General Questions about my 4runner

[benedict1337]

I'm still pretty new to my 4runner and have a bunch of questions. I've had a chevy blazer for 3 years and killed it. I know almost everything about blazers but don't even know where to start on my 4runner. Heres the most recent pic I have on flickr.

Also a pic of my blazer (Ride of the year on blazerforum.com) its dead now... RIP

1.First question I have that I couldn't really find searching around is did any of the 3rd gens come with an lsd stock? Or do all of them either have an open diff or the electronic locker (mine doesn't have the e-locker). If some did come with an lsd what rpo code would I be looking for?

2.I've always wanted a digital climate control and I noticed the newer 3rd gens come with them. If I happened to find a digital climate control in a junk yard would it be possible to do the swap? I know in blazers they had an "updated" climate control and there was a lot of work involved to get it to work properly.

3.I'm a fairly large car audio nut but I also enjoy having my trunk space. I see Q logic makes a custom fit box for 3rd gens. I'm wondering if its worth it or not? My box fabrication skills are not the best but I'm getting better I have a half assed box built right now and doesn't look that great.

4. When I bought my 4runner it was all beat up and my front bumper is all screwed up. I really like the looks of the newer third gen bumpers with the fog lights built in would that be a direct fit on my 97 or do I have to adjust some things to make it fit?

These are the questions I'm wondering right at the moment I'll keep posting as I go along and find new questions. I may create a build thread at one point in time. I don't think mine is build thread status just yet. I hope I can get to know my 4runner as good as my blazer! I already like it better, much better off road and mines still stock. Thanks in advanced.

 

[Nelsonmd]

I'm still pretty new to my 4runner and have a bunch of questions. I've had a chevy blazer for 3 years and killed it. I know almost everything about blazers but don't even know where to start on my 4runner. Heres the most recent pic I have on flickr.

1.First question I have that I couldn't really find searching around is did any of the 3rd gens come with an lsd stock? Or do all of them either have an open diff or the electronic locker (mine doesn't have the e-locker). If some did come with an lsd what rpo code would I be looking for?

2.I've always wanted a digital climate control and I noticed the newer 3rd gens come with them. If I happened to find a digital climate control in a junk yard would it be possible to do the swap? I know in blazers they had an "updated" climate control and there was a lot of work involved to get it to work properly.

3.I'm a fairly large car audio nut but I also enjoy having my trunk space. I see Q logic makes a custom fit box for 3rd gens. I'm wondering if its worth it or not? My box fabrication skills are not the best but I'm getting better I have a half assed box built right now and doesn't look that great.

4. When I bought my 4runner it was all beat up and my front bumper is all screwed up. I really like the looks of the newer third gen bumpers with the fog lights built in would that be a direct fit on my 97 or do I have to adjust some things to make it fit?

These are the questions I'm wondering right at the moment I'll keep posting as I go along and find new questions. I may create a build thread at one point in time. I don't think mine is build thread status just yet. I hope I can get to know my 4runner as good as my blazer! I already like it better, much better off road and mines still stock. Thanks in advanced.

1. No, no 3rd gens cam with LSD's from the factory.

2. Don't know, but I bet you can find info about this either here or on yotatech. I think I have seen the info myself, but that was a long time ago. Search this one more.

3. I have a small sealed sub box (single 12") that doesn't take too much of the cargo area. A couple guys have mounted a sub in place of the tool compartment in the cargo area. You may have to get a specially shallow sub, but I have seen at least one extremely well done job on the install by a guy here. Search this one too, you should be able to find it.

4. I think they are all compatible. There was another thread about this recently, so search it. The newer bumper is called the "fat lip" bumper. That might help as a search term.

 

[Hepar]

Fist off, welcome. I'm not a huge fan of that series Blazer, but yours was sweet!

I'll attempt to answer your questions as best I can. There are definitely better people here to do that, so hopefully others will chime in.

