Tex's 2019 LX 570

Tex68w

Beach Bum
Looks very well matched. How tall do they measure in real life, inflated and mounted? Both of the KO2s I've had on my Taco were considerably smaller than advertised.

They are coming in at 32.5" tall on the truck @ 38psi. I am going to try 40 and 42psi as well and settle in on which I think performs the best overall.
 

Tex68w

Beach Bum
it needs a tundra long travel kit from Camburg, a new camburg rear axle, and 37s.

This has been haunting my dreams for weeks now. Now to find a 2016 200-series with low miles for a good deal lol.

I32KBJH.jpg
 

Tex68w

Beach Bum
Wow!
Wow that thing is incredible, link?

It was an instagram find, some place out of Qatar, SA, or the UAE that posts up a bunch of dune runner builds like that. They are usually Land Cruisers or Patrols with balloon tires. I believe it's a TC LA kit off of a Tundra with 37's and glass fenders. It has had me drooling for weeks now.
 

Tex68w

Beach Bum
Nearly two weeks of ownership and we can't believe how enjoyable this vehicle is to drive. On the highway it's a night and day difference over our 5th Gen 4Runner, so much so that the 4Runner feels like a toy in comparison. Looking forward to getting a road trip under our belts in the LX soon. If the weather holds out for this weekend we will likely break her in lightly off-road with a stroll along the beach from Matagorda to Sargent and back.
 

sn_85

Observer
Nearly two weeks of ownership and we can't believe how enjoyable this vehicle is to drive. On the highway it's a night and day difference over our 5th Gen 4Runner, so much so that the 4Runner feels like a toy in comparison. Looking forward to getting a road trip under our belts in the LX soon. If the weather holds out for this weekend we will likely break her in lightly off-road with a stroll along the beach from Matagorda to Sargent and back.

I have a 5th gen 4Runner and all these LX and LC builds have me thinking. I'm not in the position to buy a new one and neither would I want to but have my eye on a 3-5 year old models with 50k that I wouldn't be so hurt getting some trail damage.
 

Tex68w

Beach Bum
I have a 5th gen 4Runner and all these LX and LC builds have me thinking. I'm not in the position to buy a new one and neither would I want to but have my eye on a 3-5 year old models with 50k that I wouldn't be so hurt getting some trail damage.


There's no denying that the current trend is full size, full size everything is all anyone wants to build and the aftermarket is supporting it. I like the 4Runner a lot and I am not sure I could bring myself to get rid of it because it is so effortless to drive, does well off-road, and has a ton of aftermarket support, but driving the 200 is a world of difference. I agree with some that say that it's almost too big, in some instances I could see that and that's where the 150 platform comes into play, but I am not sure it's enough of an improvement over the 5th Gen to warrant a full move. I am keeping all options open and I am also waiting patiently to see what the new Bronco ends up being. I don't want to put a whole hell of a lot into the 4Runner build if I end up loving the new Bronco because I know in the second year I will pick one up and go all in.

In regards to a 200, the LX will always be a better buy and have more appointments. I personally love the AHC and Slee is running 35's on their LX with he AHC, I don't think one needs anymore than that on a 200. I'd suggest a 8-speed if you can afford a newer model with one, but there are some clean 2008-2011's out there with 100-150K miles for well under $30K.
 

sn_85

Observer
There's no denying that the current trend is full size, full size everything is all anyone wants to build and the aftermarket is supporting it. I like the 4Runner a lot and I am not sure I could bring myself to get rid of it because it is so effortless to drive, does well off-road, and has a ton of aftermarket support, but driving the 200 is a world of difference. I agree with some that say that it's almost too big, in some instances I could see that and that's where the 150 platform comes into play, but I am not sure it's enough of an improvement over the 5th Gen to warrant a full move. I am keeping all options open and I am also waiting patiently to see what the new Bronco ends up being. I don't want to put a whole hell of a lot into the 4Runner build if I end up loving the new Bronco because I know in the second year I will pick one up and go all in.

In regards to a 200, the LX will always be a better buy and have more appointments. I personally love the AHC and Slee is running 35's on their LX with he AHC, I don't think one needs anymore than that on a 200. I'd suggest a 8-speed if you can afford a newer model with one, but there are some clean 2008-2011's out there with 100-150K miles for well under $30K.

