Camping and Road trips with the 4Runner

Aquabear

Aquabear

New member
Right now it's just my wife and I who are in the truck taking road trips cross country, camping, 4wheeling(Light stuff), and yes going to the mall ugh...
I want to get peoples experience on a family in the 4runner, how was it, the room how the kids fit in the back, what do ya do to take up the free time for them in the back seat/3rd row.
We may have a chance at extending our family by 2 a 5 and 10 year old and want to know that I can keep loving my 4runner and wont hear compalints its too small shes bothering me blah blah blah you know what I mean
Thanks all!!!
 
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I use my 04 SR5 for camping but I only fill the two front seats and use the back for gear. Have good rear visibility since I don't have to stack the gear too high. Also generally don't need the roof rack unless it's for a kayak.

4R works good in the Sierras if you don't go granite hopping. I can make it over most of the roads no problem even w/ 2wd. I opted for the V8 2wd for 7300 GVW towing capacity in case I get a little trailer.

With kids you might need a Sequoia w/DVD. 4th Gen 4R is a great car on a real truck frame so use it and enjoy it.
 
I have 7 year old twin boys and a 2003 Limited. The roominess is fine and we have gone on plenty of road trips. The backseat has as much room as large sedans. My boys play hockey and my cargo area very comfortably holds all of their gear. Don't change vehicles!
 
Homebrew said:
-mslim
4th gen 4runners arent actually built on a truck frame but they are great though...
Click to expand...

it's a body on fram design, which I think was his point, and it is a truck frame, AFAIK.
To answer the OP, there are several good threads of how people have equiped their T4Rs for camping, including beds in the back and tents that attach etc, I'd check them out...
 
I love my runner but with a family of 3 camping would be a pretty crowded. If you are bringing in two more to your household and considering your stated use/needs I recommend you consider a 7.3 diesel Ford excursion 4x4.
 
Road trip wise my truck has been great, went 200+ miles nonstop never felt tired or sore, after the modding though thats different but also drove the same 200+ miles back home the same day. Plenty of room for tools and parts. I'm going to houston again this summer for Texfest to install parts on my truck and run a few passes at the track. I love taking my truck on trips but then comes cleaning it from the stupid bugs.
 
Homebrew said:
-mslim
4th gen 4runners arent actually built on a truck frame but they are great though...
Click to expand...

False. 4Runner's are built on a fully boxed steel ladder frame.

The 120 platform is "light duty" according to Toyota.

The 100 platform is their "heavy duty" setup. (LC/LX)

I can tell by looking underneath my 4R and LC.

IMO 5 people in the 4R is pushing it. Especially as they grow.
 
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Camping and road trips are perfect with my two kids...now 10 and 13 but even with one friend it gets tight. My wife wishes we would have gone with the Sequoia but this is my 3rd T4R and I'm quite partial :-)

We pull a small travel trailer which works out great (see sig)...for long trips I have a Thule box that adds even more cargo space but I mostly use it for snowsports.
 
I've done a few 1000+ mile road trips with 2 kids in back. Much, much more comfortable back there than the 3rd Gen for sure. I usually start out at night and the kids go right to sleep for the first 8 hours or so. Then when they wake and after a breakfast break, fire up the Dual DVD Headrests for stress free driving for another 10 hours. :driving:
 
I have a 2003 limited V8 and a family of four and find the 4runner is great for road trips. The belief that bigger is always better is dependant on ones needs. I actually had a mini van in the early years of children, but once they were about 3 and 5 yrs old and we started doing more camping and road trips is when I first bought my 4Runner. the entertainment systems are nice, but we always stayed away from the electronics on road trips, they get enough of that at home. It was always fun playing various games designed for road tripping to keep the kids busy and take the time to stop at scenic sights and such to break up the drudge of a long drive.. Kids are 10 and 12 yrs old now, so when camping I load my Rola roof rack, have a 4 bike carrier on the hitch, load the back of the runner and hit the road.
 
It all depends on your expectancies and level of comfort. 1 year ago I road-tripped whole west part of South America with 4 adults over 3 months (we were actually 5 for the first month). In 5 it was tight; with 4 it was OK - and this included many day-long stretches through the middle of nothing. 2007 4R SE (no 3rd row - trunk full to the ceiling with luggage).
The salt flats in Bolivia
 
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