You could eat off it

[paddlenbike]

I can definitively say the chassis will never look this good again. New suspension and new paint all-around. Removed the skidplating and beat everything back into shape best I could.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-TOCeGze4vyw/Txel41OXW9I/AAAAAAAAGe0/fkSNuvs1nhc/s400/IFS1.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-N6TOmyxhARw/Txel4-Wc7hI/AAAAAAAAGew/gbACKLScjQY/s640/chassis3.jpg

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-H8wsWJOTjFE/Txel4yAzGSI/AAAAAAAAGfA/ZcGw0o9_YiA/s640/chassis4.jpg

Am I just super AR, or do you do the occasional mud/rust/dent removal too?

[Seanz0rz]

i try to remove mud as i come across it, and i did pound one dent out of my skid a while back. other than that, its the bottom of my truck, if i see a spot of rust ill hit it with some rustoleum or something, but thats about it.

[RR DIFF LOCK]

WOW, paddlenbike, that looks awesome! Looks NEW! You're definitely helping to extend the life out of all of your components. My cross members and factory skid plates are all chewed up and could stand a nice sanding (or pounding!) and re-paint. Did you use the Rustoleum semi-gloss black spray paint? Please advise - I'd like to do the same. Yours looks like the factory finish - that's what I want! Thanks in advance.

[slosurfer]

:clap: Ken, you are crazy! That looks amazing. Now it is time to go get it dirty.

[paddlenbike]

Did you use the Rustoleum semi-gloss black spray paint? Please advise - I'd like to do the same. Yours looks like the factory finish - that's what I want! Thanks in advance.


Exactly--semi-gloss Rustoleum. I sprayed everything down with SimpleGreen, wiped with a cloth and hit it with paint. The rear shocks, which are only 3 mos old BTW, had zero paint left after Death Valley, so I pretty much bombed everthing with paint to keep it from rusting.

I am sure my neighbors were thrilled with the sound of the 10# sledge I used to straighten the skidplates. http://home.off-road.com/~kemanuel/emoticons/hahano.gif

Chris--name the time and place and we'll go get them dirty. :)

[emptypockets]

So, the question begging to be asked is: how long did it take? Seriously, it just looks WOW! I agree that it's time to get her dirty again.

[Lee]

wow looks great!

i need to do some painting myself. it is a never ending battle against surface rust up here though :(

[Ric]

wooooow, looks awesome, and i thought i liked mine to be clean, lol

[paddlenbike]

So, the question begging to be asked is: how long did it take? Seriously, it just looks WOW!

Lee--I don't envy the rust issues you guys have back east. It has got to be discouraging to see your vehicle bubbling with rust. I went to Wisconsin a couple of years ago and couldn't believe the number of four year-old cars where you could see though the door panels.

The whole process took about 3 hours. It would have taken considerably longer but the week we spent in the desert of Death Valley sandblasted the entire undercarriage, so I had no rust to scrape. I just cleaned and bombed with paint; had enough time at the end of the day to squeeze in a paddle.

[slosurfer]

Chris--name the time and place and we'll go get them dirty. :)



How about Pismo in October? I think scottiac is going to make it. All that new paint will come in handy for the creek crossing. :thumbup:

[Ringmaster]

Whew lotta work but well worth it. :clap:

Wanna come out west and do mine? I'll buy the paint and the beer.

[slosurfer]

Audrey and I were considering going out to Colorado in early October to visit her uncle and to do some wheeling--Black Bear Pass, Imogene Pass, etc. If the trip does not come together, we would be interested in joining you guys.


OH, I would so want to go to there over Pismo. I don't blame you. We did a couple passes there last summer. Immogene and Black Bear were still closed though. :(

[Tanto]

I'm sure you'll be appreciating the cleanliness when you're working under your rig in the near future and dirt isn't falling in your eyeballs.

[garrett]

i usually just spray paint the mud black :hillbill:

[scottiac]

Hey Ken, as long as you're coming over to help replace my suspension... I got lots of cans of rattle-black! :D

[paddlenbike]

Hey Ken, as long as you're coming over to help replace my suspension... I got lots of cans of rattle-black! :D




Wifey would be pretty upset if I painted you black. I can probably help you with the suspension though. ;)

[Lee]

:lol:

[scottiac]

Wifey would be pretty upset if I painted you black. I can probably help you with the suspension though. ;)


We were just painting a friends new house last week, and I ran a paint roller down her back (it was clean at the time, but she didn't know that.) I think at that point, she would have happily held me down for you to have at it... :chair:

[paddlenbike]

