Cons to not having KDSS?

Oh we Perfectly Understand what KDSS is and What it does and Does Not do Never once said that the After Market Suspension can Duplicate the KDSS However KDSS is Fine for the Occasional off roader who does mild off road running and has no intentions to gain the required clearance for serious off road runs. There are 2 guys with KDSS in the Off road group and both have had issues with it (Leaking Oil)

Yes they both have earlier machines one is a 2017 4Runner and the other is a Lexus GX not sure what year his Lexus is and Sure there are Pros and Cons with the Pro is when it is in good shape and you take care of it yes it does work well however one of the Cons is the steep price tag for repair if you can't do it yourself.

I have Driven a Land Cruiser with KDSS for many miles and No issues with it However it did not have the desired lift due to the KDSS So the Comparison is made there because that stays off the Trails others went down so the Joke about that was "The only Off road that guy can do is Pull OFF the Highway into to his driveway".

So it would be Nice if those who who Have KDSS enjoy it but remember there are those who go way off road and that is not just some fire trail but way off where you better have a Winch because chances are you will need it and Not One Machine there has KDSS because it won't make it very far.

 

My end game is to be able to leave the drilling rig and drive straight to the mountains and disappear. I will be towing my dirtbike on a MotoTote. I plant on doing a RTT on a flat rack because it's important to my girlfriend and I to throw the stand-up paddleboards on at a moments notice.

I will spend time in Moab but not on the trails unless I can't help myself. I couldn't imagine bringing a vehicle on hells revenge or hells gate. I want to explore the smokey's and also will be doing some driving around the rockies scouting.

Essentially, I love the idea of having my capable 4runner in a self contained tenting setup with plenty of storage and still retain interior space for friends. At bare minimum I will have a lab, german shepherd, and girl with me. That is unless I am alone but even hunting I usually have a buddy.

Also not to mention this will he my daily driver and work truck.

Any wisdom offered is always appreciated.

 

On it's own the 4Runner is very capable of doing all the above except the crazy stuff at Moab and I been there many times seeing guys try that stuff with rigs that they certainly should not have because they got towed away after. With some good tires and low profile roof rack if you are going to do the roof top tent that 4Runner will Perform great. Like @Baby_Silverback points out many mods will cost you in one way or another from things like Fuel usage and ride quality But we all want that awesome look too.

One thing is like the RCI Rock Sliders does everyone need Sliders? not really that just depends on where you going and how hard you going to go with one thing in mind about the Rock sliders The RCI ones are fantastic well built and Do work great the cost? the ones I put on my Tacoma were 68Lbs Each! So adding that 136Lbs may not seems like that much but had a bed rack, a winch bumper with winch and rear bumper with spare tire swing out had and had to add heavier Springs to help support the extra weight but it was not my daily driver so I did not feel the pain there so from that the path forward for me is I don't add it until I reach the point where a need it and I have done enough of the severe off road banging where all those mods were needed and the cost was not only in the mods but also in the wear and tear on the entire rig so for now building the heck out of my rigs is done and just want reliable very capable 4Runner that gets us there and back.

 

Yeah, I just do fire roads. Ok.

I never said it was good for hardcore rock crawling.

But, I have said that at the point where it would become a limitation, you would most likely be eliminating your sway bars anyway, so it's a pointless argument.

 

it's all good Yeah most everyone in the group has sway bar disconnects or none at all and some even trailer the rigs to start locations and yet there are daily drivers in the mix too with 2 or 3 inch lift not me anymore I am going away from the extreme stuff back into overlanding with the RTT and basic Mods and hit that remote fishing spot.

 

Yeah, for sure a rig with disconnects and massive lift will get further than me. I think I misunderstood your earlier post. I don't have any intentions to do any hardcore stuff, so I think it's a good setup for someone like myself.

 

If your intent was hardcore offroad, you wouldn't even consider a rig with KDSS.

 

I almost got a 4Runner with KDSS but then a New 2020 TRD Pro 4Runner for the right Price came up with everything I was looking for except the Rear Slide deck (I still want one of them) and I am still going to have to do some Mods to put things where I want to be. I have a 2007 FJ Cruiser for the hard trail but maybe not for long there are offers on it I may take.

 

It's most likely just me, but this made me bust out laughing, must have missed this line initially. I currently have a similar situtation...I love my 4runner, but I'm disgusted I ended up getting a sunroof, my head doesn't touch, but it is close enough to give me a cramped feeling. I was talked into it...sort of. I'm now searching for the same color, but no moonroof... (Venture most likely, so I don't mentally feel like I'm taking a bath for a lateral move...) I should have kept my truck is currently running in my head.

Back to your situation. I'm not a KDSS guy, but I respect the technology. I voted for the don't worry about it option on your poll... I can see how my above story wouldn't help, though.

 

If my intent was hardcore off-road, I would have bought a beat up 2nd or 3rd gen and built it up.

Or, a Wrangler.

 

With the Japanese companies that I have worked for, or dealt with, face is of prime importance. They will bend over backwards to save face. Ask to speak with the manager, find a Japanese manager if possible, if the sales/service will not provide satisfaction. Nicely mention that you had heard of the honesty of Toyota because they are a Japanese company. Be willing to work with them, maybe even suggest a Trail model if they have one. If you lie, you will have no face, you will be at best, tolerated. Don't lie.

