[RiskyRicky]

So been prepping the 4runner for Toyota Jamboree hosted by Addicted OffRoad. Have since put 100 miles on the new gears, and running great.

Had two dash lights come on being the brake and charge light. turns out it was the alternator. Measured 18v being output which is way high and then sometimes it would go back down. So looks like voltage regulator is bad. Was going to replace just the regulator but Orileys did not have any in stock so just bought a new alternator. Got it back in and charging right now.

Was re-installing my BAMF diff skid and decided to improve upon it while I had it out. So cut and notched the front lip of it provide a better angle on the pinion. From stock it comes pretty much flat, and I have gotten hung up on it several times on big ledges. Much nicer angle to it now.

Before:

After:

 

[RiskyRicky]

Toyota Jamboree 2013, Hosted by Addicted Off Road, Salida, CO

Attended this year and convoyed up with my buddy Cody(white 4runner) on his awesome trailer. Was a great trip with great people. Big thanks to Addicted for hosting the event and donating to Stay the Trail. Ended up running Holy Cross, Carnage BV, and Chinaman.

First time up in the mountains at least at that elevation (11,000ft) with the propane and did notice that my idle changed. Still ran great and had plenty of power but did have to raise the idle a bit. May invest in a Wideband o2 sensor to ease in tuning when I do travel. Overall very happy with propane. The whole day Friday running HolyCross up and back down to the staging area only used 4gal of propane.

CARNAGE lived up to its name, and just shortly after getting through the V-notch section I snapped the passenger side Front leaf spring. 3 of the 4 leafs in the pack broke. Ended up hiking down and borrowed some heavy duty ratchet straps to keep the axle in place. Then turned around and drove DOWN the trail. So yes back down the vnotch which was pretty interesting. Luckily made it out.

Back at camp someone actually had spare front leaf springs and was kind enough to help me out. Big thanks! We got the leafs swapped over and were able to hit the trail on Sunday before the drive back.

Anyways enough talk. and TONS OF PICS

HOLYCROSS

CARNAGE

This is where my leaf broke when it flexed up

ChinaMan the next day with newish leafs.

 

[RiskyRicky]

Ended up building a square front driveshaft to accomadate the extra slip in my front end. So picked up some square tube 2 feet each of 2.5x2.5x0.25 and 2x2x0.25. Just making a round peg fit in a square hole. I used seam tube and just ground down a grove in the smaller one. Anyways here it is finished up. Tested it out for the Halloween run.

Almost forgot...
Was pictured in Petersen's 4Wheel & Off-Road Jan14 during our annual Halloween event from last year. HALLOWHEELING SPOOKY LINK

 

[RiskyRicky]

So my beadlock rings took some abuse this past weekend, particularly one of them ended up catching a rock just on the outside of the ring bending it in, causing the tire to go flat instantly. Didn't have a hammer with us on the trail but that's what rocks are for... Would like to get some new rings made out of much thicker steel, only problem is these are 16bolt and probably have to get some custom made, would also like to deal with coning.

The ring after being fixed with rocks and making it home

FINALLY FIXED STARTER ISSUE!! =)
Stumbled across this thread: http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/toyota-truck-4runner/287065-tech-tip-free-starter-fix.html

For over a year now my truck has seemed to intermittently not start, have tried to diagnose this before in some of my previous posts, cleaning contacts and such. Essentially when trying to start truck just hear a click click click, and other times it would start fine. Has left me stranded a few times out in the mountains, but always seems to crank over eventually.

Anyways, so looked through the schematic myself for the starter relay, and along with OP on pirate4x4, and came to the same conclusion, the relay should not be wired the way it is. Essentially the low and high power supply to the relay are tied together.

So located my starter relay, identified the #4 pin or wire that drives the high power side of the starter relay, and spliced in a wire connecting directly to the battery. Truck cranks over every time now!

 

[RiskyRicky]

So I knew my driveshaft was on its way out but it sure did take a beating. First waterfall on CoyoteHills claimed it, Climbing up and slid over catching the traction bar and driveshaft on the ledge, exact same spot that claimed Dustin's driveshaft sometime back. Been carrying a spare, so just swapped it over and continued on.

*New Driveshaft ideas:
- Build a square rear, have heard not to go this route, horrible vibrations, but truck is rarely driven on street.
- Retube myself with some sch40 pipe, concerned with getting everything aligned to reduce vibrations (no blancing)
- Local Driveshaft shop will retube and balance
- Tomwoods with warranty

After getting back home and looking at traction bar, the hole mount on the frame shifted up about an inch. I knew it wasn't the strongest when I built it, so time to do it right. Going to plate the horse collar area as well as use a scab plate on the frame, and square tube. Should hold up better to the abuse.

 

[RiskyRicky]

The old traction Bar mount, here you can see it has been forced up, comparison of where it should be based on the shackle, actually dented the floor up as well.

Traction Bar Mount v2.0

 

[RiskyRicky]

Just ordered up 2 13.5in Led Light bars of off Ebay. Going to mount under the cage on top of windshield. These are deffinitely from china, price was just too good to pass up.
I did tons of research on these things, as far as ebay light bars go, from which led type would be better, overall quality and light output. IMHO there is no way to gurantee that the LED style listed on the auction is going to be what you get. They come from china one way or another and most likely the same factory. Light output is deffinitely not as significant as a high quaility bar such as the visionX, or rigid, and there is very little difference between the spot and flood characteristics on these. Several complaints have been that the bars are not truly watersealed, many recorded fogging and condensation inside the lens.

With all of that in consideration, I still opted to purchase. I live in a relatively dry climate and mostly looking for better light output on the trail. If I was racing through the desert and depended on the light output, then sure the cost for quality is justified. But for my needs I believe these will work great, so we will see how they hold up.

