I never thought I would make a "help me spend my money" thread.

[white_n_slow]

I'm starting this thread just to get a little perspective. I'm expecting about $1400 from my interest-free loan to Uncle Sam, and it's enough to get some stuff done, but not everything I want. I guess I'm trying to figure out what makes the most sense to do first.

My truck is a stocker with a locker, tundra/LC lift, sliders, 285/75-16. I also have all the parts sitting in a pile for preventative maintenance (ball joints, TRE's, full t-belt kit, etc).


Option 1) 4.88 gears. I could use these now for the extra pep, and will definitely need them by the time my tires wear out (admittedly probably a couple years down the road). I run 33's now and will be bumping that up to 35's when my tires wear out.

I like this option because it will make driving the truck around a much more pleasant experience and should extend the life of my clutch too.


Option 2) Bumpers, winch and full sized spare. I plan to build my own rear bumper with tire carrier (hopefully under $200 in steel, but I'm not sure what it'll cost all said and done). I was going to purchase a front bumper rather than build one because I can't wrap my head around a design that I like. Then just a junkyard matching wheel and full size spare.

I like this option because it gives me a little more peace of mind for wheeling without a buddy (I currently NEVER go wheeling without another rig, and it would be nice to have the option). And if I get in a fender bender, I have already witnessed how pathetic the stock 4runner bumpers are. Depending on how much my rear bumper build costs, I may have enough left for some window tint too.

What would you guys do? Any other ideas?

 

[4Running Daily]

option 1!

 

[Kurtis]

Bumpers. Particularly the front with a winch. If you don't you will kick your self in the ass when you are stuck and your re-gear can't pull you out.

 

[Jaystoy]

Option #1 If you are bumping up tire size in the future. Not to mention adding all the extra weight of bumpers and winch will just slow you down some more.

In the meantime you can keep an eye on craigslist for a used winch or maybe get lucky and find a bumper.

 

[white_n_slow]

Bumpers. Particularly the front with a winch. If you don't you will kick your self in the ass when you are stuck and your re-gear can't pull you out.

Very good point. I actually have a trip planned for Memorial Day weekend where I will be on the trail with no buddy. I'm not sure how bad a trail it is, I've never run it. I'm taking my step dad up to take photos (he is a semi-pro landscape photographer).

Option #1 If you are bumping up tire size in the future. Not to mention adding all the extra weight of bumpers and winch will just slow you down some more.

In the meantime you can keep an eye on craigslist for a used winch or maybe get lucky and find a bumper.

Also a good point. I also like the idea of getting gears now because if I wait until I get new tires, I will be spending something like $3000 all at once (including the price of a set of 5 tires).

 

[Doc2012]

Option 1, through East Coast Gear supply, with ARB Air Lockers.

I'm running 4.88s with 265/70/16s and my speedo is 16% off, but I'm glad I jumped on them when I did on TTORA. 1975 shipped to my door.

I'm going to get a speedo corrector from Dakota Digital. Plugs into the Speed Seosor off the t-case, and allows you to calibrate the speedo ANYTIME. 80 bucks well spent....

 

[absalom]

Option #1 --- Regearing saved my truck from being sold, by me. Made driving with 33's a completely pleasurable experience. I would toss a $200 autolocker in while regearing, you'll rarely find a situation you can't make it through.

Option #2 --- Plate bumpers are beyond useless. You can get by without a winch if you have a snatch strap and a wheeling buddy. Full size spares can be bought for cheap from Craigslist or any Mexican tire shop. Then you can just carry it in hatch when you go wheeling and keep a small spare tucked under the ass for around town.

I'd rather spend the time and money that I save by not attaching a winch/bumper to go on an epic wheeling trip with some friends.

 

[white_n_slow]

That's another factor. I feel like if I have the front diff out, I might as well get a locker at the same time, but that blows the budget pretty thoroughly. Even an Aussie is going to put me over $1400. I've installed a few in my day, but I've never been inside an IFS front diff.

 

[Stockwell45]

Plate bumpers are beyond useless.

...Until you meet a tree, rock, idiot driver, or any number of things when driving or wheeling.

I think you'll be happier with option 1 in the long run. Save the bumpers for later, they aren't critically important. As long as you have the stock tow hook up front for your buddies to tug you out, you'll be fine.

And with a rear locker already, sounds like you'll live without a front locker for awhile too.

 

[Dous]

Option 1, through East Coast Gear supply, with ARB Air Lockers.

