What area of cbus are you? I'm on the north end around morse road. I do a lot of wheeling and have a ton of mods on my runner.

 

I'm on east broad st by the new menards right now, I was living on 161 and Cleveland ave. Nice to talk to ya. So where do you hit the trails at around here? I can't think of anyplace around you could go off road. I know a few spots in zanesville, but nothing closer.

 

Picked this up of Craigslist for 20 bucks! Has a jl audio 12 , old school kicker amp and a sony cd changer. I tested the amp and sub good to go.
So ill take the kicker amp and run my cvr 15 for a while untill something better comes along . And sell the rest or trade it for door speakers and other stuff. The kicker amp is kinda small, but has a module for low / high/ bypass. So when I get a big 1000 plus amp ill use it for highs. If a anyone has any idea what this box is made for, id like to know. Someone might be looking for one like it. So now I need amp wires and then I can chill out and enjoy the truck. Lol untill I find another amp, then its gonna get ugly. Component sets all kinda goodies planed in the future. Now I just need music companies to bring back old school rap! So that's where I'm at with the stereo right now

 

Sorry this week has been crazy busy. We do a lot of night wheeling in some not so legal places. But we have some friends that have land we wheel on also. Also hit haspen acres up to and there is a place we go in michigan. Most of the guys I wheel with have jeeps but that's not and issue with me they try and keep up lol. Yeah your still not to far from me we will set something up to go wheeling.

 

Yea that sounds like a lot of fun, I have a couple of things I wanna get fixed under the truck before I go out wheeling, but I should have it done by around may. That's when id like to be done working on the truck, then go out and tear it up !

 

Changed the front of the truck around , found a brush guard on cl for 40 bucks . Couldn't pass it up . Blacked out the front , was able to fill the huge holes in the bumper with filler .we'll see how long it lasts . Who knows if I get a year I'll be happy , still gotta do the rear bumper and rims . But the truck is starting to take shape. Picked up an audiopipe 1500 and a set of alpine type r 12s . Still hooking it all up . Figure it will sound aight . But haven't been on and wanted to say hey and update . I love them spray cans lol. Let me know what you think.

 

Wow! That is some nice work on that bumper. You took a trash bumper and gave it some life. I'd love to see a couple more pictures of that passenger side of the bumper where you did the work.

From this to what you have now is crazy!



Yeah, you do some great work with the rattle cans. I'm impressed. The brush guard isn't my style, and I think it covers up your nice paint work, but it looks clean on your truck. Nice look with the all-black.

I haven't done very extensive research, but Audiopipe is trash. But if your 1500w amp is the class D amp, it'll push those type Rs decently enough. That probably won't sound bad.

You've added some good value to your rig. Between the paint and internal work, it's really starting to look clean. I like it! Keep us updated!

EDIT: Had to add this when I came across it. I'm sure this ad is overpriced, but it appears that you got a steal on that brush guard. A guy near me is asking $400 for his: http://charleston.craigslist.org/pts/3709696098.html.

 

Wow , I really did luck out on that deal . I was out of town working in the country and checked cl and it popped up . We have a ton of deer on the roads constantly, I figured 40 bucks might save the front end in a collision. Plus it looks cool .

My old phone died so I haven't been on in a while. I wish I would of asked your opinion on the amp . I used to know car audio pretty well but in the last few years seems like a lot of new names are on the scene. The watts have went thru the roof on newer stuff . But I'm going to start trading for old school names I know work well . Fosgate , kicker , alpine, Ect. I'm sure not impressed with this "1500" watt amp . My old 600 watt would eat this amp alive , then probably start chewing up the subs lol . But I seem to like the sound of 2 12s vs 1 15 . So back to the cl and do more trading . My work is starting to pick up , so I'm going to try and get the trucks outside finished in the next week or 2 . Thanks for the complements , I'll post up more picts as I get stuff done . Lol I have the words " lift kit " in the back of my head . We'll see what happens ...

 

Yes! Lift Kit! Lift Kit!

Your 4Runner is going to surpass mine pretty quick here. I wish I was half as crafty with the body/paint work. Yeah, I agree with the brush guard. For that price, you can beat the hell out of it, then slap a coat of paint on it and sell it to the next guy when you get tired of it and probably make out pretty nicely.

