01 Corporate Driven Occasional Off-road 4runner

[Johnny_K]

Sup guys, picked up this 01 4runner about a month ago. Been doing lots of reading and trying to take it off road some to figure out what stuff i want to do the vehicle.

Took it to an off road park while i was vacationing in FL and got it stuck. I think this messed up the starter cause it was acting up a few days later, so i replaced it with a reman.







Prior to the 7 hour rd trip to FL I replaced front brakes and rotor because it shook under braking. I also had to change ignition cylinder as i had to do a special jingle to turn the key.

This wknd, i took it another off road park and it did pretty well. Only got stuck once and took us a good 45 mins to get it unstuck. I have to admit i was a little scared of breaking stuff.







Primary use of the vehicle
- Daily driver. 34 miles round trip in Nashville,TN rush hour traffic

I'd like to take it camping and off road once every 2 months or so.

I thought about lifting it and putting 33s but don't really want bad gas mileage, hear load tires or effect handling. I do have to park in parking garages occasionally and i'm afraid if i lift it I won't be able to get in.

Here is what I'm thinking mod wise
- Front and rear steel bumpers
- Winch
- Rock sliders
- spare set of wheels and really good tires for wheeling
- recovery boards

Since i don't really want to lift it, i figured the winch and recovery boards could save me if i get stuck.

I welcome your tips and recommendations.

I'm totally new to this. I spend most of my time working or rotaries. Here are our other vehicles.

 

[Twan]

That's a totally different kind of wheeling than I'm used to seeing. Though I'm much more into the rotaries.

 

[Chuckles89]

You definitely found you a nice swamp hole there :lmao:

Check out the Tennessee 4Runners group on facebook. I'm the admin

 

[Johnny_K]

That's a totally different kind of wheeling than I'm used to seeing. Though I'm much more into the rotaries.

ha, what kind of wheeling do you do?

Have you owned any rotaries?

You definitely found you a nice swamp hole there :lmao:

Check out the Tennessee 4Runners group on facebook. I'm the admin

ha yea. will do. You anywhere close to Nashville? Need to find some other places to take this bad boy.

 

[Chuckles89]

ha yea. will do. You anywhere close to Nashville? Need to find some other places to take this bad boy.

Yeah, I'm from Mt. Juliet and go to TTU in Cookeville

 

[Twan]

ha, what kind of wheeling do you do?

Have you owned any rotaries?

Around here, it's dusty, rocky, and rarely muddy. And my first car I bought was an 87 RX-7 sport(basically a GTU before there was a GTU). I'd love an FD, but they're a little cramped for me. I want to pick up another FC.

 

[violation]

armor, winch + no lift = lowered 4runner lol

get a lift, even if just 1 or 2 inches. also will allow you to level the truck once you put all your gear on.

 

[ToyTec Lifts]

A 3" lift, 33" tires, skid plates, and a winch will make you almost unstoppable.

Visit www.toyteclifts.com for all your accessory needs

 

[Scramble]

Haha, great photos! I wheeled my truck stock for years.
Take the running boards & front valance off, they will slow you down in water/mud. Get a 1 or 2" lift with aggressive 31" tires. A front plate bumper from Addicted Offroad would look great on a small lift.

 

[Johnny_K]

Around here, it's dusty, rocky, and rarely muddy. And my first car I bought was an 87 RX-7 sport(basically a GTU before there was a GTU). I'd love an FD, but they're a little cramped for me. I want to pick up another FC.

Nice. Never had a running Fc.

armor, winch + no lift = lowered 4runner lol

get a lift, even if just 1 or 2 inches. also will allow you to level the truck once you put all your gear on.

Good info. Any recommendations on suspension based on your experience?

A 3" lift, 33" tires, skid plates, and a winch will make you almost unstoppable.

Visit www.toyteclifts.com for all your accessory needs

Thxs and yea been to site. Lots of great stuff. Worried about ride quality, mpg and ability to get into parking garages with a 3 inch lift.

Haha, great photos! I wheeled my truck stock for years.
Take the running boards & front valance off, they will slow you down in water/mud. Get a 1 or 2" lift with aggressive 31" tires. A front plate bumper from Addicted Offroad would look great on a small lift.

Cool thxs for the info. And yea removed the running boards last night. Pretty strait forward to remove.

 

[SpidermanGeek]

Thxs and yea been to site. Lots of great stuff. Worried about ride quality, mpg and ability to get into parking garages with a 3 inch lift.

