snowshredder555

Totally for got I had $139.00 sitting in my paypal account. So I went ahead and ordered a set of these, they should compliment the rear shocks quite nicely. Oh,...and if you're in the market for a set of shocks and want free shipping...they have that too. Both times I've ordered from em' now, they've shipped for free. Another thing...
enter "HAWK10" in the discount code section and get an extra 10% off...saved me another 19.99...

I've read up a little on how these are suppose to work and I have a line on a set of the yellow/ yellow, blue/ yellow 1st. Gen. Tundra front coil springs. I'm hopeing to get a call tomorrow at some point telling me all's well and he's willing to do the deal. We'll see, cause I'm really itching to get this front end all squared away.

-Ted

jason in tn

The sliders look great, mine are mounted a little further out than I would like but they work. Like the idea of a cage just way more work than I can do but I understand why you want to got to protect the kiddos. Good luck on the front end parts Im hopeing to do something different with mine, just seems to keep moveing further down the list.

snowshredder555

I'm really hoping as soon as we catch up on our orders I can start on the cage. But thats looking to be a couple weeks out now. Finally received the call about the Tundra springs and the guy isn't wanting to separate them as a whole from the strut assembly. So now I'll have to look else where. Anyhow, looking forward to this weekend. I should get a chance to really test out the rear set up and see how it does. A co-worker and my-self were able to diagnose the rear end clunking sound. Turns out it was just a loose panhard bar bolt. Torqued it down and no more clunking....and so much more planted to the road.

-Ted

Questions, comments....

the kid

nice rig, im very interested in the internal cage. i have a roll bar out of a first gen runner that im gonna be putting in the back of my 97. although i would like to use smaller tubing as it would save a lot of space. it will be interesting to see how you mount it and what it looks like. do you plan on tying it into the frame?

87 Deathtrap

Great looking sliders Ted! That's my favorite slider design. I'm also interested in seeing how you do the passenger protection. Are you planning to cage the rear or just a roll bar like the 1st gens?

snowshredder555

This is or may create some contraversy: Initially my thought for absolute strength and protection was to tie it into the frame. After speaking with a couple of other fabricators and getting more ideas, I've decided not to. This totally goes against my grain and what I known a roll cage to be. There's some science at work here that they understand better than I do. I've been led to believe that for the type of wheeling I do, and its not to extreme, if I make the surface area big enough where the load point will be, it should be fine....i.e: spread the load where each tube/ mount plate contacts the body. However, the closer I can get each load point to the body mounts would be better. Remember, it is going to be a partial rollcage extending forward just past the rear seat. The mounting plate's will be 1/8" steel and be sandwiching the body. How large each mounting plate is will have a huge effect on strength, but going to big serves no purpose.

Again, I'm building this to protect my 3-year old who will be in some sort of car seat and more than likely be wearing some sort of crash helmet..LOL...no but seriously, it's for her own protection and God forbid it ever rolls, I want her protected.

-Ted

the kid

no that totally makes sense, thats how i have done the roll bar in my truck. -now i know that the roll bar is in the bed and the bed and cab will flex differently and are not tied together but in a low speed roll over i should be fine and the bar wont punch though the bed.

besides, its not like the body/shell of our runners doesnt have any structural rigidity. so you couple that with a roll bar/half cage, you should be fine even at a hwy speed crash or multi roll off road, as long as you dont fall off or black bear pass or cliff hanger ect.

snowshredder555

So last night I sent an email off to Shockwarehouse.com inquiring about the status of my order.

This is their response: Sorry for the delay Sir. I just spoke with Bilstein, and they informed me that the shocks you ordered are on backorder until the end of the month. The day they are available they will ship to you. You will also be emailed all of the tracking information as well. Sorry for the delay.

AH CRAP! Now that sucks. I've heard that it's taken a couple of months to ship an order when Bilstein says a product is on back order. I'm getting this from the Tundra website so I "hope" this doesn't turn out to be my experience....we'll wait and see.

-Ted

ChefYota4x4

iTrader: (5)

Looking great, Ted!

Sorry bout the shocks........ SUX! I went with OME's and through RROutfitters>>>?>>>>> HOLY CRAPOLI,.... 10 weeks later, I called, they gave me the "we order in large shipments, ... they're on backorder too"......... Called ARB, had them drop shipped and they got to me in 3 days! (ARB-USA owner, Jim, has a GREAT assistant.... Thanks, bud!)

snowshredder555

Alright. So I called my guy over at CalMini in Pomona, California. He said he has a set of 1st Gen Tundra front coilovers and he's checking to see if they're the TRD with the yellow/yellow blue/yellow springs. Great if they are cause he'll sell em' to me for $150.00 shipped. I should know tomorrow when he calls back. I've dealt with him (Mike/ owner) before when I lived in So. Cal. for parts for my 90'. So I know he'll call, just hoping he has good information. I will keep my order in place with Shockwarehouse.com and swap it all out once they show up.

-Ted

ChefYota4x4

iTrader: (5)

Sounds like a solid plan, ......... and much like most of this works,....... now, it's "HURRY UP AND WAIT!" time, lol.

