[Chandler_Ross]

Originally Posted by rossmkh

Yeah, mine came with it. It's a Base model but came with pretty much everything (roof rack, spoiler, hitch, power everything) except Automatic, which I'm totally ok with lol.

I wish mine was a 5 speed. lol. mine didn't come with the rack, spoiler, or flares. just the running boards and trailer hitch. it didn't even have the chrome trim around the fenders. it almost looked like someone stole the entire SR5 package.

[Chandler_Ross]

Originally Posted by Foo-Fighter69

Looking great! I really like the clear corners.

Thanks man. I was reading your build thread earlier. Did you notice any difference after doing the deck plate mod? Nice Runner btw.

[Chandler_Ross]

So, Its been almost 5 months since I've really updated anything. Since the last time I posted, I've done the following...

-Removed Plasti-Dipped wheels
-New tires (Futura Scramblers A/T 30x9.5r15)
-Replaced LBJs
-SilverStar Ultra Bulbs
-2 10 inch Lightning Audio Subs + SSL 1000w amp
-LED Interior Conversion
-MagnaFlow 18 Muffler
-Hunter Brush Guard
-AutoZone Driving Lights
-OEM Spoiler

Instead of going in to everything in detail, I'll post up a picture timeline. I'm too lazy to type it all out. Lol

Coming Soon...
-2 inch Cornfed (Burtman Industries) Lift
-265/75r16 or 285/70r16 on 2002 Sport Edition Wheels (Glossy Black)

[Chandler_Ross]

First Time Hittin the Trails, also first time getting stuck. Its always fun to have your friend dig out a 3 foot rut just to hit it head on and get hung on the frame...


Removed the PlastiDip on the wheels. Looks a lot better.



The Photographer inside me loves this picture...



Got her some new shoes. Futura Scrambler A/T 2 30x9.5r15s





And now, for some videos. My first time wheeling. I went to a spot near my house owned by TVA with some pretty decent sized mud holes called Pinky's Point. Since its government owned, for the record, I drove through the mud to get to the lake for fishing. If you are caught driving off of paved/gravel areas just because you feel like it, it usually isn't a good thing. Oh well





Did a little flexing before I got her dirty.


VIDEO TIME!!!

Small trail near Pinky's Point... Not gonna lie. She bottomed out. I need me a lift!

Original Video - More videos at TinyPic
View My Video

This is the largest mud hole at Pinky's. I let my buddy drive. He submerged it. Everywhere I've gone for maintenance after this day, and someone opens the hood, this is their initial reaction. Followed by, .
Enjoy!

Original Video - More videos at TinyPic
View My Video

And here's my bro in his Tundra doing the same mud hole. Gotta love Toyota trucks. I'd love to see a stock Cherokee go through this and drive away.

Original Video - More videos at TinyPic
View My Video

[Chandler_Ross]

Back to the Pics.

This is how she sat for the next few months when I ran out of cheap mods, and focused on maintenance and making payments on it.


LED Interior Conversion

So I purchased some dome, map, and dash lights from SuperBrightLEDs.com. Only have pics of the Dome/Map lights though.
Before:


After:



The dome light is blue to match the LED underglow I installed in the front floorboards. I'll try to get a pic of those later.

MagnaFlow Muffler

So on Black Friday, I ordered this MagnaFlow 18 inch 5x8 muffler for $45! It was a great deal. I know that MagnaFlow isn't the best choice, I've read ChildrenOfBodom's rant against MagnaBlow plenty of times. Yet, I found myself lining their pockets. I just couldn't pass up a deal on my favorite sounding muffler. Not too loud. Just loud enough to get noticed. I like the quiet rumble to it vs. the louder lower tone of most Flowmasters. Had it installed for $63 at Maxi Auto Care. Altogether paid about $105 for a muffler that should've been about $150 installed. Not too shabby.

Hunter Brush Guard

So I picked up this brush guard on eBay for $200 plus shipping. Sold by TruckGearDirect. I will say, the build quality is solid. Installation was a pain. Since its for the Tacoma and 4Runner, I had to drill out the frame to mount the top brackets. It was worth the work though. Otherwise, it shakes from side to side over the slightest imperfection in the road, or anytime I go over 50. I know these are damage multipliers. But the way I see it, if I get hit or hit someone, I just might total my truck. I have full coverage, so maybe a new T4R without a knocking engine? Hey... I also installed some Pilot Navigator driving lights (Autozone brand).




And this is how it sits as of now. Soon to come... Tailgate's gettin fixed, Cornfed lift, 32s or 33s, 2002 Sport Edition Wheels.

Before

After


Happy Holidays Everyone!

[HedgehogOutdoors]

I like the looks of the LED taillights, and yes, the wheels do look better without the plastidip. I edited a picture of my 4runner to see what it would look like with dark gray/black wheels, it looks good in the edit, but so many white 4runners w/ black wheels on here don't look that great. I don't know, I'm leaving mine for now. I did like the look of this:
(this is another edit of a picture I took, I'm not very good w/ Gimp etc.). I'll try to do the same thing with a picture of the 4runner with the wheels on, to see how it would look.

