Desert Dawg build...what a switch!

Got my full sized spare finally; apparently there was more wiggle room than I thought would be possible to fit a 33 inch tire. I went with a Cooper ST MAXX LT255/80R17 inflated to 45 psi which measures 32.8 inches tall but only 10.2 inches wide; the tire fits right on the spare rim and is tucked up nicely. It was a great match for the Cooper ST MAXX LT285/60R17s which are right at 33 inches tall. Thanks [MENTION=77370]Gabex35[/MENTION] and others for convincing me all would be good!


 
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How about a quick review of your tires and Toytec lift up to this point. I'm about to pull the trigger on both and am still undecided.
 
harkco said:
How about a quick review of your tires and Toytec lift up to this point. I'm about to pull the trigger on both and am still undecided.
Click to expand...

So far, I have 1600 miles on the Toytec and Cooper tires so not a whole lot. I am going up to southern Colorado in a couple of weeks so will be able to talk more about both the highway ride and off road performance.

However, so far I loving the entire setup. The Toytec BOSS lift is great for everyday use. The ride is a tad firmer than stock of course but still very compliant and works well with the KDSS as handling is great. I have taken it over wash board dirt roads and the system allows me to keep control with a good ride even at higher speeds. No noises or complaints from the system.

I love the tires; hardly any intrusive road noise at all even at higher freeway speeds. You know they are there but do not howl at you at all even with the windows open; very impressed considering the aggressive design. But what I love the most is their grip in both dry and wet conditions. I am anxious to test them out in snow and icy conditions, but they shed water very well while driving through heavy rain. The truck keeps a good grip even around tight curves at moderate speeds (not a sports car, and the 4Runner has very noticeable lean, but the tires never lose grip or squeal and work well with the Toytec shocks/springs and KDSS to help maintain comfortable control).



​
 
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Just wanted to say that i drool over your ride almost daily. Got a lot of inspiration from your build and it helped with a few of my decisions. Plus when I've showed the wife some of your pics she has given me the go ahead on a couple buys.
 
Desert Dawg,

I just wanted to drop you a line and give your build props! I love it man.

I did see on a past post that you were thinking of removing the wrap and painting instead. I was wondering why? I was thinking of stealing this design (Sorry, but you know what they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery...haha) and I was wondering if you were having issues with it? I know that a lot of the trails come with the bumper painted; were you just looking for a permanent solution?

Whats coming next? Any plans for skids?
 
@Desert Dawg

on the drive home today awesome dashcam fragment of a cloud lightning show I made using the registrator viewer software.

I made the snippet and was able to slow it down to 1/4 speed all within the software.

watch it in full screen to get the best view, and this lightning show from start to finish was about .662 seconds, based on the timeline within the software.

 
GU4runner said:
Just wanted to say that i drool over your ride almost daily. Got a lot of inspiration from your build and it helped with a few of my decisions. Plus when I've showed the wife some of your pics she has given me the go ahead on a couple buys.
Click to expand...

Thanks GU4runner for the compliment; glad I could help with getting your wife to agree to some mods! :cheers:
 
harkco said:
Would you say thus far you favor them over Duratracs you have had in the past?
Click to expand...

The Duratracs were great with the 20-inch wheels on my F150, so I didn't experience any of the sidewall flex issues that some have reported with larger tires on smaller diameter wheels. I thought the Duratracs also handled well and did great in snow and icy conditions.

Having said that, I do like the Copper ST MAXXs better. With the thicker sidewall, the tire really resists flexing on the 17-inch wheels, and I like having more confidence that I won't have a sidewall penetration or lost bead (when aired down) as easily as the Duratracs. Also, the Coopers are just a tad bit quieter so that is a good thing too.
 
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FullCircleHook said:
Desert Dawg,

I just wanted to drop you a line and give your build props! I love it man.

I did see on a past post that you were thinking of removing the wrap and painting instead. I was wondering why? I was thinking of stealing this design (Sorry, but you know what they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery...haha) and I was wondering if you were having issues with it? I know that a lot of the trails come with the bumper painted; were you just looking for a permanent solution?

