4x4Mike's 2007 4Runner

[RobG]

Thanks Mike. My cooler is working OK right now so I think I can postpone the fridge. I didn't realize all the support elements needed.

[4x4mike]

In a quest to get the 4th gen setup similar to how the 3rd gen was I had to get a hatch light installed. The 3rd gen had a home brew CREE LED powered by a 700ma current limiting driver. These LEDs were mounted on a heatsink and installed in a housing out of an old S-10 Blazer that had an integrated switch. One thing I never liked about the housing was that the lens was very diffused.

Fast forward to the 4th gen. A hatch light is very useful as it not only lights up the cargo area of the 4Runner but also the area behind it. This is useful when working out of the back of the vehicle but also for loading and unloading. I decided to use a KC Cyclone light. They are self contained, bright and very tough. The form factor is small and slim which is nice as there is a lot going on in the hatch behind the plastic.

KC states these lights put out 516 lumens and pull a max of 0.42A (input is 6V-16V so I'm sure 516 and 0.42 came from 16v). I metered mine at 0.28A with the engine off. Overall I'm really happy with the light output and the install was very simple. Vintage UY user RunAmok runs his own company, Adventure Wired, and made the switch from a 3rd gen to 4th gen like me. We exchanged emails and he sent me some wiring info that made powering this light very easy, almost plug and play after I cut the plastic.

I counter sunk the light and mounted switch in the access door located in the hatch. This allows for easy in and out if need be and keeps me from botching a larger piece of interior plastic. Final price is about the same if not less than a home brew model if I went that route. These lights are less than $30 on Amazon which makes them reasonable for their output and use. I want to do rock lights on the 4th gen and may consider the Cyclones. The cost will be a bit high but the output will be amazing. I just need to figure out if I need that much light.

[Seanz0rz]

Love the light! I really like those Cyclone lights but the price has kept me from going for it. I guess I'll just have to save up my pennies.

[4x4mike]

Yes they are expensive for what they are but also they are also a very well built, small and weather proof light that is cheaper and more robust than something than I could put together. This was a selling point for me knowing I was going to put something there anyway. Plus it was only one light. Now I know I'll only have to do it once and never have to deal with it. That hasn't been the case with my other lights. My 3rd gen had a driver go out on a dome a long time ago and the first version of the 3rd gen hatch light over heated and turned orange so I had to rebuild.

If I use these for under body lights it will be after other more needed mods and maintenance. I'll also have to fully consider all my other options. I've looked into some but haven't been impressed. Building a set is just barely beating out the cyclones.

[Seanz0rz]

That's pretty much the conclusion I have come to. I think I will probably do rock lights on the LX first, as they are super nice when camping and we take that camping much more than the 4Runner. I don't do much night wheeling anymore (for obvious reasons), so the "rock" lights are really more "camp" lights.

I would also probably build some Lexan shields for whatever I put underneith, if nothing else than to protect the lenses from being sand blasted. Lexan can be replaced fairly easily and inexpensively, especially compared to replacing an entire light.

[4x4mike]

In a quest to outfit the 4th gen like I had the 3rd gen I needed to build a roof rack/basket. I sketched up an idea in my head and bought some steel a month or so ago. Here and there I had some time to cut and stick it together and finally got it up and on.

The idea was to build another low profile platform to hold a bunch of different things. Honestly most of my rack usage is for bringing things home from Home Depot but I also carry bikes, skis, firewood, Rotopax, TredPros and a solar panel. With the 4th gen being larger than the 3rd gen I had the opportunity to make the rack a little longer and able to carry all my stuff a little easier without stacking it on top of itself.

I copied an idea I found online for the platform and feet. I never saw his stuff in person but it wasn't hard to get the pieces to fit together. Keenan Offroad Fab (http://www.keenanoffroadfab.com/prod...-4runner-03-09) makes a platform but at $400 plus shipping I thought I could do better and make it the size I want. Material wise I'm into my platform for $200 and that includes paint and hardware.

I bought all my stock in 10 foot pieces which kept my waste to a minimum. The outer frame is 6' by 4' and the three runners (C-channel) are each 1/3 of 10'.



The idea was to make mounting pads so that I could mount some left over Yakima feet and cross bars to the rack, similar to the cross bars I had made for my last rack. This would allow me to mount all of my Yakima accessories to the rack but also give me cross bars for for lumber, boats and even an RTT if that were to happen down the road. Being removable I only need to mount the crossbars when I need them. I welded tabs onto the runners for the Yakima feet and closed in the bottom of the platform with expanded steel.



