Little Bit of Everything 3rd Gen 4runner - MojaveMadMan Edition
- Thread starter MojaveMadMan
- Start date
MojaveMadMan
Observer
Thanks for the good words!
I have had a crazy couple months. I took on some side work building 4 pumped for two clients which has kept me busy. Plus my wife is pregnant and will deliver any day now...
I have a whole mess of parts/material ready to go when I get time...
- All Pro UCA's
- Poly LCA bushings
- Toyota inner/outter tie rod ends
- Wheelers poly rack bushing kit
- Wheelers front brake lines
- Toyota rebuild kits for CV's
- Senoran Steel 1.2 full suspension kit
- Steel for rock sliders
- Steel to finish my front bumper/skids
- Steel, swing out bearing and rubber stop for back bumper
- Steel for roll bar
Once I get a moment, this thing will progress quickly, haha. Rear roll bar on the menu still as well. After I knock out all the bolt on stuff I will get to fabbing on this thing again. I am hoping to jump on it come late Jan, early Feb. I spent some time figuring out all the mounting points, just need to build it!
I have had a crazy couple months. I took on some side work building 4 pumped for two clients which has kept me busy. Plus my wife is pregnant and will deliver any day now...
I have a whole mess of parts/material ready to go when I get time...
- All Pro UCA's
- Poly LCA bushings
- Toyota inner/outter tie rod ends
- Wheelers poly rack bushing kit
- Wheelers front brake lines
- Toyota rebuild kits for CV's
- Senoran Steel 1.2 full suspension kit
- Steel for rock sliders
- Steel to finish my front bumper/skids
- Steel, swing out bearing and rubber stop for back bumper
- Steel for roll bar
Once I get a moment, this thing will progress quickly, haha. Rear roll bar on the menu still as well. After I knock out all the bolt on stuff I will get to fabbing on this thing again. I am hoping to jump on it come late Jan, early Feb. I spent some time figuring out all the mounting points, just need to build it!
MojaveMadMan
Observer
Man I have neglected this thread... Time for some major updates!
Lift and suspension Work - 18 Jan 2015
- All-Pro UCA's
- Sonoran Steel 1.2
- Outter Tie Rods
- Poly LCA bushings
- Poly Rack Bushings
- Wheelers Brake Lines
- CV's Rebuilt
Thoughts:
The front end, it's perfect. It drives straight, firm but not covered wagon stiff, and seems to have nice road manors. The rear on the other hand is a little disappointing so far... It is the LC 7.5 wraps that Sonoran Steel includes with their lift. They are lifting it like 5", and the back feels very bumpy and stiff on the road. I even weighed it down with a spare tire and three sheets of steel in the back and the rear is still really high and bouncy. I will be ordering ToyTec's long trail coils up for this thing as I really wanna see the rear end come way down.
First Trip out with lift - 20 Jan 2015
So I would say yesterdays trip was a success! 4runner did well and the only issue I had was the weight on the drive shaft contacted my factory gas tank skid. Easy fix, a little beating to move it over and no further problems.
Thoughts on SS 1.2 kit: So I have mixed feelings, the jury is still out on this one. The rear is still sky high. I was hoping that after a day of trail use it would settle a little more. At times on the trial it looked as if it settled, but when I got home from my trip it still measured 41" from ground to fender, which is where I was before... And also, surprisingly the front seemed to settle about 3/4". I have the shocks set on the first setting. I am going to clean my rig and move the springs to the 2nd or maybe 3rd setting and see where I sit. I don't wanna go too high. It's at 37.5" right now and I wanna be closer to 39".
Also, I ordered up a set of ToyTec superflex coils for the rear. I want to try those as well and see where it sits. My goal is to have a level truck, or at most 1" up in the rear. I still need to finish my rear bumper and get all the back stuff finalized to see exactly which set of springs I will run for the long term. I do have 3 4'x2' sheets of steel and a spare tire in the back to simulate that right now (at 41") but I am hoping it will go lower once I hang that weight off the back more. I like that I will have 2 sets of springs to play with here.
Also, I will have a more detailed update coming in the next week or two. I have done a bunch of little things and will be doing more work.
Lift and suspension Work - 18 Jan 2015
- All-Pro UCA's
- Sonoran Steel 1.2
- Outter Tie Rods
- Poly LCA bushings
- Poly Rack Bushings
- Wheelers Brake Lines
- CV's Rebuilt
Thoughts:
The front end, it's perfect. It drives straight, firm but not covered wagon stiff, and seems to have nice road manors. The rear on the other hand is a little disappointing so far... It is the LC 7.5 wraps that Sonoran Steel includes with their lift. They are lifting it like 5", and the back feels very bumpy and stiff on the road. I even weighed it down with a spare tire and three sheets of steel in the back and the rear is still really high and bouncy. I will be ordering ToyTec's long trail coils up for this thing as I really wanna see the rear end come way down.
First Trip out with lift - 20 Jan 2015
So I would say yesterdays trip was a success! 4runner did well and the only issue I had was the weight on the drive shaft contacted my factory gas tank skid. Easy fix, a little beating to move it over and no further problems.
Thoughts on SS 1.2 kit: So I have mixed feelings, the jury is still out on this one. The rear is still sky high. I was hoping that after a day of trail use it would settle a little more. At times on the trial it looked as if it settled, but when I got home from my trip it still measured 41" from ground to fender, which is where I was before... And also, surprisingly the front seemed to settle about 3/4". I have the shocks set on the first setting. I am going to clean my rig and move the springs to the 2nd or maybe 3rd setting and see where I sit. I don't wanna go too high. It's at 37.5" right now and I wanna be closer to 39".
