You are going to off-road? With that?

I just had a great idea which might revolutionise mudding. Bring an inflatable bladder that you put under the veehickle then inflate it with a compressor. The whole veehickle lifts up and then you just tow it like a boat.

They already make something similar....you hook this huge bag to your exhaust and it inflates, lifting whatever you place the bag under.
 
This is very true. They had no idea what they were doing... They were some of Alabama's finest. These are the only two pictures I have from that day with them. Maybe it will help explain...





Haha thanks. I've never been quoted in someone's signature!

LOL, how do you get stuck in that?! LOL :wtf:
 
So I asked a coworker to weld on some sliders for me. He looked at me and says, "you know what those are for right? Why would you off-road with that."
When he think of offroads he think of jeeps and old Toyotas fj. I have a 1999 sr5, hopefully get lockers in the rear soon and 2" lift.
Anyone else get weird looks when you tell people your plans or you off-road with your 4runner?

I haven't been yet, I do get on some dirt or gravel from time to time so I can do some 4wd miles, just to keep everything moving. Mudding is to popular, and my idea of off road isn't so much as sinking my truck in a mud hole as it is rocky uneven terrain along with steep inclines. At first purchase my suspension brakes and mechanical needed some maintenance before I felt good about driving it everyday, now that all that is fixed I am in serious need of a nice trail.
 
One year later 3" front 4" rear, sliders, snorkel and 33" MTs only weird looks I get now are from those Prius drivers or soccer moms when I'm too lazy to clean the mud off.
 
My best guess, Brandon, is that jeep dominates the niche so well that Toyota wouldn't sell enough vehicles to justify it. From what I've read, that's why the fj is being discontinued: they just aren't selling enough.

The late 90s was the peak of the suv craze and that's why our 3rd gens are so awesome: the market wanted offroad capable daily drivers and out of that the third gen was born. The suv thing died down a bit as the industry started realizing that what most people really wanted was tall cars that *look* off-road capable but fill the role of a minivan.

Well they never changed the fjcruiser. Interest usually wanes in a vehicle model unless you revamp it every so often which Toyota usually does to there models, but never did for some reason to the FJ. Plus making a Jeep contender without a solid front axle or removable top was a huge mistake. All it really was was a 4runner with a different body.
 
Well they never changed the fjcruiser. Interest usually wanes in a vehicle model unless you revamp it every so often which Toyota usually does to there models, but never did for some reason to the FJ. Plus making a Jeep contender without a solid front axle or removable top was a huge mistake. All it really was was a 4runner with a different body.

I'm sure the FJ can be very capable, but they struck me as a form over function sort of truck a la Hummer H2. Say what you will about the Jeep but their iconic design has stayed pretty much the same through the years and that's why they look unlike modern cars, but they are pretty basic machines without a lot of frills. The FJ looks like an overwrought mess and the design looked dated almost instantly. To quote the good doctor, "If you analyze the function of an object, its form often becomes obvious." The 911, like the Toyota truck up until the 3rd gen, was designed for its function. I really don't understand the twists and turns in the subsequent generations. I always thought the 80s and 90s Toyota trucks were just really simple, handsome designs suited to their function. Same with the 911. The E46 M3.
 
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I'm sure the FJ can be very capable, but they struck my as a form over function sort of truck a la Hummer H2. Say what you will about the Jeep but their iconic design has stayed pretty much the same through the years and that's why they look unlike modern cars, but they are pretty basic machines without a lot of frills. The FJ looks like an overwrought mess and the design looked dated almost instantly. To quote the good doctor, "If you analyze the function of an object, its form often becomes obvious." The 911, like the Toyota truck up until the 3rd gen, was designed for its function. I really don't understand the twists and turns in the subsequent generations. I always thought the 80s and 90s Toyota trucks were just really simple, handsome designs Suited to their function. Same with the 911. The E46 M3.

I don't know what Toyota is thinking these days. Most buy their products now because they are still pretty reliable and will put up with the vanilla feel and styles. The 3Rd gens are overbuilt for their stock form. Makes them great for mods. Comparing most other suv vehicles of the Era or even today of similar size, the components are far beefier as far as tcase, Trans, motor, and axles are concerned.
 
I don't know what Toyota is thinking these days. Most buy their products now because they are still pretty reliable and will put up with the vanilla feel and styles. The 3Rd gens are overbuilt for their stock form. Makes them great for mods. Comparing most other suv vehicles of the Era or even today of similar size, the components are far beefier as far as tcase, Trans, motor, and axles are concerned.

In a way, the third gen is a compromised LC. But the thing is the LC is so over the top, that even an LC light is pretty world-class. That said, even though I'm sure the fifth gen is a wonderful truck, it's lost a lot of the simplicity that made these such great cars. Jeep has somehow managed to hang on to that. Even though the current Wrangler is too damn expensive for what you get.
 
New Land Rovers starting at $85,000. Look at all that electronic crap on the dash. Are people 30 years from now really going to be keeping these things going? Or will it cost 10X the value of the vehicle to do basic component swaps because it's so computerised the only people who can do it are Toyota dealerships? Are these just disposable trucks now?

2017 Toyota Land Cruiser Luxury SUV | The timeless icon.
 
New Land Rovers starting at $85,000. Look at all that electronic crap on the dash. Are people 30 years from now really going to be keeping these things going? Or will it cost 10X the value of the vehicle to do basic component swaps because it's so computerised the only people who can do it are Toyota dealerships? Are these just disposable trucks now?

2017 Toyota Land Cruiser Luxury SUV | The timeless icon.

I wouldn't go as far as saying disposable, but they are without a doubt becoming too complex for a long life. The reason you still see 70's Toyota pickups running around is the pure simplicity of them, we are already starting to see electronics causing issues in late 3rd gens and 4th gens. Most notably the ABS computers and complex ABS pump/Brake master cylinder hybrids going out, both of which can cost hundreds to replace.
 
We were up an old washed out, overgrown logging road. It is open to vehicles but only ATV and side by sides used it because it's so overgrown and rutted. I just fold the mirrors in and get a brush washing. It was hunting season and we were pushing snow with the bumper and grill chained all four.

We were stopped glassing some canyons and could hear/see some guys in a tracked Polaris coming up. They were a couple switch backs below us and would stop and debate what kind of rig was ahead of them. When they got to us they stopped and couldn't believe what we were in. They asked "are you going back this side or down the back". I told them were going down the back side and out. They said they would check to see if we made it on their way out.

Blew my radiator on the same dang road this year with no snow!
 

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