RI Runner -Built for Dogs & Beaches

[RI-Runner]

Hello, everybody! My name is Luke and my 4Runner and I live in Rhode Island (go figure). I bought it on March 21, 2018. Over the course of the last week I've been compiling posts around the forum until I was able to start my own thread. This will be mostly small updates and maintenance logs but I hope it will someday grow to be an extravagantly mundane and practical build up to improve both performance and aesthetics. My 4Runner will be with me for a long time from here on out and I hope it will some day be my chariot in a cross-country tour where I hit all the big tourist attractions, national parks, and other fun stuff along the way.

Here are the basics!
1999 Toyota 4Runner Limited, 4x4, Automatic
146,xxx Miles
Desert Dune w/ Silver Trim
Tan Leather Interior

I don't have any service history for it. However, the engine bay and the frame looked clean (relative to most ~20 year old New England trucks), the mileage was low, and the price was right so I bought it anyway. Plans are to work on it slooooowly but after creeping around here for a while I have a pretty good plan in my head of how I would like things to proceed.

Maintenance
Change all fluids, filters, etc.
Spark plugs and wires
Timing belt, water pump, and related odds and ends
Valve cover gaskets and related odds and ends
Radiator and applicable hoses, etc.
Clean, sand, prime, and repaint frame with rust converter and preventative


Body & "Armor"
Replace windshield
Replace missing fender flare extensions on front bumper
Repair damaged paint on fenders
Find a sport hood with scoop
SRQ or MJT4RunnerGrille satoshi grille, color matched to Desert Dune
4xInnovations front bumper, color matched to silver trim
4xInnovations rear bumper with tire carrier, color matched to silver trim
Shrockworks rock sliders, color matched to silver trim
Rocky Mountain Rack, color matched to silver trim
Remove brush/grille guard: Completed, 03/28/2018
Remove running boards: Completed, 03/28/2018

Interior
Remove/Replace driver's sun visor
Find a retractable tan cargo cover
Paracord grab handles to replace plastic ones
Wet Okole seat covers, front and rear
WeatherTech floor liners, front and rear
New carpet, dark tan/brown
Full sound-proofing/deadening
Rear cargo area storage solution/organizer

Suspension & Bushings
OEM lower ball joints
OEM upper ball joints
OEM inner tie rod ends
OEM outer tie rod ends
Sonoran Steel 7.2 lift
Sonoran Steel rear body mounts
Energy Suspension poly body mount bushings, stock height, no body lift
Energy Suspension poly steering rack bushings
Various other Energy Suspension poly bushings throughout the truck

Wheels & Tires
Land Cruiser 80 Series wheels, color matched to silver trim
285/75/16 BFG AT KO2s
199mm Tundra Brake Upgrade

Lighting & Electronics
Repair all the window switches/motors/whatever is wrong
Tacoma Whip Mod since I currently have no antenna
SRQ HID retrofit and clear corners, color matched to Desert Dune
Full LED dash and climate control upgrade, all in white
4" LED fog lights for 4xInnovations front bumper
Two 6" LED lights for reverse lights on rear of Rocky Mountain Rack
Back-up camera mounted through spare tire on 4xInnovations tire carrier
Double din head unit with GPS and/or Apple Car Play
All new speakers, subwoofer, and amp

First pictures I have of it are from today - March 28th, 2018 - exactly how it was when purchased:

Head shot!

Side shots...

Rear end...

Engine bay...

 

[RI-Runner]

Day 1!

Today I got to work on a few things, nothing too exciting. I removed the brush/grill guard and the running boards.

Tools needed:
-For Brush Guard
--Socket wrench
--19mm socket

-For Running Boards
--2 Socket wrenches
--12mm, 13mm, 14mm sockets

Project Cost: $0.00
Project Time: 90 minutes

A few quick "After" shots...

The back looks the same, I promise.

One of the main reasons I took the brush guard off, besides not really enjoying the looks of it, was the crazy rubbing it was doing on the body! It took off quite a bit of paint on the fenders...

