Flemster's Build and OvErLaNdInG ADvEnTuReS

[Alex Fleming]

2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER 4x4 SR5 SPORT EDITION
SILVER
3.4L V6 5VZ-lFE
4-Speed A340lF Automatic Transmission
4x4
4.10:1 Differential Gears w/ E-locker

When the truck first found its way into the family in 2011

Started getting wheeled right away.


Was constantly working in high school to build the sucker up. Worked a part-time job after school as well as did mitigation, split and sold the wood on the weekends.


Fast forward to today, I am a fulltime student at Colorado State University and one of the owners at Rocky Mountain Racks. I also love taking pictures and making videos.

Instagram is @a.flemster
My Youtube Channel

Most recent pictures as of June, 2019:



Here is all my crazy
UPGRADES & MODIFICATIONS

Suspension:
Front:~1" lift
-King Extended Travel
-600lbs Coils
-SPC Upper Control Arms (Set at F for clearance)
-Plastic Guy Bump Stops
-Total Chaos Spindle Gussets
Rear:~2.5" lift
-OME 861's
-Fox Resi 2.0 Shocks (BLOWN AF)
-Plastics Guy Bump Stops

Wheels & Tires:
-Stealth Custom Series F5's in Bronze - 16x8
-315/75/16 TreadWright Guard Dog M/T (firewall chop for clearance)
Load range "D"

Engine & Performance Upgrades:
-Deckplate Mod
-Airaid Intake Elbow
-OEM filter
-Transmission Cooler


Undercarriage / Drive Train Upgrades:
**Front End**
-Tundra 231mm Brakes (13WL) (power stop rotors)
-4.10 gear Ratio (Planning on 5.29)
-1.25 Hubcentric Spidertrax Wheel Spacers
-Energy Suspension Poly Steering Rack Bushings
**Rear End**
-Factory E-locker: 4.10 gear Ratio
-1.25 Hubcentric Spidertrax Wheel Spacers

Electrical Modifications:
-Disabled Daytime Running Lights
-Rats nest for lights and winch
-Future
- Big 3, Blue Sea Fuse, Relays, and stuff like that, maybe a switch pros or something offbrand

Interior Upgrades:
-Custom Cargo / Storage Box Build with Drawers
-Transmission Temp gauge (A-Pillar)
-Oil Pressure Gauge (A-Pillar) No boost
-Para-cord Wrapped Steering Wheel
-Scan Gauge Mounted behind the steering wheel


Stereo/ CB/ HAM:
-Kenwood Double Din Touch Screen
-Esky EC170-06 Backup Camera
-Pioneer Premium speakers
**CB Radio
-Midland MXT275 Radio (This thing rocks)
-3ft Midland Antenna on swingout

Exterior Upgrades:
-Matterhorn MKII Roofrack
-Satoshi Mod with FJ40 Emblem
-20% Tint all around

**Exterior Lighting**
-Custom Retrofits (Hit up BXBUILT if you want a set)
- D2S 2.0 35W Ballast and 5500k Bulbs. Apollo 1.0 Shroud w/ 90mm Switchback Halo
-LED Tail Lights (Eagle Eyes)
-Element LED Canons
-12" Extreme Led Dual Row
-Two Extreme Led Stackerz on Flasher Relay as Chase Lights because racecar
**Armor**
-Low Range Offroad E-Locker Skid
-Custom Rear Lower Control Arm Mount Skids
-Stock Lower Control Arms with Angle Iron welded on as skid/strength
-Lil' Skips Gas Tank Skid
-Addicted Offroad Sliders
-Addicted Offroad Tube Front Bumper
- Smittybilt 10k wireless winch
- Factor 55 Pro-Link
-4x Innovations Rear Bumper with Swing Out and High Lift Mount
-4x Innovation Front Diff and Trans Skid


I'll try and keep this thread as Updated as possible and keep the images coming!!

 

[DuroBumps]

Nice Build! You have any pics of your belly skid installed?

