New Member Ideas needed for mods

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KatRider05

New member
KatRider05 build thread

I would like to introduce myself. I am KatRider05, I just recently purchased a 1998 4Runner with 186k miles. I have grand plans for it. I also need to keep it simple currently, its the family hauler. I have started to do the maintenance that is needed for it. I have gotten it re-aligned, tow was off, I have also changed the plugs and plug wires. As soon as my mechanic has time will be replacing the timing belt, water pump, thermostat and valve cover seals. I also need to do some light rust repair where the running boards have rubbed off the paint and there is a little surface rust. Buff/wax/clay bar is sometime this summer.

What are easy mods that can be completed on a budget that wont cost too much? I have plans for radio and intake baffle removal. Could use some other ideas.

Thanks guys for reading.
 
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KatRider05 said:
What are easy mods that can be completed on a budget that wont cost too much? I have plans for radio and intake baffle removal. Could use some other ideas.

Thanks guys for reading.
Click to expand...

Welcome, Can you post a pic so we can see how it sits now?
 
Looks nice and clean!

You will find installing an small external radiator for the transmission is a very popular preventative maintenance modification to avoid the very costly " pink milkshake " syndrome. Do a quick search and you will find all the info you need.

Sorry, should have asked before, do you want to make it a little more trail worthy or are you looking for road based upgrades and prev. maintenance?
 
The suggestions already made as well as the stuff you already did pretty much covers everything you should do first. May want to consider changing all fluids (i.e. ATF, diff and transfer case fluids). If your brakes are warped or if they do soon, I suggest upgrading to the Tundra setup. Also, not sure how the suspension is...but if it rides rough you can upgrade suspension for a decent price (my lift cost me $520 including all 4 coils and shocks/struts...installed myself tho).

Be careful on this site. It just makes you want to dump more and more $$$ into your rig. Nice clean Runner btw.
 
Not sure where you live so don't know the tinting laws in that area. I tinted my front door windows 35% Llumar. Just enough to block the sun and add a bit of privacy. $80 out the door. You'll be glad you did this summer.

x2 on the external transcooler. Found mine at a salvage yard off of a '96 K1500 Suburban, $12, plus hoses, fittings and clamps. Under $60 Total. It's the same size as the B&M 70628.
 
Before doing the radio and intake baffle (which is not worth doing anyway), you should do a 2uz-fe swap.
 
GVL said:
Looks nice and clean!

You will find installing an small external radiator for the transmission is a very popular preventative maintenance modification to avoid the very costly " pink milkshake " syndrome. Do a quick search and you will find all the info you need.

Sorry, should have asked before, do you want to make it a little more trail worthy or are you looking for road based upgrades and prev. maintenance?
Click to expand...

Thanks! It was really clean when I got it. It does have some surface rust along the rocker panels, a few door dings have surface rust also. I did not include a picture of the drivers side, there is a softball size rust spot just be hind the rear tail light. The bubble is not soft and the metal behind the bubble is not soft either. Should be straight forward fixing this. Again, I plan on taking care of all rust sometime this summer.

I would like to make it more trail worthy, but I have a 7 month pregnant wife that needs to climb up into it. Right now I guess it is more road based upgrades. I will be pulling the running boards this summer sometime after the baby is born, that should make it a little better on the trail.

Kranger328 said:
May want to consider changing all fluids (i.e. ATF, diff and transfer case fluids).
Click to expand...

Yes all fluids is on my list also, just forgot to mention it. Yes Tundra brake upgrade would be nice. But I was told that these wheels will not clear the Tundra brakes without shaving the wheel. I don't want to compromise the integrity of the wheels. When I do the lift, would defiantly get wheels that will clear.

Yes external trans cooler is also on the list for mods, would like to tow a small pop-up camper. I also want switch all interior lights to LEDs, and tie the map lights in with dome light, so they come on when you open the door.

Thanks for all the suggestions guys!!!
 
So I was able to get some personalization going on the "Trooper". I was able to pull the grill and paint it flat black. I think it looks good.

I was also able to paint the center caps flat black as well.


I will continue the pretty mods by waxing her Sunday afternoon.
 
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I was gonna relax for the night but now I have this sudden urge to go out to the shop and yank my grill off and paint it too. It's all your fault!!! :moon:
 
slowpoke99 said:
I was gonna relax for the night but now I have this sudden urge to go out to the shop and yank my grill off and paint it too. It's all your fault!!! :moon:
Click to expand...

Glad I could inspire someone :first:

I was thinking of using a touch-up pen/brush to make the Toyota emblem pop more also. I really think it would look much better that way. I am thinking of removing the emblem on the grill and painting it orange from a TRD edition Tundra I saw also.
 
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Flexing for the first time

I was able to see what the flex was like a few weeks ago. Thought I'd share.

 
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kammando808 said:
Remove side steps and plasti dip the chrome front and rear bumpers, trust me you will like it a lot better
Click to expand...

I know I want to rip those things off but I have a very pregnant wife that needs them for a little while longer and then they are coming off. I really like the contrast from the chrome bumper gut I think ill paint the rear bumper flat black.
 
KatRider05 said:
So I was able to get some personalization going on the "Trooper". I was able to pull the grill and paint it flat black. I think it looks good. <a href="http://s30.photobucket.com/user/mdfeatherston/media/F7A72836-30DC-48D5-98F8-6D974BA0A48B_zpsza9p9qcs.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/mdfeatherston/F7A72836-30DC-48D5-98F8-6D974BA0A48B_zpsza9p9qcs.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo F7A72836-30DC-48D5-98F8-6D974BA0A48B_zpsza9p9qcs.jpg"/></a>
I will continue the pretty mods by waxing her Sunday afternoon.
Click to expand...

Hey whos Red Runner is the next yours! :) It looks good.
 
Well, my wife gave me the go ahead and said that I could rip off the running boards. Look at her now!!! Next I want to find the mud flaps that will fit the where the boards came off.

My wife is 8.5 months pregnant, I was leaving the steps on for her.

It also rolled 190K miles!!


That's one off the list of things to do. Next comes the radio. Got a double din 6.5 inch DVD nav from a buddy at work. Got a great deal on it, $20 its a little old, but it was $20. What's great about this head unit, is that it has two DVD players, I could have one for the nav, or as a second player for an external monitor. I haven't see one before like this, should be interesting.
 
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