building my own bull bars, can it be done?

Just looked at the ARB cat. and lists three bars to suit 84-86 4 Runners,$812 for cheapest.

G'day Finito...

built one for a rocky about 6 years ago. If you add time, effort, sourcing appropriate materials and the cost of having an engineer give it the OK, it really is easier to buy one. The engineer wanted to see it on the vehicle but vicroads said if it was attached without the cert, I was unroadworthy and subject to challenge by insurance if I should have a stack on the way to the engineer. ARB definately stock a couple for your rig.

Blue

God, I have had a home made bull bar on my Maverick since 1991. Tsk, Tsk.

A couple of interesting notes.
ARB does not make a bar for your 4Runner if it is IFS front and leaf rear (also happens to be a cheap bar).
But there is hope!
If you have a mate who can weld then it is not a big job to buy the early model ARB bar that suits the leaf spring model and modify it. This bar will fit the 4Runner but sits too low. You use a 9" angle grinder to do a vertical cut between the chassis mount and bumper section. You can then bolt up the mounting bracket then with the help of a couple of mates you hold the bar up to the vehicle, locate it where it looks right and tack weld it to the mounts. Put it off weld it up and also add and extra plate over the cut. There you have it an ARB bar for your vehicle, if you find a good welder then you would not pick that it had been cut and shut.

Sorry Finto I've led you astray... Your 4Runner must be post November 86 in which case Michael is right, you'll have to modify a live axle bar to suit. I've never owned a 4Runner and assumed they were all IFS. The ARB cataloge does not specify "live axle only".

Good luck
Blue

I have helped father in law build several without drama, just follow the lines of a commercially available one. we don't copy them, no need. it also helps if you have a well equiped metal fabrication workshop at your disposal like he does.

Thanks for all your replies, i was hopeing that some company would have a bull bar in their catalogue for me to buy, but it seems that somebody glanced over the '86 4 runner and said, nup, bugger that! It seems that i will have to modify an existing bar. Speaking of 9 inch grinders though, my neighbour was working on his car with one, when the disk broke on start up. The piece broke off and kissed him on his left nut. He might loose it. (Insert sympathy here.)