Costman13
Adventurer
You're right, the flip packs do look at home on that truck. Looking good!
Show us your Toyota 4runner, tacoma or truck.
- Thread starter neliconcept
- Start date
You're right, the flip packs do look at home on that truck. Looking good!
Martinjmpr
Wiffleball Batter
Finally have something to post!
Well, it's been a while since I posted in this thread but I feel like I finally have a rig worth of it! :elkgrin:
I traded in my 3rd gen 4runner (1999 SR5) last year because it just didn't have the 'grunt' to pull our little trailer, and I was getting annoyed with the undersized gas tank. So in June I brought home my 4th gen, 2007 SR5, V6, with about 92k on it. Here she is the way I brought her home:
Shortly after I bought her, I removed the running boards, and then started acquiring parts for a mild lift and a wheel/tire swap. The lift was an FJC Trail Teams lift and the tires were FJC Steelies with BFG MTs in 255/75/17.
The lift went on first, in december. It's a little hard to tell but here are the before/after pics:
Before
After
Actual lift (measured at the center of the wheel arches and at the receiver hitch under the rear bumper) was right at 1" all around.
The story behind the tires is this: I had initially just wanted to get the FJC black steel wheels because I like the way they look (and I'm trying to "de-soccer-mom" my 4runner.) I was shopping for wheels only, figuring that once I got them I'd throw a set of my favorite AT tires on them (probably Hankook Dynapros since I'm happy with the way they worked on my '99.)
But, via this forum, I found a guy locally who had a set of 5 FJC steelies with center caps and lug nuts, and they had a set of BFG MTs with >50% of tread left. We were able to negotiate a deal and basically, what I paid for the wheels and tires together, I would have been happy to pay for a decent set of wheels alone, so in my mind, the tires were a "freebie." Even though I've never had MTs before, I figured worst case scenario, if I don't like these I can replace them with ATs and then sell the MTs on Craigslist.
I didn't want to put the MTs on in the winter because I had heard that MTs are terrible on ice or packed snow. Since my stock tires (which were on factory wheels, 265/70/16s) were Cooper Discoverer M+S with a "severe weather" rating and sipes, I decided to leave them on until after the snow season was over. I'd hoped to put them on in March but then we had the snowiest April ever on the front range!
So the tires had to wait until this weekend. Since I have a trip planned for later this month, I felt it was critical that I get the tires on so I can figure out NOW whether I need to change them out or not.
Here are the before and after pics:
Before:
After:
More after pics:
(you can see our teardrop trailer in the background of the one above.)
Here she is sitting in the driveway, with the Yakima Basket Case on, getting ready for the upcoming DEIII later this month! :ylsmoke:
There will be some changes coming, but that will be following the May trip to Nevada...
Well, it's been a while since I posted in this thread but I feel like I finally have a rig worth of it! :elkgrin:
I traded in my 3rd gen 4runner (1999 SR5) last year because it just didn't have the 'grunt' to pull our little trailer, and I was getting annoyed with the undersized gas tank. So in June I brought home my 4th gen, 2007 SR5, V6, with about 92k on it. Here she is the way I brought her home:
Shortly after I bought her, I removed the running boards, and then started acquiring parts for a mild lift and a wheel/tire swap. The lift was an FJC Trail Teams lift and the tires were FJC Steelies with BFG MTs in 255/75/17.
The lift went on first, in december. It's a little hard to tell but here are the before/after pics:
Before
After
Actual lift (measured at the center of the wheel arches and at the receiver hitch under the rear bumper) was right at 1" all around.
The story behind the tires is this: I had initially just wanted to get the FJC black steel wheels because I like the way they look (and I'm trying to "de-soccer-mom" my 4runner.) I was shopping for wheels only, figuring that once I got them I'd throw a set of my favorite AT tires on them (probably Hankook Dynapros since I'm happy with the way they worked on my '99.)
