Topic: Steel City Racing & Marlin Crawler: KOH 2019 Toyota 4Runner IFS 4600 Build

[Rockcrawlintoy]

33 Days. How is it coming along

[Charles4x4 [OP]]

33 Days. How is it coming along

Good, but stressful!

Small Update:
- We ran into a few more 1-2 day delays over the past 2-weeks, but pushed through all of them - not without a good dose of stress and a few team problem-solving calls.
- The team worked on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Eve, and plans to do some work tomorrow on New Years Day - they are Dedicated!
- Yes, we are now even tighter on the timeline, but our team is 100% confident we'll get everything done.
- The pressure is now on for both Robert Otwell and Wyatt Scott, who both fortunately seem to enjoy that position and are excited to be the "Closers" on this project!
- We also made a change on the rear axle that we'll discuss later on.

New Timeline:
- Right now we're targeting having all fab work completed by 1/25
- We'll then spend that next weekend (1/26-1/27) doing the final small stuff
- We'll plan to do some on-site testing the week of 1/28 (Otwell's shop is 30-mins from the lakebed).  Note that our Icon Front Coilovers and Rear Shocks all have CDCV equipped for quick external tunability of the shocks.
- If testing all goes well, we'll get the wrap done later that week (takes 3-days). 
- We aim to be on the lakebed by 2/2 or 2/3 if at all possible!

I hope to be able to post more pics soon!

[Rockcrawlintoy]

Good, but stressful!

Small Update:
- We ran into a few more 1-2 day delays over the past 2-weeks, but pushed through all of them - not without a good dose of stress and a few team problem-solving calls.
- The team worked on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Eve, and plans to do some work tomorrow on New Years Day - they are Dedicated!
- Yes, we are now even tighter on the timeline, but our team is 100% confident we'll get everything done.
- The pressure is now on for both Robert Otwell and Wyatt Scott, who both fortunately seem to enjoy that position and are excited to be the "Closers" on this project!
- We also made a change on the rear axle that we'll discuss later on.

New Timeline:
- Right now we're targeting having all fab work completed by 1/25
- We'll then spend that next weekend (1/26-1/27) doing the final small stuff
- We'll plan to do some on-site testing the week of 1/28 (Otwell's shop is 30-mins from the lakebed).  Note that our Icon Front Coilovers and Rear Shocks all have CDCV equipped for quick external tunability of the shocks.
- If testing all goes well, we'll get the wrap done later that week (takes 3-days). 
- We aim to be on the lakebed by 2/2 or 2/3 if at all possible!

I hope to be able to post more pics soon!

I am rooting for you to get it all done. I am lookin forward to watching the race. I cant come down anymore due to other coworkers beating me to the punch with time off and my dad having surgery. I do plan on taking the day off and watching the live stream of the race.

[300k]

I cant come down anymore due to other coworkers beating me to the punch with time off

you had like 6 months notice

[Rockcrawlintoy]

you had like 6 months notice

I know. We can request 6 months out and my coworker wanted Chinese New Year off which land should the same week and my boss is going to Hawaii. I put in my request in at 5 months and 3 weeks away and was too slow

[:)bestgen4runner]

I know. We can request 6 months out and my coworker wanted Chinese New Year off which land should the same week and my boss is going to Hawaii. I put in my request in at 5 months and 3 weeks away and was too slow

Been on both sides of this one. got to plan way way ahead 

[Rockcrawlintoy]

Been on both sides of this one. got to plan way way ahead

I got spring break off instead lol

[300k]

I put in my request in at 5 months and 3 weeks away and was too slow

Bummer. Should have fought harder.

[Rockcrawlintoy]

Bummer. Should have fought harder.

Not sure what else I could have done.

[Charles4x4 [OP]]

It's a privilege to have a legend, Marlin himself, dropping off our 4Runner at Otwell Welding and Fabrication.  Here is Marlin with Robert Otwell in the Lucerne Valley.

