Ripcord's Spruce Mica Build

|June 7 2018|

TPMS disable / cheat canister:
TPMS is of course Tire Pressure Monitoring System/Sensor. It puts a warning light on the dash when your tire pressure is too low (or too high). So every time you air down off road the light comes on.
Also when you get aftermarket wheels and don’t put your TPMS sensors in them, you will have a constant warning light on the dash.

The solution There are a few ways to cheat the TPMS system.
-The first is to remove the TPMS ECU. I have read that it it is located in the headliner. I chose not to do this method because I wanted to keep the TPMS system intact and ready if I ever decided to use it again.
-The next is to just remove the light in the gauge cluster. Again didn't do because I wanted to keep the TPMS system intact and ready to be used in the future.
-The last method is to take those TPMS sensors out of the wheel and make a small chamber to keep them in that you can pressurize independent of the tires. This is what I will show you how to do. I like this method because the system is kept intact and it’s also a good way to keep track of the sensors themselves and not lose them.

Resource Info:
There are TONS of similar threads, but I used this one as a resource.
http://www.g5club.net/showthread.ph...ing-System?s=3d048735d23ff0cdc937d9102965c7ae

Parts:
$7 - 2x 3” ABS pipe flat end caps
$4 - 3” diameter ABS pipe straight section
$8 - ABS cement
TPMS sensors

(If you get PVC instead of ABS, be sure to get the proper cement)

Tools:
-hacksaw
-drill
-7/16” drill bit

Time:
30 mins to make with 2 hour cure time.

Here are the parts I have for it. I got the screws in case the glue was not enough to hold the canister together, but did not need them.

I initially bought some PVC cement, but realized my mistake and did it again with the right stuff. The pics below will show the wrong cement, but you get the idea.




Close up of the sensors themselves so you can see how they are fastened.

If yours are not your original sensors or are not already programmed to your truck, you will need to have that done before moving forward with this project.




Take your end caps and drill 2x 7/16” holes in each one, deburr.
I made the 2 holes 1.5” apart from each other. Too far apart and the sensors wont fit in the pipe, too close and the sensors interfere with each other.

Insert the TPMS valves to the drilled end cap




Now for the pipe. Cut a section of pipe at least 3.125” in length, deburr.




Glue it all together using ABS or PVC cement, depending what material pipe & fittings you got.

You will need a way to vent the pressure buildup while pushing it all together, so take out one of the valve cores if you have the tool for that. If not, just be ready to release the pressure as you push on the 2nd end cap.

You will have about 5-10 seconds before the cement really starts to set, so you need to work fast. Twist the end caps while pushing them on to distribute the cement evenly.




Depending on how long you cut your pipe section, yours may have a gap between the end caps. That is fine.




Wait for 2 hours. Even though the cement sets quickly, it needs at least 2 hours to fully cure before being pressurized. I let mine sit overnight.

Charge the canister to 35 psi and check for leaks.




Find a secure place to put it! I might stash mine in the rear under-seat storage or possibly zip tie it under the bed somewhere.
Be sure to use the valve stem caps to make sure you have a 100% seal.


Success!







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Thank you! I enjoy making threads like these.

Thank you!

Of course I recognize your username! Car loans are a tough pill to swallow if you're used to not having them. How come you aren't liking your 3rd gen?

 

It's not that I didn't love it, but I moved back home to MI and sold it because I wasn't doing any wheeling (there isn't any to do around here), and figured a car would be a wiser decision right now. Now here we are a few months later and I miss driving a truck.

 

Yeah the midwest does suck for wheeling.

 

|June 13 2018|
Pelfreybilt


Pelfreybilt rear bumper:
Last part of the armor equation is the the rear bumper, I again went with Pelfreybilt since they are local to me (for now).

I went with steel on the rear bumper, even though everything else is aluminium. I did this because Tacomas (and trucks in general) have large rear overhangs, and it is common to scrape this area when descending ledges offroad.

