[justinh]

I've been around for a LONG time. I can remember when ttora was a Delphi board and when yotatech.com was first started. I've never been too active here other than buying and selling parts. But, I've been around the block with these things and turned a lot of wrenches on them, so if you have any questions feel free to ask.

The first 4x4 I owned was a 1991 Nissan Pathfinder SE, I bought it when I was 16 for $4500 and LOVED it, it has a big, strong rear diff with a factory limited slip and disc brakes...a combination that's never been available on a 4runner. However, the rest of the aftermarket was kinda lousy on it, it ended up with some better torsion bars, ARB bulbar and a ramsey winch. Then I started dating a girl that loved 4runner and it didn't take long for me to buy my first one which led to a long line of Toyota's plus a few other odd vehicles tossed in...

1997 4runner Limited 4x4
2000 Mustang GT (swapped 4.6 SC Cobra motor and T-56)
1983 Toyota pick-up short bed 4x4
2005 Tacoma TRD Sport Double Cab 4x4
1997 Nissan Maxima
1996 Toyota 4runner Limited 4x4
2005 Tacoma TRD OffRoad Double Cab 4x4 (6spd)
2007 Tacoma TRD OffRoad Double Cab 4x4
2001 4runner sr5 4x4 (current vehicle)

I've had a few samurais along the way too as dedicated "play" toys which DEFINITELY shapes my build and use of my vehicles. It is WAY more fun doing stupid stuff in something you don't care about or have much money invested in and that you don't have to rely on to get you around.

I've had my current 4runner almost 3 years, which is a long time for me, the 8 before this were all in a 10 year time span. I'm married have a 9 year old and he and I like to explore the outdoors as much as possible. But he also plays 3 sports and rides dirt bikes and I have pretty busy job.

My current 4runner currently has Donahoe 2.5" coil overs, OME rear springs, AllPro APEX front plate bumper, 5 TRD FJ Cruiser anthracite wheels with 285/75/16 BFG's. It has been wonderfully reliable and has taken us all over the country whether we were living on the east coast or west coast. I love it, despite it's short comings and small size there isn't anything else I'd rather drive for anywhere near the money I have tied up in it. It currently has 260k miles on it, the last 90k have come in the almost 3 years I've owned it.



Above Telluride last summer towing my other project, a narrowed m101A3 from California to Georgia


I've juggled with the idea of selling it and getting a 4th gen 4runner or even a 1st gen sequoia. The larger size is appealing and I'm not a rock crawler (see my comment about the samurais). After car camping our way across the country last summer in the 4runner with my son and our golden retriever I was really starting to get frustrated with the size (I'm 6'2"). However, like I said, I haven't been able to find anything else at a price point that intrigues me to "upgrade".

Shortly after getting back to the East Coast this summer I stumbled upon this thing (which I've been parting out on here and other forums since):


and then today this followed me home:




I've also got a 2004 4runner rear end complete, with the disc brakes, axles, etc as well as lots of other parts from 12 years of owning these things.

So, I'm at a bit of a crossroads (hence the name of this post, if you are still reading). I've got a wonderfully functional 4runner that's mildly built but still usable and comfortable on a daily basis. But I also have the "bucket list" of parts to turn it into something I've wanted since I was 18. I'm too old to care about being cool on the internet, so all of the parts are just perpetually for sale until I get bored enough one day to do something dumb and ruin my daily driver.

So, if i were to build it, here is what I would do...

Install the Total Chaos Long Travel setup (with stock fenders since i have the big flares and there is no fiberglass option for the rear). Sell my 16" FJ TRD wheels and get some 17" wheels with 5+ inches of backspacing (probably a stock toyota wheel, I've run the tundra wheels on 2 of my tacomas) to make it as narrow as possible. Put the 4th gen rear axle in and swap the 4.30 e-locked 3rd member I have from the wrecked 1999 and put the 4.30 front diff in as well.

It would be unique for sure and I think it would make a really nice and capable truck. However, i've had TC upper arms on another truck and even brand new they squeaked like crazy, I'm too old for that crap on a daily driver that I have to visit with clients with AND I'm really not sure the front would work at all without going to glass fenders.

I can tell you exactly what I'd have done 12 years ago with all of these parts but today it is a much more difficult decision. My 4runner sees the parking lot of the mountain biking trails, the hunting club, and fire roads more than anything else these days. Even taking Imogene Pass from Telluride to Ouray while towing that big old military trailer and I didn't feel under built with the factory a-trac and my 285's.