A huge thanks to @BigMike and Marlin himself at Marlin Crawler and to Wyatt at RockSolidToys for partnering with us on this adventure and for introducing us to Robert Otwell who is leading the charge on our Cage build! 

We have some HUGE 2" DOM going into the 4Runner as we speak!  I also heard that Robert and Wyatt had a blast kicking out the windshield this morning!



Also, we had a few more sponsors join the build (Welcome!), so a new side rendering with revised logos is warranted.  Hopefully this is the final version that we'll use for the wrap!



Given our timeline, our #1 priority is simply getting the work done right.  Snagging in-process build pics is far down the list, so please continue to be patient with us and I'll try my best to post anything the team has time to send.

[:)bestgen4runner]

Step up your game Charles.
Put somebody in charge of it.
I volunteer Drew to post pictures for You.

[Rockcrawlintoy]

Step up your game Charles.
Put somebody in charge of it.
I volunteer Drew to post pictures for You.

If I lived close I would go get pics

[Charles4x4 [OP]]

Proud to have two of the best closers in the business - Wyatt with RockSolidToys and Robert with Otwell Welding and Fabrication - closing out the fabrication part of our build over the next few weeks.

Robert and Wyatt, thanks for being a huge part of our SteelCityRacing team!

[NotPossible907]

Been watching this thread here and on Pirate since the start. I'm hoping the best for you. Just so you know though, plan, plan, plan. When you think you have it all planned out, look for ways they might go wrong. Probably sounds dumb, but you'd be surprised. I have no KOH experience, but this year was the first year we ran the Baja 1000. We had about 2 years of planning into it on a side by side. Thought we had it all ready to go. Tested the rig 2 days before the race in Mexico and somewhere on the drive between Alaska and Mexico, the front diff decided it didn't want to work. We were able to get one flown in only to have a grade 8 bolt break 30 miles in and roll the rig. Don't forget too, sometimes grade 5 bolts are better than 8. 8 will tend to snap, 5 will tend to bend. Also ran into an issue with our wrap guy.. He couldn't get it done in AK before the deadline, we flew him to PHX to finish it which turned into a vacation for him and us finishing the wrap at midnight the night before we drove to Mexico. The more "free" time you can squeeze in for yourself now the better. That time will fill up fast.

Hoping you make it to KOH with a couple days testing.

[Charles4x4 [OP]]

Hoping you make it to KOH with a couple days testing.

Thanks for all the great advice!  We hope to have a couple days or maybe even more for testing - fingers crossed a few items go faster than expected.

Maybe this truck will be at Baja 1000 next year...

[NotPossible907]

Thanks for all the great advice!  We hope to have a couple days or maybe even more for testing - fingers crossed a few items go faster than expected.

Maybe this truck will be at Baja 1000 next year...

Not 100% sure if we are doing 2019 yet or not. If you think you want to try it go this year and not next year. This year is a loop again. Start and end in Ensenada. Much easier logistically.

[Charles4x4 [OP]]

Not 100% sure if we are doing 2019 yet or not. If you think you want to try it go this year and not next year. This year is a loop again. Start and end in Ensenada. Much easier logistically.

Hmm...Nov 19-24!  You're right, the 2019 Baja 1000 might work out well...  Now I just need to find some sponsors to pay for some of the logistics and fees!

[Charles4x4 [OP]]

So far I've been 100% focused on making sure the team and I have everything we need to complete the build and get us to the starting line.  As of today, the only logistical item I have left is how we get the 4Runner back home to AL once the race is done. 

We have no idea what condition it'll be in after we race 4600 AND hopefully 4400.  And I'm also a bit torn about even bringing it back to AL since I'd love to run the Mint 400 and Baja 1000 in it this year, if by some miracle those opportunities present themselves...!

