Famed racer, fabricator, engineer, and author Carroll Smith wrote that there’s basically no such thing as a mechanical failure. Instead, Smith made the case that failures were of human origin, and had root in improper design, fabrication, or maintenance.
The ’04 4Runner we’re working on isn’t a race vehicle, but it’s nevertheless entered in perhaps the ultimate endurance test: that of doubling as a daily driver and as an off-road rig that’s capable in fast or slow terrain. Weak points will have every opportunity to rear their ugly heads.
With that in mind, extra steps are being taken to ensure that our Stage II upgrades will be in place and working seamlessly for thousands of miles to come. It’s the install for the long haul.
When we left off last time,...
When we left off last time, the shock hoops were ready to bolt up to the frame and the coilover buckets had been gusseted. Time to attend to some very important details. For one, the shock reservoirs needed a home.
Another detail was the brake...
Another detail was the brake line routing. With just a single coilover, the stock brake line routing (with an extended brake line to match the Total Chaos suspension system) worked fine. Adding a bypass shock directly in front of the brake line mount begged the brake line to interfere with the shock. Running a new flex line along the upper control arm was an ideal way to re-route the line and avoid potential problems.
Sweet Performance is a small...
Sweet Performance is a small shop that’s big on service. Sweet specializes in automotive fluid transfer products whether they’re brake lines, transmission cooler hoses, or engine oil cooler lines. Owner Dave Bottomley had the proper brake line fittings in stock to match the OEM Toyota brake plumbing and brake line brackets. This is a DOT-approved brake line fitting that’s about to be crimped.
The disc-shaped brake line...
The disc-shaped brake line holder is also a safety device that keeps errant fingers out of the crimper.
Done!
The fitting on the top is...
The fitting on the top is a direct match for the Toyota caliper bracket. The one on the bottom adapts the flex line into a juncture that originally connected to hard line. The hose is DOT-approved braided steel with a black vinyl sleeve on the outside.
At the left of the photo you...
At the left of the photo you can see the junction block where the hard line used to connect. Thanks to the Sweet adapter, there’s flex line there now. Also note the slight wave from the extra length in the flex line underneath the control arm. This extra length will straighten out when the control arm pivots upward.
This double-tabbed half-clamp...
This double-tabbed half-clamp was made by slicing a tube in half down the center and then welding two pre-stamped tabs in place. This will reliably keep the brake line away from the shock.
Thanks to the correct brake...
Thanks to the correct brake line fittings in stock at Sweet Performance, the brake line connects to the caliper bracket just as a shorty OEM brake line would. If you’d rather use competition-style brake fittings, Sweet keeps those in stock, too.
With the brake line handled,...
With the brake line handled, it was time to create a home for the shock reservoir. This spot next to the frame looked promising, but the reservoir sat below the bottom of the frame rail, looking vulnerable to damage.
With this reservoir position,...
With this reservoir position, the hose hit the rebound adjuster. No good.
Sheet metal surgery was needed...
Sheet metal surgery was needed to create clearance for the shock hoops’ upper bolts. The innermost bolt was reached best from above with the help of some socket extensions.
The outermost bolts were reachable...
The outermost bolts were reachable from under the fenderwell, but they still needed holes overhead in order to get the longer bolts in place. An end wrench was the right tool for the tightening job.
Needing some sage advice,...
Needing some sage advice, we called Sway-A-Way and spoke with engineer Brian Bell. Bell advised attaching the reservoir directly to the shock hoop down tube and letting the hose touch the firewall. He also recommended attaching an abrasion barrier to the hose at the contact point. Reusable zip ties held the reservoir in place during tack welding.
Final welding is done. The...
Final welding is done. The lower end of the reservoir is just above flush with the bottom of the frame, placing it out of harm’s way.