Continuing with a fun-filled weekend of moving :redbrick:
How was your experience with Uhaul? Condition of the trailer? I have a 5x8 reserved for the weekend. What did you bring yourself? Just ball, ball mount and straps to secure the load?
What did you do with your 4runner today?
- Thread starter NorthGa4R
- Start date
How was your experience with Uhaul? Condition of the trailer? I have a 5x8 reserved for the weekend. What did you bring yourself? Just ball, ball mount and straps to secure the load?
Tx9812valve
New member
VSC off mod done... let the spirited driving begin!
NuclearN8
New member
Mega Road Trip
My wife and I just got back from a pretty epic road trip around the good ole USA together in here 4Runner (Stella), so here are the highlights...
17 Days
6,341.0 Miles
21 States (PA,OH,WV,VA,KY,TN,AR,OK,TX,AZ,NM,NV,UT,CO,KS,MO,IL,IN,VA,NC,MD)
0 speeding tickets
0 accidents
-Drove next to or over the Rio Grande, Mississipppi, Ohio, Colorado, and Missouri Rivers amongst others…
-Drove through Fish Lake, Coconino, White River, Arapaho, Jefferson, and Daniel Boone National Forests to name a few…
-Drove through countless Native American Reservations (I found it pretty ironic with all the fuss over professional sport team names that one of the high school’s names/ mascot was the Redskin within the Navajo Nation in Red Mesa, AZ)…
-Crossed the Continental Divide (twice), Traversed Vail Pass over the Rocky Mountains on I-70E in 0 degree weather (couldn't see much because of the snow and clouds though so we’ll do this again on a day trip from boulder to hike hidden lake in the future)
-Visited Grand Canyon National Park and Arches National Park & 4 Corners USA
-Saw 2 pyramids (one in Memphis (I think it is going to be a Bass Pro Shops) and Vegas (of course)).
-Climbed Camelback Mountain on Christmas in Phoenix (The view from the top is worth the climb to the top)
Road Trip thoughts & lessons learned:
-I’ll start with 4Runner performance (since this is a 4Runner forum after all...): No surprise to me (since I maintain her), Stella ran like a dream with no issues whatsoever, all she asked for was petro along the way and some fresh Mobil1 in her engine upon return home.
-Having a foodie for a wife makes for some great local eats while on the road. We had meals at some really cool spots on this trip that I would recommend to others: Husk (in Nashville), Flight ((tapas serving option) and wine bar) (in Memphis)), Coyote Bluff Cafe (best burger of my life at this place in Amarillo), High Finance (on Sandia Peak via the Tram), Top of the Rock (in Tempe), The Hillside Spot (best pancakes of my life here, in Tempe area) Westside Lilo's Cafe (in Seligman, AZ), Village Coffee Shop (in Boulder - best diner style breakfast I have ever eaten! get the #6 and you won't be disappointed)
-I enjoy craft beer as well so we stopped at a few breweries along the way to partake in some local beverage tasting. My favorite was the Mountain Sun Brewery in Boulder. We also tried the Kannah Brewing Company in Grand Junction (good pizza and loved their porter!). Chama River Brewing Company in Albuquerque, NM
- A great music selection is critical to not zoning out while driving (especially through the plains…) so we conquered this with a combination of Tune-In, Rhapsody, iheart-radio apps from our smartphone when not in FM radio range. Smart phones are key when needing to find the closet starbucks and consolidating stops (food, drink, gas in one to save as much time as possible). A full tank and belly and an empty bladder makes for a great road trip… never pass up an opportunity to fill up with gas or go to the bathroom (especially in the more remote regions)…
- Great items to have within arms reach while driving and found ourselves using often were the camera, dental floss or picks, chargers for everything, disposable grocery bags for garbage bags at rest stops, a case of water, a snack bag.
- We had a Coleman extreme cooler on the backseat behind the driver (so the passenger could reach back and get into it without having to stop which worked out well for underway replenishment). It held hotel ice bags for 2 days with no issues. I just wish it was a bit larger and had wheels (easier to lug in and out of the hotels) so that’s on the to buy list for next road trip. We’re thinking a PCN’er or New Englander for our next roadie…
-An extra bottle of windshield washer fluid is a must especially for winter road trips. Running out and not being at a gas station to buy some would suck.
- We decided we want to go back to Sedona, AZ and Boulder, CO for mini vacations at some point… we liked these two stops the best.
