2016 4Runner & FJC
- Thread starter MarkinWMich
- Start date
junkyardbiker
New member
I just want Toyota to recognize the fact that they are about to be the last BOF SUV in the states, and if they would make a solid front axle an option in any of their off road oriented vehicles, they would have a gold mine.
TRDCal
New member
:lol:
They refreshed the Taco in 2012 and replaced in 2016. I would imagine a similar schedule with the 4runner. I think we'll see a 6th gen in 2017/18
philsey
New member
Respectfully disagree. Every manufacturer of every thing, be it sweaters or cars, goes through some level of cost-benefit analysis. eg; what will it cost us to do this and will it be profitable to do so.
Although "just slap a solid axle under it" sounds cheap and easy - it is neither - most especially given all the regulatory ramifications (ie cost) this entails vs the minute increase in sales it would bring, just not happ'n Capt'n.
I'm sure some manufacturing or engineering types [MENTION=96008]Engineer[/MENTION] [MENTION=66316]1engineer[/MENTION] [MENTION=97423]Donkey[/MENTION] [MENTION=88975]Swarty[/MENTION] can flesh this out better than an old retired sales guy.
Believe me, Toyota is a smart company, and if this were a gold mine it would have been on the 5G at the git-go.
junkyardbiker
New member
It just seems to me that if they paid attention to a few forums like this one, they would see that yes, albeit with a select crowd, a lot of people are interested in a solid front axle. Im not saying their entire lineup needs to go SA, just that it should be an option on some models. I understand cost benefit analysis, I am a machinist and we strive to have as little waste material on each job. It would require probably a re-tooling of some assembly process yes, but imagine if you could special order a Toyota with a SA? They pass on it through the assembly line involving the front IFS and that vehicle goes to the TRD shop and they put a SA on it. Dodge has made it work, they have the same chassis with both IFS and SA. Does one sell more than the other? Sure. But the option is there.
1engineer
Moderator
My friend they are on pace to sell 70K 4runners this year. The TE model makes up around 6% and of that the Premium model makes up about 80% of that 6%. People want luxury and a very few want to go off road. SAS would no be a part of any viable business case. We are lucky we get offered what we do. If Toyota offered that as an option they would sell about six of them a year for about one hundred million dollars of investment.
KidVermicious
New member
I read this nugget the other day, I forget where or I'd link it - you know which "luxury" SUV gets offroaded the most by the original buyers? The Volkswagen Touareg. You know what percentage of VW Touaregs get offroaded by the original buyers? 1.5% (I think - like I said, I can't find the article now).
Toyota's marketing people aren't stupid. They know who their target market is, and they know that there aren't enough prospective buyers of a 5th gen 4Runner to make it worth the investment to provide a solid front axle on one.
Toyota's marketing people aren't stupid. They know who their target market is, and they know that there aren't enough prospective buyers of a 5th gen 4Runner to make it worth the investment to provide a solid front axle on one.
Donkey
New member
The solid front axle Toyota SUV died on the 105 series land cruiser.
You can get the ultimate solid front axle Toyota SUV if you really want one, just move to Australia where you can walk in to the dealership (with LOTS of money) and purchase one of these:
Toyota LandCruiser 70 Home Australia
TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture) is a smart move for Toyota cars, one would think they will apply the same philosophy to trucks and SUV's...having one platform for multiple markets vs multiple platforms for each market is far more economical.
Perhaps these guys are working on the 30MPG 4Runner powertrain: Toyota plans $126M expansion of MI R&D facility
You can get the ultimate solid front axle Toyota SUV if you really want one, just move to Australia where you can walk in to the dealership (with LOTS of money) and purchase one of these:
Toyota LandCruiser 70 Home Australia
TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture) is a smart move for Toyota cars, one would think they will apply the same philosophy to trucks and SUV's...having one platform for multiple markets vs multiple platforms for each market is far more economical.
Perhaps these guys are working on the 30MPG 4Runner powertrain: Toyota plans $126M expansion of MI R&D facility
Vwright14
New member
That website is made several times over with various vehicle's and the info is always wrong. Did anyone notice he said it would be front or 4wd lol. There is no 4L v8 anymore in the line up and like others have said,and other can't admit lol, there will never be an oem solid axle offering.
We will be lucky to even see another live axle in the rear on the 6th gen. I don't really know if it will happen or not, but I do know that as every year passes, fewer and fewer vehicles have live axles in the rear. Jeep finally dumped it with the current generation Grand Cherokee. Hell, even the Mustang finally dumped the live axle for good!
And quite honestly, that live axle rear end shouldn't be a deal breaker anyway. A properly designed IRS will in many ways be superior to a live axle rear end. That said, I'd still like to see the 6th gen with a live axle rear end, but I wouldn't lose any sleep if they decided to go IRS instead.
And quite honestly, that live axle rear end shouldn't be a deal breaker anyway. A properly designed IRS will in many ways be superior to a live axle rear end. That said, I'd still like to see the 6th gen with a live axle rear end, but I wouldn't lose any sleep if they decided to go IRS instead.
