'99 SR5 Questions

[david_ray320]

Hey guys. So I'm a newbie not only to this forum but also to my 4runner. I bought a used '99 SR5 2WD with 75K on it last March. I've got a couple questions I figured you guys could help me out with. It's completely stock but I want some advice on some good mods to start out with.

I'm unhappy with the stance of my car, it's sitting on 15" tires and I feel like it just sits too low and doesn't look like a 4runner should. I want to get some bigger tires, either 16 or 17" but I'm not sure what kind are a good option. Since I have 15" tires on there now, am I going to need bigger size rims?

Am I screwed for off-roading since it's a 2WD?

I noticed a lot of you guys recommend removing the running boards, any instructionals on how to do this? I would probably only remove them if I could get bigger tires so the car sits a little bit higher.

Thanks for the help, guys/gals.

EDIT: My tires are 225/75 R15 if that helps.

 

[The Dude]

Welcome!

I also have a 99 sr5 2wd that I bought used and it came with the same size tires/wheels. You don't have to get new rims. Just slap on a set of 31x10.5r15 and you'll get the stance that you want it'll give you an extra inch or two.

***note: there're a couple of negatives on the bigger tires. 1) you'll lose about 1mpg and 2) you're going to lose some power unless you regear. Totally worth it though. Despite the downsides, i'm sticking with the 31" tires.

Running boards are easy to take off. Just unscrew the bolts that attach it to the frame.

Regarding off-roading... installing a diff. locker might help you some.

 

[david_ray320]

Welcome!

I also have a 99 sr5 2wd that I bought used and it came with the same size tires/wheels. You don't have to get new rims. Just slap on a set of 31x10.5r15 and you'll get the stance that you want it'll give you an extra inch or two.

***note: there're a couple of negatives on the bigger tires. 1) you'll lose about 1mpg and 2) you're going to lose some power unless you regear. Totally worth it though. Despite the downsides, i'm sticking with the 31" tires.

Running boards are easy to take off. Just unscrew the bolts that attach it to the frame.

Regarding off-roading... installing a diff. locker might help you some.

Thanks for the response and the warm welcome!

OK so talk me through this if you wouldn't mind haha. I'm fine with the rims I have I just need bigger tires. And you suggest 31x10.5. Now what do those numbers mean? And I'm not really looking for monster tires that I can do some extreme off-roading in seeing as this is my daily driver. I just want bigger tires that will make my 4Runner look like it isn't sitting so low.

So what are some good tires that will be functional for a daily driver and will also hold up to some light off-roading should I choose to try that out eventually. Are 31" tires what most people around here have?

Like I said, I'm new to 4Runners but I would like to start making some basic mods for aesthetic reasons as well as performance/possible off-roading. What is the deckplate mod I've seen people mention?

 

[The Dude]

Not a problem at all, David_ray.

31X10.5r15...
31=tire's diameter or height in inches
10.5=the tire's width.
r15=rim size
It's about the same size as 265/75r15. The tires will fit on the rims you have now, and they are the biggest size you can go without rubbing on the wheel-well.

If you want to give your 4runner a stronger, more solid look, 31x10.5 is probably the way to go. I had 235/75r15 for a while, which is a size bigger than the 225's that you have, but it didn't make too big of a difference.... They were still too small for me to want the take the running boards off (I didn't take them off until I got the 31's)

But as I mentioned before, the biggest downside to going with the 31" tires is that you'll feel a considerable difference in power after putting on the bigger tires. It's not going to feel quite as quick as it is now with the 225's. A solution would be to regear, but that'll cost you a few hundred bucks. Most people say they get used to it after a while, and one friend of mine said he actually didn't even feel the difference.

In regards to a good set of tires, I personally like BF Goodrich All-terrains and it is a popular choice with others as well. They look tough, they perform well on and off-road, and they last a long time. I have a set on my 4runner and I just got a set for my 88 landcruiser not too long ago. Another good tire that a lot of people on this forum recommend is the Nitto Terra grappler....they're both great tires.

Lastly, the deckplate mod is basically a do-it-yourself air intake mod. It's an alternative to buying an aftermarket intake setup and is supposed to perform just as well. I haven't done it on mine, so I can't give you too much detailed info on that.

Here's a picture of my 4runner with the 31" BF Goodrich tires, and running boards removed. Let us know if you have any more Q's.

 

[david_ray320]

Not a problem at all, David_ray.

31X10.5r15...
31=tire's diameter or height in inches
10.5=the tire's width.
r15=rim size
It's about the same size as 265/75r15. The tires will fit on the rims you have now, and they are the biggest size you can go without rubbing on the wheel-well.