- The OKC memorial makes a deafening statement while being completely silent with those two large walls and empty chairs. Almost started crying there, sad.
If you have to stay in or near OKC, the bricktown area/ district is cool… they recreated a mini canal district like San Antonio that is neat… oh and you have to try Tapwerks there.. crazy amount of beers on draft (they’re open late for food too which is nice if you arrive late into town like we did).
- I’m sorry but Vegas is way overrated. We are not gamblers but the whole place felt dirty and like one big scam. We were both woefully underwhelmed and couldn’t wait to leave…
- Utah was the state I was most impressed with in terms of natural beauty/ scenery. Just gorgeous and almost prehistoric in some areas (in Arches at sunset I kept thinking I was going to see a dinosaur walk out from behind a rock or something… haha. It’s like a walk/ hike back in time there, just awesome to experience).
-Arkansas and Kansas tie for the most boring states. If you’re planning a road trip, you won’t miss anything by traveling these states at night in the dark. Sorry to anyone who calls these states home.
-We wish we had more time to so we could do the Zion national park in Utah as well (next trip we’ll take a day drive up from Sedona for sure)
Closing Thought
I have been wanting to do a trip like this since getting off active duty and I definitely have a much deeper appreciation for our country and the people that call it home after this trip. The USA is an absolutely amazing country and it was exhilarating to finally experience more of it with my wife.
Get out there and explore a bit, even if it’s not fishing or offroading or camping, it’s definitely still worth it to see more of the outdoors.
Finally a few pictures with the Stella...
My wife and I just got back from a pretty epic road trip around the good ole USA together in here 4Runner (Stella), so here are the highlights...
17 Days
6,341.0 Miles
21 States (PA,OH,WV,VA,KY,TN,AR,OK,TX,AZ,NM,NV,UT,CO,KS,MO,IL,IN,VA,NC,MD)
0 speeding tickets
0 accidents
Our route looked like this…
-Drove next to or over the Rio Grande, Mississipppi, Ohio, Colorado, and Missouri Rivers amongst others…
-Drove through Fish Lake, Coconino, White River, Arapaho, Jefferson, and Daniel Boone National Forests to name a few…
-Drove through countless Native American Reservations (I found it pretty ironic with all the fuss over professional sport team names that one of the high school’s names/ mascot was the Redskin within the Navajo Nation in Red Mesa, AZ)…
-Crossed the Continental Divide (twice), Traversed Vail Pass over the Rocky Mountains on I-70E in 0 degree weather (couldn't see much because of the snow and clouds though so we’ll do this again on a day trip from boulder to hike hidden lake in the future)
-Visited Grand Canyon National Park and Arches National Park & 4 Corners USA
-Saw 2 pyramids (one in Memphis (I think it is going to be a Bass Pro Shops) and Vegas (of course)).
-Climbed Camelback Mountain on Christmas in Phoenix (The view from the top is worth the climb to the top)
Road Trip thoughts & lessons learned:
-I’ll start with 4Runner performance (since this is a 4Runner forum after all...): No surprise to me (since I maintain her), Stella ran like a dream with no issues whatsoever, all she asked for was petro along the way and some fresh Mobil1 in her engine upon return home.
-Having a foodie for a wife makes for some great local eats while on the road. We had meals at some really cool spots on this trip that I would recommend to others: Husk (in Nashville), Flight ((tapas serving option) and wine bar) (in Memphis)), Coyote Bluff Cafe (best burger of my life at this place in Amarillo), High Finance (on Sandia Peak via the Tram), Top of the Rock (in Tempe), The Hillside Spot (best pancakes of my life here, in Tempe area) Westside Lilo's Cafe (in Seligman, AZ), Village Coffee Shop (in Boulder - best diner style breakfast I have ever eaten! get the #6 and you won't be disappointed)
-I enjoy craft beer as well so we stopped at a few breweries along the way to partake in some local beverage tasting. My favorite was the Mountain Sun Brewery in Boulder. We also tried the Kannah Brewing Company in Grand Junction (good pizza and loved their porter!). Chama River Brewing Company in Albuquerque, NM
- A great music selection is critical to not zoning out while driving (especially through the plains…) so we conquered this with a combination of Tune-In, Rhapsody, iheart-radio apps from our smartphone when not in FM radio range. Smart phones are key when needing to find the closet starbucks and consolidating stops (food, drink, gas in one to save as much time as possible). A full tank and belly and an empty bladder makes for a great road trip… never pass up an opportunity to fill up with gas or go to the bathroom (especially in the more remote regions)…
- Great items to have within arms reach while driving and found ourselves using often were the camera, dental floss or picks, chargers for everything, disposable grocery bags for garbage bags at rest stops, a case of water, a snack bag.
