Why so little talk about Limited/Nightshade models?

Hey, I resemble that statement! I'm an old guy! LOL! On my vehicles, the only things that can be be chrome are the lug nuts and tail pipes. That said, on the Nightshade, the tail pipe is black chrome. Kool! I dipped the sombreros on my wheel center caps, too.

 

I know I’m late to this, but I love my Nightshade. I wanted a limited, and I wanted the black accents and wheels and didn’t want to mess with plastidip or anything else.

So it was all worth it to me.

 

I own both, I put in the ECGS bushing on the Tacoma with a 3” lift, I did also put in the ECGS bushing on the 4Runner with a 2 1/2” lift. From what I understand the problem is more prevalent on the Tacoma. There is a TSB for this issue
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2019/MC-10154805-9999.pdf
For VINs prior to 5632980
I figure while I am taking it apart to put the lift on why not for piece of mind, for not to much $$
https://eastcoastgearsupply.com/i-8536125-toyota-8-clamshell-bushing-eliminates-needle-bearing.html
Kinda hi jacked the thread, sorry

 

soccer moms tend to gossip in other circles, and are not on 4 runner forums. Most care very little about their suv's , since their husbands paid for them. True!

 

Off roaders naturally gravitate to forums like this so they can swap advice and pics about their mods and off road adventures. Such folks are obv going to gravitate to the OR models or to the basic model that can be made into an OR beast at relatively little expense. Price and the lack of a locking rear diff are among the good reasons for such folks to avoid the Limited, even if they'd like the comforts it adds. Thus, relatively few Limited owners on the forum.

I myself was planning to get an ORP or a Venture until my wife said she really wanted leather etc. and was willing for us to spend an extra 5K to get that. So I reluctantly test drove a Limited. When I did I realized a few important things that convinced me that I actually preferred the Limited too.

1. The XREAS suspension. Yes, it doesn't last as long as most shocks and is crazy expensive to replace with another XREAS system, but it is very effective at reducing brake dive and body roll, and this makes it much more enjoyable to drive on road. Plus, it can be replaced cheaply with shocks that are better than what comes stock on the OR models.

2. You can't get a third row on the OR models, and I decided I wanted that not just for the added flexibility to carry more people, but because that configuration greatly lengthens the cargo area when the second row is folded down. In a three-row set up I can sleep in the back fully stretched out and with room to spare. In two-row models that's impossible for most adult men without unbolting the second row seat cushions and storing them at home, or building a custom sleeping deck.

3. I really like the ventilated seats, leather, rear window control on the exterior of the tailgate etc. etc. etc.

4. I prefer full time 4WD so I don't have to worry about when it's safe to engage 4WD. In the non-Limited models, you can only use 4WD in really slippery conditions or you risk binding the drivetrain. Sometimes road surfaces go back and forth between dry and slippery, and you don't always know when. So that seemed like a hassle to me and potentially less safe. I figured too that it would frustrate my wife.

5. Even in stock form the Limited is as capable off road as I'm ever likely to need, and if I decide to do more serious off roading it can be easily modified for that purpose. There's a recent thread here of a guy with a blizzard white Limited that turned his into a rival for a TRD Pro. It's not hard (though still no locking rear diff).

6. The lack of that fake hood scoop, which in addition to being purely cosmetic has a tendency to reflect sunlight right into your eyes. Ouch.

What I don't like about the Limited, besides the price?

1. The chrome. I mean, I don't hate it, but it's certainly not a preference. Though I like it better than the blacked-out look of the Nightshade, which is a bit gangster for my taste.

2. The lack of a locking rear diff. Though it's something I'll probably never actually need. Even off roaders don't often need it. But it's a "nice to have."

PS I think the Limited has the same ground clearance as the stock SR5 and OR models, just lower bumpers that effect approach and departure angles. So new bumpers is something you'd want if you were going to do serious off roading in a Limited.

 

I think all of the points of view have been raised. Some members on here prefer to buy a basic model and do their own mods. Others, like myself, like a locking differential, transfer case shifter, KDSS and ATRAC. i actually prefer the softex seat material to leather. Its more environmentally friendly, feels better summer and winter, is easy to clean, and isn't the skin of a former living creature. No one else has to agree with these attributes, but that's how I feel about leather.

 

I didn't know that. There is a switch for it?

 

Indeed. Love it. There's a Down / Unlock button that unlocks the doors with one press, or lowers the window if you hold it. And an Up/Lock button that does the opposite. You can lower or raise the window all the way or any point in between.

If you want the window down but the truck locked, you lower the window then tap the Up/Lock button.

 

Nice! What's weird is that my '03 SR5 had the window button on the key fob, but not my '19 ORP. I wouldn't hesitate to build a Limited for the extra creature comforts.

 

I think this discussion illustrates that the OP should get whichever 4Runner makes him happiest. They're all awesome. Can't go wrong with any of them. All can be modified a lot. You can't realistically mod a SR5 or OR to have all the Limited's luxury features, and you can't realistically mod a Limited to have all of the OR's off road features. But they're all so darn close in capability that you should just decide what you like the most stock off the lot. The OP can obv afford a Limited / Nightshade, so if that's what excites him the most he should totally go for it.

 

Agreed! Suspension can be easily modified. Lockers can be added. Buy the interior you want. And/or other features that are not easily added (full time 4wd, Crawl control, etc)

 

Very good summary couldn’t have said it better. Pretty much better interior and full time 4WD is what sold the gf on it and nightshade does look a little gangster. I’m already trying to get “winter tires”. 17”s wheels and tires and a front bumper but we’ll see.

 

From my observation, limited is more popular in city areas, and TRD is more popular in urban areas.
in reality, 2wd can handle most trails, so part-time 4wd and full-time 4wd both work fine.
it's more of appearance.

