My 3rd Gen 4Runner Build/Appreciation Thread
- Thread starter Go4Lo
- Start date
Go4Lo
Explorer
Very nice! Color matched bumpers looks sharp.
I had a two tone 3rd gen for awhile. One of my favorite trucks!
Nice looking 3rd Gen as well!
I wish...actually here on the East Coast to find a 3rd Gen with the E-Locker is extremely difficult.
I'm in the Charlotte area. We do a lot of camping and riding at Uwharrie and up in the NC mtns.
Yes, Spidertrax 1.25" spacers on all 4 corners. I have a love/hate relationship with them in that I love the stance they give the truck but I hate the steering wobble that comes and goes. Some days the truck tracks perfect and then others the steering wheel has a nice shimmy at hwy speeds. This was not present prior to the spacers. Maybe my truck is just moody....:smiley_drive:
Go4Lo
Explorer
Thanks for the heads up. Yes, I'm aware and am on the hunt for a complete e-locker rear end from a local salvage yard. :truck:
Go4Lo
Explorer
If you are talking about the Blowing Rock area then yes, been there many times. We call it "Sampson" area. Nice fun place for a day trip. Actually a few of my pics on the first page are from there. :sombrero:
Edit - this crossing look familiar?
Go4Lo
Explorer
I wasn't aware of any events going on next weekend...do tell?
The swaybar bushings on my truck were dry rotted after 15 years and 180K so it was a easy upgrade to swap them out for the Prothane poly bushings. It tightens the handling up a bit...nothing crazy but a little firmer than stock. The steering rack bushings are a common replacement item on the 3rd Gen 4Runners and Tacomas due to the factory rubber bushings dry rotting and developing play that allows the steering rack to move often resulting in loosing steering and steering wheel shimmy. Again, they are a cheap upgrade with decent results. Lot's of good write ups and how to's on sites like YotaTech and T4R on changing the steering rack bushings.
City_Rider
Adventurer
Also look in to changing out the steering rack guide bushing - there are two different designs and when I changed mine it removed the giant 'clunk' I had when going over rough terrain. 200,000 km took its toll and introduced a fair amount of slop - replacing the guide bushing which keeps the rack inline was a great find for me.
Go4Lo
Explorer
Great point City_Rider. I replaced the rack guide on my previous 3rd 4Runner with good results. I have the parts on my work bench for this truck as well.
Another source of the mysterious steering "clunk" on these trucks is often the slip joint in the steering shaft. I did this mod to my previous '98 3rd Gen 4Runner and it completely eliminated the steering "clunk".
http://ttora.com/forum/showthread.php?t=161689
City_Rider
Adventurer
You're all over it then. Beauty. I was going to reference the steering column clunk but mine is so minimal now that I have replaced the steering rack bushing I tend to think it is overkill. Still, it's a great write up on TTORA.
Go4Lo
Explorer
Updates
Been working on a few updates to the 4Runner that are worthy of posting. She's been torn down and going nowhere fast for the last week while new Tundra 199mm front calipers and Powerslot rotors have been installed up front and an ARB RD132 Air Locker in the rear Toyota 8" axle. Hope to have the 3rd member back from the gear installer mid-week so I can drop it in and get her back on the road for a trip this weekend. :sombrero:
Minor surgery - :Wow1:
Fancy new brakes.
My particular 4Runner did not come with the E-Locker so it was only a matter of time before a bit more traction was added. ARB is running a promotion through mid-June that includes a free compressor with the purchase of an AIR Locker so that was all I needed to pull the trigger :wings:
Firewall mounted
Magic buttons!!!
Been working on a few updates to the 4Runner that are worthy of posting. She's been torn down and going nowhere fast for the last week while new Tundra 199mm front calipers and Powerslot rotors have been installed up front and an ARB RD132 Air Locker in the rear Toyota 8" axle. Hope to have the 3rd member back from the gear installer mid-week so I can drop it in and get her back on the road for a trip this weekend. :sombrero:
Minor surgery - :Wow1:
Fancy new brakes.
My particular 4Runner did not come with the E-Locker so it was only a matter of time before a bit more traction was added. ARB is running a promotion through mid-June that includes a free compressor with the purchase of an AIR Locker so that was all I needed to pull the trigger :wings:
Firewall mounted
Magic buttons!!!
Last edited:
zonedriven
New member
Looks good. I have a 01 limited with white/silver. Good job on keeping it clean. That's the hardest thing to do is keep it looking good and not like you slapped everything on the expo cat on it. I did the tundra upgrade last year and love every second of it.
Go4Lo
Explorer
Thanks! Yes, it's hard to fight the urge sometimes....