 

[Alex Fleming]

@Plastics Guy
This is all I could find, I don't even have it at my house to send you pictures.
Reason I dont run it often is because 1 its extrememly heavy, over 100 pounds, 2 it rattles, and 3 I jsut dont find myself needing it often. Yea it gets scraped up once its on but the amount of clearance you have without it I rarely hit my T-case, just cross members.

Serious throwbacks.

 

[DuroBumps]

Thanks! I can understand not wanting to run it all the time at 100 lbs. But for those select trails it sure is nice to have the extra insurance.

these few pictures you have here look like some beautiful areas. I'm a desert rat and need more tree's in my life

 

[Alex Fleming]

I am going to take some time to get my self situated over her on this forum. I have spent countless hours making my thread on t4r so I don't expect to fully transfer it over but I want to start updating some things here. I'll post some of my more detailed write-ups in the saved section and any future things I will update. But these next few posts will get me caught up here.

Starting in Moab in October of 2018
This was Rocktober (Rock Therapy) 2018. Lots of cool people make it out to this event and it used to be a big thing with sponsors and giveaways but now that it no longer is hosted on private property it is just a bunch of Toyota guys hanging out in Moab for a weekend. Here are a few pictures. Some are from Blackflag and Ripcord.


Photo by Pheonix


Photo by Pheonix



Photo by Pheonix


Photo by Pheonix


Photo by Pheonix


Photo by Jim Reynolds


Photo by Pheonix

 

[Alex Fleming]

A little update on the vehicle. Mostly just using and abusing the thing as per usual. I have since swapped my Fox 2.blows for some bilstien 5100's that have been serving me well minus a snapped stud that I just welded back together. Swapped out the original motor mounts for some trail gear bombproof mounts. Exploded my fan in a water crossing. Drove it home. Ordered a new one for $20 on Amazon. NICE. Other than that... status qou.. Here are some pictures.

Moab Happened again.







Then the snow started melting and have gotten to play on some of the Colorado trails.

 

[AssBurns]

Looking good! Jealous of your Moab trip.

What was wrong with the Fox’s that 5100’s were a better option?

 

[Alex Fleming]

Looking good! Jealous of your Moab trip.

What was wrong with the Fox’s that 5100’s were a better option?

I have had the Fox for about 3 years, with proper bump stops (not bottoming out the shock) they were blowing up in less than 9 months not even beating on my truck. After having them rebuilt three times and blowing a 4th I was over it. The Bilstiens have been jumped, smashed and so far no sign of failure other than bending the upper stud because all that DAMN flex I got. Plus if they do blow they cost near nothing to replace and Amazon prime has them. Until I outboard or custom geometry with some 12's these will do.

 

[Alex Fleming]

Some updates for yas.
More camping and wheeling and carnage. Squeezed another Moab trip in as temps held out for us.

Fun was had, blew up a Ujoint, swapped it at camp, then the next day wheeled hard on Kane Creek, last day we did top of the world where my diff exploded.




I hate mud..





\

 

[Alex Fleming]

The Carnage.



Had to cut those bolts so picked up some grade 8 goodness.

 

[AssBurns]

The Carnage.
View attachment 8942
View attachment 8941
View attachment 8943View attachment 8940View attachment 8939
Had to cut those bolts so picked up some grade 8 goodness.

You blew the rear end too?! Shit man, that sucks! What exactly happened that caused this?

 

[Alex Fleming]

You blew the rear end too?! Shit man, that sucks! What exactly happened that caused this?

Not really sure. 9 years of hard wheeling on this probably didn't help. Front broke on a undercut ledge giving er the beans trying to bump the back end over it. Rear never showed signs of being blown till I pulled it out.

 

[AssBurns]

Not really sure. 9 years of hard wheeling on this probably didn't help. Front broke on a undercut ledge giving er the beans trying to bump the back end over it. Rear never showed signs of being blown till I pulled it out.

