Suggestions for a 2008 Toyota 4Runner

ttfjc

weekend wheeler
What would you recommend for skids and sliders?
white knuckle sliders and STEEL plates from RCI.

now everyone's gonna tell you to buy aluminum. if you plan on using them for more then just an insurance policy or if your serious about doing the Rubicon dont buy aluminum. If you care about gas mileage dont buy skids.
 

tacollie

Glamper
Being in Colorado I think you will benefit more from stying narrow than having a lot of travel. The total Choas kit comes with width. For the money your could do OME, 33s, and a locker and be better suited for our terrain. Also, bump for sliders and skids.
 

Neosapian

Innate Outdoor Co
Im also working on an 08 4runner build. My path has been 33" Cooper ST Maxx's + OME 3" lift. SPC Adjustable Upper control arms are highly advised post-lift and are in the near future for me but I can live with incorrect wheel alignment for the next 2500 miles. In the mean time I've put that control arm money into maintenance, Warn winch, custom rear drawers, and some other toys that were more immediate priorities with regards to comfort and capability.

You'll probably need better tires before you need a lift, and a winch before you need sliders, and sliders before you need bumpers, and probably new gear, diff, trans, and engine oil plus new brakes and coolant before you even begin to drop coin on mods. But the upgrade path differs for everyone really. Try to to as much DIY work as possible. Get familiar with your rig and wheel it while its stock!

Let us know how your build progresses!
 

jahalver0706

New member
Thanks for the input! My tires pre-lift are shot and looks like I will be replacing them. Going with the S/T - Maxx too, 265 65R18. Looks like a great tire. Another question: Is the OME BP51 lift and suspension worth the extra money? I want low maintenance and durability, but also don't want to worry about performing in the middle of nowhere.
 

DaveInDenver

Middle Income Semi-Redneck
I don't know if the BP-51 have enough time on the market to really get a feel for durability, but they do sound like high quality components. But even if they are typical of OME (e.g. good), they are still high end bypass shocks that I assume need routine rebuilding. I run Fox and the interval depends on use. All highway, you can push it to a few years, all dirt it's pretty much annual rebuilds. I'm doing them about every 2 or 3 years.

Regardless, if you want low maintenance, get standard OME. Those are point and shoot for a few years and then it's R&R the shocks. Way more cost effective. With bypass shocks you have to keep around your old suspension to put on while you're getting your old ones rebuilt. You can do it yourself (at least with Fox), but still need a way to get around to get the nitrogen recharged.
 

DaveInDenver

Middle Income Semi-Redneck
so all high-end bypass shocks require extensive maintenance? What does a rebuild usually cost?
Yup, they do. It's not anything terrible, fresh fluid, new seals. The kit is usually about $50 for a pair and if you have it done a local guy will probably charge you about $100 in labor on each. You're talking about $250, give or take, for a set of fronts. Where it gets really expensive is if you let them go too long and you score the walls or the shaft.
 

jahalver0706

New member
That's not too bad. You do them every 2-3 years, how often and how many miles do you do on trails or dirt road approximately per rebuild?
 

DaveInDenver

Middle Income Semi-Redneck
My truck is probably 60/40 pavement to dirt. I don't do hard core desert but I figure washboard is almost as good of a test. I don't use it for a daily commute or anything like that. I rebuild them about every 15k to 20k miles.

I've only had the one set of Fox for my truck but have had Fox forks and shocks on my mountain bike forever, since at least 2002. So I know enough about them to know they need to be maintained to last and work, kind of fussy and demanding. I expect that OME would be less so, but also not completely hand's off like Nitrochargers or the typical Bilsteins.
 

Neosapian

Innate Outdoor Co
Some people spend more money on a single suspension kit than I did on my lift, wheels and tires combined, yet I run the same trails and cruise the mountain highways at the 80mph speed limit comfortably and safely. That said, I bet a remote res setup would be Deluxe and handle super nice off road and at higher speeds especially! If I had an additional $2000 that i didnt prefer to spend on a travel expenses, fridge & batteries etc, i’d get the BP51’s for bling factor alone.

I noticed that a ton of Land Cruiser, Hilux, Prado and Nissan Patrol rigs built for expedition use in Australia run static, non adjustable suspension. A lot of these rigs weigh 3.5 tons or more and traverse the Australian continent entirely off road. If the Bilsteins, Dobinsons, and OME’s hold up well enough for them, they’ll work out well for me. Especially for the price.

Carrying a spare shock and replacing it in the field is straight forward and inexpensive. My truck wont likely exceed GVWR and I drive at reasonable speeds so shock temperature and durability with OME’s doesnt worry me.
 
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Dalko43

Explorer
My truck is probably 60/40 pavement to dirt. I don't do hard core desert but I figure washboard is almost as good of a test. I don't use it for a daily commute or anything like that. I rebuild them about every 15k to 20k miles.

I've only had the one set of Fox for my truck but have had Fox forks and shocks on my mountain bike forever, since at least 2002. So I know enough about them to know they need to be maintained to last and work, kind of fussy and demanding. I expect that OME would be less so, but also not completely hand's off like Nitrochargers or the typical Bilsteins.

Doesn't Toyota put a version of Fox shocks on their new TRD lineup? I don't think those things need to be rebuilt any sooner than the regular suspension setup's.
 

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