SOAZtim

I'm starting a thread to talk about any group buys we want to do etc.
1. Budbuilt. Oh fuque it, lets do it.
2. Marlin sliders. Anyone else want to save on shipping by ordering them with me?
3. Welding parting somewhere to put those on. (I can offer Tucson if we don't mind the trek)

4. I would recommend some softer rear bump stops. Ours are like hitting a brick wall. I am getting the ones mentioned by sonoran steel, but without the lowering adaptor because if you aren't using longer rear shocks you dont need to lower the bump stop.
5. Front bumpers: It seems like we can either go custom and I know we could make some tubular ones or boxed ones, but who knows how they will look...
Or we order some tjm's??
What else should we put on the list.

wormhole

I'd be game for most of this. You've seen my other thread

weiln

1. I'm cheap and lazy, not doing BudBuilt. I'll figure something out later for protection. It's just a transmission and t-case right?

2. Again, cheap. I'm looking at the trail-gear sliders fro $135, and apparently everybody in my family can weld EXCEPT for me, brother, and dad. Nice to know now...

3. Again, see above

4. Since installing the 890's, I don't think I've even noticed the bumpstops...

5. I think I'm gonna do my own, once I learn how to weld. Probably take some advice from family, who can weld, and have access to railroad iron. Heavy, but there's no way it's failing either. Why are bumpers so incredibly expensive? I don't get it...

How about lockers? Any group buys for lockers? I could go for an Aussie up front!

Henrythewound

IM in AZ but TUcson. It seems like everyone in the AZ club is in Phx or the surrounding areas, I feel left out. Well, since mine is a stocker right now I don't mind missing out on the true rock-crawling runs Elvota runs, I would be destroyed.

I would be interested in a skidplate or slider buy since I am in the market anyhow (although I was probably going to go Stubbs).

Subscribing

toy_tek

Well I've got 1 through 4 covered (recently).

I believe a TJM can be bought locally for under $500, which is what I'll do after my stock bumper is no longer recognizable as a facory Toyota part...

Elvota

My .02... even if I drive a 2nd Gen

1: Budbuilt is a great guy with great products. I am betting if you let him know your plans to run a TJM or ARB bumper in the future he'd hook you up with a correct skid.

2: Look for sliders with kickouts. I wish I had gotten mine that way. Makes a big difference in body protection. I have the Marlin's and if I am grinding along a big boulder all is good until I get to the end of the slider... then I am right into the body.

Check this design out at the bottom of the page:
http://www.sonoransteel.com/store_do...k_sliders.html

Imagine how they work out on the trail. Kickouts designed that way "hand" the imposing rock off to the tire and saves your body... just what sliders are supposed to do. So it goes front tire side, front kickout, slider, rear kickout, rear tire side, bumper wing.. and you are gone smiling down the trail.

They are spendy though... but cheaper and less painful than caving in a nice 3rd Gen body panel I suppose.

Another option I've seen is Steve adds a rear "wing" to the Marlin or Trail Gear type sliders that has the same effect. I'll probably look into adding them to my vehicle in the future, so that might be an option if you find you guys need that added protection later on. The TG and similiar designs work great for direct under impact protection or boulder pivot moves... just miss the boat during a full length grind, but who the heck would want to do that anyway??

3: I'll try and remember a guy in Mesa who welded my sliders on my pickup years ago. I'd recommend Steve with Sonoran Steel in Tempe, as his welds and quality of work are top notch... but he's not really into installing sliders any more. Maybe if his work load slows down.

4: No input

5: Plate bumpers are really hard to make in my opinion. Some of you have seen my rear one. It does the job, but not a thing of beauty for sure. And that took me like 2 or 3 solid days to put together.

Trouble with the 2nd and 3rd Gens is that they look a lot better with a nicely fabbed bumper. I really like my TJM, but it needs better side wing support in my opinion. I plan to correct that in the future with a simple 1.5" tube strut on the inside to the frame mount bracket.

And Henry... sure, I have taken Elvota on some "hardcore" trails, but am respectful to the type of vehicles I wheel with on any particular day. If you have the time to make some of the Phx runs, you should come up. All of us have the goal of a fun day without damage. I have no interest seeing a truck get in over it's level of protection and all tore up. Would be nice to see this group grow. Maybe we can run some trails in your backyard sometime?

Also, it can be nice having at least one rig excessively built in the group. I can do a heck of a job getting stuck trucks out of holes and back on the trail with straps or winchline. It's why I like to wheel with Westy... his rig can get me out of all sorts of trouble. So far, I've been OK on my own, but you never know.

Sorry for writing so much...

Zona4r

Okay,

I'm still interested in the cutting-board skid, at least for the second half of the underbelly. Bud Built up front definitely.
Skids. I may be interested in purchasing a new set as a group buy. I've been tossing around how to convert my current unmounted Marlin skids into a rear bumper. I'd only need one skid for this if we could make this work, so the other would be up for sale (at cost) to do the same.
Front bumpstops. Check the tech section. I remember a right up on a set that can be bought OTC. My be worth trying out on one of our rigs.
Front bumper. I'd be up for a trip to Colorado Springs possibly. It wouldn't be right away, maybe a Christmas time trip?
Welding. I say Tucson. Steve quoted me $250-300 easy to weld on my Marlin Sliders. I want something in the $100-150 range if possible.

We'll talk more on Sunday.