And I am in the market for those fender flare extensions that go on the bumper. Hoping to find them cheap just to hold me over until I can afford to replace the whole bumper.

Also on the "to-do list" are the Tacoma Whip Mod since it seems my antenna broke off and took most of the thread with it, and get some sort of impact wrench to take off the last two mounting brackets for the brush guard...

Today's casualties featuring RI-Runner's older sister, the 1995 Camry...

 

[2ndhandyotaman]

Nice ! Just in time for the nice weather to show up

 

[VictoriousEgret]

nice find! ive been meaning to take off the running boards from my 96 runner, how difficult was it to get the bolts out for you? did you have to use heat or anything? i really like the look without the boards

 

[RI-Runner]

nice find! ive been meaning to take off the running boards from my 96 runner, how difficult was it to get the bolts out for you? did you have to use heat or anything? i really like the look without the boards

Hey, thank you!
So I used two socket wrenches and a couple different sized sockets to get them all off. I needed 12mm, 13mm, and 14mm sockets to get the whole job done. I'm sure from the factory all the bolts were the same size but over time and with some rust I had better luck mixing up the sizes accordingly and using one on either end, the bolt side and the nut side.
I was lucky enough to not need any heat, impact tools, or a sawzall of any kind. I thought for sure with the rust I'd be in for an afternoon affair but it only took about an hour, including all the trial and error with the different sized sockets.
It's absolutely a DIY job though and you should go for it! Everybody says "I can't believe how lifted it looks just without the running boards!" And I was skeptical but as soon as I took the first one off I stood back and was very pleasantly surprised.
Good luck, and I can't wait to see yours!

 

[catsponchovia]

Nice find! I bought mine a few weeks ago too, same issue with the brush guard. Where abouts in RI do you live? I lived in RI for awhile and am currently in CT!

 

[RI-Runner]

Nice find! I bought mine a few weeks ago too, same issue with the brush guard. Where abouts in RI do you live? I lived in RI for awhile and am currently in CT!

Congrats on the new ride! I'm in Southern Rhode Island, like 15-20 minutes from Stonington/Pawcatuck, CT. How do you like yours? Did your brush guard give you that paint rub on your fenders, also? It looks terrible on mine!

 

[cblock406]

Removing the running boards is a must! Looks good, I have the same color and have done many of the things you have listed last year. Good luck and have fun!

 

[RI-Runner]

Removing the running boards is a must! Looks good, I have the same color and have done many of the things you have listed last year. Good luck and have fun!

Thank you!!! I’ll have to go through your thread now, look into my future a little bit. Any recommendations? Tips or tricks? For maintenance, modifications, or anything really. I’ve never been very handy or mechanically inclined but I’m gonna go it all a go with this one!

 

[cblock406]

Thank you!!! I’ll have to go through your thread now, look into my future a little bit. Any recommendations? Tips or tricks? For maintenance, modifications, or anything really. I’ve never been very handy or mechanically inclined but I’m gonna go it all a go with this one!

It's a pretty easy rig to work on. Spend lots of time on here researching, there are lots of good walk throughs and video's and at a minimum you will want a good jack and jack stands, good metric socket set, screw drivers, wrenches etc. and you will be able to get a good jump on most projects.

 

[RI-Runner]

It's a pretty easy rig to work on. Spend lots of time on here researching, there are lots of good walk throughs and video's and at a minimum you will want a good jack and jack stands, good metric socket set, screw drivers, wrenches etc. and you will be able to get a good jump on most projects.

Dude... Just skimmed through all 8 pages of your work. Very impressive and inspiring! I admire and respect your ability to do the “boring and mundane” maintenance first so you have a stable and reliable platform to build on. I really hope I have that kind of willpower. I’m reading all the tune-up and maintenance threads but keep getting distracted by the lift, wheels, and tires threads! haha. How did you like that eBay kit you bought? I was just looking at the same exact one yesterday. Seems pretty complete and comprehensive, definitely a good jumping off point.

