6" lift is taking off in Hawaii

[LawnDart]

I think there are a few key identifiers. Here's my 10 step guide to building a brodozer.

First - a really tall lift. Usually some type of bracket and/or lift blocks. Sometimes SUPER deep arch leaf springs. Real brodozers don't flex. Flexing is for the owner only for his instagram pics!

Second - tires that are too small for the lift. If you're going up 6+ inches but keeping stock fenders, probably a brodozer.

Third - exhaust stacks in the bed. Classic brodozer. Must put semi truck ish exhaust pipes through the bed. You have a truck but need to let us know you'd never consider actually using it for work. Brodozer.

Fourth - D - shackles and hooks all over. Nothing makes a brodozer more badass than a couple wildly oversized d shackles on the bumpers and probably on the rear hitch too. Might as well add some truck nutz for good measure!

5th - Differential covers with cooling ribs. Because we all know how you overheat your differentials and need to keep 'em cool. Better put some chrome on that bad boy too! And even better make it out of aluminum. That's super durable!

6th - Paint all your suspension different colors. You spent a lot of $ making your brodozer have terrible suspension. Better show it off! Nothing says hardcore off-road like polished high gloss purple suspension.

7th - Anything that helps you pretend you're driving a big rig. 10 lug wheel conversions are where it's at. With that much power you'll sheer lug nuts all the time. It's common knowledge that your axles, diffs, u joints, and hub studs are all much stronger than the lug nuts. Better upgrade to at least 10 lug wheels!

8th - Axle trusses. Because you know you'll be bending the crap out of those stock axle tubes with all that offroading you're doing at the mall. Better truss them on the bottom too! Helps with ground clearance. - and paint that shit GREEN!!! yeah!

9th - More shocks!! Gotta have lots of shocks. You're gonna run KOH next year, and we all know at least 10 shocks is the minimum. And they better be polished chrome!

10th - Decals. From all your sponsors. Gotta show off your fake sponsors. And you probably better do a two tone paint job with barbed wire decals somewhere. Gotta have barbed wire! It just looks so darn good when you're standing next to it with your super original tribal tattoo.

I keep the shackles on my back bumper. I haz a brodozer?

 

[pauldavis]

[MENTION=118321]Jetboy[/MENTION], your post is cracking me up. I don't think you missed anything. I was going to add the little nut sack hanging in the back but you included that too. There is one of these in my area. I have to get a picture of it and post it. It will be like you spoke it to life.

 

[Jetboy]

I keep the shackles on my back bumper. I haz a brodozer?

Do they look like this? I'm all for big shackles. I like to make sure it's large enough to just shackle right around my axle tube. If you need a tree strap just to go around your tow hook - probably a brodozer.

Or this?

 

[1engineer]

I think there are a few key identifiers. Here's my 10 step guide to building a brodozer.

First - a really tall lift. Usually some type of bracket and/or lift blocks. Sometimes SUPER deep arch leaf springs. Real brodozers don't flex. Flexing is for the owner only for his instagram pics!

Second - tires that are too small for the lift. If you're going up 6+ inches but keeping stock fenders, probably a brodozer.

Third - exhaust stacks in the bed. Classic brodozer. Must put semi truck ish exhaust pipes through the bed. You have a truck but need to let us know you'd never consider actually using it for work. Brodozer.

Fourth - D - shackles and hooks all over. Nothing makes a brodozer more badass than a couple wildly oversized d shackles on the bumpers and probably on the rear hitch too. Might as well add some truck nutz for good measure!

5th - Differential covers with cooling ribs. Because we all know how you overheat your differentials and need to keep 'em cool. Better put some chrome on that bad boy too! And even better make it out of aluminum. That's super durable!

6th - Paint all your suspension different colors. You spent a lot of $ making your brodozer have terrible suspension. Better show it off! Nothing says hardcore off-road like polished high gloss purple suspension.

7th - Anything that helps you pretend you're driving a big rig. 10 lug wheel conversions are where it's at. With that much power you'll sheer lug nuts all the time. It's common knowledge that your axles, diffs, u joints, and hub studs are all much stronger than the lug nuts. Better upgrade to at least 10 lug wheels!

8th - Axle trusses. Because you know you'll be bending the crap out of those stock axle tubes with all that offroading you're doing at the mall. Better truss them on the bottom too! Helps with ground clearance. - and paint that shit GREEN!!! yeah!

9th - More shocks!! Gotta have lots of shocks. You're gonna run KOH next year, and we all know at least 10 shocks is the minimum. And they better be polished chrome!

10th - Decals. From all your sponsors. Gotta show off your fake sponsors. And you probably better do a two tone paint job with barbed wire decals somewhere. Gotta have barbed wire! It just looks so darn good when you're standing next to it with your super original tribal tattoo.

