Reviving Skelator

[bh4rnnr]

After making the frame for the tent, the spare could go up and in the middle of the back so your departure angle is still good. The spare could be mounted on a swingout off the top of the tube mount and the bottom of the frame. Mounted at the back would give more weight at the rear axle as well to help more on the flexion. If lockable could also provide some measure of security to the rear of the bed. Nice to see you are not giving up on the Runner.

That was one of my original thoughts with the spare. Mount it undernieth the tent on the tubes out of the way. But then I thought more of usage, and the fact that it might be a pain to get to in a time of need. TJ thought of putting the spare in the bed, and have a lockable cover over it. Another great idea, the down side though is I loose my storage. The more I think about it, mounting the spare in the back is the best way to go. I may loose most of my rear visability, but I think it would be better in the long run.

Dan, i'm planning on documenting all of the build of the 4runner. Maybe getting a artical out of it, if not a good ref for when building a 1st gen.

 

[Red_Chili]

You could put the spare beneath the RTT, situated such that you could still see under or over it?

Putting the spare high gives me the shudders. Even mine is too high (though it does protect the top in case of a rollover... Rolls right on over.), but it is necessitated by needing departure angle (DAMHIK). When I see J**ps with the spare on the roof, it gives me the willies. That is a LOT of weight to put up there.

 

[treerootCO]

From driving your vehicle, riding in your vehicle, and watching your vehicle...the #1 priority is the suspension. Aside from saving your kidneys, you would be much happier with a suspension that would allow your wheels to articulate. I'm not saying to swap out the IFS, just work with what you have to allow the suspension to cycle. You know your shocks are limiting the rear droop, so fix it...etc.

 

[bh4rnnr]

From driving your vehicle, riding in your vehicle, and watching your vehicle...the #1 priority is the suspension. Aside from saving your kidneys, you would be much happier with a suspension that would allow your wheels to articulate. I'm not saying to swap out the IFS, just work with what you have to allow the suspension to cycle. You know your shocks are limiting the rear droop, so fix it...etc.

Yeah, yeah, I need a new suspension set up. I know it, and am looking into it. Might have to just drop it off at ORS when the money is in to get a simple but well working system put in. I wheeled with IFS for a long time. It's done great, but it's not me.

And rub it in about the flex on the 40, and the fact that the 40 is out on the trail.....

Bill: That was one of my thoughts, but I think in the end, the spare being on the back will be the best place for it.

 

[wesintl]

I know it's a little easier to come up with a couple hundred for some additions vs couple thousand or more for a new rig so don't take this to hard.

I think you should start over with a 3rd gen and rear locker. You're and overlander. I dunno why you would spend all the $$ on SAS when IFS is fine. You need more storage and lockable. A RTT would go right on, fridge in the back, plenty of rear storage. Rides well, has power to get you to the trail or utah in a reasonable amount of time. You could still do 75% of all the trails and passes with mild lift that isn't that much on a runner.

Think about a couple years from now. Would building the current runner suit you with another person and a 2+ week trip to baja or utah or wherever? With all the $$ you'd be freshening up skelator with you could have a nice expo 3rd runner IMO.

 

[Magoo]

I know it's a little easier to come up with a couple hundred for some additions vs couple thousand or more for a new rig so don't take this to hard.

I think you should start over with a 3rd gen and rear locker. You're and overlander. I dunno why you would spend all the $$ on SAS when IFS is fine. You need more storage and lockable. A RTT would go right on, fridge in the back, plenty of rear storage. Rides well, has power to get you to the trail or utah in a reasonable amount of time. You could still do 75% of all the trails and passes with mild lift that isn't that much on a runner.

Think about a couple years from now. Would building the current runner suit you with another person and a 2+ week trip to baja or utah or wherever? With all the $$ you'd be freshening up skelator with you could have a nice expo 3rd runner IMO.

i agree with this 100%
im setting up a rig right now for expedition/hunting/wheeling.
its a sas'ed 88 p/u on 35's.short bed.and i wish it was bigger cause i dont have nearly the room i want/need.im gonna try like hell to make it work or abort mission.
i completely understand about keeping the runner because its what you have, but,i also understand toyota's and tube.i think you will be seriously dissapointed when all said and done.
you will be knee deep in a money pit that isnt what you wanted.
i say sell the runner for what you can get,buy a solid axle p/u,throw on a topper and then do all the stuff you want.you will be way happier in the end.
i love tubed out toys always have, but when i had one GOD I HATED IT!i couldnt put anything in it.i had to sell it immediately.
dont take any of this wrong i love your rig, but i couldnt own it because i like doing the same things you speak of and its just not the right platform to start with.
but thats just me,you may carry less stuff than i do.i always have lots of crap with me anywhere i go.
good luck perry.

 

[Red_Chili]

I dunno.

I think a custom built tube rear, designed with storage and expedition travel in mind rather than just rock buggy stuff, can be a very viable platform. Go your own way, in other words. If you are like me, and I know I am, you will fill any available space in a 4Runner or 80 to 120% capacity. Get more room, it will still be 120%. The fact is, if it suits you you can go backpacking for a month with only what you carry on your back.

You may not smell like roses, but it can be done pleasurably.

Doing a SAS yourself will save boatloads. It is a very straightforward process. Don't buy a kit, and don't pay someone else to do it. Put those thousands toward the RTT, or storage compartments (like a combo of towtruck boxes and Caribou System weatherproof cases? Why not?). By the time you build out a newer 4Runner, or an old solid axle truck (getting to be a major restoration project by 2008, IMHO), you will be deeeeeep in debt.

No reason Skelator cannot do what you want. No reason at all. You will simply be building what YOU want and what YOU need, rather than following convention.

