my set up should work out fine for you. I had about 150lb on there in our Tierra Del Sol Offroad trip last time.

 

Thanks for the link to the suv tent, that's a good price, I like the idea of the roof top tent, but the ones I've looked at are so expensive, unless maybe I find a good used one like you did with the suv tent. Anyway, that will be a future purchase, I have to finish the trailer first before worry about accessorizing it, lol! Thanks for the info on the roof rack, I had just planned on mounting it with 4 feet also, but that makes sense to spread out the load over a larger area, I'll have to go back to Mark's build thread and re-read his roof rack portion of his thread for idea's before building and mounting mine!

I was catching up on your thread, your bumper is really coming along, it's looking sweet! there's so much I still want to do to my 4runner, it's kinda been on the back burner lately, guess I just gotta stay patient, but it's hard after seeing all the progress you been making lately!!!

 

No problem man. I like your idea better because you can just take off from camp without having to carry all that top weight from the tent as you off road. All youf have to do is un attach your hitch and you'd be good to go. In my case I'd just unstrap the tent from the rear of my truck and leave it in camp already set up. Lol oncevwe get back to camp I back up. Let the truck and exhaust cool. Then once cool I can back it up into the tent again. Its cool.

Btw don't feel pressured to hurry up cuz all of us are doing mods lately. Remember you just bought a house and are have bigger and better projects to work on for your family. I am able to do all this because I moved back home with my parents temporarily. My rent isn't too much so I can actually do a lot right now lol.

 

Stupid real life getting in the way of playing.

 

I haven't done anything of interest on the 4runner lately, just been driving and enjoying it. I thought I'd post a couple pics of what I have been working on...





3 Link suspension with firestone air helper springs...

 

You got some great pictures. Looks like your trailer is turning out great and the workmanship shows, Great job!!!

 

Oooh, nice!

 

Thanks guys, I was hoping to have it done this summer so I could use it, it's going to be close, other stuff keeps coming up, lol. I'll post some more pics once I make some more progress!

 

You'll get there. Stuff always comes up man. I should know haha!
The trailer is coming out looking great Ed. you got some great welds. After learning how to do it i appriciate work people do a heck of alot more lol It definitely aint an easy thing to get them clean like you did.

 

Thanks Richard, yeah some of my welds look pretty good, then others not so good, lol, I guess that's what you get when your working outside and subject to wind etc, lol. Hopefully I'll gets some more done in a couple weeks, I'm taking a 4day weekend this coming weekend so the wife can visit her family, she's getting a little home sick. When I get back I plan on getting some of the sheet metal sides and floor tacked into place!

 

Well I got my bobb'd bed finished... on paint program that is, lol. What do you guy's think? I've contemplated doing this mod since I first bought my 4runner, but to be honest, I don't even know if the local trails around here have the rocky ledge type terrain that would even warrant this mod, I just mainly like the stubby looks of it cosmetically lol.
So far my wife is against it (her vote doesn't count, lol). I'm not to worried about the sheet metal work, it's more the top fiberglass work that scares me, but I know there are some good articles on how to bob the top. If I did this mod it would probably be next year some time, so I have plenty of time to way the pros and cons. So what do you guys think? I'd love to hear your opinions!

PS: I hate this newer version of paint! so much harder for me to work then the older version! LOL!

 

Its probably totally practical for people all over the place... And I don't dislike the looks of it all... I just hate losing all the space! It would never be something I would do unless I had a spare rig to turn into a truggy or something. But man you did a good job on that program for something that you hate so much! Hahahahaha....

this thing is a beast so I'm not sure its a bad idea for a little creepy crawler... I just wonder if you would hate losing the room?

 

I like the stubby look too. I'm with Cheffy for my personal rig I would miss the camping space. For a straight toy though, oohh short flatbed goodness. Perhaps not a Trekker though, I'd feel too bad cutting it up.

 

Ha, ha, thanks Mark, but I was getting frustrated with that paint program, lol, I guess it's all what your used to, but I really like the older format better, lol. Thanks for the incite, I really value your opinion. As far as losing space, I'm not too worried about that since I'll have my camping trailer (hopefully) finished before taking on bobbing the bed. So I'll have all the room, plus I want to eventually have a roof rack similar to yours, so that will gain me some extra space.

I hear yeah on the Trekker, but that's kinda what I'm weighing right now, I know are 4runners aren't that rare, but mine is in pretty good shape (I have 2 really small surface rust spots to take care before winter) other than a few door dings, the paint is in pretty descent shape, it would probably shine up really nice if I'd wax and buff it out one of these days, lol. A paint job is far down on my priority list, so cutting up a perfectly good body and welding it back together and making it not look like a hack job is what I'm mostly concerned about, then what to do with the area to make it look good, you know, since I won't be re-painting the whole truck..... I almost talked my self out of it while typing this, lol...
Thanks for your input man, it's nice to get some fellow Yota enthusiast opinions!

 

Your truck looks taller now. You did a great job man. Btw I'm with these guys. I also wouldnt di this mod. Only because the sole purpose fir me buying a 4Runner was for sleeping inside the bed, my dogs, and being able to carry all my gear and store inside when my band plays a few gigs.

But like I said your truck came out clean dude. Good luck on the fiberglass top.

 

Rich..... look carefully at that pic again. ...on the ground btu the back... It fooled me for a min.....Cuz I often look at pix first , lol.

You may mean something else. ... But in case, lol.