You forgot one:
11rd - Wardrobe. You have to have white Oakley sunglasses and an Affliction T Shirt in several colors and designs.

First of all, I like looking at the lifted 4Runners. They look cool and I understand that for some people, the "look" is most important. Now with that said, those of you trying to justify and defend the 6" or 12" bracket lifts as practical or useful off road lost your arguments before you even started typing. Why? Read on and for those of you with reading comprehension issues please read twice and read until the end before responding.

First off Center of Gravity (CG) is king. Lower is better regardless of off road type or situation. It's also much better on road. Having a low CG is preferable in every conceivable situation due to tipping off road and handling on road. For those of you having trouble with this concept I will post pictures at the end. We also know that drive line components like the stock angles right?

With that said ground clearance is definitely an issue when going off road. How do you increase ground clearance? Lifting and bigger tires right? Now here comes the question: What is the proper and correct lift? The answer? None. That's right, no lift. The absolute best off road vehicle will have no suspension or body lift. Remember we discussed CG and keeping it low is best. So how do I increase ground clearance without lifting? The answer is you cut and you trim and you cut some more. [MENTION=104049]marshal[/MENTION] is probably the only one so far [MENTION=89562]bimrunner[/MENTION] to a point) that has fit some big tires with a small lift. They accomplished the goal of increasing ground clearance and keeping the CG as low as possible. They can go places and do things that will make the guys with the 6" lift turn around and go back down the trail. So if that's the case then why do the guys want to do a bracket lift instead of doing it right? Time, money and looks is why. Ask [MENTION=104049]marshal[/MENTION] how much it cost and how much time it took to have his fenders rolled correctly. Ask [MENTION=89562]bimrunner[/MENTION] how long it took to grind, cut and fab up components.

Doing a bracket lift is a quick and cheap way of fitting big tires under the 4Runner and that is the only advantage. It is not the best way to improve off road performance. It is a cheap way and it looks good for some. Anyone who has any knowledge of physics and engineering will laugh when hearing a person thinks raising their CG will improve their vehicle's off road ability.

Now let's go to extremes: Anyone ever looked at the ultimate lifted vehicles? The monster trucks? Must have a high CG right? Nope. Check out where they mounted their engines and their tires are the heaviest part of their vehicle. Their CG is low compared to the height of their vehicle.

If you want to truly take the 5th gen 4Runner and make it an off road performer then figure out how to fit big tires under it at stock or close to stock height. Don't cheap out by lifting it sky high and thinking it is an off road monster. It's not. The only people it will impress are the people who don't know any better. Now for your viewing pleasure I will post three pictures: The first one is a vehicle designed correctly for off road, the second one is a Brodozer and the third one is a purpose built off roader you can buy brand new. Merry Christmas!

 

[mybabydaddy]

I think there are a few key identifiers. Here's my 10 step guide to building a brodozer.

First - a really tall lift. Usually some type of bracket and/or lift blocks. Sometimes SUPER deep arch leaf springs. Real brodozers don't flex. Flexing is for the owner only for his instagram pics!

Second - tires that are too small for the lift. If you're going up 6+ inches but keeping stock fenders, probably a brodozer.

Third - exhaust stacks in the bed. Classic brodozer. Must put semi truck ish exhaust pipes through the bed. You have a truck but need to let us know you'd never consider actually using it for work. Brodozer.

Fourth - D - shackles and hooks all over. Nothing makes a brodozer more badass than a couple wildly oversized d shackles on the bumpers and probably on the rear hitch too. Might as well add some truck nutz for good measure!

5th - Differential covers with cooling ribs. Because we all know how you overheat your differentials and need to keep 'em cool. Better put some chrome on that bad boy too! And even better make it out of aluminum. That's super durable!

6th - Paint all your suspension different colors. You spent a lot of $ making your brodozer have terrible suspension. Better show it off! Nothing says hardcore off-road like polished high gloss purple suspension.

7th - Anything that helps you pretend you're driving a big rig. 10 lug wheel conversions are where it's at. With that much power you'll sheer lug nuts all the time. It's common knowledge that your axles, diffs, u joints, and hub studs are all much stronger than the lug nuts. Better upgrade to at least 10 lug wheels!

8th - Axle trusses. Because you know you'll be bending the crap out of those stock axle tubes with all that offroading you're doing at the mall. Better truss them on the bottom too! Helps with ground clearance. - and paint that shit GREEN!!! yeah!

9th - More shocks!! Gotta have lots of shocks. You're gonna run KOH next year, and we all know at least 10 shocks is the minimum. And they better be polished chrome!

10th - Decals. From all your sponsors. Gotta show off your fake sponsors. And you probably better do a two tone paint job with barbed wire decals somewhere. Gotta have barbed wire! It just looks so darn good when you're standing next to it with your super original tribal tattoo.

