li_runner

I think it’s about time I formally introduce myself. I’ve been around here at yotatech for a long time, I’ve been mostly a lurker for the entire time. For the most part doing the less posting more reading. I have meant to share pictures of my 4Runner before but have always waited to complete that next mod, the next project, the next whatever. But now I feel it’s time let the cat out of the bag.

Here’s the total setup for my 1997 SR5:

Sound:
Pioneer DEH-P7400MP Head Unit
Lanzar Vibe 410 600x4
Infinity Kappa 50.5cs (rear doors) and 60.5cs (front doors)
JL 250/1 Monoblock
JL 10W3 in a Q-logic box

Electronics:
800mhz, 512mb ram, 80gig, CD-R/Dvd Drive, Wireless 802.1b, GPS Receiver
Windows 2000 Pro, Media Car, Routis 2004
TM-701L 7” Fold out Touch screen
(2) 5.6” Emerson Lcd’s installed in headrests

Engine:
Deckplate Mod
Optima Orange Top
Amsoil Air Filter
Dual tone Air Horns
Amsoil for all fluild’s

Exterior:
Saws Tundra valved, Downey HD Springs, Bilstein HD shocks (2.5” total)
Front & Rear Addco Sway Bars
TJM-15 Hella 500’s mounted, and also Hella Micro’s Mounted below.
Smittybuilt Step Bars
Custom Safari Rack with 4 Hella 550’s and KC Flood Backup lights with built in removable
1” diameter cross-bars to use Yakima rack attachments, bolts on side to hold shovel/axe
(*Currently using surf setup*)
265-75-16 BFG All-terrains mounted on stock 16 wheels
Bushwacker Street Flares color matched
Color matched 1999 grill

Interior:
Modified “Jalaber” cargo box, reversed to be on Drivers side. Built into it is a 600 watt power inverter, and a space in front for the car-puter. Used for recovery strap, folding shovel, first aid kit, rear receiver shackle bracket. Outside mounted to the back is a mag-light 3D flashlight and an ABC fire extinguisher.
Wood-grain dash
Pro-fit Cell phone holder












Thank you Yotatech, all the help of the members helped so much with every aspect of my truck. Ideas, write-up's, pictures, etc etc ... I'll be the one to speak up for all those who read and read learn a ton, but rarely post for all to see.

If anyone has any questions with any aspect of my truck I would be happy to help and or inform.

bamachem

WOW! All that and only 7 posts! Great job!

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

Nice looking 4Runner...you should post more!

I like the cargo box you built. What is that in the pic of it on the bottom to the inside of the cargo area, the little black box looking thingamabob?

Again, nice runner!

li_runner

It is the power inverter, installed into the cargo box. I like things to look stealthy, no wires shown anywhere.

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

Looks nice and clean. That is on my list of "things to do" for the future. I'm in process for getting the wiring together so when I get an inverter it'll be an easy install. Any comments on how you wired it up?

li_runner

For myself, it was very simple. I have all my power wires running down the driver’s side of the truck. I have 4-gauge wire running the length of the truck to the cargo panel directly behind the cargo box. I terminated the 4 gauge there using a distribution block similar to this. I then ran 8-gauge wire from behind the panel out to the unit itself.

Behind that panel I have a lot of wiring. All my relays for the roof rack lights, and other wiring to the car-puter installed in the box are run from that central distribution block. 1 for ground 1 for hot. I wanted the ability to run the inverter independent of the ignition state so a direct connection to the battery was necessary. At any time you can just flip on the switch to the inverter and viola AC power.

4RunnerFever

you'll be a real asset to yotatech. thanks for showing us your awesome rig!!

Bob_98SR5

holy moly! li, i LOVE your 4runner!

though i wont be able to do alot of this in the coming months ($$$ going towards home stuff) i'm very interested in learning more about your interior goodies as this is the area that i want to build up.

specifically, can you provide more info on your carputer system? can you email it to me? i've trolled around MP3car.com but i still dont get it. making it simple for me would be much appreciated.

also do you have the plans for your rear (left side) cargo box? i'd like to make something similar. did you use mdf? also how is it attached? bolted through the floor?

thanks,
bob

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

That's what I have planned using a fuse box, same as a dist box. I'd be interested to see some more details as would others I bet.

li_runner

Thanks all.

The carputer, simple….phew… firstly mp3car.com is the information spot they have all the knowledge you can imagine about car computers, and yes it is complicated to get a carputer setup correctly. I understand how someone can be lost very quick over there.

First you have to decide exactly what you would like to have feature-wise in a carputer. The possibilities are limitless. I choose myself what I thought would be the perfect setup for my uses. I wanted to have gps navigation, the ability to play dvd’s, and mainly have my music collection around for my excessive time spent in my rig.