This was a long intro, but I'll try to keep it updated as I go along (with whatever direction I end up taking it) and will see about filling in some of the blanks along the way with some of the different projects I've done on this platform.

[wake_rider]

That has to be my favorite plate bumper that I have yet seen. Very simple, yet it has nicely tucked lines.

[justinh]

Originally Posted by wake_rider

That has to be my favorite plate bumper that I have yet seen. Very simple, yet it has nicely tucked lines.

Thanks, I love it and am really happy with it. This was the first 4runner allpro installed one on and the gap between the grill and the bumper is definitely bigger than on the Tacoma they designed it for. At first it bugged me but not anymore.

Hopefully it will get a winch soon!

[justinh]

Looks like it is going to be the "Crossroads Maintenance" thread now.

Rear main seal seems to have given up the ghost this week. Hoping to be able to use a friend's lift this weekend (and have the time) to replace it. I did the valve cover gaskets and PCV valve a few months back.

The engine is at like 258k miles and is all original so I can't really complain too much.

Not looking forward to dropping the tranny/transfercase again, but at least I'll have some help and a lift this time instead of doing it in the parking lot of the apartment complex we lived in while in California.

I've got all the parts to rebuild the rear brakes that have been sitting on the shelf forever so maybe I'll do that too.

[DizzyDoyle]

Justinh,

Looking good so far. I hope to see it around GA one day!

[thebrandon]

I would probably just send those arms over to me.

[justinh]

Originally Posted by thebrandon

I would probably just send those arms over to me.

It's listed in the BST forum. I think I'd like to trade it for a nice(r) mid travel set-up than what I currently have plus $$$. I'd sell it outright too for the right price.

[justinh]

Tackled the rear main seal yesterday. I am VERY lucky to have a Dad that turned wrenches for many years on jets and cars before getting into the car business and a family friend that has a nice shop with a lift. We tore into it yesterday morning and had the transmission and t-case out, rear main seal out, took a lunch break and parts run, and everything back in and back on the road in about 7 hours.

Quick backstory here. I bought the 4runner with a known bad transmission at about 170,000 miles. It drove great and ran great but no overdrive. The PO worked at a ford dealership and had their service department power flush the transmission for the first time at 170,000...that was a dumb move. I drove it for a few months with no OD since most of my driving is all back roads. Found a good deal on a takeout ($650 for 90,000 miles OE transmission) and had a guy my dad had used in the past for some transmission work swap it in for a few hundred $$$.

All was well for about 40,000 miles and then the input shaft bushing/seal went and puked the fluid out of it while we were living in California. I had it looked at by a shop there and they diagnosed it, I took it home, dropped the transmission and transfer case out of it using basic hand tools, floor jack, and ratchet straps in the parking lot at my apartment complex. That job SUCKED but I had it out, to the transmission shop, back to me and back in the car in 3 days. They put a used OEM front pump in it and a new converter. I guess the transmission had sat around for too long before I bought it (it had a date on it from like 5 years prior to me buying it when I got it from the wrecking yard) and the seals dried out.

In any case, the transmission has been solid without any issues ever since.

At 258,000 miles though the engine had some leaks. I did my valve cover gaskets and PCV valve a few months ago, that was a quick and relatively easy job, just annoying dealing with all of the brittle, old plastic that Toyota wraps the looms in. Then my rear main seal started leaking recently and it got bad, quick. With my dad having a free weekend and the lift available at our friend's shop I took my son over on Sunday morning and we got to work. I didn't take many pictures because it is a MESSY job because of the leak. I snapped a few of everything out when I cleaned up to take everyone to lunch.

I'm not going to do a step by step or anything but if anyone has any specific questions let me know. In short you've got to do the following:

-Pull center console apart to access shifters (t-case)
-Remove starter
-remove 2 brackets on passenger side of the engine that secure the hard lines from the tranny to the cooler.
-pull the dust cover over the torque converter
-both drive shafts
-both cross members
-swaybar
-all of the electrical connectors
-shift linkage to transmission
-hard lines from fittings on transmission
-I remove the rubber exhaust hangers so that I can move things but leave the exhaust in place
-6 torque converter bolts
-bellhousing bolts

Everything then comes back and then down. You can get it out and back in with the steering rack in place so no need to touch that part. It makes it much easier if you have the ability to get it at an angle, lower the back down to clear the gas tank.





