80 miles on the odometer, went in for lift, wheels and tires

[jimster716]

Jimster716's TEP NoPro *updated 5/21/16

Updated 7/30/16

Hi all,
Been lurking here for a couple of months. Doing a lot of research on the T4R and a lot of links were to this site. After unsuccessfully trying to get a TRD Pro without paying $5-8K over MSRP here in socal, decided to go for the Trail Edition Premium and even that was hard to source.

Anywho, this past Saturday picked up my silver TEP with 1 mile on the odometer and drove it during the weekend and dropped it off at the shop yesterday for a lift and wheels/tires with about 80 miles on the odometer.

Lift: Toytec Bilstein 5100 3" lift
UCA: Total Chaos
Wheels: ATX AX195 Cornice 17x9 -12 offset w/ 4.53 b/s
Tires: Cooper STT Pro 285/70/17
Sliders (on order): Metal Tech

After having the lift and wheels/tires installed, there was rubbing. Removed the front mudguards. I only detect rubbing in reverse with the wheel turned now. It doesn't particularly bother me.

Tire noise is quite apparent. Cooper had improved their compound with 30% silicate IIRC for on-road improvement and traction under multiple conditions. Reviews sounded positive and even stated that this was a capable and pleasant on-road tire. I'm not sure if they were comparing them to swamp tires cuz in comparison to the GY Duratracs and Hankook MT03's I had on my FJ Cruiser, these are noticeably louder. But they look mean AF and I'm looking forward to hitting some trails with some buddies.

Just waiting for the sliders and maybe order some RCI skid plates for now. At some point I'd like to get a roof rack as well.

I hope you like and I look forward to contributing to the community and attending some meetups in the future.

Added the Auer Automotive 2 in 1 LED DRL and Fog Combo today.

Nice switch

Just DRL

Also got 18% ceramic tint for driver and passenger window since I park under the CA sun.

Also has an homage to my little 5 month old Stormpooper I got this.

UPDATE: 5/7/16
RCI front skid plate. Primered and painted last night. Mounted today. One man job.

Added the Nox Lux emblem black out kit. The instructions include a statement saying if you're uncomfortable to have these installed by a professional. If you can't figure out how to attach emblem overlays that already have 3M tape, then step away from your 4Runner and never touch it again including locking/unlocking doors.

Installed my Metal Tech sliders. Extremely well designed. KDSS wasn't an issue, just unbolted two bolts for the lines and slid the mounting plates behind the lines. With Jack stands and floor jack it took me 2.5 hours by myself.

Added a rear diff breather running from the fuel filler area.

Installed RCI transfer case skid. 3/16" powdercoated steel.

Installed C4 Fabrication 3/16" powdercoated steel fuel tank skid.

 

[Ray Dunakin]

Nice! What shop did you take it to?

 

[midnight runner]

How was MB Toyota to deal with?

 

[jimster716]

Nice! What shop did you take it to?

ES Technical Roadsports in Gardena. The technician has been solo2 autocrossing and track driving in scca and bmw car club events for at least the last 15 years so he knows cars inside and out and how any mod will affect dynamics. He also drives a modified 4th gen 4Runner Limited off-road so he knows the 4Runner offroad mods implicitly. I've trusted them with my cars (jza80 supra, tacoma prerunner, 3.2TL, 350Z, GS350 and my 4Runner) for the past twenty years.

 

[jimster716]

How was MB Toyota to deal with?

I submitted the lead through Costco so it was a pretty clearcut experience pricewise (more than $2K lower than msrp). They did try to upsell me on the dealer installed alarm and extended warrant but homie wasn't playing that. They had a Trail Premium on the way, I paid a $500 deposit to put my name to the VIN, waited for it to arrive, went in and spent about 90min doing all the paperwork with finance and the walk around at the dealership. All in all, a concise shopping experience.

 

[Woz1976-MT]

Hi all,
Been lurking here for a couple of months. Doing a lot of research on the T4R and a lot of links were to this site. After unsuccessfully trying to get a TRD Pro without paying $5-8K over MSRP here in socal, decided to go for the Trail Edition Premium and even that was hard to source.

Anywho, this past Saturday picked up my silver TEP with 1 mile on the odometer and drove it during the weekend and dropped it off at the shop yesterday for a lift and wheels/tires with about 80 miles on the odometer.

I have a 2016 TE in silver on order -- hoping to get it by the end of May/early June... you're looks awesome! I also ordered the TRD Pro matte black wheels for mine... out T4R's will look a bit similar (I won't be getting a lift -- I have to use mine as a daily driver, with off-roading limited to days off/vacations).

I'd like to know what you're getting for mileage after the lift/tire mods, though. I'm having Cooper Discoverer AT/W, LT265/70/17's put on mine so they'll be a bit heavier than the OEM tires. I'm hoping my mileage won't take a huge hit with them on.

Awesome 4runner though! :high5:

 

[jimster716]

I have a 2016 TE in silver on order -- hoping to get it by the end of May/early June... you're looks awesome! I also ordered the TRD Pro matte black wheels for mine... out T4R's will look a bit similar (I won't be getting a lift -- I have to use mine as a daily driver, with off-roading limited to days off/vacations).

