In the club now.

[Killtax]

Got a 97 4runner limited in premo condition only 145k miles for a little over $5000. And now comes the planning... that I figured I could get some help with from you guys, since almost 90% of my info when I went to buy it came from here, and I ended up with a champ of a truck.

1. trying to hunt down some tundra/sequoia rims, I work for Toyota and even after the discount they are outrageous. So any tips, junkyards? They're going to be black anyway so I figured as long as they aren't too damaged I can sand them down and blast em.

2. To be as frank as possible SQ.MD has the best front end I've ever seen, and I intend to copy it:

Really where to get the angel eye's and headlights, I keep looking around and all I see are the SPEC-D's. And I liked the way the light bar on your truck shows, so basically any info on SQ.MD's truck is awesome for me.

3. How to build a satoshi grill

4. I have a deckplate already, lot of boaters at work, and I watched a few videos, and the idea I have in mind is I take a dremmel cutter to the front of the box like behind the head-light towards the grill, trace a circle of the inside of the plate, cut it, force it through, then put my screws through and clean the box out. So before I go cutting into my box and following that plan I want a "yep that's it"

5. I've figured from my car porters, floss, 3M tape, and paint are all you need to clean emblems up.

6. Putting a Sport hood on it.

7. Spyder Black Euro Taillights

8. Also going to do a pro-comp level kit, still feeling it out.

Those are the things I am doing to the truck regardless.

Here are the unknowns.

Winter is coming in Wisconsin, and the tires I have on the truck have seen a winter, but I'm trying to get into a good set and was looking at BFgoodrich A/T's, but the opinions I'm getting are very mixed reviews.

Now aside from the barrage of questions I look foward to the adventure ahead with this truck.

 

[BULLETTOOTH TOM]

4. I have a deckplate already, lot of boaters at work, and I watched a few videos, and the idea I have in mind is I take a dremmel cutter to the front of the box like behind the head-light towards the grill, trace a circle of the inside of the plate, cut it, force it through, then put my screws through and clean the box out. So before I go cutting into my box and following that plan I want a "yep that's it"

be sure to take out you O2 sensor when you start going at your airbox with you dremmel. they are very easy to break especially with chunks of plastic smacking off it. Cleaning it out with some compressed air also isnt a horrible idea to get all the plastic out.

Winter is coming in Wisconsin, and the tires I have on the truck have seen a winter, but I'm trying to get into a good set and was looking at BFgoodrich A/T's, but the opinions I'm getting are very mixed reviews.

from what ive read the goodyear duratracs are your best bet for snow.

 

[ALBPM]

8. Also going to do a pro-comp level kit, still feeling it out.

Think about a new suspension for the 97'. The Pro Comp level kit is just spacers which will make the ride harsher and they are not cheap for what you get.

Check out Toytech for more options:
4Runner 96-02 - 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

Also Sonoran Steel has suspension packages:
Sonoran Steel, Sonoran Steel Custom Metal Fabrication L.L.C. Custom Toyota Truck Parts

 

[GottaBeTRD]

wait you found projector headlights already built for our trucks? The headlights SQMD has were built by him. there are a ton of threads on here, just seach "projector retrofit" Even if they do sell them i would recommend building your own. those aftermarket projector lights suck most of the time and you cant even use HID lighting. The stuff you buy for a retrofit are legitimate projectors coming from or are an exact replica of all the high end cars such as Acura, Infinities, Porches, etc. check out "The Retrofit Source" for all your supplies and you can make exactly what he has.

one more thing,im just giving my 2 cents on the tail lights, i know we all have different opinions on what we like, but might i suggest LED tail lights?? its more modern and they always go good with some HID headlights

 

[BrianSD_42]

To be as frank as possible SQ.MD has the best front end I've ever seen, and I intend to copy it:

It looks like you have a very nice rig to start with. I also have a 97 and mine started out a lot like yours.

Although SQ.MD does have an extremely nice front end, I don't think it is for everyone. The lights are awesome and so is the Satoshi but I think your truck will look better by leaving the 97 bumper on or going for a full aftermarket one. If you ever plan on going off-road then I think the "fat-lip" bumper is a step down from the 96,97,98 in both looks and angle-of-approach. It looks like you have a 4x4 so this will probably matter.

I am pretty happy with my BFG ATs

:bat:

 

[Killtax]

Yea I saw some at a truck customization place, really expensive set of projectors for a 99, which is the same generation.

