Trails in 4th gen SR5 4Runner?

[dixie8123]

I live in Charleston, SC and I would like to start taking my T4R off the road a bit. It's a 2006 SR5, non 4WD or V8 so obviously it can't go too far. Do you think I can get off the road at all with it though, and how much?


Thanks!

 

[macgyver_ga]

Sell it, buy a 4x4, and never buy a 2WD vehicle again haha.

You can drive forest service roads in 2wd but that's about the extent of "off-roading" you'll be able to do.

Back when I had my tacoma and would go on off-roading trips with the taco guys, there was a pre-runner guy that had a winch and would winch himself up trails that a bone stock 4x4 could make it up, then claim he could keep up with a 4x4. Why on earth would you want to do that?

 

[wnelax04sr5]

im not so sure that you're screwed.... just ask [MENTION=50591]gaterose[/MENTION] and he will tell you how capable a 2wd can be

 

[Hayden_]

Maybe a personal opinion, but I'll toss my 2 cents in. 2wd is just as capable in most situations than 4wd. As a 2wd owner I can personally tell you I've made it through things 4wd owners didn't. I think 2wd is more about driver skill and knowing your limits clearly rock crawling is a 4wd thing but if you're driving the dunes you want 2wd and if you're going to be going through thick mud it's both. I've only gone through 2 things and gotten stuck that a 4wd owner has gone through. I have a lot of knowledge on the subject of racing and off-roading and know a lot more about off-roading than most people though and I think that's what a lot of 4wd owners lack is knowledge on what they're doing. A handful of 4wd owners that I know seem to just think because they have 4wd they can go through anything and don't get me wrong 4wd drive is nice to have but you don't need to run 4wd the whole time off-roading. Anyways my point is that if you know what you're doing then 4wd is just as capable as 2wd and vice versa. Just be smart about it.

 

[bpowa]

Im sure a 2wd truck is capable than most think. I went on a trail on my tundra. I was surprised it did well. However. I dont want any doubts. So spending an extra 2k on a "tuck"for 4wd is worth it to me. That same trail if i wook my 4runner up now. There would be 0 doubts. It only take once to get stuck an you will regret.

 

[KidVermicious]

Skill plays a huge part in where a truck can go, and even as 2wd you can get a locker in the rear and increase your capability tremendously. But it's no secret that all other things being equal, a 4wd can go way farther than any 2wd, locked or not.

If you want to wheel, have at it. Just don't do it alone. Find a club or get with some board members that will let you tag along so that you'll have some help if/when you get stuck. If you decide that you like wheeling and want to pursue it as a hobby, allow me to recommend investing in an old 4wd beater truck to use and abuse on the trails instead of sinking any money into your relatively nice 2wd 4Runner.

 

[OzarkRunner]

I'd recommend you go with some friends in at least one other vehicle. Find a spot you're interested in, and find out first-hand what you're able to do. If you get stuck, the other vehicle can pull you out. This way, you can understand what you're capable of as a driver, and what 2WD can handle.

 

[LTDSC]

Sell it, buy a 4x4, and never buy a 2WD vehicle again haha.

You can drive forest service roads in 2wd but that's about the extent of "off-roading" you'll be able to do.

Back when I had my tacoma and would go on off-roading trips with the taco guys, there was a pre-runner guy that had a winch and would winch himself up trails that a bone stock 4x4 could make it up, then claim he could keep up with a 4x4. Why on earth would you want to do that?

wow. ive never seen so much wrong in one post.

Youll do fine, its mainly momentum unless you're in conditions that demand 4x4. I've gone everywhere but snow and deep mud with 2wd no issues.

Some people just wont take their heads out of the sand to realize the sun still shines.

 

[gaterose]

I agree with what most of the others are saying. 4wd will almost always get you further in rough terrain but 2wd and good driving can get you plenty of places, beyond forest service roads.

I've taken my 2wd on several "4x4 only" trails. Obviously knowing your limits and when to take the easy line is key, as is not wheeling alone. Although I'll admit I have gotten out of my 2wd comfort zone, alone, a couple times and been fortunate not to get stranded.

Bottom line is if you really want to hit trails and trading for a 4x4 is viable then you should. If it's not an option, then do some light wheeling in your 4x2 and maybe put a locker in.

 

[macgyver_ga]

wow. ive never seen so much wrong in one post.

Youll do fine, its mainly momentum unless you're in conditions that demand 4x4. I've gone everywhere but snow and deep mud with 2wd no issues.

Some people just wont take their heads out of the sand to realize the sun still shines.

Momentum is also a great way to break things. Especially wheeling here out east where the OP lives and you're dealing with trees everywhere. Get too much momentum on a slippery wet clay trail (which there's a lot of those out here) and you could slide yourself into a tree, rock, or both. Where he lives in coastal South Carolina, Most of the trails he'll be dealing with will be sandy or mucky coastal plain soil. You can bury yourself up to your frame rails really fast if you're not careful. Then if he heads a few hours inland to the mountains of western NC & SC & North GA he'll be dealing with lots of clay soil (which is like ice skating when it's wet), steep hills, and water crossings. He'll be able to navigate the maintained FS just fine. Which is fun if you're just looking for a nice scenic drive or searching for a campsite to camp.

Also, I've seen a lot of 2wd trucks "making it through" but they're definitely not treading lightly. Getting a running start, spinning your rear tires, fishtailing, and rutting up a trail the whole way through is not treading lightly by any means. Teenage Shenanigans like that is the reason the FS is closing a lot of the National forests and WMA's to ORV traffic.

Also like others said, never go wheeling alone. Even if you have a 4x4 I wouldn't go alone unless you're very familiar with the trail and have a decent means of communication. You never know what could happen, especially out in a remote area. Recently, my buddies, myself, and my wife were exploring around on some FS roads. Me and my wife were in my Tundra and the other two were in my buddy's FJ40. We decided to head back to the main road because it was starting to get dark. I got a few switchbacks ahead of him and couldn't see him in my rear view anymore. Once I got to the main road, I waited for him for about 15 minutes or so and he never showed up. It was really starting to get dark at that point. Our cell service sucked out there so we had no means of communication. I turned around and went back to find him. He was broken down in the middle of the road. He hit a dip too hard which knocked his battery loose from the tray and ended up yanking a wire out of his distributor. I had to tow him all the way back to the main road with my tow strap, then rent a uhaul trailer and tow the FJ40 back home. Once we got back home and started tinkering with it, we finally found the wire that had come loose. Boom, started right back up.

I don't mean to discourage you, just saying if you're serious about doing more off-roading than just tooling around on FS roads, then I would buy a 4x4.