Yeah, I was surprised when I looked up that AudioPipe amp and saw the rated RMS wattage. There's no way those claims hold true. I'm glad you at least know enough to know bogus wattage claims can and do exist all over the place, especially with all this new stuff. I've read about guys not getting over 800-1000w from their 1500w amp without clipping.

I'm not saying nobody should ever buy the stuff. If you're on a budget, you can get some cheap bump with some cheap equipment nowadays. That said, you know exactly what will happen. You'll be in the car bumping around and you'll turn the volume up and you hear it distort and clip. You'll wish you'd have spent the extra hundred or two hundred to do it right the first time. That's what I did in high school and it wasn't until after grad school that I got a proper setup.

Right now, just to keep the space open, I'm running the one MOFO 12" sub. It's certainly not a high-end sub, but very good value for the ~ $120 I paid. I'm pushing that with an Infinity 611a, which puts out 657w @ 2ohms. It's hard to explain to a newcomer why this Infinity amp was $200+ when it came out and only pushes 657w x 1, but something like Audiopipe pushes 1500w x 1 for around $100. Why? Because the Infinity is actually delivering that wattage and the Audiopipe is dirty lie.

Not sure what the scene is like around your area, but I've had really good luck with pawn shop audio equipment. Of course, it's totally hit or miss since all sales are AS-IS and final, but sometimes there are great deals to be had. But, you're starting to sound like a Craigslist guru, so maybe you should stick to that route. Hey, no big deal that you picked up that Audiopipe, use it to trade/sell for the right equipment!

Good stuff! Keep us updated when your time permits!

 

Yea I agree 100 % about the amp. I really don't understand the hype about audiopipe amps , people seem to like em , idk . But I ended up trading it for a Kenwood amp . It says its a 960 watt , but bridged it puts out like 460 rms . So I really don't understand the 960 ,but its slamin my truck so regardless I'm satisfied with it for now . I think it sounds better ran 2 channel , my buddy did all the math and said the it should be best ran in series bridged .so I'm giving it a day or so switching back and fourth and I'll decide witch I like better . I'm going to have to start looking for rattles and look for a mid and high setup with tweets . My trucks tweets are not installed or never were . But I can enjoy what I have until then .

Lol I saw this u tube video of this guy in CA running like 30,000-40,000 watts on like 4-6 dc 18s in a suv . It was just nasty . The guy has to be the stereo champ of the west . It was so loud it almost blew my cell phone speaker ! Check it out if you get a chance .
So my Craigslist adventure continues . Looking for a safari roof rack , door speakers few other things.
We were talking about the brush guard and said most people in Ohio put the deer whistles on there car to keep deer away . I'm going to add deer calls on mine hit the back roads and go hunting from the comfort of my drivers seat lmao!

 

Nice, glad you're enjoying the setup. I'm sure whatever model that Kenwood is, it's better than that AudioPipe stuff.

Check out this wiring tool at Rockford Fosgate's website:

http://www.rockfordfosgate.com/Support/rftech.aspx
(click on woofer wiring wizard)

You need to make sure to get the wiring right to match the resistance of the subwoofer load to that of the amp. It depends upon how low resistance the amplifier is stable, whether your subs are dual or single voice coil, and the resistance of the subs themselves. You don't want the load below the stable resistance of the amplifier. Wiring in series/parallel will double/half the resistance respectively.

I've seen some crazy YouTube videos of some bassheads and their builds. I enjoy some bass, but it's not my cup of tea to build a bass-only rig like those guys. But, to each his own! I've watched a bunch of videos from a guy "exocontralto" or something like that and he's got some big bass builds. Pretty cool stuff.

Nice man, keep up the Craigslisting, sounds like you do pretty well with that. Update when you get a shot. Hell, with your bodywork skills, you might have to consider selling her soon for a healthy profit and starting all over!

 

Cool man , I'll check out the calculator for sure , I can't remember the model of the Kenwood right off hand . I think its 2 channel series is 4 ohms , 2 channel parallel is 2 ohm , and bridged is 4 ohms . I have dvc dual 4 ohm subs running at 4 ohms bridged in series now . But the 2 channel 2 ohm load seemed like it had more deep bass . Witch is what I want , clean deep bass with crisp highs . I don't need to be heard a block away , just wanna jam now and again. Most the time I'm driving I'm on my stupid phone lol. I have this thing where I get into something and just go nuts ! Lol keeps me busy .

