BigOly's 2004 TRD DC "CARGO" build, A New Journey Begins

That is an interesting looking little USB port. Guess I'll have to start exploring some options.

 

Since Cargo is my daily driver, I'm looking to get a nice amp and pair of upgraded woofers and tweets in the distant future to make my commute even more enjoyable. I figured why not start prepping Cargo before I drop more $ into a new sound system. I know I already have tweeter pods on the door panels but wanted to test some new tweets in the sail panel location to see if I get a better sound and fit. There's something about the slightly higher location and forward angle of the sails that makes me think it's a better placement for tweets than from the fixed pod door panel area. Ya I know it's pretty silly but since I'm already on a roll with the whole 4Runner retrofitting...why stop now?

So I spent a little time on customtacos and found this small but excellent writeup by Bhavesh on retrofitting 3rd gen 4runner sail panels in a taco. I was able to find a pair of used 3rd gen 4Runner tweeter sail panels really cheap from a junkyard. So now I'm off to see if they fit based on this CT writeup!

As the writeup suggested, I had to trim the sail panels a little off the bottom to make them to fit. The panels are a little more vertical in length then the taco panels. So far it looks like I trimmed just enough for a tight factory fit but I still have a minor problem with the little nubs (small plastic balls) on the 4runner panels. They don't seem to line up with the holes where the taco panels keep them in place. So I decided to just chop them off! The bottom of the panels have small plastic like grabbers that fit perfectly in the taco's slots but the nub is what keeps the panels in place. So for now I'm using velcro till I have more time and patience to plastic glue the nubs to the right location of the 4runner panels for a true custom fit. Planning on fitting some high quality tweets behind these panels, I think this is a better placement of the tweets and I still get a clean OEM look. Can you tell I still miss the fit and finish of my old 3rd gen 4Runner?

Here a snap shot of the 3rd gen 4Runner sail panels:


Here's a shot of the back of 4runner sail panels (top of pic) vs the tacos (bottom of pic):


Removing the taco panel:


Final retrofit in the taco:


Zoomed out view:

 

Well my original stock OEM from 2004 is starting to show its age. Doesn't need replacing yet but could not pass up an opportunity I found on craigslist.





So I think I picked up a really good deal on a used 15811 MagnaFlow Cat-Back system off of craigslist?!? I negotiated down to $180 cash for the complete MagnaFlow Cat-Back system. The guy who is selling it recently sold his 1st gen taco for a jeep and still had his lightly used magnaflow system all boxed up in his garage and he really just wanted to get rid of it. The system came with a magnaflow muffler that is 14" size and in excellent shape that should produce a nice deep sound (no rice please) but from what I have read it might be a little loud for it's small size and may produce a slight drone. If it's too much I may switch to a 18" and sell the 14" to someone who appreciates the louder growl.

Can't wait to bolt this system on! No welding necessary from what I read in the online instructions. Here's a shot of the parts I stored in the bed right after I made the local cash transaction with the jeep guy:





Here's a description of the 15811 Magnaflow system:
Material: 100% Stainless Steel
Tubing O.D. Size: 2.5in
System Type: Cat-Back
TIP O.D. Size: 3in.
TIP Quantity: 1
Single/Dual: Single
Exit Position: SINGLE PASSENGER SIDE REAR EXIT

Features and Benefits: Lifetime Warranty, Dyno Tested And Proven To Make Power, Performance Gains In Horsepower And Torque, Great Sound -Has A Smooth; Deep Tone, Easy To Install, Mandrel-Bent. All Welded. Built To Last.

I'll update once this puppy is all mounted up.

 

So I was lucky to have my brother come visit me today and help me mount a lightly used 15811 MagnaFlow Cat-back system. As I already mentioned in my build, I purchased this system off a local guy in my area via craigslist.

First we removed the very old worn down factory inlet, muffler and tail pipe. All of it was already welded together as one piece from factory so it was a pain to slide it all out.