 

Sweet truck. Would also look great with 17s I bet. Maybe a matte black or grey?

i think I'm sold on the Toyo AT3 for my next tires, especially as they come in the stock 20" size. It would be super cool to get something like those on a set of 17" TRD wheels and be able to swap between that off-road setup and a more highway-oriented setup like Michelin Defender LTX on the stock 20s. But that would be expensive overkill for me. So prob just gonna put the Toyos on my 20s when my stock tires die (or scare the shit out of me in the snow).

While there are certainly advantages of 17s for off roading, it's not like the 20s mean you're running some kind of crazy low profile sports car tire. There's plenty of sidewall on those wheels.

I just wish I knew how well the AT3s track on the highway. As I've mentioned elsewhere on the forum, my single biggest gripe with the 4R (well, besides the lame stock headlights, which I've pretty much fixed with H9s) is the amount of steering correction it needs at highway speeds. I'm not used to that, and don't know if AT3s would make it better or worse. The stock tires are the crappy Dueler HT.

 

I would get icon rebounds like I have on my truck but that won’t happen lol. I like these I just saw from
Another member

 

the only thing you can't get is CRAWL I think, but yes you can basically do whatever you want with any model, although it makes sense to start with an idea and build around that. (and don't be that guy that added 4WD to your 2WD model.

 

Good politically correct way of putting it.

I was going to say the Limiteds look "ghetto" with their body moldings and 20 inch Rimz.
Some might find that offensive though.

 

I just read through all of the posts in this thread because I am in a similar boat: I love the interior styling and bells and whistles of the Limited, but I prefer the bumper and off road features (crawl, terrain, center lock) of the TRD. And I can't decide which way to go. What did the OP decide and how do they like it????

 

Thanks for your post, I'd like to know too!

Just a couple points of clarification, which may help you in your own decision. The Limited does have a locking center diff. What it lacks that the OR models have is a locking rear diff.

Also, it has the same low gear for off roading, as well as ATRAC for electronic assistance.

Others on this forum have more experience, but I think you'd find many who say that crawl control is, while perhaps nice, not any kind of game changer and is something that you can duplicate with your own driving skill.

So to me at least, the only real functional knock on the Limited is the lack of locking rear diff, which is signif if you regularly drive off road in gnarly stuff (if not it is 99% irrelevant). All the other stuff you might not like can be easily changed -- wheels, shocks, bumper (less easily but still...)

Some have even referenced the ability to replace the rear diff with a locking one.

Put another way, it's easier to turn a Limited into an OR beast than it is to tack the Limited's comfort features -- and especially its full time AWD -- onto an OR.

I like a lot about the Limited, but to me its indispensable advantage is that full time AWD.

 

I believe I’m that guy . This is my 2nd (4th and 5th gen) limited and for what I do with my truck I’ve never was in a situation where I needed a locker to save myself. So choosing the limited knowing it didn’t have a locker is something most folks can live without. But all the points you went through is exactly why I chose the limited over any other model. thanks for the in depth reasons for getting a limited, you got down perfectly.

No filter, this is the Bay Area today from all the fires :-(

 

Yes you are that guy! What a great job you've done on it too -- it's a beauty.

Sorry about the fires. My kid goes to college out there but, thankfully for us, is home instead this semester. It's a horrible situation, and I'm one who agrees that there'd be a lot more national / government / media concern about if if it was happening on the east coast.

 

It is great when the bike rack is hanging in the hitch, too. BTW, I'd hazard a guess that my Limited has seen as much or more off- roading then half or more of the trucks 'round here. AT II's, a proper skid plate and a wife that is an experienced spotter and The Gilas and the desert all within minutes makes SWNM a great place to live. I wheel this thing almost as hard as my old Disco. Almost. Haven't lifted it yet, and the front bumper has got to go...

 

Thank you so much for your response. That was very helpful

I am so sorry. And I live in Oregon. It is so heartbreaking

 

Agree with you on that one......I can say that here on the east coast I can say that if California fell into the ocean,we could care less.
Less earthquakes,forest fires, mudlsides, riots, and civil unrest in this country. Thats what people think of CA, here unfortunately.
Myself, I think my favorite road trip was from Seattle to San fransisco down the coast.Took 4-5 days with stops along the way at Mt Rainier, and Redwoods national Park. (the drive thru-tree!)Gorgeous views the whole trip. I dont hate California, but others I know do.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attract...ews-Tour_Through_Tree-Klamath_California.html
http://www.drivethrutree.com/

 

Whether or not you need crawl control is definitely debatable. It is a feature that many don't consider a necessity, but I still consider it a good tool to have. It will come down to personal preference, and what kind of off-roading you do.

But, it cannot be duplicated with driving skill. It uses the ABS to apply brake to wheels that are slipping and send power to the wheels that have some traction. There's more to it than this, but that's the best I can explain it.

This is true! ARB makes a locker that can be added later. They make front lockers as well.

 

Well my nightshade just got permission to install shit to go offroading!! YES!!
HERE comes
Kings with click adjusters
On board arb dual air compressor
Front and rear lockers
Steel protection all under the runner
Sliders
Upper and lower trailing arms billet aluminum
JBA upper control arm HD high caster
Rear track bar
4.88 gears nitro gears polished
Steel braided brake lines
Front and rear bumper
Letting go of the 20 inch tires and adding 285-75/17
Icon rear springs
Its on. Can't wait.

 

Cool, can't wait to see it, post up pics when its ready!

 

Nice wish list. Can we add one more item

https://www.magnusonsuperchargers.com/category-s/127.htm

 

Your truck will be a beast. LE's have lots of potential. Have Fun!!