I have a 5th gen 4 Runner Trail, 36" tall AT tires 10" wide, air compressor installed. I carry life support equipment, survival assured for days if my Trail became stuck and not moveable. I commuted to work, till retirement, yay! Many places I go off road are a couple hundred miles by freeway, then pavement is not seen for days. Living in the mountains, and < 40 miles to the desert I still go off road quite a bit. I was 1 of 2 that managed to get out until the snowplow hit our road.

I love my KDSS. My Trail has the highway comfort of a medium to large sedan. Off road I enjoy the extra height, released sway bars, and independent wheel movement. It makes the ride more enjoyable for my wife and daughter, my son doesn't care. We have gone places where 4WD clubs show up, and come over and ask how we got there.

 

Eibach Pro Truck kit. Better handling, no brake dive, reduced corner lean. Better ride.

 

All true. But it won't help keep your tires on the trail offroad like KDSS.

 

I should have put 'one's' instead of 'your'. I wasn't referring to you specifically. You probably figured that...

 

I figured it was a general statement.

 

there is SOME truth in that BUT:

When in MOAB last year I ran some of the easier stuff, and the 4Runner had NO issues what so ever. Now some of these trails didn't require 4wd at all and some I used 4wd(H). I'm not against KDSS, but the shop that installed my Eibach kit is a wll known 4x4 shop here in Phoenix (they custom build Jeeps), and the guy who did the install said "I had no idea, just how capable the 4Runner is with a skilled driver". Chances are he was right because the few times the going got fun (challenging) the T4R just crawled it's way out of the powdered dirt.

 

Drive both on different road conditions before you buy, unless you are already familiar with them.
I currently have a 2017 Taco TRD OR and a 2020 T4R OR with KDSS (and a 2000 Tundra). This is my third Tacoma in a row, so I'm pretty familiar with the platform with and without various suspension mods.
A few months ago bought the 'Runner. It was the height of pandemic and choices were limited and could not test drive it. I drive all 3 Tayotas on a daily basis, in varied and often extreme conditions.
I really fell in love with the KDSS and the way it worked on narrow tight twisty tarmac as well as heavily cambered unpaved conditions. I prefer the Tacoma on really challenging offroad situations and for hauling load, but I look forward to the KDSS T4R on about everything else.
If you are making the choice, experience them both to the extent that you understand what is going on. That is the only rational way of making the call!

 

I've got a non-KDSS SR5. the only weird thing I notice about my 4Runner vice any other vehicle I've had is a little more 'shimmy" when right behind a big semi truck on the highway. perfectly manageable just took a little getting used to

 

My main issue with going to Toyota is I don't really see my leg to stand on. A salesman told me it was the exact model I was looking at and I never again questioned the presence of KDSS.

Here is the only hope. I technically bought this truck at work and I didn't actually personally sign any of the paperwork (had my gf do it) because I was excited about the low price and apr.

However I figure it's best to keep my mouth shut about this as I'm scared they would keep my down payment. Also I don't want my gf to get in any sort of trouble.

The salesman knew this and advised me to not tell financing and I did not.

 

I have an ELKA thread on here - one thing cool about Elka since this is a kdss thread - Elka makes a specific KDSS set up. I’ve had mine for a year and they’re great.

 

Dirt gets trapped inbetween the protective shield and the main unit ive heard which is the cause of this. I suppose if you are religious about making sure its cleaned out you shouldnt have issues.

 

I'll give you my 2 cents. 12 years ago, I bought a Tacoma. It was a TRD and as you know, there are always a ton of options. I was pissed for a bit that it didn't have a locking rear end and a couple of other features.

As I began to modify it, I realized that was actually a good thing. I have a locker & and re-gear now as well as a lift and some cool wheels and other stuff. I am grateful for not having to buy twice and, I got better stuff. Stuff that I wanted.

Now that I have a 4Runner, it has a bunch of stuff and the reality is the mods probably won't be as extensive but again, they'll be ones I want

 

This is crazy.. I'm in a similar situation as OP but inverse. Been dreaming and saving for 4Runner ORP for a few years.. Finally pulled the trigger a week ago on a silver 2018 ORP with KDSS. However, I had no idea that there would be limitations on the lift. I love the everything about it except the KDSS.

 

how much lift increase are you planning?

 

What are your plans for the 4runner?

If long travel suspension or hardcore rock crawling aren't on the agenda, you will be fine. A huge lift isn't required for off-roading. Even stock, with armor and good tires these things will go pretty far.

If you're concerned about off-road capability, don't be. By the time KDSS becomes a limitation, you'll probably delete your sway bars anyway.

There are ways to get a big lift, if that's your goal.

 

Or just get sway bar disconnect-able links.

 

I had a similar experience with the dealer I went to when I asked for KDSS. Told the sales guy I wanted KDSS and he said Oh all 4 Runners come with it. I knew better and told him ok get me the VIN # and the window sticker. Show me where it says KDSS as a feature and I’ll buy it right now. Manager came out and apologized and said he will have to locate one which he eventually did.

 

When I was looking for one to test drive I had to walk the lot to point out one to the salesman

 

Some salesman I was dealing with kept telling me that 4runners do not come with air suspension when I told him I wanted KDSS...

 

IMO everyone should compare using Toyota site and be knowledgeable before step in to the dealership;

https://www.toyota.com/4runner/features/mileage_estimates/8672/8674/8667