Best wishes on that, Ted!

snowshredder555

Some of the memebers from the Az Roll Call thread here and I went on run through WoodPecker Sunday. I was aprehensive whether or not the 4Runner would make it through unscathed. Well, it did a lot better than I thought it would. Compared to my 90' 2nd gen with 35's, the 97 feels more stable and comfortable. The 90' had a lockright in the rear and gave me more psychological comfort than I've had with the 97'. However, this all changed on Sunday. One of the obstacles I bounced with the 90', the 97 felt like it crawled up with out a surprise. Anyhow, it was a fun run and I'm glad I did it. The 4Runner did sustain some damage but nothing I can't fix.

Here's the obstacle:









So, this should prove that THIS 4Runner, however stock it is, can and does get wheeled.

Oh...and my Tundra struts came in while writing this post.

-Ted

snowshredder555

Look what BROWN did for me today...





Check out the yellow/ yellow, blue/ yellow paint on the springs.


This is the order I placed with Mike over at CalMini. Again, I've had the pleasure of dealing with these guys before and I had all the confidence they'd have what I was looking for. If they don't have it on their property, they'll get a hold of it for you and ship it out to your location. Mike called on Friday and confirmed he had what I needed and I received em' on Tuesday. To sweeten the deal, he took some money off the asking price and shipped em' for free. Great guy's, but I wouldn't expect them to make a deal like that everytime. Thanks to CalMini Truck, I now have the begining to my front 1st gen. Tundra lift for the 4Runner. Check em out and click on "mike", it'll take you right to their website. For faster service call em up and you won't be dissapointed. And take a look at the care in packing the struts..awesome.

-Ted

punkelberg

pretty sweet!

the kid

jealous

snowshredder555

Thanks fella's..

Heck yeah! I was super happy when he said he'd take a little off the price...THEN he offered to ship em' for free!?! I thought...HELLSYA! Let's do this. Any how, as soon as the order comes in from shockwarehouse, these struts are yours brother.


Aw shucks, kid, don't be. I drove the 90' for the better part of 5 years and most of that time it sat in the parents driveway for work to be done. Seems I just get it where its a descent trail rig and the wife and I were hit with hard times financially. Had to sell it, and cried like a little school girl when it drove away. When the wifey agreed on me getting this one, I was WAY excited.

-Ted

jason in tn

cant wait to see how you put your lift together Im really wanting somthing differant in mine.

snowshredder555

Woke up this morning and wanted to give shockwarehouse.com a call to inquire about the front Bilstein's. So the phone rings and the guy (John) answers the phone with the company's name only. I thought ok, and greeted him with a good morning, my name and what the intended purpose was. Was cut off mid sentence as he asked for my last name, gave it to him again and proceeded to tell him I had an order no. if that would be easier. "Oh yeah, let's go with that instead". Woo....glad we got that out of the way. So anyways, he proceed's to let me know I have a TOYOTA as he looked over the order..and I thought...hmmm, ok, I'll refrain from being a smart a$$. So as we went on talking about the date the order was placed and what not, he let me know that Bilstein Mfg. closes the last 2 weeks er um 3 weeks of the year and gave that to me as an excuse for my order not shipping out any sooner. I tried to tell him I'd already inquired via email and received a response about them not shipping out till the end of this month. I'm totally cool with that..kinda. I mean, who wants to hear their parts are on back order. But it seemed reasonable so I've waited. He proceed's to let me know that he expect's his shippment in today and they should go out today as well and I should receive a tracking number. I thought and shared with him, SWEET! today...awesome...gee hey thanks buddy. I'll keep an eye out for the email with tracking info. Apparently amidst my enthusiasm for the good news, he'd hung up. No good bye, is there anything else I can do for you, thanks for calling....wow...I was talking to my-self..again.

So I share with y'all cause I'd like to know if I'm being to critical and that I've touted them with their prices...which are awesome by the way.

When I answer the phone for the company, I'd like the person on the other end to know that I care about their order and just as much as they look forward to receiving their product, I look forward to building it for them. It's a job, I know and dealing with people over em' can become a hassle, tedious and boring. But did I miss something with the conversation with Shockwarehouse? It seems there could've been more proffesionalism...Oh well.

I still haven't received the email with tracking no. so I'm hoping tomorrow it'll come through. If not by Friday, then I'll try another call again on Monday.

Yes, please leave your response. Whether it's good or bad.

-Ted

the kid

wow man yeah, no you are right. that was very poor "customer service" idk if i did that with my company i dont think id ever sell anything and it would never get off the ground. but maybe because they are so large they figure they can just be jerks and have no sense of personal service. i sometimes hate america and the people in it when they no longer take pride in them selfs of their job(s). that(along with other things) will be the demise of this country... id of been tempted to call back and ask to speak with a supervisor about "my most recent conversation"... good luck i hope you get your bilstines soon!

snowshredder555

***Update***
Got an email early last week about my front shock's....they've shipped and should be here on Tuesday the 31st. Good thing I've been gathering more of my parts for the front end (control arm bushings and other Misc. items). Can't wait to get it all together and go on a run for another shake down....


-Ted