Got it. Thank you. So if the 31's are the biggest I can go without rubbing on the wheel-well, should I be worried about be worried about the tires rubbing/hitting the wheel-well when going over speed bumps or anything like that?

Also, I searched around online but couldn't find a good price estimate for the BF Goodrich All-Terrains. How much $ did yours run you? What kind of prices can I be expecting for a set of new tires?

But as I mentioned before, the biggest downside to going with the 31" tires is that you'll feel a considerable difference in power after putting on the bigger tires. It's not going to feel quite as quick as it is now with the 225's. A solution would be to regear, but that'll cost you a few hundred bucks. Most people say they get used to it after a while, and one friend of mine said he actually didn't even feel the difference.

What do you mean by regear? What does that entail? And do the bigger tires mean the ride will be less smooth? Is there any noticeable difference while driving on the highway? I drive from college in NC back to MD for holidays and I don't want to be shaking all over the place on the highway haha.

Lastly, the deckplate mod is basically a do-it-yourself air intake mod. It's an alternative to buying an aftermarket intake setup and is supposed to perform just as well. I haven't done it on mine, so I can't give you too much detailed info on that.

Got it. I was thinking about getting a K&N Intake as well as an air filter from them. Anyone have experience with these and is it worth it? Would the projected 9.5 horsepower I would gain from the K&N intake make up for the power I'm going to lose with bigger tires?

Sorry for all the questions, but you gotta start somewhere!

 

[The Dude]

Got it. Thank you. So if the 31's are the biggest I can go without rubbing on the wheel-well, should I be worried about be worried about the tires rubbing/hitting the wheel-well when going over speed bumps or anything like that?

No, they won't rub in any situation at all.

Also, I searched around online but couldn't find a good price estimate for the BF Goodrich All-Terrains. How much $ did yours run you? What kind of prices can I be expecting for a set of new tires? [/B]

I don't remember how much I paid, but I know that the prices went up a little since I bought mine. I got them at America's Tire...they're reasonably priced....not the cheapest, but they have great service, and they offer a lifetime replacement plan for a little extra. I already got two of mine replaced for free because I got flats, so the extra $ i spent on the replacement certificates, paid off.
http://www.americastire.com/dtcs/home.do

what do you mean by regear?What does that entail? [/B]

The stock 4runners came with different gear ratios depending one what size rims/tires they came with. Don't know the numbers off the top of my head, but basically if you swap your tires out for a different size, and you want it to perform the same way, you'd want to change your gear ratio. It's not absolutely necessary, and many people, including myself, do not regear.

do the bigger tires mean the ride will be less smooth? Is there any noticeable difference while driving on the highway?[/B]

Bigger tires won't necessarily result in a rougher ride, but if you choose to go with an all-terrain tire vs. an on-road tire, there will be a little bit of a difference. All-terrains will have a little more road noise, and will be a little bumpier, but it's nothing that's too unbearable.

 

[david_ray320]

Thanks for your help, Dude. I'm gonna do some research on the BFG All-Terrains and Nitto Terra Grapplers and decide which one I want to go with. Do you have any more pictures of your runner with the BFG's so I can get a feel for what it will look like?

 

[The Dude]

Any time david.

Here's one more...

 

[Clemsonfan15]

If you feel like spending an extra $180ish go for the K&N if not just do the deckplate mod. They pretty much have the same effect. I haven't upgraded tires so I wouldn't know if 7-9 hp would make up for larger tires.

 

[The Dude]

and here's another

 

[david_ray320]

Lookin' good, Dude. So the bigger tires gave you a noticeable difference of about 1-2"s? It just feels like my car is a wimp with the small tires and I want to give it a more aggressive and solid look, and I would like to start with new tires before even considering any lift.

Clemsonfan- how complicated is the deckplate mod? Obviously I would like to save $180 whenever possible but I'm not the most mechanically skilled and I'm worried I might struggle with this mod. But I do have a friend here at school who has done some various mods on his truck and he could probably help me. So how difficult is the mod process? Any instructionals around here?

EDIT: Just found the Deckplate Mod walk-through on Yotatech

 

[The Dude]

Thanks David,

Yeah the tires make a huge difference. The 3rd gen 4runners actually came with different sized springs depending on the year. Most of the 99's came with 1-2" taller springs than the other years, and by the looks of your rig in the picture, I think you've got the taller springs too. So the taller springs, combined with a 31" tire will give your truck a nice tough, solid look.

