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Post by pinstryper on Mar 21, 2016 14:23:23 GMT -5
How are yyour mounted? Pics please
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Post by ES_97Sport on Mar 21, 2016 20:48:49 GMT -5
How are yyour mounted? Pics please Welded. They only way to attach real rock skids. I'll snap a couple pics tomorrow morning when its light out. 2" DOM legs, welded to 1/4" plate and then the legs are gusseted. I run three legs on the big Sport, but the little '97 has four and that's what is going on the '99. The 1/4" plate is welded to the frame - very carefully and very slowly, just a bit (1-1.5") at a time letting the plate and frame cool between welds. If you don't do this you end up with frame cracking issues. Edward
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Post by pinstryper on Mar 23, 2016 14:06:05 GMT -5
Seems you could almost bolt them in front using the crossmember. No such luv in the rear though. :mad:
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Post by ES_97Sport on Mar 24, 2016 21:35:29 GMT -5
Seems you could almost bolt them in front using the crossmember. No such luv in the rear though. :mad: It depends on what you're really trying to do. Real rock skids that are really intended to be used need to be able to support the weight of the vehicle slamming down on them. Over and over and over and over .... The issue with bolting them on is you are now drilling holes in the frame. The holes need to be reinforced in some way. Bolts loosen up, shift, round out the holes, catch on stuff, ... all kinds of annoying things. Its usually simpler in the long run to weld them. Also, the idea is to have them mounted as high up as possible and the legs up inside where they can't catch on things. The higher up the frame the better things generally turn out. Edward
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Post by ES_97Sport on Mar 25, 2016 15:52:50 GMT -5
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Post by jkdv8 on Mar 25, 2016 17:05:41 GMT -5
Those look awesome man!!
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Post by pinstryper on Mar 26, 2016 9:45:27 GMT -5
Very nice
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Post by jar on Mar 26, 2016 15:06:00 GMT -5
Ed, where did order those from? Or they were custom build?
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Post by ES_97Sport on Mar 28, 2016 13:44:26 GMT -5
Ed, where did order those from? Or they were custom build? I can't take credit. The bars are from All-Pro Off Road, a Toyota shop in So-Cal. All-Pro Off Road - 4Runner Rock SlidersThe pictures of my Sport are of their original bars from about 2000. They've changed slightly since then. The link below is for the FJ. Its a newer page so there's more information than the 4Runner page. Its possible to get the 4Runner skids with the filler plates as shown on the FJ page. The FJ page also shows kinda how the plates and gussets should be done. All-Pro Off Road - FJ Cruiser Rock Sliders Note, the example they show for the mount plates are not large enough in area. At a minimum the plate should be 2x the width of the leg. For example, if the leg is 2"x2" the plate should be 4"x4". 6"x6" would be better. The plate should be at least 1/4" thick. 1/4" has worked real well for me. It isn't about the thickness as much as its about the distribution of the force the leg(s) put on the plate and that needs to be spread out. NORMALLY, the plates should be welded left/right and top/bottom. On the big Sport the plates were only welded left/right. Don't ask me why - at the time I was dealing with a medical emergency so I don't remember if I ever got an explanation for that. The little '97 has the new revision of the All-Pro skids with the filler plates and the shop that did that one a couple years ago did 6x6 plates, gussets and lt/rt & top/bottom welds on the plates. I've never had a problem with the big Sport skids but its somewhat rare that they get a hit from the bottom anymore. With 25" from the ground to the bottom of the frame + about 3" more to the bottom of the skid/legs, it really takes something unusual to drag one. The overwhelming majority of hits to the skids are from the side, or the outer lower edge. Rocks, trees, or cars. These things are AWESOME side protection from stupid drivers. The (4Runner) All-Pro skids have to be ordered 'bare' without legs. Its easiest - and cheapest - to source the legs, 1/4" plate and gusset material locally. Shipping steel is REALLY expensive and the less you have to ship the better off you are. I'm not going to resurrect the decades long argument over square tube vs round tube vs triangular tube vs whatever for the legs. I know square 2"x1/4" wall tube