First Foray into 4Runners - My 1st Gen Build

[Summit Cruisers Jr]

posting the last one in black and white... just mean... mean!

Haha it would be mean if I waited until my Blazeland WIY kit is in and installed with the truck completely back together before posting a pic. Maybe I’ll get the truck out in the sun tomorrow and post one up. It’s an Italian flavor...

Quarter panels came out so flat so I’m stoked. Like studying for a test where you don’t know if you’ll get a C or and A and end up with an A despite not feeling like you got one



And some deliveries came in yesterday and today. I bought some Method 704s a month ago when they were in stock after emailing customer support for specs as they were so new they didn’t have them listed. They said they’d clear the hubs on my 1988 4runner no problem without machining and the stock wheel size of 17x8.5 is available in the 704 so no fitment issues. I chalked that up to a typo but I think they just basically looked at a new 4runner and went with specs from one of them for mine. Still don’t know what comes with a 17x8.5 stock. Got them in and they need to be machined....

The 14” kings showed up today. I bought them from Ben @filthymotorsports back before the coronavirus shutdowns hit so it’s been a good couple months now but feels so good to finally have them. Just need to set up the rear diff and I can get going on the rear axle swap.

 

[djschlo]

Haha it would be mean if I waited until my Blazeland WIY kit is in and installed with the truck completely back together before posting a pic. Maybe I’ll get the truck out in the sun tomorrow and post one up. It’s an Italian flavor...

Quarter panels came out so flat so I’m stoked. Like studying for a test where you don’t know if you’ll get a C or and A and end up with an A despite not feeling like you got one

View attachment 588746

And some deliveries came in yesterday and today. I bought some Method 704s a month ago when they were in stock after emailing customer support for specs as they were so new they didn’t have them listed. They said they’d clear the hubs on my 1988 4runner no problem without machining and the stock wheel size of 17x8.5 is available in the 704 so no fitment issues. I chalked that up to a typo but I think they just basically looked at a new 4runner and went with specs from one of them for mine. Still don’t know what comes with a 17x8.5 stock. Got them in and they need to be machined....

The 14” kings showed up today. I bought them from Ben @filthymotorsports back before the coronavirus shutdowns hit so it’s been a good couple months now but feels so good to finally have them. Just need to set up the rear diff and I can get going on the rear axle swap.

View attachment 588751

Even in B&W, that looks like "A" work to me!

Bummer you have to have the rims machined. But I think they will look good on the 4Runner.

I didn’t realize it was going to take that long for a long travel and shock order to arrive. Looks like I need order both ASAP.

I know you are keeping the rear Chevy springs but what about shocks. Are you doing 14” kings in the rear too? Same shock mounting locations to the frame?

 

[bkg]

pretty sure that Toyota has has the same hub bore center for decades... 103.5mm, I think?

 

[Summit Cruisers Jr]

Even in B&W, that looks like "A" work to me!

Bummer you have to have the rims machined. But I think they will look good on the 4Runner.

I didn’t realize it was going to take that long for a long travel and shock order to arrive. Looks like I need order both ASAP.

I know you are keeping the rear Chevy springs but what about shocks. Are you doing 14” kings in the rear too? Same shock mounting locations to the frame?

Yeah King got hit hard with the shut downs in California and Blazeland is a different animal all together if you’re going that route. I think TC might be the only in stock front LT parts supplier but they require coilovers and hoops. The front I am running the 4” lift bilstien 5100s with the Blazeland until I can design my own arms and swap to coilovers. The 14” kings are for the rear.

pretty sure that Toyota has has the same hub bore center for decades... 103.5mm, I think?

Not sure on that, but all the newer stuff is ~106mm and hub centric. The older part time hubs require 108mm? I need to pull a wheel off again and figure out how deep I need to machine into the wheels to clear the hubs as they kind of taper. I’m betting I won’t have to have the full center bore machined so I will still be able to run center caps on the rear. Maybe I can get away with removing a couple millimeters by hand if the depth is an inch or so.

 

[djschlo]

Yeah King got hit hard with the shut downs in California and Blazeland is a different animal all together if you’re going that route. I think TC might be the only in stock front LT parts supplier but they require coilovers and hoops. The front I am running the 4” lift bilstien 5100s with the Blazeland until I can design my own arms and swap to coilovers. The 14” kings are for the rear.

Gotcha. I was planning on Blazeland WIY too but haven’t heard back after reaching out many times (calling and via website) over the last month. If I can’t get a hold to inquire/order, what kind of communication should I expect after ordering. I really wanted to put money towards nice shocks (probably Kings) over arms. But it is shaping out that TC, JD Fab or fabricating my own will be my options.

Excited to see this thing back together!

 

[Summit Cruisers Jr]

Gotcha. I was planning on Blazeland WIY too but haven’t heard back after reaching out many times (calling and via website) over the last month. If I can’t get a hold to inquire/order, what kind of communication should I expect after ordering. I really wanted to put money towards nice shocks (probably Kings) over arms. But it is shaping out that TC, JD Fab or fabricating my own will be my options.

