Consolidated into final As-Built write-up here:
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f199/rad4runners-1986-4runner-dlx-build-up-252300/index5.html#post52014626

 

Tuesday after hours, I placed order online.
Wednesday morning, got email from Don from Off Road Warehouse (distributor), saying he will have lights shipped directly from Trail Gear (manufacturer), because they're out of stock.
Thursday afternoon, this at doorstep:


Kudos to Off Road Warehouse and Trail Gear!

 

LOL I love how TG stickers only seem to come in XXXXL (still haven't put mine on yet...no space!).

Can't wait to see what you do with this mod

Doesn't come with screws....does it come with rubber grommets to prevent water from getting into where you mount them?

 

Philbert,
Correct, no screws, but I'll use 8-32's that I already have.(M4's would be ideal)
No rubber grommet, nor weather stripping; I think these were primarily made for bumper/bracket mounting where you need no water-proofing. For my application (fender-mounted) I'll just combine good weather-stripping with RTV silicone to seal.

If anyone wants the stickers, I'll be glad to to mail to you. No room for XXXXXXL stickers, either- LOL! Besides I'm not a hardcore off-roader so I do not deserve them.

 

Hey, mister, .... what happened to the CARGO AWESOMENESS MOD FRENZY????? hahaha. JK..... nice on the signals... I just can't cut, lol. The antenna on the TOP GEAR rig is a right hand drivers side.... Antenna is on the opposite side, eh? Hmmmmm. I guess they don't want the driver, in either case, grabbing onto the antenna, while driving down the road? hahaha.

 

LOL!
Hoping to finish floor and panel sound-proofing this weekend. Will prime kick panel (where clutch drip stripped paint) tonight, and ON-ON! tomorrow.

 

RAD-----With those new 12" x 125 pound coils I bet the ride is so much smoother

 

Indeed, it is, Zuk! There are a few dips on my commute where I do not have to slow down anymore - LOL! Loving it! Tnx again!
No rake, so I guess it's safe to say that:
On stock 4Runner, if your frame to leaf pack gap is 7.75 inches before the mod, 12-inch, 125-pound spring would bring it back to stock height.

BTW,
So far I have not seen any report of lower bump stop rubber getting sheared off. Does anyone know whether there really is a steel part within the rubber part to keep it strong?

Zuk,
Have you considered fabricating a lower spring perch where there is a ledge for spring to rest and not rub against the U-bolts? That would be the ideal setup. Right now, spring rests on stock bumpstop bracket so not critical.

 

You see the turn signals on the fenders overseas alot. Just something you reminded me of.

The ZUK mod really saved my back as when it would bottem out it would jar you real good. Sooo much nicer. I am fairly sure the lower bump stop is solid rubber with no metal in it. Seems like I seen a bump stop that had been cut at a bone yard and it was solid rubber

 

Hey Buddy, ... just checking in

Hope all is well... and can't wait to see all this stuff I KNOW you're doing lately up here on your thread haha...

It's a lot of work for a couple small items and yet HUGE improvements in ride quality and CAMPING quality, ya know? Glad I'm doing much of it as well. Rigs coming along nicely, RAD... keep killin it! L8r T8r

 

Success on Halloween. Just wanted to say thank you very much to the kind guys that helped me with my starter issue. Thank you rad4runner and chefyota4x4. It's been a busy past few days but I did get the circuit breaker and relay wired in on Halloween day and right when dark and trick or treaters were starting to come up I tried it and it works great. Thanks again guys for all your help! Bradley.

 

Thanks, Terry. That's why I'm concerned about shearing, altho there shold be little, if any, lateral force on those. If someone can fabricate a lower spring perch/bumpstop with a ledge so spring does not rest on the U-bolt, and at a decent price, I'll buy it.

Yep, combination of Zuk & dampening is so obvious. Now I hear thuds - not clanging- when I hit lane reflectors or bumps. And I can hear the PURR of the 22RE (spoken in the tone of the Dos Equis guy) even better - LOL!

busy at work but fun doing my "homework" stayed up til 0200Hrs this AM cleaning up my Thermo Shield layer instal. Also washed carpets in front-loading washer during lunchtime yesterday

Bradley, glad we could help. Please also post write-up on what you did.

BTW, guys, I lost my shift lever door cover (Long story) so I'm shopping for one. I think I tend to overpay at the salvage yard (LOL!) so would like to ask the shopping experts; what should be a fair price for one?
TIA

 

Not sure of a good price for lever cover. Wouldnt think they would be much. You never know with the salvages. Depends on what kind of mood they are in and that determines price.

