CheeseRunner Project

Chris In Milwaukee

Chris In Milwaukee

Ain’t no mo’
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Okay, I don't know what else to call it. But since you guys seem to love overlanding 5th gens, I thought I'd give my project a stupid name and throw it out there for shame and ridicule.

Starting point:

1586642901107.png

Lucky enough to earn a bonus at work this year, so I ordered a Dobinsons 2.5/1.5 lift with UCAs and twin-tube shocks/struts. Also ordered a Victory 4x4 Blitz lo-profile winch bumper.

I imagine the suspension stuff will arrive in fairly short order since it's in stock in Miami. Not sure what the manufacturing lead time is currently for Victory stuff. But that lead time will give me a bit of a head start in recovering from this purchase so I can have a winch at the ready before I paint and install the bumper (I ordered it unfinished so I didn't have to wait for powder coating lead times, too).

Never a rock crawler, this one. But I hope to get out and at least enjoy the trails with it.
 
Itaro

Itaro

Seriously, FJB
Joined
Oct 5, 2018
Messages
13,115
Chris In Milwaukee said:
Okay, I don't know what else to call it. But since you guys seem to love overlanding 5th gens, I thought I'd give my project a stupid name and throw it out there for shame and ridicule.

Starting point:

View attachment 21467

Lucky enough to earn a bonus at work this year, so I ordered a Dobinsons 2.5/1.5 lift with UCAs and twin-tube shocks/struts. Also ordered a Victory 4x4 Blitz lo-profile winch bumper.

I imagine the suspension stuff will arrive in fairly short order since it's in stock in Miami. Not sure what the manufacturing lead time is currently for Victory stuff. But that lead time will give me a bit of a head start in recovering from this purchase so I can have a winch at the ready before I paint and install the bumper (I ordered it unfinished so I didn't have to wait for powder coating lead times, too).

Never a rock crawler, this one. But I hope to get out and at least enjoy the trails with it.
Click to expand...
But are you a packers fan?



We make fun of 5th gens because of the ignorance and attitude of the 5th gen overlanders. We have quite a few friends with 5th gens but they don’t do stupid things like buy skottles and turn their ditch lights on for small puddles
 
Chris In Milwaukee

Chris In Milwaukee

Ain’t no mo’
Joined
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North Woods, WI USA
Itaro said:
But are you a packers fan?

We make fun of 5th gens because of the ignorance and attitude of the 5th gen overlanders. We have quite a few friends with 5th gens but they don’t do stupid things like buy skottles and turn their ditch lights on for small puddles
Click to expand...

I married into the Packers phenomenon (well, the entire Wisconsin sports phenomenon). So I guess you could say there's some allegiance there. :rockon:

I'm not feeling the ditch light thing. It's interesting, but seems like a PITA to clean around. You know, with me living within a mile of the carwash and all. Skittles... taste the rainbow I have not.
 
Itaro

Itaro

Seriously, FJB
Joined
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Messages
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Chris In Milwaukee said:
Holy cow. Just got notifications that everything is shipping, and most of it should be here by Thursday. Should be a fun weekend. I wasn't expecting the bumper for weeks, and here it might arrive by the weekend (coming from Michigan). Better go buy a torque wrench.
Click to expand...
Awesomesauce, can’t wait to see pics
 
AssBurns

AssBurns

will wheel for beer
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Chris In Milwaukee said:
Holy cow. Just got notifications that everything is shipping, and most of it should be here by Thursday. Should be a fun weekend. I wasn't expecting the bumper for weeks, and here it might arrive by the weekend (coming from Michigan). Better go buy a torque wrench.
Click to expand...
Wait, you build fucking airplanes and you don't own a torque wrench yet? lol
 
kasnerd

kasnerd

Danny's Red Headed Step Child
Joined
Aug 15, 2019
Messages
4,791
You are going to absolutely romp and lay waste to that grocery store parking lot. No curb too tall, no speed bump too high!

Srsly, I'd say welcome to the build club...but its more more like Alice in Wonderland. You ate the wrong cookie, Alice. Looking forward to the trip. Heh. Is the 4r your daily driver? Also plenty o time to install, unless you are still designated as an "essential" (sacrificial) worker.

