[Mike C]

Time to start up a build thread, the fab work on the rear bumper has started

Here is the rear bumper that came on the 4runner



And this is what I came up with in Solidworks



Picked up some steel Friday after work, and started making cuts. After I finished the angled cuts on both ends I mocked it up on the back of the truck. It was 2 inches to wide to start with, and I decided it would look better if I raised the side bars up slightly. So I went back to work on the Solidworks model, making a few changes. I only did one side of the model, to get the proper print drawings I needed for templates.

Here is the first mockup on the truck.



I shortened one side, and corrected the angle on the other side. Then I sanded the surface down and sprayed it with weld through primer. Its looking pretty good, I am going to try to cut the caps tonight and tack weld those in place. I also need to cut the holes for the clevis/mounting tabs.







I am going to wait on cutting the side bars until I have the mounting tabs and can weld those in place. I need to make sure the side bars are level with the body. I am having Scratch cut the brackets for me

[Mike C]

I cut out some steel plates to fill in the angled cuts on the bumper today. Used the little 110 welder, had to turn the wire speed down to get a good hot bead on it. I think the welds turned out pretty good? I will go over to Odies to use his welder on the side bars and mounting brackets though. I would feel better with those parts welded in place with a proper welder But I will use mine to tack them in place before hand.

[odie]

So far, so good. Let me know if you need help.
I'm a great supervisor.

[Mike C]

odie, on 30 June 2009 - 07:08 PM, said:

So far, so good. Let me know if you need help.
I'm a great supervisor.

One of the best

[Mike C]

Spent the past 3 days working on the rear bumper, turned out pretty good

Prepping the brackets





Went to test fit the bumper, found out I marked the hole locations wrong... Off by 5 inches on either side... Made new holes and got 'er on the truck, time for a beer



Welded the mounts in and filled the holes before calling it a night.



Welded in the shackle tubes



Got the side bars welded in place







Didn't like how the tubes looked sitting flush with the back of the bumper, so I notched them back slightly.





Added some guessets in the corners



Did a little more sanding with the flap wheel and got some paint laid down

[Mike C]

Looks like I have to get it ready to wheel now, so sliders are up next. So I fired up Solidworks and started drawing something up. I wanted a kick out again, as I liked how it would kick me off tree's. I might change a few angles, but overall I think this is the look I want.

I will be picking up the steel this weekend, and start bending on Saturday.

[Mike C]

Spent some time over at Odies this weekend and fab'ed up some sliders

[Mike C]

Half doors? Almost done with one, starting on the passenger side door now

[Mike C]

Here are the plugs I used on my doors, so I could swap them out quickly.








And a couple pics of the half doors finished, on the trail.

[austintaco]

What's up Gold brotha? It's Austintaco from YT (Patrick).Just checking out the Minnesota site to see if anything cool popped up. I pop in here from time to time when I am bored, and they used to have some old photos of my rig in action when Doug owned it. Anyway, I was always impressed with the knowledge and the people on the forum so I make it back every now and then.

Your rig looks great, dude.

[Mike C]

Hey Patrick, good to hear from you over here


Here is a list of trails I have conquered with teh 4runner so far up in Gilbert.
Skull road
Split personality
Attitude alley (both sides)
Table top rocks (taking the middle line)
No show rock crawl (inside loop)
On the edge
Sauna rocks
Lower money talks
Section of Lone pine
Rock Gorge (full upper stretch)
Gumbys rocks (Upper and lower sections)
Sidewall
High Voltage (skipped the log climb)
Low Voltage
Berry trail
Fly Trap
Roving explorer (both directions)

Not to many trails I haven't done with it yet... I'll be looking for harder lines once I have some gearing, a locker would help in a few spots as well

[Mike C]

Got some new tires last week, thanks for the hook up Gordy

35x12.5 Good Year MT/R's with Kevlar sidewalls.

[Dan_E]

Those new Goodyear MTRs with Kevlar are great. They ride pretty quiet, wear well and depending on which way you mount them actually handle pretty nicely too. If you're putting them on a street rig, you can mount them the opposite direction that you did and they handle a bit better on pavement on corners.

I was going to put them on my truck, but I got a really good deal on a set of General Grabber AT2s, which work better on the snow than my mud terrain tires did. Anyway, good build up so far!

[Mike C]

Thanks Dan

didn't hear about them handling better in corners with them flipped, but with 35's I don't plan to race it around corners either.

I was torn between these tires and the new KM2's. The KM2's looked better and were cheaper too. But in the end the MT/R's sounded like the better all aroudn tire for what I wanted.

[Mike C]

Installed TG high steer the other weekend, much better then the worn out stock steering

Also gathering parts to upgrade my front brakes. I got a set of spare wheel hubs from Odie that I am going to clean up and install new wheel bearings in. Picked up some rotors from Napa and new wheel studs. Ordered the wheel bearings from Low Range off road, along with some other small parts. Going to pick up some rotors this week as well.

I should have everything ready to install by next weekend. I am going to paint the new hubs and press the bearings in. Install the new rotors and wheel studs. Should make for a quick and easy swap having most of the work done ahead of time

Also ordered up the rear brake conversion kit from this guy http://www.muchadopr...read.php?t=1832 I still need to buy a GM master cylinder and a brake proportioning valve. I have not decided yet if I am going to have the old rotors turned down or buy new ones yet. Either way the rotors need the inside ID machined.

Total brake cost so far....

2 Rotors - $65
12 front wheel studs - $30
Front wheel bearings - $80
HF bearing race install kit - $30
Rear brake kit/gm MC adapter - $125
Front brake pads - $20

Total $350


And parts I still need

2 V6 front calipers - $50 (junkyard)
2 V6 caliper rebuild kit - $20
2 SA caliper rebuild kit - $20
Brake proportioning valve with adapters - $90
GM master cylinder - $25
New Ubolts to swap in IFS rear axle - $40
New rear calipers $50

Total $295

Also need to buy some caliper paint, and the small hardware for the calipers. I was trying to do the brakes on the cheap, but it doesn't feel very cheap Going to wait a little bit before I do the rear brakes, my wallet needs some recovery time.