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

[Charles4x4]

And here's our brand new Steel City Racing Logo.  We've integrated this into the wrap and may also make a few shirts for the pit crew and team.

[Toyotadon]

Are you cool with it looking like a certain Baja truck?

[Charles4x4 [OP]]

Are you cool with it looking like a certain Baja truck?

Honored!  Love Canguro's 200 Series. 

I'd love to compete side by side with it one day in the Baja 1000.  Maybe next year .

[Charles4x4 [OP]]

For Navigation, our team did a ton of research ultimately decided to go with LeadNav.  Their software seems to really be taking off and it was nice to see how portable and versatile the setup is.

We'll be using LeadNav's app in conjunction with an iPad Air 2 (64GB Wifi + Cellular) per LeadNav's guidance.  We installed a screen protector and put the iPad Air 2 in a LifeProof case for added protection during the race.

We'll use Ram Mounts to secure it to the cage at the A Pillar or Windshield bar for the Co-Driver.  We also added the optional SkyPro xGPS160 receive to great boost our GPS signal.

[BigMike]

 

[bigarms23]

is it done yet

[Charles4x4 [OP]]

is it done yet

Not done just yet...   See the reply above yours to get a hint...

[Charles4x4 [OP]]

There should be more "fabrication oriented" updates with pics coming next week.  In the interim, we took full advantage of Black Friday sale and picked up all of our safety gear and the last few comms items we are going to need.

Pre-Wired Impact Helmets:


Head & Neck Restraints, Alpinestars Gloves, Sand Skirts, Final Comms Cables:


Alpinestars Racing Suits:


Rugged Radios Handheld - One for the Co-Driver when out of the car and one for close-range communication at the pits:


All in compliance with the new Ultra4 Rules and recent changes.

Speaking of the rules, Air Bumps are now allowed in 4600!!!  I guess they felt back surgery after races isn't popular for the 4600 class.  Thank you Ultra4 and 2018 4600 Drivers for voting Air Bumps in for our class.

[Charles4x4 [OP]]

I'm also excited to announce that we'll be sharing a Crew Chief, Pit Operations, and Pit Location with  [MENTION=8568]RustyNailJustin[/MENTION] and Team 4619.  Justin has been a huge source of advice and wisdom for me since Day 1 of this build and we're honored to be side-by-side with him and his 4619 team at KOH 2019.  We'll be pitting somewhere outside the high-dollar, main pit area.

My co-driver for 4600 is a Professional Firefighter and EMT, so he, Justin, and the Pit Crew will fit like a glove!


Also, while Black Friday was going on, we also snagged a great deal on a Large RV for KOH week through Cruise America:


Probably not the best RV, but certainly the best value we could find for the week by far.

Finally, we locked down our race number for KOH.  We'll be car 4602 for 4600 and 4400.  I have 2 awesome girls and 2 awesome chocolate labs, so great things seem to come in 2's for me.

[Rockcrawlintoy]

Also, while Black Friday was going on, we also snagged a great deal on a Large RV for KOH week through Cruise America:


Probably not the best RV, but certainly the best value we could find for the week by far.

Any RV will be better than camping. They are totally worth the money esp if it gets windy or rainy.

[Charles4x4 [OP]]

Brand new pics of our Gen II Front RCV Ultimate IFS Axle Set.  We'll be the first 4th Gen 4Runner to run RCV's Gen II axles.  The Gen II set has a ton of enhancements over Gen I.

They are massive and rated for 40's with a Lifetime Warranty.  RCV was the only choice for our KOH build and we were really excited when they agreed to allow us to run the first production set of Gen II shafts on our 4602 KOH bound IFS 4Runner.

These fit our 4th Gen 4Runner, but also fit Toyota FJ Cruiser ('07-'14), 4th and 5th Gen 4Runners ('03-Present) & Tacoma ('05-Present).

















Thank you RCV!

[Charles4x4 [OP]]

A number of folks have asked for Gen I and Gen II specs for the RCVs, so I wanted to pass the information below along from RCV's lead engineers.

As noted above, we're running the first set of not-yet-released Gen IIs at KOH:

Gen I Toyota axles had the following attributes:

Spherical Dana 60 sized outer CV joint (grease maintenance required)
Spherical outer CV boot
30 spline Porsche 930 inner CV joint capable of 28 degrees of angle (Dana 44 sized)
Dana 44 sized 30 spline to Dana 60 sized 35 spline 4340 center shaft

Gen II Toyota axles have the following attributes:

Dana 60 sized outer CV joint (no maintenance required)
Traditional CV boots on both ends
Dana 60 sized inner double offset CV joint capable of 30 degrees of angle
Dana 60 sized 35 spline to Dana 60 sized 35 spline 300M center shaft

[Rockcrawlintoy]

Any upgrades to the shafts within the diff? I haven't had an IFS rig in a long time any worries there?

