Switching back to a 4runner for now....

jktowhere

Observer
Had a 4th gen before back in the day. Loved it. The vehicle was totaled and that was that. Went into a 2015 jku Sahara and loved it. Well I have always toyed with upgrading to a rubicon and after my last trip to Moab and watching the rubicon like me with 35's and locker and me without.... this made the choice clear. And the car payments! So, the plan is in a year or two to grab a rubicon when I can grab one with no payments if things continue to go well.

So I'm thinking back to a 06-09 4runner. Ithe jeep was great but for dd this ride was crap with all the work and I missed the runner. I'm torn on the v6 or v8. I have only know v6. The plan is to build this for overland on to keep it *** the dd or have my wife drive it when I get a rubicon again.

The build plan:
Arb front bumper
Cbi rear bumprt
Dual battery setup
Relentless sliders
Lift (still need to research this)
Rear cargo drawers (I will build)
Front runner roof rack or Yakima case (torn here since it's for camping gear)

Am I thinking this right? I don't want to overbuild as the jeep will be the powerhouse off road down the road. This will be the overland / car camp / dd
 

birdmann

Observer
I think if you come back you won't want to go back to the jeep. I would get a v6 for sure. That build sheet should get you going nicely. I have the front runner rack and love it's build quality and versatility. I would add a factory rear elocker and call it good. I say v6 because it's two wheel drive when not engaged and it also has ATRAC which the v8 does not have. Couple that with a rear locker and some aggressive at in 31"-32" and there isn't much that will slow you down if you are brave. Happy hunting and welcome back to the 4r club!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-T337A using Tapatalk
 

Dalko43

Explorer
The 4th gen 4runner is a nice and comfortable ride, and has aged well even going on 10 years at this point. If you're intending to put all those mods onto your vehicle, you should definitely get the v8 to help move all that weight. The 4.0l v6 is a venerable engine and certainly will get the job done, and save you a small amount at every visit to the pump. But it is, IMHO, a limiting factor when adding mods and weight to the 4runner....it is barely adequate for powering the vehicle in stock form, so adding a bunch of weight will be less than optimal for that powertrain....again my opinion, as I've driven both the 4th and 5th gen's (both with v6's) quite extensively.

Does the v8 come with full-time 4wd? I forgot, but if it does, that's fine and probably more convenient in certain types of city driving. The exclusion of ATRAC is not a big deal. ATRAC can be helpful at times, but if you're intending to get into terrain where will you will frequently need front axle traction, go get an ARB air locker. ATRAC is a traction aid, but it is not a substitute for a real mechanical locker and if you rely on it too much, it will start to wear out your brakes.
 

94toy22re

Observer
I think if you come back you won't want to go back to the jeep. I would get a v6 for sure. That build sheet should get you going nicely. I have the front runner rack and love it's build quality and versatility. I would add a factory rear elocker and call it good. I say v6 because it's two wheel drive when not engaged and it also has ATRAC which the v8 does not have. Couple that with a rear locker and some aggressive at in 31"-32" and there isn't much that will slow you down if you are brave. Happy hunting and welcome back to the 4r club!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-T337A using Tapatalk

All 4th gen 4runners have ATRAC v6 and V8.
 

rickashay

Explorer
There is a lot of debate about the V6 vs. V8 4th gen on T4R.org. I guess in a side-by-side comparison the V6 actually pulls faster 0-60 times. Not that you will be drag racing but an interesting comparison. The V6 will get better fuel economy out of the gate and coudl make an argument for the V6 on a stock (or nearly stock) build compared with the V8. However, as soon as you start to ad weight the V6 will take a larger hit in fuel economy and all reports say it ends up being a "wash" between the two for economy once they are modified. I think the extra low end torque makes a huge difference with a "heavy" overland style build.

I've had both a 08' V6 Sport Edition and now have a built 05' V8 Limited. I would take the V8 everyday of the week over the V6. Can't say enough good things about the 2UZ and I am looking forward to the full-time AWD come winter. A-TRAC is in all 4th gens as well.
 

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