Topic: 84 4Runner Buildup - Last minute summer mods

[Volcom]

Moab was the best 4wheeling I've done in my life!
I missed day 1 of the trip due to my wife's grandfather's funeral.  No biggie about missing Fins & Things and Hells Revenge in the rain.

Day 2 was Moab Rim.  First time I've ever driven with lockers and dual cases.  What a blast 
Day 3 was Cliff Hanger and Hells Revenge.
Day 4 was an easy day at Arches
Day 5 was Metal Masher
Day 6 was Poison Spider Mesa, Golden Spike, and Gold Bar Rim
And Day 7 was Pritchett Canyon.

Out of the 100's of lines I tried over the week, I think I was denied by 4 or 5.  Not bad for only running 33" crappy tires.  Most of those lines were big undercut ledges that just swallowed my tiny tires.

I made Rock Chucker on Metal Masher, Rocker Knocker on Pritchett, and with some help, WidowMaker on Metal Masher.  Those were the three obstacles that I wanted to try while in Moab.  I also made Hells Gate on Hells Revenge but didn't try Escalator since I don't have front or rear bumpers.

Here are some pictures of the trip.  I have a ton more that I will post soon.  Here is the link to the entire trip photos on my club's board
http://www.rockfrogs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=894


Hot tub on Hells Revenge


Z turn on Moab Rim


Ledge on Hells Revenge


Headed down hill to Hells Gate on Hells Revenge






Up Hells Gate.  Looks easy from the top.  Pretty nasty looking from the bottom.


Widowmaker Hill on Metal Masher


Rock Chucker on Metal Masher


Big ledge on Metal Masher


My dad driving on Metal Masher


Launchpad on Golden Spike



Golden Crack on Golden Spike


Somewhere on PSM, GS, or GBR


Steep downhill ledge on Pritchett


Steep climb on Pritchett


Yellow Hill, last climb out of Pritchett


Group shot after finishing Pritchett, the toughest 4 miles of Moab.  It took us about 9 hours to complete.  We had one front D44 shaft break.  That was it for carnage.  Not bad for that trail.

[AaronB]

what did you do about the ebrake setup. how did you run the cables. im stuck on mine, the tabs on the brake drum are shorter than the springs. do have any pics of the rear. Thanks.

[Volcom [OP]]

what did you do about the ebrake setup. how did you run the cables. im stuck on mine, the tabs on the brake drum are shorter than the springs. do have any pics of the rear. Thanks.

I couldn't figure out the rear E brake before the trip.  I'll come up with something and post it for you.

[86turboyota]

sweet pics

[Fearofrunner]

Wow dude that is the kind of pictures we need to see on here more, alot of times people just wheel and never take the time to photograph anything.  I'm impressed your runner looks so bad ass.  I'm glad you had a good time and nothing serious went wrong.  the first trip out on something that you built and terrain like that with no problems!!! you couldn't ask for better. I'm guessing your addicted now for sure!

[blackdiamond]

Nice pictures!

I noticed a tilt in the Camera for the Launch Pad.  I tried Widow Maker in the snow the last time I was in Moab, couldn't make the 2nd ledge.  The first time I tried it with gears and lockers I went up like it was a curb.

My buddy just got back from Moab a while back and watched some rented stock Rubicons come up Hell's Gate with ease.  I have always managed to miss that particular spot.

Did you drag a little in the Golden Crack?

Good choice on the Escalator!

Was Dump Bump or Lions Back open?

I miss Moab!  

[Jud]

Sweet pictures!

[46&2]

Awesome pictures man! Looks like you had a blast. I bet it felt awesome to wheel that sucker for the first time, you put a lot of work into the beast.

Unfortunatly for me with school and work i probably wont be able to hit Moab for several years....so for now i'm just going to run all the trails in cali...

I got lazy with my ebrake, i couldnt use the cable off my 85 because it was too short so i got a cable for the year of my rear axle (88). You have to drop the gas tank to remove the cable (I wish they had run that thing along the other side of the truck) and there was 3 feet of snow outside so I just took it to the local shop and paid them to do it so i didnt have to. 

[Volcom [OP]]

Nice pictures!

I noticed a tilt in the Camera for the Launch Pad.  I tried Widow Maker in the snow the last time I was in Moab, couldn't make the 2nd ledge.  The first time I tried it with gears and lockers I went up like it was a curb.

My buddy just got back from Moab a while back and watched some rented stock Rubicons come up Hell's Gate with ease.  I have always managed to miss that particular spot.

Did you drag a little in the Golden Crack?

Good choice on the Escalator!

Was Dump Bump or Lions Back open?

I miss Moab! 

There was some camera tilt on the launchpad picture.  I don't really like when people tilt the camera to make the picture seem tougher.  But, it was a cool picture so I included it.

I had some trouble with Widowmaker.  I think the 500+ pounds of gear in the back along with the 200 lb top was putting too much weight to the rear of the truck.  Next time, I will pack less and more gas pedal

Hells gate is tricky if you don't have a spotter.  One guy in our club spots really well so he lead me up the gate.  It's not difficult, just have to have correct tire placement or you are rolling like this http://youtube.com/watch?v=ouWJa6FC7-E

I did drag my passenger corner through the crack.  It was on the quarter panel, no biggie.  I was worried about my tail gate all trip.  I took some of the ledges really slow so I wouldn't hit the gate.