[Chandler_Ross]

Alright guys. Since the last time I updated my thread, there have been some pretty significant changes to my Runner. First and foremost, I got my tailgate fixed!! Dents have been removed, hatch repainted, and clear coat applied. All for about 325 bucks. The guys at Peachtree Auto here in Chattanooga did a good job! This next one isn't really an update on the Runner. Nor is it a good thing. I got my first Speeding Ticket. 49 in a 30... Any advice on how to handle this would be appreciated. Lol. Also, I ditched my doughnut looking 30x9.5 tires for a set of National Commando A/Ts 265/75r16s with 85% tread for only $200! And a set of wheels from my buddy who has a 2002 Sport Edition and put TRD Fjs on it with 285s and the Toytec Ultimate lift for only $100. $300 for a great set of tires and wheels. Sold my old tires and rims for a total of $650! Cornfed 2 inch lift and Bilstien HDs going on next week! I'll also probably be looking into a new skidplate (BudBuilt or SkidRow) with the extra money and my first tax return. Until then... Pics.

Fixed Tailgate/Hatch



265/75r16 National Commando A/Ts and 16 inch Sport Ed. Wheels



She's lookin' purrrty...



Random Pics

T4R.ORG Reppin.



I think she's got it backwards...



My two loves. Together. So perfect.



Next up... Bilstien HDs, 2 inch Cornfed lift, Offroad skid plate.

[NateMob]

its coming along really well! The new wheels and tires look great.

Nate

[Chandler_Ross]

So here's a quick update. I have completely pieced together my lift. It will be as follows...

2 Cornfed (Burtman) Top Plate spacers (2 inches in front)
4 Rough Country Nitro 9000 Shocks (I got a great deal on these, only reason I got RC)
2.5 Rear Cornfed (Burtman) spacers (Soon to be replaced with LC Coils)

All together, I paid about $250 for everything. Install will cost $200 at a local shop. Would do it myself, but don't have the time between work/school/girlfriend.

Pics later this week!

[Chandler_Ross]

Alright guys,

So in the last month or so, I've installed a 2.5 inch Rough Country lift in the rear with coils and Nitro 9000 shocks, in the front I have Cornfed strut spacers in the front giving 2 inches of lift. I also installed a Toytec 1 inch body lift with steering spacer. Overall, I'm happy with the setup. The RC coil has a bit of a smoother ride with the Nitro 9000s, with the stock shocks it was terrible. I do plan to swap for LC coils eventually, but for 100 bucks, this lift was great. I bought the coils and shocks off of a friend for $100 brand new, and already had the strut spacers. Add about $150 for the BL and the grand total was around $250. I did the install myself and don't have any pics of it.

Here it is with everything installed. Altogether around 3.5 inches of lift.


I also blacked out my turn signals, repainted bumpers, painted skid plate, and added cheap walmart seat covers. I spent time trimming and fitting the seat covers best I could. i think they turned out well.



Here it is parked next to a stock 2001 4R, this is when I started to realize it was actually lifted! haha



More mods and pics on the way!

[Chandler_Ross]

It's been awhile since I've updated anything. I'm really bad at this whole build thread thing! Haha. Anyway, here's a list of mods/maintenance since my last post...


Mods
-LED Dash Conversion
-PlastiDip Anthracite Gray Wheel Kit
-Cobra Radar Detector
-Garmin Nuvi GPS System
-Ghetto Bluetooth Handsfree System
-Homemade Trunk Liner (PVC Shower Pan Liner)
-Treadwright Bead2Bead Guard Dogs in 285/75r16
-K&N Air Filter
-Trimmed Bumper Valance
-Pinstripe Removal
-Clay Bar and Wax
-PlastiDipped Doors/Rockers

Maintenance
-Spark Plugs and Wires
-Double Cardon U-Joints
-Driver Side Inner/Outer Tie Rods
-Passanger Side Inner and Outer Rear Axle Seals
-Driver Side Inner Real Axle Seal
-Fuel Filter
-PCV Valve
-Both CV Axles (Autozone Reman.)
-Duralast Gold Top Battery
-New Brake Pads/Resurfaced Rotors

Pics in the next post...

[Chandler_Ross]

Picture Time!

So I drove it the way it was after the last wave of mods for a few months, and I was really enjoying it. There wasn't really anything I absolutely needed as far as mods and maintenance, until this...



I pulled the codes P0301 P0302 P0304 and P0300. Cylinder 1, 2, and 4 misfire. Along with the Random/Multiple misfire code. I was thinking theres no way 3 cylinders would begin to miss at the same time. Went ahead and did plugs and wires, haven't seen a CEL since.

First Wheeling Trip

So for my first time wheeling somewhere that's more than a mud hole and some gravel, I went to Prentice Cooper State Park. It was AWESOME! I know it's pretty easy stuff. It was just cool to go somewhere where I could ride through trails without worrying about trespassing and cops throwing me out. Haha.
Anyway...



Original Video - More videos at TinyPic

Original Video - More videos at TinyPic

Sorry for the lack of pics and crappy cell phone videos.