Funny story , every day on the highway I see a guy going the opposite way than me , in the mornings usually same time every day . He's always staring at me because traffic is usually all backed up . He's got the same type runner , its even white but has chrome rims . Today I saw him and he noticed the brush guard and black front end and gave me the thumbs up. Lol . Just thought it was amusing. I'll be doing something to the truck and post back soon .
Yea selling her would be an option but idk , guy offered me a built mustang trade but I said no . I figure I'll hit 200,000 k and then think about selling her .
Soon as the weather breaks I'll be on the motorcycle most the time . I ride it to work and every place to save gas money. Lol to spend on 4 runner parts : )

 

Replaced my door speakers and found someone had been digging around in the door panels before . My 1 inch tweets were disconnected and removed before I got the truck . Lol they just cut the wires "no tape" . Short waiting to happen . So to make it easy on myself I wired the tweeters and ran the wire to the 1 inch tweeter spot for later access. Taped up the factory plastic so I don't get a lot of wind coming thru . " just taping it all back together made a huge difference in the air coming in the door . Used a little sound proofing behind the 6.5 . Then reinstalled the door panel. So the mystery of the missing tweeters has been solved lol. I wanted to get a component set for the doors . But for now its better than it was . Baby steps lmao . I'm ready to be done with the audio portion of the truck for a while . Might replace the rear speakers , but I don't sit back there so no big deal : ) Removing the stock speakers from the plastic molds took the most time , they were glued in pretty well , no match for my razor knife .. I'm adding a PICT or two in case someone had questions about the inside of the door panels. Also I was able to fix a stutter with drivers side window when I was it the door , using a little grease . And fixed my door handles that were driving me crazy. They had a little play when opening the doors . I kinda built my own screw and got it working. There nice and solid now . I have one more handle in the back that's a little loose . But I'll get that one when I do the rear 5.5 speakers . So that's what I'm up to this weekend . Probably do a little frame painting today , or rims if I can find a buddies garage to use . Hope everyone is having a good weekend with this great weather ! Will post more later .

 

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Changed sub box , 100% better . Sealed just wasn't going to cut it , type rs need to breathe . Ended up wiring it at 4 ohms and bridged the amp , with the new box its making it kinda hard to see when the bass hits lol.
So my buddy who swears by sealed boxes went for a ride with me and got a funny look on his face when I kicked it on , He asked " did you get another amp ?" I smiled and said nope . He said what the heck did you do ? I showed him the box and he looked for a hidden amp for a few minutes. Not finding one he said "son of a bitch" . I said yep : )
So if anyone reads this and is wondering if they should get a ported or sealed box. Let me voice my opinion and say big and ported. That's just my 2 cents on the whole thing.
Next on the list , security system that will hopefully work with my auto start, or just a new system that does both security and auto start . And to find the little thing that covers the back hatch from wandering eyes .

 

Finally got around to painting the factory 16 inch rims , spent 6 hrs total , about 5 hrs sanding , and 1 hr painting . Used satin black and satin clear . I like them a lot better . Makes the truck really stand out. Will add a better pict or two tomorrow. It was dark by the time I was done tonight. Step by step , but getting closer .

 

Added a flow master 40 series muffler to the runner , new air filter , sounds pretty good . Paid around 75 for the muffler and found a guy to throw it on for 35 bucks , he used stainless steel extension pieces , and added new gaskets and bolts for the 2 sensors on the exhaust . Really happy with the price and the difference in performance and sound . I have this sway bar trailer arm that I'm trying to replace , no luck so far . Its so worn out I can't get the nut off ! I'll probably take it to the muffler shop today and have him cut it off with a torch .
Still looking into around a 2 inch lift kit for a decent price . If anyone knows a lot about lifts I'd like to hear any helpful info on price and installing it . Take it easy everyone.

 

Hey, been a while since I've been able to check back in. Your rig is looking better and better every time man.

I like your wheels painted black man, those look clean. Once again, your paintwork with a rattle can is ridiculous. Those wheels look like they were sandblasted and sprayed professionally. I'm jealous! I wish you'd have taken a few more pics in between, of the sanding and stuff, but I know that's a pain when you're in the middle of it.