- We had a Coleman extreme cooler on the backseat behind the driver (so the passenger could reach back and get into it without having to stop which worked out well for underway replenishment). It held hotel ice bags for 2 days with no issues. I just wish it was a bit larger and had wheels (easier to lug in and out of the hotels) so that’s on the to buy list for next road trip. We’re thinking a PCN’er or New Englander for our next roadie…
-An extra bottle of windshield washer fluid is a must especially for winter road trips. Running out and not being at a gas station to buy some would suck.
- We decided we want to go back to Sedona, AZ and Boulder, CO for mini vacations at some point… we liked these two stops the best.
- The OKC memorial makes a deafening statement while being completely silent with those two large walls and empty chairs. Almost started crying there, sad.
If you have to stay in or near OKC, the bricktown area/ district is cool… they recreated a mini canal district like San Antonio that is neat… oh and you have to try Tapwerks there.. crazy amount of beers on draft (they’re open late for food too which is nice if you arrive late into town like we did).
- I’m sorry but Vegas is way overrated. We are not gamblers but the whole place felt dirty and like one big scam. We were both woefully underwhelmed and couldn’t wait to leave…
- Utah was the state I was most impressed with in terms of natural beauty/ scenery. Just gorgeous and almost prehistoric in some areas (in Arches at sunset I kept thinking I was going to see a dinosaur walk out from behind a rock or something… haha. It’s like a walk/ hike back in time there, just awesome to experience).
-Arkansas and Kansas tie for the most boring states. If you’re planning a road trip, you won’t miss anything by traveling these states at night in the dark. Sorry to anyone who calls these states home.
-We wish we had more time to so we could do the Zion national park in Utah as well (next trip we’ll take a day drive up from Sedona for sure)
Closing Thought
I have been wanting to do a trip like this since getting off active duty and I definitely have a much deeper appreciation for our country and the people that call it home after this trip. The USA is an absolutely amazing country and it was exhilarating to finally experience more of it with my wife.
Get out there and explore a bit, even if it’s not fishing or offroading or camping, it’s definitely still worth it to see more of the outdoors.
Finally a few pictures with the Stella...
montana_jeepn
New member
I took advantage of the 65 degree weather we had here today.
I installed an ADDCO front sway bar to match the rear (this sucker was way heavier than the factory 29mm), a Toytec sway bar relocation kit, and I attempted to install a set of custom sway bar links, but the bolts were too long (not enough thread on the lower one), so I re-installed my worn originals.
The sway bars should be parallel to the ground right?
I took my 4Runner for a test drive on some twisty roads afterwards and she handled like a dream...noticeable improvement.
DT headers are supposed to arrive tomorrow....
<---big smile
I installed an ADDCO front sway bar to match the rear (this sucker was way heavier than the factory 29mm), a Toytec sway bar relocation kit, and I attempted to install a set of custom sway bar links, but the bolts were too long (not enough thread on the lower one), so I re-installed my worn originals.
The sway bars should be parallel to the ground right?
I took my 4Runner for a test drive on some twisty roads afterwards and she handled like a dream...noticeable improvement.
DT headers are supposed to arrive tomorrow....
<---big smile
jstanwood
New member
Slid right on through a three-lane intersection after the light went yellow. 
I was only going 30...
I guess I'll be replacing the Wal-mart tires the PO put on my 4R, or buying winter wheels and tires.
I'm smitten with the Michelin X-ice's I just had installed on our Sienna.
I was only going 30...I guess I'll be replacing the Wal-mart tires the PO put on my 4R, or buying winter wheels and tires.
I'm smitten with the Michelin X-ice's I just had installed on our Sienna.
NJshadow93
New member
Sorry if this was a little late, but can't complain too much. You just need the ball, a drop hitch (if you're lifted), and the adapter for the wiring plug. The half the right side turn signals didn't work on the trailer and last time I got it only one brake light worked. The place probably couldn't care less about replacing the bulbs since they own the trailer and who knows, Uhaul might not have control over it because of that. That's my only real complaint with it.
