What I learned from offroading a stock 4runner

[alexchannell]

1. Approach and departure angles suck
2. Stock highway tires with 66k on them...suck
3. ATRAC does a pretty good job but is not even close to as good as lockers...plus it kills your momentum.
4. Stock bumpers suck, far too easy to damage them, unlike my fj80 or taco's
5. Wheeled right about as well as a Montero with bfg all terrains (a tiny bit worse)
6. I need some serious armor

 

[r32]

Thanks, I was wondering this too. I pretty much suspected most of what you listed, after a venture into some light snow at the end of last winter.

I'm not doing any serious off-roading until I can afford some after market upgrades.

 

[T?@\7]

what are you trying to do with a stock truck? its not a rubicon( that being said, I have gone EVERYWHERE my friend with a rubicon has gone stock for stock. This is fla. we dont rock crawl)

1)ive never had an issue, but are you crawling on rocks or really BIG logs?
2)any tire with 66k will suck, let alone a shit stock tire
3) duh! but again, what are you doing and expecting?
4) they are huge, the rear especially... you must be rock crawling?
5) man thats a shameful statement! I think once you get to know your 4runner better off pavement you might change your thoughts on that!
6) i think anyone who hits the trails seriously should consider upgrading their 'protection'. I have a budbuilt front skid that is verry serious steel! sliders will be upcoming but also very useful. its hard to find a balance of form and function but it does exist

 

[alexchannell]

what are you trying to do with a stock truck? its not a rubicon( that being said, I have gone EVERYWHERE my friend with a rubicon has gone stock for stock. This is fla. we dont rock crawl)

1)ive never had an issue, but are you crawling on rocks or really BIG logs?
2)any tire with 66k will suck, let alone a shit stock tire
3) duh! but again, what are you doing and expecting?
4) they are huge, the rear especially... you must be rock crawling?
5) man thats a shameful statement! I think once you get to know your 4runner better off pavement you might change your thoughts on that!
6) i think anyone who hits the trails seriously should consider upgrading their 'protection'. I have a budbuilt front skid that is verry serious steel! sliders will be upcoming but also very useful. its hard to find a balance of form and function but it does exist

Was one some trails coated with some snow (about an inch or so) and therefore pretty slick stuff.

I'm just stating what I noticed with the truck, no hard feelings.

1. Nope no rocks, narrow snow coated trails, needed good approach and departure angles at times.

2.Yep, I expected them to be terrible, was suprised they did as well as they did against the almost new bfg's

3. Was hoping ATRAC wouldn't kill your momentum (for crawling it works great, for getting up slippery stuff where momentum needs to be kept up not so great)

4. No rocks, but narrow trails with some sharp inclines.

5.Whats wrong with a montero with all-terrains? Why should it be much worse?

6.Yep, plan to do some similar mods.

 

[Thai]

What Montero year are you talking about?? T?@\7, don't underestimate a Montero...i respect them for the most part...certainly, you can find worst off-roaders than Monteros.

The last gen Monteros (unibody) had really good approach angle, but their departure angle sucked (19 degrees or something). The rear independent suspension really limits wheel travel...thus, most of the time, these Monteros had at least 1 wheel in the air. They were OK for off-roading...their "ATRAC" version was decent.

The prior gen Monteros were very respectable off-road...very durable body-on-frame design. Good rear solid axle. All you need on those is a rear locker and it will get you to many places.

T?@\7, btw, if you think that a 4runner stock can follow a Rubicon, then you have not off-roaded enough! A stock Rubicon will go farther and thru more crap than anything stock out there, including my G. Trust me, i have seen enough of them (my brother has one) that it is not even an argument during our off-roading events/meets...and this includes modified FJ Cruiser owners.

 

[alexchannell]

What Montero year are you talking about?? T?@\7, don't underestimate a Montero...i respect them for the most part...certainly, you can find worst off-roaders than Monteros.

The last gen Monteros (unibody) had really good approach angle, but their departure angle sucked (19 degrees or something). The rear independent suspension really limits wheel travel...thus, most of the time, these Monteros had at least 1 wheel in the air. They were OK for off-roading...their "ATRAC" version was decent.

The prior gen Monteros were very respectable off-road...very durable body-on-frame design. Good rear solid axle. All you need on those is a rear locker and it will get you to many places.

It's the frame on body, with the solid axle. It did pretty well out there. Seemed comperable to a 3rd gen 4runner.

 

[03_4x4Runner]

1. Approach and departure angles suck
2. Stock highway tires with 66k on them...suck
3. ATRAC does a pretty good job but is not even close to as good as lockers...plus it kills your momentum.
4. Stock bumpers suck, far too easy to damage them, unlike my fj80 or taco's
5. Wheeled right about as well as a Montero with bfg all terrains (a tiny bit worse)
6. I need some serious armor

I have to agree with this. I off road in the Arizona desert and there are rocks and washouts on some trails. After my 2.5 lift and BFG All terrains it is 100% better. The increased ground clearance and approch angle makes a world of difference. I can go on trails now that I could never consider stock. That being said I also have a lifted Jeep wrangler. The Jeep will go places easily you would not want to take the 4runner. The 4runner is to big on tight trails, the gas tank hangs to low and without rock sliders would damage the body. I use the 4runner for farther away easier trails.

