Need Feedback from all you 3rd Gen Experts

FJ 100

FJ 100

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I just had a 2001 SR5 Sport fall into my lap. 153,000 mi engine seems good, everything shifts OK. Needs alignment, brakes and tires (soon). It also looks like it sits a bit crooked (leans toward passenger side).

While I'm getting up to speed from all the forum posts, what are some of the most common issues with this generation I might not be aware of (this is my first)?

How about simple mods?


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Most common issue when anyone hears about 3rd gen 4Runner that knows about them is the Strawberry Milkshake issue. Search it, you'll find about what I'm talking about. As far as mods and everything go, that just takes alot of time browsing here on the forums to find out.
 
Read the guide above :)

Do you mind saying how much you paid for it?

Is it 4WD?

----> We love details like that.

:hungry:
 
For simple mods start reading some build threads, including those on this page.

Your truck looks pretty damn good. Since it is new to you, I bet it could use a nice hand wax.

Also I suggest you cut (if necessary) that rusty tail and bolt on a factory TRD Tundra exhaust tip. Pictured below.

















It is $72 from the dealer (in San Diego) but it is made from pretty high quality metals and most of the cheaper ones will rust like H3LL.


Welcome to the forum.


:hatsoff:
 
Most common thing that has plagued my rig is bad brakes which was solved with the Tundra swap, and blown rear axle seals, which was fixed with the extension to the diff breather.
 
Yes, 4WD. $3,000. Seems like a real good price, but I am yet to see what work is really needed.
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Holy cow, I would buy it off you for $3k right now just to have a spare!

That seems like a REALLY great deal to me. I believe trucks like yours often go for $4-$7k depending on the zip code and condition.

Although I will concede that everyone (well a lot) on this site seems to believe their truck is worth $3k over KBB, driving up prices in the classified section.


but I am yet to see what work is really needed
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Well by the time you reach 200k miles on the engine you will likely have a big amount of maintenance to get through. Most of the failures I have read about occur between 150k - 200k miles. These include everything listed in the buyers guide but especially your LBJs, steering rack, brake rotors, diff seals, and entire suspension.
 
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brianemc2_42 said:
For simple mods start reading some build threads, including those on this page.

Your truck looks pretty damn good. Since it is new to you, I bet it could use a nice hand wax.

Also I suggest you cut (if necessary) that rusty tail and bolt on a factory TRD Tundra exhaust tip.
Click to expand...

It's gonna need more than a hand wax...the pics don't show it, but lots of light scratches and chips. I work at a body shop and will have one of our guys spend an afternoon wet sanding and buffing.

Thanks for the exhaust recommendation. I was thinking something like that today while washing it.
 
CodyX36 said:
You paid $3k for that?! Holy crap dude, killer deal! Clean title?
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Yeah...everything's good on the paper. I got it out of an impound sale. I think the last owner lost license or was locked up and it was sold off a year later...to me!
 
Thanks for the exhaust recommendation. I was thinking something like that today while washing it.
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One thing ... you may have to modify the exhaust pipe to get the Tundra tip to fit so it doesn't stick out so far. The guy that installed mine had to move the rubber mount weld point so it looked right.
 
brianemc2_42 said:
Holy cow, I would buy it off you for $3k right now just to have a spare!

That seems like a REALLY great deal to me. I believe trucks like yours often go for $4-$7k depending on the zip code and condition.

Although I will concede that everyone (well a lot) on this site seems to believe their truck is worth $3k over KBB, driving up prices in the classified section.
Click to expand...


Funny you mention this...I have it on Craigslist for the weekend just to see if I can flip it for $6k. If I can, I will, but if not will keep it.
2001 Toyota 4Runner SR5 Sport
 
Good luck with the flip. If you're not into the truck, then that's a great way to make a quick buck.

If it were you (read: not too familiar w/4Runners yet), I'd have it checked out by a mechanic... top to bottom. If the truck checked out, I'd keep it. Read up, and enjoy being a 4Runner owner.

If you flip it and decide you want another one down the road, you probably won't find another deal like you got this time.
 
BigFishAllDay said:
Good luck with the flip. If you're not into the truck, then that's a great way to make a quick buck.

If it were you (read: not too familiar w/4Runners yet), I'd have it checked out by a mechanic... top to bottom. If the truck checked out, I'd keep it. Read up, and enjoy being a 4Runner owner.

If you flip it and decide you want another one down the road, you probably won't find another deal like you got this time.
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X2. You may have found a shiny needle at a great price. Good luck regardless.
 
I'd say, don't start modding yet until you have made sure you have brought the maint up to speed. Pull the rear wheels and look for gear lube. But don't stop there, work the ABS sensor out of the hole in the axle and look inside. That's where you'll find if the seal is leaking. If you see a honey colored wetness, fix it before the lube ruins the brake shoes. The cost to repair at the dealer will be $1200 for bearings and seals. Then plan on replacing the lower ball joints and outer tie rods. Toyota changed the design in 2005, but in the 3rd gen, the joint is constantly being pulled apart and can and has failed numerous times. Search failed ball joints. For peace of mind, replace yours ASAP. Also check out the TACO LBJ threads. I just did mine and it works great plus the joints are beefier than the T4R joinits. Parts alone will be $250.

The first thing I bought for my truck was a new radiator just to prevent the contaminated trans fluid issue.

If you have a small budget, start with maintenance items first. They can add up to big dollars quickly, especially if you can't do it yourself.

Great looking truck. Enjoy it in good health.
Cheers
 
That's a great deal but none trumps mine, my best friends dad owned mine and if his dad sold it he would get a new t4r so all I had to do was put in 1500 and my friend gave me the other 2k!! And his dad took of some $ after just because haha.
 
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