LTDSC
New member
i like my red top. i got a good deal with AutoZone online. was 30% off and free shipping. Took about a week and a half but it got here in one piece.
Our weather is a bit different though so i cant comment on the low temps with it.
Can you point me in the right direction for one of the adapters? I have everything else. Im trying to minimize surprises come Friday haha and thanks for your help.
Edit. Do I need a 7 round to 4 flat? Like this one? http://www.uhaul.com/MovingSupplies...w-Adapter-7-way-RV-round-to-4-way-flat?id=720
Last edited:
wadle5
New member
Yes I plan on going through AutoZone, and here I can just pull into one and they will install it right upon purchase. . .but I will be ordering online and using that 30% discount off of tacomaworld
sunnysider
New member
My wife and I just got back from a pretty epic road trip around the good ole USA together in here 4Runner (Stella), so here are the highlights...
17 Days
6,341.0 Miles
21 States (PA,OH,WV,VA,KY,TN,AR,OK,TX,AZ,NM,NV,UT,CO,KS,MO,IL,IN,VA,NC,MD)
0 speeding tickets
0 accidents
Our route looked like this…
-Drove next to or over the Rio Grande, Mississipppi, Ohio, Colorado, and Missouri Rivers amongst others…
-Drove through Fish Lake, Coconino, White River, Arapaho, Jefferson, and Daniel Boone National Forests to name a few…
-Drove through countless Native American Reservations (I found it pretty ironic with all the fuss over professional sport team names that one of the high school’s names/ mascot was the Redskin within the Navajo Nation in Red Mesa, AZ)…
-Crossed the Continental Divide (twice), Traversed Vail Pass over the Rocky Mountains on I-70E in 0 degree weather (couldn't see much because of the snow and clouds though so we’ll do this again on a day trip from boulder to hike hidden lake in the future)
-Visited Grand Canyon National Park and Arches National Park & 4 Corners USA
-Saw 2 pyramids (one in Memphis (I think it is going to be a Bass Pro Shops) and Vegas (of course)).
-Climbed Camelback Mountain on Christmas in Phoenix (The view from the top is worth the climb to the top)
Road Trip thoughts & lessons learned:
-I’ll start with 4Runner performance (since this is a 4Runner forum after all...): No surprise to me (since I maintain her), Stella ran like a dream with no issues whatsoever, all she asked for was petro along the way and some fresh Mobil1 in her engine upon return home.
-Having a foodie for a wife makes for some great local eats while on the road. We had meals at some really cool spots on this trip that I would recommend to others: Husk (in Nashville), Flight ((tapas serving option) and wine bar) (in Memphis)), Coyote Bluff Cafe (best burger of my life at this place in Amarillo), High Finance (on Sandia Peak via the Tram), Top of the Rock (in Tempe), The Hillside Spot (best pancakes of my life here, in Tempe area) Westside Lilo's Cafe (in Seligman, AZ), Village Coffee Shop (in Boulder - best diner style breakfast I have ever eaten! get the #6 and you won't be disappointed)
-I enjoy craft beer as well so we stopped at a few breweries along the way to partake in some local beverage tasting. My favorite was the Mountain Sun Brewery in Boulder. We also tried the Kannah Brewing Company in Grand Junction (good pizza and loved their porter!). Chama River Brewing Company in Albuquerque, NM
- A great music selection is critical to not zoning out while driving (especially through the plains…) so we conquered this with a combination of Tune-In, Rhapsody, iheart-radio apps from our smartphone when not in FM radio range. Smart phones are key when needing to find the closet starbucks and consolidating stops (food, drink, gas in one to save as much time as possible). A full tank and belly and an empty bladder makes for a great road trip… never pass up an opportunity to fill up with gas or go to the bathroom (especially in the more remote regions)…
- Great items to have within arms reach while driving and found ourselves using often were the camera, dental floss or picks, chargers for everything, disposable grocery bags for garbage bags at rest stops, a case of water, a snack bag.
- We had a Coleman extreme cooler on the backseat behind the driver (so the passenger could reach back and get into it without having to stop which worked out well for underway replenishment). It held hotel ice bags for 2 days with no issues. I just wish it was a bit larger and had wheels (easier to lug in and out of the hotels) so that’s on the to buy list for next road trip. We’re thinking a PCN’er or New Englander for our next roadie…
-An extra bottle of windshield washer fluid is a must especially for winter road trips. Running out and not being at a gas station to buy some would suck.