I washed my carpets at a laundry mat and think I finally got all of the sand out. Thanks for the idea. Sand is a pain to deal with.

 

Hahaha.... Cracked me up........ "The most INTERESTING man.....in the WORLDDDD!........ Many make it up Lions Back in their 4WD's...... He does it in his 22RE 4Runner..... up the SIDE............. IN REVERSE"........ Music entails.... Closes with The Most Interesting Man in the World sitting in his 4Runner, filled with Chicks, sipping a Dos Equis(Disclaimer; Drinks it with the keys out of the ignition and while chilling by the Campfire..... Drinking and driving is a Crime, 'Please Drink Responsibly').... hehehe.

Glad you're enjoying the fruits of your labor... How's the ThermoShield working out for ya over the 'HOT SPOTS'? Seems like it deadens a bit of sound as well

Bradley, I can't tell ya how happy I am for ya! But I can, regarding how much I can relate! lol. Congratz!

 

LOL!
Yeah, sweet man. Only rattling I hear now are the tailgate stays & the valves (signs of 22RE life). Will complement the plastic stops with thin closed-cell foam, and post pics.

 

Objectives:

• Be able to turn stock deck lamp on/off without turning tail lights on,
• Keep stock controls

Find this green wire (takes 12VDC from tail light circuit).
Verify that it is the correct one. There should be 12VDC when tail light is on, none when tail light is off.

Cut it as in picture.

The side remaining in the harness should be the hot side when parking light is on. Do not use this. Insulate and tuck away.

Use side connected to connector. This should be the one without power EVEN IF taillight is on. This is the one that goes to the deck lamp. You will connect this to a tap on dome circuit.


Cleanest way would be to find exactly where it taps into tail light, but I haven't found a snorkel that would work in that spaghetti soup - LOL!

Find Black Wire with White-Stripe on fused side of dome circuit:

Verifythat it is the "fused" side. There should be 12VDC when dome fuse is in and none when dome fuse is removed.



Tap into this B-W wire...


...then connect that to green wire above. Voila!

 

Thanks for all your input, folks! This post summarizes all that I have actually done on this sound deadening project.

MATERIALS:

• Peel and Seal for sound-deadening. Adding mass to panel minimizes tendency to vibrate and sound like a tin can. Five 6"x25' Rolls @$16.42 each from Lowes. Enough to cover all but the areas that already have original tar vibration deadener.
• Thermoshield for thermal insulation from driver side firewall to left half of passenger floor (exhaust runs below this), passenger side firewall to front floor. Around $35 from Pep Boys. Thanks, Chef, for the tip.
• Best Step Anti-fatigue mat primarily for insulation and cushioning on rear deck. @$22 from Sears. Remaining material was used from under front seat to under rear seat.
• Yoga/exercise mat (3/8-inch thick) for lots of sound insulation where thicker is OK. From Big Lots, @$15 approx 30" x 72".
• General purpose spray adhesive, approx $10 from Home Depot. Used sparingly and only where necessary.
• Ensolite from RAAMMAt, for insulating where there's not much room for additional thickness. 36 inches x 56 inches. 2 pieces of plain (glue-on), and 2 pieces of peel & stick version. (Only 3 pieces would have been enough, but oh well...) Total $78.

Rear Deck, Side Panels, Doors and Tailgate do not have any sound-dampening treatment at all...

I peeled and sealed all accessible panels, except for floor where there is already stock vibration deadener.



REAR DECK APPLICATION:
Originally, there was particle board wrapped in carpet on rear deck. It looked stock (maybe part of rear seat delete option), but weighed 25 pounds! I removed that.



Bed looked stock based on how cleanly it was cut, how well it fit the shape of deck and the color of the adhesive used (red).



Applied P&S & built up the valleys with some rubbery material I happened to have. Remnants of the anti-fatigue mat above would work, too.



Trimmed anti-fatigue mat to fit around wheelwell, and tie-downs:





Got idea from Chef who has an SR5 to secure carpet to expansion nuts.


DRIVER'S SIDE
Kept stock vibration-damping material. Used remnants of Thermo-Shield to build up valleys. Here you'll also see P&S on tranny hump and double-layer on accessible areas of firewall.


Applied Thermo-shield from firewall all the way back to passenger floor. Exhaust pipe is below all that.


