2003 4Runner Limited 4wd V8 FJ tcased overlanding rockcrawling do-it-all build

I get that shit; I need to figure out a slider situation myself and didn't really want to wait until March or so.

 

Get 4xInnivations, have them shipped to me, drive out here for a weekend and I'll install them.

 

That sounds like a hell of a plan but....my welder lives closer, just happens to live 5-6hrs south of me

 

Pulled the rear bumper cover off to get a better look at the rear and start formulating an idea for a real bumper.







That last pic you can see the lines on the frame horn that I was using to try and visualize what I'm thinking of. Most likely, I will be cutting off that rear most crossbar the trailer hitch is bolted too and then 3" or 4" of frame horn. 4x4labs does something similar for their bumper. I'll weld in a new crossbar, maybe even 2, with a hole for a new receiver hitch so it doesn't hang down so low. Then I need to determine how to incorporate the sides and have a good, strong spot to weld the swing out hinge. Bumper will be bolt-on otherwise.

Might make a mount for air compressors under the body where the spare used to sit. Have to cut out the hoist mount bar and put something else up there for that. Lots of room back there without the spare tire.

For now, I'm going to leave things like this.



I plan on keeping the upper part of each of the side panels so I don't have to build the bumper too high on each side. Probably chop them right at the top of the reflector and straight across to the wheel well, similar to how Coastal does theirs.

 

Nice, headed in the right diretion!.I cut mine right behind the body mount, then used 2x4 for the rear piece.

One piece of advice would be to forgo bolt on and just weld the whole thing on, I built mine 6 years ago and have never needed to remove it and don't ever see a need to. I am going to rebuild mine soonish with tube and will just weld it in. I added another crossmember behind the tire pulley piece, but if the rear one is just welded in I don't think it is needed.

Also interesting that you have that hitch instead of the one that mounts to the frame rails, I don't think I have ever seen a V8 with that hitch.

 

It's factory, so no idea. This 4Runner was as stock as they come when I bought it. I thought all the V8 4runners had the welded in hitch with the bolt on receiver?

 

Interesting, this is the weight distributing hitch that I have seen on every V8.

 

Started working on the rear bumper today. Followed your advice @Wishbone Runner and have it all welded in place. Still a ton of work to do on it but the basics are in place now.

Using 3/16" steel for this part. Going to use some 1/4" in a few places to beef it up some more. Maybe overkill but I plan on being able to tow with the new bumper still.



This had to go.







Capped the frame horns.



6x6 3/16" thick triangles to lift the new bumper up higher.





And then the base of the bumper.



That's where I left it for now. Need to get some more steel.





Much tighter to the body. I left about 1/2" gap to the bottom of the rear hatch.

 

I need to do this.

 

Very nice. That’s pretty much exactly what I did, but with bolts and a shit ton more unnecessary work. I’ll take some pics with measurements for the clearance on the tailgate that will be of help to you (hint, you need more than you think).

 

I gave it about 1/2" or so. I can always cut out a little more if needed.

Just measured and it's 1/2" at the center, the tightest spot. Should be good.

 

Decided that I wasn't happy with the way I mounted the bumper. It was going to be a pain in the ass boxing the brackets and making it look and work the way I wanted. So I chopped the bumper off and started over.



You can see one of the new brackets on the end of the frame there as well. I had some extra 2x3 3/16" tube that I cut to have an approximate 45 degree angle and welded those to the frame. Should be much stronger when I'm done with the rest of the bumper. I'll have at least 2 more frame attachment points that will tie into the center of the bumper, around where the receiver tube will be going.



Remounted the bumper main tube and it has just over 1/2" gap between to the hatch at the closest point in the center. I also cut the original fender up and was able to reuse the center part to cover part of the gap between the body and bumper when the hatch is open.



Also took the covers off the body vents to allow me to tuck the bumper in closer to the body when I di the sides. Thanks for the idea @Wishbone Runner!



