One last cry for help before I modify my vehicle (help?)

[SCrunner]

I'm the worst at keeping things short so I'll try and keep it sweet... 5th gen 4runner

I have a lot of modifications in mind but I'm curious if I'm on the right page, or if I'm missing anything I might need for these upgrades.

Gobi stealth rack....can you place a rooftop tent anywhere on it? I dont want the ladder in the back to go to waste.

ARB fridge...do I need an aftermarket battery or dual set up? I have no lights or anything (for now)

Toytec ultimate lift...bilstein 5100 lift but which UCAs are best? I hear the uniball has weather problems in the long run?

Armour...is it all the same? This is as far as my knowledge goes for armour

For someone like myself who is obviously new to this, is it in my best bet to just take it to a trusted shop , tell em what I want, and just literally give em the keys? I have a good feeling Ill either order the wrong part, or pay too much. I wont be doing the work myself anyways... Ive had this on hold for awhile and I really want to get out there in those deep parts of the woods this season so all help is greatly appreciated. Thanks :)

Oops! (Edit) I forgot to ask about sliders, i know nothing about em...and rims? Has anyone ever had these before? Anything better out there? http://www.autoanything.com/wheels-rims/pro-comp-7069-series-alloy-wheels

Thanks again everyone

 

[Jroettele]

I have a gobi rack for a jeep JK. I had gobi do the option for the movable cross bars. With this set up, you can move the tent any where you want it.
I can't really answer for the other questions. I have heard of people running there ARB fridge off of Goal Zero Yeti. But I have no experience with this.

 

[shoredreamer]

@SCrunner if you need some guidance or someone to do some installs I can help. We should meetup if you’re in town!

 

[HEYElliott]

I dont know about the RTT question. But for the fridge I would definitely recommend a second battery or auxilliary power set up so you dont drain your main battery and then wake up to a dead vehicle the next morning.
For the UCAs all I know is that Fred from Dirt every day doesnt like uniball and Jason from Auto edit does. (Both Motor trend channel hosts) I think they both have pros and cons but I think uniball are better for driveability and on road. I think it will depend on your application and what terrain you are expecting to cover.
Armour is a tricky question because I think the main question is steel vs aluminum. Same goes for bumpers; steel is heavy and tough, Aluminum is lighter but more expensive. Again I think this is more of a where do you plan to go/what do you expect to do question..

Goodluck with your build. I would take up @shoredreamer on his offer for info. Buy him a coffee or a beer and start talking.

 

[Kent R]

I'm the worst at keeping things short so I'll try and keep it sweet... 5th gen 4runner

I have a lot of modifications in mind but I'm curious if I'm on the right page, or if I'm missing anything I might need for these upgrades.

Gobi stealth rack....can you place a rooftop tent anywhere on it? I dont want the ladder in the back to go to waste.

ARB fridge...do I need an aftermarket battery or dual set up? I have no lights or anything (for now)

Toytec ultimate lift...bilstein 5100 lift but which UCAs are best? I hear the uniball has weather problems in the long run?

Armour...is it all the same? This is as far as my knowledge goes for armour

For someone like myself who is obviously new to this, is it in my best bet to just take it to a trusted shop , tell em what I want, and just literally give em the keys? I have a good feeling Ill either order the wrong part, or pay too much. I wont be doing the work myself anyways... Ive had this on hold for awhile and I really want to get out there in those deep parts of the woods this season so all help is greatly appreciated. Thanks :)

Oops! (Edit) I forgot to ask about sliders, i know nothing about em...and rims? Has anyone ever had these before? Anything better out there? http://www.autoanything.com/wheels-rims/pro-comp-7069-series-alloy-wheels

Thanks again everyone

Have you looked at the Front Runner roof rack just for comparison?
https://www.frontrunneroutfitters.com/en/us/4runner-slimline-ii-2010-current-roof-rack-kit.html

 

[theMightyGoose]

Have you looked at the Front Runner roof rack just for comparison?
https://www.frontrunneroutfitters.com/en/us/4runner-slimline-ii-2010-current-roof-rack-kit.html

Love my Frontrunners. I think they are cleaner than the Prinsus and seem to be made better. I like how all the bolts are hidden and protected vs. the Prinsu. Plus, I like all the unnecessary gizmo's you can get for it. After all, having unnecessary comfort gadgets is what separates campers from the homeless.

 

[theMightyGoose]

I'm the worst at keeping things short so I'll try and keep it sweet... 5th gen 4runner

I have a lot of modifications in mind but I'm curious if I'm on the right page, or if I'm missing anything I might need for these upgrades.

Gobi stealth rack....can you place a rooftop tent anywhere on it? I dont want the ladder in the back to go to waste.

ARB fridge...do I need an aftermarket battery or dual set up? I have no lights or anything (for now)

Toytec ultimate lift...bilstein 5100 lift but which UCAs are best? I hear the uniball has weather problems in the long run?