Excited to see this thing back together!

Likewise! I’m about tired of working 15+ hour days on it everyday. Who have you been trying to contact? Nate at Blazeland isn’t doing WIY kits anymore and I think the ones he does build are a lottery system of who gets to purchase. Alex at TNA performance in Utah is who I’ve been dealing with since January for the WIY parts. There’s no way I could justify dropping several grand on arms when I could build my own so the Blazeland fit the bill perfectly just to get my feet with with the LT

 

[djschlo]

Likewise! I’m about tired of working 15+ hour days on it everyday. Who have you been trying to contact? Nate at Blazeland isn’t doing WIY kits anymore and I think the ones he does build are a lottery system of who gets to purchase. Alex at TNA performance in Utah is who I’ve been dealing with since January for the WIY parts. There’s no way I could justify dropping several grand on arms when I could build my own so the Blazeland fit the bill perfectly just to get my feet with with the LT

I bet the long days will show when you get it out of the garage. It really hope my first time doing bodywork and paint come out as nice on my Runner, looks like patience is key.

I tried contacting Nate through Blazeland.us and the phone number on the site. Had no idea someone else offered them. It might be worth trying Alex, but not hearing back from Nate left me a sour taste for Blazeland.

When I got a quote back from TC, I thought “what about the non-adamantium version?” (Wolverine from X-men reference). I’m sure they are real nice but more than I want to spend if possible. Don’t know much about LT and am new to welding/fabrication but it can’t be too difficult to fabricate most LT bits. Maybe even grab a tig welder with the money saved.

 

[bkg]

Not sure on that, but all the newer stuff is ~106mm and hub centric. The older part time hubs require 108mm. I need to pull a wheel off again and figure out how deep I need to machine into the wheels to clear the hubs as they kind of taper. I’m betting I won’t have to have the full center bore machined so I will still be able to run center caps on the rear. Maybe I can get away with removing a couple millimeters by hand if the depth is an inch or so.

I think you're correct on the 106... now I want to go out and measure the mini truck hub... i'd swear my wheel spacers fit, but I maybe dreaming

 

[Summit Cruisers Jr]

Bam! Ferrari 792 - Grigio Scuro

In some light it looks gray but in others it looks green. It’s pretty dependent on the light source and surroundings which gives it a very unique and hard to identify color. It still needs a wet sand and buff/polish and all the gloss black accents installed.





Wheel wells/quarter panels ended up not being too shabby.

 

[Loubaru]

Looks great! All the extra time spent definitely paid off

 

[Summit Cruisers Jr]

Some more “while I’m in there work”

Monstaliner inside quarters and rear floor


Noico 80 mil sound deadener. Also going to be putting it in the doors and tailgate

 

[Summit Cruisers Jr]

I still need to wet sand/buff the hardtop and some of the black accents but the majority of the truck is buffed. I’m kind of thinking I might ceramic coat it, but i don’t know much about that stuff and not too many of my friends have direct experience/feedback with it so I’m not too sure. I still need to do install some PPF in rock chip prone areas.

I used 12’ of 80 series land cruiser fender flare gasket material to make gaskets for them. Interior is back together, grille and lights are all on and working. New door and tailgate bumpers come in tomorrow so all that can go back on. Apparently the LT Blazeland stuff is shipping tomorrow and my rear diff will be ready for pick up Tuesday AM. Finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel

 

[Summit Cruisers Jr]

Mocking up the 4th gen rear axle and correcting the pinion angle. Pretty wide


I’ve also been busy designing some rear upper shock mounts, removing everything IFS and all the rear suspension. Today has been full of sandblasting and starting the Blazeland LT install from TNA







And here it is out in some sunlight with the doors on. I buffed all of the glass while it was out and scrubbed every felt wiper and soaked and scrubbed every rubber window run/wing window gasket

 

[Summit Cruisers Jr]

Hugely productive weekend with my dad. Undercoated the body, wire wheeled/cleaned the entire frame and POR15’d all the frame welds/nooks and crannies that could potentially fill or have salt and grime accumulate. Then painted the frame. Reinstalled the gas tank, gas tank shield, exhaust and heat shields, front diff, front diff LCA braces, front driveshaft with new front u joint, rear bumper, leaf springs, and shackles.


Waiting on new cam bolts and some other miscellaneous things from Toyota to come in so I can reinstall the front suspension I’ve also got the rear axle perches welded on and I’m about ready to install it. We spent all morning trying to get my new windshield and gasket in, but it seems like the glass is too tall despite using the same FW00471 windshield as someone else who swapped to that gasket. Back to work on rear shock mounts tomorrow as I couldn’t get the radius of the bend tight enough to bend in a friend’s press

 

[sweatybandit]

Nice builds! Love the 1st Gen from a fellow owner