[Charles4x4 [OP]]

Everyone seems to love LeadNav software, but I've had a few questions about the iPad connections.  Here's what we are using:



LifeProof Audio Connection (I have to pull hard to get this out):


LeadNav Ruggedized Power Cord:


GPS is connected via Bluetooth.  We'll be heat shrinking any connections to these wires.  Hopefully these connections will prove strong enough for KOH conditions in testing.

[AZ Rockit]

Amazing job! To have this almost done. Wow!!!

[Charles4x4 [OP]]

Amazing job! To have this almost done. Wow!!!

Not quite , but we're pushing HARD behind the scenes.  Some really cool updates are coming soon - stay tuned!

[Charles4x4 [OP]]

Any upgrades to the shafts within the diff? I haven't had an IFS rig in a long time any worries there?

I thought your question deserved a detailed response!  Thanks to @BigMike and Christian at RCV for all the details below:

All 8/2002+ 4R, all FJ Cruiser, and 8/2004+ Tacoma all run R&P from the 100-series LC, which happens to be the strongest 8" R&P Toyota has ever made, even stronger than 8" Tacoma rear E-Locker and 80-series High Pinion diffs.

That said however, the point is valid in that RCV shafts won't break.

So I think the weaklink has become:
-- Splined ends of the RCV shafts, or
-- Differential side gear, or
-- Tearing shock tower off frame, or
-- Tearing lower a-arm frame mounts

[Charles4x4 [OP]]

Quick update from Marlin Crawler's shop.  The front Nitro 4.56 Gears and ARB Air Locker are in!

Buggie of Parts:


Tear-Down Pics:




New Nitro Gears and ARB Air Locker Install:






@BigMike also had the team upgrade us to a Marlin Crawler Solid Spacer for better pinion strength.


More updates coming soon.

[Rockcrawlintoy]

45 days. How are things going?

[AZ Rockit]

45 days. How are things going?

On schedule, we hope!!! Can't wait to watch this truck race live.

[Rockcrawlintoy]

On schedule, we hope!!! Can't wait to watch this truck race live.

you guys going to the race?

[AZ Rockit]

you guys going to the race?

No, 300K will be in school. Livecam Dave posted last year. Would love to go, though!

[Charles4x4 [OP]]

45 days. How are things going?

On schedule, we hope!!! Can't wait to watch this truck race live.

We've had some delays, but are pushing strong.  We still hope to have a week or two for testing and tweaking!

[Charles4x4 [OP]]

Update:
1) The Front Diff is Done.  This included Nitro 4.56 Gears, Front ARB  Air Locker, and other various Marlin Crawler Internal Upgrades:




2) Our Icon 2.5" Front Coilovers (with Remote Reservoir and Adjustments), Front 2.5" Air Bumps/Mounts, 2.5" Diameter 12" Travel Rear Shocks (with Remote Reservoir and Adjustments), and Rear 2.5" Air Bumps/Mounts are in hand:




3) I spoke with LeadNav again and Damian convinced me to spend a bit more and swap from the iPad Air 2 (3 Core A8X Processor) to an iPad Pro 10.5 (4 Core A10X Processor).  Otherwise he feared that we would experience Lag or System Reboot issues during the race.  So I returned the iPad Air 2 and LifeProof case and picked up a iPad Pro 10.5, LifeProof case, and Screen Protector.  We definitely didn't have the budget for a new Pro 10.5, so a refurb will have to work (the one I got had really high reviews and a 90-day warranty).


4) We had another call with our Wrap company - SoCal Exotic Wraps - and finalized all of the details for the design, wrap, logos, etc.  It'll take us 2-3 days to complete the wrap the week before KOH.


5) I can't remember if I've already covered this one, but I worked with Aeromotive to eliminate any potential fuel starvation issues by integrating their new Jet Siphon technology from their Apex Phantom kit into our Phantom 200.  We'll now have fuel pick-up at the Front and Rear of the fuel cell.  I'll be installing this and a ton of other small things when I am in CA in January giving the team a hand.


With 44-Days till KOH, we still feel good about our timeline.  Given various delays, we'll likely now only have 1-week or so for testing and tuning before the race.  But it will be done and will be ready to race!  I've learned that every small delay definitely adds up.  It's not ideal, but that's racing!

I'm really thankful that our core team is so close.  Many of the key players are also great friends.  We all communicate multiple times a day and work together really well to solve issues as a team.

The final handoff to RockSolidToys (Atlas II, Rear Suspension, Driveshafts, and Other Small Items) and Otwell Fabrication (Cage) is now set in stone for this weekend!

[Charles4x4 [OP]]

Updated renderings with ALL of our sponsors finally included!

Side View:


Rear View:


Hood:


Roof (for Aerial shots):


Hope everyone likes it.  It's pretty close to being 100% locked in at this point.

Thanks again to all of our amazing sponsors!