Armour...is it all the same? This is as far as my knowledge goes for armour

For someone like myself who is obviously new to this, is it in my best bet to just take it to a trusted shop , tell em what I want, and just literally give em the keys? I have a good feeling Ill either order the wrong part, or pay too much. I wont be doing the work myself anyways... Ive had this on hold for awhile and I really want to get out there in those deep parts of the woods this season so all help is greatly appreciated. Thanks :)

Oops! (Edit) I forgot to ask about sliders, i know nothing about em...and rims? Has anyone ever had these before? Anything better out there? http://www.autoanything.com/wheels-rims/pro-comp-7069-series-alloy-wheels

Thanks again everyone

My advice would be to start small and only mod for what you really need. But it sounds like you know what you want. Armor is a good place to start. I have RCI sliders. They are beefy and RCI has a good reputation. CBI is also good. I do kind of wish they were aluminum because they are pretty heavy and for me, they are more insurance than anything. I don't do extreme off-roading, so aluminum would have been fine. For suspension, I only added Bilstein 5100 leveling kit up front and left the rest stock. With my skinny 32's (255's), I have plenty of ground clearance and no modifications necessary. Plus, the tires are only 4lbs over stock, so there is a LOT less stress on the truck's stock suspension. I also stuck with 4Runner wheels because I've heard some nightmare stories about aftermarket wheels. The 4Runner wheels are 1" larger than the Tacoma wheels (and look better). Lastly, I use a RTIC cooler (Yeti knock-off), and it holds ice plenty long, and I have no electrical concerns at all. Fridges are good for international travelers because ice can be hard to find. Not really a problem in the USA. Good luck!

 

[Sidetrekked Overland]

I run an arb 50 in my 2017 Tacoma on one battery all the time. I have the battery-saver deal on the fridge set to medium so if for some reason it runs my battery down (which has never happened in either of my Tacoma's) it will shut off vs drain the battery to where it won't start. I have the arb extension cord wired straight to a fuse panel and then to the battery so it gets constant power obviously. As an example we were in Big Bend from March 15th to March 25 with the fridge running at 23 degrees the entire time and now that we're back it's still running as we speak and I've had no hesitation in starting and the fridge has not powered down because of low battery. At some point I'll probably add another battery but I'm not in any hurry.

 

[Wanderlost]

We're going though much of what you are planning. Stop by our Youtube channel. There you'll find us installing much of what you'll be needing and wanting.
Uniballs require maintenance, are temperamental, and are probably overkill for what you'll be using your rig for. SPC makes a great arm that won't cost you a fortune.
We've installed the ToyTec Boss suspension, very much like their Ultimate, a little firmer ride.
We're going through the armor phase now; sliders, skids, and steel bumpers. In the coming weeks we'll be uploading the videos.
We put Procomp wheels like that on our FJ Cruiser project and had trouble with them hitting the front calipers. We ended up having to use 1 1/4 wheel spacers to make them work. With that you can expect to have clearance problems. Nothing a grinder and sawsall can't fix though. :)
You'd be amazed at how easy it is to do most of this work yourself with simple tools and no experience.

 

[theMightyGoose]

I run an arb 50 in my 2017 Tacoma on one battery all the time. I have the battery-saver deal on the fridge set to medium so if for some reason it runs my battery down (which has never happened in either of my Tacoma's) it will shut off vs drain the battery to where it won't start. I have the arb extension cord wired straight to a fuse panel and then to the battery so it gets constant power obviously. As an example we were in Big Bend from March 15th to March 25 with the fridge running at 23 degrees the entire time and now that we're back it's still running as we speak and I've had no hesitation in starting and the fridge has not powered down because of low battery. At some point I'll probably add another battery but I'm not in any hurry.

The idea of having ice cream in the middle of the Utah desert in summer is a good enough reason to get a fridge/freezer.

 

[Sidetrekked Overland]

I forgot to mention sliders. The first thing I purchased for my new Tacoma was the Allpro Off-road Apex sliders. I'm very happy with them and they look great. I chose to drill the frame to add the extra bolts so that they would support the weight of the vehicle.

 

[Road]

I run an arb 50 in my 2017 Tacoma on one battery all the time. I have the battery-saver deal on the fridge set to medium so if for some reason it runs my battery down (which has never happened in either of my Tacoma's) it will shut off vs drain the battery to where it won't start. I have the arb extension cord wired straight to a fuse panel and then to the battery so it gets constant power obviously. As an example we were in Big Bend from March 15th to March 25 with the fridge running at 23 degrees the entire time and now that we're back it's still running as we speak and I've had no hesitation in starting and the fridge has not powered down because of low battery. At some point I'll probably add another battery but I'm not in any hurry.

I agree, and did very similar for almost four months straight with an ARB 50 plugged in only to the cranking battery on my van, not separate deep cycles for the house/coach. The low battery shut off is a wonderful feature. Never had a problem starting my vehicle, and never had food getting too warm. In fact, the ARB is so efficient and well-insulated that before I learned more about the low battery shutoff, many days I would only leave it plugged in when I was driving somewhere, then unplug it while in camp and overnight.

I'll be setting up a deep cycle set to run other things in the van like battery chargers, rechargeable tools, mobile devices and such, and will wire the fridge to that set then. But I'm not at all worried about having it plugged into my starting batt.