Specs on the units:
LED Power: 72W
Operating Voltage: 10-30V DC
Waterproof rate: IP 67
24PCS*3W LEDS, 5400LM
Current draw 6A @ 12V, 3A @ 24V
Base Color: Black
Color Temperature: 6000K
Material: Diecast aluminum housing
Lens material: Toughed glass
Mounting Bracket: Alu firm bracket
Beam Type: Flood & Spot Combo Beam
30000 hours above life time
Dimensions: 13.5 inch

 

[RiskyRicky]

Light Bars are in and Installed! I made some brackets and welded them on to cage. Used a step bit to make a few speed holes in the brackets for looks. Overall very happy with the lights. They are extremely bright and light up the night. Will get a comparison to my headlights.

 

[MDNyota]

whats up, Matt from Carlsbad, lot of stuff on our rigs is pretty similar. I made a sch 40 driveshaft for my rear and got it pretty damn balanced by rapping the inserts / stock parts with electrical tape to take up the slack, then tack and check with a run out gauge if you have one, as you weld. No noticeable vibs from mine.

I would also recommend more gusseting on your traction bar axle bracket. I made mine very similar to yours and said bracket ripped the stamped steel housing apart (welds held but took some housing with it when it tore). Anyhow I cold rolled (beat with BFH) some 1/4" plate to tie into the bracket and basically wrap around the back of the housing for additional support. Works good now.

Rigs looking good!

 

[RiskyRicky]

Hey Matt, Thanks, its been a work in progress, Hows yea been?

Yea my plan is to go with the retube myself with some sch 40. Good tips there, will keep them in mind when I get around to building it. On the traction bar I had originally wanted to do something of that sort, having the back gusset run down and wrap around the axle, but just ran out of time. Maybe once I get done with school, I can wrap up some of these projects.

 

[METALLINE]

You get it figured out cool buildup

 

[RiskyRicky]

Thanks, metalline. Not yet, been trying to get my hands on the steel. but most likely going that route. Just been super busy trying to finish up my Thesis.

 

[RiskyRicky]

Defended my Thesis last Friday, and was a success. Met up with a large group and went wheeling on saturday, ended up snapping the driver side axle shaft.

A huge hole formed right before this upward slope rock face such that it is now undercut. The buggy in front of me rolled trying to make it. I ended up dropping my rear tire right in the hole and it bound up instantly and snapped. Winched the rest of my way out. Luckily last two obstacles of the trail. Overall good day of wheeling, fun be out again.

 

[RiskyRicky]

Got some work done on the runner this weekend. Had picked up two axle shafts my buddy had as spares for his taco, but they ended up being too long. Guess the 8.4in and 8in e-locker have different axle shafts? So minor set back there.

Anyways got the whole rear end pulled apart, drained the fluid and checked my gears while I was in there. Everything looks solid, was a clean break so no shrapnel in the diff.

Also, finished up the new drive shaft out of 2.5 sch 40 pipe. Should hold up to some abuse.

 

[RiskyRicky]

Got some better beadlocks few weeks ago, they were already all welded up and assembled, just needed some new paint. Look to be from DIYbeadlocks, Bullet style and have the anti-coning pieces. These are by far more heavy duty then my old beadlocks. Should hold up to the abuse better.

 

[RiskyRicky]

Been wanting to make some roof panels for the back cage that is a bit more permanent. Was thinking aluminum sheet, have to weld tabs on, or maybe custom canvas. Anyone have any suggestions/experience, material type, thickness?

 

[RiskyRicky]

Ran Tank Trap this past weekend, and tried out the hard section. My door got pretty cozy with a giant boulder, broke the glass and bashed the door pretty good. Cage held up well, but the bend on my main hoop keeps getting me hung up, this is not the first time. Wish I would have kept it closer to the body there, but the idea was it would allow me to push around obstacles. Would like to find a way to fix this problem.

Came up with a few options: main idea is to add tube at the bend to act as slider up to it.
Option 1: Remove doors, Tube the section completely
Option 2: Make half doors to keep look and then add tube
Option 3: Keep doors, cut the main hoop below harness bar and rework it, may be difficult to weld backside
Option 4: Keep doors, do nothing, and live with it
Option 5: Keep doors, add a straight swing out bar from main hoop bend to fender

 

[RiskyRicky]

Video of the carnage...

So looking into option 5, picked up a door from junkyard. Researching how to make a swing out cage section and found some tube clevis mounts used for race cages, Just not sure if will hold up to abuse and is kinda $$$ especially when it is going to get beat up. Would like to find a cheaper solution and maybe something easy to replace if... I mean when the bar gets all bent up.

 

[RiskyRicky]

Been away from the thread for a while. Rig has not changed much, pretty much just wheeling it every chance I get.

Future Plans: I will be sure to document them here.
-Going to be making my own tube doors here pretty soon.
-4.7 tcase gears for the rear case
-Possibly different front shocks. Valving is just not right and too soft.
-Roof Paneling for rear cage

Pictures for interest

ToyJambo 15

Socorro

Snow Wheelin in Los Alamos

 

[RiskyRicky]

Tube Doors

I have been supporting my friend Kaegan and his local shop Atlas Fabrication. He provides great quality work at an honest price. Be sure to check out his work on facebook: Atlas Fabrication

Began on my tube doors there at his shop. Got the brackets cut out and fitted, and mocked up everything into place. Plan is to tig weld everything. Still playing with ideas of skinning the doors and possibly playing with some dimple dies. Also need to come up with a latch, thinking of a spring loaded pull pin you often see on swing out tire carriers.