I would eventually fine-trim around kick panel. Still need to modify footrest to fit all that added thickness.


Next layer is 3/8-inch thick exercise mat as high as I could access on firewall. Seemed a better acoustic insulating material than the anti-fatigue mat. I initially calculated to put Ensolite here but turned out it was not needed anymore; Ensolite's benefit would be insignificant compared to this 3/8" think foam.


Needed cut-outs to clear clutch and gas pedal travels.


Carpet back on:


LEFT-REAR PASSENGER SECTION

Above the exhaust so Thermo-Shield was needed:

There was a little dip and I happened to have packaging foam sitting around so why not put extra insulation?


Anti-fatigue mat.


Plenty of room to build thickness so original carpet padding came back.


Carpet back:


FRONT PASSENGER

Thermo-Shield up to accessible areas on firewall:


Exercise Mat to tame the "purr of the 22R-E"


TRANSMISSION HUMP/CONSOLE:

Peel & Seal applied then Themo Shield:

Traced out cut-outs for shift lever cover:



Thermo Shield on the rest of hump:


Then anti-fatigue mat on:


Anti-fatigue mat had clearance openings to minimize bulk and accommodate console & seatbelt where necessary:





Carpet back:

Note that my console now awaits the cup holder mod

SIDE PANELS / SPEAKERS
Peeled & Sealed side panels. Note that later, I would relocate harness so it is completely behind columns to simplify future work on panels.

Before (Harness snakes to front and behind columns):

After (harness now behind columns):


Ground points also relocated to behind the columns. Nut sanded down to bare metal is seen here through my inspection mirror:

My inspection mirror:
Correct, I am not insecure =D

Also relocated 6x9 speakers to side of rear seats:
Speaker is mounted behind the particle board "ring". Stock grill covers it. I'll make that pretty later.

I had enough of the RAAMAudio Ensolite so I applied to back of the side panels.


I haven't done the doors, yet but they will get same treatment.

 

Before I get my cab painted, I want to get roof rack mounting holes ready.

Super Thanks to:
RBX for sharing his install info, and
Chefyota for finding the Blazer racks, saving me a trip to the PYP.

I have decided to use risen rails like RBX's. Advantages:
a) No need to buy feet (aka towers) that are pricey
b) Rails always there for quick tiedown/light loading jobs.
c) Stock load bars are aerodynamic, help make the whole thing rigid and help secure load.
d) I can tie longer load bars in a pinch- I'm an engineer, boy scout, sailor (been in investigation for fatal accident and seen enough bloody training pics of "what could happen IF...") & climber so I trust my knots

MY PLAN:
Move rear mounts farther to rear to clear the quarter window molding. Rearmost mounting screw will clear plastic trims and I'm willing to cut into the topliner trim because it is superficial.


Move front mounts a little forward to maximize length.


RBX,
EXCELLENT left-to-right rack spacing! Wanna do same as yours, and would appreciate your help figure out how much to trim the load-bars.
May I know how far apart screw centers are (left to right)?

TIA, and happy holidays!

 

Holy WOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWEEEEEEEEE! You really went full on SPACE SHUTTLE INSULATION on this thing! ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE planning and execution, Rad! Seriously... GREAT work! That thing has to be the softest, most quiet 4Runner in CA! lol.... Maybe PERIOD! hahaha.

Nice on the speaker install... Really nice. I've been keeping my eyes open for a spare panel as to maybe modify it or build my own like the rear ones I did... AND THEN install the speakers... Meh, some day... for now, mine are mint... I just can't cut em. But they DO turn up, ya know?

Now I have 2 pairs of PERFECTLY mint rear OEM Panels I got at the yards..... Access doors, corners, edges, ... not a single chip in em, etc. I'm sure I'll have no problem getting rid of them. I think if people shot them with that Truck Bed stuff or maybe even that "Spray on Rubber" stuff... it would SERIOUSLY strengthen them up... Not to the point that they'll support 6x9s on their own without future drama pending, lol... BUT, strong enough that they're quieter and less likely to screw up. I think RBX also wrapped his in Sunbrella Fabric... GREAT idea. I'm good with the wood, lol.. BUT, it's a great idea for "OEM OR NOTHING" ideals, ya know?

Take care, bud... and hopefully see ya soon!

 

Yur truck should be real quite in there now. Looks like your roof rack is coming along well. You have been busy and doing great work. Great job!!