 

[cblock406]

Dude... Just skimmed through all 8 pages of your work. Very impressive and inspiring! I admire and respect your ability to do the “boring and mundane” maintenance first so you have a stable and reliable platform to build on. I really hope I have that kind of willpower. I’m reading all the tune-up and maintenance threads but keep getting distracted by the lift, wheels, and tires threads! haha. How did you like that eBay kit you bought? I was just looking at the same exact one yesterday. Seems pretty complete and comprehensive, definitely a good jumping off point.

Haha, yeah we bought it for my girlfriend (now wife) so it's her daily driver and has to be reliable. I have the mod bug pretty bad for it but I have a couple of other cars that get most of the fun money.

The eBay kit I bought was great, I used every single piece of it except the fuel filter, which I will replace eventually. I kind of pieced together the valve cover/intake manifold gaskets and bought off Amazon for those.

 

[RI-Runner]

Haha, yeah we bought it for my girlfriend (now wife) so it's her daily driver and has to be reliable. I have the mod bug pretty bad for it but I have a couple of other cars that get most of the fun money.

The eBay kit I bought was great, I used every single piece of it except the fuel filter, which I will replace eventually. I kind of pieced together the valve cover/intake manifold gaskets and bought off Amazon for those.

Awesome, good to know. Hopefully I’ll be able to pick it up this week. Thank you for all your help!

 

[VictoriousEgret]

Hey, thank you!

So I used two socket wrenches and a couple different sized sockets to get them all off. I needed 12mm, 13mm, and 14mm sockets to get the whole job done. I'm sure from the factory all the bolts were the same size but over time and with some rust I had better luck mixing up the sizes accordingly and using one on either end, the bolt side and the nut side.

I was lucky enough to not need any heat, impact tools, or a sawzall of any kind. I thought for sure with the rust I'd be in for an afternoon affair but it only took about an hour, including all the trial and error with the different sized sockets.

It's absolutely a DIY job though and you should go for it! Everybody says "I can't believe how lifted it looks just without the running boards!" And I was skeptical but as soon as I took the first one off I stood back and was very pleasantly surprised.

Good luck, and I can't wait to see yours!

I took the time to go ahead and remove them this afternoon! The difference is amazing, it effortlessly makes it look like there’s several extra inches of clearance. And not a long time to do it either



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[catsponchovia]

Congrats on the new ride! I'm in Southern Rhode Island, like 15-20 minutes from Stonington/Pawcatuck, CT. How do you like yours? Did your brush guard give you that paint rub on your fenders, also? It looks terrible on mine!

Not too far from me! I’m currently in Willimantic CT but grew up in Sterling CT. Love my runner! I have wanted one for quite a while. The brush guard did rub but don’t as bad as the photos you posted. They also did guards on the tail lights which has allowed some surface rust from the rubbing. I removed the tail light guards yesterday.

Nice to know someone on here who lives in the same area!

 

[Silver.T4R]

Looks like you got a solid start! It's really a bummer what the grill guard did to the paint, hopefully that comes out. I'm new to wrenching too and this forum has been extremely inspiring and has already managed to drain out my wallet a few times haha. Great to see another new thread and I'm definitely looking forward too seeing where this goes. Keep us updated on the progress!

 

[midcoma]

I'm in Middletown for about another month if you have any questions or need any advice. Congrats on the purchase, you'll love it.

 

[RI-Runner]

I took the time to go ahead and remove them this afternoon! The difference is amazing, it effortlessly makes it look like there’s several extra inches of clearance. And not a long time to do it either

No way... That looks so good! Makes a world of difference for sure. We’re basically ready to go tackle Moab already and start pulling Jeeps out of ditches! I must confess I’m very jealous of that color. Does it have a tan interior? I have a weakness for green on tan cars. My ‘95 Camry is the same color scheme, I would’ve loved to have my Camry and my 4Runner be “twins.”

Not too far from me! I’m currently in Willimantic CT but grew up in Sterling CT. Love my runner! I have wanted one for quite a while. The brush guard did rub but don’t as bad as the photos you posted. They also did guards on the tail lights which has allowed some surface rust from the rubbing. I removed the tail light guards yesterday.

