Where do you draw the line for a DD ?

[Falls]

I've done a couple of things to my 4R mostly cosmetic except for bigger and better tires.

I've got this 1" leveling kit to put in .

I want more aggressive bigger (285) tires than I have , is that practical ....probably not.

I would like a bigger lift than the 1" , is that practical .....probably not .

I would like a Westin Safari bar on the front with some PIAA's , is that realistic ......... probably.

I drive about 25k per year , I sometimes have to drive at high speeds.

My 4R is not a rock crawler or mud bogger , although it sees plenty of it at play times. It has got me through a lot of stuff that my other trucks have not ( many cases Atrac related ) so where do you draw the line between form/look and practical function of reliability , safety , economical ( really don't care about the gas ) but dont want it any worse either.

Do some of you that have 3/2 CF lifts or coil overs , with 285's , lockers , sliders , ect..... use them as a daily driver and something to make long trips with . Could you drive 8-10 hours on the hiway comfortably ??

Where do you personally draw the line ................
We all want to drive something tricked out .

 

[Thai]

If i had a 4runner, then i would do these mods right away:

1. Good 32" tires
2. Rock sliders

If i had some extra dough, then i would do:

3. ARB rear locker with compressor (i love this combo!)
4. 1" front lift (for appearance and bit more clearance)

That's it. I would have a good DD and still have a very capable rig for all terrain.

I want to emphasize the tires...it needs to MATCH the capability of your rig! That is, you don't want to put 32" HIGHWAY tires on a 4runner because the 4runner is so much more capable than that. Yes, you have to balance it with your DD duties (fuel economy, noise, all-weather safety, etc.), but, at the same time, you should NOT sell your 4runner short at the next off-roading trip because you wanted that super smooth highway ride. Trust me, i learned all this the hard way...you can have lockers all around and yet still stuck because of crappy tires. You need to match your tires to the capability of your rig. Remember, IMHO, your tire selection is the MOST important factor between moving forward and standing still.

On the other hand, i would not put mud-terrains or BFG AT KO on a Highlander or RAV4...and yes, that thought has crossed my mind about my wife's 2wd Highlander! (She would kill me first of all...so, it ain't happening.)

My philosophy has always been to modify the rig enough for 90-95% of trail duties but still maintain decent on-road performance & safety. Remember, the vehicle must still be safe enough for your family. But, what is MOST important for me is that the mods MUST NOT affect the durability nor the reliability of the vehicle or the mechanical parts of the vehicle.

My opinion.

 

[Northof49]

- BFG's one sized up from stock
- Put your 1" kit in, got it already anyways...shouldn't hurt any practicality.
- Sliders
- Done.

Haven't compromised anything, and will do more in the bush than most will ever require.

 

[Falls]

Thai , you know me better than that .....hi way tires ....lol. I think the BFG AT is about aggressive of an AT tire out there , correct ?? I'm really curious about the GY SA , but dont know what I'll end up with.

I do want to put a small bar on the front for looks and a set of lights maybe protect the bumper a bit. I was even thinking of making my own design and having it fabricated , but I just can't get chit done lately , busy , busy.....

I cant wait to put my little level kit on . It should be perfect for what I want.

 

[Thai]

Thai , you know me better than that .....hi way tires ....lol.

I was speaking in general terms to anyone reading the thread. I know that you like the BFG AT KO, which is my favorite AT tire too.

 

[RamThis]

Alot has to do with how much you plan to drive your DD, as to what kind of mods, or how many, you would want to do.

Someone like yourself, who puts a TON of miles, 25K a year, on a vehicle, would probably want to keep it fairly stock as far as drivetrain and suspension are concerned, to keep the ride comfortable, and to keep the fuel economy nearly stock. Big lifts, big tires, heavy brush guards, and big light racks, all equate to shitty gas mileage, not good for a DD that's run alot of miles.