 

[RonMAIDEN]

The only diffs between a 3rd gen stock,which does pretty good, and a 4th gen is the approach and departures favor the 3rd gen and the bumpers handle abuse better and if you have a locker it's a big plus but 4th gens are quite capable in the rights hands.

 

[teampwr2]

I dont Know about Snow covered Trails ,Seems Anything would Have trouble ...Slippery and wet.
I do Agree the Stock Approach and Departure Could be better ,But its a 4 Runner...I too Live in Az And 4 wheel About 100 miles a week With a Alot of rock trails ,hills etc . Once you learn really how ATRAC works and how to use it ,it really does make a Differance. Ive been amazed where I ve gotten my 4 runner ...
It Just depends on realistic expectations from this type of vehicle


I use OME Lift with ARB Front Bumper and a Different rear Bumper ,upgraded skids

 

[alexchannell]

I dont Know about Snow covered Trails ,Seems Anything would Have trouble ...Slippery and wet.
I do Agree the Stock Approach and Departure Could be better ,But its a 4 Runner...I too Live in Az And 4 wheel About 100 miles a week With a Alot of rock trails ,hills etc . Once you learn really how ATRAC works and how to use it ,it really does make a Differance. Ive been amazed where I ve gotten my 4 runner ...
It Just depends on realistic expectations from this type of vehicle


I use OME Lift with ARB Front Bumper and a Different rear Bumper ,upgraded skids

Great looking truck!

Ohh I agree the atrac works really well when crawling and very low speeds, but when I need to keep the momentum up, thats where I find it lacking.

 

[Falls]

I feel the opposite although I do agree with some statements.

I have upsized AT Tires and go through a ton of stuff I could never have gone through with my 15 other 4x4's , lockers or not . I go off the road quite a bit , this thing never ceases to amaze me .

Yes it needs a lift ( atleast for under body clearance issues ) nicer tires , body armor , ect......

Maybe this is not the vehicle for you.

Otherwise with a little tricking out some of these guy's have awesome rig's here.

 

[alexchannell]

I feel the opposite although I do agree with some statements.

I have upsized AT Tires and go through a ton of stuff I could never have gone through with my 15 other 4x4's , lockers or not . I go off the road quite a bit , this thing never ceases to amaze me .

Yes it needs a lift ( atleast for under body clearance issues ) nicer tires , body armor , ect......

Maybe this is not the vehicle for you.

Otherwise with a little tricking out some of these guy's have awesome rig's here.

This was just an observation of the stock truck, with some really crappy tires, just observations, not complaints.

 

[Falls]

Good tires made a HUGE difference.

 

[teampwr2]

I will Be Adding an ARB Rear Locker by end of January. And Then Sliders . Im Just waiting till I actually smash the stock running boards off to help Justify the expense to the wife !!
then Ill be pretty much done.

 

[4runr30]

4th Gen Cons

I have also found the 4th Gen to be lacking off the showroom floor as opposed to a 3rd Gen. I could get my old 2 wheel drive 3rd Gen into more places that I can my 05 4x4. Note that my 98 had the same tires I'm running under the 05 and stock suspension. The 4th Gen approach and departure angles do suck, and longer wheel base certainly doesn't help anything. I do some off-roading, not rock crawling by any means, and the longer wheel base seems to be the 4th Gen's bigger enemy IMO. Whether is be going up or down hills the 4th Gen always seems to high center, even when taken at an angle. I hope that once I put alittle lift under her that she'll be fine, but until then the 4th Gen will continue to be inferior to my previous 2WD 3rd Gen. But hey whats the point of having a T4R if you aren't goin to trick it out and put some time into it? :bigok:

 

[03_4x4Runner]

Re: 4th Gen Cons

I have also found the 4th Gen to be lacking off the showroom floor as opposed to a 3rd Gen. I could get my old 2 wheel drive 3rd Gen into more places that I can my 05 4x4. Note that my 98 had the same tires I'm running under the 05 and stock suspension. The 4th Gen approach and departure angles do suck, and longer wheel base certainly doesn't help anything. I do some off-roading, not rock crawling by any means, and the longer wheel base seems to be the 4th Gen's bigger enemy IMO. Whether is be going up or down hills the 4th Gen always seems to high center, even when taken at an angle. I hope that once I put alittle lift under her that she'll be fine, but until then the 4th Gen will continue to be inferior to my previous 2WD 3rd Gen. But hey whats the point of having a T4R if you aren't goin to trick it out and put some time into it? :bigok:

2-3 inches of lift makes a world of difference. You will not regret it. Should have been that way from the factory.