Also, I ordered up a set of ToyTec superflex coils for the rear. I want to try those as well and see where it sits. My goal is to have a level truck, or at most 1" up in the rear. I still need to finish my rear bumper and get all the back stuff finalized to see exactly which set of springs I will run for the long term. I do have 3 4'x2' sheets of steel and a spare tire in the back to simulate that right now (at 41") but I am hoping it will go lower once I hang that weight off the back more. I like that I will have 2 sets of springs to play with here.
Also, I will have a more detailed update coming in the next week or two. I have done a bunch of little things and will be doing more work.
MojaveMadMan
Observer
Bumpers and stuff 14 Mar 2015
So today is double update day, with a third to follow mid week haha. After some serious neglect and a busy schedule its finally time to add some updates.
Not pictured, I got my ToyTec Coils and installed them. It brought the rear end down a fair amount and I have what I think is a great stance now that I have all the weight on the rear end. So far I am happy with them!
Lets start with the work I didn't do. I had this thing wired up! Sgt Taco on TW did the work for me. If you are in ABQ I 100% suggest you talk to this man. Not only was his work very clean and to my standard, but way above! He knows all kinds of tricks on things you didn't know you need tricks for. Like relays, I guess there is the normal way where the relay can only go in a specific way and if backwards will cause problems. But he wires this thing up so it can go in either way and not only will it not cause problems, but everything still works. Didn't know I needed that but he took care of it.
Here is a picture of the engine bay. Nice and clean even though there is a lot going on in here.
This is the Bussman fuse and relay block. It is 100% weather sealed, holds 5 relays and 10 fuses. You use all metrapack connectors and everything is all pinned out like a factory distro block. These things are very cool!
And a look inside.
This is where all the wires run into my cab for my switch panel.
And the grounding block.
Here is where the magic happens. 10 switches of glory haha. They are all tapped into the dimmer and you can adjust brightness with the factory knob. They glow green on the bottom at night with the lights on, and the pictures light up red when on. I will get some night shots one night. Some switches are for future mods (winch, inverter, front locker).
In addition to all of that I got my CB mounted and wired in. Still need to get the antenna mounted, more to come on that. I also installed a DVD head unit in this thing a while back. I don't think I posted on that. It's a pioneer. Doesn't have the Nav feature but I use the smart phone for that anyways.
Next big addition, got my rear bumper built and installed!!!! I didn't post much on the build for this one. I was concurrently working on 4 bumpers at the same time so it all got blurry haha. But this is the finished product. I am still buttoning up the swing out and all the attached goodies, so that is my additional update I plan on posting mid week next week. It's rather elaborate so it will have it's own section haha. More on the bumper. Made from 3/16" main rectangle tube, 1/4" mounts and hitch stuff, and then 1/8" plate everywhere else in an attempt to save overall weight on the rig. It is a seriously heavy bumper though even with the thinner plate work. Has a hitch that I am confident will handle decent weight. Have to give some credit on this one. Did a lot of feature searching on bumpers before I built mine and I drew some influences from some CBI features and style cues from [MENTION=22788]prospectator[/MENTION] 's bumper that he built.
Side shot
Pass corner.
The tube work on the side. The jury is still out on how I feel about the tubing. It will add some good protection but I scratched up the side of my rig trying to put this on by myself... haha kinda defeated the purpose there, oh well.
Rear shot, you can see where the swing out will attach and bolt on.
Drivers corner.
Hitch area. This will get a filler panel down the road when I get to it.
Swing out pivot and electrical weather pack connector.
Front bumper got a major overhaul. I posted in my bumper build, but was waiting to add to this one. Added an 1/8" aluminum skid with dimples. Also I took the LED strip blinkers out and added the standard optical eye looking ones. Did some various clean up on the thing and re-painted it satin black. If I like this I may end up getting it powder coated some form of this color down the road.
Other small stuff, got the GT seat covers installed. These are very nice leather and look stock. I am a little too dirty for these haha... I may end up switching to Poly ones later. But not because they suck, I am just ruff on cars.
Lastly, finished my front skid. This is all 1/8" steel plate. IT has about 8 ribs in various spots to keep it rigid. I know it won't stay straight from the big hits, but I am not a big rock crawler and this things will offer plenty of protection. I won't be sad if it gets tweaked, haha.
So today is double update day, with a third to follow mid week haha. After some serious neglect and a busy schedule its finally time to add some updates.
Not pictured, I got my ToyTec Coils and installed them. It brought the rear end down a fair amount and I have what I think is a great stance now that I have all the weight on the rear end. So far I am happy with them!
Lets start with the work I didn't do. I had this thing wired up! Sgt Taco on TW did the work for me. If you are in ABQ I 100% suggest you talk to this man. Not only was his work very clean and to my standard, but way above! He knows all kinds of tricks on things you didn't know you need tricks for. Like relays, I guess there is the normal way where the relay can only go in a specific way and if backwards will cause problems. But he wires this thing up so it can go in either way and not only will it not cause problems, but everything still works. Didn't know I needed that but he took care of it.
Here is a picture of the engine bay. Nice and clean even though there is a lot going on in here.
This is the Bussman fuse and relay block. It is 100% weather sealed, holds 5 relays and 10 fuses. You use all metrapack connectors and everything is all pinned out like a factory distro block. These things are very cool!
