Mulky's "build" thread (Hank)

[Mulky]

Figured I might as well make one of these. I'm Michael, and I just picked up my first 4runner last week! After searching since the beginning of summer, I finally found the one. I had been searching all over for a clean 3rd gen 4runner, or a 2nd gen xterra. I stumbled upon this one online on Labor Day, went to check it out the next day expecting to find junk, and then brought it home the following day after being pleasantly surprised. Everyone tells me (even my friends who own 2nd gen xterras) that I made the right choice with the 4runner.

I use the word "build" lightly, since I don't have major plans for it other than the usual lift, wheels, and tires. But I'm quickly learning that with so many possibilities with a 4runner, that it will most likely get out of hand very quickly like it did with my first car, the Sentra, seen below:



Back on topic since I'm sure none of you care about a Sentra.

I purchased this 4runner mainly to have something better to drive in the winter since driving a slammed car in snowy conditions is never fun. But, enough rambling...

Info on the 4runner, which was named Hank (Hank the Tank) by my fiance. The name is growing on me.

2000 4runner Limited with 178,xxx on the clock.

VERY well maintained. Interior is spotless. Paint has very few blemishes, at least few that I have found so far.

So far I'm in love with it. Drives awesome, runs flawlessly. Just an overall nice rig to drive.

Mods will wait until the next couple months since I'm getting married October 12th and told her I would at least wait until after the wedding to start on Hank.

I will go ahead and apologize for any stupid questions I may, and will ask you all in the future since this platform is something completely new to me. Quite different from lowering a car I must say.

Hooray if you actually read all of this rambling.

These are the only pictures I have so far. I know, I'm slacking.





**As of 2-7-15**

 

[So Many Roads]

Welcome

Welcome to the forum. Looks like a good starting point! All your future wife needs to know is that mods are 'safety upgrades'. I'm sure your 4R needs a few, right?

 

[Mulky]

Welcome to the forum. Looks like a good starting point! All your future wife needs to know is that mods are 'safety upgrades'. I'm sure your 4R needs a few, right?

She completely understands lol. She can't wait for me to lift it and do other things to it. She loves all the stuff I've shown her that I can do to it!

 

[Taylor20]

Welcome aboard. I use to live in lex, moved away about a year ago. Get the basics (lift, tires) completed and we will need to hit the trails.

 

[Mulky]

Welcome aboard. I use to live in lex, moved away about a year ago. Get the basics (lift, tires) completed and we will need to hit the trails.

The basics will come by the end of the year hopefully. Yeah I wanna take it out somewhere eventually. Nothing too crazy. Just some nice simple trails with some nice views.

 

[Mulky]

Not sure what's gonna happen with the 4runner at this point. Changed the oil in it today for the first time, and once we got it on the lift, the rust seems a lot worse than what I originally thought it was.

While taking off the skid plate to get to the oil filter, 6 of the 7 bolts broke, and now I don't have a front skid plate.

The frame is solid, and it doesn't look like there is any rot. Just enough surface rust to make removing any bolt nearly impossible.

At this point I don't know if I would even want to attempt installing a lift if just an oil change went so bad.

I love this thing and I don't want to get rid of it, but I'm so frustrated at this point that the thought of getting rid of it isn't sounding too bad. Mechanically this thing is awesome. Runs great. Still probably going to drive it to South Carolina next weekend after the wedding.

Just thinking over a lot of things right now.

I'll try to get some pictures to see what you all think. I got so mad once we got it on the lift that I didn't take any pictures.

 

[Mulky]

Well I got married a couple weeks ago and drove the 4runner on the honeymoon trip. Drove 1350 miles without one single issue. Averaged 23.2 mpg on the interstate.

Even though this thing is pretty rusty underneath, I just don't think I can get rid of it. I'm already pretty attached to this thing. Probably start collecting lift parts in the near future, order all new bolts assuming most of them will have to be torched out, and bite the bullet and go at it.

But until then, here's a few honeymoon road trip pictures. Drove from Lexington, Kentucky to Edisto Island, South Carolina. Pretty neat scenery down there.













Also saw this clean 3rd gen in Charleston.

 

[TCMach]

While taking off the skid plate to get to the oil filter, 6 of the 7 bolts broke, and now I don't have a front skid plate.

