shawkins '91 4Runner

I figured I would make a thread for my rig since it will be going through some new changes here pretty soon. I also wanted to show you all what I've done to it already.

It came stock with:

• Power Everything
• 3.0L V6
• Rear Heater
• 4 Doors
• SR5 Package
• Gray Interior
• Cloth Seats
• 5-Speed Manual
• 4WD
• 4.10 Gear's

Interior modifications are:

• Custom Rear Cargo Box
• Custom Cargo Box Extension Platform For Sleeping
• 400/800w Power Inverter
• 10w Interior Map Light Bulbs
• Added Stock Pocket Below Ashtray/Cigarette Lighter
• Custom Switch Panel Beside Radio
• Alpine 9885 Head Unit (w/iPod cable)
• Gray Front & Rear Husky Liners
• Custom Installed 2 12V Power Outlets In Rear of Center Console (In place of ash tray)
• Added Tacoma Shifter Surround/Boot With Cupholders
• TRD Shift Knob
• Infinity Reference Speakers - 4" Front & 5.25" Rear

Suspension mods:

• Downey HD 1.5in. Rear Coil Springs
• Tokico Trek Master Front Shocks
• Monroe Reflex Rear Shocks with Eyelet Conversion
• Energy Suspension 11/16" Red Polyurethane Low Profile Lower Bumpstops
• Energy Suspension Red Polyurethane Sway Bar Bushings
• Moog Idler Arm

The suspension will soon be changing!

Exterior Mods:

• Added Stock Roof Rack
• Added Stock Rear Wind Deflector
• Clear Headlight Covers (RIP, I need a new set)
• Hella H4 Headlight Housings
• 55/100W Bulbs In The H4 Headlight Housing's
• 100W Backup Lights
• 4 - 35W Rock Lights
• Extended Front/ Rear Diff Breather
• Custom Auxiliary Fuse Panel
• Lund X-Terminator Bug Guard
• WeatherTech Window Wind Deflectors Front and Rear
• Dents

Drivetrain Mods:

• '99 5VZ-FE 3.4L Swap
• '95 R150F 5-Speed Tranny/ T-Case
• AISIN Manual Hubs
• Permanently Disabled A.D.D. System (Removed associated solenoids and vacuum lines)
• Custom Exhaust:
  - With "Y" Pipe
  - High-Flow Cat. Converter
  - Dynomax Super Turbo Muffler
• Downey Offroad SS Brake Lines Front & Rear

Soon to have a E-locker out of a '96 4Runner in the rear, and maybe a regear to 4.30's if I decide to go up to 33's.

Tires/ Wheels:

• Stock 15" Steelies
• 32"x11.5" R15 Radial SXT's
• Stock 235/75R15 Dunlop Spare

Here are some pics from a few years ago, though it still looks pretty much the same.



This is my favorite picture I have taken of the rig (the full res. version looks alot better):


My "rock lights":


My cargo box that I built:


Gotta represent!


I'll see if I can load some more recent pics onto Photobucket later tonight.

Good looking 4Runner. Look forward to seeing what changes you will be doing.

Could you post some pictures of your Custom Cargo Box Extension Platform For Sleeping. I am building a sleeping platform in the back of my Tacoma, and even thought it is a long bed (ext. cab), I am needing to build an extension as I am 6'4" tall. Thanks. Any ideas you have on an extension would be great.

Overland Hadley said:

Good looking 4Runner. Look forward to seeing what changes you will be doing.

Could you post some pictures of your Custom Cargo Box Extension Platform For Sleeping. I am building a sleeping platform in the back of my Tacoma, and even thought it is a long bed (ext. cab), I am needing to build an extension as I am 6'4" tall. Thanks. Any ideas you have on an extension would be great.

Click to expand...

I actually don't have any pics of it installed, and the extensions are at my parents house, not here with me at school.