Not a fun job at all but glad it is done and hopeful that there aren't anymore leaks for another 260,000.

[justinh]

As I mentioned in my rear main seal post, I removed the sway bar to get the transmission out. I decided to leave it off and see if I liked it without the swaybar (I'm running Donahoe coilovers with 650lbs springs).

While it isn't dangerous, I am not a fan of it. I drive a lot of back roads on my commute and I miss the steering input and "feel". It will definitely be going back on. I checked the angles on the swaybar on my old 4runner (that is stock and now belongs to a co-worker this morning) and I may make some extended swaybar links for my 4runner to get the swaybar back flat like it is in the OEM configuration.

[justinh]

Did lower balljoints and out TRE's last weekend. The boots looked like crap on mine and while everything still felt tight I decided it was time. I'm at about 260k miles, I've had this thing for 90k and have no clue if they were ever done before I bought it!

It wasn't too much money for some piece of mind and an hour's time. Plus it was fun working with my son (8) in the garage. Just a little bit of info, the TRE puller Autozone rents doesn't fit over the balljoint mounting surface. I took it back and swung by my dad's house and got his pitman arm puller (autozone I think also rents this tool) and used it to remove my TRE.

I was SHOCKED when I got it off that my lower ball joints were just as tight as the brand new OEM ones. I through them in the "spare parts" box and kept them and the TRE around, they'll make good spares for trips.

I ordered the seal kits and shock oil as well as a few replacement heims for my Donahoe's this week. They'll get rebuilt as soon as I have time and an extra car to drive for a few days (probably the first week of May). I've done a Camburg set before but this will be my first time into the Donahoe shocks.

New front swaybar links are also going to go on when I put the swaybar back on, I'll use my old front ones on the rear.

[justinh]

I wanted to put my front swaybar back on after driving for almost a month without it. I'm just not a fan of the handling without it. One of the things I love most about these 4runners is that with good suspension, even when lifted they really handle great (for what they are). That went away without the swaybar. It wasn't scary or anything but I didn't see any benefit for 99% of my use.

My original end links had seen better days and I was interested in a slightly longer link for the front since it is lifted, it just makes sense to correct the geometry even though it isn't much different since the end links mount about half way down the control arms. I've had three of these 4runners and 3 Tacomas and have never bent or broken a factory link so I didn't see the need to pay the $$$ for upgraded links that are out there.

I started looking and had found someone on here mention that a certain lift provider had mentioned Tundra endlinks for the front since they are longer. I checked the specs on autozone's website and sure enough they are longer AND half the price of runner end links with a lifetime warranty. So, for $14 each I bought them and figured it was worth a go.

I was a little disappointed to find out that the added length isn't between the mounts so there is no benefit to the added length. However, for $14 each I am happy and they mounted right up in a few minutes this morning before work. I can't for the life of me understand why the 4runner links are $27 and these are only $14 but I'll take it. At this price I'll buy another new set and run them on the rear in the next few weeks.





Also, my wife decided she'd had enough of my "dirty" car, I drive almost everywhere with the windows cracked or down so it tends to stay dusty. She shampooed the car for me a few weeks ago.

[justinh]

More "Maintenance"...the Donahoe coilovers were due for a rebuild. I bought the kits and oil and then pulled them apart, was planning to spend a few hours MAX on this as I've rebuilt coilovers before....WRONG.

Turned into a total nightmare, my coilovers LOOK to be in great condition, no rust, no corrosion, etc. However, when I started tearing into them I found one adjustment collar that was seized to the body (odd since there is no corrosion or rust, I've had a set of camburgs that were covered in surface rust but didn't have this issue). Then, one of them was so seized together I couldn't get the end cap and shaft out. The other one came apart fine but I found a broken shim when I got inside it.

At this point I had wasted too much valuable free time on them, I ordered a new set of Tundra 5100's for the front and Tundra 5100 rear bilsteins. Those will be going on this weekend. I already had a set of TRD tundra springs and have them assembled on a set of shocks I had sitting around from all of the years of parts collecting.

I'm going to run the 5100's with the TRD tundra springs and HOPEFULLY swap my 891 rear coils for some 890's with the new rear shocks. I want to lower it down some, especially the rear.

I sent my shocks into Icon and they just wanted to sell me a new pair at a discount and not even mess with these. However, I'll probably mod the internal spacer, and throw a new shock body and collar at the bad one at some point. My shocks LOOKED to be in much better condition than many that I see on here in the BST forums for a pretty penny....something to keep in mind. I won't complain, they are a really old pair of Donahoe's that I also bought used.

