10-03-2006, 08:16 PM
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#16
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Texas since 1981
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Location: Texas since 1981
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We took the 4Runner to our reliable local mechanic today who did the Jeep yesterday and they said it was okay, no charge.
I would like to be able to check it myself in the future, so any suggestions would be appreciated.
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My 4th 4x4: 2004 V6 4Runner 4x4 (dealer replaced engine at 70,000 miles 2006 - http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showth...ight=nightmare), Mich. Cross Terrains, Nitto T/G, now BFG AT KO's 265/70/17, Leather, Husky mats, Escort, iPhone (phone, GPS, iPod), USA Spec Bluetooth Interface, Fumoto Valve
Current daily driver: 2008 Honda Accord EX-L w/Navi
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11-29-2006, 10:36 AM
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#17
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Junior Member
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Kernersville, NC
Age: 53
Posts: 7
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Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
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I thought I would give some insight on modifications for your 4x4! These are based on personal experience and listening to fellow 4x4ers who have been doing this a LONG time.
First modification should be the ability to get yourself UN-stuck! To start with, this means reliable tow points, front and rear on the vehicle. Sometimes factory tow points are ok, on some rigs you may need to add these.
Then you will want to buy a tow or "snatch" strap. Get the kind with loops on both ends and some "D" rings for hooking them up. I keep mine in a bag along with my winch gloves and a short piece of chain. (More on the chain later)
Continuing on with getting unstuck, the next "cheapest" unstuck device is a HI LIFT Jack! They are called farm jacks for a reason, they have been using them forever! You can literally use it as a winch and pull yourself out 48-60" at a time if nothing else!
Read up on how to use and MAINTAIN them properly. You will see lots of "cool rigs" who leave their Hi-Lift mounted outside their rig all year long without any cover over the mechanics. These are usually the same guys whose Hi-Lift levers get stuck, have to "hit them" with a rock to move, etc... Keep it lubed, and stored properly. They have some nice plastic molded cases you can get for them now, or covers, or mine stays in the garage unless I am taking a trip, and I lube/check it before loading up.
CHAINS ARE dangerous, please do not use them as a strap, because it literally could turn into a life/death situation, especially crappy non-rated chain. They have ratings just like bolts, straps, ropes, etc.
With that in mind, I STILL carry about a 6' chain with the "links" for hooking them together in my GO bag. The reason is..some of these rigs suspensions are so flexy, even my 60" hi-lift cannot get them off the ground. So instead, I loop the chain around the frame/axle, holding them together, THEN I am able to jack it up a MUCH shorter distance to get a wheel off the ground. (Lower = SAFER too!!) I have seen rachet straps used the same way with great success, chain is just what I have used.
Ok...final thought for today is this....bigger lifts and bigger tires and lockers all usually mean you can go MORE places and get stuck "deeper" in the woods than before!!
My #1 mod before ANY LIFT or bigger tires or lockers is a winch. We call it the "Warn Locker", the most imporant locker of them all. It will save you body damage, keep you safe, allow you to "walk" up something too hard to drive over safely, etc.
Buy a brand name winch...even if this means waiting another 2-3 months of saving up your cash, you will curse that cheap "chinese/generic" junk when it conks out on you 1/2 way up the gully and you have to get someone ELSE to winch you up/down. I have owned both Ramsey and Warn and like em both. (Look at the WINCH SAVER product, saves your winch cable/gives you a nice weight on the line, etc)
Another winch line tip...don't do the "hook it to the D ring on your bumper" and winch tight thing. If you do this any length of time you have just created the breaking point on your cable! That "bend" is a kink/weak spot, you are much better off to use that winch saver or just winch in VERY carefully with just the hook sticking straight out of the fairlead.
I hope that helps, I have been taking out new 4x4 owners for about 6 years now, hitting the trails for the first time and this is the same advice our club gives them. I cannot tell you how many of them have gotten addicted to the hobby and have gone on to build huge rigs!!
Sam Hinton
Last edited by SHINTON; 11-29-2006 at 10:43 AM.
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11-30-2006, 01:41 AM
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#18
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Junior Member
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: WA
Posts: 25
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Quote:
Originally posted by SHINTON
My #1 mod before ANY LIFT or bigger tires or lockers is a winch.
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Is it possible to add a winch to the 4Runner without replacing the front bumper?
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11-30-2006, 09:32 AM
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#19
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Junior Member
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Kernersville, NC
Age: 53
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Chuck I don't know yet for sure, my guess is it can be done, but it will be custom. Look up the term "Hidden hitch" for the front of vehicles, the newest 4runners are not mentioned but olders ones are I believe.
Essentially what you are doing is adding a tow hitch under the front bumper, with a receiver sticking out, usually where the front tag is.
Then you mount a winch on a plate/receiver, and can move to front or rear.
OR...my personal plan B...is to see if there is enough room in there to "hide" the winch behind the lower air dam area, with a fairlead coming out the grill down there. In both cases, I will be keeping the front stock bumper...
Sam
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02-01-2007, 05:15 AM
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#20
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Location: Winona, MN
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IMO the toyota stock bumpers are kinda chinsy and wouldn't risk mounting anything like a winch to them, if I was going to make it so I could keep the stock bumper I would extend the mounting brackets/frame and put a plate over the gap, and mount the winch to that
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02-02-2007, 03:33 PM
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#21
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Moderator
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Join Date: Jun 2004
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Kinda like this ?
