[PalmettoRunner]

Ok, so I am finally going to make one of these as I feel I have done enough stuff to my Runner to make it worthwhile (I have enough pics at least). I'm not looking to mod this one out too much as it is only 2wd and 95% of my driving is on road.

Here is my first car, a 96 Explorer XLT. Was a good truck for me and lasted me a lot longer than I anticipated. Ended up being totaled by the insurance company at one point and I bought it back and drove it another 5 years! Granted there were a lot of problems with it by the time I got the Runner last year but I attribute most of them to the accident.

Bad pic but the only one I really have.



I had been on this site quite a bit knowing that buying a new car was looming around the corner. Then last August (2010) the power steering started to leak and that was the straw that broke the camels back. Got the first Runner I found that had most of what I wanted seeing as I didn't really have time to not have a vehicle.

Here she is the day I got her with 163k on the clock.



First poser shot...



Running boards removed:





TRD decal on:

[PalmettoRunner]

Got a few inches of snow the day after christmas here in SC, went and trekked around a few lightly driven roads and got some snow pics.







Then a few weeks later got about 4-5 inches (A lot for down here)!





and it turned to ice...

[PalmettoRunner]

Ended up using paint to try and see how a mild lift would look on my really low 2002.





Got around to changing the plugs & wires a few weeks ago and am glad I did. Whoever the previous owner had put in the the old plugs obviously didn't bother to even check to see what plugs went in this car.

These are the plugs I pulled out



GO PACK GO!



Some more poser shots!





NEW COILS! (881, 906) Decided to go ahead and wait until I get new shocks before I install.



Latest mod was the B&M trans cooler. No more milkshake!!

[marcel]

how did your 2wd truck handle in the snow?

[fightman80]

Looking good man!

[twa318]

nice truck!

thumbs up from a fellow palmetto state T4Runner!

[PalmettoRunner]

Originally Posted by marcel

how did your 2wd truck handle in the snow?

Well there wasn't that much snow really but it did a good job for being 2wd, I think the tires hindered it more than anything. I was also going really easy as I don't have much driving time on that kind of surface.

Originally Posted by fightman80

Looking good man!

Thanks fightman, diggin' your ride as well.

Originally Posted by twa318

nice truck!

thumbs up from a fellow palmetto state T4Runner!

Same to you twa, gotta love the black Runners! Where are you located, I've been trying to find all us Carolinians we need to work on a group!

[PalmettoRunner]

Got my t4r.org decal on, and the toytec one even though the lift has yet to be installed. Kind of debating on whether or not I want the 881's up front or just go with factory 99 tallies.



Anti-cat device!



Clayed, Polished, and Waxed!





Also what are your guys and gals thoughts on the front sport skid, I'm starting to not like it and thinking of taking it off.

[Limited2K]

I think I would like it more if the upper portion of the skid was actually attached to something and not just hanging out below the valence. Looks a little like an after thought. The truck is lookin great! Now you gotta get that lift on!

[SQ.MD]

nice looking 4runner man! what made you go with 881 and 906s as opposed to a greater lift? will you be using trim packers and what height do you think you'll achieve in the front and rear? sorry for all these questions but I am currently looking into redoing my suspension and wanted to know whether I should go with 99 coils all around or do 881/906. Thanks for any input man!

[PalmettoRunner]

Originally Posted by Limited2K

I think I would like it more if the upper portion of the skid was actually attached to something and not just hanging out below the valence. Looks a little like an after thought. The truck is lookin great! Now you gotta get that lift on!

My thoughts exactly, some of the guys on here have theirs tucked right up under the bumper and that looks way better I just don't feel like finding new brackets or whatever it would take to achieve this.

Originally Posted by SQ.MD

nice looking 4runner man! what made you go with 881 and 906s as opposed to a greater lift? will you be using trim packers and what height do you think you'll achieve in the front and rear? sorry for all these questions but I am currently looking into redoing my suspension and wanted to know whether I should go with 99 coils all around or do 881/906. Thanks for any input man!

Thanks man.

I'm not looking for a big lift really I just want it to sit a little higher, I feel it makes the truck look that much better. The higher you go the more rubber you gotta stuff under to make it look good (IMHO) and with the way gas prices are looking I'm trying to stick with my little donuts. At least until I get my tundra 17's.

I think that the 881's and 906's will be fine but its all about whether I want it to rake to the front or back and I can't decide. I'll probably try the 881's and if I don't like them I can always take em off.

[PalmettoRunner]

A few updates...

I seafoamed the truck the other day with some very unimpressive results. I used the "updated" method and didn't seem to have much crud come out and I waited a good 15-20 minutes to let it all soak in real good like, oh well I guess that means it's had it done before.

Also some other minor mods include painted center caps and front tag. I don't have any before pictures of the caps but I'm sure we've all seen how nasty they get when the paint starts wearing away.



All I did was wash them real good and use some self-etching primer then paint. I think I should have used a clear coat as the finish is really rough to the touch. It was kind of just a rush job to see what it was like to paint them and what the paint looks like. I would like to paint the entire rim but not sure if I will like the finish being as rough as it is.

Oh yeah I used Duplicolor silver wheel paint.

After all this I wanted to go take some pictures, unfortunately its really hard to stay legal and find cool places to shoot around here. All I want is a field or something with out any damn pavement!! Or I could just go wheelin', come on SC guys... lets work on getting something together!

My buddy was tellin' me that a guy at his work has a 4th gen. (I need to recruit him!) and he knows about a place near orangeburg, I guess you have to do some membership thing not really sure of the details. I will try and figure out some more info and let you guys know.

Suburbia hell photoshoot...









All photos were shot on an Iphone and edited with Iphoto.

[fightman80]

Looking good man! I see what you mean about the skid plate......what about trying to fab up some mounts that allow it to sit higher???

[Hepar]

You got one purdy Runner there. Love love love the black sports.

[SQ.MD]

good looking HDRs my friend! black 4runners = awesome