Going to get the TR4 ready for desert exploration...

My girlfriend and I just got back from visiting my folks in Yuma, AZ for a week.

Dad has three Jeeps down there; a `97 Grand Cherokee bone stock, a `99 Wrangler with 2" lift, and a 2008 Wrangler bone stock.

Him and my mom drove the `08 while my girlfriend and I drove the `99 on a day trip into the desert to see the Fortuna mine and explore some other abandoned mines out in the desert.

Girlfriend and I decided we would return next winter, but will drive my 4Runner down instead of flying. Dad is relocating the `08 Jeep to his Idaho home and we will need to do desert trips in the 4Runner since only two seats in the Jeeps.

The trail was relatively mild. The `08 Jeep bottomed out quite a few times, but the lifted `99 I drove didn't scrape once. Most of the hits with the stock Jeep were on the undercarriage and didn't have anything to do with approach and departure angles, but rather on the transfer case and suspension components, so I think I can get the 4Runner ready by simply lifting it, discarding the low-hanging side steps, and maybe getting rid of the front brush guard that hangs ridiculously low in the front.

Both Jeeps did fine without lockers or even aggressive tires. I engaged 4wd three times.

I think a Bilstein lift with 285s, some rock sliders, and maybe a beefier rear bumper would be all I need to negotiate the trails without worry about damage. I could probably be fine with it stock on a lot of the trails, but my dad said some of the really interesting places to explore are located down roads that are about the same, or a bit worse, than the one we did.

I took a short video of one of the more gnarly sections, but even it is fairly mild...



Some photos of the beautiful country and our mild Jeeps...





Anything especially vulnerable underneath the 5th Gens that I should be worried about?

 

Looks like fun!

You're going to want full skids if you risk bottoming out on the rocks. RCI are very popular, but I like the look of the Budbuilt skids.

 

I got a case of sticker shock looking at the prices of rock sliders. Coming from the Jeep community where everything is a 1/3 the price of 4Runner parts, it seems ridiculous that the same design, with the same materials, costs three times as much.

I'll have to crawl under the 4Runner and see what I have to do. Looking at the factory side steps, I may be able to just cut off the steps that hang down and call it good if the mounting system is beefy enough. Or just borrow my dad's welder and fab my own. Did that for my roof rack and liked the results.

 

If there's a chance that you'll actually bottom out on the steps, you're going want real sliders that mount to the frame. I went RSG and am very happy with them.

 

About a billion threads on lifting and tire fitment, so I'll have fun researching those... My current Goodyear Authority tires in 10-ply are perfect for the trails we were on, but are the stock size, so will probably look goofy with the Bilsteins installed at max setting and rear spacers.

 

Lifts look OK with stock size AT's if they have an aggressive sidewall tread. But, going up a size or 2 is better.

My understanding of tires size options is that:

275/70/17 will fit without rubbing (depending on offset)

285/70/17 will usually rub and may require a cab mount chop. I've heard of guys fitting them by adjusting the fender liners and mud flaps, and pushing the tires forward with alignment.

I haven't really looked into it for the 4runner, but lots of Tacoma guys are running "pizza cutters", or skinny 33's. This would be something like a 255/80/17. Apparently, the tires being a bit narrower helps fit them without rubbing.

 

Oh, and to be clear, the girlfriend LOVES Jeeps and wanted me to sell my Honda Pioneer UTV and get a Jeep Wrangler 2dr. I told her that I could modify the 4Runner to navigate the trails we went on for much less money and much more reliability than a used Jeep. So, in an effort to keep my beloved Honda for trail riding in Idaho, I will be lifting and modding the 4Runner while keeping it sane enough for towing the UTV and a small camper.

 

I like Jeeps. I just wouldn't want to daily drive a Wrangler.

Based on the video, you should be fine with the 4runner. I really think the skids and sliders are the most important thing(even though I still haven't gotten skids)

 

From the video it doesn't look like a hard trail, just a rough one, but videos always have a way of making things like smaller/easier than they actually are. Protection is never a bad thing and a set of beefier skids is a good investment. If you're just trying to justify to yourself why you should buy a lift and tires and bumpers, etc, thats one thing and there's nothing wrong with that, but a stock 4runner is more than capable of getting through damn near anything. The vast majority of people will never get a stock 4runner near its limit.

 

Yeah just get a full set of steel skids, sliders, and good tires and you will have no issues. Also looking at the video and not trying to cause anger or anything but just slowing down could have probably avoided any issues whatsoever. 4 low is your friend.

 

Airing down would have helped a lot in your video. In my TJ with bead locks, 8psi would have been the norm.

 

Looks like fun!

Short of beaches / sand - figure you're going to encounter rocks on pretty much every off road trail. I had just installed my Shrockworks sliders for my 1st extreme off road trip. They came in handy protecting the body from damage.

I have a set of Shrockworks skids sitting in the garage waiting for warmer weather, when I can paint them.