Locked Up's 4Runner

[locked up]

Nice thread! Lots of work done in the last year. Taking pics and posting all this stuff is time consuming.

After having AWD for several years of ownership, the 2wd capability achieved with the manual t-case was alarming in the rain. Especially with the width of a 12.5" tire. I was slipping and sliding quite a bit. In Florida that is definitely a problem.
The PO of my rig already had an ABS switch installed and after resetting the zero point calibration a dozen times, got tired of that so I've just left it turned off for most of my ownership tenure with this vehicle. Was never really a problem until the manual swap and then the slippy sliddy shit in the rain started happening lol.
So now I'm very careful in 2wd during light rains, and I use 4-Hi when it's a steady rain and the roads are thoroughly wet or ponding. That works out Ok, but I'm curious if you can get a module and ABS to work with a manual t-case. Most of us with a manual swap have disconnected it, so I don't think anyone has tried that. Edit: I wonder if a 5th gen manual t-case module would work? In 05' the CAN Bus was changed to the same protocol as the 5th gen, so the newer 4th gens might be able to use that module.

Why were you having to reset the zero point so many times?
The ABS switch mod causing the issue?

 

[locked up]

Nice thread! Lots of work done in the last year. Taking pics and posting all this stuff is time consuming.

After having AWD for several years of ownership, the 2wd capability achieved with the manual t-case was alarming in the rain. Especially with the width of a 12.5" tire. I was slipping and sliding quite a bit. In Florida that is definitely a problem.
The PO of my rig already had an ABS switch installed and after resetting the zero point calibration a dozen times, got tired of that so I've just left it turned off for most of my ownership tenure with this vehicle. Was never really a problem until the manual swap and then the slippy sliddy shit in the rain started happening lol.
So now I'm very careful in 2wd during light rains, and I use 4-Hi when it's a steady rain and the roads are thoroughly wet or ponding. That works out Ok, but I'm curious if you can get a module and ABS to work with a manual t-case. Most of us with a manual swap have disconnected it, so I don't think anyone has tried that. Edit: I wonder if a 5th gen manual t-case module would work? In 05' the CAN Bus was changed to the same protocol as the 5th gen, so the newer 4th gens might be able to use that module.

One thing I had thought about doing was to remove the stock braking system completely and putting in something else. That way I could disable/remove the VSC and Trac control systems & lights and not have the (IMO) odd system we have.... and be SAS ready.

Food for thought ...If I wanted to do that and keep ABS I think maybe something like this could work?
What's even better than good brakes though? Good brakes AND ABS, well, we think so.

I did read that we have "reluctor" sensors for our ABS so maybe they could work with that unit?
Probably lots of work just to keep ABS but if you daily drive it maybe worth it?
I dunno.

 

[4RunnerAquasport]

Why were you having to reset the zero point so many times?
The ABS switch mod causing the issue?

Zero point was a problem before the tcase swap. I've had two aftermarket suspensions on this truck and any time you change height with lift, tires and suspension geometry you make the truck susceptible to zero point calibration issues. The switch could very well be part of the issue, but I can't confirm that either way.
I've gotten used to the abs lights being on permanently, but most people don't want to deal with it.

 

[locked up]

It has been too long since I updated this.
Jeez.... August of last year?
I'm slacking big time.

Lots to cover.
I'll add details later but the highlights are:
Changed wheels & tires.
Removed running boards and installed sliders.
Front hidden winch mount.
5th Gen rear axle with locker.

But can't leave out the details...
Change All 4 door weather strips on 8/9/25

 

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New Wheels & tires on 9-11-25

Kenda Klevar on some Toyota wheels that came with Lexus centercaps. lol

New tires ride so much better.

 

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... then I started to get ideas like what would it look like without the running boards?

Or with sliders?

Or with sliders and some of the wheels blacked out?

 

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Still on the fence with the wheel coloring but I did end up doing sliders.

I tried some 5th gen ones but they do not line up correctly.
They offset differently on each side and that would make me crazy.
They also are made of tinfoil.

 

[locked up]

I had already sold my running boards so we went with nothing for a bit.

Didn't hate it but dang our gas tanks hang down soooo low.

 

[locked up]

Up next I changed the blend door actuator on 9-27-25.
Wasn't getting heat over on passenger side.

I did the hole through the cabin air filter spot.
Took a bunch of video to make a tutorial but no time for all that.
Maybe one day? lol

 

[locked up]

I went with trimming this to make the future easier on myself in case it ever fails again.

Sealed hole with HVAC tape.

 

[locked up]

Up next was the winch bumper & sliders.
I had Krawltex install this.
Wrapped up on 10-27-25

 

[locked up]

couple more pics...

Now, before you judge me on the Vevor winch....
I'm not extreme wheeling this thing.

We go to events in it.
So worst it will see is a fire road or muddy field.
So light duty is fine.

Plus when I got it, it was only $150 on Amazon at the time.
It also has Bluetooth remote with is pretty cool and for the money I'm happy with it.

 

[locked up]

10-31-25
Made an 8 Hour trip to Romance, AR for an RC Crawling event.

4Runner was packed and did great!

Everything you see in the tent setup fit in there with the hitch basket.
We Tetris'd the heck out of it!

 

[locked up]

Went back into Krawltex for some drive line adjustments to get the pinion right.

Snapped some shots while under there for the heck of it since it was on a lift.

 

[locked up]

No pictures yet but 3-12-2025 we started the 5th Gen rear axle swap.
Also did 5th gen front brakes.

Axle swap is still ongoing in that I have not quite hooked up the rear locker.
Or swapped in a 5th gen sway bar.
But the axle is under there and I am driving on it.

The sway bar may or may not be necessary.
It currently have the 4th gen on there and I've had no problems, but is is a VERY close fit. So I will eventually swap in the 5th gen version.

Working with ORU on a custom harness that will use my old center diff lock switch for the rear locker.
I'll update with pics of everything after we get that finished.

Made a trip to GSL Ranch down in Kendalia, TX for Texas Crawlfest at the end of April.
Once again we packed the 4Runner to the roof and it did great!

 

[dmuniz1219]

looks dope