^^^^^^THIS! HAHAHAHA.... I just spit hot coffee everywhere...

I live in DFW... I can start a portfolio/image thread of Brodozers if you wish...

 

[Jetboy]

Believe it or not - I actually kinda like show trucks. I would never do that to my own, but when I was a kid I used to think they were sooo cool. Kinda reminds me of childhood or something I guess.

 

[KonaHI808]

I think there are a few key identifiers. Here's my 10 step guide to building a brodozer.

First - a really tall lift. Usually some type of bracket and/or lift blocks. Sometimes SUPER deep arch leaf springs. Real brodozers don't flex. Flexing is for the owner only for his instagram pics!

Second - tires that are too small for the lift. If you're going up 6+ inches but keeping stock fenders, probably a brodozer.

Third - exhaust stacks in the bed. Classic brodozer. Must put semi truck ish exhaust pipes through the bed. You have a truck but need to let us know you'd never consider actually using it for work. Brodozer.

Fourth - D - shackles and hooks all over. Nothing makes a brodozer more badass than a couple wildly oversized d shackles on the bumpers and probably on the rear hitch too. Might as well add some truck nutz for good measure!

5th - Differential covers with cooling ribs. Because we all know how you overheat your differentials and need to keep 'em cool. Better put some chrome on that bad boy too! And even better make it out of aluminum. That's super durable!

6th - Paint all your suspension different colors. You spent a lot of $ making your brodozer have terrible suspension. Better show it off! Nothing says hardcore off-road like polished high gloss purple suspension.

7th - Anything that helps you pretend you're driving a big rig. 10 lug wheel conversions are where it's at. With that much power you'll sheer lug nuts all the time. It's common knowledge that your axles, diffs, u joints, and hub studs are all much stronger than the lug nuts. Better upgrade to at least 10 lug wheels!

8th - Axle trusses. Because you know you'll be bending the crap out of those stock axle tubes with all that offroading you're doing at the mall. Better truss them on the bottom too! Helps with ground clearance. - and paint that shit GREEN!!! yeah!

9th - More shocks!! Gotta have lots of shocks. You're gonna run KOH next year, and we all know at least 10 shocks is the minimum. And they better be polished chrome!

10th - Decals. From all your sponsors. Gotta show off your fake sponsors. And you probably better do a two tone paint job with barbed wire decals somewhere. Gotta have barbed wire! It just looks so darn good when you're standing next to it with your super original tribal tattoo.

Thanks for clarifying that term is not for 4runners then... those are some wild ideas though...

 

[KonaHI808]

Please start another thread because I'm about my 4runner which is what this forum describes.... I would love to see a Bro-dozero 4runner. Other keep that off topic stuff out of here... Mahalo

 

[KonaHI808]

My annoying neighbor got a 6 inch lift on his 2014 Tacoma with 35"s. I was in my garage and he stopped to talk to me showing off his monster truck tacoma.

Do not get me wrong it was high but when I looked under the truck there was not much more ground clearance than my small 3 inch lift from Icon.

I was curious and I got out the measuring tape.. To my surprise I had more ground clearance than him. Those 6 inch lifts are all look. Once you add the drop cross member, etc it actually makes less ground clearance than a regular lift!

Once I showed my neighbor this. He stopped bragging about his lift..

He must have smaller tires than you. I would love to see pics... but probably not gonna happen

 

[KonaHI808]

As an elite member and all your experience as an ASE certified Toyota Technician I am assuming you are aware the only way an IFS suspension will get any "flex" is from 6" of lift. To even use "flex" when speaking about an IFS suspension is not recommended. Most long travel suspensions come from straight-axle type front suspension; i.e. Jeeps and full size dodge/ford trucks or toyota's that have been converted. The true ideology followed in rock crawling is fitting the largest tires with the smallest lift accomplishing the most ground clearance with the lowest center of gravity. It would be enlightening to say the least what your thoughts of the "right suspension" would be on an IFS to achieve good flex.

Thanks [MENTION=66316]1engineer[/MENTION] but we already covered that... thanks for reiterating and reading comprehension may need some re-evaluation on your part...

 

[philsey]

Please start another thread because I'm about my 4runner which is what this forum describes.... I would love to see a Bro-dozero 4runner. Other keep that off topic stuff out of here... Mahalo

You're funny! You've been a member since 2012 - you should know by now that no thread stays on topic ... Gracias.

 

[1engineer]

Thanks [MENTION=66316]1engineer[/MENTION] but we already covered that... thanks for reiterating and reading comprehension may need some re-evaluation on your part...

So tell me... what is the real advantage of using a bracket lift if not to make it a better performer off road?

The term "Brodozer" applies to any vehicle that is built strictly to impress his "Bros" and have limited or no functionality beyond looks.