Whats coming next? Any plans for skids?
Click to expand...

Thanks man...I do take it as a great compliment!

I initially went with the wrap to just see how I would like the new look with the black bumper lip before committing to something permanent. I am keeping the wrap for as long as it holds up, so will be curious to see how long that is once I go trailing. So far though, the wrap has been doing well even against high pressure car washes. The only issue I had was the shop tore a portion with some tools while installing my lift (still not sure how they managed that), but just took some touch up paint and now it's hard to see at all. Now that I know that I really like the look, I will eventually remove it and go with something more permanent and/or opt for a new front bumper (per below).

Yeah, I do have plans for some armor although I am not fully decided as I don't want too many extra heavy items since I am not really trying to turn my rig into a major rock crawler. But it's tempting seeing how others are going with their builds and what they can do. Anyway, I am thinking of some better skid plates. I am also waiting on a couple of aftermarket vendors to come up with a clean, lighter front bumper for the 2014 model but not convinced yet I will go that route.
 
NoDak said:
@Desert Dawg

on the drive home today awesome dashcam fragment of a cloud lightning show I made using the registrator viewer software.

I made the snippet and was able to slow it down to 1/4 speed all within the software.

watch it in full screen to get the best view, and this lightning show from start to finish was about .662 seconds, based on the timeline within the software.

Click to expand...

That is awesome [MENTION=1032]NoDak[/MENTION]; I can't wait to get some great road and trail video myself! Thanks for posting!
 
Desert Dawg said:
I ordered it from Desert Rat Offroad Center in Albuquerque, but you can order online too: Desert Rat :: Off Road Truck Centers

I highly recommend it as the build quality seems to be very good and the light output is tremendous for the price, plus the curve gives it a more integrated look.

Click to expand...

Okay...enough of this wallet-destroying talk now! :D :shrug: :lmao:

I am not sure how I will make it through 'til Spring before I start the mod-madness (once I pick up my 4R TEP next Fri).
 
So here I am contemplating my next mod:



Okay, maybe not but my wife took this shot and I had to laugh at me holding my little red Ferrari bag…lol.

But on a more serious note (and slightly more realistic…lol), I do think I found my next mod for sure:



Just waiting for the new bumper to be finalized and made available. Kudos [MENTION=110183]SouthernSS[/MENTION] for working on this and bringing it to fruition!

You can follow their progress here: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-g...rid-series-bumper-2014-sr5-trail-edition.html
 
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Desert Dawg said:
So here I am contemplating my next mod:



Okay, maybe not but my wife took this shot and I had to laugh at me holding my little red Ferrari bag…lol.

But on a more serious note (and slightly more realistic…lol), I do think I found my next mod for sure:



Just waiting for the new bumper to be finalized and made available. Kudos [MENTION=110183]SouthernSS[/MENTION] for working on this and bringing it to fruition!

You can follow their progress here: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-g...rid-series-bumper-2014-sr5-trail-edition.html
Click to expand...

I'm digging that Southern Style Speed Slimline bumper too! Oh how will I ever make it to Spring (self-imposed quarantine for mods. :D LOL)
 
ToyotaDoodz said:
Ground clearance is not very good. You're going to have to put a lift on that . . .
Click to expand...

Yeah, but I evenutally decided that the 4Runner would look better with the lift for some reason...lol.


USKTog said:
I'm digging that Southern Style Speed Slimline bumper too! Oh how will I ever make it to Spring (self-imposed quarantine for mods. :D LOL)
Click to expand...

You need to stop visitng this forum otherwise you'll never make it. I know it didn't help me as I started ordering stuff within a day of bringing mine home...lol.


momo.75 said:
That is a really cool bumper. Wonder how it would look on a 4th gen?
Click to expand...

I hadn't seen anything about offering for the previous gens yet. If so, I would have to look at one for our 4th Gen too!
 
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