1. I don't think they ever came with a LSD. There is the electronic locker and in the later years, there was the option of a center lock. Those years also came with a traction control system that is like a LSD, but not exactly. Someone else can probably elaborate much better.

2. It is a huge pain. It's not just a swap of the control. There's also interior temp gauges that would need to be installed. I wouldn't bother. Not to mention that they're sort of know for having issues.

3. Not sure I've seen the Q-Logic. Do you have a pic or a link? Some people will build a box in the rear storage compartment.

4. The 'fatlip' bumper would go on with minimal work. You would have to wire the fogs (which can be more $ than the bumper itself).

 

[Hepar]

1. No, no 3rd gens cam with LSD's from the factory.

2. Don't know, but I bet you can find info about this either here or on yotatech. I think I have seen the info myself, but that was a long time ago. Search this one more.

3. I have a small sealed sub box (single 12") that doesn't take too much of the cargo area. A couple guys have mounted a sub in place of the tool compartment in the cargo area. You may have to get a specially shallow sub, but I have seen at least one extremely well done job on the install by a guy here. Search this one too, you should be able to find it.

4. I think they are all compatible. There was another thread about this recently, so search it. The newer bumper is called the "fat lip" bumper. That might help as a search term.

You're quick on the draw! I was thinking that someone was probably doing the same thing I was doing while I was typing.

 

[Nelsonmd]

You're quick on the draw! I was thinking that someone was probably doing the same thing I was doing while I was typing.

I use my secret power to get my responses in before everyone else...

TIME OUT!

 

[benedict1337]

Hey thanks for the responses. I'm going to a junk yard tomorrow I'll keep my eyes open for a "fat lip" bumper as you guys call it. I kinda figured the climate control would be a pain.

Have another quick question. There is a set of bilstein coil-over 0-3" lift for sale on my local craigslist for $350. Good deal? And how are the bilsteins compared to ome or toytech? I was thinking if I got those I could get some ome springs for the back and bilstein shocks. I have some rear sag going on anyway, and my ultimate goal is to lift my 4runner

 

[Opi]

if you want my front bumper ill sell it to you cheap, i want an arb. are you near PA at all?

 

[benedict1337]

Im actually in Harrisburg im headed up to hazleton tomorrow to go to harry's u pull it

 

[Opi]

Im actually in Harrisburg im headed up to hazleton tomorrow to go to harry's u pull it

**** i just saw this now. if you arent in a hurry and can give me a month or so to get my new one just make me an offer on the old one and its yours.

it has no fogs, but the holes are there, its in good shape, the only thing i did was mount two kc daylighters which there were actually already two holes through the steel for, there will be two small holes on the plastic though, that just means you gotta slap your own lights there :thumb3:

 

[TheDurk]

Im actually in Harrisburg im headed up to hazleton tomorrow to go to harry's u pull it

I would be curious to know how their inventory of 3G 4Runners is. Please post a report if you can. TIA.

Pull-it yards are pretty much dead here in NJ, so I have to road trip it.

 

[Gerdo]

Have another quick question. There is a set of bilstein coil-over 0-3" lift for sale on my local craigslist for $350. Good deal? And how are the bilsteins compared to ome or toytech? I was thinking if I got those I could get some ome springs for the back and bilstein shocks. I have some rear sag going on anyway, and my ultimate goal is to lift my 4runner

The Bilsteins are great. $350 it too much for a used shock. You could buy new for $200 Front Bilstein Height adjustable front 5100 shocks - Toytec Lifts: Toyota Lift Kits: FJ Cruiser Lift Kits, Tacoma Lift Kits, Tundra Lift Kits, 4 Runner Lift Kits, Sequoia Lift Kits, Toyota Truck Lift Kits You can use these and your stock coils and get front lift. Then go with an OME 890 or 891 rear coil and a Bilstein shock for a nice lift.

