Specs

1997 Toyota 4runner Limited
3.4 - 182k miles
- Headgaskets, waterpump, timing belt done at 158k)
- LBJ's replaced with OEM units - 179K
- Starter solenoid rebuilt with OEM components - 181K
Auto
4x4
Factory E-Locker


Modifications…


Suspension:
Front:
- SAW Tacoma extended travel 2.5" coilovers
- Camburg Upper control arms
- Swaybar removed
- Whiteline Lower Control arm bushings
- Total chaos Alignment Cam tabs
- Total Chaos spindle gussets
- Total Chaos upper control arm strut tower gussets
- EIMKeith Lower control arm reinforcements (still need to be welded in)


Rear:
- SAW 06 4runner extended travel 2" shocks (25" extended)
- OME 861 springs
- Swaybar axle side 1" offset brackets installed to allow swaybar not to hit elocker guard at lift height.
- Daystar Comp 4.5" progressive bump stops
- 1.5x.250 wall heimed and poly links.
- Limit Straps
- EIMKeith Panhard relocation brackets
- EIMKeith Frame side Lower link mount reinforcements
- EIMKeith Upper axle side link mount reinforcements


Wheels and Tires:
- STEALTH 6 - 16x8" - 3.5BS
- Goodyear MTR/K 315/75/16


Drivetrain:
Front:
- 4.88 Gears
- Trutrac LSD
- Lotus Development CV's
- Wheelers Poly steering rack bushings
- 1" Revtek diff drop
- Factory breather

Rear:
- Factory E locker
- 4.88 Gears
- Extended Breather with filter (Mounted inside rear quarter panel)


Engine and Performance:
- B&M 70266 Trans cooler
- Boyle Future Technologies Hi output alternator (roughly 80A at idle/140A peak)


Brakes:
Front:
- Tundra 231mm 13wl brake upgrade
- Wheelers offroad Stainles brakelines

Rear:
- Toytec 4" extended brakeline


Lighting:
- OEM 2001 Headlight swap
- Hella 80/100Watt H4 headlight bulbs
- Hella Micro DE projector fogs with 100W Hella H3 bulbs
- Vision X Horizon 12" 40 degree flood LED light bar
- LED replacement taillights with 7W Cree back up lamps
- Maxxima Lighting M09300Y LED turn signals
- Daystar Switches
- Blue Sea fuse block
- Blitzpro 6" smoked LED rack lights (perimeter lighting)


Interior/Electrical:
- 2001 4runner sport beige cloth seats front and rear
- Kenwood V71A 2M/440 Ham radio
- Kenwood SP-50B External speaker
- Diamond NR-770HB Antenna
- Kenwood CD player
- LED dome, map and cargo lighting
- Custom HPDE rear cargo floor with Tie downs
- Raingler Cargo net dividing cargo and passenger areas


Exterior / Accessories:
- Whitson Metalworks full length roof rack
- Clearanced front fenders and molding
- Tubbed firewall and inner fenders
- Relocated washer fluid reservoir


Armor / Protection / Recovery:
- Addicted offroad front bumper
- Addicted offroad Rear bumper
- Demello Offroad Sliders for 06 4runner (3-4" longer than normal)
- Milemarker 9000 winch
- 60" HiLift jack
- "The Source" 10lb CO2 sport series tank with 30ft hose and mount
- Any7Offroad Synthetic winch line
- Any7Offroad Aluminum fairlead
- Any7Offroad Gas Tank Skid
- Any7Offroad IFS and belly skids
- Hitch mounted rear D ring mount
- Any7Offroad spare tire carrier
- 2 x 4gal RotoPax gas cans

Current pics:











And here we go again folks

So after much thought and conversations with the fiance, I decided that the pickup would no longer be adequate for what the future holds for me.

It was bittersweet saying goodbye , but am glad to be in something a little more comfortable that has a lot more space.

So a little back ground on the pickup then the limited.
Here is a a couple shots of the pickup the first day I brought it home from my coworkers house on a trailer. It had been sitting for 5 years untouched in his front yard.





And a couple pictures of what it looked like when I sold it.







It was a great little truck that I owned for about 2 years... but sadly it wasn't going to be suitable for the next chapter in life. (marriage, kids, and a dog)

I sold it to another coworker who is using it as a daily and duck hunting truck.

Now on to the new chapter,
It just so happens that another coworker asked me one day if I knew anyone that might be interested in a runner he had for sale. He had bought it for his 16 year old son back about August of last year. Said that the reason he was selling it was because the head gasket was starting to go and he didn't want to pay the money to have it fixed after putting 1800 into completely new brakes front and rear, wheel bearings, seals, alignment etc.

So I say to him, hey I might be interested pending price as I don't mind doing the work to get it running right again.
He goes on to tell me it is a
97 limited 4runner
V6
Auto
4x4
leather
AC
Cruise control
Full power
etc
etc
etc

Needless to say I was thinking in my head that this could be a hell of an upgrade from the pickup if the price was going to work.

He says he wanted 4K and I said I would come by to take a look and that I was interested. Ended up offering $3750 for it as the 250 would cover the gasket set to get it running again and that I would need to sell the pickup first to get it.

Fast forward a month and the pickup sold, cash was given by my coworker and I walked 3 door down to my other coworkers office and said here you go I will be by this weekend with the trailer.