Thanks for the O2 sensor tip, I wouldn't have even thought of that, I'll be sure to pull it out.

We do a lot of level kits on our trucks at work, but you bring up a good point at addressing the suspension overall, as it's older anyway. I want to address the thought of a suspension redo around 150k miles anyway.

I was blown away with what I got here for 5 grand.

I'll keep it all up to date here as I go.

 

[Killtax]

Fix'd the O2 sensor... another problem occurred though...



Annnd... out of the club. That was a short run and a huge loss of money.

So much sad. Loved this thing while I had it.

 

[awdjunkies]

Fix'd the O2 sensor... another problem occurred though...



Annnd... out of the club. That was a short run and a huge loss of money.

So much sad. Loved this thing while I had it.

OUCH!!!!!!!!!!! What happened? Are you parting it out? going to buy another 3rd gen?

Sorry, I figured I would ask all the question some of these Vultures like to.

 

[Big John]

That really sucks man. I guess the upside would be that it happened before you dumped a bunch of money into it. What the hell did you hit, a mountain???

 

[jirehn]

Sucks dude, What happen in it?

 

[RonMAIDEN]

did you get the deckplate done?:redbrick:


At least you didn't get the whole frontend done and a sport hood.

 

[PitbullRescuer]

Damn! You okay? That looks like a hell of a hit, what happened?

 

[Hepar]

Dang! I was just about to say, welcome to the club! What happened?

 

[Nelsonmd]

Fix'd the O2 sensor... another problem occurred though...

Annnd... out of the club. That was a short run and a huge loss of money.

So much sad. Loved this thing while I had it.

Were you insured? Definitely curious what happened. That is one of the more messed up front ends I have seen up here.

And since I am a vulture too, I am also curious if you are parting it.

 

[Killtax]

Didn't get to sink a ton of money into it since I lost my job a few months after getting it, and unemployment couldn't cover bills and insurance so nope... my $5000 investment was worth less than an xbox by the end of the day. :\ So no parting out. The hooks for the frame were completely bent in, radiator smashed, bumper, grill, hood, headlights, air box, battery... it was still running after the hit, so I was chuckling a little about that.

Savings have taken a hit, so I don't think I'll be back in a 3rd gen soon, trying to see where my tax return is at, there are some nice 2nd gen's that roll through the area, as long as I'm in a 4runner again I don't care, and if I get back to work here soon enough, i'll just jump into a new one.

I hit the rear quarter panel of a highlander mid 2000's model, right around the wheel-well in an intersection. Air-bags didn't deploy, so pro-tip have them check that before you buy one. Tweaked my foot a little bit, but other than that I did in fact survive.

I was about to order a ton of **** for it in January so kinda feel like I dodged a bullet... but god above it was such a wonderful truck to me, I will for sure find myself back in 3rd Gen land in the future, what a truck.

Didn't get around to the deckplate cold weather with no garage.

Looking at this little puppy right here:
http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/cto/2782528023.html

This one is tempting...
http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/cto/2728790808.html

 

[BigFishAllDay]

Glad to see you came out of that one OK dude. It seems like the majority of the accidents you see 3rd gens involved in result in the driver of the 3rd gen walking away from it relatively unscathed. I feel pretty damn safe driving mine, that's for sure.

Good luck in finding a replacement vehicle.

 

[City_Rider]

****ty ordeal for sure - good luck with a Yota replacement!

 

[madbomber08]

Glad you're okay and I'm really suprised your airbags didn't deploy. When I got in my wreck, although not as bad as yours, mine did not go off either. In fact, are there any members on here that have gotten in a front end collision and ACTUALLY HAD there airbags deploy? I don't believe I've ever seen a 3rd gen with deployed airbags..... I guess that can be a good thing or bad thing.

 

[awdjunkies]

I would look at that 2nd choice(3rd Gen LTD), But if anything my fav. 2nd Gen year was the 1990(or 1991) 4Runner, due to having the spare in the back, like my Isuzu Rodeo, and my '94 Pathfinder SE. underpowered but I miss those critters lol.

 

[Killtax]

The airbag thing really rattled me... I mean that highlander I hit, every bag in the car deployed, the windows, the dash, the knees, all of it. Nothing for me, and I've still yet to figure out how my foot was injured, only theory I have is I was standing on the break so hard that something, something, something fracture occurs, no idea.