First 4wd 97 4runner sr5

[AZ4Running]

Right on. Need more people to go with. I am all stock with bad co trol arm bushings so i keep it simple. Also new to off roading.

 

[samwalters]

I'm not familiar with widow maker. I need to clean and paint my skids and put them back on. But I'm lifted so its not a pressing issue haha I think next weekend we should be able to go out again.

 

[AZ4Running]

Well here is how i get there since there is more than one way to sycamore creek. I go up ellsworth to where it hits the beeline highway, i go over the highway and over the cattle guard follow the dirt road all the back and it ends at the creek beb. The entrance to the dirt road is a round paved turn around area. Thats the area i have been going to.
You can also go about 5 miles more easy on the beeline and there is a turn to the right and the left. Turn left and its sycamore ( i go shooting out there so do lots of other people) or you can turn right and its the trail to four peaks and it also will lead you to the coves at saguaro lake.

 

[AZ4Running]

Took the runner wheeling again today. Went back to butcher jones again, got lost again this time in the dark. But we found our way back out, a totally differnent way but out is out lol. Was planning on taking it easy but it did not end up that way. Went back pretty dam far ended up find a very small cove pretty much at the end of the road a very rough road. I had to go down a pretty steep rock crawl with some deep ruts between some of the rocks rocks. Getting down was the easy part. I barely mde it back up. Had to rethink my aproach 2 or 3 times, spun the crap out of my tires, got stuck on my trailer hitch. I did not think i was going to make it up the rock but i did. Keep in mind my runner is bone stock and has no rear locker and worn HT tires to boot. The rock was about 30 ft long slopped with a hill and was stair case and rutted, just trying to give you an idea of what i was up against. Should have taken a pic of it but i didnt. I did take some other pics of the day trip i will post them up later. As i said was pretty rough today. Bottomed out a few times, got stuck on rocks and my front rock guard took 3 good hits and left 1 nice dent. Got some AZ/back road pin stripes and scratched up my mirrors a little. All in all was good day. The runner did great. Way more than i thought a stock 4runner would do. I need a lift and better tires for sure.

 

[AZ4Running]

Pics from the trip. Sorry they are side ways taken and sent from my iPhone. This is that rock I barley made it back up. Taken from the top of the hill it does not look that bad. I should have taken one from the bottom as well.

 

[AZ4Running]

Pics2

 

[AZ4Running]

Pics3

 

[AZ4Running]

Pic4

 

[AZ4Running]

Pic5

 

[AZ4Running]

Got my energy suspension bushing for my front control arms in. Ordered them from toytec. I will be ordering from them again for sure, plan to get my ome springs from toytec. Shipping was quick. I plan to do the bushings and alignment on monday. :faint: yea cutting out old rubber....

 

[AZ4Running]

Pulled apart the rear hatch today to see why nothing but the defrost was working. My power lock actuator is bad and the rear widow relay/control unit are bad casuing bothe rear wi dow not work with the switch and the wiper not to work. Need to find these in a wrecking yard they are pricey from the dealer.

 

[AZ4Running]

Installed some new kyb gas a just shocks front and rear today. Best part was it was 100% free. Thank you previous owner for keeping all receipts. I was pretty surprised in that the old shocks were still in good shape for having 110k on them.

 

[Tsfc]

Looking good man!! Awesome dog by the way

 

[AZ4Running]

Thanks man. Thats one of my huskies Rusty he is 10 months old and a really good and smart dog. Our other husky Sadie, Rusty's mom stayed at home that trip.

 

[AZ4Running]

So today i did some more work on my 4runner. I have had a brake squeak and pulsation in the front and a leaking rear diff pinion seal. So i took care of the brakes with new Posi Quite extended wear pads, new hardware and turned the rotors. I also flushed the brakes with dot 4 synthetic Valvoline brake fuild. Motor oil is now the only fluid that is not full synthetic, its high mileage blend for now... I balanced the front tires since they were off and had a little vibration at 65 mph. Then i replaced the rear diff pinion seal with a genuine Toyota seal. A few days ago i did an engine decarb, intake cleaning and added a high quality fuel injector cleaner to the fuel tank. I do plan to do a real fuel injector flush here soon. Working at a repair shop and being a mechanic really has its ups.