So here is a timeline of the last week hahaha.
Picked it up on Saturday the 14th after already purchasing:
Full engine gasket set with MLS head gaskets
Timing belt and water pump kit
New fixed tacoma antenna and whip (The power one was help on with tape)
Had American Tire put on order a set of 305/70/16 MTR/K's



Once I got it home I unloaded it for a couple quick pictures before parking it in the driveway to start assessing the damage :P

Now as you are probably wondering..... What the heck is that amp and all the cables doing in the trunk without a sub....

Don't worry I was wondering the same thing.....

Apparently his son thought it would be a good idea to run all the factory speakers and a sub box off the amp. He had run all the wires back into the factory harness and spliced them in with wire nuts.... Before I pulled the deck I figured I would check to see if he even wired it right. I test out the fader and balance controls, and put the speakers fully to the rear on the deck only to have the right side speakers working and the left tweater up front...

So I pull the deck to find this...



Needless to say I wouldn't leave it like that and so for the next 4 hours on Saturday I took the time to clean up and put as much back to factory as i could.

Here is the finished product of the afternoon.





Much better and all the controls on the deck work as they should now.

I decided to wrap up for the day at that point and get back to it later.

Monday morning I found a thread of a guy selling a full front and rear Daystar 2.5" spacer kit. I figured well the swap is still a little ways off so I might as well go with something cheap to get me by till the rest is here. $130 for a brand new kit never opened.

So over the next couple of days, parts started to come in. Went to have the tires installed on the stock wheels only to find out that they are 7" wide and american tire can't "Legally" mount the 305's on them so I was pursuaded to buy a set of wheels to mount them on. Since I had already considered a set of 16x8" raceline renegade 6's I decided to get a set on order.

The next day, the antenna comes in so that was my daily task after work.

Here is the result of about 30-45 minutes worth of work. I had to run a whole new cable and post to mount the new one as the power base is not compatible with a fixed whip.



Don't have any pictures of the base and the wiring but you get the idea. Direct swap so now I have a flexible antenna for those pesky branches that like to break the power ones. I think I pulled the running boards as well before I called it a night.

On to today's projects.
I got a call from American tire this morning saying that the racelines were in and they were about 10 minutes away from having the tires mounted and balanced.

I swung by after work to pick them up and headed straight home to install them.

Mind you this is stock height with a lot of weight in the trunk. I'm half temped to try and make them fit as is without a lift.







I then pulled off the swaybar up front because it wasn't going to stay on anyways.
Had to do a little poser shot.
Jack maxed out and there was about an inch left before the bump stops up front.



Since I never installed the DIY sliders I had bought for the 06 back 2 years ago :spank: I figured that they would be better suited for the 97 anyways.
Considering the wheelbase is I think 4 inches longer on the 06, the sliders will work out perfect because I wanted them a little longer than typical. There is still room to trim the fenders front and rear so I shouldn't have to modify them.









They should be getting welded up in the next few weeks. Need to start looking into some skids as well, the factory front one was not there when I got it...

Thats all for now. I should be getting the Daystar kit and the ARP studs tomorrow.
Should be starting the head gasket job tomorrow after work and into Saturday. Need to grab a Haynes for all the torque specs.
Wish me luck... I'm looking forward to wheeling this thing already.

First to post haha!!! nice truck dude

Thanks. Since your just local we should get out to Hollister soon and test this little 3rd gen out.
Always loved the 3rd gens ever since jr high when my neighbor owned one.

Glad to finally be in one and the mods are gonna come quick. I have a lot of plans.

Working on completing the full width axles i have and compiling the 3 link front and rear parts.

hell yeah dude. lets get together sometime!

Sounds good,. I will keep the thread updated when its running again and ready to take for its maiden voyage.

haha sweet. so are you going to weld on your sliders yourself? cause im going to be getting mine here soon and need to get them welded on!

Can I come and play?

yeah for sure! the more the better!

Sliders will probably be getting done by any7offroad in San Leandro. Adam and Darren are good guys that did a lot of the work on the pickup.

If I had the welder I would do it myself no question. However at this point I still don't have a welder and the house I live in doesn't have space in the garage to set up shop. When I finally buy a house that is a must have. Work bench space in the back of the garage, and a 220 outlet for a welder.

Talk to any7offroad and see what they can do on pricing for a set installed. They have a bunch on hand ready to go. I will let them know when your coming by. (510)227-6645

Heck ya Mike. It will be good to hang out again at Hollister. Last trip was a great time.

Right on man! Glad to see those 1 tons will get used!

Absolutely Jimmy,

Still trying to get the parts compiled...

One good thing though is that I can stay with coil springs and shocks on this one instead of worrying about full coilovers.

Really need to find a factory take out detroit for the 14B. Make it easier and cheaper to get the axles finished up. Got any leads from guys that pulled one out to swap for an ARB? I would need the carrier complete so all I will need is gears and master install.

Also keeping an eye on your internal cage thread that you are working on. Maybe if you have some time, I can lay out some ideas for you that I have been working on for the cargo area for storage tied in to a cage.

I'm looking at safety first and foremost being that the reason I sold the pickup for the 4runner was for kids soon.

Just a couple pictures of the small progress from today. Got started on making room for the new tires on stock suspension.

Started on the front bumper. Tomorrow hopefully I will get to the firewall.

Before:


and after:


Little farther back to show the curve that the bumper now follows.



Still haven't cycled it but at least it gives me a good starting point. Still need to clean it up a bit.
Will be painting behind the bumper molding to hide whats back there a little more.

Oh and the ARP head studs showed up along with the Daystar 2 1/2" spacers today.