So who knows when the rear got fucked up. So are you taking this opportunity to regear and add a front locker?

 

[Rapier46]

So who knows when the rear got fucked up. So are you taking this opportunity to regear and add a front locker?

He should take the opportunity to get that gay ass 7.5 out of there.

 

[Alex Fleming]

So who knows when the rear got fucked up. So are you taking this opportunity to regear and add a front locker?

Sadly no.

He should take the opportunity to get that gay ass 7.5 out of there.

Also, sadly no

 

[Rapier46]

Also, sadly no

I’m a little upset.

 

[AssBurns]

I’m a little upset.

I’m not upset, I’m just disappointed.

 

[Alex Fleming]

Little updating going on from my summer.

We did the annual Broco Trip and the truck did great. Ran pretty warm but considering it was near or over 100 most days early on and my AC was blowing cold I was pretty happy. Never really went above 213. Pulling long steep hills with AC on it would sit around 205 and usually cool back down really fast. I think I have a sticking thermostat because sometimes it would drop to like 195 while still working hard and other times it just had no desire to cool itself.

We started in Telluride for the FJ Summit gaggle with the crew

Then it was off to Montrose to start the Rim Rocker Trail all the way to Moab.

We made a deal that we would be set up and drinking beer by 7 every night and that was awesome cause usually its past dark on these damned trips.

Look familiar... I feel for you brother.

180 miles of dirt later we were coming out of Area BFE in Moab, UT

 

[Alex Fleming]

Continueing the trip.
So once we made it into Moab we were in need of some refreshing of snacks, beer, and hopeful for a shower. We ended up getting some cheap showers at Canyonlands Campground in town which was really nice. They also had water fill-ups so we were able to top off all our drinking water. We hit McDonald's for some ice cream and ice coffee than it was off to that night's camp.

We camped on the way back to Grand Junction while we contemplated doing the Kokepeli which we were sure was going to be a no due to none of us or our trucks enjoying 110-degree temps.

Once we set up camp fairly early in the afternoon we decided and sunset run of Top of the World was a must.

Awesome views of course but it means working your way back down in the dark which is not terrible.

Here was our camp for the night.

Off to Fruita for Gas then into Grand Mesa!

Grand Mesa was a great change of pace, from 110 degrees to 50 degrees and rainy. Sadly, the mosquitos got immensely worse. A fair trade-off I guess.

We ended up spending the next two nights up here and it was awesome.

Then it was off to Marble for Slow Groovin' BBQ (THE BEST BBQ IN COLORADO).

Also this GEM

Then over Independence Pass for one last night on Georgia Pass for the final night of the trip.

Videos inbound of the whole journey through Broco Adventure Media.

 

[Alex Fleming]

Since my return I have done a few odds and ends, slowly making a dent in my list of to-dos which sadly only seems to be getting longer.

Firstly I slapped a new battery in, my new fridge... O yea I got a fridge. Found the wink link which was my battery. It did good for the entire trip but towards the end, I could tell it wasn't happy on startup and would never charge up all the way.
So yea new battery. Pics of the fridge will be below in a sec.

I replaced the rear body bushings finally. What a difference. I have had the parts for quite some time but I never had the motivation. I ripped the bumper off and got it done though.

bada bing bada boom.

So much rake without the bumper, swingout, spare tire, drawers etc haha.

Next was rebuilding the swingout higher up.

Should have taken a before picture but just went to town. I added a cross brace from the tire carrier to my rotopax/antenna mount tube. Then cut off the tire mount and added a tube at a slight angle about 6" higher and welded it back on.

Took about 4 hours but Im slow when it comes to welding things and I like to take my time with grinding and sanding.

Lastly, Project new drawers is a go. We at Sherpa Equipment Co. are working on a cost-effective and high-quality answer to the overpriced drawers on the market.

Also, notice that fancy amazon fridge in the background. Works amazing and only $350. (Costway fridge)