And a look inside.
This is where all the wires run into my cab for my switch panel.
And the grounding block.
Here is where the magic happens. 10 switches of glory haha. They are all tapped into the dimmer and you can adjust brightness with the factory knob. They glow green on the bottom at night with the lights on, and the pictures light up red when on. I will get some night shots one night. Some switches are for future mods (winch, inverter, front locker).
In addition to all of that I got my CB mounted and wired in. Still need to get the antenna mounted, more to come on that. I also installed a DVD head unit in this thing a while back. I don't think I posted on that. It's a pioneer. Doesn't have the Nav feature but I use the smart phone for that anyways.
Next big addition, got my rear bumper built and installed!!!! I didn't post much on the build for this one. I was concurrently working on 4 bumpers at the same time so it all got blurry haha. But this is the finished product. I am still buttoning up the swing out and all the attached goodies, so that is my additional update I plan on posting mid week next week. It's rather elaborate so it will have it's own section haha. More on the bumper. Made from 3/16" main rectangle tube, 1/4" mounts and hitch stuff, and then 1/8" plate everywhere else in an attempt to save overall weight on the rig. It is a seriously heavy bumper though even with the thinner plate work. Has a hitch that I am confident will handle decent weight. Have to give some credit on this one. Did a lot of feature searching on bumpers before I built mine and I drew some influences from some CBI features and style cues from [MENTION=22788]prospectator[/MENTION] 's bumper that he built.
Side shot
Pass corner.
The tube work on the side. The jury is still out on how I feel about the tubing. It will add some good protection but I scratched up the side of my rig trying to put this on by myself... haha kinda defeated the purpose there, oh well.
Rear shot, you can see where the swing out will attach and bolt on.
Drivers corner.
Hitch area. This will get a filler panel down the road when I get to it.
Swing out pivot and electrical weather pack connector.
Front bumper got a major overhaul. I posted in my bumper build, but was waiting to add to this one. Added an 1/8" aluminum skid with dimples. Also I took the LED strip blinkers out and added the standard optical eye looking ones. Did some various clean up on the thing and re-painted it satin black. If I like this I may end up getting it powder coated some form of this color down the road.
Other small stuff, got the GT seat covers installed. These are very nice leather and look stock. I am a little too dirty for these haha... I may end up switching to Poly ones later. But not because they suck, I am just ruff on cars.
Lastly, finished my front skid. This is all 1/8" steel plate. IT has about 8 ribs in various spots to keep it rigid. I know it won't stay straight from the big hits, but I am not a big rock crawler and this things will offer plenty of protection. I won't be sad if it gets tweaked, haha.
Last edited:
MojaveMadMan
Observer
Hiking Trip 14 Mar 2015
2nd update for today. This isn't 4runner related though it did get us there haha. I have been so busy with with work, other people's trucks and my 4Runner that I haven't been able to get out much. As much as these 4runners are cool to work on the whole purpose is to get us outside and to the cool spots, even if our 4Runner has to be left at the trail head.
Hiked a trail in the Sandia Mountains in East Albuquerque, NM. It's to a TWA plane crash. 3.5 miles each way. All up hill to the crash, then you guessed it, down hill on the way back. We started at sun rise and went for it. It was a beautiful and warm day but we got a freak 5 min of light snow which added to the mistique of it all. Great hike and if you live near by I suggest you do it!!!
2nd update for today. This isn't 4runner related though it did get us there haha. I have been so busy with with work, other people's trucks and my 4Runner that I haven't been able to get out much. As much as these 4runners are cool to work on the whole purpose is to get us outside and to the cool spots, even if our 4Runner has to be left at the trail head.
Hiked a trail in the Sandia Mountains in East Albuquerque, NM. It's to a TWA plane crash. 3.5 miles each way. All up hill to the crash, then you guessed it, down hill on the way back. We started at sun rise and went for it. It was a beautiful and warm day but we got a freak 5 min of light snow which added to the mistique of it all. Great hike and if you live near by I suggest you do it!!!
MojaveMadMan
Observer
Swing Out 16 Mar 2015
Ok so here is the 3rd update I mentioned above. Got the swing out done and on! This was a big one for me, has a lot of parts and took a while to figure out. Still need to finish a couple small things on it, but for the most part it is done!
Here is the pivot with the out lock. It is greased bearings with seals, real smooth. The T-handle is the out lock. it has two settings, normal and extra open.
This is the other side. You can see in the previous picture and this one I have two cheap LED pods, these should make for decent back up and camp lighting. Also you can see the handle. This is a simple thread in design. There is a thick rubber washer on the back side that sandwiches between the bumper. This keeps any noises away and keeps the handle in place when it's open. Kind of a pain, but I like the idea of a solid tight swing out vs. the potential for a latch to rattle over time. I added the red bicycle hand grip for old time BMX nostalgia haha.
High lift mounted. Got the neoprene "condom" on it to keep out the dirt. Took the base off as it was close to the light. That will stay in the back and can go on real easy.
Here it is open, showing off some hidden charm!
Weatherpack connections for easy on and off. The plug that is empty is for a hidden dome light not installed yet.
And this is what you need the dome light for! Cooking and misc. table.
Pivots on some nylon washers to keep the noise away. Also have some rubber bumpers on each corner where it contact the top for noise cancellation as well.
The table is Rustolium bed liner in a spray can. I wouldn't do a truck bed with this but should be great for the job of cooking table.