The pics at the beginning of this thread are 5 years old but I had to dig this thread up anyway. A couple of you (no names will be mentioned, Mike and Sean (http://www.ultimateyota.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=26&topic=8443.105)) recently commented that my truck's chassis was dirtier than you preferred to see. So I threw an hour at it, knocking the mud out and spraying it down with WD40 (removes grease). Rocksliders were repainted last month.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FN8Bu6I-9GQ/T4ZvBkDeC6I/AAAAAAAAGug/Dhu8m7hHEPI/s640/DSC_0082.jpg

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-GGD5MSvGEw4/T4ZvCS0R77I/AAAAAAAAGuo/DKz_xZlMN_s/s640/DSC_0088.jpg

I'm not sure what value it served other than VERY temporary bragging rights. :hillbill:

[04 Rocko Taco]

How much would it cost for you to clean up my truck like this? Engine bay and underside... I'll give you $5 and all the burgers you can eat, whataya say? :hillbill:

[Obi..]

:lol: Ya forgot the plane flight from Sac, CA to TN?


:D I haven't even bothered to do more than a basic spray down a couple weeks back, WTH, it's still gonna rain for a few more weeks man. ;)

~Come down to Stockton (http://forum.ih8mud.com/ca-l-county-trailcrew/575566-valley-hybrids-stockton-ca-cruiser-swap-meet.html) Saturday. It'd be good to see some people, or in your case finally meet in person rather than a horn honk every few years while flying by each other on the interstate. :D

There's already a couple 90's 4Runners and a 90's X-Cab crashing the party. I'll even have a couple of bikes up for sale and the ground will be wet enough to dirty up your rig again. ;)

[Robinhood4x4]

You missed a spot! :D

[paddlenbike]

You missed a spot! :D


I love how well these things are built--nothing is leaking under there and aside from my heavily-dented fuel tank skid plate, everything looks quite good.

Obi, my 4Runner is not drivable right now, but I appreciate the offer. Most of the exhaust system is on my workbench and I have an accessory wiring re-model going on to accommodate some upcoming mods. :)

[4x4mike]

I'm not sure what value it served other than VERY temporary bragging rights. :hillbill:


Well, what it does is it confirms your love for black bottoms.

Honestly you have to be taken out of the running for clean under carriage as the truck isn't daily driven and most certainly not in the rain. Mine sits in the driveway where yesterday it was pelted with hail and has since been doused with about 12 hours of rain.

[paddlenbike]

^^ I purposely left the 850 out last night for that reason. It rained hard enough that even the pterodactyl poop washed off.

I have nothing to offer on the subject of "black bottoms."

[Robinhood4x4]

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FN8Bu6I-9GQ/T4ZvBkDeC6I/AAAAAAAAGug/Dhu8m7hHEPI/s640/DSC_0082.jpg


Just curious if the rubber on your tuned mass damper thingy is still good or if it's cracked. It's the part hanging down in the upper left of this picture.

[4x4mike]

You mean the thing you can tell he amor-all'd?

[4x4mike]

I decided to wash my 4runner this evening. With a family now I hardly have time to take a shizzle but thought this was important. It was scrubbed with natural ingredients (hard rain and a couple of minutes of hail) and left to air dry. I even involved my 3 year old in the process.


04/12/2012 Storm (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UC7XEkxJm8#ws)

[Robinhood4x4]

You mean the thing you can tell he amor-all'd?


Yeah, the part that I said he missed.

[4x4mike]

I'm sure his damper is in perfect condition. My '99 damper is in really good condition. IIRC replacement cost is really expensive on the damper and bracket.

[Robinhood4x4]

I only ask because this guy's is cracked.

http://www.azfj.org/index.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=6169&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=15

[paddlenbike]

You mean the thing you can tell he amor-all'd?


You guys suck. :lol: I think mine is fine but I will take a closer look tonight when I clay bar, polish and wax my transfercase. :flipoff:

Mike, that rain/hail was crazy yesterday--my drainage was working hard to keep up. On the up-side, the 850 got a free pressure washing.

[Bob98SR5]

mike,

what, you didn't soap it down while all the rain was falling? my bmw got a wash down a few days ago and the neighbors looked at me like i was nuts. but oooh, who had the shiniest fawking 36 yr old BMW on the block?!!

[paddlenbike]

I only ask because this guy's is cracked.


I checked...no cracks.

[Robinhood4x4]

Thanks.

[troyboy162]

wheel that thing lol. All I see is an undercarriage that has never been shown a good time

[paddlenbike]

I do an occasional cleanup (5 years since last time I did it) to check for problems, pound out skid plates & repaint and lube the ds.