I'm running 4.88s with 265/70/16s and my speedo is 16% off, but I'm glad I jumped on them when I did on TTORA. 1975 shipped to my door.

I'm going to get a speedo corrector from Dakota Digital. Plugs into the Speed Seosor off the t-case, and allows you to calibrate the speedo ANYTIME. 80 bucks well spent....

lol, then he will need two tax refunds

 

[Kurtis]

Are you going to wheel it or drive it on gravel once in a while? If you don't need a bumper or a winch then you are not wheeling it.

 

[white_n_slow]

If you've got other rigs and a tow strap, you do not need a winch. This is not my first rodeo.

Like I said in the first post, I never go wheeling without a buddy. But it would be nice to have the option.

 

[absalom]

If you've got other rigs and a tow strap, you do not need a winch. This is not my first rodeo.

Like I said in the first post, I never go wheeling without a buddy. But it would be nice to have the option.

This reminds me of that episode of Top Gear where Jeremy preaches the benefits of the M5 wagon and E63 wagon as better alternatives to an SUV for the average driver. Something along the lines of, wouldn't you rather have a car that you can enjoy more where you spend most of your time; on the pavement?

Apply that same line of thought to this situation. Having a big heavy plate bumper/winch would be a nice "option" but wouldn't you rather have new gears that would make ALL driving situations much more enjoyable first? Do you plan on wheeling solo? No? Then why would you even considering wasting the money on a winch. Do you plan on running into trees and small children? No? Then why would you even dream of wasting your money and destroying your mileage on a heavy plate bumper?

Are you going to wheel it or drive it on gravel once in a while? If you don't need a bumper or a winch then you are not wheeling it.

Why do I need a winch if I have a buddy with a snatch strap? Why do I need a massive plate bumper if I don't plan on running over pedestrians? Trophy trucks don't have massive plate bumpers. Do you not consider what they do to be "wheeling"?

[MENTION=62779]Kurtis[/MENTION] This guy doesn't have a bumper, but shh .. don't tell him he can't go wheeling.

 

[Brian757]

[MENTION=84681]white_n_slow[/MENTION]: It's obvious that you don't wheel your rig. I mean, c'mon. Remember?
:behindsofa:

 

[absalom]

...Until you meet a tree, rock, idiot driver, or any number of things when driving or wheeling. Words

In my 10 years of driving and 5+ years of wheeling, I have yet to be in a situation where a big plate bumper would help in the slightest. It's very expensive insurance against something I've never even experienced.

Let's say you're right tho, and I absolutely destroy my stock bumper on a tree. Oh well, no biggie, a paltry $250 later and I have a brand new bumper from Craigslist. I've saved $750 dollars that I can apply towards tons of gas for amazing wheeling trips. That's assuming of course that your big plate bumper escaped unscathed from the incident. Which we all know isn't always the case.

 

[Brian757]

Let's say you're right tho, and I absolutely destroy my stock bumper on a tree. Oh well, no biggie, a paltry $250 later and I have a brand new bumper from Craigslist. I've saved $750 dollars that I can apply towards tons of gas for amazing wheeling trips. That's assuming of course that your big plate bumper escaped unscathed from the incident. Which we all know isn't always the case.

Very true. But where some people rock crawl daily or a few times a week and they scratch their steel plated bumper, having a steel bumper will help them absorb more of the shock and abrasion than our plastic/chrome bumpers. I would say that a steel bumper would pay off if say; Shrockworks bumpers are like $1000 and up depending on your options. If you destroy and buy a factory bumper 4 times, paying $250 each, then the Shrockworks pays for itself. Also, a steel bumper is also for preventative measures. It gives drivers a piece of mind that they have extensive armor up front.
But! Some steel bumpers DO support shock enough to where a steel bumper would protect a radiator from being destroyed whereas our bumpers would not. Its all very much scenario speaking. I agree with you. If you have tow rope, then hell, thats all you need. (In terms of the winch).

To be completely honest, I cannot justify why I would spend $800-$1500 to change out my perfectly good front bumper for a steel bumper. Other than I would like to get a wider wheel well in the front and it would look cool. Other than that, I have nothing in my life that throws itself at my front end... Besides stupid drivers (But even then, I am in a Toyota and their insurance will cover my new front end.)

Are you going to wheel it or drive it on gravel once in a while? If you don't need a bumper or a winch then you are not wheeling it.