I'm getting new tires soon and my wheels really need a picker-upper. I'm torn between black and going silver again or maybe even gunmetal. Yours are making me want to go with the black, but I know mine won't look that good, haha. With your rig being white and all the black-out you did on the front, those wheels look slick man.

I see you got the system worked out too, with some quality components. And yeah, you definitely gotta go with a ported box to get the best out of your equipment. The setup looks clean, I bet it slams. The 4Runner has really good acoustics and the bass sounds clean when you have some good equipment. Nicely done.

Sounds like you got a good deal on the muffler too. I put a magnaflow on mine and ended up getting hosed getting someone to put it on. I took it to a small shop and the guy ended up wanting $150 bucks after it was on. I ended up settling at $100, but I was pissed when he threw that number at me. But for 35 bucks he did it and new gaskets for the O2 sensors? Damn! Glad to hear you got a good deal. I've heard good things about the 40 series flowmaster. I bet it sounds good!

All together, your rig is really coming together man. I'm impressed with your work, keep us updated!

Are you talking about the panhard bar in the rear suspension of the 4Runner or a swaybar on a trailer?

As to your talking about a 2" lift, you can read around and there's tons of information around here.

For the lift, you have to decide if you want a body lift or suspension lift. Body lift won't increase your ground-clearance and is really just for looks. But, it's the cheapest way to go and you can install it yourself in an afternoon. Suspension lifts are more expensive, and range from $300-$1500+. For a good mid-range setup, with new shocks and springs for the front and rear, you should expect to pay about $850. The cheaper suspension lifts don't come with all new components, rather they come with a combination of new shocks for the front and/or rear and spacers for the stock springs.

Personally, I don't think it's worth it to get a suspension lift unless you want to actually spend $800 or $900 to do it right. I don't like the combination lifts with some new components and spacers. The spacers just compress your stock springs even more and that means a harsh ride and little flexing ability.

So, in short, I say either do a body lift or save up and do something like the OME suspension lift. If you have more questions, feel free to shoot me a PM or something.

As always, nice work! Keep us updated!

 

Hey sr5 , what's up buddy .. always appreciate your comments and advice. That's great to know about the lift . I'll definitely start looking into the body lift , the cheaper would do what I'm looking for , really just for looks . Man Toyota's look good lifted up a little . I'm looking for tires myself , the guy that installed the muffler said wait till fall, because the tire company's run huge rebates . His shop sells tires too for a reasonable price . He's a cool guy , he even let me help install the muffler . I think that's why he hooked me up on the price . He had the stainless steel laying around from another job . But if you can make it till fall you might be able to save some cash . I'm planing on around 600 ( maybe less) for some sweet big knobby tires that won't sound all goofy , and make the runner look awesome..
Here's a picture of the sway bar arm , its in the front drivers side . Its all beat up, I have a new one , but couldn't get it off , it just keeps spinning and I can't lock it up to get the nut off . I'm going to run it down to the muffler shop and see if he can torch it off , or weld it solid so I can break it free . Lol one way or another its gonna come off . . But, I think if you find the link in the previous posts for my album on photo bucket , I might have more picts of the rims as I was painting them . Not 100% sure on that .

Yea I added a little wood in the rear hatch and it really improved my cars sound , I was really impressed at the difference.
It sets the subs at a slight angle and makes a huge sound difference
. Gotta run and do family stuff for mothers day , but I'll post up some more stuff a little later .. take it easy till then

 

If you're talking about the bottom nut on the sway bar bushing, it's supposed to spin. If it didn't then the ball joint would be toast. There is an insert for an allen wrench to hold the stud in place while you use a wrench to loosen the nut. Good job with everything else.

Don't know your feelings on retreads but Treadwright sells bigger nobby tires for a lot cheaper than new. I'm not affiliated with them in any other way then I bought some tires from them and am pretty happy with them.

Good luck with the rest of the build.

 

Thanks so much man , I saw the Allen head in the end of the lower shaft , didn't think to lock it up there . I'm going to go do it now . I'll definitely check out the tire website , always like to save a buck. I feel like a tard for not thinking of that ! I knew it was supposed to spin , I just figured mine was all jacked up and I was trying to grab the little nut on the inside to hold it in place . Ive only done minimal work on ball joints and things not related to the motor or trans . But thanks again, this is why Yoda tech rocks !