The joint with the two bolts where the inlet pipe attaches to the cat pipe was pretty rusted so we sprayed some wd-40 and soaked tha area over lunch. With hercules strength my brother was able to remove the nuts and bolts:


Then realized the oxygen sensor needed to be removed, this was a b*tch because a mini heat shield was covering it:


BAM! Sensor removed!!


I would say the hardest part of this job was removing the rubber mount attachments that connect to the hangers. They are a PITA to remove!!

Finally the old pipe and muffler removed for all to see:


Here's comparison shots of the old vs the new:







We successfully mounted the used (new to me) magnaflow system on Cargo with the support of the existing rubber hangers, nuts and bolts. The system came with clamps to attach the muffler to the pipes. The best thing about this kit is no welding is required! Everything fits tight and the system sounds great!



The MF tail pipe assembly came with pre-welded hangers perfectly aligned to mount to the existing rubber mounts where the old hangers hung.






MagnaFlow custom bracket and rubber mount:


3" MagnaFlow tailpipe already welded out of the kit:


First impressions:
The 14" MagnaFlow muffler is quiet at idle (as expected). The 14" has a nice deep full grumble when you mash down the pedal (not ricey by any means) and it just sounds awesome if you are listening from outside the rig. The only negative I could think of, and I think it's just me, is that the 14" is a bit too loud for my taste from within the cabin. My brother is much younger and he LOVES the sound. Must be an age thing. In my case, I believe it's because I am so used to hearing -or not hearing- the factory OEM muffler. It's not a deal breaker because my primary reason for purchasing this system was to replace the worn down inlet and tail piping. I was also lucky to get this system at a cheap craigslist price at the right time. The MF muffler was a huge bonus. In the future I plan to keep the cat-back piping and swap the 14" muffler with an 18" or 22" so it's not so loud. I'll then sell the 14" to a new lucky owner to recoup some of my cost.

Overall I'm loving the deep sound coming out of Cargo with my Magnaflow system and I'm really diggin the new full sound every time I start up my rig!!

 

Congrats on a GREAT build! Lots of tasteful and well-executed mods.

 

First Gen! Welcome

 

Thanks Norton! I appreciate the complement!

Heck ya! First gen ftw!

 

Looking good man!!

 

Great CL find! Clean looking install I might add. Can you post a video of how it sounds? Im on the fence with either a 14'' OR 18"

 

I had just picked up a pair of these sail panel tweeter covers last week thinking I'd do the same mod and discovered the mis-fit with the Tacoma. Decided not do the component speakers at this time so have set them aside for now. Thanks for your info on using them as I may re-visit later.

Other tick as how to mount tweeters (will the 4Runner bracket work, if I can find them) and what size tweeters will fit?

 

SCORE on the MagnaFlow muffler set up, wish I could find similar as the stock unit is hanging in there but I'm thinking not much longer (already replaced the CAT). Looking Good!

 

Thanks SupraT! Congrats on surpassing the 200K mark on your rig, you gotta love the proven reliability of our 1st gen tacos!

Thanks! Ya, I think I just got lucky while checking the CL ads on this one! The guy who sold it to me only lives a block away and drives a new Jeep wrangler as his DD so it was easy to bring down the price.

I think another perk is the 14" MF that came with this cat-back kit is a polished stainless steel version (not the basic unpolished aluminum versions out there) so I think that adds to the overall value and will last much longer when dealing with the outdoor elements!

I'll have to say that the sound of this 14" is just a bit overpowering in the cabin for my taste and on top of that my wife is still giving me a hard time about it so I've decided to go ahead and make an appointment with my local muffler shop next week and either add a resonator OR swap the 14" for an 18" to tame the overall sound just a notch.

Unfortunately the crappy phone that my work issued to me doesn't record good audio/video so I'll see if a friend of mine will let me borrow a video recorder in the future.

