In other news I just ordered one of the last NEW sets of 2" Downey leaf springs in exsistance! Should be here next week sometime. He only has one set left. My leafs are shot and the AAL makes them stiff. I will order a U-bolt flip kit soon enough and relocate the shocks. You can see in this pic just how poorly the rear flex is currently. Got them for $256 shipped.

 

Nice find Rob, Congrats! Are they going to give you more lift or will you be sitting level?

 

how do you like the spartan locker? on and offroad?

 

Not 100% sure Brian. They are 2" lift. My 25 year old stock spring pack has an (old rusty) AAL so I don't know how bad they are sagging. We will just have to see when I install them. If I am still a little low in the rear then I will use a longer shackle. I am hoping they are softer and flex better.

 

Off road it is AWESOME! I tried to wheel with the diff open and couldn't get over any of the obsticals at my local off-road park. Installed the locker and it was a whole new ball game.

On road I have no experience. My 4runner is "Trail only", no tags, inspection or even insurance. I am going to make it legal very soon though. I would think that it wouldn't be any different from a Lock-right or Aussie but cannot say for sure.

I went with the Spartan in the first place because the most common part known to fail in a lunch box locker is the pins and Spartan has the largest and assumed strongest pins.

 

thanks man, ya i was probably going to throw a lunchbox in the rear of mine, btw the rigs lookin really good

 

Thanks, I am hoping to really turn the corner with it this year. I have lots of plans for it I would like to see come together.

 

truck is looking better everytime i look

 

wow, It has been a while since I took a look at everything. GREAT work on the body! I am very impressed. Dig the CB mount, as well as the Blue Sea. I was gonna go with a Fuzeblock since it had both constant AND switched circuits built in, but I wouldn't be able to put my black magic 165 on the board (13.9 amps vs. 10A max per circuit) so it kind of defeats the purpose. If I do the Blue sea, I will have to choose constant or switched, or run 2 of 'em.

Looking good!!

 

Thanks alot.

I appreciate the complements. Cannot wait to finish up the body work and get it painted one color again. I need to get busy on cutting up my spare set of doors so I can paint everything at once this spring. I do like the fuse block, it keeps everything nice and neat, mine is constant and I am thinking about adding a second switched block. Again I have high hopes to make better progress this year.

 

DANG YOU, ROB! hahaha.... Jim's a great guy, actually loved hanging out with him for that hour and talking cars and trucks!

Wow, did you say "he has one more set?" or "No more, buds, sorry"? lol.

My leafs are making a lil noise cuz I brought them back with the Zuk, hahaha... but s'all good, I can handle it for now.

Those pics are great, and the RIG LOOKS EXCELLENNNNNNNTE! lol GREAT WORK, Rob, seriously... glad it's coming together like you wanted.

Any news on the "street legal" plans? lol.

 

Thanks Mark! When I clicked "Buy it now" he had 3 pending offers and 2 sets of springs left. I know that I got one set and I am pretty sure somebody else already snagged the other because I don't see them listed at his store anymore. Wheew am I glad I got a set. I was going to make an offer but once I saw that he had a few pending already I though it would be best not to take any chances and just pay him the full price, lol. After all they are the last 2 new sets. I am stoked! Downey was my favorite source for offroad parts on the Yotas I had in the past, and I was very dissapointed to hear they went out of business when I started this build. I have been lucky enough to get my hands on a idler arm brace, torsion bars and now this set of leaf springs. If I find a new or used header then you had better believe that I will snatch it up QUICK, but if not an LCE header down the road would be fine too. Now I really wish I could get a set of Mega travel upper BJ's, but I heard the last set went to a good home so no complaning from me.

Street legal - yes very soon. Well maybe a few more weeks, lol. I have already spent my build budget for the month of February between the shocks, springs and handheld CB I snagged from Ian (thanks again Ian), but if I have any money left after my sons birthday party this weekend then I will move forward with registering it. I have a few minor details to work on in the mean time such as a liscense plate light and holder and something funny with my left turn signal. I am hoping it will pass inspection without a Cat Converter, but I may need to take it to the exhaust shop. If so I am going to replace everything from the Manifold back. The current muffler is too ricey for me, I want it quiet like a mouse!

 

I couldn't have been happier with the truck on Sunday. Everything worked as it should all day long. I am pretty confident in my brake pedal now, I adjusted my rear shoes until they almost dragged and tightened up the E-brake from under the truck. The Tacoma booster and Master cylinder gave me some great pedal feel so hopefully no more tree incodents, lol. I have alot more confidence in the thing than I did last week.

 

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT! hehehe.

 

It has officially been year year to the day since I started this thread, thanks guys for all of your support and guidance as I work on my 4runner.

 

Did some more work on my CB antenna mount last night.

Marked and cut out the sheet metal


Some welding and grinding


Drilled the holes to mount the aluminum bracket



Finally hit it with some primer.



I might spread a little bondo over it before I re-paint the truck green.

 

might be able to use it soon! the radio should show up soon

 

This is for my in dash Cobra. I am planning to use the handheld when I am out of the truck spotting other drivers through an obstical.

 

no stereo in your truck rob? More power to ya, I need my tunes. haha.

 

yeah, but you can't use a single radio by itself, though... need to have someone to talk/listen to

cool. once i'm off work, i can see the photos on my home computer