This is the gas can mount. Hard to see the other side where it wraps around the can handle. Wing nut keeps it tight and a spot for a lock if I want one.
A couple other small things I knocked out. Finally finished up my tube job. Finished welding in the filler plates from where I cut out the inner fender and got everything painted up. It will lose it's shine after the first dirt patch, haha
And per BigFishAllDay's recommendation I altered my side tubes. I was lucky; I was able to cut out a pie shape from the outside of the tube and bend them out, then re-weld where I cut. Can't say my touch up paint job was nice, but I'm not too worried about that. Should have some good room for flex now!
Ok so here is the 3rd update I mentioned above. Got the swing out done and on! This was a big one for me, has a lot of parts and took a while to figure out. Still need to finish a couple small things on it, but for the most part it is done!
Here is the pivot with the out lock. It is greased bearings with seals, real smooth. The T-handle is the out lock. it has two settings, normal and extra open.
This is the other side. You can see in the previous picture and this one I have two cheap LED pods, these should make for decent back up and camp lighting. Also you can see the handle. This is a simple thread in design. There is a thick rubber washer on the back side that sandwiches between the bumper. This keeps any noises away and keeps the handle in place when it's open. Kind of a pain, but I like the idea of a solid tight swing out vs. the potential for a latch to rattle over time. I added the red bicycle hand grip for old time BMX nostalgia haha.
High lift mounted. Got the neoprene "condom" on it to keep out the dirt. Took the base off as it was close to the light. That will stay in the back and can go on real easy.
Here it is open, showing off some hidden charm!
Weatherpack connections for easy on and off. The plug that is empty is for a hidden dome light not installed yet.
And this is what you need the dome light for! Cooking and misc. table.
Pivots on some nylon washers to keep the noise away. Also have some rubber bumpers on each corner where it contact the top for noise cancellation as well.
The table is Rustolium bed liner in a spray can. I wouldn't do a truck bed with this but should be great for the job of cooking table.
This is the gas can mount. Hard to see the other side where it wraps around the can handle. Wing nut keeps it tight and a spot for a lock if I want one.
A couple other small things I knocked out. Finally finished up my tube job. Finished welding in the filler plates from where I cut out the inner fender and got everything painted up. It will lose it's shine after the first dirt patch, haha
And per BigFishAllDay's recommendation I altered my side tubes. I was lucky; I was able to cut out a pie shape from the outside of the tube and bend them out, then re-weld where I cut. Can't say my touch up paint job was nice, but I'm not too worried about that. Should have some good room for flex now!
Last edited:
MojaveMadMan
Observer
And Today
I have been working very hard on this and been spending more time in the garage than I probably should have been... My wife is happy it's all winding down.
Here is a list of stuff I am hoping to get done in the near and then distant future. I am sure most don't care, it's for me too so I can keep track, haha.
Working on now:
- Oil Change w/ Toyota filter - waiting for parts from ToyotaPartsBarn, any day
- Air Filter Change - waiting for parts from ToyotaPartsBarn, any day
- Alignment - just need to go drop it off at the shop
- Grease Stuff - I need to do this with the rest of the maintenance, thinking of just having the alignment shop hit everything.
- Cargo Lights and Switch - I have a bunch of the single optical eye white lights that I want to install into my rear hatch.
- License Plate Lights - I have them installed, just need to wire them up
- Flush Radiator - I have a new cap coming in and I had a little gunk built up near the cap. I want to flush this thing and re-fill it just to be on the safe side before my trip
- CB Set Up - I have all the parts, radio mounted, and antenna wire half ran. I just need to finish the install and tune it up.
Future:
- Sliders - I have all the materiel sitting on my floor in the garage, just need to build these things and get them on there. I don't need them for my expo trip in April but need them sooner than later.
- Fender Flairs and Limited Cladding - I want to get these Line-X'd. This is cosmetic so it is lower on my list.
- Powder Coat Everything - I want to get my bumpers and future sliders powder coated. My spray painting skill and patients is very low. I have everything painted but it has runs and scratches and stuff. I would like to get everything powder coated after I get done testing it all out in April.
- WeatherTechs - Silly addition but I have always wanted a set for the front and rear foot areas.
- Roll Bar - I want to make a roll bar similar to the 1st Gen ones that people bolt in, but a custom made one that fits better and holds a few items for me.
- Seat Covers - This will be at the end, want some wet okals eventually. These are expensive and just a looks thing so I am not too worried about getting these soon.
After all of this stuff this build thread will more than likely cool way down. I will do the maintenance and I am sure little things will pop up here and there. My goal is to use the crap out of this thing, and work on it way less. I am also trying to move on to other projects so I need this one to hit some sort of stopping point. I will also be transitioning out of the military in 2 years so I need to get this thing pinned down haha. I want to get it to a reasonable spot where I want it while I have the disposable income now, while also being smart for my new career (working getting accepted to a Masters in Education program and a teaching credential). Thanks for reading my rambles!
I have been working very hard on this and been spending more time in the garage than I probably should have been... My wife is happy it's all winding down.
Here is a list of stuff I am hoping to get done in the near and then distant future. I am sure most don't care, it's for me too so I can keep track, haha.
Working on now:
- Oil Change w/ Toyota filter - waiting for parts from ToyotaPartsBarn, any day
- Air Filter Change - waiting for parts from ToyotaPartsBarn, any day
- Alignment - just need to go drop it off at the shop
- Grease Stuff - I need to do this with the rest of the maintenance, thinking of just having the alignment shop hit everything.