I will say the 4Runner has a very good blend of size, features, comfort, off-road capability and daily driving. It's a good mix of everything and the aftermarket support is great. The few reasons I'm leaning towards a 200 build (prefer LC but if I can get a great price on an LX that's fine too) is the full size space, interior comforts, refined quality, that V8, and there's a certain cachet to owning a Land Cruiser (I think). I live at 6000 ft and going snowboarding quite a bit around my local mountains and there are days I feel the 4.0L V6 struggle. I'm trying not to overbuild the 4Runner because it is very sensitive to weight but if I decide to keep it then it will be getting a full rear bumper, re-gear, and bigger tires. I guess I'm trying to decide whether to go LC before I jump down the rabbit hole with the 4Runner.

I think over the last two years building the 4Runner, off-roading in Utah and Colorado I've learned what type adventures I like to go on. I don't necessarily like rock crawling and bashing the 4Runner is not something I prefer to do. I've taken it on some rocky and technical terrain in Utah/Co and it stresses me out at times. I guess I'm trying to build something that will take me more to spots where I can go camping, snowboarding, biking rather than actual wheeling. Although the occasional wheeling trip isn't a bad thing. There have been some trails that I've taken that the 4Runner did great on because of the smaller size but if I had an LC and never took those trails again I probably wouldn't mind.

For those reasons I think an eventual move to a 200 series is the way to go. There is however a sentimental part of me hanging on to the 4Runner since it has been such a great vehicle and I have built it up to the way I want it so far. Financially it never makes sense to get rid of the vehicle so I'm trying to balance needs/wants/finance. Decisions decisions!!!
 

Tex68w

Beach Bum
I will say the 4Runner has a very good blend of size, features, comfort, off-road capability and daily driving. It's a good mix of everything and the aftermarket support is great. The few reasons I'm leaning towards a 200 build (prefer LC but if I can get a great price on an LX that's fine too) is the full size space, interior comforts, refined quality, that V8, and there's a certain cachet to owning a Land Cruiser (I think). I live at 6000 ft and going snowboarding quite a bit around my local mountains and there are days I feel the 4.0L V6 struggle. I'm trying not to overbuild the 4Runner because it is very sensitive to weight but if I decide to keep it then it will be getting a full rear bumper, re-gear, and bigger tires. I guess I'm trying to decide whether to go LC before I jump down the rabbit hole with the 4Runner.

I think over the last two years building the 4Runner, off-roading in Utah and Colorado I've learned what type adventures I like to go on. I don't necessarily like rock crawling and bashing the 4Runner is not something I prefer to do. I've taken it on some rocky and technical terrain in Utah/Co and it stresses me out at times. I guess I'm trying to build something that will take me more to spots where I can go camping, snowboarding, biking rather than actual wheeling. Although the occasional wheeling trip isn't a bad thing. There have been some trails that I've taken that the 4Runner did great on because of the smaller size but if I had an LC and never took those trails again I probably wouldn't mind.

For those reasons I think an eventual move to a 200 series is the way to go. There is however a sentimental part of me hanging on to the 4Runner since it has been such a great vehicle and I have built it up to the way I want it so far. Financially it never makes sense to get rid of the vehicle so I'm trying to balance needs/wants/finance. Decisions decisions!!!

Oh I get it, having the extra size is intoxicating when it comes to interior space for more bodies, gear, sleeping inside, and of course just feeling less cramped. The V8 is nice to have as the 200 will never feel taxed in the power department, but it is certainly no hot rod or rocket ship like the 6.4 Hemi still felt at times with 37's. That power comes at a cost though, more fuel burned and quite honestly if you plan to do any long distance or off-road travel in a 200 I find it almost necessary to invest in a LRA auxiliary fuel tank because the factory fuel tank is jokingly small for the motor and overall size and fuel economy. Some would say that the 200 is insanely overpriced and when you break down what it is you are actually getting in comparison I would say that they are right. Thats said, there's no comparison in the look, feel, fit/finish, comfort and how different they are to drive.

I am in the same boat as yourself, I find myself wanting to do a laundry list of items to the 4Runner in order to make it what I need it to be if I plan to keep it around for the long haul but at the same time I am apprehensive because the idea of building another 200 keeps taunting me. The thing of it is that the 200 will need those very same mods as well and at the end of the day the only difference will be that it has more power and only slightly more room. If those two things are the most important to you and the major driving force in your decision and you can justify the loss on the move, starting over on a new build, etc. then by all means go for it. At the end of the day they will both be equally as reliable and both will have great value retention and resale respectively. The aftermarket is healthy for both (better for the 4Runner) but there is a bit of panache or prestige associated with Land Cruiser ownership and if that appeals to you then there's no substitute.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
185,530
Messages
2,875,579
Members
224,922
Latest member
Randy Towles
Top