Joe's Gen3 4Runner Daily Driver & Overland Rig

Wayaway

Member
So.. going completely against traditional build thread etiquette.. I'm posting the changes that happened TODAY first, and then I'll do the highlights of all the other changes in the next post.

Looking our over Canyon Sin Nombre..
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TODAY:
Over the last week, my 2001 4Runner has been in the shop getting a Gen 4 rear end put in.
No more drum brakes. No more leaky axles.
The goal was to be able to use either 01 or 04 parts if they needed to be replaced in the future. So, lots of modifications to the 04 rear end had to be made.
Parts that are now half 01 and half 04:
  • Track Bar
  • E-brake cables
Modifications to the 04 rear end:
  • Lower shock mounts, pie cut and shortened
  • Driveshaft flange, re-drilled with the 01 pattern
  • Trailing arm mounts, shifted toward center about 3"
  • lots of new mounting plates for the e-brake cables
  • wash and rattle can satin black paint
01 Parts that needed to be modified:
- The bottoms of the springs needed to be opened up to fit the seats

Other items:
  • I needed spacers (1.25") in the front to match the new width in the rear (3" wider)
  • not pictured.. he put in a diff breather for me (up to the gas filler)
  • The ABS is now disconnected, front and rear (and the dash light disabled)
  • A few parts simply worked.. like the upper trailing arms.
The job completed.
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The driveshaft flange:
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I should have the 4Runner back Thursday.. I can't wait to drive it.


EDIT: For Gen3 4Runners with ABS.. The Vehicle Speed Sensors (all 4 corners) pass through the ABS sensors, they are part of the same system. The Gen4 rear has a different type of sensor (completely different system). To overcome this, the wires for the rear were spliced into the front sensors. The truck still thinks that it's pulling from all 4 corners, but it's getting double front.
The speedometer stopped working right away and the 4Runner was throwing a P0500 error. Splicing the wires solved the issue. We shall see how it works in the long term.
 
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Wayaway

Member
Here is the way my 4Runner looked when I first picked it up.
It was lifted, it had a set of 265/75r16s BFG (not the KO2s) mounted on stock, Plasticoated wheels.
It is the SR5 and at one time in it's life it had a turbo. That was removed by the previous owner so he could put it on the 4Runner he was replacing this with.
So.. mine has a K&N cold air intake, throttle body spacer and a K&N MAF. It performs, but the cold air intake makes it impossible to get a snorkel (also, no water crossing when I did the Mojave Road).

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I drove the truck this way for a while..
I was having more fun in this Toyota than I ever had in my lifted 02 Forester.

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My sons like it, too.
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Good times out there with my girl..

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More updates soon...
 

Wayaway

Member
More updates:
At the end of January, 2019 it went back into the shop for a few things.
The axles were leaking and the brakes were feeling really anemic.
Time for Tundra front brakes and a set of Bilstein 5100s
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A little note.. don't use the top setting. That is all I'll say about that.

Also, it was time for new wheels and tires - I've always loved tall, narrow tires on steelies, so that is what I opted for.
BFG AT KO2 235/85r16s. They are about 1.5" taller than stock and an inch narrower.

Before:
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After:
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Oh, and one other thing that I did was (after a bit of junkyard shoveling) add another set of the roof-rack bars.

One month later, my son Joey and I were headed to the Mojave Road and Moab..

Joey at the finish of our west to east Mojave Road leg of the trip:
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huntsonora

Explorer
I’ve been running 235’s on mine and I don’t think I’ll ever run a different size. They are about perfect for the 3rd gen and I still get the same mileage per tank as I did with stock sizes
 

Wayaway

Member
I scored a Craig's List $50 roof basket.
It's Subaru Brand.. I think it's a Thule Correction: it's an older model Yakima Load Warrior with a Subaru label.. anyways, SCORE!
(I did a 5 wheel rotation.. the spare was covered with red Moab mud. I should scrub that off)

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Tex68w

Beach Bum
I love the steel wheels, we ran some on our 80 series LC as well. I have considered putting them on our 5th Gen should we decide to keep it. Love what you are doing, keep up the good work.
 

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