- Cargo Lights and Switch - I have a bunch of the single optical eye white lights that I want to install into my rear hatch.
- License Plate Lights - I have them installed, just need to wire them up
- Flush Radiator - I have a new cap coming in and I had a little gunk built up near the cap. I want to flush this thing and re-fill it just to be on the safe side before my trip
- CB Set Up - I have all the parts, radio mounted, and antenna wire half ran. I just need to finish the install and tune it up.
Future:
- Sliders - I have all the materiel sitting on my floor in the garage, just need to build these things and get them on there. I don't need them for my expo trip in April but need them sooner than later.
- Fender Flairs and Limited Cladding - I want to get these Line-X'd. This is cosmetic so it is lower on my list.
- Powder Coat Everything - I want to get my bumpers and future sliders powder coated. My spray painting skill and patients is very low. I have everything painted but it has runs and scratches and stuff. I would like to get everything powder coated after I get done testing it all out in April.
- WeatherTechs - Silly addition but I have always wanted a set for the front and rear foot areas.
- Roll Bar - I want to make a roll bar similar to the 1st Gen ones that people bolt in, but a custom made one that fits better and holds a few items for me.
- Seat Covers - This will be at the end, want some wet okals eventually. These are expensive and just a looks thing so I am not too worried about getting these soon.
After all of this stuff this build thread will more than likely cool way down. I will do the maintenance and I am sure little things will pop up here and there. My goal is to use the crap out of this thing, and work on it way less. I am also trying to move on to other projects so I need this one to hit some sort of stopping point. I will also be transitioning out of the military in 2 years so I need to get this thing pinned down haha. I want to get it to a reasonable spot where I want it while I have the disposable income now, while also being smart for my new career (working getting accepted to a Masters in Education program and a teaching credential). Thanks for reading my rambles!
MojaveMadMan
Observer
So I know I don't get a lot of attention on this thread, but I was hoping some of you guys might be able to share some input with me.
I did the whole build up, and the target was my Mojave Road trip that I completed in April. On the trail the 4runner was a beast, but on the road the 4runner was a beast... It did great on the trail and a lot of my new features came in handy. But I had some overheating issues driving between NM and CA and back. It also drove very poorly on the road as far as road manors.
So I replaced the radiator and thermostat. The radiator seemed to have a little gunk in it from what seemed to be the old factory coolant. So I am hoping that the new radiator will be the end of that issue. We will see next time I go on a longer trip...
But my concern is the road manors of this thing. Besides the poor gas millage, it leaves a lot left to be desired as far as drive-ability and power... I am going to be moving back to CA in 1.5 years and will be doing some commuting in this thing and I need it to be reliable for trips anyways. My thought on this is that I think I might have got a little carried away with this thing. I wanted a beast offroad but now I think I have created a bit of a monster... I want this to be a nice and reliable rig that can hit the streets just as good as the dirt. I will hardly ever if maybe even never be into big rocks or anything like that. If I default to any sort of heavy duty offroading it is more speed stuff anyways.
So my plan is to par this thing down. These are my ideas and what I want input on. My goal is for this thing to still be reasonably capable offroad, but be good on the road again so I can throw the family in the back and have no fear driving with them a state over or more.
- Take the tires down a size to 265's. This should help with MPG's and also give me a little power back, this thing feels gutless right now.
- Lower the suspension down a little bit. I also want to get better shocks. I have a pair of 2.5" diameter Kings on my work bench and a pair of Sway Away's as well. One pair will be for sale soon... This way with the lower stance, I will still have good suspension control. I am hoping by lowering it I will get better road manors and it won't lean so hard when I turn. I also think it will make this thing a little less of a wind sail than it already is.
- Rear sway bar is going back on, kind of a no brainier.
- Armor, this one I am back and forth on. I am trying to decide if I want to take the bumpers off. Combined they do account for a decent amount of weight. Great for trail rigs but not great for road manors and MPG/power. I am thinking of putting factory bumpers back on and maybe building some small tube bumpers that will go around the stock skins and add a little protection. These will be more stealthy though, something to just add a little help without being over the top.
I am open to suggestions and thanks for taking the time to read and or comment!
I did the whole build up, and the target was my Mojave Road trip that I completed in April. On the trail the 4runner was a beast, but on the road the 4runner was a beast... It did great on the trail and a lot of my new features came in handy. But I had some overheating issues driving between NM and CA and back. It also drove very poorly on the road as far as road manors.
So I replaced the radiator and thermostat. The radiator seemed to have a little gunk in it from what seemed to be the old factory coolant. So I am hoping that the new radiator will be the end of that issue. We will see next time I go on a longer trip...
But my concern is the road manors of this thing. Besides the poor gas millage, it leaves a lot left to be desired as far as drive-ability and power... I am going to be moving back to CA in 1.5 years and will be doing some commuting in this thing and I need it to be reliable for trips anyways. My thought on this is that I think I might have got a little carried away with this thing. I wanted a beast offroad but now I think I have created a bit of a monster... I want this to be a nice and reliable rig that can hit the streets just as good as the dirt. I will hardly ever if maybe even never be into big rocks or anything like that. If I default to any sort of heavy duty offroading it is more speed stuff anyways.
So my plan is to par this thing down. These are my ideas and what I want input on. My goal is for this thing to still be reasonably capable offroad, but be good on the road again so I can throw the family in the back and have no fear driving with them a state over or more.
- Take the tires down a size to 265's. This should help with MPG's and also give me a little power back, this thing feels gutless right now.