 

[david_ray320]

Thanks David,

Yeah the tires make a huge difference. The 3rd gen 4runners actually came with different sized springs depending on the year. Most of the 99's came with 1-2" taller springs than the other years, and by the looks of your rig in the picture, I think you've got the taller springs too. So the taller springs, combined with a 31" tire will give your truck a nice tough, solid look.

Great, that's exactly what I'm looking for. It's funny that you and I have pretty much the same exact truck, even down to not having the factory roof rack.

Thanks again for the help, I'm sure everyone will hear from me soon as I've got other questions and plans for my rig that I'm gonna need some experience input on

 

[Clemsonfan15]

I'm glad you found the thread explaing the deckplate mod. I'm not mechanically inclinded either and it really wasn't that bad for me. The only hard part is cutting the hole.

 

[p nut]

Do you have a rear locker? Should be a button to the left of the steering wheel that says "RR REAR LOCK". If not, you will have a tough time off-roading. If one of your rear wheels gets hung up, you're screwed. I would look into getting a stock e-locker or an ARB unit. You can actually go very far with a locked 2WD. Your main enemies are mud, snow and loose gravel. Other than that, you should do very well.

Also, I would suggest AGAINST getting a K&N filter. They do not filter well and there is virtually no power gains. I don't even have a deckplate mod and I believe there is plenty of power for this truck. It's not a 500lb/ft monster, but it does its job. The OEM paper filters does its job very well and that's what I've used from day 1.

You can also do a 4WD conversion later on. Several have done this, so you should be able to find good info. Here is a thread:

http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5774

There is also a guy on that forum that has done a 4WD conversion. SAR_squid79 is what he goes by, I think.

EDIT: Here is his build thread: http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9201

 

[The Dude]

By the way, if you're thinking about lifting your 4runner soon, you might want to consider holding off on the tires until you get the lift. If you got a 2-3" lift, you'll most likely end up wanting to get even bigger tires. 33" tires will look better with a lift than 31's.

But if you're not planning on lifting, and you're going to keep your stock suspension for a while, go for the 31's.

 

[david_ray320]

By the way, if you're thinking about lifting your 4runner soon, you might want to consider holding off on the tires until you get the lift. If you got a 2-3" lift, you'll most likely end up wanting to get even bigger tires. 33" tires will look better with a lift than 31's.

But if you're not planning on lifting, and you're going to keep your stock suspension for a while, go for the 31's.

Hmm, ok. I was thinking about going with the Toytec 3" lift http://toyteclifts.com/index.php?pa...ategory_id=79&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=53

But if bigger tires will look better with the lift then that would change things. I know I want bigger tires, but I'm not 100% sure I want the lift. Decisions, decisions.

 

[mike1305]

Hey there!

Sounds like you have the exact same car as me. Mine came with those wimply 225's on my 2WD SR5 V6. I kept them for a year or so just because the tires still had life. I eventually sprung for some 265/70R15 tires and it looked great. I decided to take the running boards off, but decided that since my truck is 2WD, I was never going to truely need the ground clearance gained and the wheels kicked up so much crap all over the car I decided it was time to just put them back on. I think it looks better, too.

Then recently I got the new tire/wheel combo that you can see in my sig. Feel free to check out my cardomain page that is linked in my sig for more info on what I have done.

Getting a rear e-locker was something i considered for a while too - why not turn it into a prerunner setup? I have yet to see a 3rd gen made into a legitamate prerunner style. You see the prerunner tacos everywhere, and i've seen a 4th gen prerunner, but the e-locker swap is mighty expensive and honestly above my head. :awais:

Best of luck making this truck something you can truly take pride in, as I do. :bigok:

 

[david_ray320]

Hey there!

Sounds like you have the exact same car as me. Mine came with those wimply 225's on my 2WD SR5 V6. I kept them for a year or so just because the tires still had life. I eventually sprung for some 265/70R15 tires and it looked great. I decided to take the running boards off, but decided that since my truck is 2WD, I was never going to truely need the ground clearance gained and the wheels kicked up so much crap all over the car I decided it was time to just put them back on. I think it looks better, too.

Yeah we have the same car. I'm not happy with the wimpy 225's I have on there now but they were put on right before I got the car last spring so they're still new and in good shape so I'm thinking about waiting to go with bigger tires for another year or so. I want something more aggressive but I'm hesitant to spend that much money on new tires when the ones I have now are still quite new. Guess I'll just have to live with them for now.

I took my running boards off a few months ago and I think it looks great. Gives the illusion that my car isn't sitting so low and I think it just makes the car look better all around.

 

[mike1305]

I thought mine looked great with them off too, but my new wheels are black and matched the black/chrome running boards well. Plus, the tires were wide and stuck out a bit which led to dirt being rooster tailed all over the front doors.