[justinh]

5100 Info....

I had mentioned in my first post I think that we are a busy family with many interests. This weekend was no different, however I was going to make sure I installed these before Monday. We took our son (9) on his first white water rafting trip Saturday in North Carolina. Then hung out with some friends from church once we got back. Then went to church this morning followed by some work on one of my other projects (2001 StarCraft 22' bowrider) followed by it's first water test since a full outdrive replacement. That went well but had some troubleshooting when we got back.

So, I FINALLY got started on my 5100 install at 8pm after dinner with my son helping me out. It took no time to get my cobbled together strut assemblies off and start the tear down. I had done a lot of reading on here before hand from other people that had done this swap. However, just like most things on the internet I found a ton of discussion with everyone's opinion being different and very little hard facts. Some people's 5100's didn't come with bushings (mine did) some people used the Tundra isolator, some the 4runner and don't even get me started on the perches. I figured "no problem" I had hardware and parts from a set of 4runner struts and a set of tundra struts so I should have EVERYTHING I could possibly need. That's where I went wrong. Tore down my old struts and realized I had two "tundra" inside the strut lift spacers (about 3x thicker than the OEM isolator), 1 4runner isolator, 1 Tundra isolator, 2 tundra top plates and 2 4runner top plates.

I could have easily assembled the packs with 1 4runner isolator and 1 tundra isolator and it would have made no difference. However, that would have irritated the crap out of me. I couldn't wait at this point to order a new isolator because I needed my car for work this week and I had already pulled the old struts apart and I wasn't going through that work. I finally remembered that when we did the Tundra spring swap on my friend's 4runner that we used some of my old hardware so we didn't have to tear his struts apart. So I went and got his struts and took them apart and used one of his isolators.

My 5100's came with bushings (1 below and 1 above the plate) they had a "lip" built into them that was a little larger than the 4runner hole, it fit perfectly in my tundra top plate though. So just an FYI, I made them work but if I had known that to start with I would have ordered 4runner bushings for my shocks. I haven't seen that documented elsewhere but there are so many threads on this stuff that I am sure it is out there somewhere.

So I ended up setting mine up this way:
Tundra 5100 (lowest perch)
Tundra TRD y/y b/y coils (used)
Tundra 5100 bushings and washers assembled per the Bilstein instructions
4runner isolator and top plate (I do see the benefit to using the Tundra isolator here but I only had one so I ended up using the 4runner and my assemblies turned out A-ok).

My front measurements on my 2001 4runner with All Pro front plate bumper are 22" on the left and right. There is about 1/8" difference between the two but it was after 11pm and I was measuring from the center of my center cap so it was close enough to be "level".

I will have the 5100 Tundra rear shocks, I ordered the correct bushings from autozone (if you order in the store it is $4.99 with free shipping to the store). They were supposed to be in Saturday but didn't come in yet so I'll get those on as soon as they arrive. I've already pressed the old bushings out using a couple of sockets and a bench vise.

I'm waiting to hear back from another member here on his used 890's to replace my 891's. I'm currently running 285/75/16 BFG all-terrains on TRD FJ Cruiser wheels. My rubbing is mainly on the frame at full lock, my lift height isn't going to change that so I'd like to end up as low as possible.

[justinh]

Hopefully these posts make it easier for someone searching later on.

Installed my REAR Tundra 5100's tonight. I bought replacement rear bushings at autozone for $4.99. They don't stock them at the store but if you order at the store they ship them there free. Cheapest and fastest way I could get my hands on them. The new bushings press in quickly and easily.

I hate doing the rear shocks on these 4runners. They are a pain.

The tundra bilsteins come with hardware and bushings. I used the following for the top mount. At the bottom of the stem one of the new washers, followed by bilstein bushing, then the oem 4runner washer that presses into the bottom of the upper shock mount, then on top the other new bilstein bushing and finally topped with their washer and nut (which is larger than the oem nut but the same size as the lower shock bolt).

On the lower shock mount I used all of the OEM 4runner hardware.

I'm not sure how we'll these shocks are going to work for my use. They seem to have a ton of droop which is great but they appear that they will be my new bumpstops on compression. I guess only time will tell.

[tre9er]

extend your bumps or get some better ones. You don't want to blow out those shocks