TW's active 4runner builders BS thread

Anybody get around to the LA Auto Show? @dtaco06 seems like you are close enough.

 

I like the LA auto show. But I normally go with the Porsche Club because we get in an hour before it opens

 

Magnuson had a booth with the 2018 4Runner Pro. Was pretty nicely built. I went because it is down the street from work and was free haha.

I thought it was weird that porsche has it's own tiny showroom haha. But that makes sense.

 

861s. My 8 wraps are definitely feeling it with the added weight of the new bumper

 

I’m hoping it does get better.

I told her the Wrangler would suck with kids, she didn’t believe me till we test drove one.

That sounds like a long way out lol

 

I miss going to the LA Auto Show

 

exactly...

 

We got the house and should have the 4Runner in a few months. Gotta mod out the Ram first then the Runner

 

@dtaco06

What came of the links you bought last year? Still running them? Running the same joints or replace them? Know the wall thickness?

 

Looking at metal techs now but stumbled upon a thread on T4R with yours. I don't need the pan hard bar and I heard they won't sell the links without that which kind of sucks. And I'll keep mine cause it doesn't use heims and it is fully adjustable.
Metal techs look real nice with their johnny joints so I may go that route, but figured it was worth asking you. Not sure if it's worth getting the ones you want, replacing the heims with nicer ones, then selling the pan hard. Or just getting quiet ones from metal tech and calling it a day.

 

Time to start saving for those guys

 

My enlistment is coming to an end in 2019 and contemplating changing careers after 8 years in the navy. Tired of leaving the family and the pay isn't that great for what I put in. I've got my A&P cert to work on aircraft and can use my military experience to work at an airline but the passion isn't there. If that's what I have to do to land a job then I'll use it as a last resort. Highly considering going to a trade school and learning to weld. Anyone have any experience/advice on trade schools? Worth it? Skip the trade school and find an entry level or apprenticeship for OJT?

 

Lindsay essentially is attending a kind of trade school right now. Honestly the best decision she has ever made. 8 months of long distance and a lot of hard work/studying and bam, great paying job that she truly enjoys.

I've always been a big supporter of trade schools. They make more sense from a financial standpoint than traditional college imo. I don't understand why most professions don't go that route. I don't need to know that Zeus gave birth through his skull to some greek goddess in order to be an accountant like I am, but I do because my school required that I take greek literature to graduate.

 

Diesel is a great field to get into. Get certs where ever possible like ASE. All the old timers are retiring and military runs on diesel. Good training for "free"

 

Some personal perspective, I have gone through 3 different link iterations, and I will second AssBurns on the heims, they are the strongest and provide the most flex, but are a consumable and are expensive and noisy. Here are the different versions of links I have had:

2" DOM w/ 1.25 heims and poly bushing / 1.75" DOM w/ 7/8 heims / stock

All the heims fail eventually, I have been using Ruff Stuff heims, but they are junk with a plastic liner instead of teflon like FK ones, I will be replacing all of mine with FK heims this spring.



Check out the Rokmen and Dobinsons (not sure if they fit a 3rd gen) ones too if you want low maintenance and better ride at the price of sacrificing a little flex.

https://www.rokmen.com/toyota/4runner-96-02/rear-trailing-arms-trail-series.html

$412 Dobinsons Adjustable Rear Lower Control Arms Compatible with Toyota 4Runner 2003 to 2018, FJ Cruiser, Prado 120 and 150 - WA59-520K

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0767M9SMN

 

I would definitely prefer joints on both ends but it doesn't look like anyone makes these for 3rd gens. I could always ask a company to do it but that's a little more money than I'd like to invest.

I don't have access to a welder nor have I ever welded before. I know a lot of that just comes down to practice and trial and error so I'm sure I could get it down. Been thinking about buying one for misc project anyways so this may be the project that gets one bought.

 

this reminds me i need to do my upper links. Rears are solid now but i need uppers and the panhard still.

 

I have Toytec uppers with Heims and they’re quiet, but I live in a desert. My LCA’s are from MTStudt or whatever his name is on T4R. They’re super nice and using a Johnny joint. I’ve had them for 3.5 years and they’re still tight with no play.

 

I've looked at the Rokman's before, but if I'm going to do it, I'll get something with a joint instead of a bushing-at least on one end. Definitely see the advantage of bushings for some road vibration and what not. When upgrading, might as well make it worth it.

Just starting to look into this though so lots of reading

 

I'll check to see if he's still making them. I'll probably stay away from heims, even on uppers, because I live at the beach and that'll definitely rot them out.