Random Pics

Tried to flex on a sand mound behind my high school. Not sure if this could've caused my U-joints to go bad. But as soon as I left school that day, my driveshaft started chirping in reverse. Replaced the U-joints a few weeks later. I greased them first to see if they were salvageable, worked for about a week. Then the chirping was back and louder than ever.



And here's a random picture next to my Dad's 2002 4Runner. It's about to turn 200,000 miles in the next few days. And it drives and looks like it rolled off the lot yesterday. It's the main reason I got my 4Runner.



While my family was staying in a cabin near Fall Creek Falls for a few days, I got bored and went exploring. I came across some kind of National Forest. Can't remember the name. It was right up the road from the Fall Creek Falls main entrance. It was miles and miles of gravel and dirt roads, with a few trails here and there. My brother, his friend, and I were the only ones out there for the few hours I spent there. It was definitely a nice ride.




33's and Bumper Trimming

After seeing how @88CleveRunner trimmed his valance to run 33s, I thought it looked pretty cool. I like it a lot more than just trimming the sides. It makes the approach angles easier offroad too. So i grabbed a utility knife and went to work. I also re-plastidipped the front bumper. I've wasted a lot of plastidip on this bumper. Mostly because I don't take the time to do it right.



I did the trimming and plastidipping as I waited on my new Treadwright Guard Dogs to show up. Once they did, I was off to Firestone for mounting, balancing, and alignment. Firestone was the only shop in town who would mount 285s on a 7 inch wide rim. Good thing I was going there for an alignment anyway. (If you have a Firestone near you, invest in a lifetime alignment. Totally worth it.) Had to run 1/4 inch wheel spacers to clear the UCA. Once it was all said and done, I had reached my main goals for the Runner. It was finally lifted and sitting on 33's!





I love the stance of this thing! Looks mean.



First curb flex with the new rubber.



Plasti Dip Anthracite Grey Wheel Kit

I had previously Plastidipped my Split 3 spoke wheels when I first got my 4Runner. I liked how the Plastidip worked. (as you can tell by my abnormally heavy use of it) And I really wanted a dark grey or gunmetal color for my wheels. So as soon as DipYourCar.com released their Anthracite Gray True Metallic kit, I had to try it. And I absolutely love the results.



Up close.



Finished product.



Pinstripes Removed, Clay bar and Wax

After trying to remove the pinstripes myself (don't waste time doing this), and being too cheap to by a pinstripe removal wheel, I took it by my buddy's old baseball coach's body shop to ask about a first gen that had been sitting in the parking lot of the building next door. I asked how much he would charge to remove them. He told me to pull it in and he would do it for free. As we all know, free is always awesome.



After having the pinstripes removed, it left the paint looking pretty rough. Perfect excuse to spend some money on a wax and clay bar kit. Got it looking nice and shiny. But with my new mud terrains, I knew it wouldn't last long...

Right after wax and clay bar.



1 week later...

[Chandler_Ross]

Prentice Cooper Trip #2

After finally getting a free weekend, I knew I had to make time for a trip out to Prentice Cooper. Left the house at 6:45 AM. Got back around 3 PM. In that amount of time, I managed to paint the Runner brown! This time out, almost half the park was closed. So instead of taking the same route I went before, I just went wherever wasn't blocked off. I hit a few pretty deep mud holes, did some baby rock climbing, and quite a bit of flexing. Unlike the first time I went out there, I put the Runner through its paces. And I have to say, I am really amazed at how capable these vehicles are off road. Never got stuck, never broke anything, and never backed down from a challenge. And never thought twice about it. Simply because it's a Toyota!

Flexed it quite a bit! (WARNING, do not pull your emergency brake all the way up while flexed this much, it will screw it up... lol)



SO MUCH MUD.





Once it all dried, it was hard to tell what color the 4Runner really was...




PlastDipped Doors/Rocker Panels

Well, I'll probably go back and rewrite this part later on. And probably add a better picture where my brother's friend isn't flipping off the camera. Lol. One thing I've always liked about 3rd gen Runners is the door cladding on the Limiteds. Although mine is an SR5, I still wanted a similar look. So I plastidipped the bottom of the doors, rockers, and pinch welds. I like it so far. I think I'm gonna do what @steezemcqueen did and hit it with a few coats of bedliner to make it stronger. I also re-plastidipped the front bumper. For like the 12th time...



I'll take some better pics of it soon after I add the bedliner. Unfortunately it may be a few days. After having both CV axles replaced last week, its leaking at the driver side axle seal. So its going back to the shop tomorrow.



Next Mods...

-Addicted Offroad Tube Bumper
-Tundra Struts/LC Coils
-CB Radio w/ 3 ft Firestik & ODL Mount
-BudBuilt Skids
-4xInnovations Sliders

It may be awhile before any of these mods see the light of day. Unfortunately my bank account doesn't like my 4Runner as much as I do.


Anyway...
I guess that's it for this update. It'll probably be a few months until I update this again. Thanks for reading!

[Chandler_Ross]

Bump... Just want to thank @SV_Dude for changing the titile of this thread!

[Chandler_Ross]

Well, I took a few steps backwards in the build. I always hoped I'd never have to post anything this... I wrecked my 4Runner!!!