Best Christmas drive ever

[quicksilvr]

I got a new camera for Christmas, but didn't have it with me when the REAL fun in the snow happened. So you just get the story of the real fun, and some slightly more boring pictures from today.

My wife, 6-month old son, sister, and sister's boyfriend piled into the 4Runner to go to my parents house out in the country on Christmas afternoon.

The gravel road to their house runs east/west and usually drifts pretty bad in a couple spots. But I figured we'd make it somehow, so we went. Going in, I did get temporarily stuck on an uphill in a 3-foot drift that was just too long for me to plow through, so I dug out, backed up and eventually pushed through.

Getting ready to go home that night.... after 8 more hours of snowing and 40mph winds....I couldn't even drive out the driveway onto the road. There were literally 7-8 foot drifts in places. So we scouted the path of least resistance on foot, and then piled everyone in the truck and drove: through the yard, through a field, across the road, through another field, across a ditch and finally back onto the road. In the course of that route, there was snow up to the doors briefly a couple times. It was the best Christmas driving I've ever had.

Here's some pics from today on an empty subdivision road in town where the snow was only 6 inches in places. It was the best place I could find in town to take pictures...and I like making first tracks!

 

[Clemsonfan15]

Sounds like a fun time. Nice pictures too.

 

[FoneRunner]

Man, that is a good looking ride...but I'm getting really jealous of all these snow stories!

 

[Duhockey]

Sounds like a fun time. Nice pictures too.

YEAH, sounds like a ton of fun, cant wait til we actually get that much snow!

and man, are those good pics, Im beginning to wonder if Im the only 4runner owner thats not a professional photographer cuz this board has some GREAT pics of runners!

 

[fattirerider]

Great story and pics!

Are you running wheel spacers with the 285s? What gears do you have? Your truck is making me want 33s.

 

[K.C.]

quicksilvr,

I love snow!!

A little bit of Post Processing...the 3rd Picture can be a perfect print.

 

[ryani]

We just got dumped on too. 23 inches. Slow going to all the xmas parties. The girlfriends dad has a dodge ram1500 and was shocked that the "little 4runner" (his words) could go through all that snow. I loved it when he got stuck and i had to pull him out of the drift. Good times

 

[quicksilvr]

We just got dumped on too. 23 inches. Slow going to all the xmas parties. The girlfriends dad has a dodge ram1500 and was shocked that the "little 4runner" (his words) could go through all that snow. I loved it when he got stuck and i had to pull him out of the drift. Good times

lol, funny you mention that. My sister's boyfriend Zach is a country boy, and he was talking to one of his friends on the phone when we were trying to figure out how to get him home (he lives 5 miles back on gravel roads worse than the one I had to navigate to my parents), and he referred to my 4Runner as, "a little 4runner". About 20 minutes later, and quad-cab 4x4 Chevy tried coming up the "road" the way I had, following what was left of my tracks through the field. Well, he made it, but it took him 10 minutes and alot of trying....whereas I simply drove though in about 2 minutes. As Zach and I watched him go past eventually, Zach said, "I guess that 4runner does pretty good huh".



Thanks everyone for the compliments on the pictures! I didn't think they were that great, but I was hoping for better scenery when I headed out, and had to settle for what I got. I'm using a Nikon D3000, and have a little photography experience, but not alot. A real camera makes a big difference over any point-n-shoot.

Are you running wheel spacers with the 285s? What gears do you have? Your truck is making me want 33s

Yeah, I've got 1" ebay spacers all around. I had to trim the fender flares and bumper up front quite a bit after I installed them, cause they rubbed bad when I turned with the 285's. But they bring the tires out flush with the flares now, so it looks a ton better. I don't like the wheels/tires tucked under, I like 'em out at the edges.

I dunno what gears I have. How do I find out? It's a 96 Limited with e-locker.

 

[fattirerider]

I used this 1996-2004 Toyota Gear Ratios - Axle Codes

I also have a '96 4x4, elocker, stock with 265/70/16. I have 4.30s

Hows the power with with the 33s. So the spacers were used more for looks than needed for clearing the uca or frame?

 

[quicksilvr]

I used this 1996-2004 Toyota Gear Ratios - Axle Codes

I also have a '96 4x4, elocker, stock with 265/70/16. I have 4.30s

Hows the power with with the 33s. So the spacers were used more for looks than needed for clearing the uca or frame?

Looks like I've got 4.30's too. VZN185L-GKPZKA 265/70R16 stock.


The power is adequate. I haven't pulled anything besides a little trailer with brush in it so far. I've got an intake and exhaust though, so that helps a little. It's definately slower than on stock tires though. My friends '96 SR5 with no mods is way quicker and peppier around town. The tires just give it a heavier feeling...like the truck weighs 500lbs more than it really does. I've only owned the truck for a couple months though, and I need to do all new fluids, spark plugs, wires, and front axles. That might pep it up a tad.

Before the spacers, the tires would just barely rub on the uca's at full lock. Not enough to hurt anything, or even notice during normal driving. Now they clear the uca's fine, but they almost tore my flares off the front bumper before I trimmed the flares and lower bumper back.