Honest advice to new 4Runner buyers who go offroad

Correct me if I'm wrong but don't TRD Offroads have bigger rear axles?

 

I don't believe so. They do come equipped with an E locker and a few other off road goodies though

 

Tell us what your dishonest advice is

 

Buy a Jeep

 

Buy a TRD Pro if hardcore offroading is your thing.

 

Jeep drivetrain especially the pentastar/ZF8 has been too reliable. Buy a bronco with the 2.7 turbo V6

 

Pentastar/ZF8 is as solid as they come. JL Wrangler is a solid vehicle.

 

Put a Wrangler on the lift and see the undercarriage, it is the most solid vehicle in production, mouth watering stuff. Jeep only has electronics issues most of which have easy fix. Body build/paint quality and interior are also not the best, 4Runner's build quality is next level. And Bronco is an absolute pile of crap. I test drove one and the thing was crap.

 

Where your angles, clearance, and flex will be put to the test, that kind of offroad. Has your truck lifted two wheels yet? If not, then you are not really offroading, your truck is doing Subaru stuff which is fine.

Two wheels in the air

 

So anything that doesn't have two wheels in the air is Subaru stuff? That's just condescending BS.

 

So why you bought a truck with a rear solid axle, for other than towing?
And don't underestimate Subaru AWD. It will take you to most trails where articulation is not required.

 

It is crazy folks don't even bother reading before jumping to reply. Just crazy times I guess. When we are talking steel bumpers, skid plates, rock sliders, Viper cuts, don't you get the idea what kind of wheeling is being discussed? Surely you don't need all that to drive on the beach or to drive to a camp site.

 

I have 542k miles between my two Subarus and I've been a lot of places, so I know a fair bit about their capabilities. I bought a truck with more capability to get more places. I simply object to the definition of off-road as having two wheels in the air.

 

Show me how to keep all my four wheels on the ground offroad, show me the way! I will really appreciate that, thank you!

 

You defined off-road as lifting two wheels, not anything other than all four wheels on the ground. Anyway, I can't say for sure how often I lift two wheels since I don't stop to take pictures every time.

 

You don't feel your wheel/s in the air? Wow!
You think I am taking pictures every single time I lift a wheel?

 

In my daydreaming schemes, somewhere out there there is a parallel universe where Toyota builds its own 2 door Wrangler and calls it the FJ50, with the 1GR and the ZF8, live axles front and rear, and Toyota electronics.

 

Toyota is under so much pressure from Green maniacs that they have other things to worry about right now. Maybe a Hydrogen FJ50 in 15 years, that would be the coolest. The Green folks will not mind a hydrogen guzzling brick with live axles.

 

Agreed. I've lifted a tire now and then, but that's certainly not how I define off-roading.

Pick better lines.

 

What if the better lines ask for two wheels in the air?

 

I would love to see them bring the 70 series here, but I know it's just a fantasy. They could compete with Wrangler if they wanted to, but I don't think there's a big enough market for it to be worthwhile.

 

Step 1: buy 2 door wrangler

Step 2: buy 4runner

Step 3: years of ???

Step 4: Financially ruinous swap complete

 

Wrangler is Jeep's best seller. Toyota has half a dozen best sellers, so I guess they don't care. They are not gonna go out of their way to develope a vehicle that they will sell maybe 50,000 a year. For 70 series to come here, it has to be made safe and clean and all that, so too much work.

 

I think you are right, there are very few people willing to pay 4runner money for a small, bouncy SUV that wanders on the highway and is not a Wrangler.

 

Come on , modern 2 door Wranglers aren't too bad when stock. They do ok on 33s. Wranglers have evolved a lot

 

I'm amazed that this thread is still going. @Yotaholic you're rig is impressive and built for some rock crawling and extreme off-roading. The problem is that you're coming into this with a bunch of arrogance and scrutinizing everyone else for making purchases that don't follow your beliefs. Nothing wrong with constructive advice or feedback but please keep the arguing and bashing to a minimum. And yes, there is a difference between overlanding, off-roading, and rock crawling. There are also different stages of each depending on what the end user wants to accomplish.

 

I wish I could rock crawl in my rig, I wish!

 

I know. They are very decent rigs now and have been pretty well sorted.

This is bad, I have my 4R, I have my long haul offroader(F250 with 7.3 V8, 48 gallon tank, and dana super 60 front with Sterling 10.5 rear), and now people on 4R forum are talking me into ANOTHER 4x4. LOL.

 

I bet you can. It is an impressive beast!

 

I have a TRD off-road premium without KDSS. It doesn’t drive “terrible” and I wouldn’t ever buy a 4Runner with KDSS. It seems to come down to personal preference.