3rd Gen 4Runner

[CA-RJ]

Hello everyone. My name is RJ and I have a 1997 Toyota 4Runner. I discovered this site about a week ago and have spent most of my nights reading everything I can find.

I grew up in southern California but have moved all around since joining the Coast Guard back in 1999. I currently live in Connecticut with my wife. She just accepted a teaching position in Azusa, CA which means we're moving back to southern California this summer.

I love exploring and am working on getting my 4Runner ready. I bought it a year ago with 136k on it and now it has 159k. It has the 3.4L engine and a 5 speed transmission. I bought it with the Old Man Emu suspension, TJM-17 front bumper and Surco roof rack already installed. Since then, I added a Lock Rite locker to the rear end, Bud Built front skid plate and belly pan, a Cobra WX75ST cb radio and a nice Alpine CDA-9883 headunit.

Once we get to California, I want to build a sleeping platform and get a ham radio (once I get my license). I'd also like to buy or build some sort of a trailer to drag out on the trails with me.

Anyway, I've really enjoyed reading about everyone's trips and hope to add a few write-ups of my own.

Here's a few pictures--

 

[SOAZ]

Welcome!!:arabia:
Sharp looking rig. Jeffrey scott has a nice 3rd gen on here and you can see some of my sleeping platform for two on the early pages of my blog.
Love that bumper. So clean!
How is the mileage with the roof rack?

 

[CA-RJ]

Hey Tim. I read you blog often. Mileage is better than you would think. We did a trip from Connecticut to Ohio and on the way back I tracked my mileage with my Scan Gauge. It showed 22mpg for 700 miles! That's what 65-70 with the cruise will do for ya.

 

[Overland Hadley]

Welcome to Expedition Portal!

I have always liked the looks of the 3rd gen 4Runner's. Will be interested in following your mods and adventures.

 

[4Rescue]

While I'm a big lover of the 1st gen's (obviously) the 3rd gen's are a close second. Espescialy when they're colormatched/de-chromed. Add in the 3.4 and they make one hell of a rig.

Nice truck mate, and welcome to the Expo. :safari-rig:

 

[SOAZ]

Hey Tim. I read you blog often. Mileage is better than you would think. We did a trip from Connecticut to Ohio and on the way back I tracked my mileage with my Scan Gauge. It showed 22mpg for 700 miles! That's what 65-70 with the cruise will do for ya.

Thanks man! That is some seriously good mileage. If I can resist the urge to speed it seems that the 65-70 is the sweet spot for these trucks. The motor doesn't work to hard at that speed. Its amazing how much harder the motor works to go 80. And the mileage shows.
I need to find a TJM-17 and a roof rack. They are on my short list as soon as I find them! :arabia:

 

[4RunAmok]

Welcome!

Hi RJ,

Nice rig you got there with a nice head start on it to boot!

We got our '99 4runner in 2000 with 61K miles on it, now now has 170K. The modifications for offroad started around January of 2006.

So far we've

• Added an OasisII rooftop tent with Yakima rack for supporting it
• Extended the diffrential breathers (need to check transfer case and transmission breathers to see if they need it)
• Done a shock upgrade (Don't do the Ebay Bilsteins deal, wrong density shocks!) and need to do another
• Welded on some Demello Offroad rock sliders! (Thanks Jack and Jason!)
• Put on a set of BFG A/T KO's
• Installed Yaesu 8800 Dual band ham radio and a Cobra DX19 CB
• Drilled through the roof to install NMO mounts for the ham and CB antennas
• Put in a stereo system, Alpine headunit with Linear Power and Kicker amps and Kicker speakers.

Next (eventually) we're

• Upgrading the front brakes to the Tundra rotors and calipers
• Upgrading all springs to get a 3 inch rear lift and 2.5 inch front lift
• Getting an ARB front bumper
• Redoing the subwoofer box to allow more rear storage space
• Complete removal of interior, install sound deadening, re-install interior
• More stuff I have not even thought of yet!

We're in Glendale, not far from Azusa, so it'll be nice to have another 3rd Gen in the area!

 

[4RunAmok]

Hey Tim,

After multiple stories on the TJM, I decided on the ARB. The TJM has bolt-on corners, which kills the look in my opinion, and there are a few of them that have crumpled under pressure during winching.

As for racks, inexpensively, the Yakima rack looks like a solid solution and it has a front fairing for mileage!

 

[SOAZ]

True true. It seems like there is a split of happy customers and those who have traded theirs in for an armorology or bentup replacement. I love the look of no bars. It just looks clean. As I add dents to my bumper I just really need to make sure the replacement improves the approach angle.
In racks I like the yakimas, but they seem to fetch such a premium that I was debating making a go of building my own. Never know how that might exactly look though.

 

[4Rescue]

In racks I like the yakimas, but they seem to fetch such a premium that I was debating making a go of building my own. Never know how that might exactly look though.

I like my Yakima Basket, but if I hadn't gotten it for unreally cheap, I think I would have gone with a nice full length/size ARB or something similar. Yaks are well made, but nowhere near as tough as the overland intended jobbies alot of these guy's have.

 

[toy_tek]

From a fellow Newb, welcome, and nice 3rd gen.

 

[Cackalak Han]

Nice to see another 3rd Genner. It's a refreshing view from all these Tacos flooding this place. :sombrero: (jk)

 

[CA-RJ]

Thanks for the welcome everyone.

One the subject of the roof racks, I don't think I would even have one if it hadn't come with the 4Runner. Mine rattles over most bumps and doesn't sere any other purpose than to hold my spare tire. I would rather take a trailer with me the hold all my camping crap than have the rack.

 

[heeltoe989]

Nice to see another 3rd Genner. It's a refreshing view from all these Tacos flooding this place. :sombrero: (jk)

Nice runner and Welcome to the expo from one of the flooding Tacoma owners. :wavey:

 

[CA-RJ]

Are any of you running power inverters? If so, what wattage are you running? I'm thinking of having a couple of outlets in the rear so I can plug in my laptop and whatever else I might want to power.