Also, due to my cut fender flares, I needed to modify the bumper ends. I inquired to Pelfrey about having them do this for me, and their quote was $100 and an unknown amount of extra time. I decided to do it myself.

Resource Info:
The Pelfrey instructions are alright, could use some pictures. Especially more details about cutting around the tail light area.

Here is another thread that has some pics that I used.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...ance-bumper-installation-step-by-step.324195/

Tools:
10, 12, 17mm sockets
3/8" and 7/16" wrenches
Phillips screwdriver
grinder with cut off wheel
file
welder (if modifying bumper ends)

Time:
1 hour to cut the bumper and weld on new end caps, another hour to fully install.




Here is the cut I made in the bumper, took 3.5" off to match the cut fenders.




New end pieces welded on.




Marking the cut lines per the instructions.




Cut.

I have seen some people make the horizontal cut .25" - .5" below the tail light, but I decided to go flush with the tail light for a more even look. I stand by my decision.




Bumper on for a test fit, looking good!




The bedside needs a support now that you cut off where the factory support was, thankfully pelfrey has that covered.




The flip up license plate bracket and hidden hitch are a nice feature!

The bumper is well refined and seamlessly integrates all of the OEM bumper features like the license plate lights and the trailer hitch wiring plug.







Gotta cut the exhaust now...









The final step (which admittedly I didn't do for a few months after) is to finish the cut and add the edge trim.


Paint match from the dealer:








====================================================


Also, you may notice I have taller bed bars in these photos.

I decided to get taller ones to get more bed space, but it was important for me to keep the tent even or below the roof line.

The Armortech 8" rise bars are perfect fit for me, but if your tent is thicker you may want the 6" bars.

 

Looks good. Thanks for sharing some pics and feedback of the install

-Pelfreybilt
www.pelfreybilt.com

 

Awesome build. And so dope to see such a thorough write up on your upgrades. Sub'd for future updates

 

Glad you got a build thread up for your new truck!

Everything is just as detailed and organized as your previous 4runner. The pics of the places it takes you are awesome too.

Good luck with the new job and building the new truck!

 

Thanks!

That was the plan! thanks amigo

 

Red Cone pass
June 24, 2018

Didn't get a whole lot of pics, especially on the technical sections. But once I was on top of the pass I couldn't stop taking photos.

Took the tent off since it was just a day trip. Still working on a hoist system for the garage...






If you look closely, there is a RZR on the ridge.

 

|June 28, 2018|[/B]

Bedside reinforcement:
Bedside stiffeners are an important reinforcement to add when you are carrying weight on the bed rails.

Many makers of stiffeners out there, just pick which one you want. ATH, Bentrodder, Leitner, Total Chaos, Rago, etc…
I went with At the Helm (ATH) mostly since theirs were the best priced and had a bottle opener

Parts / Retail Cost:
$115 - ATH bedside stiffener

Tools:
Drill
3/8” drill bit
9/16” socket & wrench
5/8" socket
10mm socket
T55 Torx bit
T40 Torx bit

Resource Threads:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/bedside-reinforcements-tie-downs.476123/

Procedure:

Here is ATH’s install video:

https://youtu.be/8bLJG0YGeOA

Here are the brackets themselves. Part of the reason for the price is that they come bare steel, so they must be painted.




First step is to remove the tail lights. 2 10mm bolts on each light. One at the top and one and the bottom.






Next, use the T55 and T40 bits to remove the bolts at the rear of the bed. The larger silver one will be reused, the black one with the D-ring can be tossed away.




Now bolt on the bottom of the bracket and mark where the holes are to be drilled. 3 on each bracket.




3/8" holes drilled. After that paint to prevent rust.
Ignore those 3 holes in a triangle, that is from a bed extended the previous owner had on.




Now put the bracket back on and fasten all the bolts firmly.




Put your tail light back on, repeat on the other side.




Crack a drink and enjoy your handy work!








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I've got some more goodies in the garage waiting for me to install...





.

 

I spy with my little eye a snorkel, winch, and an awning. Bastard.... haha

 

I've been cramming the mods in before my big Canada expedition in July, should be the last of it for a while.