Myself, I only drive like three miles to work. I drive my 2000 Dodge Ram. It gets 11-12 mpg. I have 285/60/17 Toyo Proxes ST's on it, 4.10 gears, Auburn LSD, Headers, True Duals with crossover, Flowmasters, Trans-Go Shift Kit, Auxillary Tranny Cooler, 2/4 Bell-Tech lowering kit, Mopar Performance PCM. It's a blast to drive, runs like a bat out of hell. But last year, I was driving about 50 miles one way to work and back. I drove the truck a couple weeks and good Lord, the gas about ate me alive, and for long distances the ride is a bit rough, and cops LOVE that damn thing. I parked the truck and drove the old 89 Honda Accord. Until the heater hose blew anyway. Then I drove the 96 Acura Integra back and forth to work. Much more comfortable, mileage was 25 for Accord, 31 for the Integra.

Now that I work a few miles away, I drive the Ram everyday and love it.

So, alot of thought needs to go into HOW you use your vehicle as to where you'd draw the line for mods on a DD. Even the vehicle itself should be considered, if it's going to be more vehicle than needed or not......

 

[nated05]

Good topic! Ive had this debate over and over in my head about practical, and what I would like to have. I also drive about 250 miles per week just in my commute. Plus since I have the largest vehicle in my fam im always driving on trips. Here is what im thinking:

Practical:

-Leave it as it is
-One inch lift in front, but if I do that why not just put in the 3/2 while im at it.
-upsize the tires and get rid of the dunlops

What I would like:

-Eurotech bull bar
-3/2 lift
-large off road tires
-rock sliders

Since I make it off roading once or twice a year im sure Im going to go with practical, if i could afford another car for a DD id do that in a second.

 

[MAC4Runner]

Note my mods below.

My T4R is still very much a DD. I travel approx. 20 miles each way to work and the ride is still great. In fact, a co-worker with a highly modified Rubi cannot believe how comfortable and complient my Runner is on the freeway. I'd say I've given up 10% of the on-road ride comfort for a 50% increase in off-road ability. A good compromise in my estimation. The only thing left to do to my DD is add an aftermarket skid plate, Downey or BudBuilt. I would say anything beyond what I've done really starts to impact its ability as a DD, i.e. 285s or larger tires, MTs, plate bumper, etc. YMMV

Great topic BTW. :bigok:

 

[J.A.]

Like you said it is all about what works for you.

Personally I would love to put MT/R's on and a full adj coilover suspension system. Would also love to have a winch and both front and rear lockers. Just not practical for my useage. There are no nearby trails where I live, so I can not conveniently hit the trails anywhere nearly as much as I would like to.

I absolutley love the 2.5/1.5 daystar spacer lift so far. If you havent read my writeup on it, this kit gets the 4th gens to approx 1" higher than the non-lifted 1999's. It does not look outrageously lifted whatsoever, and actually it looks almost like it should have came from the factory that way. I like the amount of room 32's have with it as rubbing is virtually non-existant. I don't believe this is too much for a DD as the ride is really unchanged and it goes well with an xreas equipped vehicle.

I don't think that lockers are too much for a DD as again, they don't change the everyday ride at all as they are selective type lockers, only on when needed.

I am contemplating getting a shrockworks bumper as I like the looks of it and that is one of the things I ask myself...it is too much for a DD. It adds weight and may sag the front a little but I dont think it is over the top by any means, overkill maybe but over the top not really.

 

[Falls]

Good topic! Ive had this debate over and over in my head about practical, and what I would like to have. I also drive about 250 miles per week just in my commute. Plus since I have the largest vehicle in my fam im always driving on trips. Here is what im thinking:

Practical:

-Leave it as it is
-One inch lift in front, but if I do that why not just put in the 3/2 while im at it.
-upsize the tires and get rid of the dunlops

What I would like:

-Eurotech bull bar
-3/2 lift
-large off road tires
-rock sliders

Since I make it off roading once or twice a year im sure Im going to go with practical, if i could afford another car for a DD id do that in a second.

I can see a 2/1 lift and have thought about that too . Large off road tires 265/70/17's for me in a nice size AT. Bull bar and sliders , good idea .

I'm not a big fan of lifted high vehicles ( just my taste ) Its kind of weird when you see these expedition vehicles on a TV show , they have nice upsized tires , no or small lift . Lockers ect....