2001 4x4 4runner build. At Molasses pace

[SOAZ]

Tim,
Bud built now offers aluminum and thinner steel options. Do you think either would be a good option to shed weight while still offering protection?

I have a tacoma double cab, and if it stays in the fleet, I want some better protection underneath. Not heavy rock crawling, but here in Colorado we have a lot of granite, so your always doing a little bit. Just curious what you think.

Thanks.

njtacoma,
When I got these skids he was offering those too for a significant increase in cost. I went with mine because they were used and dirt cheap. I completely think that the aluminum or thinner steel ones would be more than enough for most offroading. Even in the light rock crawling I've done I can sense when I am going to hit a skidplate and I can feel/hear it when I do. I back off and pick a better line.
For me, keeping the truck lightweight is a big priority as long as it's not at an extreme cost. No matter how much money I "can" spend on a truck part I try to keep in mind that once installed/bought it's worth very little so the cost/benefit must be high.

I guess one thing to keep in mind, IF the normal thicker skids are still way cheaper, is that low weight is the best weight. So, if you have to add weight, these skids are in the absolute best place on the truck to add it. The worst weight you can add is roof weight or unsprung weight(wheel/tire). That being said, if they are the same price, adding less weight is the best!

 

[njtacoma]

Thanks for the opinion. I doubt I will go for the aluminum because of the price, but he will do 1/8 instead for the same price as 3/16th. Undecided still, but good to gather opinions.

 

[summerprophet]

Ryan,
I use an ultra skinny tire to help it tuck.
QUOTE]
Tim,
Looking to follow in your footsteps regarding the spare location. What is this ultra skinny spare you speak of? 255/85r16? I haven't been able to find anything skinnier. Also, if you remember, what size were your (modified) crossbars? Any relocation of the tire winch?

I have a 2" body / 2" suspension lift, so revising the spare mount would open up a LOT of clearance.

REALLY nice rig man.

Justin

 

[89s rule]

Tim,
Looking to follow in your footsteps regarding the spare location. What is this ultra skinny spare you speak of? 255/85r16? I haven't been able to find anything skinnier. Also, if you remember, what size were your (modified) crossbars? Any relocation of the tire winch?

I have a 2" body / 2" suspension lift, so revising the spare mount would open up a LOT of clearance.

REALLY nice rig man.

Justin

Depends on the size rim and what height tire your looking for. 235/85/16 is a good alternative as well if you dont need the extra height of the 255s.

 

[SOAZ]

Ryan,
I use an ultra skinny tire to help it tuck.
QUOTE]
Tim,
Looking to follow in your footsteps regarding the spare location. What is this ultra skinny spare you speak of? 255/85r16? I haven't been able to find anything skinnier. Also, if you remember, what size were your (modified) crossbars? Any relocation of the tire winch?

I have a 2" body / 2" suspension lift, so revising the spare mount would open up a LOT of clearance.

REALLY nice rig man.

Justin

Thanks Justin,
The cross bars I put in were 1 inch tubing. I thought there was no need for them to be too strong or heavy given what they do. I use a 235/85/16 spare. It's about an inch thinner and about an inch shorter. Not ideal, but I generally have been able to plug any flat I get. (With the exception of a 5 inch sidewall gash, which I plugged and it held for a day of offroading and then blew the plugs. Dangerous, but at low speeds almost anything is pluggable to me.)

I left the winch where it was, but by moving it up 2 or 3 inches you'd be able to tuck a 255/85/16 nicely!
Because of the diameter of a 255/85/16 it hangs down a lot more than the 1 inch difference between it and a 235. It hits more cross bracing and hangs down almost 3 inches more than a 235 in stock location.

Good luck, post pics!

 

[xcmountain80]

You know you can fit up to a 295 in the spare spot......

A

 

[SOAZ]

You know you can fit up to a 295 in the spare spot......

A

Nope, not on my truck, although a 295 is a bit shorter than a 255. With where my rear bumpers main cross beam is the 255 (even deflated) hits the trac bar. Keep in mind that I built my own rear bumper so it's not like any stock or bolt on bumper.

 

[xcmountain80]

Nope, not on my truck, although a 295 is a bit shorter than a 255. With where my rear bumpers main cross beam is the 255 (even deflated) hits the trac bar. Keep in mind that I built my own rear bumper so it's not like any stock or bolt on bumper.

Oh yea forgot about the bumper, yes my 295 with OD 33.3" is fully deflated and polishes the panhard bar .

A

 

[shmabs]

Snorkel

SOAZ,

I remember reading a while back that you installed the snorkel to help with dust intake. I live in a fairly wet climate, but during the summer i end up driving a lot of inland forest service roads, and after a few relatively long trips my air filter is slammed with dust. I was wondering if you could post your thoughts and results on your snorkel now that it has been installed for some time,

Thanks

Mike

 

[SOAZ]

SOAZ,

I remember reading a while back that you installed the snorkel to help with dust intake. I live in a fairly wet climate, but during the summer i end up driving a lot of inland forest service roads, and after a few relatively long trips my air filter is slammed with dust. I was wondering if you could post your thoughts and results on your snorkel now that it has been installed for some time,

Thanks

Mike

Sure Mike. I installed it while I was offroading 6 days a week for work. Sometimes 30 and sometimes a couple hundred miles a day of dirt. Sometimes rockcrawling in 4 low and sometimes blasting along graded dirt roads. In silty dusty areas I could replace my air filter every couple of days if I was being anal about it so I installed the top spin. I put it at a height to help with water crossings, but primarily it was to clean the incoming air.
After I installed it I actually didn't believe that it was doing as good of a job as it appeared. I actually looked for a hole in my intake after the filter somewhere. I figured that my filter was so clean because I must have bumped something or forgotten to tighten something in the line AFTER the filter where air was getting in. It was just too clean. Month after month it was still clean. Crazy. It worked so well I was happy, but amazed.
After a couple years the filter started to get dirtier than I remembered it used to so I pulled the fender off and resealed a few new spots that developed a gap in the intake ducting. It's been back to the same great results since. Still using the original Donaldson Top Spin. Through water or dust it's been a nice practical upgrade.
(the only regret I had about the whole install was explaining to people what the hell the spinning thing was. "It can't be a snorkel because it should be above your roof" "Is that one of those Tornado fuel savers? Does it work?" Yes, it's a snorkel and no the ones at the roof line don't make it so you can go that deep anyway. Yes, it's a tornado fuel saver and I now get 55MPG around town.) So, I painted the outside of the plastic, except for a small window that faces me, black so no one can stare at it spinning. No one has asked me what it is for over a year. :sombrero:

 

[shmabs]

Snorkel

Very good info, thanks for the update. I will likely deal with a lot more rain that you did simply due to my current location, but im not too worried about that.

Might i ask what you were doing for work that involved you hitting dirt six days a week? feel free to pm

Mike

 

[SOAZ]

Very good info, thanks for the update. I will likely deal with a lot more rain that you did simply due to my current location, but im not too worried about that.

Might i ask what you were doing for work that involved you hitting dirt six days a week? feel free to pm

Mike

PM coming over.
Regarding rain and water, it does well with that too. It seems to seperate the moisture just like the dust and you'll actually see water flying out of the topspin just like dust does. Pretty neat except I found myself staring at it to an unsafe point!

 

[SOAZ]

Had fun exploring and hunting today.

 

[shmabs]

Awesome shots....it looks gorgeous down there!

 

[SOAZ]

Awesome shots....it looks gorgeous down there!

Thanks! It's been a wet winter. You mean up here. ;-)

:bike_rider: Gotta have options: