Toyota Mini Truck on the Rocks

(ANNOUNCER)>> WE TRIED AND TRIED BUT JUST COULDN'T CONQUER MAYHEM OFF ROAD PARK WITH OUR TOYOTA. SO WE WENT BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND MADE SOME MAJOR UPGRADES. TODAY ON XTREME 4X4, WE'RE BACK ON THE TRAIL AND THIS TIME WE'RE LOOKING FOR VENGEANCE!

(IAN)>> EVERY NOW AND AGAIN A PROJECT, WELL, IT JUST SEEMS TO FIGHT YOU THROUGH THE ENTIRE BUILD PROCESS. YOU GET THE RIG ALL TOGETHER, TAKE IT ON THE TRAIL FOR ITS MAIDEN VOYAGE, AND SOMETHING BREAKS. YOU BRING IT BACK IN THE SHOP, YOU FIX IT, AND YOU THINK YOU GOT IT BEAT, BUT THE SAME PROBLEM KEEPS CROPPING UP TIME AND TIME AGAIN. JUST WHEN YOU THINK YOU'VE GOT IT BEAT, IT DRAGS YOU BACK IN THE SHOP FOR THE SAME WORK EVERY WEEKEND. NOW NO PROJECT FITS THAT DESCRIPTION BETTER THAN OUR LITTLE TOYOTA PICK UP TRUCK. WE ROLLED IT OUT, TOOK IT WHEELING, AND IT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM EVERY TIME WE HIT A TRAIL. NOW SOME PEOPLE, WHEN THEY HAVE A PROBLEM LIKE THIS, THEY JUST THROW THE RIG AWAY AND START AGAIN FROM SCRATCH. OTHER TIMES YOU'VE GOT TO DO WHAT WE DID WITH THIS TRUCK HERE, COMPLETELY REBUILD IT FRONT TO BACK TO REALLY ELIMINATE THE ISSUE. NOW TODAY WE'RE GONNA HAVE A LOOK BACK AT THIS PROJECT, SHOW YOU WHAT IT STARTED OUT AS AND ALL THE PROBLEMS WE HAD ALONG THE WAY, AND WHAT LED TO ITS COMPLETE REBUILD THAT WE JUST FINISHED. THEN WE'LL TAKE IT BACK OUT ONTO THE VERY FIRST TRAIL WE WHEELED IT ON, THE TRAIL THAT PUT THIS TRUCK OUT OF COMMISSION, AND GET THIS RIG SOME REDEMPTION. THE TRUCK SHOWED UP AT XTREME AS A BONE STOCK TOYOTA EXTRA CAB PICK UP TRUCK. THE ONLY REAL PROBLEM WAS THE MOTOR HAD GONE DOWN AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. SO WE MADE THE EXECUTIVE DECISION, PULL THE MOTOR OUT AND REPLACE IT WITH SOMETHING THAT HAD A LITTLE BIT MORE POWER. AND THIS IS WHAT WE SLIPPED UNDERNEATH THE HOOD OF THIS TRUCK IN ITS PLACE, A GM PERFORMANCE PARTS RAM JET 350 CRATE ENGINE. AND LOOKING BACK ON IT NOW, THIS ENGINE CHOICE WAS PROBABLY ONE OF THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO ALL OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'VE HAD WITH THIS TRUCK. IF WE WENT WITH A MORE SENSIBLE ENGINE SWAP, LIKE MAYBE A FOUR POINT THREE LITER VSIX, WHICH IS POPULAR IN THE TOYOTA PICK UP TRUCK. OR EVEN WENT AND FOUND THE ORIGINAL TOYOTA FOUR CYLINDER TO SLIDE UNDERNEATH THIS TRUCK, WE PROBABLY COULD HAVE WHEELED THIS RIG FOR DECADES WITH NO PROBLEM. NOW DON'T GET ME WRONG, THE RAM JET 350 IS A GREAT MOTOR. IT'S GOT TONS OF POWER AND TONS OF TORQUE. UNFORTUNATELY FOR THIS TRUCK IT WAS JUST A LITTLE TOO MUCH. WE TOOK AS MANY PRECAUTIONS AS WE COULD WITH ALL THAT EXTRA POWER. FIRST BY UPGRADING THE TRANSFER CASE WITH A THREE SPEED HEAVY DUTY UNIT THAT WE GOT FROM STACK. REBUILT BOTH FRONT AND REAR AXLES WITH 30 SPLINE CHROMOLY SHAFTS AND DETROIT LOCKERS FRONT AND REAR, AND CHOSE A VERY SENSIBLE TIRE SIZE, 37 INCH TALL PRO COMP XTERRAINS. THE PROBLEM ARRIVED WHEN WE HIT THE TRAIL. AS SOON AS WE'D GOT INTO THE ROCKS AND BOUND UP THE FRONT END, ALL THAT EXTRA POWER UNDER THE HOOD AND THE EXTRA GEAR RATIO THANKS TO THE TRANSFER CASE, MEANT THAT THE FRONT DRIVE SHAFT WAS SHORT LIVED. YEAH, THAT'S A SHAME RIGHT THERE. NOW EVEN THOUGH THAT FIRST FAILURE WAS SIMPLY THE FRONT DRIVE SHAFT, THAT WAS SETTING THE STAGE FOR THINGS TO COME AND WE KNEW IT. SO THE PLAN RIGHT AWAY WAS TO COMPLETELY REBUILD THIS TRUCK. NOW THE TOYOTA AXLES THAT WERE UNDERNEATH IT WERE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO HANDLE THE POWER FROM THAT VEIGHT UNDER THE HOOD OR THE EXTRA GEAR RATIO FROM THAT STACK TRANSFER CASE. SO THEY WERE THE FIRST TO GO AND A SET OF FABRICATED NINE INCH ONE TON AXLES WERE SLIPPED IN IN THEIR PLACE. NOW THE NINE INCH AXLE GIVES US A COUPLE OF BENEFITS. IT'S A LOT STRONGER, HAS A 35 SPLINE TO THE CARRIER AND A 35 SPLINE OUT HERE AT THE WHEEL, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, ON THE FRONT IT ALLOWED US TO USE A HIGH PINION THIRD MEMBER. NOW THAT WILL KEEP THE DRIVE SHAFT UP OUT OF THE WAY OF TRAIL OBSTACLES, BUT IT ALSO IMPROVES THE ANGLE ON THAT FRONT YOKE, WHICH IS WHAT WAS TAKING THIS TRUCK OFF THE TRAIL ALL THE TIME. AND THE NEXT STEP, BECAUSE OF BIGGER AXLES, I GOT TO HAVE BIGGER TIRES. SO A SET OF 44 INCH TALL PIT BULLS WERE SLIPPED ON ALL FOUR CORNERS, AND WE DIDN'T STOP THERE. THE NEXT STEP, OBVIOUSLY SUSPENSION.

(ANNOUNCER)>> WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, HIT THE SKINNY PEDAL. COMING UP OUR TOYOTA'S ROAD TO REDEMPTION.

(IAN)>> TODAY WE'VE GOT OUR TOYOTA MINI TRUCK PROJECT BACK IN THE SHOP AND WE'RE SHOWING YOU GUYS HOW ONE MISTAKE, AND THAT WAS CHOOSING A POWERFUL VEIGHT ENGINE TO PUT UNDERNEATH THE HOOD, LED TO A PILE OF PROBLEMS THAT EVENTUALLY CAUSED US TO REBUILD THIS TRUCK FROM BUMPER TO BUMPER. NOW THIS SUSPENSION UPGRADE THAT'S ON HERE RIGHT NOW IS NOT THE FIRST TIME WE DID THE SUSPENSION ON THIS TRUCK. ORIGINALLY THIS RIG WAS AN INDEPENDENT FRONT SUSPENSION RIG. WE CUT ALL OF THAT OFF AND DID A SOLID AXLE SWAP, BASICALLY REPLACING ALL THE BRACKETS AND TABS ON THE FRONT WITH A SET OF LEAF SPRINGS TO MATCH THE REAR, AND THEN SLID ON A SET OF TOYOTA AXLE HOUSINGS. BUT WE'VE ALREADY SHOWN YOU GUYS HOW WE KNEW THE TOYOTA AXLES WERE NOT GONNA LAST WITH ALL THIS POWER, AND WE UPGRADED THEM TO A SET OF NINE INCHERS. NOW AT THE SAME TIME WE THOUGHT, WELL, AFTER ALL THAT WORK WE MIGHT AS WELL UPGRADE THE SUSPENSION AS WELL. SO THE LEAF SPRINGS ARE NOW GONE AND A LINK TYPE SUSPENSION SYSTEM IS IN THEIR PLACE. A THREE LINK IN THE FRONT AND A DOUBLE TRIANGULATED FOUR LINK IN THE REAR. NOW THIS IS A KIT THAT WE GOT FROM TRAIL GEAR, AND IT SIMPLY FITS OVER THE FRAME OF THIS TOYOTA TRUCK AND IS WELDED IN PLACE. IT'S SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR THIS MODEL. AND NOW WE'VE FINISHED IT ALL OUT WITH A SET OF BILSTEIN 9,100 ROCK CRAWLER COIL OVER SHOCKS. NOW DON'T GET ME WRONG, THERE'S NOTHING REALLY WRONG WITH LEAF SPRINGS, ESPECIALLY ON A BIG RIG. YOU CAN WHEEL THEM ALL DAY LONG BUT THEY WILL NEVER REACH THE SAME LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE AS A LINK SETUP AND A SET OF COIL OVERS. ANOTHER PROBLEM THAT CROPPED UP WITH THE VEIGHT UNDERNEATH THE HOOD WAS COOLING THE MOTOR. NOT ONLY WAS THE STOCK RADIATOR A TIGHT FIT, BUT WHEN WE HAD THE RIG OUT ON THE TRAIL, WE WE'RE CONSTANTLY LOSING POWER WHEN THIS THING HIT 260 DEGREES. SO WE DITCHED THAT SMALL VSIX RADIATOR UP FRONT AND INSTALLED A HEAVY DUTY ALUMINUM RADIATOR THAT WE GOT FROM SUMMIT RACING IN THE BACK OF THE TRUCK, AND COOLED IT WITH A HIGH FLOW ELECTRIC FAN. ADDED SOME TRANSFER TUBES TO GET THE COOLANT BACK TO THIS RADIATOR IN THE REAR. NOW THIS WILL HAVE NO TROUBLE KEEPING THAT BIG VEIGHT COOL CAUSE IT'S GOT LOTS OF CLEAN, FRESH AIR AROUND, AND THIS ELECTRIC FAN WILL MOVE AS MUCH AIR ACROSS THIS RADIATOR AS IT WOULD IF THE RADIATOR WAS MOUNTED IN THE FRONT OF THE TRUCK AND WE WERE JUST CRAWLING THROUGH THE WOODS. NOW WE LUCKED OUT AND WE WERE ABLE TO REUSE MOST OF THE TUBE WORK THAT WE'VE ALREADY DONE ON THIS TRUCK. I WENT AHEAD AND MOUNTED OUR BILSTEIN COIL OVER SHOCKS RIGHT TO THIS CROSS MEMBER. NOW BECAUSE WE HAVE THIS FOUR LINK IN THE REAR, WE HAD TO DITCH THE FACTORY FUEL TANK. SO TO CHANGE IT WE INSTALLED A FUEL CELL AND A BATTERY BOX IN FRONT OF THAT RADIATOR. SO THAT SHOULD GET YOU GUYS ALL CAUGHT UP IN WHAT IT TOOK FOR US TO COMPLETELY REBUILD THIS PROJECT. NOW I ALWAYS SAY, EVERY TIME YOU BUILD SOMETHING IN THE SHOP, YOU LEARN A COUPLE OF THINGS. AND WHAT DID WE LEARN BY BUILDING THIS RIG? WELL WE LEARNED THAT IT'S ALWAYS BEST TO BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE. IF YOU WANT A MILD OFF ROADER WITH SOME 37'S AND LEAF SPRINGS SUSPENSION, SOLID AXLE UP FRONT, THEN PLAN AHEAD FOR THAT, CHOOSE A SENSIBLE POWER PLANT. BUT IF YOU WANT A HILL KILLING MONSTER WITH VEIGHT POWER AND BIG TIRES, WELL JUST JUMP IN FEET FIRST AND BUILD THE TRUCK YOU WANT. IT'S GONNA SAVE YOU A LOT OF TIME AND A LOT OF ENERGY HAVING TO REBUILD STUFF ALONG THE WAY. NOW OBVIOUSLY THIS TRUCK'S NOT DONE. THERE'S STILL A FEW THINGS TO KNOCK OUT TODAY AND THEN WE'RE GONNA HIT THE TRAIL.

(IAN)>> WHILE WE FINISH UP THE COMPLETE REBUILD ON OUR TOYOTA MINI TRUCK, I'M SURE YOU GUYS HAVE FIGURED OUT BY NOW, OUR GOAL IS TO REMOVE EVERY SINGLE POSSIBLE WEAK LINK LEFT IN THAT TRUCK. AND INSIDE OUR CUSTOM AXLES IT'S GONNA BE NO DIFFERENT. WE HAD RCV PERFORMANCE BUILD US A CUSTOM SET OF ONE OF THEIR HEAVY DUTY DANA 60 CV AXLE ASSEMBLES. NOW THE CV STANDS FOR CONSTANT VELOCITY, AND THAT'S WHAT'S UNDERNEATH THIS BIG ROUND BALL HERE, A CONSTANT VELOCITY JOINT. INSIDE THERE ARE SIX BALLS THAT DISTRIBUTE THE LOAD THAT OCCURS INSIDE THE AXLE WHEN YOU'RE STEERING IT. NOW THAT'S A LOT DIFFERENT THAN THESE FOUR POINTS OF CONTACT INSIDE A STANDARD AXLE JOINT. NOW THE NICE THING IS THESE CAN HANDLE UP TO 45 DEGREES WORTH OF STEERING AND THE WHOLE SETUP COMES WITH A WE BREAK IT, THEY REPLACE IT NO QUESTIONS ASKED WARRANTY. SO WE SHOULD HAVE NO PROBLEMS UNDERNEATH THE FRONT END OF OUR TOYOTA. NOW WHILE WE WERE AT IT WE HAD THEM CUT US UP A SET OF THEIR CUSTOM REAR AXLE SHAFTS. IT'S JUST A SIMPLE DOUBLE SPLINE ON EITHER END THAT'LL SLIDE INTO OUR NEW HOUSING. NOW SPLINED SHAFTS ARE MADE OUT OF CHROMOLY STEEL AND ARE POLISHED TO PREVENT ANY HAIR LINE CRACKS THAT COULD LEAD TO FAILURES. IN THE REAR THEY SIMPLY SLIDE IN AND ENGAGE THE LOCKER, AND THE BALLISTIC FABRICATION END CAP IS BOLTED INTO PLACE.

UP FRONT THE FIRST STEP IS TO INSTALL THE SHAFT...

AND TURN THE STEERING ALL THE WAY UNTIL IT REACHES IT'S STEERING STOP. YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BELL OF THE CV JOINT DOES NOT CONTACT THE SHAFT. IF EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD, REMOVE THE SHAFT, INSTALL THE ORANGE PROTECTIVE COVER, AND REINSTALL THE CV SHAFT ASSEMBLY.

THEN WE'LL FINISH IT OFF BY SECURING THE SPINDLE USING A STAGE EIGHT LOCKING SPINDLE NUT KIT AND CONNECTING THE AXLE TO THE WHEEL WITH A NORTHWEST FAB SET OF DRIVE FLANGES. OH CANADA! WHEN IT COMES TIME TO PLUMB THE BRAKE SYSTEM IN YOUR PROJECT, YOU DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO ORDER 100 PERCENT CUSTOM LINES. YOU CAN HEAD DOWN TO A PARTS STORE AND BUY SOME OF THESE OEM FLEX LINES, AND BUNCH OF STICKS OF HARD LINE, AND EVENTUALLY AFTER YOU PUT ALL OF IT TOGETHER AND A FEW TRIPS BACK AND FORTH TO THE STORE, YOU WILL GET BRAKE FLUID FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER DOWN TO THE WHEEL. BUT BY THE TIME YOU ADD UP THE COST OF ALL THESE FLEX LINES, THAT HARD LINE, AND YOUR TIME, YOU COULD HAVE ORDERED A SET OF CUSTOM BRAKE LINES LIKE THESE ONES THAT WE GOT FOR OUR TOYOTA. NOW THESE ARE FROM CROWN PERFORMANCE. THEY ARE A TEFLON CORE HEAVY DUTY STAINLESS BRAIDED LINE. NOW THEY'LL CRIMP ON ANY END TO MATCH WHATEVER CALIPER YOU HAVE IN YOUR PROJECT. AND THE BEST PART IS YOU CAN ORDER THEM IN A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT COLORS AT ANY LENGTH THAT YOU WANT. AND THESE ARE INCREDIBLY STRONG, A LOT STRONGER THAN AN OEM LINE. HOW STRONG? WELL WE'VE RUN THEM IN THE BACK OF PROJECT BEFORE, HAD THEM BOLTED UP TO THE REAR CALIPER AND BEEN OUT WHEELING, AND HAD A TREE ROOT RIP THE BRAKE LINE RIGHT OFF THE CALIPER BREAKING THE BANJO BOLT. AND IN THE END THE LINE ITSELF, IT WAS STILL GOOD.

NOW THE LAST THING WE NEED TO DO TO OUR TRUCK BEFORE WE TAKE IT TO THE TRAIL IS TO CHARGE ALL THE COIL OVER SHOCKS WITH A PRESSURIZED CHARGE OF NITROGEN GAS, AND THE EASIEST WAY TO DO THAT IS WITH A DEDICATED SHOCK RECHARGING KIT LIKE THIS ONE FROM POWER TANK. IT COMES WITH A SMALL TANK THAT WE'LL FILL WITH NITROGEN, A GAUGE TO TELL US HOW MUCH PRESSURE'S COMING OUT OF THAT TANK, AND THEN A SEPARATE GAUGE ASSEMBLY TO TELL US HOW MUCH PRESSURE IS BEING INJECTED INTO EACH SHOCK. ALL WE HAVE TO DO NOW IS CHARGE EACH ONE INDIVIDUALLY. THE FIRST STEP IS TO CYCLE THE SUSPENSION SO THE SHOCK THAT YOU'RE GONNA CHARGE IS FULLY EXTENDED. THEN HOOK UP THE NO LOSS CHUCK AND ADJUST THE PRESSURE ON THE TANK TO WHAT PRESSURE YOU WANT IN THE SHOCK. THEN INTRODUCE THE NITROGEN CHARGE INTO THE RESERVOIR AND WHEN THE TWO GAUGES EQUALIZE, YOU CAN DISCONNECT EVERYTHING AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SHOCK.

(ANNOUNCER)>> IF AT FIRST YOU DON'T SUCCEED, TRY, TRY, TRY AGAIN!

(IAN)>> SO WE'RE BACK OUT HERE AT MAYHEM OFF ROAD PARK JUST OUTSIDE OF MCMINNVILLE, TENNESSEE, AND THIS IS THE EXACT PARK THAT TOOK THIS TRUCK OUT OF COMMISSION THE FIRST TIME WE WHEELED IT. SO TODAY WE'RE HERE TO GET A FULL MEASURE OF REDEMPTION. WE GOT THE RIG ALL SET UP AND WE'RE GONNA RUN THE EXACT SAME THREE TRAILS THAT WE RAN THE FIRST TIME WE WENT OUT WHEELING. HOPEFULLY BY THE END OF TODAY WE'LL BE DRIVING IT ON THE TRAILER INSTEAD OF HAULING IT WITH A WINCH.

MAYHEM OFF ROAD PARK IS ONE OF THOSE PARKS THAT YOU'VE GOT TO BRING ALL THAT YOU'VE GOT TO THE TABLE IF YOU'RE GONNA HIT ANY TRAIL IN THIS ARSENAL, AND I THINK THIS TIME WE'RE PACKING WHAT WE NEED TO HAVE A GOOD DAY.