- Lower the suspension down a little bit. I also want to get better shocks. I have a pair of 2.5" diameter Kings on my work bench and a pair of Sway Away's as well. One pair will be for sale soon... This way with the lower stance, I will still have good suspension control. I am hoping by lowering it I will get better road manors and it won't lean so hard when I turn. I also think it will make this thing a little less of a wind sail than it already is.
- Rear sway bar is going back on, kind of a no brainier.
- Armor, this one I am back and forth on. I am trying to decide if I want to take the bumpers off. Combined they do account for a decent amount of weight. Great for trail rigs but not great for road manors and MPG/power. I am thinking of putting factory bumpers back on and maybe building some small tube bumpers that will go around the stock skins and add a little protection. These will be more stealthy though, something to just add a little help without being over the top.
I am open to suggestions and thanks for taking the time to read and or comment!
City_Rider
Adventurer
The ExpeditionPortal crew seem to absorb a lot of info and are hesitant to sling mud and just talk for the sake of talking. It suits me better than most forums!
That being said, I ran in to the same issues you did. My rig is fantastic - but pretty bad on gas. With gears (4.88's) I picked up the low end grunt I was missing when I added the weight to the vehicle in the form of skid plates everywhere and plate bumpers. My rig isn't light and it isn't aerodynamic - it's pretty obvious that when I go over 110 kmph (65 mph) that the mileage goes way down.
The supercharger adds the top end passing power and it was one of the first mods I wanted - combined with the gears it drives pretty darn normal. Passing power and low end take off abilities are close to stock I believe...
I love the 5VZ-FE but it needed the supercharger to keep up with all the weight I added. My plan is to swap a 2UZ-FE from a Tundra in to my 4Runner and I believe the 4.7L will be the proper match for my set up. I can go back to using regular gas too!
- Take the tires down a size to 265's. This should help with MPG's and also give me a little power back, this thing feels gutless right now.
If you think 285's make it feel gutless, imagine 315's! But ya, this will help as there will be less rotational weight for the engine to overcome.
- Lower the suspension down a little bit. I also want to get better shocks. I have a pair of 2.5" diameter Kings on my work bench and a pair of Sway Away's as well. One pair will be for sale soon... This way with the lower stance, I will still have good suspension control. I am hoping by lowering it I will get better road manors and it won't lean so hard when I turn. I also think it will make this thing a little less of a wind sail than it already is.
It's a SUV... we're giant windblocks. But you're right, reduce the frontal area and your wind profile and you'll see some improvements I imagine. The front sway bar makes the most difference but I found that rear bump cans stiffened up the last 2" of travel and when the 4Runner leaned it was predictable and never felt like it went beyond the comfortable point. That being said, it's still a top heavy SUV and needs to be driven like one.
- Rear sway bar is going back on, kind of a no brainier.
Can't offer up much here - my rear sway bar is off but I run the bump stops in the rear which contributes to my rear end stability. Depending on your coil set up, perhaps it's too soft for you? I use LC 9.25 wrap coils and they flex like crazy.
- Armor, this one I am back and forth on. I am trying to decide if I want to take the bumpers off. Combined they do account for a decent amount of weight. Great for trail rigs but not great for road manors and MPG/power. I am thinking of putting factory bumpers back on and maybe building some small tube bumpers that will go around the stock skins and add a little protection. These will be more stealthy though, something to just add a little help without being over the top.
I was heading out on a road trip and a deer decided to commit suicide by 4Runner. Fortunately I had my front bumper on and the damage was limited and we could continue down the road. Without it? Trip over, 4Runner written off. That's the benefit of having a metal bumper that's built properly - it will save you if you run in to wildlife (probably not a moose though...) My rear bumper is used for carrying my spare tire, gas cans and is my bbq table when needed. In other words, it serves multiple purposes other than being made of metal and taking a beating on the rocks. That's why it's stayed around.
Having one vehicle that does it all is pretty hard - rickashay is one example of changing needs and a changing understanding of what works best for him. From a Toyota Truck to a 3rd Gen 4Runner to a 80 series LC and back to a truck in the form of a 1st gen Tundra. It really depends on whether or not you plan on keeping this 3rd gen as the end all rig - you can pour lots of money in to it and improve it but in the end, you may find yourself doing an engine swap!
Honu
lost on the mainland
just got a 4runner had a FJ
impressive work you have done !
I hear ya on building a beast and while mine was more bought and bolted on the FJ the mileage was down to about 12 MPG and some of the road comfort getting to and from camping areas was down but the one off road to the camping we were golden !
since I did mine as pieces it seems the lift and wheels hit me with about 2-3MPG of course more aggressive tires more MPG off
the arb and winch ? hard to say maybe 1+ MPG or so the roof rack another 2 or so MPG and the extra armor and stuff another 1-2MPG all seems to add up rather quickly
the armor thing this time around is something I am struggling with and not sure what to do since I cant weld ? could learn but it would take a long time to get that good
hahhaha
for me its hitting a deer and still having my rig drive out with no issues or backing into a tree when in a confined trail turn around or whatever but again as city said to carry extra stuff around
I did have the gobi ladder on my old FJ and used that to hold our propane and one can which was not enough and dont want to much hanging on the door so wanted to do a really good swing out this time around not for a spare but for 3 gerry cans and a inside table like yours !! love that feature but also where the tire would be a rack for a small genie and porta poti to sit so those are outside and not on the roof rack or somewhere else ! as I dont want to be towing a trailer again
one idea I had thought of was a way to have two receivers on both sides and have a way to have a more camping swing setup and just put it on when I go camping so that way I dont have to carry around the weight etc... when not needed
a long time ago I had a FJ40 and the front bumper was basically a ugly straight bar all the way across the front which worked and was lighter than some of the full ones
had wondered if there was a way to do something that could withstand a deer hit at say 20-30MPH and not have damage like city rider post above
had this happen in a regular rig before and was driveable but lost the front pass side basically
agree with city rider a one only vehicle does it all is tougher for me it came down to %90 road to get to our spots and that is also very important
tired of 12MPG and the road noise and weight etc...
will be interesting to see what you come up with for bumpers !
and you are not alone for sure with the have I over built and now have to pull back
impressive work you have done !