For now, if YOU know of anyone racing KOH 2019 from the Southeast who will have a trailer big enough to carry another vehicle, please PM me.  I'd love to split gas/travel costs with someone and lock in a way to get it home. 

Once we get somewhere within the Southeastern US, I have family with a trailer that can help me get it the last leg of the journey.  Someone racing from GA/TN/MS would be ideal as our house is only 10-mins from I-20.

The rig is idle today - the day of rest!  Otwell felt great about his progress on the cage when he finally stopped late last night.  We'll have more to share early next week.

[Charles4x4 [OP]]

Quick Update: We're busy building our cage. A, B, and D pillars are now set and we've mostly locked in our seat placement.

Once Otwell gives me the green light that he likes how it's all coming together, I'll begin posting some pics. Right now the only pics I have are rough ones where we were debating placement options. He's working on the Dash/Windshield bars now. The cargo area will come later and is going to be "complex" with the spare tire, spare parts, fuel cell, fuel cell firewall, filler hose setup, etc.

Wyatt and his team are back in the Lucerne Valley at Otwell's shop later this week working on the Atlas II and getting everything ready for the Rear Suspension. I hinted at this earlier, but we decided to make a change on the rear axle. We're now going with a Dynatrac ProRock 60 - Dynatrac has been really great to work with on this build and Wyatt has developed a great relationship with them. The PR60 will be completed and at Otwell's shop early to mid next week so we can finalize the rear 4-link.

I'll feel much better when final welding on the cage, small stuff (including Wrap/Exhaust/Etc), and testing is all we have left! Right now there's still a lot of work to do!

While I'm in AL, my 4600 Co-Driver and I have also been working on Pit Crew Logistics with our Crew Chief (shared with @RustyNailsJustin). Brittain knows his stuff and I'm glad to have him double checking everything to make sure we don't have any last minute surprises.

Lastly, I worked with Roxy and our Tech Inspection is now set for one of the earliest spots - 8am on Monday. I grabbed this early slot so we can have plenty of time to fix anything Tech throws at us before 4600 on Wed. Given I've literally memorized the rule book at this point, we expect it to go smoothly.

[Charles4x4 [OP]]

I first want to get everyone caught up on some recent sponsors:

1) I'm excited to announce that we're partnering with PowerTank for our Onboard Air System at King of the Hammers.  We'll be running their 10lb Comp Package setup with Extra HD Clamps to attach the system to our 2" Roll Cage.  With our PowerTank system and plugs, we hope to avoid changing tires wherever possible!


2) I believe I touched on this earlier in the thread, but we're partnering with Bubba Rope on our Full Synthetic Recovery Gear.  Our team will be carrying a Bubba Rope 7/8” x 30’ Power Stretch Recovery Rope, Gator-Jaw Pro Synthetic Shackles, and their Black Opp 3” x 20’ Nylon Tow Strap. With Bubba Rope, combined with our Warn winches, we’re now running the best recovery products in the industry.

Bubba Rope Products are High Strength, Low Weight, and Ultra Safe!






3) We also got in our 4602 Vinyl Race Numbers.  Given the specs in the Ultra4 Rules (7" Tall, Black, Arial Narrow), I got a local shop to make 4 sets for me.  We'll cut out 4 "Shark Fin" number plates from Lexan or sheet metal and paint them Light Blue background.  We'll then simpy apply these on top before the race:


I'm still working on one final sponsor that I hope comes through for us later this week!

On the fabrication front:
1) The cage is moving along really well.  We got the windshield bar set yesterday and Otwell is working his magic again today!

2) The Dynatrac ProRock 60 should arrive early next week.

3) Wyatt is picking up our Custom Icon Vehicle Dynamics 2.5" Rear Shocks with Remote Reservoirs and CDCV and our Icon Rear Coils Later Today.  Icon has been a true pleasure to work with - they are bending over backwards for this build!  We hope to have these installed next week!