And cut part of the mud flaps off the provide support for the cut bumper sides.



Still need to cut some more off the plastic bumper sides to straighten them up and get rid of some extra material but you can kinda see here how they are still pretty well hidden and give a little added protection to the hatch from the elements.

 

Took a break from making shit and used my rig for the reason I bought it. Wheeling!

Went exploring and found a very cool trail about 30 minutes or so from the house. Started off pretty tame and quickly became more technical. Probably would have been easier if I had a rear locker but it was still do-able being open front and rear. Also tested out the VSC-Off mode (don't recall if I posted about that, it turns off VSC and keeps TRAC active) and it worked perfectly, allowing me to break the rear end loose, without cutting engine power, any time I wanted.

View of Picacho Peak, which is about a 45 minute drive west on Interstate 10 from me. It amazes me how many people actually have homes out in this area. There is literally nothing around for miles. Just to get to the freeway is about a 5 mile trip on graded dirt roads. I dig it and would love to live out in this area.



Looking back toward home.



I suck at selfies.





Continued up the trail you can see behind the 4Runner.



Nice little rock garden and tight area here. Met a guy in a side-by-side that warned me not to take this trail "because it was too tight". Fortunately, I generally don't worry about body damage and the wheel to wheel width actually helps in some situations. Got thru this section just fine.









Requisite poser flex shots. Gotta live up to the license plate!





Great views along this trail.



This was a lot steeper and rougher than it appears in the pic.



That last pic of the trail led to a dead end. So I had to turn around to find where the trail actually continued. Like I said, the trail was much rougher than the pic indicates and I managed to get a really good bounce climbing back up the trail and slammed down hard on the driver side rock slider. Left a rather deep dent and gouge in the square main tube that would have crushed the rocker under the door without the sliders. So they have already paid for them selves and haven't even been on for a month yet! Extremely happy with them. Thanks 4xInnovations for outstanding sliders!



That dent is at least a 1/4" deep or better and I think the square main tubes are 1/4" thick.



I guess I still managed to mount the sliders a little high as that hit flexed them enough that the slider still managed to touch the pinch weld area. But without any damage to them.



Great afternoon overall. I was dissapointed that I ended up having to back track to get out since I couldn't find where the trail continued. Good reason to go back at a later time and just leave in the morning so I have more time! I hate wheeling in the dark if I can avoid it.

 

Hopefully we can tell if the 12 hole injectors I ordered from ebay are real Denso. Just skimmed through this thread, all good info and lots of pics.

The injectors are for my Tundra which started leaking fuel on my drive to work.

 

@CS_AR has posted some really good information about identifying real vs fake injectors. I think it was in the 1st gen forum here on TW.

 

That trail looks like a good one!

I had kinda forgotten how amazing the Sonoran desert is and just how badass Picacho Peak is. I need to get back down that way one of these days for a wintertime trip since it’s hotter than Satan’s balls any other time

 

It was a fun trail! I might go do it again this weekend and see if I can find the trail all the way through this time.

Hit me up if you come out this way!

 

Will do!

Really digging how the Runner is is coming along, by the way!

 

Thanks! So much more work still to do on it.

 

Haven't worked on the 4Runner in a while. This weekend and last weekend, I was prepping and painting some 2017 4runner rims that are going onto my daughter's 2013 Tacoma. The actual color is almost impossible for me to capture with my cell camera but it's Rustoleum Oil Rubbed Bronze.





Today, however, I went out for some wheeling time. Hit an area here in Tucson called Chimney Rock. Fun trail, certainly not easy but totally doable in the 4Runner. Not a whole lot of pics, sorry.

Flex is maxed here. I need to do some suspension work at some point because this isn't very good IMO.





Even saw Bambi and his twin.



The dirt really brings out the scratches in the paint. The majority of trails around Tucson and most of Arizona I think, are actually pretty tight with over-growth, hence the scratches being known as Arizona Pinstriping.