But, via this forum, I found a guy locally who had a set of 5 FJC steelies with center caps and lug nuts, and they had a set of BFG MTs with >50% of tread left. We were able to negotiate a deal and basically, what I paid for the wheels and tires together, I would have been happy to pay for a decent set of wheels alone, so in my mind, the tires were a "freebie." Even though I've never had MTs before, I figured worst case scenario, if I don't like these I can replace them with ATs and then sell the MTs on Craigslist.
I didn't want to put the MTs on in the winter because I had heard that MTs are terrible on ice or packed snow. Since my stock tires (which were on factory wheels, 265/70/16s) were Cooper Discoverer M+S with a "severe weather" rating and sipes, I decided to leave them on until after the snow season was over. I'd hoped to put them on in March but then we had the snowiest April ever on the front range!
So the tires had to wait until this weekend. Since I have a trip planned for later this month, I felt it was critical that I get the tires on so I can figure out NOW whether I need to change them out or not.
Here are the before and after pics:
Before:
After:
More after pics:
(you can see our teardrop trailer in the background of the one above.)
Here she is sitting in the driveway, with the Yakima Basket Case on, getting ready for the upcoming DEIII later this month! :ylsmoke:
There will be some changes coming, but that will be following the May trip to Nevada...
Last edited:
1985pickup
New member
Martinjmpr
Wiffleball Batter
For me it's mostly looks, not only do I like the rugged "no nonsense" look of the steelies, but when alloy wheels get scratched up from 'wheeling in the rocks, they really look like crap and there's not much you can do to fix them. OTOH, with steelies, if they get dented or scratched, you just rattle-can some black paint and they're fine.
I presume the alloys are lighter but given that they are extremely thick aluminum (as opposed to the thin steel on the steelies) I can't imagine the difference is more than a few pounds. Certainly not enough to notice on a vehicle that tips the scales around 4300lb.
Martinjmpr
Wiffleball Batter
Likes: Significantly more power, more room inside, nicer interior appointments (climate control, outside temp gauge, stereo), 5 speed auto with DAC, multi-mode 4wd is awesome, significantly bigger fuel tank, disc brakes all around, better overall MPG.
Dislikes: No manual T-case shifter, no heated mirrors (Why was this deleted from the 3rd gen SR5?), not as capable off-road when stock (though cured with a lift and better tires) and no E-locker. That's about it.
Stone_Blue
Adventurer
I've found I prefer steelies here in the rust belt. Salt kills alloys just as bad as, or worse than steelies. Once you get the alloys' clearcoat scratched up, and then the road salt gets in and starts corroding them from underneath the coating, like someone said, there's not much you can do. Also, it seems the alloys like to corrode around the beads, and especially around the wheel weights, and then you end up with slow leaks that are a huge PIA. With steel wheels, you can just wire brush/grind or sandblast the rust off and repaint, and you're good to go...Cant really do that with alloys.
Finally bought one this weekend! Needs some minor work but for the price I got it at I don't care. Plus I'm selling my STi this weekend so this will be my new toy/project. We plan on using this mainly as a road trip and remote camping vehicle. I can't ever see myself "wheeling" but I have always loved seeing places less traveled so the truck will likely see a lot of dirt roads.
Will make a build thread once I actually start working on it now. Only mods are what the PO did, toytec ultimate lift (normal weights w/ bistiens), welded on sliders, and a rear hatch that was customized by a tree that he backed into.
Will make a build thread once I actually start working on it now. Only mods are what the PO did, toytec ultimate lift (normal weights w/ bistiens), welded on sliders, and a rear hatch that was customized by a tree that he backed into.
toyotech
Expedition Leader
thanks for the info for steel vs alloy. they are all good points but i just dont see many new gen runners and fj doing any hardcore stuff to really need a steel wheel other than for looks. i have a few rock rash on my steel wheels but im about to switch over to alloy soon. steel are way too heavy. my new to me alloys are 15x8.5 come in at under 18 lbs. i will weight my steel once i get them off. only 15x8...