I’ll write exactly what I have, I will help as much as I can, but with the complexities surrounding the carputer. Specific questions are better because I can write pages upon pages of info but it may not help.

The computer itself:

VIA EPIA Mini-ITX 800mhz
512mb Ram
Travla C138B Case
Geforce4 MX 4000 128mb Video Card with dual display outputs (one is SVGA for output to the headrest monitors)
Panasonic CW-8123-B 24X Slot Loading DVD-ROM & CD-R/RW Combination Drive
Hitachi Travelstar 80gig ATA notebook drive
TM-701L Display (usb Touchscreen)

The display is the next hurdle. If you want the ability to use gps navigation you need a higher resolution monitor to display the small fonts and graphics. This requires a more expensive monitor that can display them a monitor that accepts the VGA cable signal just like home computer monitors do. Also do you wish to have a touch screen?, the ability to fold it out and put it back in the dash? The one I have is from http://www.digitalww.com/ but I can not recommend it. It did not impress me much at all. Yes it is a high quality monitor but it does not come with any power source (needs to be regulated), it does not without modification fit into a single dash din, and to boot costs $$$. The problem is, options are very limited this monitor is the only one of it’s type at the moment. On that site it is listed at the dww-7vga.

Power is also a large issue. Computer’s require a specific voltage; 12 volts. A car’s power system has a range of 10v-18v (or something like that), and fluctuates constantly, but mainly stays at or near 14volts or so. So you need a device that will take that fluctuating voltage and regulate it before you can power a computer. Some do this by using an inverter and plugging in the computer as they would in their home (my current setup). But there are devices that can do this without an inverter. http://www.opussolutions.com/ is one such supplier and a favorite in the mp3car crowd. But pricey at nearly 200 dollars just for a power supply.

As for the box, at the moment it is just screwed into the cargo panels. It fits very snugly over the wheel well hump and hardly moves at all, so I just used a few small screws to keep it from moving any further. I do not have the plans for the box. The box is made up of 3 separate parts the front that contains the computer, the back bottom that holds the inverter, and the cargo space. I’ll attach a picture with some guides. The box actually looks simple but is quite complicated. I plan on redo-ing some of my wiring in the near future and when I remove the box I will snap some pictures of the rear, that give a better guide on how it is built.

Edit: Oh and yeah it is made out of mdf, the interior is coated with spray can stuff called "Stone Creations" it comes in a can and can be had at a local hardware store . It has a rough surface and looks pretty good as well.

Maddog

Wow..Nice Ride man.I think we could all learn a bit off you,now that you out of the shadows.But your clearly a good listner by the looks of things......Well done

PoBoy

hey...you arent an old fart on mp3car.com are ya? It's been a while since I posted over there, but if you search 4Runner I'll pop up here and there. I "used" to be a top poster back in 01-02. What's your usrname?

Nice 4Runner by the way...brings back some good memories

li_runner

Nah, I'm not an old fart over there, just a lurker like I was over here. My username is li_runer (didn't noticed I spelled it wrong till it was too late). Those guys are great though ton's of info just like here...

Oh and you definitely had a large influence on my runner build up. Looks familar right? Thanks for your work on your site, def used it a lot.

X-AWDriver

WOW!!!!!!!

Nice truck,I like the Hellas across your basket;nice everything but extra props on the TV/audio system. :rockband:

DavidA

How do you gracefully shut down the CPU? Manually each time or do you have a UPS that tells it to shut down? Just curious.

li_runner

I actually have a circuit that shut's down the computer a certain amount of time after the ignition is turned off. It also turns the computer on when the ignition is turned on. This way I don't have to fool with manually doing it. Plus possibly forgetting the computer is on and draining the battery, which I have done before I had this circuit. Nothing worse then waking up and having to jump a dead battery. :pat:

PoBoy

Thats pretty cool! Yeah, we definitely have a few similarities. You obviously went a little more into using your comp for other things though...I just wanted mp3s since I already had GPS and DVD. If tech was where it is today back in 01...I would have definitely gone your route. Very slick man!


I just disabled all that scan disk stuff and killed the power to the computer when the ignition is off - ACC relay. I extended the power switch to my dash so I could turn it on as I only really used it for long road trips and there was no need to have it on for short trips and whatnot.

Birdman

Shaweet ride there buddy! Nice work on the storage box. This is likely to be one of the next mods I do. I was actually considering doing it in fiberglass using MDF as a framework. My thinking was that I could come up with something lighter than a pure MDF design and minimize on wasted space caused by the mis-shapeen wheel well on the left side. I was inspired by the build technique used on an Alpine demo car, specifically the Civic SI.