 

[roninrunner]

I'm the worst at keeping things short so I'll try and keep it sweet... 5th gen 4runner

I have a lot of modifications in mind but I'm curious if I'm on the right page, or if I'm missing anything I might need for these upgrades.

Gobi stealth rack....can you place a rooftop tent anywhere on it? I dont want the ladder in the back to go to waste.

ARB fridge...do I need an aftermarket battery or dual set up? I have no lights or anything (for now)

Toytec ultimate lift...bilstein 5100 lift but which UCAs are best? I hear the uniball has weather problems in the long run?

Armour...is it all the same? This is as far as my knowledge goes for armour

For someone like myself who is obviously new to this, is it in my best bet to just take it to a trusted shop , tell em what I want, and just literally give em the keys? I have a good feeling Ill either order the wrong part, or pay too much. I wont be doing the work myself anyways... Ive had this on hold for awhile and I really want to get out there in those deep parts of the woods this season so all help is greatly appreciated. Thanks :)

Oops! (Edit) I forgot to ask about sliders, i know nothing about em...and rims? Has anyone ever had these before? Anything better out there? http://www.autoanything.com/wheels-rims/pro-comp-7069-series-alloy-wheels

Thanks again everyone

I'm saving now for many of these same mods.
1. Yes, you should have no issue with the Gobi rack and RTT. A co-worker is running one as well and hasn't mentioned any issues.
2. Fridge you don't HAVE to have a dual battery, but it helps. Keep it on high power cutoff and full so it stays cold and drive regularly. But for my DD which is also a 5th gen I'm doing the dual battery first to stay safe. I'd hate to be stranded at home anor god forbid work with a dead battery.
3. Can't say much since lift is further down my list.
4. What are you trying to armor? Yourself? Bumpers? Fenders?
5. Sliders, very handy and right after fridge on my list. They're great protection against rocks, logs, etc. plus they're a decent step. Added bonus is some of the wider ones will protect against door dings in parking lots.

 

[McCannUSA]

One of the biggest things to consider with your roof rack is time and specifically how long are you willing to wait for it. I just got my Gobi rack for my 2017 Grand Cherokee and I love it but your looking at the very least a 20 week wait to get one and if you think you are going to want ANY of the rack accessories make sure you order them with the rack or you will be waiting another 20 weeks for them to be made. For me it was worth the wait and I would do over again without question but if I had more options for my rig like you will, I may have gone a different direction. Only because of time though, quality of the Gobi rack is top notch. I don't have rock sliders yet but have been looking into them quiet a bit and from what I have seen, heard, read most people prefer to have the sliders that have the "kick out" in the back both for better protection and a usable step. If you can find a shop you trust to do all the installs and they can order the gear you want, I would let them order it. You may get a better price on the install that way too and if something doesn't fit right or work right it will be on them not you to get it replaced.

 

[MOAK]

One of the biggest things to consider with your roof rack is time and specifically how long are you willing to wait for it. I just got my Gobi rack for my 2017 Grand Cherokee and I love it but your looking at the very least a 20 week wait to get one and if you think you are going to want ANY of the rack accessories make sure you order them with the rack or you will be waiting another 20 weeks for them to be made. For me it was worth the wait and I would do over again without question but if I had more options for my rig like you will, I may have gone a different direction. Only because of time though, quality of the Gobi rack is top notch. I don't have rock sliders yet but have been looking into them quiet a bit and from what I have seen, heard, read most people prefer to have the sliders that have the "kick out" in the back both for better protection and a usable step. If you can find a shop you trust to do all the installs and they can order the gear you want, I would let them order it. You may get a better price on the install that way too and if something doesn't fit right or work right it will be on them not you to get it replaced.

Wow 20 week wait for Gobi? In my humble opinion that kind of wait time is inexcusable. It isn't a Tesla. However i did consider Gobi, ARB and Frontrunner . I ended up choosing the Frontrunner racks and a few accessories. If I had it all to do over, I'd buy the Frontrunner again. I went with steel racks once. The constant springtime maintenance and having to fabricate rusted out parts after only a few seasons with steel racks was enough for me to only consider aluminum racks forever more. peace out !!

 

[McCannUSA]

Wow 20 week wait for Gobi? In my humble opinion that kind of wait time is inexcusable. It isn't a Tesla. However i did consider Gobi, ARB and Frontrunner . I ended up choosing the Frontrunner racks and a few accessories. If I had it all to do over, I'd buy the Frontrunner again. I went with steel racks once. The constant springtime maintenance and having to fabricate rusted out parts after only a few seasons with steel racks was enough for me to only consider aluminum racks forever more. peace out !!

Yeah 20 weeks is a hell of a wait time. I would love to see behind the scenes and know what takes so long. It wasn't too bad though, they said it would be 12 to 16 weeks when I ordered it and they don't charge you for it until it's ready to ship. I just bought a cheep rack that I used while I was waiting. The hardest part was waiting after the 16th week. lol. I seriously considered Front Runner as well and I love how many accessories they offer but in the end I knew I wanted the Gobi and would just have to put the time in.