4Runner to South America

[ericjn7]

Hello,

I'm new, so I hope this is where I should be posting. I also posted in "Latin America".

Anyway, my wife and I are planning to drive to south america. We have a 99 4Runner, but I'm not sure if it will be comfortable enough.

Any suggestions at all? I also have a 1974 VW Kombi westfalia. That would be cool, but seems a bit unreliable and no 4x4.

I'm open to all ideas, trades, suggestions, ect.

I've seen pop top tents on top, and trailers. Cool, but I think we would want to sleep inside whatever we drive.

Thanks!

 

[skrillah]

Welcome! I'd advise looking at some of the build threads in the 'sticky section' for some ideas. You'll likely want to build some sort of sleeping platform inside with storage, supplies underneath. Water, food, and gas storage may also be a concern, along with the obvious such as maintenance on the 4runner, etc.

Good luck and keep us updated!

 

[ExploringNH]

I did that drive in an antique Defender 110. The seats did not recline or slide forward or back. One position only! After having a 2002 4Runner for several years I can say with some assurance that the 4Runner is more than enough for the trip. There are certainly more capable and more comfortable vehicles but there are far more uncomfortable ones. I wouldn't hesitate to take the 4Runner on that trip. It should serve you well.

 

[ericjn7]

Thank you guys for the responses!

Any other suggestions? Would I be smart to buy a 4x4 van and go with something like that?

 

[tanglefoot]

A 4x4 van would likely be a big one from the big 3, which puts you several levels up in terms of operation cost from a 3rd gen 4runner. Vans are also usually more difficult to work on/maintain, due to the short hood/doghouse or underfloor engine, depending on the van.

I assume yours is the 3.4L with the 4-speed auto? You might switch to an external trans fluid cooler and replace the front ball joints before you go, but it's a great platform.

Several 1st-gen 4runners have made the trip, including Ruined Adventures and Home on the Highway (defrag4) here on the forum. Both couples slept inside the vehicle. You can use their threads for ideas for setting up the interior, etc. I'm sure many 3rd-gens have made the trip as well, I just don't know any examples off-hand.

Ruined Adventures:
http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...hread-87-4runner-built-for-epic-PanAm-journey

Home on the Highway:
http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...huaia-in-an-87-4Runner?highlight=Home+Highway

4wd probably isn't a requirement, depending on your route--The Kombi would probably be plenty capable, but you'd likely be doing a lot more roadside wrenching. You can follow the adventures of Nacho (the 2wd Vanagon), Brad and Sheena for a preview of that kind of experience.

http://www.drivenachodrive.com/

If you feel like you want more living space than the 4runner, you could always swap it for a Tacoma, T100 or 1st-gen Tundra and set up your living space in the bed, either under a high-top shell, a converting shell like a Wildernest or Flip-Pac, or a truck camper. I'm a big fan of pop-up truck campers.

 

[Milo902]

Great advice there, especially the ball joints and auto trans cooler, cheap insurance for an otherwise very dependable vehicle. I'm a huge fan of the 3rd gen 4Runner (of course, I own one)! One of my favorite parts about the 4Runner (ditto other small yotas) is it balances space with drive ability extremely well. It's not anywhere near as roomy inside as a full size van, but it's just soo much more fun to drive. It all comes down to priorities, but it's usually cheaper to drive the one you go.

If you do go van, there's something very romantic about the old VW Kombis & Vanagons. I have lusted after them many a time, but they just aren't practical with the long empty stretches and big mountains around here. Now heading south, you tend to have more time and the road speeds are much slower. How handy are you with (and tolerant of) a wrench?

 

[ericjn7]

I'm very handy when it comes to building a home, ect. but I have limited experience on working on cars. With a good tool and the manual, generally I can figure it out fairly easily.

Thanks for all of the good advice. My wife seems to want to sleep inside our car, but does anyone have experience with those roof-top tents? Are they worth the money, hassle?

Thanks for the advice on the trans cooler and ball joints. I'll make sure and do that. I plan to go through it before we go. Any other things I should make sure and do? Flush all fluids? Tune?

 

[ericjn7]

One more quick question- but I'm sure it won't be the last..

Do you think I should modify the suspension? Does anyone have any affordable options for that?

 

[tanglefoot]

There's some debate on the fluid flushing. I prefer the drain-and-refill. I think flushes occasionally cause internal issues and aren't usually necessary (and drain/refills are much easier to do at home).

There's a polarized crowd when it comes to roof top tents (RTTs). Some people love them for being off the ground and for the easy setup. They are expensive though, can make for a difficult night's sleep in the wind, raise the COG, disrupt the airflow over the roof, aren't very stealthy and don't offer as much security.

I love this shot of the interior of the Ruined Adventures 4runner. Everything has a place...even the maracas!

On the suspension, I'd base that on the current condition and how it works once you're loaded up. I personally like to leave things as stock as possible but you can always load up the vehicle and see how the suspension support and damping are. Some more supportive rear coils might be in order, but see as you go.

 

[deadbeat son]

On the suspension, I'd base that on the current condition and how it works once you're loaded up. I personally like to leave things as stock as possible but you can always load up the vehicle and see how the suspension support and damping are. Some more supportive rear coils might be in order, but see as you go.

I totally agree with this. The closer to stock, the more reliable a vehicle typically is. Load the truck up first to see how it does. If you need to handle more weight, then modify. Stock looking is more stealthy too. It's always good to fly under the radar.