Before getting started, a little disclaimer: There's an unwritten law that says welding caps are required to look goofy. Blue polka dots were the least of all the evils when I bought the one in the photo. Besides, the cap reminds me of the ones my grandfather wore while working as a railroad engineer on the Milwaukee Road. Yep, railroading caps are goofy, too.
Now that that's out of the way, what do you do when you've got more time than you've got cash? How can you make your rig better and still have enough funds to put fuel in the tank?
The answers might be closer, easier, and cheaper than you think. When you’re on a budget, big sweeping changes are left to the future. Immediate stuff usually falls under three categories: strengthening/reinforcing, maintenance, and equipment organization. In other words, focus on the details.
Presented here are five ways to improve a trail rig. None of these upgrades costs over a grand, and some are under $200. How do details make the difference? Details are often the difference between driving home and calling a towing service. Details are the difference between an equipment-cluttered interior and a space that's organized and keeps your sanity on long trips.
Check out these six suggestions and start brainstorming. Then get to work. Goofy hat not required.
Upgrade 1
Problem: too-short or too-weak OEM wheel studs. Factory wheel studs are often designed around factory wheels with little thought given to potential wheel upgrades down the proverbial road. Late-model Toyota’s are especially plagued by this (pun intended) shortcoming. Quite often, aftermarket wheels and OEM Toyota wheel studs are a combo that allows for dangerously little thread engagement.
ARP makes a line of wheel...
ARP makes a line of wheel studs for a variety of applications. Here you can see the gigantic length difference between our ’04 4Runner’s factory studs and the ARP studs.
These wheel studs were designed...
These wheel studs were designed to work with the Lexus IS 300, hence the packs of five studs instead of six. This meant we needed we needed five packs of five to cover all four corners of our six-lug ‘Runner. It would be nice to say we came up with this solution on our own, but we heard about these wheel studs from our friends at Total Chaos Fabrication. They’re available (currently at press time) from Summit Racing under part number ARP-100-7715.
The factory Toyota front wheel...
The factory Toyota front wheel studs can be removed using a hammer and a brass punch: no press required. To install OEM Toyota studs, we’ve been successful drawing them through the bore with a lug nut. This doesn’t work on every application, but it worked here.
The ARP studs are too long...
The ARP studs are too long to install without hitting the brake’s dust shield. The solution? Cut out part of the dust shield using a Dremel tool fitted with a cutoff wheel.
The ARP studs’ knurled section...
The ARP studs’ knurled section is a little too fat to install with a hammer and brass punch. The options were to drill out the holes in the hub flange, pull the hub out of the steering knuckle, and take it somewhere to get the studs pressed in, or to carefully shave down the knurled section. We went for option three. By chucking the stud into a drill press as shown and holding a file against the rotating knurled section, we removed just enough material to allow installation with a hammer and a brass punch. We took our time and fit-checked the knurled section in the hub several times. Go slowly; the idea is to sneak up on the final dimension.
Here’s the best way: take...
Here’s the best way: take your front hubs or rear axle shafts to a professional shop and have them pressed in. The shop should also be able to drill out the wheel flange if needed. This photo was taken at one of the best axle shops in the business: Currie Enterprises.
We've had the ARP studs up front for over two years with zero troubles. We’re also using the ARP studs on the Currie 9-inch out back with equal success. Currie pressed in the ARP studs for the rear axle.
Upgrade 2
A gallon of Durabak prevention now sidesteps an ocean of troubles later on. Durabak is a polyurethane coating that’s available in smooth or textured finishes and in a variety of colors. It’s ideal as a non-skid floor coating, especially in an open-top Jeep or a pickup bed.
Instead of using paint, smooth Durabak was brushed onto this Protofab XJ bumper. Patience was required, but none was around at the time. There were sags and runs in the Durabak, owing to a single heavy coat instead of multiple light coats. Even so, the Durabak dried well and provided exceptional metal protection.
Durabak is powerful stuff...
Durabak is powerful stuff and should be handled and applied carefully. I wore nitrile gloves, safety glasses, and a painting respirator. Your chosen application area should be clean, dry, and masked off.
In this case, Durabak is being...
In this case, Durabak is being used to line the inside of a fiberglass fender. Rocks flung off of the tire can chip the fiberglass and crack the paint from the inside. Textured Durabak, with its embedded rubber granules, was the perfect match here.
A brush worked best for inside...
A brush worked best for inside the corners. Don’t bother with an expensive brush, as you’ll most likely have to throw away your brushes after one use. Thinning and cleanup can be done with xylene, but be forewarned that Durabak dries fast.
Upgrade 3
These days, it seems everyone is upgrading to MP3 players and satellite radio. That's great news if you need to replace a dead OEM audio head unit, as used ones are often in good shape and cheap to purchase. Dust and vibration had long rendered the factory CD and tape players inert. This new-to-me head unit was found on
www.toyota120.com and purchased for a paltry $60. The dead dusty original is on top, and the fresh, functional replacement sits underneath.