You gotta believe me when I say that the 14" MF has a really nice deep sound over stock! I smile every single time I start the truck now... lol

 

Awesome, I enjoy finding and sharing ideas! Yes, same situation, still researching for high quailty surface mounted tweets the will fit the sail pods. I got a bit side tracked with the magnaflow find lol

Btw, I will be swapping out my alpine (giving it to a family member) for a used Pioneer double din in the near future. My coworker just purchased a new car and he's selling me his Pioneer Appradio 2 da100 for really cheap With the Pioneer double din monitor I'll be able to finally wire up a backup camera so I can stop running over little kids and animals when backing up

While I'm at it, I need to convince my work to upgrade me to an iPhone 5 or Android to play nice with this head unit. The old iPhone I was issued has been having issues ever since I dropped it in the sink The speaker phone no longer works (bad mic) and the home button is completely shot. I've seen youtube videos of iPhone jailbreak apps and android hacks to make the Pioneer appradio system fully functional, can't wait to get it all hooked up.

Thanks man! Score indeed!! You need to make a daily routine checking for bargains on craigslist. You will be surprised what you can find for your truck!

 

My 18" MagnaFlow (12256) package arrived and I'm ready to swap it with the 14" that came with my cat-back. I have an appointment with my local muffler shop this afternoon to weld it on.

 

I'm lucky to get the Fridays off from work, so today I took out my single DIN Alpine.



I'm in the process of swapping out the Alpine head unit -giving it to someone close in the family- with a used, well new to me, double din Pioneer AppRadio 2 that I recently acquired from a friend who bought a new car that already came with a nice factory head unit with crazy integration. I acquired the Pioneer unit pretty cheap.... like really cheap lol and it's in mint condition!! Also, with the AppRadio 3 on it's way coming out this summer, the 2's is really coming down in price so I don't feel too guilty about it.

I'm working on the wiring now. I'm going to have to eventually figure out where to mount a backup camera in the back of the rig because I seriously need one. I keep bumping into bushes and have come close to a few parked cars lately while backing up. The A.R.E. camper shell isn't helping me any either.



Also, been working my *ss off at work and finally got budget approval later in the summer to be issued an iPhone 5 or Android as my next work phone. As much as I am excited about this phone upgrade, I am reminded from corona commercials of chucking work phones into the water while sitting on a beach.

Anyways, enough rambling, I'll post a pic of the final install when the time comes. Right now I need to prepare for the 18" muffler install later this afternoon.

 

how do you like the angle that these sit at? was it adjustable or predetermined? also, usable as a step if needed? thanks I'm tryin to get in on the GB

 

Angle is perfect for my use. My 6 year old uses it to get in with no problems, usability as a step in for adults awesome. It's going to be even better when I get my hi-lift so I can use the sliders to rotate my tires. It also looks stealthy oem like while still being fully functional. The angle is fixed not adjustable but Jerry should be able to custom angle if you ask ahead of time.

 

Lol just glad I'm not the only one!

 

thanks, 2 more questions: were yours bolt-on or weld-on? were the frame plates pre-welded to the legs?

 

Good questions!

I went bolt-on because I read Jerry's 1st gen bolt on design were just as strong as ones that were welded on. They "grab and hug" the frame from under, all the weight is on the sliders, not the bolts, the bolts just keep them in place. I'll see if I can snap a pic for ya. Jerry provides you with the nuts and bolts but you will need to do some drilling (4 holes that are 1/2" in size for each side of our boxed frame, so total 8 holes, one nut/bolt for every 2 holes). Jerry told me drilling the holes would be easier on our 1st gens then the 2nd gens, he was right. You can still mount the sliders without drilling using the factory holes securley but they may slightly tilt at an angle over time. There are 4 arm grabbers on each slider, the middle and end location of the sliders have arms that align to the factory holes on our DC first gens.

Yes, plates were pre-welded to the legs.