Nice to know someone on here who lives in the same area!

Yeah that’s not too far at all! Especially considering I think everyone else on this board lives out west in awesome off-roading areas. Do you know of anywhere around here I can get this bad boy dirty??? I do like the looks of tail light guards. I had them on my ‘07 Explorer that also had a brush guard. It was just the center column, though, without the headlight extensions. It was the same one from the police cars and it was mounted with lower frame mounts as well as higher mounts that were fed through the grille. All that prevented any and all body rub. Thing was mean looking. I just wish the 4Runner one was engineered that well.

Looks like you got a solid start! It's really a bummer what the grill guard did to the paint, hopefully that comes out. I'm new to wrenching too and this forum has been extremely inspiring and has already managed to drain out my wallet a few times haha. Great to see another new thread and I'm definitely looking forward too seeing where this goes. Keep us updated on the progress!

Thank you! Some small cosmetic touches were nice and easy to get out of the way and build some confidence. The paint is a nightmare! Eventually I’ll have to figure out a solution. But I am hoping to get a sport hood at some point. I figure when I get that sprayed and color-matched I can ask the body shop to touch up the fenders while it’s in there.
Thank you again for checking in, hopefully I can start producing some content worth tuning in to and following along with!

I'm in Middletown for about another month if you have any questions or need any advice. Congrats on the purchase, you'll love it.

Thank you for reaching out! Middletown and the Aquidneck Island area is pretty nice. I’ve worked at a few different places over there. Hopefully no major issues will arise in the month but if I do need any help it’s nice to know someone is local! I may end up over there at the DMV to get it registered... Tried Cranston and Wakefield this week and could barely even get in the door.

 

[Horsethief]

No way... That looks so good! Makes a world of difference for sure. We’re basically ready to go tackle Moab already and start pulling Jeeps out of ditches! I must confess I’m very jealous of that color. Does it have a tan interior? I have a weakness for green on tan cars. My ‘95 Camry is the same color scheme, I would’ve loved to have my Camry and my 4Runner be “twins.”


Yeah that’s not too far at all! Especially considering I think everyone else on this board lives out west in awesome off-roading areas. Do you know of anywhere around here I can get this bad boy dirty??? I do like the looks of tail light guards. I had them on my ‘07 Explorer that also had a brush guard. It was just the center column, though, without the headlight extensions. It was the same one from the police cars and it was mounted with lower frame mounts as well as higher mounts that were fed through the grille. All that prevented any and all body rub. Thing was mean looking. I just wish the 4Runner one was engineered that well.


Thank you! Some small cosmetic touches were nice and easy to get out of the way and build some confidence. The paint is a nightmare! Eventually I’ll have to figure out a solution. But I am hoping to get a sport hood at some point. I figure when I get that sprayed and color-matched I can ask the body shop to touch up the fenders while it’s in there.
Thank you again for checking in, hopefully I can start producing some content worth tuning in to and following along with!


Thank you for reaching out! Middletown and the Aquidneck Island area is pretty nice. I’ve worked at a few different places over there. Hopefully no major issues will arise in the month but if I do need any help it’s nice to know someone is local! I may end up over there at the DMV to get it registered... Tried Cranston and Wakefield this week and could barely even get in the door.

Last time I went to the Middletown DMV I was in and out in 15 minutes! Of course I just hit it at the right time, just before 3 midweek, but I was shocked. They have a much better system there than they did in their old location.

Looks good, btw! Good call snapping that one up.

 

[RI-Runner]

Last time I went to the Middletown DMV I was in and out in 15 minutes! Of course I just hit it at the right time, just before 3 midweek, but I was shocked. They have a much better system there than they did in their old location.

Looks good, btw! Good call snapping that one up.

Good to know! I’ve only been there one time and it was when I took my driving test. That was pretty quick, too. Luckily I’m working Friday and Sunday this week so I have Monday-Friday off next week. Plenty of time to rot away in DMV lines. I’m determined to get it legal and on the road!