Before I painted everything I added tie down points, NMO antenna mounts and spots to mount my lighted whip and sand flag if I need them down the road. I'll probably make a small wind deflector as I get a little noise at 70+ on the freeway but I'm just happy this is on the 4Runner and out of my garage.





Another reason for the rack is that it acts as a mounting point for my awning. I made some brackets but need to burn them in and toss some paint on them before I get final pictures. These should keep the awning high and tight which I prefer to hanging out too far.

[4x4mike]

Brackets are done and painted. I think they turned out really nice considering they were drop cuts from the steel supply shop.

[YotaFun]

Been lingering watching the build Mike, its turning out fantastic!

[4x4mike]

Thanks. 4th gens were never my thing but I'm liking this one a lot. I've all but forgotten the 3rd gen although she was good to me.

Actually she pops up every once in awhile. About once a week I'll park and try to take the key out without putting the transmission in park by habit after driving the 5 speed.

[4x4mike]

Welp, poop.

We had a fantastic four days in Yosemite last weekend. Fun little trip to see the sights and the fall colors. The 4Runner did great although most of our travel was on paved roads. Things were running great and as always I was happy to make it home in one piece. Fast forward to yesterday and my couple mile trip home from the park and ride.

About a 1/2 mile from the house I got a whiff of coolant and at the same time heard my Ultra Gauge (which lives under the front seat) beep. My first thought was, "Sucks for someone next to me, they smell hot." That was until I scanned the instrument cluster real quick and saw the temp needle pointing at a red H. I rolled into my driveway, checked the Ultra Gauge and shut her down.

Default max temp for the UG is 235*. I need to look through all the instructions for that thing because as far as I know it's still configured for the 3rd gen. Either way I was unaware of the max temp setting but I'm glad it was there to alert me. My temp hit 237* on the UG in my driveway just before shutting it off. When I climbed out there was coolant pouring out the bottom of the truck at a good rate. I popped the hood and went inside to change out of my bike clothes as this had the makings of a long night.

The wife took the kids to soccer while I stayed home and filled my eye sockets and hair with hot coolant. I looked and looked and couldn't really tell where it was coming from. The overflow reservoir was about empty with no broken hoses. The upper and lower radiator hoses were intact as were the coolant lines that run through the oil filter adapter. Even after pulling the skid plate I couldn't get my seemingly giant head where I needed it nor an inspection mirror. I filled the radiator with water and the gushing continued. Coolant/water was spilling out above the oil filter from what seemed the block under the driver side head.

Looking up the oil filter onto where it attaches to the block. Coolant was flowing down from above this point.




While things cooled down and I put some food in my face I called Slimscherer as he had recently had some dealings with a thermostat on his 4.7. I caught him on a bike ride sporting lycra and shaved legs but he pointed me in some helpful directions. I also jumped on the internet and phone only to find shops closing up for the day. I've racked my brain and I can't remember a time I had the 3rd gen in a shop other than a tire shop. I spent a lot of time and money on that thing but I was able to tackle all the projects, with the exception of some machine shop work for the rear axle bearings, by myself. As such I called Adam for a Toyota shop as he's had his 4th gen and 3rd gen in for larger services. These are services I never did on the 3rd gen and I feel I was lucky I didn't strand myself as there were some high ticket items that were due to be replaced. They were also the reasons I sold the 3rd gen as I didn't want to put money into a vehicle I was potentially going to replace.

Anyways, I had the 4th gen towed from the house to a local Toyota only shop that I had heard about since I was a kid. Adam had spent a lot of money there and had good things to say about them so I had her loaded up.





When the flat bed pulled up my son was all kinds of interested. It was big, loud, and full of strobing LEDs. Under different circumstances I would be just as excited as he was but I knew this was going to be a costly repair for me. The tow driver saw my sons look and asked him if he liked tow trucks. I asked the driver if he had heard of Ron Pratt on Youtube and he said yes with a big smile. I told the driver that my son and I watch Ron's videos and that we really enjoyed them. My son was embarrassed but the driver said, "Well then of course you must know how to operate a tow truck. Why don't you run that lever right there when I tell you when." After hooking up the chains the driver let my son pull the 4Runner up the ramp of the flat bed. He was pretty excited and proud to say the least.