A 3" lift on 33's will have your 3rd gen sitting at roughly the same height as a 5th gen or any current modern 1/2 ton 4x4.

Highest point on mine (stock luggage rack crossbar) with my lift is at around 6'6". I can still fit in most (but not all) covered or underground lots as well as my standard size home garage.

 

[violation]

Nice. Never had a running Fc.



Good info. Any recommendations on suspension based on your experience?



Thxs and yea been to site. Lots of great stuff. Worried about ride quality, mpg and ability to get into parking garages with a 3 inch lift.



Cool thxs for the info. And yea removed the running boards last night. Pretty strait forward to remove.

i run toytec. see post here. they ride well both on- and off-road. i no longer daily my rig but when i initially put on the lift kit, it was my daily. one thing that sold me was their customer service. i spoke with them about my plans for the rig and the toytec dude asked around with their techs and put together a kit for me based on my particular needs (basically lots of extra weight).

as the poster said above, you won't really have any clearance issues with a 3" lift.

 

[I'mStock]

Nice. Never had a running Fc.

This is such a "rotary" response. ound:

 

[Johnny_K]

A 3" lift on 33's will have your 3rd gen sitting at roughly the same height as a 5th gen or any current modern 1/2 ton 4x4.

Highest point on mine (stock luggage rack crossbar) with my lift is at around 6'6". I can still fit in most (but not all) covered or underground lots as well as my standard size home garage.

Ah good to know. Now i'm back on the hunt for a lift.

i run toytec. see post here. they ride well both on- and off-road. i no longer daily my rig but when i initially put on the lift kit, it was my daily. one thing that sold me was their customer service. i spoke with them about my plans for the rig and the toytec dude asked around with their techs and put together a kit for me based on my particular needs (basically lots of extra weight).

as the poster said above, you won't really have any clearance issues with a 3" lift.

Thanks and will check out your post.

This is such a "rotary" response. ound:

lol, good one.

 

[ToyTec Lifts]

Thxs and yea been to site. Lots of great stuff. Worried about ride quality, mpg and ability to get into parking garages with a 3 inch lift.

Ride quality will be improved over the stock suspension.
Gas mileage changes only with bigger / heavier tires. The lift itself won't affect gas mileage.

Measure the height of your vehicle as it sits now - and then add 2-3"

We have kits available under 3"

 

[Johnny_K]

^ thxs.

Talked to a few guys on a 4runner facebook group and it looks like
- king front 2.5 coilovers
- fox 2.0 rear shocks
- SPC upper control arms

would be a good setup for full body armor and still have a good ride quality.

Would still need to decide on a HD rear spring.

I didn't see the fox shocks on toytec website but will probably call them when i get close to ordering.

 

[Johnny_K]

Took the 4 runner camping and it did awesome. My buddies had to pitch a tent in the heat and when they took it down the next morning it was wet.


I added a futon mattress and some screen mesh on the passenger windows.


Moved it to this spot for a cool pic with the fog in the back ground.


The next day I changed the fluid in the front diff, transfer case and rear diff. Everything was pretty strait forward except front diff. Had to weld a bolt to it to get it off.

Next up, change out the outer tie rod.

 

[Johnny_K]

Went to an off-road park about an hour from the house. This was the first time the wife got to go out with me and she had a great time. Met up with 2 jeep guys that I met from a facebook group.


Of course the suspension upgrades comes after we go off-roading.





I went with Blistein 6112 upfront with Blistein springs and Blisten in the rear with OME 906 springs. This gave me a 2 inch all around.


Ordered this stuff from wheelers off-road. Called them up, talked to them about what I was looking for, did some research and ordered later in the day. Shipping was quick and they did a great job packing up the items.

Install took about 3 hours. Spent 2 hours in the rear. Getting the rear shocks out and installing them was a PITA. There is not a whole lot of room up there.

I also changed outer tie rods on both ends and got it aligned the following day.

Next up LC80 wheels and maybe some K02s in 265/75

 

[Johnny_K]

Got some 80 series wheels for $100. Sand blasted them, then rattle can them.

Decided to go Milestar MT 265/75 MT. They are affordable at $520 for a set of 4 tires. Not too loud and did great on the trails yesterday.

 

[Trialrun]

mine has a 3" lift in the rear and I still clear a 6'6 high parking garage at work with no issues, still have room for a roof rack w/o gear loaded on top