[Styer]

Styer's - Broken Spoke Overland - "Riley"
2015 Toyota 4Runner SR5 4X4 Mag Gray Build Thread.

I purchased "Riley" about a week or two before Thanksgiving 2014. At the time I was driving a less than a year old 2014 Subaru Outback 5spd. But was having some major issues with the engine burning a quart of oil in less than 1400mi. Yes you read that right fourteen-hundred miles. Through all the research I did it seemed to be a design flaw with their new family of engines. Subaru was having the same issue in its 2.5 and 2.0 engines. There didn't seem to be a good fix and I wasn't game for having a dealer tear down and rebuild a brand new engine. So at that point I was in the market for a new car. I knew I wanted to go back to a trusty Toyota after that experience and I had to have 4x4 or a true AWD. So I looked at the Tacoma and 4Runner. Settled on the 4Runner and couldn't be happier.

STOCK
(Pretty stock. Picture taken the day after Christmas 2014)




AS SHE SITS CURRENTLY





This will be my first foray into overlanding. My wife and I are very excited to get out and explore some of the true backroads around Tennessee and the bordering states. At first we won't be able to stray too far from home as I don't get very many vacation days with my job. Probably just Weekend trips but we'll see what it turns into.

Now back to the build

COMPLETED UPGRADES/MODS:
WeatherTech Floor mats front, middle, and cargo.
Front Passenger and Driver window tint.
SCS Wheels SR8 Matte Gunmetal/Black Rim 17x8.5 wheels.
Cooper Discoverer S/T MAXX 285/70r17
Front Suspension: Bilstein 5100s w/ TRD Tundra coils
Camburg UCAs w/ Moog Ball Joint.
Rear Suspension: Bilstein 5100s w/ OME 2898 coils
Sonoran Steel 5th gen panhard bar
Differential breather relocation mod.
C4 Fabrication Rock Sliders.
Southern Style Offroad Hybrid Front Bumper
Baja Lights Squadron-R Pro fog light replacement kit
Smittybilt Gen2 X20-10 Comp Winch
Midland 75-822 CB radio w/ 4' Firefly antenna using the Diamond K400 mount
6 custom installed tie down points in rear floor on top of third row.
Eezi-Awn 2.2 meter K9 rack
GordiGear Explorer Roof Top Tent(used when camping)
Eezi-Awn Shade 2.0 meter awning. (used when camping)
Upgraded stock battery to group 31 w/ pelfreybilt battery cage plus addition of blue sea fuse block
ARB 50qt fridge

PLANNED UPGRADES/MODS:



LINKS TO POSTS:

[Styer]

Tennessee Dirt Devil Day 1:

Here is my account from the first exploring, backroads, offroad trip I took Riley on. This is from 12/26/14

I was able to get out this past Friday(12/26/14) on the Tennessee Dirt Devil and check out about a 40 mile section of it. Took probably 2 hours to cover that 40 miles with lots of stops for pics! My buddy tagged along in his 2WD F150 that gets stuck in just about anything and he had no problems with any of it. I never really needed to take my 5th Gen out of 2WD but did for some stuff that I made harder on purpose. It turned out to be mostly hard packed dirt roads, that dried out well even after all of the rain we have had, and also included a ton of creek crossings. I'd love to go check out more of the roads and see what they are like, but I already have a few favorites.

Here are a few pictures and a link to the album with the rest. I edited a few of the pictures but a lot of them I did not and only cropped them. Not the best pictures of my T4R because I had to give control of the camera over to my buddy but hey what can ya do.
ENJOY!

ALBUM: "Tennessee Dirt Devil" 40mi 12/26/2014

IMAGES:























Those are just some of the highlights!

[kingofZroad]

Can't wait to see it!!

[Styer]

I'm about a year late in getting this thread started. BETTER LATE THAN NEVER!

Let's do a short and sweet recap of the minor things I have done to Riley over the last year.