Once upon a time, doing a SAS was revolutionary in its unconventionality. Think about it.

 

[60wag]

I'm with Wes and Magoo. Your 4Runner is cool and would be a great builder for a rock buggy but there are better vehicles out there for expedition use. Maybe I've been a wagon guy for too long but having a sizable weatherproof space solves way more problems than it creates.

 

[Magoo]

How about the Campa EVA Tacoma as an example? This was in Trails this month, went along on the Kokopelli Trail Team run it looked like. I can see a lot of what Perry is thinking in this.

http://www.campausa.com/

But I will say that building out a tube back end and making it more 'expo' does not change the fact that starting with a 120" wheelbase truck with an XtraCab and tubing the bed leaves you with much more elbow room inside. I love having the cab space, particularly now that Imelda has A/C. I just could see feeling cramped in Perry's truck for more than a couple of days. Even with our relative space, after 10 days or 2 weeks Kirsten and I start to get a little stir crazy always being inside a relatively small space.

I don't think starting with something you know is such a bad thing. But ultimately while I would personally like Perry to build out his 4Runner, I do definitely see the logic in honestly assessing the truck for what it is and is not. If he thinks he can modify Skelator into what he wants, why not?

that set-up is boobies

 

[bh4rnnr]

I dunno.

I think a custom built tube rear, designed with storage and expedition travel in mind rather than just rock buggy stuff, can be a very viable platform. Go your own way, in other words. If you are like me, and I know I am, you will fill any available space in a 4Runner or 80 to 120% capacity. Get more room, it will still be 120%. The fact is, if it suits you you can go backpacking for a month with only what you carry on your back.

You may not smell like roses, but it can be done pleasurably.

Doing a SAS yourself will save boatloads. It is a very straightforward process. Don't buy a kit, and don't pay someone else to do it. Put those thousands toward the RTT, or storage compartments (like a combo of towtruck boxes and Caribou System weatherproof cases? Why not?). By the time you build out a newer 4Runner, or an old solid axle truck (getting to be a major restoration project by 2008, IMHO), you will be deeeeeep in debt.

Once upon a time, doing a SAS was revolutionary in its unconventionality. Think about it.

I agree with both thoughts, but after a long time thinking about it, i've decided staying with the 4runner is the best way to go for me.

If I sold the 4runner, i'd first have to deal with selling it. Then use what ever $$ I got to put towards a new rig. Newer 4runners are great, and a well built rig like Darrens is a good truck, but it's not me.

I own Skelator. Sure it may not be the best vehicle to start building into a expedition/wheeler rig. But it's a place to start none the less. I could build Skelator into a great wheeling rig with the time and money i'd spend looking into a new rig.

No reason Skelator cannot do what you want. No reason at all. You will simply be building what YOU want and what YOU need, rather than following convention.

Thats a good statment there Bill, and I agree you a 100%

 

[bh4rnnr]

I don't know that anyone disagrees with you, man. I think what everyone is saying is just to think about things before you sink a ton of money into it and make it even harder to make a move to a different platform. Trust me, I understand when people tell you that you are silly for sticking to your plan. See my thread about a year ago about rebuilding a 22R-E. What, not doing the 3.4L swap, am I nuts? A year later, I'm still not sure that wouldn't have been the smarter money (and likely cheaper after I added up the cost when I was done). But, still, don't discount the experience in the club, I mean look at what UB, treeroot, Ige are moving to. Who'd have guessed?

I'm sure they dont and are just voicing there opinions. And i've thought a lot about what everybody is saying. From selling the 4runner and starting with a new platform, or doing this and that. Where i'm trying to go with the 4runner now is what I came to conclusions about with all them thoughts.

Every vehicle will have a down side, or somebody saying to do it different. Same goes for modifications. But in the end, like Bill was saying, it's what you want out of it. I love my 4runner, i've realised that now after spending to much time away from it. I'm now trying to find a way to us the 4runner to get out and do what I enjoy. It may take a little more time and $$ than starting over, or it may not. But this is what i'm choosing to do with the 4runner.

It's great to here about the experience of other fine folks from the club. Thats one reason why I started this thread.

 

[wesintl]

That's what it's all about.... You know best, We got your back whatever you do.

I'd love to hear what people would do to my rig

 

[Red_Chili]

Spending other people's money is one of my favorite things.

I should be a consultant. It's what they do.

 

[Magoo]

Go for it perry.
you'll make it work, and it will be YOURS!
and that's what matters,thats why this sport/life is so cool.
you said you LOVE the 4runner.well i love magoo so i know where you are coming from.that love you speak will allow you to put op with the little inconvieniences it i will have.you will adjust.just like i did.
cant wait to see progress

 

[bh4rnnr]

Well, the check will be mailed this week to Paul for the RTT. One step closer to getting her on the road

Then it's getting the $$ for TJ and the Homegrown Crew and the work they will be doing

 

[bh4rnnr]

Oh boy! My 1200 series 3 Tent just showed up today

Thanks Paul

It begins!

 

[farnhamstj]

A RTT is cool and all, but do you have insurance yet?

 

[bh4rnnr]

A RTT is cool and all, but do you have insurance yet?

I'm not to worried about insurance, just a mater of calling my agent and telling him to start it up again(talked about this before ending the insurance).

Things should start coming together this month.

 

[MDH33]

Perry, when are you going to "unstorage" the beast? You need to get it running and mods done before the Outlaw run!

Let me know if you need a hand. I'm in neighborhood now afterall.

 

[bh4rnnr]

Perry, when are you going to "unstorage" the beast? You need to get it running and mods done before the Outlaw run!

Let me know if you need a hand. I'm in neighborhood now afterall.

Martin,

It's lookin to be the end of this month. I'll give you a shout as the date gets closer.