5th Gen Limited with Mods - Plan A feedback requested

Comparing 4R, LC, and GX550 to buy. My Plan A is to buy a 2024, 5 seat Limited 4Runner and make some minor modifications. Feedback on this thinking would be appreciated. Though I've read a bunch, I'm sure I'm missing stuff.

Here's my usage:

Drive 3 to 4 days worth of interstate each way to get to BLM and NFS roads for camping. I go out 3 to 4 times per year and I move around a lot. Cover a lot of territory.

I rode in an SR5 over washboard roads in SE Utah and up and down the Moki Dugout and was very impressed. I left my AWD Transit van in the parking lot due to lack of confidence on unknown gravel roads after heavy rain. I also own a Highlander AWD which is great for highway driving. My new purchase would replace the HL.

For highway safety in all weather conditions, am wanting full time 4WD. Hence, the Limited trim.

Unknowns with the new tech in the LC and GX550 and the 2025 4R have made them slip down on the list a bit.

I have 3 trailers which I occasionally tow within 500 miles of home - all 3,000 lbs or less.

I plan to sleep in the back of the vehicle when camping. This will be cramped compared to my van and I'm still on the fence about that. I have slept in the Highlander and know it will be a trade off for better backcountry access. I can use a tent too.

I would:

If I buy the Limited, first thing I would want to do is put TRD Pro stock wheels and tires on it. It would have the XREAS Suspension until it wore out then I could replace with Bilsteins if I understand the compatibility correctly. More to learn about this.

Would add mud flaps, and floor liners from the TRD Pro - assuming can find them.

Would add a trailer brake controller and it sounds like plug n play redarc is recommended.

Not sure about running boards or rock sliders yet - if needed or wanted? More to learn.

So:

By getting the limited I will miss out on some OR capability like Multi Terrain Select, Crawl Control, Fox Shocks, Locking Rear Diff. But am assuming I can get out of anything I drive into with good judgement about where to go and not go - and still go solo into backcountry on roads.

I do want the moonroof for the best possible ventilation while sleeping. If it weren't for the lack of full time 4WD I would get the TRD Pro.

Any info and feedback appreciated.

 

The limited is fine for what you do. The only negatives I see is the exterior styling which can hinder approach and departure angles. Also no rear locker but unless you wheel it, no need. You can add everything else you need. Mall control is a gimmick and Mall Terrain Select is alright.

 

The Multi Terrain Select is only partially helpful. It's about the skill of the driver. I have seen MTS vehicles with lifts and 37inch tires get stuck in minor off roading and have seen the opposite. A bare bones 4Runner with basic off road tires traverse the most difficult situations. Again, your off roading skills will matter. So fine tune them.

Now, lets call in the Limited (but still wheelin' hard off roading) experts in: @kmeeg & @Harringbr99

 

1) the limited rides better than the SR5, the Xreas rides really good, leave the suspension stock or close to stock and you will be happy. The 4wd limited is a little nose down, me personally i like to level mine out a bit. +1.5" higher in the front makes it level. It really starts looking its best with +2.5" in the front and +1" higher in the rear. With this lift height you can easily fit a whole plethora of tires on that vehicle without rubbing.
275/55-20
285/55-20
305/50-20
All fit and look spectacular on the stock wheels. If you run the 305/50-20 you will need to move the inner fender forward, its easy a 5 minute job for both sides.
2) yes they will tow a trailer no real big deal, there is a harness in the glove box that allows you to plug up any trailer brake controller under the dash no problems
3) if you want 17" wheels go for it, but the 20" wheels are already bought and look nice and dont hurt your ride quality like some assume due to sidewall. Any one of the tires above listed, with the proper air pressure, ride like a dream on a 4R limited with the stock 20s
4) you cant put the TRD Pro mud flaps on the Limited. The Limited has its own mud flaps, they are more square and fit the body lines better IMO but you can get the floor liners from Toyota for it or order aftermarket. I have had the Husky, the WeatherTech, and my current new one has the Toyota flaps and i like the Toyota pretty good.
5)another opinion here, i prefer the auto running boards. They are tucked up out of the way and deploy down when you open the doors. They are up high enough they wont get smashed on rocks like the standard chrome stickie'outtie running boards that sit down another +6". You gotta look, not every dealer is going to have a Limited with auto running boards, you will have to do some searching to find them but i will always have a set from here on out on every vehicle, they are worth their weight and price all day every day.

Silver wheels 4R is +1.5" up front and stock in the back and 285/55-20
Black wheels 4R is +2.5" up front and +1" in the back and 305/50-20

 

Consider a TRD Off-Road Premium. Has a locker, KDSS, multi-terrain, crawl control, 360* cameras, and 17 inch wheels. You'd have to buy only better tires (KO3s?) and a trailer brake control.

 

I would but going for Full Time 4WD for wet roads.

 

We don't buy hotel rooms anymore, the timber ridge SUV tent is a game changer.

We still sleep in the back of the SUV, but being able to slide out to change clothes/pee and the added ventilation is a huge bonus.

FWIW, the limited would have been a better choice for us as well, but I like the looks of the ORP.

 

Many thanks for your insights. I see the benefit of the front lift and will look into that. Is there a performance advantage to 20 inch wheels/tires?