Special thanks again to PowerTank, Bubba Rope, Dynatrac, and Icon Vehicle Dynamics for partnering with us on our 2019 King of the Hammers build!

[Charles4x4 [OP]]

Here are the first glimpses of our 2" DOM Roll Cage from Robert Otwell at Otwell Welding and Fabrication. 

Note we haven't begin tying it into the Frame, adding Horizontal Supports (A to B Pillar, etc), Gussets, Cargo-Area Work, etc.  This is just the general outline at this point, so know there is much more "strengthening" to come.

Stripped and Ready:


A to D Pillar:




B-Pillar Placement after some "Tweaking" it to fit nicely:




First Draft Front Seat Placement:


Initial Dash Bar Placement:

[Charles4x4 [OP]]

Overhead Structure:


The Rear Seats Backs are in there for placement of the Fuel Cell Firewall.  They will of course come out very soon:


First glimpse at Windshield Frame Visibility:

[Charles4x4 [OP]]

While Otwell is working on the Roll Cage, RockSolidToys is busy prepping the Atlas II for Transplant!

[Charles4x4 [OP]]

Here are the final pics from work completed last night:

40+ Gussets made from 1.25" x 0.120 DOM:


Starting on the structure for where the Fuel Cell Firewall, Fuel Cell, Spare Tire, Spare Tools, etc will be mounted.


Note this is not part  of the Main Structural Cage.  However, the bottom horizontal bar is actually wider than the Frame just below the floor, so in the event of a roll over, it would actually provide structural support which is nice.

From here, a Lower Shelf right at floor level will be built for the Fuel Cell. 

Then Fuel Cell Firewall will go from side-to-side across the back and up 2" above the cage along the same plane as the rear seats (they are still in there for mock-up purposes).

Then a Upper Shelf will be built over the cage that will hold the Spare Tire horizontally above the fuel cell (it won't fit any other way).

We'll then install PowerTank, Spare Tools, Ammo Cans, etc on this shelf structure and the D-Pillars.

We initially hoped to mount the spare behind the fuel cell on a 30deg or 45 deg angle, but we don't have enough space.  We can't stand it up 90deg as it would block our view out the rear view mirror.  It also tried Left/Right, but no go.

8.2.11.10
A rear view mirror is required on all vehicles. Mirrors must have at least six
square inches of mirror surface. Mirror must have a reasonably unobstructed view of area behind vehicle.

[Charles4x4 [OP]]

RockSolidToys is busy torching off our Rear Suspension Brackets getting ready for the RST 4-Link and Dynatrac ProRock 60 to go in:

Short Video:
https://www.facebook.com/SteelCityRacing4x4/videos/388751155264765/

Image:

[Charles4x4 [OP]]

Roll Cage Update:
Here's where we ended up for the night.  I'll let the pics tell the story.





Robert Otwell has been flying.  He said "everything has just been falling into place really nicely!".  So much so that he asked me to move up my flight by 3-days to tackle all the Small Stuff earler than expected while RockSolidToys is finishing their work.

I'll now be at Otwell's shop starting MLK Day - Monday 1/21!  This should give us more days for testing!

[4runner17]

What a build..most action I’ve seen in any build thread in such close bursts lol

[OVRAROK]

What a build..most action I’ve seen in any build thread in such close bursts lol

X2... I'll be rootin for ya...

[Slabzilla]

Now we're lookin' more Hammer Worthy, Nice Work.   

[Charles4x4 [OP]]

Update on yesterday's progress:
Otwell dropped the cage through the floor for finish welding, including on top of the cage.





Robert made good progress on some of the more complex joints:




And we got our T-Shirts made for our core 4602 and Pit Crew teams.  I couldn't get sponsorship on this, so we didn't get many extras made.  Maybe next year!




We might also have some helping hands from @RustyNailsJustin and members of his 4619 team come down to Otwell's shop late next week to help out with the pile of "small stuff" which would be a HUGE help!