SOAZtim

Okay,
I may go down to Tucson one day this weekend for fathers day and look at all of the metal my friend has down there. See if there is enough to make 2 or 3 sets of sliders. If not, we'll need to order some mild steel 120 wall and some square.
We can throw some kick outs on the ends if we want. I don't like the massive ones, even though they work. I want to keep my runner somewhat stealthy...

As far as the other items I am open for all alternative I just wanted to encourage others to post if they are buying anything. That goes for non 3rd gen stuff as well. (I may have been a little crazy when I named this thread...)
If someone is buying a couple of lights even for example. Post it up and we'll see if we can save money by shipping to one place or get a group buy if there is enough demand.

LUV24BY

I have a 14" Delta Metal Band saw (I need to get tires for the blade to ride the wheels), I have a Lincoln 225 Amp ARC welder, a metal work bench w/ 2 vises and two smaller metal tables to work stuff off with. I offer up if we get some materials to bring them over and start setting up some jigs and makin some sliders for us! I just need a tube notcher. I am also looking at getting a bender sometime so that will be something down the road if anyone wants to work some things out! I have big plans for setting up some front and rear armor for my Runner.

Just an offer....

John

Zona4r

John, Thanks for the offer, I'm sure we'll take you up on it.

I DEFINITELY need to get some belly armor SOON. I noticed my stock tin foil took a pretty good hit this weekend. bent up against a bolt held and punched a little hole in it. Hate to think what would've happened had it hit somewhere else.

Who's ready to buy some BudBuilts and what do people want?. Do we want to try the high density rigid polyethylene for the back half? Does anyone have/know of a commercial address with a loading dock we can ship to? This would substantially lower the cost.

I'd be interested in going in on some custom sliders and converting one of my current ones into a rear bumper. I'd appreciate some input from others on feasability of this. They're 58 inch marlin crawlers. I wsa thinking split it in the middle and integrate a hitch to make it 61 inches.

John, if I decided to keep and use the sliders I already have would you be willing to weld them on for me? If so, pm me and we can talk about how much work it entails and cost.

lofreqjeff

I'm still in for some skids. My stock one took a beating a while back and I can't get it back on because its so mashed.

I have access to a commerical loading dock we can use to have anything delivered to as long as we pick it up within 48 hours.

I have a set of sliders, I just need to get them welded on. I'm still waiting to hear from my friend who is a top notch welder to see if he is willing to weld them on for, not just me, but all of us. He lives in Tempe so we wouldn't have to trek all the way to Tucson - if he is willing that is of course. I will call him again tonite and see what he says. How else needs stuff welded on besides Zona4r and I??

toy_tek

I'd like some rear diff armor welded on, but I probably won't be able to coincide that with you guys. Can you see if he's available down the road? I'll have that done when I install the locker/gears.

Elvota

The one issue with 4Runers is getting your bumper to have the wings necessary for full protection. The back end on these vehicles is so long. It might be hard to attach wings to a modified slider... although with some thoughtful design I am sure it could be done.

I am assuming your stock bumper would be removed, and the new bumper would take it's place?

From what I can tell, the bracket design for a rear bumper on these heavy 4Runners is extremely important. Even overkill seems to still allow some flex towards the body. Be sure you keep a healthy gap to allow for this movement or you may find your corner panels start to buckle a little with impact.

In my head, it seems like you'd almost want to take both sliders and use them for the back bumper. Maybe keep one straight, and the second (lower one) angled slightly down to your hitch in the middle. Some triangulation would help stiffen things up a bit.

Elvota

For gears... you met Zuk yet?
http://www.gearinstalls.com/

He is the man as far as gear installs go. Highly recommend him. Located in Mesa, so nice he's local. He also does a little welding, so he might be able to install your diff guard. It would be worth asking.

wormhole

Depending on the date of all this and if I could make up my bloody mind about what sliders I want. I'd make a trip over on a Saturday, I don't know about the shop here in town.

Zona4r

Has anyone ever dealt with Toy Box Auto? www.toyboxauto.com

Check the gallery. they seem to deal with 4runners and tacos quite a bit.

Zona4r

I'd really like to get rid of the stock bumper. Maybe use 6x2x.120 rectangular tubing for the rear? Of course modding the slider would require a lot of work to mount a rear swing-away arm on. Gotta get that spare on the back as well as some jerry cans. Now that I think about it, it'd probably be a LOT easier and about the same price to fab one from scratch or buy one. Good point about the gap. I forgot you mentioned that at Saguaro. What was it, one inch you said would be good?

Elvota

I did a run with the guy on the right pictured on their cover page. I believe his name was Carlos. Has a nice SAS'd 2nd Gen and new how to drive it as well.





He made it through that line with no body damage, no strap, no winch.... no one else tried it. His sliders worked perfectly... it was a very sic way to go.

I have no idea of his rates, but quality of work seems to be there for sure.

Elvota

3/4" to 1"... depends on the faith in your design and materials chosen.

Just so you know, I don't care for my rear spare carrier when I get on very difficult trails. In fact, I built a rack before this last Moab trip to move it inside. The spare just starts to drag on all sorts of things when the trail gets steep. Of course, you could build the rack and then just fab something internal for the harder trails like me... but then you'd be a copy cat.

Maybe next run you (or others) can stick your head under my rear end to see how I did things. Hmmmm.... perhaps I should rephrase....

Feel free to take a look at my bumper mount and design to get some possible ideas rolling. Just don't laugh to hard at my welds. So far it's been bumper 5, rocks 0... so i must have done something right.

Zona4r

Laugh at your welds? The only welding I know how to do is the JB kind