If you are going to do tires, wheels etc, think about re-gearing and doing a front locker. Bigger than 33"s on stock gear ratios, there's better ways to go through life...
 
4runner DOA

4runner DOA

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kasnerd said:
You are going to absolutely romp and lay waste to that grocery store parking lot. No curb too tall, no speed bump too high!

Srsly, I'd say welcome to the build club...but its more more like Alice in Wonderland. You ate the wrong cookie, Alice. Looking forward to the trip. Heh. Is the 4r your daily driver? Also plenty o time to install, unless you are still designated as an "essential" (sacrificial) worker.

If you are going to do tires, wheels etc, think about re-gearing and doing a front locker. Bigger than 33"s on stock gear ratios, there's better ways to go through life...
Click to expand...

Oh, he's gonna get the bug. We still don't have any real 5th gen builds here yet. It's just a matter of time.
 
Chris In Milwaukee

Chris In Milwaukee

Ain’t no mo’
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honda250xtitan said:
Nice bumper. Twin tube shocks tho? Why? They just released their mono tube series, look promising.
Click to expand...

Great question. First reason:

1587043486708.png1587043497052.png

Second reason, I really don't need them. I'm not a desert bomber rock crawler type, so didn't feel the need to spend the money. I got front struts and springs, rear shocks and springs, new UCAs, and had the struts fully assembled and ball joints installed in the UCAs for $1700. Nearly double that if I went with fancy anodized whizbangs. I think I'm good for the moment. If I need more, there's definitely an upgrade path.

Third reason came from Mike from Exit Offroad:

https://www.toyota-4runner.org/2662812-post147.html

If that's TLDR;, here's a couple of snips:

"Twin tubes are better suited for higher speed corrugated roads, like in Australia, and will fade less overtime than a monotube. The debate has gone on for years. Monotubes have a piston inside a single (mono) tube, then 2mm or 3mm wall, then you're outside. So without a lot of airflow over them, they get hot. All shocks get hot though. "

"Plus, Americans are going nuts for resi shocks, even when they don't need them..."

So short story, until I need them, I think I'm good at the moment. And I don't know what I don't know. I mean, how hot can these things get hopping the parking blocks at Piggly Wiggly?

As others have asked, this is my daily driver, so paved roads are its primary appetite. And Wisconsin roads generally suck most of the time, so not getting beat to death around town is a good thing. I'm going to spend some time with some of the local offroad groups once we get out of this whatever this is. I haven't explored the state hardly at all. There are said to be some great trails up in the Nicolet National Forest up by Lake Superior. Once I figure out how to drive this thing properly, then I'll see about getting more adventurous. Baby steps.

I do want to get to 33s at some point, whether they be 285/70s or 255/80s, so I need to think about those other things you've all mentioned. One local guy who drives the same year as mine just got his BMC so he can get 33s on this week. I'll monitor his progress and see if I need to follow his lead. No chance of anything larger than that on this machine. Re-gearing is really attractive, though, if (when) this goofy thing gets heavier or I go and buy one of those $150K Australian adventure trailers. So is the front locker when that day comes. No reason not to lock it when regearing.

I'm orchestrating this build so I don't have to "undo" anything to move forward. Suspension first to support the weight of the bumper (second). Then sliders, skids (since they go over the slider mounts), then maybe a roof rack of higher capacity. I have a trailer, so rack isn't really that important, although I do tend to make impromptu trips to Menards without the trailer. So we'll see. Beyond that, tires. Those could show up anywhere, really.

I do have a wild-ass idea of rear storage that goes in/under the rear deck where the spare is, which means rear bumper/tire carrier. More weight. Yay. But it would solve the biggest problem I hate about this truck: zero internal storage.

Anyway, I'll post progress photos as things progress. Appreciate your interest, experiences, and opinions! Unless they're dumb. :beerscheers:
 
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H

honda250xtitan

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Twin tubes immediately fade. The oil and air are mixed. So cavitation happens as soon as the piston starts to work. :shrug:

price and reviews on those are unbeatable tho. You’re gonna love it
 
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