Best way to improve handling?

Noob here shopping for a new Trail Premium, non KDSS. I have been told in the past that some dealers or tire stores (Discount Tire?) will buy the tires off your new vehicle if you want, for example, BFG T/A's. Anyone have any luck doing this?
 
I seriously don't understand leveling kits, if toyota wanted it level, they would have made it such.

oem tires are rated pretty poorly on tire rack, i'd suggest swapping those first before complaining about the ride.
 
I seriously don't understand leveling kits, if toyota wanted it level, they would have made it such.

oem tires are rated pretty poorly on tire rack, i'd suggest swapping those first before complaining about the ride.

1) Gas mileage.
2) Creating a vehicle with ease of entry/exit for the masses.

Those are the two reasons I have heard time and time again. Besides, the TRDP comes "leveled".

I can't understand honestly why a 4Runner Trail comes with passenger car tires and not with more ground clearance. But that's just me. I fixed that today! :lmao:
 
Noob here shopping for a new Trail Premium, non KDSS. I have been told in the past that some dealers or tire stores (Discount Tire?) will buy the tires off your new vehicle if you want, for example, BFG T/A's. Anyone have any luck doing this?

Yes, most DTs will buy them off of you (I went that route); but you’re getting pennies on the dollar more or less. I think they gave me $100 for all 4 of them... of course I had some miles on them too.

Regardless, best bang for buck is to sell them outright on CL or eBay (or wherever)... second would be to check with DT if that is where you are buying your new tires from, and see what they’ll give you.
 
If you're still shopping, your best bet is to mention the tires you want to your dealer, and have them put them on.

If they have a used car fleet, they have a use for your stock tires. I was able to work my KO2's into the purchase price, and it was no hassle at all. Also no balancing issues, as it was done at toyota (well, this particular toyota service dept is awesome)

Of all the wiggle room you have with the purchase price, it's my opinion that swapping tires is the most significant saving that they can offer you. They have access to better prices, and your stock tires will become inventory for them.

Unless you want to drive your new vehicle to DT, have them stab at it with a balance machine, and then answer craigslist emails that are synonymous with selling tires:
"I get paid next thursday, can you hold them until then?"
"Will you take $100?"

etc.....
 
I seriously don't understand leveling kits, if toyota wanted it level, they would have made it such.

oem tires are rated pretty poorly on tire rack, i'd suggest swapping those first before complaining about the ride.
Most manufacturers sell all their SUVs and trucks with the front pointing down for the reason of gas mileage but also for safety in a crash, a leveled truck t boning a car would hit the window instead of the door

Sent from my HTC6545LVW using Tapatalk
 
Noob here shopping for a new Trail Premium, non KDSS. I have been told in the past that some dealers or tire stores (Discount Tire?) will buy the tires off your new vehicle if you want, for example, BFG T/A's. Anyone have any luck doing this?


I did @ discount Tire. They gave me 100.00 per tire credit towards new AT's.

Good luck,
Mike
 
Most manufacturers sell all their SUVs and trucks with the front pointing down for the reason of gas mileage but also for safety in a crash, a leveled truck t boning a car would hit the window instead of the door

Sent from my HTC6545LVW using Tapatalk


lol... I may agree with gas mileage, but leveling a truck 1.5" - 2" is not the difference between the door and the window of another "unknown" car. ;)
 
"Leveling and brake dive"

YOUR T4Rs COME ABSOLUTELY LEVEL! It's an appearance thing as the front and rear wheel openings are slightly different sizes. A styling thing.

The braking dive you all talk about I have never experienced - Perhaps you might want to slow down sanely rather than trying to go from 80mph to zero in 100 feet.

As for "handling": This is the best handling body on frame, 4600 pound 4x4 I've ever owned.
 
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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.

YOUR T4Rs COME ABSOLUTELY LEVEL! It's an appearance thing as the front and rear wheel openings are slightly different sizes. A styling thing.

The braking dive you all talk about I have never experienced - Perhaps you might want to slow down sanely rather than trying to go from 80mph to zero in 100 feet.

As for "handling": This is the best handling body on frame, 4600 pound 4x4 I've ever owned.
 
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...
 
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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.

Measured on my totally stock SR5: 14 inches from bottom of frame to ground - all four corners.

Brake dive is real. You don't need to slam on the brakes at 80 or drive like a maniac to experience it.

Very minimal - pretty much the same on all BOF 4x4s


The best is subjective but they do handle amazingly well.. or at least mine does.
 
I did @ discount Tire. They gave me 100.00 per tire credit towards new AT's.

Good luck,
Mike

I am going to stop at DT to see what they will do. What tires come stock on the 2016's? Internet searches did not help at all. Are the Nitto tires that come on the TRD model any good compared to BFG T/A KO tires?
 

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