 

Nice! I finally pulled the trigger and purchased the Yakima RTT during REI's sale.

 

Very cool! It will definitely make you get out more, it's just so easy and comfortable.

 

dude this is a sick build! keeping it simple. question, do you have any pics of the fenders after the trim moulding installed? curious to see how it looks. thanks

 

Took a trip to Glenwood Springs over the weekend for the T4R Xperience event.

There were 40-ish trucks there and on the trail run, but I mostly stuck to my group of friends.

 

|July 4, 2018|

Winch:
There are a lot of winches out there to pick from. Searching for the right one can be difficult because there are some very brand loyal people out there.

Once I sorted through them, I found that the Smittybilt XRC line of winches were the best value for me. They have a solid reputation and a good track record of quality. Also, I am going with synthetic winch line in my continuing pursuit of minimizing the total additional vehicle weight.

Lastly, I got some Factor 55 goodies and an ARB recovery Kit

I got everything through SRQ Fabrications, great vendor to work with!

Parts:
Smittybilt XRC Comp 9.5k winch
Factor 55 Flatlink
Factor 55 Hawse fairlead
Factor 55 synthetic rope repair kit
ARB recovery kit RK11

Tools:
Socket set
Snap ring pliers
Drill

Procedure:
There are a few tasks that must be done for this install
-Relocate winch control box
-Wiring winch
-Factor 55 components


Here are all the parts!




First thing I did was to attach the Factor 55 flatlink. Starting with the rope guard attachment.

Use a flathead screwdriver and pop off the rubber bumpers.




Place either some cardboard or wood under the flatlink and position the rope guard in the correct orientation. Use a punch tool to hammer the compression fittings into place.




Now for attaching the rope remove the pin from the flatlink, you will need a pair of snap ring pliers.





Here is the synthetic rope. The end with a hole is bolted to the drum of the winch. That bolt is not load bearing though, as the instructions will say. The friction of the rope wrapped around the drum is meant to be the load bearing action. This is why the rope must be spooled under tension as I will show later on.



To remove the hook from the rope thimble, you have 2 options: You can either just cut through the hook (be careful of the rope), or you can un-splice the rope through the thimble and re-splice it.




Now that we have that part done, we can turn our attention to the control box. It is too tall to mount on top of the winch, but it is designed with the ability to move it nearby via a short wiring harness. Luckily there is plenty of room next to the winch in the @Pelfreybilt bumper!

I wanted a location that would be easily accessible to plug in the remote control and also not block my hand access to the clutch lever.

Once I found a spot, I marked the hole locations and drilled.

Control box with mounting brackets.



Here is where I have the box mounted. The winch is not yet bolted down in this photo, it was pushed to the side so I could finish the control box install.




Next step now is to mount and wire the winch. The wiring diagram and harness are very well marked, pretty hard to mess that part up.




Here is a comparison of the Factor 55 hawse fairlead compared to the smittybilt fairlead that came with the winch. The main improvement is the increased radius allowing for smoother flow of the rope.
I did have to get longer bolts for the fairlead though, the ones supplied by smittybilt were too short for how thick the Factor 55 fairlead is.





The final step now is to spool the winch. You cannot just wrap the rope around the drum by hand, it must be spooled on with a tensile load as I mentioned above. To do this, I attached the winch line to my dad’s truck. Then I had my girlfriend put my truck in neutral and lightly hold the brake pedal while I was up front with the remote guiding the rope to spool in an organized fashion. This pic was just before I put the rope into full tension and began spooling.




Factor 55 stuff getting work in already!




Here is the control box viewed from the front of the truck, super easy access to the remote plug!




The openings in the bumper also still allow ample room for reaching the clutch lever.




And lastly, here are the contents of the ARB recovery kit (besides that kick ass bag)
-tree saver
-snatch strap
-snatch block
-2 shackles




All Done and ready for action!

 

Impressive build.

 

Thank you!

 

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