What I do, is remove the rear seats, then screw the platform extensions on the the front of the cargo box. Then when I'm setting up camp, I push the front seats all the way forward, lean them forward, then flip up the rest of the platform extension. It gives me right around 6' or 6.5' of length IIRC.

What also works out well is how much stuff I can store under the platform. With the rear seats gone, there is alot more storage room.

shawkins said:

I actually don't have any pics of it installed, and the extensions are at my parents house, not here with me at school.

What I do, is remove the rear seats, then screw the platform extensions on the the front of the cargo box. Then when I'm setting up camp, I push the front seats all the way forward, lean them forward, then flip up the rest of the platform extension. It gives me right around 6' or 6.5' of length IIRC.

What also works out well is how much stuff I can store under the platform. With the rear seats gone, there is alot more storage room.

Click to expand...

Thanks.

Overland Hadley said:

Thanks.

Click to expand...

My buddy and I should be going on a weekend trip here within the next few weeks, I will be sure to snap some pics then!

So this is what I'm thinking for the next evolution of my 4Runner:

Due to a near miss encounter with a tree new years day, I need a new front bumper. I think I have decided on a ARB due to the fact that a stock bumper runs right around $1200 vs. the ARB is around $800, and the ARB is stronger (for some reason I seem to like hitting things when driving in snow) . Also I ever decide to get a winch, I have somewhere to put it.

I recently found out that they quit making my favorite tire in the size I have currently. From now on it's 31X10.5 or 33X12.5. I don't really want to downgrade to the 31's so I think 33's are going to get the nod when the time comes around.

To fit the 33's, I will need a 1" to 1.5" body lift. A body lift will also help with my intake plenum to under hood clearance. Can the ARB be raised 1" with it's brackets or would I have to modify them?

To make matters worse, my torsion bars have been starting to sag for some time now. I'm getting tired of the body roll and front end dive under normal braking. I was going to replace them with the OME bars, but I've heard such great things about the whole OME package that I think I'll do that. From what I hear, it's just what I'm looking for.

I parted out a '96 4Runner and still have the complete E-locker rear axle sitting in my back yard. I have been thinking about putting it in the 4Runner for awhile now, but the only problem was that it has 4.30's in it and the 4Runner has 4.10's. But now that 33's might be in the picture, 4.30's would be perfect. I would just have to pick up a 4.30 front diff which runs around $100.


How does this sound to all of you? I've been putting alot of thought into all of this the past month or two, so before I go and start buying stuff I thought I would get your input.

Thanks!,
Stephen

Really with 33's the 4.88 is the better choice.

http://www.gearinstalls.com/

4.88 is a common gear in the 91-95's with the 31 inch tire option. Grab the front Diff. You can get them cheap. For some reason the 4.30 IFS front dif is REALLY hard to find. I tired for a year and finally bought the 2nd 4.88 that a guy had local after he did a SAS.

If you keep the stock size and offset rims 33x12.5s will fit with a few minutes with a hammer on the Cab seam and lower lip of the fender. That said a 2 inch body lift, 2 inch engine lift and custom cross member will get you nearly 6 inches of clearance over the stock cross member. It also make mounting sliders easier. You can also push the fuel tank up 2 inches. http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/ForSale/BodyLiftKit.shtml http://www.budbuilt.com/new/cross_members.html

Find a set of Aluminum factory rims and save the weight of the steel rims. It will help a lot with braking and acceleration. My stock 235x75 on factory Chrome steels were 62lb each and the 33x12.5s on Aluminum are a hair over 68.

Next go around I am going with 33x10.5 to save weight and lower the rolling resistance and stress on the suspension and steering. Just got too good of a deal on the low mile tires I have to pass it up. Going to put 33x9.5s on my Trailer to make the usable as spares in a pinch.

Well, time for an update.

I'm getting some really interesting noises from the rear end. I think it's the rear driveshaft, so I'm going to replace the U-joints and see if that fixes it.

There seems to be a pretty good clunk though the the rear end switches from the drive side of the gears to the coast side. Any ideas on what this could be?