I hear ya on building a beast and while mine was more bought and bolted on the FJ the mileage was down to about 12 MPG and some of the road comfort getting to and from camping areas was down but the one off road to the camping we were golden !
since I did mine as pieces it seems the lift and wheels hit me with about 2-3MPG of course more aggressive tires more MPG off
the arb and winch ? hard to say maybe 1+ MPG or so the roof rack another 2 or so MPG and the extra armor and stuff another 1-2MPG all seems to add up rather quickly
the armor thing this time around is something I am struggling with and not sure what to do since I cant weld ? could learn but it would take a long time to get that good
hahhaha for me its hitting a deer and still having my rig drive out with no issues or backing into a tree when in a confined trail turn around or whatever but again as city said to carry extra stuff around
I did have the gobi ladder on my old FJ and used that to hold our propane and one can which was not enough and dont want to much hanging on the door so wanted to do a really good swing out this time around not for a spare but for 3 gerry cans and a inside table like yours !! love that feature but also where the tire would be a rack for a small genie and porta poti to sit so those are outside and not on the roof rack or somewhere else ! as I dont want to be towing a trailer again
one idea I had thought of was a way to have two receivers on both sides and have a way to have a more camping swing setup and just put it on when I go camping so that way I dont have to carry around the weight etc... when not needed
a long time ago I had a FJ40 and the front bumper was basically a ugly straight bar all the way across the front which worked and was lighter than some of the full ones
had wondered if there was a way to do something that could withstand a deer hit at say 20-30MPH and not have damage like city rider post above
had this happen in a regular rig before and was driveable but lost the front pass side basically
agree with city rider a one only vehicle does it all is tougher for me it came down to %90 road to get to our spots and that is also very important
tired of 12MPG and the road noise and weight etc...
will be interesting to see what you come up with for bumpers !
and you are not alone for sure with the have I over built and now have to pull back
Last edited:
shinyblackdeer
Member
I like your build. Many people feel the need to go all out, bigger, better, faster, more. Ours is pretty modest, but we've taken it off road in some gnarly places and traveled in comfort on the highways getting there. Not to direct you away from this forum, but have you seen our build on T4R? http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/142589-shinyblackdeers-98-toyota-4runner-sr5-v6-build-thread.html#post1386373. It's been 2 years and I honestly wouldn't change a thing.
I love your switch pod -- I'm going to have to look into that.
I love your switch pod -- I'm going to have to look into that.
MojaveMadMan
Observer
Thanks for the input on these points. I think I really would feel a lot better about power and stuff with a SC but man they are pricey and out of the budget for now. I think the 265/75's will be a start for now. I am slowly coming to the realization that I just need to live with it or sell it. This is an almost 20 year old rig, it's gunna be a pain some times, and a have made a lot of changes to it. Even a stock 4runner is not a rock star on MPG's so it is just part of ownership. I looked into selling and there just isn't anything comparable in that price range and the last thing I want to do is get another car payment, this thing is free and clear. Then I will just complain about making payments instead of mpg... so it all equals out and at least this way I get to have an awesome 4runner that can go all kinds of great places.
I am still going to make some of the changes listed above and some of my stuff has gone a little crazy haha. I can't help it this thing always takes me down that road... So I am going to install all 4 Kings on this rig. I was thinking about just running what I got and saving the money but at the end of the day I will still want better shocks so I am just going to bite the bullet. Now I just need to figure out what rear springs I want to run. I would still like to lower this thing down an inch or two in the rear. I love the ride of my Superflex coils, but they are just tall, even with all my weight. So I need to decide which OME option I want to go with, though I have herd mixed reviews about ride quality on those. I am hoping paired with Kings they will make it ride good. I do want to run hydro bumps too but that might just have to wait a little bit... Rear sway bar is going on when I get around to it and I think the bumpers are going to stay. I might make some changes to them to cut out some of the weight, add some tubing in place of some plate, hard to say...
just got a 4runner had a FJ
impressive work you have done !