is stronger than 2" round DOM - I don't care. Square legs are (a lot) more prone to hanging up on stuff and unless someone is planning on building their Sport into a buggy to do Area BFE, 2"x.120" wall DOM is plenty sufficient, especially with four legs. I've beat the crap out of these with 2" DOM legs and have yet to damage or bend a leg and the big Sport weights a LOT more than even a modded Sport with the OEM IFS. Otherwise, yes they are awesome! The rear kick-out design is unique to All-Pro and well worth the money. The biggest problem with these is mounting them correctly. Its hard to see in the pictures - too much black on black reflection. They are not designed to be tucked in flat. They're designed to be mounted so they extend past the outermost vertical edge of the body - otherwise known as the door. And they're designed to sit at about a 15 degree angle. Back in the day when they came out, you can not believe the number of heated arguments these caused. Not related specifically to All-Pro skids, but skids in general: If they're being installed with intent to actually use them, DO NOT powder coat them!!! Powder coating is has a very high friction coefficient compared to plain Rust-Oleum spray paint. Its not a problem on wood, but on rock its hard to get the skids to slide easily. Besides that, its easier to touch up regular paint. Edward
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Post by pinstryper on Mar 28, 2016 23:09:29 GMT -5
So the 84-95 4runners will work on Gen 1's. ?
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Post by ES_97Sport on Mar 29, 2016 12:37:44 GMT -5
So the 84-95 4runners will work on Gen 1's. ? The skid itself will fit on both the Gen 1 and Gen 2. They have to be ordered without legs. The 'ready to weld on skids with attached legs' WILL NOT FIT a Sport (or Montero). All of the Toy frames are different from ours. If you want to order a set, you have to call All-Pro and tell them you want these skids in DOM (with the fill plates if you want them) 'bare'. No paint and no legs. JUST the skid itself. When you get them, you need to source 2" DOM .120 wall for the legs, 1/4" or 3/8" plate for the frame and 1/8" or 3/16" plate for the gussets. Or have the shop that's going to weld them on do it. The legs will need to be 'fish mouth' cut on the skid end, so you will need a tubing cuter or the shop will. Depending on how these are mounted, the fuel filter may need to be relocated slightly and both the frame dampers in front of the rear wheels will need to be removed. No loss on the latter. The skids will stiffen up the frame A LOT. A WHOLE lot. Definitely for the good! AFAIKT vibration actually goes down after the skids are on. And you'll be able to open the rear hatch if the vehicle is crossed up. Edward
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Post by jkdv8 on Mar 29, 2016 13:31:25 GMT -5
They look nice regardless. I'm guessing the same method for installation would include the 2nd gen. There isn't really any change in the actual frame between the years minus the rear suspension connection points.
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Post by ES_97Sport on Mar 29, 2016 15:30:23 GMT -5
They look nice regardless. I'm guessing the same method for installation would include the 2nd gen. There isn't really any change in the actual frame between the years minus the rear suspension connection points. Nope, its the same. Doesn't really matter anyway. Since the legs have to be fabed at the time of install everything can be custom fitted and positioned just where you want it. I actually like that better than the pre-fabed stuff 'cause All-Pro actually puts a tad less angle on them than I like. Edward
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Post by pinstryper on Mar 30, 2016 8:41:13 GMT -5
What tires are in the photos above? Those look like stock wheels, but with 12.50's the way they line up with the flares.
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Post by ES_97Sport on Mar 30, 2016 17:24:56 GMT -5
What tires are in the photos above? Those look like stock wheels, but with 12.50's the way they line up with the flares. Those are 33"x12.5"x15" Geolandar M/Ts on the stock 15"x7" Sport Gen 1 rims. The tires actually tuck inside the flairs but more than it looks like. The 35x12.5x15 Geolandar M/T+s that I run now, even with the wider axles and off-set rims come right up to the edge of the flairs. Well, when there ARE flairs. Those pictures are kinda misleading. In the pictures, it looks like the rims are a lot wider than they are. If you look at the 2nd pic of the undercarriage you can see how much bulge there is on the inside of the DS wheel. Edward
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