Stormtrooper 4Runner build/shenanigans thread

Now that I’ve wheeled with some of the guys here on TW I figured it would be time to post up my truck and show the 4Runner community some love.

This is my 2005 4Runner Limited, a V6 4x4 ATRAC-equipped rig nicknamed The Stormtrooper by its previous owner. I initially found the truck on Expedition Portal and then purchased it in January of 2017 in Ottawa and imported it from Canada into the ‘States myself, the story of which you can read here. All in all it's in so-so shape cosmetically but mechanically it's mostly sound and that's all that matters for a truck primarily purchased for off-road purposes.

Modifications:
-Toytec Superflex springs in the rear and Eibach springs up front
-Bilstein 5100 shocks
-16" steel wheels and 255/85/16 BFG KM2s
-SPC upper control arms
-Metal front bumper with LED lights and secondary DRLs
-Front skid
-Rock sliders
-Snorkel
-Sleeping platform w/drawers (currently out of the truck) & cargo area lighting
-Center console-mounted CB radio and bumper-mounted Firestik
-2006 projector headlight conversion
-Custom roof rack w/LED perimeter lighting and Smittybilt awning (currently off the truck)
-Deep-cycle batter
-High-clearance cut/tucked exhaust w/Dynomax muffler
-Sway bars removed

Maintenance I've done since taking ownership:
-Replaced cabin filter
-Changed oil
-Replaced cracked driver mirror
-Replaced upper ball joints w/fresh SPC units
-Replaced windshield wipers
-Replaced windshield (thanks to Safelite)
-Replaced front wheel bearings
-Alignment
-Sway bars acquired (waiting to find quick disconnect end links)

Things I need to sort out as of this posting are:
-Driver seat needs to be re-stuffed
-CB has power but can't communicate
-Gas mileage isn't great, truck won't coast at all which could be the reason
-Re-install sway bars (and add quick-disconnects)
-Suspension is somewhat shot
-Fix the stereo (sound only comes out of the front-most speakers)
-Remedy CEL and other lights on the dash (hopefully O2 sensors and not the cat)
-Add more forward auxiliary lighting and possibly LED reverse lights
-Sunroof rattles like crazy
-Some dash and center stack lights are dead, will replace with LEDs
-Clean up the surface rust

I had originally planned on using the 4Runner as my backing vehicle for all future off-road trips and (hopefully) a lot of exploration, but after having back surgery in April of this year and thus being sidelined from ATVing, the 4Runner is becoming even more crucial in the off-road adventure portion of my life. I've ridden quads for 15-years, done thousands and thousands of miles in the woods all over the Northeast, and now that I can’t ride I’m using the 4R to fill that void. Off-roading "is in my blood," having grown up riding shotgun in my dad's lifted YJ Wrangler on weekend trail runs, so it's nice to finally have a vehicle of my own that's equipped to do what I love. Someday I'll drive it all over the country and wheel the likes of Moab, Colorado, the Rubicon Trail, and so on, and I'm shooting to do so in 2019. "Life goals," as they say.

Future plans are to replace things as necessary and simply make it better at what I need it to do along the way. It's shockingly capable as-is and really does everything I need it to do, but there's always more that can be done so it will inevitably get some further modifications when the time comes. The suspension will need to be replaced eventually as will the stereo and some other items before the big trip I'm planning, but I don’t want to dump money into the truck just for the sake of doing so...everything will need to be purposeful since it's my second vehicle. Way down the road once my WRX is paid off I might sell the Stormtrooper and replace it with a newer, similarly-modified 5th gen 4Runner which I’d plan to keep for decades, but that’s still a ways out.

I'm really looking forward to going places in the future with this thing. It has some bugs but overall it very well might be my favorite of all the vehicles I’ve owned. Hopefully it'll get a fair amount of trail time and can share adventures with some of the other site members.

P.S. - I write for a site called Hooniverse and the Stromtrooper 4Runner serves as a project vehicle and is among the many topics I cover. Some of what's written here on TW may appear on the site and vice versa. The purpose of this thread is to keep up with my 4Runner and to document it as it changes and serves as my adventure portal. All Hooniverse stories on the 4Runner can be read http://hooniverse.com/?s=stormtrooper+4runner

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Definitely a wicked awesome T4R.

 

Thanks! I've been meaning to update this thread so this was a good reminder.

 

Half-assed updated:

Went wheeling at AOAA with @evoviii1220 and some others, trip report here


Then the truck sat for a while, during which I did very little to it aside from cleaning a few things up, putting the awning/roof rack/rear wing back on, cut the drawer system to fit, mended the CB, and so on

Back out to AOAA for the Last Fall Bash ( <-- click for trip report), had an awesome time as is to be expected and can't wait to go back


Since then the truck has been sitting again, waiting to go in for an alignment which is scheduled for next weekend. I bought a new gas cap in hopes that, since the old cap was loose to the point of not needing any turning to come off, it remedies some kind of EVAP leak that's causing the CEL and other assortment of lights that have adorned the dash since I purchased the truck. Other items of note: removed the awning (again), looked into dent pullers and ordered new fender/bumper clips (to remedy the damage from the AOAA Bash). Oh, and ordered/received a winch!

That's about it for now...full update coming for the year-end...

 

IT LIVES
Update soon

 

Things are finally happening...
Teaser:

 

Doing my best to keep this thread updated. Spent a Sunday working on the truck a few weeks back...

Relocated the mic for the CB. It was up to the right alongside the passenger-side cupholder, but it made for difficulties in reaching it while off-roading and it also occasionally would hit a passenger's left knee. Moved it to a much more accessible spot. Drilled the mount right into the ash tray lid.


Sanded down and re-painted the rock sliders. Went with a Home Depot-bought bedliner. One full can got a full coat on both sliders; could have done another but I ran out of spray, and they're only going to get bashed up and need a re-spray anyways. Came out pretty nice, actually.





Rear wiper "mod," AKA remove the functionless wiper


And, coming soon...



Also ordered some brighter reverse bulbs which should be here today.

 

Loaded up with all the new parts last week. OME 3" kit, MOOG upper strut mounts and lower ball joints.

 

Had this set of LED lights sitting around after taking them off my quad before selling it. Threw them on the 4Runner for some extra lighting since the headlights aren't spectacular on the dark backroads around here and the LEDs in the bumper are more for the side of the road and lower area directly in front of the truck. Will post a picture of the improved lighting at some point.

 

Once again: it lives!

OME 3" kit installed. And no rub from the rear tires, so far...









Swapped in some interior LEDs:






And got the old LEDs on the front working: