Building an 88 4runner for overland!

[Scenic WonderRunner]

Hi ....bluerunner!

I too have a 1988 4Runner.

I will be watching your build up with interest! :Wow1:

Best of luck!

Lets see if I can get a pic of mine in here.....I'm not trying to make pics huge....my last one was.....still learning the tricks of posting.

Thats me after just coming down the "Devil's Stair Case" at the "Broken Arrow Trail"....Sedona.... May 2005. Whew!.....Not a scratch .....the rock gods have been very good to me!


............oops again! ....Sorry it went HUGE again! .....I better head over to the test pages and try to figure this pic thing out........Sorry
Scott.....it's OK to help me out and make it smaller.

 

[bluerunner]

WonderRunner-

welcome to the board!

Just curious what plans do you have to build your 4runner?

I look forward to watching your progress! :elkgrin:

 

[Scenic WonderRunner]

Hi bluerunner!

Thanks for the welcome.

I considered the solid axle swap......but being new to this and my first Toyota......I thought I would take it slow.

I have aprox. a 2"-3" Lift.....and a little extra with my 31" tires......I got rear leafs from "Carrier Spring" out of Canada.....and on the front I used 25mm Sway-A-Way Torsion Bars and cranked them up a bit......and put new "bump stops" on. Jim at ProTrux in San Marcos did this for me at a very fair price! Real nice guy!

I also put on Pro Comp ES9000 Shocks all around.......because they were ON SALE......I was fine with that....it was at least better than what I had.....and fine to use while I'm learning. The ride is GREAT!...on and OFF Road!

I have water proofed my axles....front and rear.

Put in an Aux 12V plug in the back seat passenger side elbow pocket!.....very handy....and I can move it around toward the back if needed.

Johnson 123A CB Radio with Cobra Roof Mount antenna......it's my old truckers radio from way back when....the thing is bulletproof!

In April.....I found a set of Used Original Toyota Alloys with NEW 31" All Terrain Cooper tires.....for just $150 bucks! This allowed me to complete the Broken Arrow Trail last April....by getting the deal on the wheels/tires the very night before my trip to Sedona!....Whew!

Next on my list is a rear Locker. I would like to have a Toyota TRD Electric rear locker 3rd member retrofited to my 1988 axle........I have found a shop who is willing to do the work......now looking for the TRD locker.....with Switch.

I see that Scott always mentions how important a fridge is....and I agree! I would love to have one....but $1,500 or so is a little hard for me to justify right now. I use my cooler........and I make BLOCKS of ice using larger water bottles.....I can keep a cooler cold for 5 to 7 days depending on the weather. I am VERY careful when and how I open it!!! I also layer the top of my cooler with a larger towel or blankets to keep the sun off of it....this really helps a lot! That works fine for me so far, until I find the right garage sale for the fridge. As the Ice Bottles melt....I now have more drinking water for an emergency....so I save space and have extra water this way.

I also want to work on more lighting......and also under the truck lighting.

I'm keeping an eye out for a rack system.....so I can have more room inside when I have more passengers. I don't like racks....but may come in handy at times.

I also put on a Magnaflow high flow Cat and Muffler...with a 2 1/4" pipe all the way back.....can't go too big....need some back pressure.....I felt the difference right away!

I'm sure there is something I am forgetting....

........Here is a pic of my truck with my new/used Toyota Alloys and Coopers the very next morning after I installed them...and just before leaving for Sedona, AZ. and the Broken Arrow Trail!

The tall one is my daughter.....she just LUV'S our new/old 4Runner! She was so amazed last Feb 2005 when we headed up to Duck Creek Village, Utah to go snowmobiling.....and made it to the top of Cedar Mtn. during a blizzard with 5' to 6' of snow and white out conditions!....remember those huge rains we had in Feb?

...."Daddy.....how can we just keep on going>?!!....This truck is so great!"

Happy Trails!

 

[bluerunner]

Wonder Runner,

Looks like you were laying some rubber down, in the lower half of the photo, by the way very clean truck. Sounds like your daughter would like to have one of her own one day!

Just curious why are you choosing to go with the TRD and not the ARB?

And I may have missed it but where are you located? And again welcome to the board!

 

[Scenic WonderRunner]

Hi bluerunner,

Good eye for the rubber on my driveway.....that's not from me though....it must have been from some delivery truck turning around in my driveway. I baby this thing when I drive because, at least for now, I'm planning on keeping it many years. My high power fun car is my little 1972 Porsche 911....except....well....um......I baby that too come to think of it!

On the TRD Electric Locker.....I've read several write ups about retrofiting these onto 1st gen. 4Runner's. So I guess it's partly for the challenge/conversation piece!..........but also trying to keep my Toyota more Toyota.....and maybe for some "Kewlness Factor".....hehe


LINK to writeup: TRD Electric Locker Retrofit http://home.off-road.com/~kemanuel/elocker/elocker.html

I've also read that these TRD Lockers can be modified to be used with a cable for a manual on/off system.

Another idea I have looked into is completely changing my rear end/axle to a 1997 or new rear axle w/TRD Locking Third Member.....this axle is a little wider....but a shop here in San Diego said it would be no problem putting spacers up front to match the width of the rear. But now you may have a wheel well clearance problem if even larger tires are used.

All reasons why I want to take things slow and not jump the gun....and end up with a chain reaction of problems because of one hair brained idea!

So far this Runner has taken me about everwhere I want to go.....even without the rear locked....I've just learned to pick my line very carefully!

I like your bumper and rack!.............nice color too!

Oh ya....as you saw above.....I'm in San Diego, CA.


Happy Trails!..............Mark

 

[bluerunner]

Mark-

Thanks kindly for the compliments, I basically just have the rack sitting there for now to get it out of my livingroom, and I plan to use it for my land rover.

I would like to build a full length rack where it may be possible to anchor my tent-cot to it, mounting points for the rack would be similar to the Defender.

Thanks for the write-up, they made it look so easy!

I myself would like to go arb front and rear. Whats the mileage? and have you done any engine mods to bring it up to speed or was it pretty well taken care of?

 

[bluerunner]

Mark-

This is the idea I have in mind for strength and safety, it's on a jeep... but you get the idea.

 

[Scenic WonderRunner]

Hi bluerunner,

I really like that rack system on the Rubicon...very well done!

The ARB lockers is a very nice system.....I'm just not sure yet that I need to spend that kind of money to get where I want to go. I'm not trying to win any contest's!....just out to have a good time....and very glad to see what most people never see in their lifetime!.....and I've never been too embarrassed to turn around and go back if that is the most wise choice!

If you click on my screen name above......that will take you to my profile.....and you will see my link to my webpage at Cardomain.com .....this show lots of info I have logged in about my truck.....so I won't have to repeat.....I was making that webpage as a project with my son to try and help get him involved.....and to keep a log of our travels and mods, etc.

I will say that when I bought the 4Runner a year ago.....it only had 52,000 Original miles on it.....it still to this day smells new inside! It now has 64,000 Original miles. I only use it for exploring.....so those miles are either in the dirt or getting to and from it!

When I bought the truck....I knew it needed a headgasket replacement. The oil was getting into the water.....but no water in the oil. I had this done.

I sent you a PM.

 

[bluerunner]

Mark-

You are getting oil in your water and not vise versa because your tranny cooler lines inside your radiator are bad, I am almost certain that if you swap in a new one ($250) you will have no more problems, and flush it once you are done.

I think everyone hears 3.0 and next thing you know everyone is screaming "it needs a headgasket"... like a bad horror movie, and it can be discouraging when you have a truck that you love!

Easy fix, one hour or less.

Isn't it amazing how well it runs with oil in the radiator... one more reason to keep it!


Goodluck!

 

[bluerunner]

SWR-

What' s the good news buddy, have you had a chance to get anything looked at or did you just decide to just start "fresh"?

 

[bluerunner]

Well here is my beloved axle and the Marlin rebuild kit.

The Marlin high steer kit should be here in a couple of days!

I plan to have the axle blasted, painted black and then install the rebuild kit the high steer kit and the rotors, i'm going to go with Yukon 5.29's.

More pics to come! :ar15:

 

[Scenic WonderRunner]

Hiya blue.....

So how are you planning on cleaning the exterior of the axle?

:shakin: <<<Is this a shot of you from behind workin' on that thing?!!....hehe

I think by the time you get that axle clean....you are going to have a serious case of monkey butt!

I'm looking forward to hearing more about it!

 

[bluerunner]

Welcome back SWR-

HA HA, that was me with the wire wheel for sure!

Im just going to have it sand blasted then just go with a rattle can (black).

What about you any idea what project you want to try and tackle next?

 

[Scott Brady]

The Marlin stuff is always first class. I think you will be very happy with the 5.29's

 

[Scenic WonderRunner]

Sandblasting is a great idea......I wouldn't even know who to call for that one.

Next on my list is a REAR LOCKER.

Also more lighting for night driving off road...........and rock lights under the truck. I would also like to light up the sides of my truck on the trail....this would be much easier to do with a rack.....but I don't know that I want a rack on my roof full time. I saw a 1975 FJ40 the other day and it had real Kewl side spots mounted into the fender just behind the front wheels. I don't want to drill any holes in my fenders, but it sure looked like a great idea.

I want to add gauges (water temp/oil press/alt).....and the famous Toyota pucker factor Tilt/Altimeter.

I have considered a bumper and winch up front...but so far I have not had the need for it.