First MOD I did to the car was disconnecting the Anti-Wiplash device in the driver seat. I could not stand how uncomfortable the drivers seat was. there was a sharp bumpout about mid back for me. Did a lot of research and found on here, T4R.org, that disconnecting the mechanical cable that went from the headrest to the lumbar support would allow the seat back to be flatter and much more comfortable.

Next change was replacing the stock cruddy Bridgestone highway tread tires with some really good AT tires in the stock size. After long consideration, at 1000mi on the odo, I went with the Cooper Discoverer AT3 in 265/70r17. The traction on these tires, over the last 8000mi, has been great. They were especially good in the snow and ice last winter. My only gripe with them is they are super hard to balance. Discount Tire did a fine job balancing them when they were new and again after the Toyota dealer messed up the balance at my 5000mi service.

Coming up next is installing my lift, wheels, and dif breather mod. Along with Thule roof crossbars and a roof top tent. All of which have been ordered and just waiting arrival.

[NickCE11]

Can't wait to see! What your planning is very similar to what I want to do! Except i prefer the Hankook RF10's....

[jdtaylor42]

Great list of planned mods and fantastic photos!

[Styer]

Originally Posted by jdtaylor42

Great list of planned mods and fantastic photos!

Thanks so much for the compliment. Photography is something I mess with on and off. Wish I knew way more then I do. Also I'm sure my mod list will grow and change as I figure out what I truly need.

[TNRunner37027]

Nice truck. Mind sending me some coordinates on the Dirt Devil? Ive been wanting to do some of it, but haven't found much in the way of directions and coordinates to good spots. Im sure I'll see you around soon.

[Styer]

Originally Posted by TNRunner37027

Nice truck. Mind sending me some coordinates on the Dirt Devil? Ive been wanting to do some of it, but haven't found much in the way of directions and coordinates to good spots. Im sure I'll see you around soon.

Here is a link to where you can purchase a map of the trails and roads the guy recommends.(no affiliation just purchased the map myself) http://dualpurposetn.com/site/149e95...tore.html#2896
It starts at Dutch Potts Hollow Road in Santa Fe TN and explores many of the roads going south and west from there. I've only explored a small portion of the roads the guy has mapped. I have plans to do more. I'd be happy to show you around some time if you wanted to join. Its not technical at all just pretty land and cool creek crossings.

[Styer]

First of the lift parts started arriving tonight! I'm getting excited. Also received shipping confirmation on my Sonoran Steel lift and it should be in on next Tuesday. Looking like it might be Halloween day lift install!


Thule Crossroads foot pack also came in this evening. Fitted them onto my old 65" square bars and did a test fit on the car. They won't ride around permanently on the car. Probably only when we use the RTT. Roof top tent should be in next Monday and already have a trip planned for it the weekend after Halloween.

[Styer]

Went and picked up my roof top tent this evening. Got it put together and set up in the garage. Test fit on the 4Runner will probably have to wait till Sunday.

[Styer]

Got the RTT up on the roof of Riley today for a test fit with the help of a buddy. Looks like I am going to be designing a hoist system under my deck to make mounting and removing a one man job. Hopefully testing out the RTT overnight tonight.

[TNRunner37027]

Originally Posted by Styer

Got the RTT up on the roof of Riley today for a test fit with the help of a buddy. Looks like I am going to be designing a hoist system under my deck to make mounting and removing a one man job. Hopefully testing out the RTT overnight tonight.

Looks good, how'd she sleep?

[Styer]

Originally Posted by TNRunner37027

Looks good, how'd she sleep?

Slept GREAT!. Usually I hammock camp when backpacking because it is so much more comfortable. But the 3" foam mattress in this RTT was very comfy. it seemed to breath well too even though it was super humid and a little rainy overnight. Cant wait to use it more. Slept just like a bed.

[Styer]

Sonoran Steel 5th gen lift parts came in this evening. Sadly had to travel out of town this week for work so all I have to drool over are these pictures I had my wife send me. Looks like I will be installing them this Saturday, Halloween day, right after I take her in for her 10,000mi service appointment.