RonMAIDEN said:
It is losing some of it's off road ruggedness compared to ealier gens and that's a huge fact and not me being negative but it is a negative for the off road crowd.
Here's JA'S stock 4th gen nose to nose with his '99 (on 265/75s) and you can see the approach angle and height is a fair amount different but he fixed that with a lift.
RonM, but JA's '99 4runner had 32 in. off-road tires while his 4th gen (in pic) had stock OEM tires. Hardly fair comparison!
RonM...i want to hear your thoughts on a post i posted earlier in the link above:
RonMAIDEN, not trying to discredit your 3rd gen, i am trying to be fair on all sides.
What are your issues?? The lack of rear locker?? The lower front clearance?? Size??
Well, 4th gens have ATRAC, which works on ALL 4 wheels. Your 4runner has a rear locker only, which is an excellent tool to have off-road, but your front diff is still open. Therefore, the advantage of a rear locker vs. ATRAC on all 4 wheels is present over some terrain but it's not like a big big gap in capability.
Since the 4th gens come with ATRAC, it has a superior ABS system, 4-channel vs. your 3-channel. Thus, on-road safety and arguably off-road braking are improved. And as you know, on-road handling and safety on the 4th gen far exceed that of 3rd gen, esp. with stability control, better crash testings, and available airbags everywhere.
The front clearance is a real issue on 4th gen. But this "mishap" is easily fixable with a mild lift up front (1" spacer or such). But, if you're comparing stock vs. stock, then you're right about this.
As for size, i don't think that the 4runner is any bigger than your average midsize SUV. The 3rd gen was too darn narrow for a midsize SUV...thus, it makes the 4th gen look like a pig in comparison. I am sure that 4th gens will fit into all the Colorado trails with only a bit more brush rash than a 3rd gen. Not a big deal...it comes with the sport.
And as stated in the link above, if i were to play in mud or do water fording, then i much prefer the 4th gen over 3rd gen. I did not like drum brakes on my 3rd gen. Sure, it is low maintenance...if you never take it off-road. In mud, i definitely prefer all-around disc brakes. And yes, you can clean it out (like what RonM has been doing every 6 months), but eventually, rust will get you.
And if i remember correctly, the 4th gen 4runner can do a bit more side slope and hill gradient than a 3rd gen. This should provide a bit more stability off-road.
As for the 4runner being "too nice," i am not sure if this is an argument at all. Can't handle mud in the interior as well??? Huh? If a person has the balls to wheel a 4runner, then it's going to be a dirty affair in ANY 4runner. You can't blame Toyota or 4th gen for being more civilized! The 3rd gens were not exactly luxurious in anybody's mind. And although the cargo volume was impressive (due mostly to height of cabin rather than width), the passenger space was rather tight (very narrow). The competition was catching up earlier this decade...and Toyota needed a roomier and more comfy SUV. I do feel that the interior quality of material did go down a bit with the 4th gen. The 3rd gen material quality was very impressive...you can't find a poor quality plastic anywhere. But, you have to see where Toyota had to make some compromise while making a better vehicle overall.
In conclusion, a 4th gen off-road capability can be easily improved upon cheaply to match any 3rd gen 4runner. However, the opposite cannot be said about modifying a 3rd gen to be as safe, comfy, and roomy as a 4th gen.
You hate for the 4runner to be more "mall-friendly," yet you have your heart set on a Tahoe?! At what point did you think the 4runner will ever be less capable than a Tahoe??? You complained about your 4runner being too low and "too narrow" (????), yet the Tahoe is even lower (by a lot!) and is too damn wide for most trails! Oh yeah, it has the same electronics as4runner too! You're like a bag of contradiction!
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