However, I would not go as far as saying that if you don't have a winch or aftermarket bumper, your not wheeling it. We all wheel differently and live in different parts of the world. Some areas are mainly sand(Like mine), some are mud, some are rocks, mountains, flatland, desert. We should not cookie cutter our trucks. We should build them according to our "Personal" surroundings. Some people require snorkels as some do not. Some require bumpers as some do not. Some require GPS as some do not. Some require "twenny-fo" inch rims as no one does.

Towards No-One/Everyone:
T4R 3rd Gens has become mainly, "Cool, you got a stock 4Runner. Now lift it, put bigger tires on it, lock it, mod it, take it offroad." I would like to see some real hoots through here, slamming their 4runners and putting strobe lights and light pads all over the interior like "Cash Cab." Haha, but seriously...

Towards OP: [MENTION=84681]white_n_slow[/MENTION]: I would definitely do OPTION 1. 4.88 gears are going to be in the near future for me. I plan on going with 35" in the future and want to make up for power loss. I didn't want to go with 5.29's because I still take the interstate and this is sort of my DD. 4.88's will be perfect and you will notice the difference Definitely consider 4.88's and as someone said, the ARB lockers would be on point!

 

[Stockwell45]

In my 10 years of driving and 5+ years of wheeling, I have yet to be in a situation where a big plate bumper would help in the slightest. It's very expensive insurance against something I've never even experienced.

Let's say you're right tho, and I absolutely destroy my stock bumper on a tree. Oh well, no biggie, a paltry $250 later and I have a brand new bumper from Craigslist. I've saved $750 dollars that I can apply towards tons of gas for amazing wheeling trips. That's assuming of course that your big plate bumper escaped unscathed from the incident. Which we all know isn't always the case.

We can agree to disagree, but a flimsy stock bumper is not going to save your grill, radiator, fan or possibly engine when you hit something hard enough. Sure, the stock bumper might help if your going 10 mph, but anything over 20 mph your stock bumper is useless.

I've been in a couple accidents where if it weren't for the steel bumper, my 4runner would be totaled. Very cheap insurance if you ask me.

 

[white_n_slow]

In my 10 years of driving and 5+ years of wheeling, I have yet to be in a situation where a big plate bumper would help in the slightest. It's very expensive insurance against something I've never even experienced.

Let's say you're right tho, and I absolutely destroy my stock bumper on a tree. Oh well, no biggie, a paltry $250 later and I have a brand new bumper from Craigslist. I've saved $750 dollars that I can apply towards tons of gas for amazing wheeling trips. That's assuming of course that your big plate bumper escaped unscathed from the incident. Which we all know isn't always the case.

While I get your point, particularly in regard to the winch, I do see the benefit of a tube bumper. If not, I wouldn't even have posted this thread. I have hit trees and rocks hard enough in my '84 to severely deflect my old school smittybilt tube bumper (think 80's). Without it, I probably would have damaged my headlights or radiator. I also let my stepdaughter (and some of her friends) drive my truck off road. I taught her to drive stick on the Coney Flats trail (for those of you from the front range area). Toyota trucks seem to be seriously under built in the bumper department, I know this from experience. As for the rear bumper: the main reason I want one is for the tire carrier. The wife and I sleep back there, and I don't want to haul the spare tire in and out of the cargo area all the time.

I do like the idea of of gears as they will improve the truck all the time, even when driving to the mall (lol). Right now I'm leaning towards gears, and I'll just figure out a way to pay for bumpers sooner rather than later. The rear should be pretty cheap to build, the front will be a little more expensive if I buy one, but maybe I can get creative and build one on the cheap.

Thanks for the input everyone More comments welcome.

 

[Kurtis]

Okay, you guys are right. My bad.

 

[Doc2012]

Do you plan on wheeling solo? No?

Do you plan on running into trees and small children? No?

Then why would you even dream of wasting your money and destroying your mileage on a heavy plate bumper?


Why do I need a winch if I have a buddy with a snatch strap? Why do I need a massive plate bumper if I don't plan on running over pedestrians?

Ok. Wheeling solo? Maybe not. But what about bad weather?

A winch would be great if you happened to slide on some ice and end up in a ditch...

Trees and pedestrians?

Trees, maybe. People, hey, there are the few dumbasses that walk out into the middle of the road.

Destroying mileage?

Not really. Yeah, they're heavier. But they'll also save the aerodynamics a little more than a tube bumper would. Plenty of people run plate bumpers and suffer negligible, if any mileage problems.

Oh. And two words.

Zombie Apocalypse.

Any way, I put my two sense in there. Just thought if throw out the reasons for a plate bumper too.