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'84 4Runner - ARBed 5.29s F&R, 4.7 & 2.28 t-cases, 2" drive train lift, BudBuilt x-member/skid, 30 spl Longs
'83 Toy P/U - Buick 231 V6, Holley 4 bbl, Weiand intake, Downey headers, TH350 w/700R4 low gearset,
'89 4Runner SR5 - stock
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11-08-2007, 05:40 PM
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#22
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Banned
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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hey all. great thread. it has helped me out a LOT. on e of the pressing issues i have and also have a great fear of, is recovery. winches dont do everything they say they do. there are more forces holding a mired (stuck) rig down than you would expect. PLEASE READ THIS ARTICLE, and take it into account next time you are wheelin and get stuck... thanks,
Jake Engel
http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billav...ery/index.html
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01-14-2008, 03:44 AM
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#23
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off roading
Very helpful tips you got there.
I think the most important part is to also make sure that you drive with mud terrain tires to ensure better grip and smoother driving off road
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04-14-2008, 11:46 AM
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#24
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Western Australia
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i learnt this the hard way..
when driving on dunes, when you reach the crest SLOW DOWN. the laws of physics can really work against your wheel alignment, and may cause severe stress and hardship to unsuspecting passengers
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04-01-2010, 08:45 PM
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#25
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Join Date: Mar 2010
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Very great information for me, someone who is interested in eventually doing some off-roading. Anyone want to post info on driving in snow?
Last edited by 97blkt4r; 04-06-2010 at 08:16 PM.
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04-02-2010, 04:30 PM
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#26
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Banned
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Location: Colorado Springs, CO
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 97blkt4r
Anyone want to post info on driving in snow?
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First, drive slow. Expect some ice on the road. Even tho if you don't see it, you will eventually run into some patches of ice. If you feel that you're about to slide before the whistles and bells ring, downshift one gear or two pending how bad the road is. DO NOT slam on your brakes, just step on them as you normally would, the ABS and VSC will do the rest. On intersections where you have to run a yellow/red light, RUN thru it b/c you will not be able to stop on a dime. Don't worry, the other vehicles on the other side cannot pull up that fast. Best time to practice is late at night when no one is around the road. Once you get the hang of it, driving in snow is easy.
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04-28-2010, 07:10 PM
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#27
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Vancouver, B.C., Canada
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Driving in snow
Quote:
Originally Posted by 97blkt4r
Very great information for me, someone who is interested in eventually doing some off-roading. Anyone want to post info on driving in snow?
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OK I learned the hard way and here is some of what I learned:
1. It doesn't matter how capable the vehicle is, driver error can cause problems.
2. Walk the area first before you drive it. Although the snow all looked the same I had the driver wheels on hard ground and the passenger wheels on compacted snow. All 4 tires were spinning in 4-LO with diff-lock. So the ATRAC was trying to help but not enough traction anywhere. Shovelling under the skidplates only caused the passenger side to sink lower.
3. Not being careful can be expensive. $90 for the towing bill.
I know it doesn't look like it's that stuck but believe me it was!
Some people offered to help pull it out but no one really was confident with it so we decided to pay the tow bill and get it out professionally rather than have a chain snap and break a tailgate window or something.
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04-28-2010, 08:43 PM
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#28
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Join Date: Feb 2010
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Carl_G
OK I learned the hard way and here is some of what I learned:
1. It doesn't matter how capable the vehicle is, driver error can cause problems.
2. Walk the area first before you drive it. Although the snow all looked the same I had the driver wheels on hard ground and the passenger wheels on compacted snow. All 4 tires were spinning in 4-LO with diff-lock. So the ATRAC was trying to help but not enough traction anywhere. Shovelling under the skidplates only caused the passenger side to sink lower.
3. Not being careful can be expensive. $90 for the towing bill.
I know it doesn't look like it's that stuck but believe me it was!
Some people offered to help pull it out but no one really was confident with it so we decided to pay the tow bill and get it out professionally rather than have a chain snap and break a tailgate window or something.
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First rule is to ensure that you can get yourself unstuck before you dive in...
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10-12-2010, 04:40 PM
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#29
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I see this thread was brought back up from the dead by a spammer, but nevertheless it gives me a chance to read it and add some.
1). know your limits as a driver. 9 times out of 10 your vehicle has higher limits than you do.
2). practice in the safest environment you can, with more experience people surrounding you if possible
3). have a backup plan. Maybe you only make it 35 miles in on your 70 mile out and back trail excursion... be sure you can either survive until help arrives, or be able to get back out
4). food and water. I have a fast metabolism, so I am always eating and drinking. I make no exception on off-road trips. Be sure to carry your trash back out, or dispose of it in proper trail head receptacles.
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Used to have: 1990 Toyota 4Runner, SR5, V6, 5spd, 4wd, 4.56 gears, 31x10.50r15 ATs, all options... sold due head gasket and other issues.
Have: 1991 Jeep Wrangler, 4.0L High Output, AX-15 manual transmission, NP231 transfer case with 4:1 low range conversion, slip-yoke eliminator, CV driveshafts front and rear, sway bar and track bar quick disco's, 4" suspension lift, extended shock towers, Bilstein shocks, 2" body lift, custom stinger front bumper, 33x15.50-15 Swamper TSL-SX bias ply tires on 15x12" steelies. Ford 8.8", gears and lockers coming soon.
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11-07-2010, 12:12 AM
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#30
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well i found this on another site but it is most certainly worth checking out. great specs and tips on recovery equipment.
Pirate4x4.Com - Extreme Four Wheel Drive
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