5th gen 4runner - 2yrs in review

Here's what I think and what I know (and a little bit of what I think i know. ) , after a couple years of local around-town driving, interstate road-tripping and off-roading on some fairly knarly trails in Moab and here in So-Cal.

As always, your mileage may vary (YMMV):

1. Armor: Having a fully armored under-belly is very confidence inspiring having been the only vehicle for miles and miles around on some of our trips. This is where I'd advise spending your "mod money" first.

2. Jeeps vs 4runner: Jeeps have higher durability ratings offroad, while 4runners have better reliability ratings overall. Personally, i have enjoyed having the reliability first and testing/building the durability as i go. Our 4runner with it's dual transfer cases is a reliable, comfortable, dare-i-say-it "vanilla" road vehicle, for myself and my wife, and happens to be the vehicle my teenagers are learning to drive in. I know a jeep could serve the same role, but having driven a fresh Jeep JL from San Diego to Moab, the on-road reliability/driver experience is just different (warning lights, noisy, drafty, fit/finish issues, etc) Don't get me wrong, I love Jeeps, but certainly a different animal altogether.

3. Power: compared to our other cars, the 4runner is a dog, power-wise, but will hold 65-70 all day long on road trips through thick and thin, even as a heavier vehicle on 33's. Really is not a problem or a concern overall.

4. Community: Toyota community is just as crazy as the Jeep community - and just as supportive. Met some really great people so far.

5. Heritage: With it's roll-down rear window, lack of power, simple controls and key start - this rig is seriously the new version of the first gen i had in college. So awesome.

6. Aftermarket: They sell more goodies for our rigs than my bank account can handle. Great aftermarket support.

7. Lift/Tires: Stock is fine if that works for you. 2.5" and 33/34's is the sweet spot, IMO, where you're still working within Toyota's specs and getting the most out of the platform without hacking any sheetmetal.

8. Overall size: Great size for up to a family of 5. Our teenagers love the backseat comfort and with our roofrack and/or a thule roof box we have always had enough cargo room.

9. Crawl Ratio: 33:1 is fine for fire roads. Dual cases is where it's at, though, for anything tougher. SO much more control and SO much less shock load on drivetrain parts. We find that the money spent was much more cost effective than about the same cash spent on gears/front locker, since on-road it feels OEM, and off road we have 2wd low, 4wd factory low and Low-Low available - just much more useful for us. LOW-LOW, ATRAC front, Rear locked is pretty unstoppable.

10. Drivetrain weaknesses ( w/ usual root cause):

• Front CV axles (spirited driving, 35+ tires),
• Front steering tie rods(big tires, go-fast, or spirited crawling),
• A-arm cam tabs (rock damage, leverage damage),
• front spindles (go-fast driving)
• Rear lower control arms(rock magnets),
• Thin metal on Rear face of axle housing [not 3rd member](spirited crawling, oops moment into rock),
• OEM wheel valve stems (spirited crawling/go fast)

11. Drivetrain strengths ( w/ info):

• Rear axle 3rd member/housing/shafts (stout to 37+ tires),
• rear driveshaft (protected by fuel tank,
• front CV axles (up to 34", also CV's are the same L to R),
• lower A-arms (beefy)
• Upper A-arms (easily replaceable for lift purposes to a stout unit),
• strong frame (boxed),
• engine (tried and true, aka old),
• bombproof tranny(tried and true, aka old)
• t-case ( stout, adaptable to dual cases),
• lower ball-joint design = easy CV axle swap

 

What do you mean “not a third member”? I’m new to 4 Runners. Appreciate your thoroughness.

 

Great question! And sorry, i could have been a bit clearer (edited my OP)

the rear third member and overall axle assembly are very tough, but i’ve heard of and seen several folks backing their diff into a rock and puncturing the rear-facing “face” of the housing. On a jeep you’d simply bolt on a thick diff cover. On a toyota you can weld on a armor plate or put some bolt on armor below.