Quick Off Road Question

B

Bull4408

New member
Hello all. New member and hopefully soon to be new 4runner owner. Had a quick question and figured you guys would be the ones to ask (not the dealerships...lol).

I will mostly be using my 4runner for day to day commuting of which most is highway. However, I am also a big time fisherman and will be taking my truck on the beaches of Long Island. Basically I fish about 8 months out of the year so I will be on the beach a decent amount. I have been looking for a 4runner "trail edition" because of this but apparently no dealer has any inventory anywhere on or near Long Island, NY!

So my question to you is simply:

Do I really need the trail edition for beach driving or will the SR5 or Limited versions be fine? I have heard that the trail edition is really more focused on "hardcore" offroading and may be overkill for the beach. Thoughts?

Thanks for your help in advance...I really appreciate it!
 
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You don't need a trail edition for the beach. I take my '03 4wd Limited on the beach every year. I air down to 15 psi and lock the center diff.

DSC_0054.NEF.jpg


A trail edition is certainly more capable offroad, but you don't need that for the beach. Driving on the beach just isn't very demanding.
 
Bull4408 said:
Do I really need the trail edition for beach driving or will the SR5 or Limited versions be fine? I have heard that the trail edition is really more focused on "hardcore" offroading and may be overkill for the beach. Thoughts?
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Trail would be overkill. SR5 or LE would be plenty, however the LE with the 20"'s is not the best for the beach if you are going to be airing down a lot. I know some on here have traded rims with others on the forum, so I would not let rim size be the factor between the SR5 or LE as that is an easy fix/swap.
 
westwind77 said:
Trail would be overkill. SR5 or LE would be plenty, however the LE with the 20"'s is not the best for the beach if you are going to be airing down a lot. I know some on here have traded rims with others on the forum, so I would not let rim size be the factor between the SR5 or LE as that is an easy fix/swap.
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There is a member on this forum with a 5th Gen Limited who says he's had no problem on the beach with his 20" wheels, but I would be more comfortable with 17 or 18" wheels. I agree that the swap is simple and the smaller wheels has several advantages -- cheaper tires, thicker sidewall means less chance of wheel damage due to a pothole, softer ride.
 
Bull4408 said:
Thanks guys. I appreciate the help!
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for the highway cruising and beach travel i would get a limited and swap the wheels.

probably would buy 17 inch wheels with 265s. you wont need particularly aggressive tires, just need to air down. so i would probably opt with a tire more highway friendly then one that is designed for off road terrain.
 
jca21 said:
probably would buy 17 inch wheels with 265s. you wont need particularly aggressive tires, just need to air down. so i would probably opt with a tire more highway friendly then one that is designed for off road terrain.
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I use Michelin Cross Terrains and these are not, in any way, an aggressive tire. I've never come close to getting stuck on the beach.

cross-terrain-suv.jpg


A soft, quiet highway tire works just fine on the beach. It might not look as cool as some tires, but it works and it is quieter.
 
M1911 said:
I use Michelin Cross Terrains and these are not, in any way, an aggressive tire. I've never come close to getting stuck on the beach.

cross-terrain-suv.jpg


A soft, quiet highway tire works just fine on the beach. It might not look as cool as some tires, but it works and it is quieter.
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thats what i said He wont need an aggressive tire. and i also said he'd be better off opting for a good highway tire :frog:

jca21 said:
for the highway cruising and beach travel i would get a limited and swap the wheels.

probably would buy 17 inch wheels with 265s. you wont need particularly aggressive tires, just need to air down. so i would probably opt with a tire more highway friendly then one that is designed for off road terrain.
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:)
 
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