 

[AZ4Running]

So today i deleted the power antenna and installed a fixed flexible antenna. Now i can listen to the radio which was driving nuts. IPlus no worries about breaking another antenna mast off roading or at the car wash. Also replaced the cigarette lighter socket and now i can charge devices like my cell phone and flashlight. I used a universal sockets from Autozone since the Toyota one was almost $30, $5 fix and a little modification to make the universal socket fit. On monday i hope to get into work to do my Energy Suspension front control arm bushings and alignment. Last few thing now are to replace timing belt, spark plugs, rear power door lock and the rear window control unit.

 

[AZ4Running]

Ok so i finally got my front control arm bushings totally done today. What a pain in the butt. I did 3 out of 4 last monday and ran out of time and engery to work on it . Today i did the last one which was the right lower control arm and i had to fix the left lower control arm cause i put the washers on wrong. Happens when you are in a hurry. I also did the front end alignment so i wont wear out my new tires when i get them. The Energy Suspension bushings are great but i hate putting them in. Removing all the old rubber from the metal sleeves and pins is a lot of work and makes a huge mess. No more squeak front the front over bumps and a much tighter front end. I also replaced and greased the upper ball joint boots and fixed the leaking rear diff pinion seal.
If you plan to do polyurethane control arm bushings i say give yourself at least a full day, unbolt the steering rack to give you more room to get the rear camber bolts out and have a good dye ginder with an agressive cutting bit. A bench vise or a 20 ton shop press is a must as well for pressing in the new bushings.

 

[nhmiller]

Congrats on the buy! I saw your purchase price on the "What did you pay" thread. WOW!

I am about 3-4 weeks in to my 4Runner life ('96 260K - paid about 4X what you paid... ). I did the tundra brake mod with the 13WL calipers the first weekend and I HIGHLY recommend this as part of the brake work that you already need to do. I bought "lifetime warranty" reman'd calipers from Autozone (~$75 each), basic Brembo calipers from Amazon (~$50 each) and "lifetime" pads from Autozone as well. After supplies etc I was probably in the $350 range for the whole thing. The difference in stopping power is really significant... This thread was very useful... http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/94923-hard-find-specs-info-measurements-231mm-13wl-tundra-calipers-rotors.html#post835439

I'm in AZ too - on the exact opposite corner of the valley (New River area). I bought mine for two roles... Let my oldest son cart his siblings to and from school (save momma 2 round trips per day) - and to load the kids up and get out to see some parts of the state that I can't get to in the sedan.

Maybe we'll run into each other on the trail one of these days.

 

[AZ4Running]

Thanks man. I already did my brake work just new pads and cut the rotors. I will be doing the tundra 199mm brakes once i need to do them again or when i have money to burn but i have lifetime pads and want an intake and muffler so those will come first. I go wheeling out at sycamore creek a few sundays a month so u should come out some time.

Today on the way to work my alternator and battery both decided to die on me :sobbing:. Luckly i made it to work and i work at a repair shop. So new ac delco battery and duralast alternator. I also got all 4 new mastercaft courser axt 265/75r17 nice tire and low cost $105 plus tax per tire. It was slow today so i figured while i had the tires off they coukd use a refresh. So i steam pressure washed the hit then with scotchbrite and did them in flat black plastidip. I love the rims in black i may need to make it permanent and paint them. :lmao
Now some pics cause we all love pics. Before and after

 

[AZ4Running]

Tested out the new tires and all the work i have on the front end. Just a mild off road tripmonly a few miles on rough trails. When with the families and the in laws came and took their polaris rzr 570..