 

I had a 2017 trd Offroad and I never used the multi terrain or crawl except to see how it worked. I mainly do access roads and wet fields. I got a 2022 limited this time for the Awd and other creature comforts that aren’t available on other trims (dual climate control, ventilation seats, front seat memory, tpms on the spare ). I switched the wheels to 17” pro wheels the first week (rides better over bumps and way more tire choices) I have kept the xreas for 25k miles but I have a set of Eibach shocks sitting in the garage. Just trying to decide wether to set them at .85 or 1.75 for the front.

 

I see the 3 degree lower approach angle given for the limited. Even with larger diameter wheels, which I assume translates into effective tire lift, but I didn't actually do the math on the tire dia difference between models. Not sure yet how important that 3 degrees will be and how it would get worse perhaps with 17 inch wheels. I'll scratch my head on that later too. It's still better than the HL and the Transit van though. Food for thought.

 

[QUOTE="Borracho Loco, post: 626815, Again, your off roading skills will matter. So fine tune them.][/QUOTE]

It will be on the road training for sure.

 

You started me looking at maybe modifying a Quick Set Clam for this.

 

Will probably appreciate the Xreas at first. Gives me lots of time for later homework on shocks. I thought I read that you can't do a lift with the Xreas. Probably wouldn't jump right into that but wondering if that's true.

 

Nah, you read wrong. You can lift the Xreas, just the same as the standard models. The rear shocks are shorter than in most models so you cant stick +2" rear springs or spring spacers in the rear or you will top the shocks out on any droop travel in the rear. The eibach +1" rear springs on the 4R above with black wheels, rides great on bumps, parking lot speed bumps, washboard road ect. Every now and again when climbing over curbs or technical stuff you can feel the rear shock top out gently when the rear flexes. Basically, dont go over 1" in the rear and you are good.
The front is similar, but not because of the shocks, because of the front diff. The front diff is load sensitive and with increased axle angles the front diff will lock in. This means if you flex the front, and one wheel droops, the increased axle angle will force the front diff to lock up that tire that is drooping to keep you from spinning. The problem arises when you lift the limited more than +1.5" up front you run the risk of getting the axle angles at a higher rate than you want, which could potentially cause the front diff to lock in. With the 4R above with silver wheels, i had +1.5" on it and once or twice i had the front end kick in lock on me when climbing over something and turning. The fix for this is front differential drop down brackets. If you are going to leave the front end stock, dont go over +1.5" higher in the front. You can do spring spacers on the top of the shock, its easy, cheap, works, and wont change the ride quality just the ride height. If you plan to go to the +2.5" like the 4R with black wheels, you will need the front diff drop down brackets to lower the front diff to reduce axle angles.
Both of those vehicles i pictured have Xreas, both have spacers up front, one the one with black wheels has an Eibach +1" spring kit in the rear. I have no problems on gravel roads, washboard roads, cracked asphalt, the vehicle rides absolutely wonderfully on the 305/50-20 General tires.

no, its simply aesthetics i am sure. The 20" wheels look more "luxury", i have seen plenty of people say that going to a smaller tire rides better, they may be right but i can assure you with good tires, and proper air pressure, the 20" wheel and tire combo is absolutely tits.
When i say correct air pressure, you would be surprised at what some people do, about two weeks ago somebody on here said he had 42psi up front and 37psi in the rear with his tires on his Limited 20" wheels.
Absolutely crazy, the tires had to be ballooned up like a bicycle tire and only riding on the middle of the tread.

 

Depending on the seat configuration (7 seat vs 5 seat) make sure you can comfortably sleep inside. My understanding that both configurations fold flat, but I only can vouch for one I have that it does so.

 

Thanks. Spent the wee hours reading all the threads about 2 vs 3. I think it might be a challenge to get the 2 row I hope for in stock on a dealer lot. Have ruled out dark colored exteriors and that limits my choices. I haven't put eyeballs on either yet. I'm short so that helps.

 

So you don’t rub on the UCA with the 285’s ? I’m running 275/60/20 and want to go to a 285/60/20 but am worried about hitting the sidewall. I only have about a fingertip amount of room and don’t want to run spacers if I ain’t got to.

 

I have owned the 275/55-20 and the 285/55-20 and still own the 305/50-20 on a 5th gen 4R and none rub the upper A-arm. The 305/50-20 touches when the suspension is at full droop, so when i jack it up and the front tires droop, the front tire hits the A-arm and i cant spin the tire. When you put the weight back on the tires and the suspension settles down i still have about 3 business cards between the 305/50-20 side biters and the A-arm. I am running a General AT/X at the moment and the side biters are close to the A-arm but not touching. I havent pulled the wheels off the new vehicle yet but i have looked at the inside of the tire and dont have a groove in the side biters so the A-arm might rub on occasion turning or under load but its not enough that its put a groove into the side biter of the tire.

The 285/60-20 is quite a bit taller though, almost an inch and a half taller so you would have three quarters of an inch on height at the top of the tire but the 285/60 is almost an inch narrower so about a half inch narrower per side. I dont see how you wouldnt be able to fit it other than rubbing everywhere else when turning. The 285/60-20 appears to measure out at 33.5 x 11.2 x 20

Pic below is a 285/65-18 on a 4th gen 4R which shares the same suspension. This is the OEM Limited wheel that sits in 15mm closer to the A-arm than our 20" on the 5th gen Limited. You can see the tire has rubbed the A-arm before, likely in hard corners ect but you can see the spot is rusty now. This would indicate that yes the tire can rub, but no it doesnt rub enough to keep the A-arm shiny.

 

Thanks! Another option I am looking into is 275/65r20 (34x10.8) There is a local guy on marketplace with a set of used mt’s for sale for cheap. I’m thinking about trying them out.