I hear ya on building a beast and while mine was more bought and bolted on the FJ the mileage was down to about 12 MPG and some of the road comfort getting to and from camping areas was down but the one off road to the camping we were golden !
since I did mine as pieces it seems the lift and wheels hit me with about 2-3MPG of course more aggressive tires more MPG off
the arb and winch ? hard to say maybe 1+ MPG or so the roof rack another 2 or so MPG and the extra armor and stuff another 1-2MPG all seems to add up rather quickly
the armor thing this time around is something I am struggling with and not sure what to do since I cant weld ? could learn but it would take a long time to get that good
for me its hitting a deer and still having my rig drive out with no issues or backing into a tree when in a confined trail turn around or whatever but again as city said to carry extra stuff around
I did have the gobi ladder on my old FJ and used that to hold our propane and one can which was not enough and dont want to much hanging on the door so wanted to do a really good swing out this time around not for a spare but for 3 gerry cans and a inside table like yours !! love that feature but also where the tire would be a rack for a small genie and porta poti to sit so those are outside and not on the roof rack or somewhere else ! as I dont want to be towing a trailer again
one idea I had thought of was a way to have two receivers on both sides and have a way to have a more camping swing setup and just put it on when I go camping so that way I dont have to carry around the weight etc... when not needed
a long time ago I had a FJ40 and the front bumper was basically a ugly straight bar all the way across the front which worked and was lighter than some of the full ones
had wondered if there was a way to do something that could withstand a deer hit at say 20-30MPH and not have damage like city rider post above
had this happen in a regular rig before and was driveable but lost the front pass side basically
agree with city rider a one only vehicle does it all is tougher for me it came down to %90 road to get to our spots and that is also very important
tired of 12MPG and the road noise and weight etc...
will be interesting to see what you come up with for bumpers !
and you are not alone for sure with the have I over built and now have to pull back
Thanks for the input! I agree with what you are saying about bumpers and collisions with animals and other stuff out in the fun places we go. That is why I built those bumpers and that is why they will stay on. I addressed a lot of it up above, but like I said up there and like you guys mentions about a one size fits all rig, they don't exist. This may not fit everything I want but it checks the most possible boxes within my budget and so I just need to get over it and enjoy my rig and appreciate all the time I have spent making it the way it is. Improvements never stop though, haha.
Thanks for the good words. I looked over yalls 4runner and that thing is beautiful. I drive too aggressive to have something that shiny haha. You guys have gone a very similar route as I have and it is great to see it is working out for your family. I think with a few tweaks I will be back in a happy place and will be able to spend more time enjoying it! Oh and I am rather active on T4R, I am surprised I missed your build thread. I really enjoyed the 16 page read through!
xcmountain80
Expedition Leader
How bad are we talking the Mpg's being?
I am intimately familiar with this vehicle.
What are the road manner symptoms you don't like?
It might be time to keep the 4R the way it is and get another civic. I have a 02 4R modded, not as much as some but more than others. As well as a 05 Sequoia....every time I drive the Sequoia I tell my wife "I love driving the Sequoia" it's big, quiet, and powerful. The 2uz swap a few have mentioned is on my radar. I lost 1 mpg going from AT's 295/75/16 to MT's 285/70/17. At 65mph I average 16-17 now and 17-18 before. The city driving kills it as does 72mph +. I have the opposite rear problem sort of. My rear is to soft with **** shocks and Toytec springs.....I think I just need new shocks. The front is tight and while I'm not wining any slalom course challenges I can swerve and not loose control.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I am intimately familiar with this vehicle.
What are the road manner symptoms you don't like?
It might be time to keep the 4R the way it is and get another civic. I have a 02 4R modded, not as much as some but more than others. As well as a 05 Sequoia....every time I drive the Sequoia I tell my wife "I love driving the Sequoia" it's big, quiet, and powerful. The 2uz swap a few have mentioned is on my radar. I lost 1 mpg going from AT's 295/75/16 to MT's 285/70/17. At 65mph I average 16-17 now and 17-18 before. The city driving kills it as does 72mph +. I have the opposite rear problem sort of. My rear is to soft with **** shocks and Toytec springs.....I think I just need new shocks. The front is tight and while I'm not wining any slalom course challenges I can swerve and not loose control.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I'm very interested to hear how you like the Kings, if you go that route.
I do not have the same issues with power/mpg as I have a 5 speed and supercharger, and I see 17 in traffic, 19 on the highway.
However, I have the same complaint about road manners. I dd mine, and I have the bottom end Toytec (bilstein and eibach) front, and landcruiser coils and OME in the rear. With armor, the thing still rides like a covered wagon. I laugh at myself as I actively avoid hitting manhole covers, or even small ruts in the road with my lifted, offroad vehicle, because it jars my kidneys and back so badly. I have no issues hitting those same things in my wifes car
I've heard and read really good things about the Kings. For me its less about the cost, which is high, IF I'm getting quality/what I want. I know they are a good shock, but what would ruin the whole thing for me is shelling out for a high end shock, and then finding that they ride only barely better than my current set up. However, I just talked with a guy in Durango who says he has a GREAT ride with the Kings, so I'm leaning that way.
Anyway, good luck with it. I hope you keep it and go with the Kings, though that is selfishly motivated a bit
Cheers!
I do not have the same issues with power/mpg as I have a 5 speed and supercharger, and I see 17 in traffic, 19 on the highway.
However, I have the same complaint about road manners. I dd mine, and I have the bottom end Toytec (bilstein and eibach) front, and landcruiser coils and OME in the rear. With armor, the thing still rides like a covered wagon. I laugh at myself as I actively avoid hitting manhole covers, or even small ruts in the road with my lifted, offroad vehicle, because it jars my kidneys and back so badly. I have no issues hitting those same things in my wifes car
I've heard and read really good things about the Kings. For me its less about the cost, which is high, IF I'm getting quality/what I want. I know they are a good shock, but what would ruin the whole thing for me is shelling out for a high end shock, and then finding that they ride only barely better than my current set up. However, I just talked with a guy in Durango who says he has a GREAT ride with the Kings, so I'm leaning that way.
Anyway, good luck with it. I hope you keep it and go with the Kings, though that is selfishly motivated a bit
Cheers!
