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

Never used him before but the shop has good reviews and they have done a lot of 4x4 and prerunner trucks. It's another $100 over what he originally quoted me.

 

Cut a hole in the 4runner.



Working on figuring out the shifter placement now.

 

Tubed and balanced.

 

Both shafts will come out to $750 for me. Basically brand new driveshafts to fit the FJ case length. Being done by Simmons Driveshaft Specialists here in Tucson. Won't have the 2.5"x.120 wall tube but that will be fine for me at this point.

 

FJ tcase is installed, hole cut in the trans tunnel and the stock J-shifter has been modified. Tomorrow I'll make a cover plate for the new shifter hole, might do some wiring to get the 4WD and 4LO lights working from the switches on the tcase. Also need to change the tcase fluid out for Redline 75-90 and see if I can find a boot for the shifter.

 

Another project for this weekend just showed up.



My stock upper links have broken rubber and I can fell the axle thump at stop light. These should help a lot. Along with the new trans mount.

 

Interior is back together for now. Still need to do electrical for the 4WD & 4LO dash lights but everything else is done.

Cut the twin stick shifter boot in half so I have a rubber boot for the j-stick. Also made a plate to cover the hole and used Toyota goop to try and seal most of it.







Put the interior back together. Had the driver seat out because it was easier to work with it out of the way. Shifter in 2HI here.





4HI.





And 4LO.



The outer shifter boot I got from Autozone. Fuax leather, good enough, even if the stitching doesn't match. Attached with zipties of course.

Now I just need driveshafts.

 

Gear oil changed in the tcase. Driveshafts and a test drive are all that's left. Besides electrical for the 4WD & 4LO lights. Not overly concerned with those tho.

Tomorrow I'll swap the rear links out.

Why Toyota didn't do this in the first place, or at least have it as an option, is beyond me.

 

Saw your post over on Sherpa's page and jumped over here. Great Thread!! Got me thinking about some plastic in the engine bay. Should complement the Headers pretty well.

 

Yes, it certainly would! Headers down the road for me tho. I've got too much other shit to do first. Rear locker is next on the list now that the tcase is basically done. Then I can start looking at suspension, wheels and tires.

 

Yea I want 4:56s and a locker for these 35s. I want, I want, I want, I want........Story of our lives lol.
Glad I'm back to work off my covid vacation, not planning for new mods was hurting my soul.

 

Yeah, that's the other thing I'll need. Gearing. Plan is for 35s somewhere down the road, or 37s if Marlin starts selling and stocking that damn RCLT kit. Maybe SAS if the RCLT doesn't happen but I want/need to keep it streetable for long distance drives.

 

Got the MetalTech rear control arms installed today. The factory uppers were completely shot. Factory lowers were worn but no broken rubber in them. 291,500 on the factory parts, I think they did their job OK.

Started with the uppers, doing what I thought would have been the more difficult one first, the driver side. Passenger ended up being the rear pain in the ass. Had the hardest time getting the frame side bolt to line up with the hole.

Old and new uppers. This was the driver side and was in better shape than the passenger.





This was the passenger side. Both ends looked about the same.





And installed. Nothing really special over replacing with stock, work wise. You do need to grease the joints at each and and tighten the big lock nut once both bolts are in place but that's the only extra.





And the lowers. These were much easier to do since the bolts are easier to access. I did remove both rear tires since it makes a lot more room and rotated them while I was at it. I also dropped the spare to do the upper links.

 

Those things can be Royal PIA sometimes. I've had to use a ratchet strap to tweak the pinion angle a hair to get it to line up. The drivers side upper zerk fitting isn't easy to get to either. I need to find a good right angle gun adapter.
I scrolled through this morning but couldn't find a link to your manifold ebay source if there is one. Do you remember who it was? Like to give him some business, since he took care of the first one being unusable.

 

Actually, the first seller didn't have another one at the time so I had to find one from some other seller. The guy was definitely great to deal with tho.

I did end up using a ratchet strap on the driver side to get the axle/frame to move just enough to get the bolts started.

Check out the stuff from this place - https://locknlube.com/

I have a few things from them that have greatly helped in getting lube to hard to get to zerk fittings. The upper control arms aren't so bad for me really. Passenger side front one is a bit of a pain. The lower controls arms require dropping the frame side to access the zerks tho. The are hidden just enough in the mount area to not really be accessible otherwise. Great for protecting them off road. PITA to service.

 

The first intake I got from this guy - https://www.ebay.com/usr/borgesauto

Second, good one, came from here - https://www.ebay.com/usr/fresno_tap_recycling

Don't forget to get the throttle body from the same vehicle if at all possible. Otherwise, just make sure it's for the VVT intake (2005-2009 4runner) since the TB for the aluminum intake will not work. And don't forget to get the fuel rails since they are routed differently on the VVT manifold.

Replacing injectors is your call. I did not see an improvement in gas mileage with the 12 hole ones. I can't say they helped with performance either since I installed them at the same time as the VVT intake. Your stock 4 hole injectors WILL work with the VVT intake.

Any Toyota vehicle with the 4.7L and VVT you can get the parts from. Sequoia, Tundra or 4Runner.

 

Thank You for the links Sir!! I knew there was a source out there for grease gun parts I just hadn't taken the time. One thing I've found is Super Lube works good with urethane bushings. I got 50k miles out of my TC bushings on the 5th gen.
I will be studying your write up for the manifold swap intently. I paid a local Yota geek (dozens of Tundra belts changed) to have my timing belt done when I bought it, as I wasn't able to find the time or the balls to tear into it. Big job you took on. T-Case swap is great too! You and Wishbone have some Good Stuff!!

 

Thanks for the compliments! It's a slow work in progress. Mad rush when I get the parts since the 4runner is my daily and only car for the moment. Had to get a rental for the tcase swap since the driveshafts were sourced out and won't be ready until towards the end of the week.

 

Also have a trip to Moab with a buncha animals from the forum here, happing in about 3 weeks. Really wanted to make sure I had working 4LO for that.

 

Never been there, but it doesn't look 4Hi friendly. Definite bucket list for me. That and CO, CA, and a lot more AZ since my fam settle out there back in the 90s. Only just scratched the surface in 2 trips with my 5th gen. Long drive to go wheeling though lol.