Road Trip Dump

Sooooo I bought my first 4Runner about 3 weeks ago. I put 700 city and highway miles on it before I took it any significant distance or off road. I recently return home with 5,500 miles on my truck after a 10 day road trip out to western Montana to volunteer at a ranch outside Ennis. This ranch is home to Heroes and Horses, a program that creates space for combat veterans to truly create change within their lives. I’m a 2022 graduate of said program and I couldn’t possibly be in a better place in all aspects of my life. Shameless plug over.
I camped in the runner with my 6mo old Belgian malinois Priyah (pictured). I must say it was a wonderful experience overall.

heading west on the 27.5 hour drive from Ohio I averaged 17.9mpg. The truck handled the drive without issue, until we got into elevation changes. The transmission shift points are really awkward when going up and down from 4th-5th at 80mph. South Dakota speed limits are 80mph which blew my mind but certainly understandable. Hanging out in cruise set at 80mph I would often find myself settling at 3,000+ rpm until I manually shifted up into 5th gear. The same can be said when ascending a hill/mountain climb at speed, the long shift points really felt awkward. I feel as if this is a common complaint with this power train but I could be wrong. ALSO, it’s my ONLY complaint. Honestly I quite enjoyed manual shifting as it took me back to my first vehicle as a kid.

we stopped alongside the Madison river during a wild ass storm to take one of my favorite photos. Then the Madison range and Ennis lake. Took some storm photos in the Madison valley and random scenic pictures along the way.
Fueling up across the country can be challenging for someone like myself who has never paid much attention to fuel types. I learned some states have zero ethanol options up to E15. I discovered the top tier fuel that I’ve heard spoken of in the forum and learned about top tier detergent fuel that provided me two tanks of 20mpg and 19.6mpg from Sinclair and Love’s respectively.

so please enjoy the photos. Ask questions and please don’t destroy me if I sound like the novice that I am. Total trip fuel mileage and run time was 17.7mpg. I left the ranch at 45hrs run time.

 

I've always said that if I could have my F150's engine (almost twice the torque of the 4Runner engine and at a much lower rpm) in the 4Runner, it would be my perfect SUV. That poor 4.0 in the 4Runner just plain runs out of breath at higher speeds and at the higher elevations I drive here out west. But it will no doubt be trouble-free all its life......

 

Welcome to the forum.

 

Welcome from Arizona!

 

Welcome and thanks for your service.

 

Welcome from NJ and thank you for the introduction and the pics! Beautiful landscapes....and pooch! Most importantly though....a heartfelt thank you for your service.

See you 'round the Board!
Tim

 

Congrats and Thank you for your Service.

 

Ah, the west. My wife and I made about ten trips from Ohio to Montana and such, almost all of them in a 1988 4R with the 22R-E. Often with a cartop carrier and small trailer. So I’m sure I’d find my 2019 more than satisfactory lol. I miss the west. Nothing like it.

Welcome, and thanks for the pics.

 

Nice pics!

One thing I've learned on my road trips with the 4R is that even if the speed limit says 80mph doesn't mean I have to go 80. When I'm towing my little military trailer I cruise at 65mph regardless if the speed limit is higher. With no trailer, 70mph is usually my max unless passing. The fuel economy savings are definitely real. Towing with my trailer this year I was averaging 19.5mph traveling South through Idaho into Utah.

 

Welcome aboard Shipmate!

 

Welcome...

Hit up OTT and get it tuned. Night n day difference when it comes to shifting and low rpm power.

 

One of the most outstanding posts I’ve seen in a long while….

As a proud son of a Bronze Star/2x Purple Heart recipient, thank you so much for your service, and support for our vets.

That truck is a serious keeper. Enjoy the heck out of it.

 

Whoa. Checking out that dog kennel you have there. Is that what is takes to contain a "Malligator?" (Great dogs, BTW!)

 

Welcome Zach!

Beautiful dog

 

In my 2022 TRD Pro I am getting mid 18’s for MPG. Yes I also went to South Dakota and 80mph is fast. I did notice like yours once I hit 22,000 miles my MPG went up and I have noticed also Branded fuel and no alcohol my MPG is higher.
For what it’s worth the power on the 4Runner is fine it just has a lot of pedal travel. Just FYI I came into the 4Runner after driving Full sized Truck for 35 years. My first F150 4X4 had the straight 6 cyc. , My next truck the Chevy 1500 4X4 5.3L and did my GMC Sierra. What did I notice in power the Ford with the 6 cyc with my pickup camper on and pulling my boat I could not accelerate up hill, I could with the Chevy and GMC.
As far as normal driving I don’t notice a nickel worth of difference. IMHO

 

I was expecting something completely different from the thread title

Nevertheless, welcome to the forum.

 

100% this. Had mine tuned not long after I picked it up and driving it through the canyon up to Estes Park is a night and day experience. Could not go back to a non-tuned 5th gen.

 

Welcome. Love road trips. Purchased my 4Runner in Minot, ND and drove it back to San Diego.

 

First time Toyota owner, if I go in to dealership and ask for OTT tune up they'll know what to do? Or are there "choices" you have to make? Cost wise, what does it usually run?

 

Welcome to the forums. Thank you for your service...where in Ohio?

 

No , you have to contact ott. And do not tell the dealer about the tune.