This round of mods done (Seat Rails)

[rcrvndl]

I posted a while back looking for seat rails and advice. Well I've finally completed this round of mods. Due to work and the cold up here in Nor Cal Sierra Mountains (Snow and rain country compared to Santa Cruz). I needed a bedliner and a top and wanted bucket seats so why not get heated at the same time. So I did my research of things available and ordered my parts. Bestop thermal pros, a bedrug and a Can-Back with rack for the furture purchase of a Lofty Shelter. During my wait for parts some money ran into me so I was able to purchase a new Warn 9.5ti, Hi-Lift and have custom bumpers front and rear as well as a pair of sliders made for my truck. Well after all this time it is finally complete. I was even able to install the rock lights as well. I also had some fab work done to have my 60" Hi-Lift, Axe and shovel mounted onto the rack of the Can-Back. All in all I think it turned out great.

Just so you know I'm not looking to rock crawl just explore and have a good time. Just to avoid the next question I will be cutting off the IFS as soon as possible and at that point installing ARB's front and rear. I'm not currently locked up at all I went that route on purpose so I could learn to drive without. It's the education I'm getting right now. That way I'll better appreciate being locked up later. When I do the SAS I'll also upgrade to 37". Right now it's back to saving my pennies unless some more money runs into me.

[rcrvndl]

Side shot

[rcrvndl]

Rear Drivers side

[rcrvndl]

Interior with new seats.

[rcrvndl]

Here is the best shot I could get with the seats installed. I wanted to get a shot before but forgot in the heat of the moment to get it all back together. The rails have a hole in the front of the front rail and at the rear of the rear rail we could bolt the seat to it cleanly. Plasma cutters are cool toys to play with.

[rcrvndl]

This a shot of my switch plate just under my stereo head unit. My favorite switches this past winter are the seat switches. The green one will be for aux driving lights. The yellow one is for my rock lights. The red one is for backup lights.

[rcrvndl]

And this is a shot of what I brought home last November.

[joez]

Looking Good!

and, one question, how much were the seats, and how well do they fit? i have boxes behind my seats now, and want to keep them, so is there still plenty of room behind the seats. my 20 year old buckets are loosing their support.

[rcrvndl]

Thanks.

First off I'm a stereo guy and I pulled the big box that was behind the bench from when I bought it. This box was way to big it had 4 10's in it. Not that is sounded great the guy had a 50 watt a side amp running the mess. I wanted leg room and bad sound was keeping me from it. The amp was under the carpet on the passenger floor board. It was a great foot warmer if you got the stereo cranked. I would say if you are running 8's in proper boxes you might loose a bit of leg room. I'm 5'8" or so, so it's not like I'm a tall guy. You might get away with it. I new I also wanted a CB and I like keeping my first aid kit in the cab with me. So I had other concerns as well.

I just measured the space behind the seat there is about 6" or so. I've included a picture as well. Hope this helps.

As far as the construction of the seats go. They seem to be made really well. You can go to the bestop web page and check out the way they're made. They have steel tubing for support in there bolsters. They seem to fit me really well however I did have to fab a set of rails for the seats. I purchased Bestops sliders which add about $190.00 to the cost of the seats which are about $750.00 plus tax.

[rcrvndl]

Shot of rock lights on.

[rcrvndl]

All the lights are mounted to tabs up and out of the way. These were done at the same time the bumpers and sliders were done. They work really well. I go wheeling with a group of guys that go at night after work on Friday to rock lights help a bunch even when airing down and back up.

[rcrvndl]

Last shot I promise. This is a shot of my bed with the bedliner and both 30mm ammo boxes and 1 Tuffy box bolted in place. It's all working really well so far, plenty of room and it all locks up. The bedrug liner is padded well enough to sleep on in emergencies which is one reason for the purchase. The main reason is stuff doesn't slide around like it did in the plastic tub.

[CoreyPerez]

If that was mine, it would have to be a "Mall Crawler", its too purdy to wheel :D

Good job. I'm just curious, what were you talking about with the plasma cutter on the seat rails?

Corey

[MaverickToy81]

Man, that is a sweet truck but, theres only one problem, you need a SAS! Is that in the works? Or do you wheel fine without it? I'm just wondering, because if i did alot of rock crawling, I'd like the SFA myself. Not knocking your truck at all, just IFS :) that is one of the sweetest rigs I have seen. Keep up the awesome work!

Ian

PS: Who did your bumpers and armor?

[CoreyPerez]

Its my understanding that he doesn't use it as a dedicated crawler, just as a vehicel to go exploring, and I thought he had planned on a Solid swap. Either way, lots of good bending on it. Did you do it, or a shop?

I had also thought on the bottom picture showing from the tailgate into the bed, I thought that was a plasma TV or something... Just a window tho.

Corey

[rcrvndl]

Plasma Cutter: on the seat rails they (SW Tube Works, where I had the bumpers and sliders done) cut out sections so I could bolt the seat sliders to the rails. The cuts are in the front of the front rail and at the back of the rear rail so I could if need be remove the seat from the rail without removing the rail from the truck. If it's still not clear with vebal communication I can try and take one more picture and post it. Just let me know. I think the rails came out pretty good as well.

Bumpers and armor: the guys at SW Tube Works are artists at this sort of thing. They also wheel Toyotas so there love the vehicle helps. They've been great to work with they allow you to dream with them not just here is how we do things. The web site is http://www.swtubeworks.com they're starting to get busy with work from all over the place now a days. They've been a wealth of knowledge for me since I've purchased my truck. They can do all from SAS's to tube doors. The web site has their phone number Scott the owner or Mike the worker bee. Either guy is great to talk with. Okay enough with the sales plug.

SAS: things like a solid axle are in the works. Front and Rear ARB's a Marlin Crawler are the big items that come to mind. I want a truck that will get me there and back with least amount of trail trouble. I know there are things beyond my control but creating a truck correctly should help out a bunch. Plus learning to drive it properly helps as well but I'm just guessing on that one. I used to do a lot of mountain biking and I'm applying the same thought from building my mt bike to the is truck. Build it stronger than you need you it will cut down on problems later. We'll see how that theory works down the road.

Exploring: What I mean by exploring are trails like the Rubicon, you know that sort of thing. I'm currently not interested in the competition portion of climbing the stuff just because I could. I want to do things like the Silverton trail, goofing around in Death Valley and see things you can't from a car.

Mall Crawler: I lived in the Bay Area for most of my life and I'm pretty tired of seeing those 4x's that never see the grass even when they are being washed. I'm walking that line of having a DD that looks good when you go places and it also being a capable off roader. Not easy but I know it'll get banged up and at some point it will be just for off road.

[4rnr4evr]

departure angle sucks but it is a cool truck i wish this web site would let me post my pics or i could figure it out:mad: :( :( :mad:

[rcrvndl]

As far as posting pics when you create a message or are posting a reply. At the bottom of the form do you not get a section called "Attachment"? You can post one pic per message. Or you can always type in a web address in your message that takes others to a web site with pics.

Yes departure angle does suck, but I'm not anticipating doing that kind of wheeling. Things may change down the road and I might have the gas can rack altered to hold only one can which would help. Or move the cans into the bed. But for now as I'm easing into wheeling they work.