I will try Escalator someday

Neither Lions Back or Dump Bump was open.

[blackdiamond]

The gas pedal is not the answer on Widow Maker.  From my experience, it seems to be to stay way left and actually drive around the second ledge.  If you use speed you are sure to come back off the wall without control.

 

[Volcom [OP]]

The gas pedal is not the answer on Widow Maker.  From my experience, it seems to be to stay way left and actually drive around the second ledge.  If you use speed you are sure to come back off the wall without control.

 

I had to use some gas with the crappy TSL's.  They are pretty much wore out and don't grip for s@%#.  I didn't try the way left line but that seems like it would work pretty well.  I'll try it next time, thanks for the tip.

[Volcom [OP]]

man that is a nice Garage setup there.  I am stuck doing all of the same stuff in my gravel driveway outside.  It sucks to have to cater to the weather.    Nice buildup!!

Thanks, we just had the house built.  We moved in at the end of November.  I had a three car built because I knew I would be working on my truck.  I also had an 8 foot door put on the 2 car door to make it easier to get the 4Runner in and out.  Right now, it would still fit in a 7 foot tall door.

Working outside is tough, I wouldn't have got this build done this fast if I was working outside.

[Volcom [OP]]

that would help me out man if you could sometime, i'm still trying to decide on what to do with my rear shocks, i like how u used that square tubing and the multiple holes  but if you cant move the shocks out any more i wont put that many in.

My rear shocks were bottoming out on the trip.  I will need to drill a couple of holes closer together and angle the shocks even more.  I don't like doing it that way but it will work for now.  I will probably make a tall shock hoop for inside the 4Runner and cut some holes in the floor and run the shocks vertical.  That will be a future project.

[Volcom [OP]]

Wow dude that is the kind of pictures we need to see on here more, alot of times people just wheel and never take the time to photograph anything.  I'm impressed your runner looks so bad ass.  I'm glad you had a good time and nothing serious went wrong.  the first trip out on something that you built and terrain like that with no problems!!! you couldn't ask for better. I'm guessing your addicted now for sure!

I like pictures and so does the rest of my club.  So we make sure to take lots of pictures on the trips.  Thanks for the nice works about my 4Runner.  I'm glad nothing serious went wrong, and YES, I'm addicted

[Fearofrunner]

where you rubbing bad in the back when flexed out?

[Volcom [OP]]

where you rubbing bad in the back when flexed out?

Big time!  I cut about an inch of the rear fender before the trip with the sawzal but it wasn't enough.  I will need to trim another 2 inches at least to keep the tires off of the sheetmetal.  But you have to remember, I pushed my WB out to 109".  Most of that was in the rear.

When I step up to 36's, I will have to cut a ton to make them fit.  I knew that when I started stretching the WB.  I will also have to clearance the front firewall to clear 36's in the front.  With the 33's, they are about an inch away from the sheetmetal at full stuff.  I will cut the pinch seam and either pound or cut the firewall back as far as I can.

[KDC]

Wow, I'm surprised we didn't see you out in Moab.  We were out there the 25-31st.  I haven't had internet for the last two months, and you got a lot done in that time.  Very impressive build.  Where in Moab did you stay?  Those pictures of Pritchet really makes me wish we had done that trail this year.  Very cool pictures and nice flex, man.

[82rustbeast]

WOW, I just read the whole build up. My eyes hurt from staring at the screen. Thats one great runner you've got there.   I wish I had the money to build up my 82 pickup pictured in my Avatar.

[Volcom [OP]]

Flex shots from last weekend 









Here's the full trip writeup!
http://board.marlincrawler.com/index.php?topic=33610.0

[CTENG in KS]

Damn, that thing is really working great!  Nice werk!

[Gittinit]

Damn, that thing is really working great!  Nice werk!

X2 nice job!

[Hayes]

how did you take care of the fenders?

[Volcom [OP]]

how did you take care of the fenders?

So far?  Just let the tires chew the snot out of them and self clearance

I'll get the sawzal out of it's case and cut some metal soon.

[83yota]

great build

[Panama85]

Runners lookin sick, hows your front shackle angle lookin with the hanger welded flush?

[Volcom [OP]]

Runners lookin sick, hows your front shackle angle lookin with the hanger welded flush?

The hanger is actually welded 5/8" forward.  The shackle angle is only kicked back 5-7 degress but looking at them fully flexed, I don't think the angle is hurting the flex at all.  Maybe hurting my ride down the road but flex-wise, I'm happy.

[Jud]

Looks like that thing flexes hard! you just need bigger tires now!

[Volcom [OP]]

Looks like that thing flexes hard! you just need bigger tires now!

I know, I hate these little 33's

[topar]

  I like it!

[MarkyB]

Wow, that's scary how much my 4Runner looked like yours when I got it.