As far as front lifts go, lifting with a taller coil will typically ride and flex better than using a spacer or lifting the spring seat like the shocks above.

 

[RonMAIDEN]

With regard to the Limited's digital climate control it really isn't cost effective and the work involved would be tearing apart the whole dash for the wiring and alot of people forget those little motors that control the air flow would have to be aquired also thus making it a huge PITA job and one I've never seen it done.


With the fatlip bumper swap I'm pretty sure you need brackets to make it fit on the older Runners but it otherwise is a direct swap.

 

[benedict1337]

Ok so I ended up going to harry's yesterday. There were two 2nd gen 4runners and 1 1/2 tacoma's. So I found nothing I could use not even those little rubber things for the climate control... I lost one and was hoping to find one but with no luck... they were all pulled off even in the camery's and corrola's. But my buddy lucked out lol he has an old dodge dakota like every other truck up there was a dakota haha.

I think I changed my mind about wanting a fat lip I really like the outdoor logic front and rear bumpers I might just save up for those. I think I'm also going to save up for the toytech ultimate lift. I want to lift mine right. the blazer's lift was a $100 lift. (shackles add-a-leaf and a torsion bar crank) I had to replace cv axles and hubs every few months... so ended up costing me well over $100 to lift it.

I have another question and wonder if any of you guys have these problems as well.

1. It seems when I give it a decent about of gas or let off the gas quick there is a knocking feels like its almost right under my feet. What could that be?

2. When I hit 65-70 mph my 4runner starts shaking (not real bad but enough to notice) my blazer did that too only at 55+ mph and much worse. What could that be?

3. How do you lower the spare tire? my tire and rim under there must be original and the tire is completely dry rotted and the rim is extremely rusty. I can't figure out where the crank is to lower it down.

I'm close to starting a build thread I just gotta finish a few things yet but here is a pic to give you guys a sneak peek of sorts.

 

[theizzardking]

you lower the tire through a little hole in the bumper, use the jack handle through there and turn clock-wise, you have to look for it.

shaking: check tire balance first along with tread and psi. move on to alignment and then suspension components themselves.

the knocking could be your front diff, as with any new car to you, replace all fluids to set a base line of maintenance, you don;t know when the last time the trans,diffs,coolant and other things have been checked and changed, best to do that now and know where you stand in the future, total cost of replacing all fluids shouldn't be more then $50-$60 bucks and a few hours of your time. also lube all of your zerks on your drive shafts and u joints.

the knocking your describing sounds as if it's not coming from the engine, esp. if your feeling it in your feet so i'm thinking it has something to do with a drive shaft or possibly gears at the worst. i'm really leaning towards u-joints at this point and hope that's the case as it's a cheap easy fix.

take care,good luck, and welcome to team yota :driving:

 

[benedict1337]

I just had my wheels put on like a week ago and got an alignment and the tires balanced. It's been doing the same thing ever since I got it (old wheels old tires, old wheels new tires, and new wheels and new tires) I also did replace all the fluids when I first got it, differential, transmission, oil, coolant, brake fluid. I'll have to check the u-joints that was a pretty common problem on my blazer too.

I also figured out my A/C was super overcharged so I drained some refrigerant out and it seems to be working better but it craps out after 1/2 of driving around. Also when the compressor kicks in my belts will scream for a few seconds. I may take it to the shop to get that looked at I was never good with A/C's. I'd let it go but I've noticed the A/C automatically comes on when the defrost is on and when my A/C decides not to work it fogs up my windshield even more.

Pretty sure my 4runner wasn't taken care of very well, my seats are ripped, the carpet is gross doesn't look like it was ever washed, it looks like its been in a few fender benders, and my hood latch only works when it wants to. Other than that I'm more than satisfied with my 4runner. Thing kicks the crap out of my blazer off road and I haven't upgraded anything affecting off roading on it yet. I always knew toyota made good suv's and pickups but I never knew they were this good!