[Charles4x4 [OP]]

Someone on another forum asked "So, What's Left".  Well, after the handoff this weekend, we still need to:

RockSolidToys:
1) Mount the Atlas II including a "flexible" crossmember

2) Install the Rear RockSolidToys 4-Link Suspension, Currie RockJoc 60, Rear Icon Suspension, and Currie AntiRock Sway Bar:
     A) All rear suspension brackets, links, joints,  shocks, air bumps, and sway bar are all in hand.
     B) Cycle suspension and take measurements for Icon Rear Coils.  Install Icon Rear Coils and Brake Lines.
     C) Cut rear fenders as needed.  Install U-Joint Shields, ARB Air Compressor for Lockers (F/R), and PowerTank.  Reinstall the 4x4Labs Skid Plates.  Run final exhaust routing out both sides of the 4x4Labs Rear Bumper.

3) Take final Front & Rear Suspension Measurements for High Angle Driveline Driveshafts.  Install driveshafts later upon receipt.

RockSolidToys and Otwell Welding & Fabrication:
4) Remove the sunroof and replace with sheet metal.  Remove all glass (windshield, doors, lift gate).

5) Build the cage!  This is A Top Priority given it may be really time consuming and it ties together so many parts of the build.  Otwell has a 3-page overview that Wyatt and I put together to make sure we don't miss something.

6) Once the cage is done, we'll re-mount the PRP Seats, PRP Harnesses, Navigation (iPad Pro 10.5 w/ Leadnav), Jaz Fuel Cell, Rugged Radios Air Pumper, mount the 35" STT Pro Spare in the Cargo Area, install Fire Extinguishers (3 in car), and possibly re-mount the Odyssey Extreme Battery in the Cargo Rear.

7) Add Fuel Cell Firewall behind the passenger seat, re-route Fuel Supply and Return lines, add Fuel Filler Hose and Locking Cap (filled from outside lift-gate - in hand today), and Fuel Splash Guard.

Me and RockSolidToys:
8) Install PRP Safety Nets (2), Wire Warn Winches (2 for Front and Rear), Install new Aeromotive Jet Siphon and re-pack Alletch Baffles, Mount final STT Pro Spare Tires to KMC Beadlock Wheels (all in hand today).

ALL in Johnson Valley:
9) Testing & Shock Tuning, Revise as needed!

Me and the Race/Pit Team On Site and just Days Before KOH:
10) Get all the small stuff ready:
     A) On-Vehicle Spare Parts & Tools (list posted a few weeks back)
     B) Driver/Co-Driver Water/Food/First Aid/Trash Bags/Break-Down Triangles, Rugged Radios Intercom Stuff, Co-Driver Handheld, etc
     C) Pits Spare Parts, Spare Tires, Fuel, Fire Extinguishers, Tools, Tarps
     D) Safety Equipment (helmets, gloves, fire suits, head & neck restraints)
     E) Install 4602 Number Plates (I haven't even thought through this one yet)
     F) Pick up my Co-Driver, get our Pits setup with @RustyNailsJustin and our Collective Pit Crew, get the RV and Rental Car setup, Attend Drivers Meetings, have fun, etc.

Pass Tech.  Qualify (if we need to?).  Race!

Then fix stuff from 4600 and get ready for 4400.  Race Again (hopefully)!

Find a way to get back home...  I'm sure I missed a few small items, but this is pretty much it.  Per Wyatt, the Cage is definitely the most time consuming item left.  42-Days Left!

[Charles4x4 [OP]]

I'm also proud to announce that we'll be running an Odyssey Extreme Battery in our 4602 Steel City Racing car.

The guys on my team who truly know batteries have said all along that the Odyssey Extreme Series is the best battery out there.  Here's what we'll be using from Odyssey:

Odyssey Extreme 34R-PC1500T Battery:


Odyssey Hold-Down Kit:


Odyssey 12amp Battery Charger:


We're proud that Odyssey has agreed to partner with our team on this King of the Hammers build.  Thanks again to all our sponsors!

[OVRAROK]

I'm also proud to announce that we'll be running an Odyssey Extreme Battery in our 4602 Steel City Racing car.

The guys on my team who truly know batteries have said all along that the Odyssey Extreme Series is the best battery out there.  Here's what we'll be using from Odyssey:

Odyssey Extreme 34R-PC1500T Battery:


Odyssey Hold-Down Kit:


Odyssey 12amp Battery Charger:


We're proud that Odyssey has agreed to partner with our team on this King of the Hammers build.  Thanks again to all our sponsors!

I've had my charger for awhile... it's a super nice charger. Dont forget the 6 inch lead of negative cable you'll need. Between charger and battery..

[Charles4x4 [OP]]

I've had my charger for awhile... it's a super nice charger. Dont forget the 6 inch lead of negative cable you'll need. Between charger and battery..

I hadn't heard of this.  Why don't they just incorporate this into the battery charger's design?  I can easily find a 6" cable for the lakebed though.

[OVRAROK]

I hadn't heard of this.  Why don't they just incorporate this into the battery charger's design?  I can easily find a 6" cable for the lakebed though.

I'm not sure why..., but I have that charger, and I read instructions..( imagine that ), and that is what I use to condition my dual odysseys every year...