Pretty sure most of this is incorrect.
The 4R does have a rake resulting in the front being lower than the rear. It's not an optical illusion.
Brake dive is real. You don't need to slam on the brakes at 80 or drive like a maniac to experience it.
The best is subjective but they do handle amazingly well.. or at least mine does.
No, he is correct. Go put a level on your frame...
The rake is designed for loading, just like every single pickup truck out there. Go ahead and put 400-600 lbs back there and *poof* your vehicle suddenly has no rake.
I recently drove a new Corvette. Guess what... brake dive. Was it as pronounced as the 4Runner? Of course not but it was there. You guys bought a BOF vehicle with 31" tires on 17" wheels and sprung to be fairly comfortable on the road. OF COURSE IT'S GOING TO DROP WHEN BRAKING.
My favorite: "Hey, let's lift the front up higher to keep it from dropping during braking!" Classic, just classic. Hopefully people who do this actually don't do anything like design and engineer stuff for a living.
If you want to reduce brake dive, I mean, really really reduce brake dive, you need to do this:
Put a nice set of LT tires on it in STOCK SIZE. Putting a bigger tire just gives it more sidewall flex.
Stiffen up the SPRINGS substantially.
DO NOT ADD WEIGHT. SUBTRACT WEIGHT.
Now, if you do this correctly, you will have all but eliminated any brake dive. Your 4Runner will ride like a board strapped to a steel wheeled roller skate but hey, it won't drop during braking...