I'd like to know what you're getting for mileage after the lift/tire mods, though. I'm having Cooper Discoverer AT/W, LT265/70/17's put on mine so they'll be a bit heavier than the OEM tires. I'm hoping my mileage won't take a huge hit with them on.

Awesome 4runner though! :high5:

Thanks! Yeah I'd like to know what mileage I get as well. But my FJ Cruiser with E Load Duratracs was a pig and required premium fuel so I'm no stranger to poor gas mileage. My 4Runner is my new daily driver as well but I have this nasty habit of being unable to leave my vehicles stock for very long.

Congrats on your purchase! I was looking for black or magnetic gray but I could only get silver for the foreseeable future but I'm really digging it now.

 

[Woz1976-MT]

Thanks! Yeah I'd like to know what mileage I get as well. But my FJ Cruiser with E Load Duratracs was a pig and required premium fuel so I'm no stranger to poor gas mileage. My 4Runner is my new daily driver as well but I have this nasty habit of being unable to leave my vehicles stock for very long.

I had a 2008 Tundra TRD that was totalled in 2012. The Tundra would only get 13-14mpg city/17mpg highway on a good day (and babying it, with a tail-wind), so if I can do some light mods and still maybe get 20mpg highway by being nice to it I'll be happy.

I'm also a mod'er. I got started on it back in 2007 when my mother's then boyfriend (he passed away from cancer) introduced me to his Toyota off-roader... a 1978 FJ40 Land Cruiser with a 350 small block, huge lift, and (I believe) 35" tires.

 

[4runnerProvider]

I had a 2008 Tundra TRD that was totalled in 2012. The Tundra would only get 13-14mpg city/17mpg highway on a good day (and babying it, with a tail-wind), so if I can do some light mods and still maybe get 20mpg highway by being nice to it I'll be happy.

I'm also a mod'er. I got started on it back in 2007 when my mother's then boyfriend (he passed away from cancer) introduced me to his Toyota off-roader... a 1978 FJ40 Land Cruiser with a 350 small block, huge lift, and (I believe) 35" tires.

A stock Limited 2WD will get 20 MPG on the highway.

A Trail with tires/lift will get about 16 MPG best case

 

[midnight runner]

I'm also a mod'er. I got started on it back in 2007 when my mother's then boyfriend (he passed away from cancer) introduced me to his Toyota off-roader... a 1978 FJ40 Land Cruiser with a 350 small block, huge lift, and (I believe) 35" tires.

Hope you still got that FJ!

 

[rebel77]

How much did you pay for your lift kit?

 

[that_guy]

Your thread makes me a bit happy that i wasnt the only one who had the same issues with dealers in socal. i ended up getting a pro at msrp but had to drive far as shit. i tried getting a trail and couldn't get any dealer to drop much below msrp.

as for your lift i did the same. drove it home and dropped it off for a lift. same tire size and all. i rubbed on the mudflap and cut those out. i was rubbing in reverse so i pushed the fender liner forward and did a lil bit of dremel trimming and was good to go.

 

[jimster716]

How much did you pay for your lift kit?

$973 shipped.

 

[jimster716]

Your thread makes me a bit happy that i wasnt the only one who had the same issues with dealers in socal. i ended up getting a pro at msrp but had to drive far as shit. i tried getting a trail and couldn't get any dealer to drop much below msrp.

as for your lift i did the same. drove it home and dropped it off for a lift. same tire size and all. i rubbed on the mudflap and cut those out. i was rubbing in reverse so i pushed the fender liner forward and did a lil bit of dremel trimming and was good to go.

With the Costco pricing on the TEP I was driven by only one thing, to build a T4R TEP that would be better than any stock TRD Pro for about the same price at MSRP. I was bitter by my TRD Pro shopping experience. I ended up paying slightly more but I also have the KDSS and moonroof.

 

[jbjones85]

Nice, I waited until I hit 1K miles to do my lift and tires but I had all of it sitting in the shed before I even picked the 4R up. Enjoy!

 

[SSDuck8]

I was bitter by my TRD Pro shopping experience. I ended up paying slightly more but I also have the KDSS and moonroof.

I thought real long and hard about getting a Pro, but after I thought about it, I was only going to take off the stuff I paid extra for so I opted for the trail premium as well. I am also in the same boat as you because I had my wheels and tires on order the first night my 4Runner spent at my place. My lift was installed with about 800 miles.

congrats on the truck. There are a ton of silvers around my area but none look as good as yours.

enjoy!

Luke

 

[jimster716]

I thought real long and hard about getting a Pro, but after I thought about it, I was only going to take off the stuff I paid extra for so I opted for the trail premium as well. I am also in the same boat as you because I had my wheels and tires on order the first night my 4Runner spent at my place. My lift was installed with about 800 miles.

congrats on the truck. There are a ton of silvers around my area but none look as good as yours.

enjoy!

Luke

Thanks man! Kind words.

 

[renau001]

Looks great.

 

[gcarswell]

Picking up my Grey Trail Premium today...so stoked. Is it advisable to put on a bunch of mileage before installing your lift?

 

[jimster716]

Picking up my Grey Trail Premium today...so stoked. Is it advisable to put on a bunch of mileage before installing your lift?

Not sure what benefits from waiting. If there's any waiting perhaps wait after the install to let the setup settle before you get an alignment done.