The frame is solid, and it doesn't look like there is any rot. Just enough surface rust to make removing any bolt nearly impossible.

At this point I don't know if I would even want to attempt installing a lift if just an oil change went so bad.

Bolded is the important part, solid frame = solid truck. My frame is just like yours. I broke 60-70% of the bolts holding my rear bumper, skid plate, and running boards on. Lifts honestly go easy. The bolts you do have to deal with are big so they wont break. Rear shocks will be a pain but you can just cut them off (plenty of people do, even without rust). Don't let the rust win!

 

[Mulky]

Haven't updated this in a while, so here's one.

After receiving a Rough Country lift for Christmas ( I know, I know. Not an ideal kit, but it was a gift, and will do for now.), I decided to have a local shop install it so I don't have to deal with all the seized bolts and rust.

After dropping it off at 9am this morning, and them not starting on it until 3:30pm, it has turned into a nightmare.

The rear went on fine without any issues. The front strut assemblies broke while trying to remove them, and had to be replaced. The shop closes soon, and most likely won't be able to finish it until Monday, as they still haven't been able to remove the drivers side strut assembly due to the rust.

So basically after all this is said and done, I'm going to have damn near $1000 into a Rough Country lift kit. :frusty:

At this point I'm so frustrated with this thing, I may get rid of it in the Spring. It runs and drives like brand new, but it's a 15 year old truck. Other things are going to go wrong with it, and I'm not sure it's worth going through this headache every time something needs to be worked on with it. I love this thing, but I sure as hell don't love rust.

Just venting right now. Don't like the idea that I won't have the 4runner parked in my garage tonight.

Good thing I kept the Sentra. Looks like I'll be driving it the next couple days.

#prayforhank

 

[Mulky]

Well, I got the 4runner back today. $1200ish later, and it's finally back on the road.

But of course, there is a new problem. A "clunking" noise has developed from the rear of the truck when going over bumps. Sway bar end links, control arms, and pan hard bar all seem nice and tight. The rear shocks do have a little wiggle room side to side when I pull on them. So I'm thinking the upper mount on the shocks was not tightened enough. Looking into that tomorrow… hopefully driving around a bit doesn't hurt anything.

At least it looks nice? Tires next.

 

[TCMach]

looks good man. about the clunk, usually if you rock the body while somebody sits under the back and looks at the rear end you can isolate the clunks. Thats how Ive found all mine atleast :cheers:

 

[Mulky]

Hoping to look into the issue tomorrow. The 4Runner is parked in my dads shop and I'm driving my car right now. So frustrated with the 4Runner right now that I'm in no rush to figure it out.

 

[Mulky]

It's finally fixed. The first shop I originally took it to so I wouldn't have to deal with the bits of rust (I'll never make that mistake again), neglected to install the bushing on the upper rear shock mounts. So, the top nut didn't have anything to tighten down onto, and basically had a little over .5" of play up and down while going over bumps, hence, the clunk.

All is good again.

Now tires.

 

[Mulky]

It finally snowed a little here, so I got to go out on the farm and play with the 4runner a little. 4wd is an amazing thing. After owning just a lowered car for 8 years or so, it was so much fun to take this thing out in the snow and little mud I found. It pulled itself up some hills that I didn't think it would with the crappy tires it currently has. Can't wait to get some decent tires under it!

 

[Mulky]

Hadn't planned on buying wheels anytime soon (was more just shopping for tires), and then I came across a deal on craigslist today that I couldn't pass up.

16x8 (not sure on offset) Cragar Soft 8's with 265/75/16 Treadwright Mud Terrains.

Hope to have them on in the next couple days!

 

[Mulky]

Finally got around to putting on my new (to me) wheels and tires. I'm very pleased with how they look.

The tires have a slight shimmy around 45mph, so I'll have them rebalanced this week and hope it solves the problem. Other than that I have no complaints so far!

 

[Mulky]

Also got my car out and washed it since the weather was nice. Lifted 4runner > Lowered Sentra.

 

[Climber]

I hope you can get those tires balanced. My treadwrights have been balanced 4 times (last time at a location with a hunter and adapter)and I still have vibrations and a shimmy in the freeway. They have been a decent tire but the balancing issue is a real problem with them.