I highly recommend removing the running boards. Its all of 6 12mm bolts on each side, you dont need any special equipment, just a wrench and an extension to the socket as the bolts sit quite deep and the handle will bump against the frame and you'll only get a quarter turn at a time.
I didnt remove them the first time I did the easy trail and got a small dent in one. There is no way around some of the humps. The trail is narrow and they cross the full width.
You really can go on your own if you are only go to do the easy trails. There is always some else out there if you go on the weekend and need a pull of you get yourself lodged on something (take a tow strap). Also, the trails are 2 way so if you dont like what you see you just back up until you can find a sport to turn around.
I am considering a 2" front, 1" rear lift, possibly toytec, dont want to go crazy. There is only one place that the underbody kept touching but as I said I did everything I could to take humps at an angle. May start looking for some additional skid plates too..
Yes, a still detail my 4Runner, it takes a while after a dusty trip to get it clean again - about 3hrs and a pressure washer helps... I used engine bright/engine shine from the autoparts store and use about up to 2 cans on the underbody and engine and flush the whole thing. Hand wash the whole car one section at a time, door jams, wheels etc.
Your windows will be open alot too and you wont believe how much dust comes in, so I have an interior brush kit to get into all the corners and vents and use compressed air on the instruments and other hard to reach places.
Then finish off with some silicone detailer on all the black parts, and its back to good as new sparkling.
(wouldn't be dumb enough to go by myself without another truck to yank me out)