I don't have a reading comprehension problem, I just missed reading that specific post. Sorry.

 

[KonaHI808]

You're funny! You've been a member since 2012 - you should know by now that no thread stays on topic ... Gracias.

Sarcasm. ..lol

 

[KonaHI808]

So tell me... what is the real advantage of using a bracket lift if not to make it a better performer off road?

The term "Brodozer" applies to any vehicle that is built strictly to impress his "Bros" and have limited or no functionality beyond looks.

I don't have a reading comprehension problem, I just missed reading that specific post. Sorry.

Hey brother, do you mind going back in reading some of my posts first. And then if you have any questions I can clarify. Thank you. Very much. [MENTION=66316]1engineer[/MENTION]

 

[LawnDart]

Do they look like this? I'm all for big shackles. I like to make sure it's large enough to just shackle right around my axle tube. If you need a tree strap just to go around your tow hook - probably a brodozer.

Or this?

Oh Jesus god no. Then I'm not a brodozer.

 

[1engineer]

Hey brother, do you mind going back in reading some of my posts first. And then if you have any questions I can clarify. Thank you. Very much. [MENTION=66316]1engineer[/MENTION]

I did as you suggested and read all your posts here http://www.toyota-4runner.org/search.php?searchid=4502756 and the thing you mentioned most was function and form. You mentioned mud and water and sand but lifting it higher does not add ground clearance.

Let me ask in a different way: Why do a bracket lift when you can keep you CG down (we both agree that is better off road) by fitting larger tires on a lower 4Runner? Cost? Aesthetics?

 

[BlackWorksInc]

I respect your opinion but on one hand you say the difference is negligible with performance but on the other hand you distinguish how different they are when it comes to COG and body roll... gotta choose a side... it's either a big enough difference to affect all aspect or nah... I think that if it wouldn't make too much of a difference off road, it wouldn't make much of a difference on...

I pointed out that the benefits of a common 3" suspension lift vs. what is essentially a 6" "frame lift" gained offroad are very small and apply in niche areas compared to the more substantial cost of higher CoG and On-Road Handling. Understanding the cost/benefit ratio for the desired functionality is the best way to approach modding vehicles or anything else for that matter. All mods are trade-offs; you gain some and lose some. Bracket lifts allow you to run larger tires, but do little to nothing to increase the more critical diff to ground measurement (which is mainly why we want lift in the first place). Larger tires help with that, but as was pointed out earlier, a lot of bracket lifts tend to retain the factory diff height.

I like that term "Bro-dozer" by the way... I have no clue what it means but it definitely is catchy... I might use it for future "rigs" built by dealership techs... lol

Not entirely sure if that's a dig at me, could be the Asperger's acting up again... Lol BroDozer is a general term for mainly guys who slap on the biggest tires and lifts they can on a vehicle and then typically add a ton of mostly non-functional or excessive/unneeded mods ask the while using their vehicles to justify their testosterone and who deficiencies. Up to you if you want to go that route.

 

[Jetboy]

Fwiw, here's the scenario I could see the bracket lift having some utility. If you spend time in deep water. This stream crossing made me very concerned. This is the down-river side where I opened the door. Once the swift water area hits the broad side of the vehicle it's hard to keep it from sweeping down stream. Getting the body and frame 6 inches higher could have made a big difference. And this is nice clean fresh water. Dirty muddy tropical water over the floorboards means a lot of cleanup.

 

[964Runner3rdgen]

I pointed out that the benefits of a common 3" suspension lift vs. what is essentially a 6" "frame lift" gained offroad are very small and apply in niche areas compared to the more substantial cost of higher CoG and On-Road Handling. Understanding the cost/benefit ratio for the desired functionality is the best way to approach modding vehicles or anything else for that matter. All mods are trade-offs; you gain some and lose some. Bracket lifts allow you to run larger tires, but do little to nothing to increase the more critical diff to ground measurement (which is mainly why we want lift in the first place). Larger tires help with that, but as was pointed out earlier, a lot of bracket lifts tend to retain the factory diff height.




Not entirely sure if that's a dig at me, could be the Asperger's acting up again... Lol BroDozer is a general term for mainly guys who slap on the biggest tires and lifts they can on a vehicle and then typically add a ton of mostly non-functional or excessive/unneeded mods ask the while using their vehicles to justify their testosterone and who deficiencies. Up to you if you want to go that route.

Hahaha I had a friend who bought a BroDozer a couple years back. It was this massive Dodge with a cummins in it. Had a ridiculous lift on it, a 8" exhaust tip, mesh rack, insane front bumper that looked like could take on a train...But it wouldn't make it up a hill climb if you tried because of how heavy this thing was.

 

[Mistaken]

Ha! See I kinda dig the different style with a huge lift like that. Not something I would do but still its different and kinda cool.