Odds are you’ll have to pull...
Odds are you’ll have to pull several panels to get to your factory head unit’s mounting brackets and wiring connections. Someone had posted a tutorial on the internet complete with photos. This information was the key to success here. Hunt around online or check with the dealer for a drawing or some advice before you plunge in.
Once I’d dug in far enough,...
Once I’d dug in far enough, it was easy to transfer the side mounting brackets and the wiring connections to the new head unit. This photo shows the old one. Gee, ya think dust might’ve done it in?
Back in action. Yes, an MP3...
Back in action. Yes, an MP3 player and satellite radio are better and more reliable. Maybe next time.
Upgrade 4
Spherical bearings (AKA "uni-balls") and rod ends (AKA "Heim joints") can get sloppy over time. This slop translates into an obnoxious clicking noise and at worst the joint can rattle itself apart. Don’t let this happen. As soon as the noise starts and you can feel the play with your fingers it’s time to replace the bearing or rod end. This uni-ball is part of a Total Chaos upper control arm, but many off-road suppliers, such as Poly Performance, offer uni-ball components a la carte as fabrication parts. Total Chaos keeps bearings in stock to service the suspension kits it sells. For fabrication parts Poly Performance says, "We got what you need."
A shop press is nice to have,...
A shop press is nice to have, but it’s not always necessary for this job. A three-pound sledge, a pair of sockets (different sizes), snap ring pliers, penetrating oil, and anti-seize compound were the required tools. Not shown are a vise with soft jaw inserts and a helper to hold the A-arm in place over the vise.
The uni-ball cup has a machined-in...
The uni-ball cup has a machined-in lip on one side and a snap ring groove on the other. You’ll drive the bearing out from the lip side, and drive the new one in from the snap ring side. For removal, you’ll need a driver slug (or a socket as shown here) that will clear the machined lip and contact the bearing. Note that this socket contacts the inner ball. Not ideal for a new bearing, but it doesn’t matter on a worn-out bearing that’s getting replaced.
Here’s the socket to drive...
Here’s the socket to drive in the new bearing. Note the way it’s just slightly smaller than the outside diameter (OD) of the bearing’s outer race. This socket doesn’t contact the inner ball.
We found Mouse Milk penetrating...
We found Mouse Milk penetrating oil at Aircraft Spruce in Corona, California. A little was dribbled around the bearing’s edges to make removal easier.
The snap ring was pulled next....
The snap ring was pulled next. Wear safety glasses for this part in case the snap ring takes an unplanned flight.
Use a soft vise jaw insert...
Use a soft vise jaw insert to avoid marking up your suspension parts. Open the vise far enough to let the old bearing pass through. You can see here that the socket just barely clears the machined lip of the uni-ball cup.
Once the old bearing was out,...
Once the old bearing was out, the uni-ball cup’s bore was wiped clean, and then a coating of anti-seize compound was brushed on. This ensures the bearing doesn’t seize inside the bore even after long miles and bad weather.
The new bearing is driven...
The new bearing is driven in. Gentle alternating taps were needed to get the bearing started straight.
Drive the bearing in until...
Drive the bearing in until it contacts the uni-ball cup’s machined lip. At this point, you’re ready to reinstall the snap ring. Put those safety glasses back on. Better yet, leave them on in the first place. If the snap ring isn’t in good shape, now is the time for a new one.
With the snap ring settled back into its groove, the process is finished and the A-arm can be reinstalled on the vehicle.
Upgrade 5
Cargo capacity and room for passengers doesn’t mix very well. You can either leave the passengers home or you can find new places for the cargo. Baja Rack makes roof-mounted cargo racks for a wide variety of vehicle applications including the Toyota 4Runner, FJ Cruiser, and Tacoma. The Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee are also covered as are the Ford Explorer and Explorer Sport Trac. Installation varies with the vehicle but is generally simple.
Ferman’s Mini Truck, a recycling...
Ferman’s Mini Truck, a recycling yard in Santa Ana, California, had a factory 4Runner roof rack in stock. Matt found himself spinning the wrenches to pull the rack off of the donor. On the 2000 Toyota 4Runner, the Baja Rack is designed to attach to factory roof rack rails. Unbeknownst to our friend Matt Cawley, a previous owner has swapped out the stock roof rack rails for aftermarket units that weren’t compatible with the Baja Rack.
Much better! Once the factory...
Much better! Once the factory roof rack rails were installed on Matt’s 4Runner, the Baja Rack went on quickly and painlessly.
The Baja Rack has a built-in...
The Baja Rack has a built-in spoiler on its leading edge that largely silences typical roof rack wind noise.
On our trip through the Mojave National Preserve, the Baja Rack proved an ideal place to store firewood. As you can see, there’s still a lot of room left for other cargo.