2021 Limited - starting small....

This is my first thread and my diary of where things started and where they are now.

Mods:

• TRD Off Road - 17"x7.5" rims - EBAY
• Falken Wildpeak AT3W - LT 275/70R17 load C
• BudBuilt Sliders with Kickout Diamond Plate - Textured Powder Coat
• Front Facia Trim - 8 inches
• Rocker Panel - Straight Trim
• BudBuilt Hidden Winch Mount (with recovery points)
• Badland Apex 12,000 lbs Winch
• Cornfed 2"/1" X-REAS lift
• BudBuilt - Rock Armor 3/16” steel skids.
• Custom Tube Bumper .120 wall DOM Steel. With hoops.

BEFORE

CURRENT

 

Incredible chop on the front & rockers, looks great. I'm hoping to get around to some aesthetic work on my Limited come better weather in March. Did you do the cutting yourself?

 

Looks good. If you have a pic can you show a front shot too?

 

Here is a front 3/4 shot. I'll try to get some other good angles.

 

Other angles

 

I didn't do any of the cutting myself. I didn't have the angle grinder, the experience, or the bravery to do it myself.
The fabricator/owner at 5eight Offroad and Fab here in Louisville did it as part of the rock slider install. We talked about what I was wanting with the straight across rocker panels cut and a front bumper chop that followed the lines of the plastic, kept the sensors intact and DIDNT ecpose the Aluminum crash bar. We had to drop the cut about 1 inch from my original spec because it would have exposed the crash bar.
Also we hit the crash bar with some black enamel paint to make it fade into the background if viewed from side or below.

 

Well, it looks excellent. They did great work and you have good taste in going for this. I'm definitely taking a few tips. Black paint ready for the crash bar is a good one. Are you planning to install a proper skid there up front now? or will you keep it as is? I think I'm going to pull the trigger someday and do it myself because I lack the finances to do an SR5/TRD bumper swap or even to pay someone for the cutting haha. My main hesitation is that I only have highway tires yet so it could look a bit funny till I move toward ATs.

 

tldr; yep skids are next.

So the mods I've done are all based on usage.
I cut the front facia because on the first trail ride I popped the the retaining screws at the wheel wells and bent the metal clips and scrarched the hell out of the bottom plastic.
Next trip I put a half-bowling ball sized dent in the front skid. Honestly that doesn't scare me, but what does scare me is the 6 inch plastic cube that actuates the center diff lock and Tcase. So I'll probably go with skids next.

A lift would be fun but xreas hasn't crapped out on me yet, and I can't justify ripping out a $3,500 system to put in a $2,500 minimum suspension lift when armor is so much more important IMO.
So the lift will probably come after I add a hidden winch mount and winch. That way I know what springs and shock valving I need based on rhe specific weight I've added.

 

And Thanks for the kind words about the look. Since I bought it 2 years ago, I've been reading and reading trying to find the right way to accomplish it.

 

New pics added to the thread.

 

Cut looks great. Black it out and it would be awesome. I really like the look of a chopped limited

 

Thanks much for posting the pics. Looks great. Keep us updated on your work if you have the time. I’m interested as I too have a limited. Thanks again.

 

Very bold build from a Limited trim. Respect. Since you chopped off the front rocker, why not install a proper front recovery points. It'll not only look good, I've also read the tie down points are not very reliable for recovery.

 

I thought somebody might "peek" those D-rings attached to the factory tie down points.

The Apex Overland Recovery Points are on order.

My only concern with adding them up to this point has been with making sure they will work with the Hidden Winch Mount I plan to add. I think they will all clear because it's not like full or hybrid bumper, but need to get all the parts in one place and make sure they play nicely together.

 

Nice planning and pre-planning.

 

I’m interested in the recovery hooks as well but haven’t had a chance to look them up as well as crawl under my vehicle and see what is involved. I would appreciate any feedback you can provide once you get to it.

 

Harbor Freight Presidents' Day sale...
Couldn't pass it up. $500 out the door. Ordering the BudBuilt hidden winch plate, with recovery points.

 

Winch and 2"/1" Lift installed.
Loving the look so far. Got to work with the winch in the driveway for at least 1 test pull.
Can't wait to see how it does on the trails!

 

Love your build, the chop and hidden wench looks amazing. I was curious how the ride is with the cornfed 2/1 lift? I am about to install the same set on my 2020 nightshade.

 

Hate to be a hater, but why not just get a SR5 or OR instead?

Cool build tho!

 

Be sure to extend the synthetic rope all the way and tighten under a small load to break it in. Great choices

How's the ride change with the cornfed lift?

Budbuilt's hidden winch is awesome. I have it along with budbuilt sliders and armor from him and the xreas is rocking along.

 

Great question, and I know there's no hate.

I got the Limited because It was the only one available at the time I needed a vehicle. I would have preferred an ORP for the Rear Locker, but I've got a big family and needed the 3rd row. And the deal I got on the Limited, New at $45,900 was too good to pass up. I could justify it with the full-time 4wd and 3rd row as a "practical" "family vehicle".

 

I've not noticed any significant negatives to Off-Road or On-Road manners. Just a bit taller, way less rake, but enough not to squat. And that was my whole goal.
It does amazing on the trails. Most of the front lift comes from the preload collar, so you will notice a bit of extra stiffness. I got it because of the additional 90 lbs I was putting on the front bumper with the winch and hidden winch mount, so the Pre-load doesn't really make my ride harsher.

 

Skids arrived from BudBuilt 20 minutes ago. Can’t wait to get these painted and on the 4Runner. Last oil change we had to cut bolts on the OEM skids because a hard hit had broken the welds on the nut holding them. OEM skid is being held in place with zip ties.

 

Good point on extending the synthetic rope and spooling under tension.

Since you and I have the same front setup with the winch and winch plate, I think you'll find almost NO difference in ride quality after adding the lift. I've got about 12,000 miles on the lift since Feb and haven't been disappointed with it.

How is your experience with the Bumper?

 

The rear bumper, armor, sliders, and front hidden winch don't seem to affect the ride quality or anything.

Thank you for letting me know about the ride quality. I'm going to join you in the cornfed lift soon. I need to do a write up of all the things I've done/modded and how to make use of annoying piles of extra money.

 

The front hidden winch mount, as you know, is indispensable. I've gotten a lot more use out of it than anyone (including me) expected. I don't off-road much (ever), but it's taken down limbs, cleared a road, pulled up shrubs, and loaded a trailer.

The rear bumper is just baller. No one cares or notices except for me and two other dads who have land cruisers. I smile inside every single time I see it. It's low key amazing, kinda like Bud himself.

 

Big Red got a Brazilian Butt Lift!
Custom fab tube rear bumper - 1.75” OD .120 wall DOM.

• Receiver Hitch relocation.
• 7” height increase on exit.
• Center of receiver is 24” from the ground. (Before was 17”)
• 7 welded attachment points with frame.
• Weight gain only about 25 lbs.

When wheeling the spare will be ratchet strapped to the floor. Exhaust is getting rerouted to side for high clearance.

 

I can't fully tell if you deleted your hitch receiver or not, but if you wanted to keep trunk space available, I found this for your spare tire:

https://dirtcomusa.com/products/hitch-mounted-high-clearance-tire-carrier-swing-out

Bit spendy. If the website defaults to Korean Won, it's $1,780. But I like the idea of looking like an overlander on the weekends and not the weekdays.

 

Hitch mount was relocated 7” higher than original, but still exists. So your idea of a hitch mounted tire carrier would certainly be an option. I like that convertibility. I like to kinda run stealth. Something to consider for sure. Thanks!