ALL OF THE TRAILS AT MAYHEM ARE NASTY HILL CLIMBS WITH ROCKS AND LEDGES HALF WAY UP. AND WITH A BRAND NEW SET OF TIRES, THE SIDE WALLS CAN BE A LITTLE BIT STIFF. THE BEST WAY TO SOLVE THAT, LET SOME AIR OUT. THERE'S ONLY LIKE SEVEN POUNDS IN THEM BUT THEY'RE ACTING LIKE THERE'S ABOUT 15. SO WE'LL PULL THEM DOWN TO ABOUT FOUR POUNDS AND WE'LL BE ALRIGHT. WITH THE SIDE WALLS LOOSENED UP, THE TRUCK WORKED A LOT BETTER. POINT AND SHOOT AND HIT ALMOST ANY ROCK, BUT EVENTUALLY YOU'RE GONNA REACH YOUR LIMIT.

NOTHING ON AN OFF ROAD TRUCK IS PUT THERE JUST TO LOOK GOOD. THAT INCLUDES THE WINCH. NOW WE COULD BEAT ON THIS TRUCK ALL DAY LONG ON A LEDGE LIKE THAT. BUT AFTER IT GETS A LITTLE BIT OF RAIN OUT HERE AT MAYHEM, SOMETIMES YOU JUST GOTTA PULL CABLE. WE'LL SAVE THE LAST TRAIL FOR REALLY BEATING ON THIS TRUCK.

ONE TRAIL DOWN, PULLED CABLE A COUPLE OF TIMES, NOTHING TO BE ASHAMED OF ON ITS MAIDEN VOYAGE ALL NEW. NOW WE'RE OFF TO A HARDER TRAIL. BY UPGRADING OUR AXLES, WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO UPGRADE OUR TIRES, AND THE 44 INCH TALL PIT BULL ROCKERS MADE QUICK WORK OF ALMOST ANY ROCK THAT WE ENCOUNTERED ON THE TRAIL, DRIVING UP OVER THEM TO BRING THE AXLE UP AND GIVE US TONS OF GROUND CLEARANCE. I ALMOST HIT THE CAMERA MAN! I DID HIT THE CAMERA MAN! HE'S GOT TIRE MARKS ON HIS PANTS. LET ME SHOOT THAT! HE'S GOT A TIRE TREAD ON HIS KHAKI'S. FINALLY THANKS TO THE NEW AXLES WE WERE ABLE TO THOROUGHLY UNLEASH THE POWER OF OUR RAM JET 350, NOT HAVING TO HOLD BACK BECAUSE OF WEAK LINKS IN THE DRIVE TRAIN. OUR REAR MOUNTED RADIATOR KEPT OUR TEMPERATURES IN CHECK ALL DAY LONG, NOT GETTING ANY HIGHER THAN 210 DEGREES EVEN ON THIS HOT, MUGGY SOUTHERN DAY. LAST TRAIL OF THE DAY IS GONNA BE THE FIRST TRAIL THAT TOOK THIS TRUCK OUT OF ACTION. IT'S A NICE LONG CREEK BED TRAIL. SO FAR WE'VE DONE PRETTY GOOD. THE GOAL HERE IS TO BEAT THAT LEDGE THAT FIRST TOOK US OUT.

NOW THIS IS THE EXACTLY LEDGE THAT TOOK US OUT LAST TIME, AND THE REASON THAT HAPPENED WAS WE ONLY HAD A 37 INCH TALL TIRE. IT WAS ACTUALLY TRYING TO CRAWL UNDERNEATH THE UNDERCUT OF THIS ROCK, BOUND UP THE ENTIRE DRIVE LINE AND TORE OUT THE FRONT DRIVE SHAFT YOKE. SO TODAY, WE GET UP THIS TRAIL, IT'S REDEMPTION FOR THE TOYOTA.

WHOO! ALL IN ALL, TODAY, THE TOYOTA DID GREAT. THIS RIG IS BACK IN ACTION!