- We decided we want to go back to Sedona, AZ and Boulder, CO for mini vacations at some point… we liked these two stops the best.
- The OKC memorial makes a deafening statement while being completely silent with those two large walls and empty chairs. Almost started crying there, sad.
If you have to stay in or near OKC, the bricktown area/ district is cool… they recreated a mini canal district like San Antonio that is neat… oh and you have to try Tapwerks there.. crazy amount of beers on draft (they’re open late for food too which is nice if you arrive late into town like we did).
- I’m sorry but Vegas is way overrated. We are not gamblers but the whole place felt dirty and like one big scam. We were both woefully underwhelmed and couldn’t wait to leave…
- Utah was the state I was most impressed with in terms of natural beauty/ scenery. Just gorgeous and almost prehistoric in some areas (in Arches at sunset I kept thinking I was going to see a dinosaur walk out from behind a rock or something… haha. It’s like a walk/ hike back in time there, just awesome to experience).
-Arkansas and Kansas tie for the most boring states. If you’re planning a road trip, you won’t miss anything by traveling these states at night in the dark. Sorry to anyone who calls these states home.
-We wish we had more time to so we could do the Zion national park in Utah as well (next trip we’ll take a day drive up from Sedona for sure)
Closing Thought
I have been wanting to do a trip like this since getting off active duty and I definitely have a much deeper appreciation for our country and the people that call it home after this trip. The USA is an absolutely amazing country and it was exhilarating to finally experience more of it with my wife.
Get out there and explore a bit, even if it’s not fishing or offroading or camping, it’s definitely still worth it to see more of the outdoors.
Finally a few pictures with the Stella...
That looked like a great road trip! Thanks for the write-up. I enjoyed reading it. I'm glad you made the most of having to stay in OKC lol. It's slowly growing but they have a long way to go until I would want to move back there. I live in CO and agree that Mountain Sun Pub is a great little brewery with good burgers too. I have question for you regarding your drive through Utah. I am wanting to take a summer road through Utah's national parks this year. I am guessing you went through Zion, Canyonlands, and Arches judging by your map route. Which did you enjoy most? Is there one of them that you would say is a can't miss?
Awesome trip man. A few quick questions just out of curiosity:
- Did you guys stay in the 4Runner at all, or always hotels?
- What GPS system did you use? Mobile or a dedicated GPS in your truck?
NJshadow93
New member
Yup that'll work. You can get one at Walmart cheaper that has two adapters on it (4 and 6 I think?)
That's one hell of a trip [MENTION=87178]NuclearN8[/MENTION]
I was thinking about doing something very similar in my Vantage just the other night, but quickly stopped because I wouldn't be able to get that much time out of the office. Really jealous you got to enjoy the open roads like that! I haven't driven cross-country since 2006 lol
I was thinking about doing something very similar in my Vantage just the other night, but quickly stopped because I wouldn't be able to get that much time out of the office. Really jealous you got to enjoy the open roads like that! I haven't driven cross-country since 2006 lol
Awesome thanks.
Just had the 4runner tinted. I was planning on matching it but went with 30 instead of their suggestion of 20. Im happy with it but 20 would have matched better. The picture makes the tint look darker than it really is.
Edit: I have no clue how my car managed to flip itself, but I have no clue how to fix it.
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NuclearN8
New member
marriots exclusively since we have a relative and get a real nice discount there thanks to her.
gps used was factory nav (for overall guidance/distance to destination) aided by smartphones for turn by turn)... I just hate the factory nav as it's not real user friendly, especially when in motion (and yeah I know there is an override for it but I refuse to pay for that...) . I also printed paper copies from mapquest for each leg before we left as backup...
Runner27
New member
My wife and I just got back from a pretty epic road trip around the good ole USA together in here 4Runner (Stella), so here are the highlights...
17 Days
6,341.0 Miles
21 States (PA,OH,WV,VA,KY,TN,AR,OK,TX,AZ,NM,NV,UT,CO,KS,MO,IL,IN,VA,NC,MD)
0 speeding tickets
0 accidents
Our route looked like this…
That's great. I always wanted to do a roadtrip but never had time nor money to do one. Did you start from State College PA?
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