4runner vs the new Ford bronco

I am a Bach, Wagner, Rachmaninoff et al fan also, my wife, not so much, my love of classical music (Jazz also) just irritates her. Classic music does bring out the emotions in people.

 

Vivaldi fan here...

 

Metallica and Skynyrd

 

Factory installed wind noise drives me crazy. I'm guessing its because of the glass thickness. Even after sound deadening all the doors, its annoying.

 

I’m guessing that the Pro roof rack would be bound to create more noise than other systems. It’s not exactly aerodynamic. My 3/4 Front Runner rack would be noisy too without the air dam. That little section of sheet metal makes quite a difference.

 

Agreed. My basket is noisy, but I chose it. And, I can remove it easily for road trips where I won't need it.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l15PDRSTn7s

This is unreal

 

I have a custom roof rack from Westcott designs, makes no noise highway speeds or lower.

 

True! I don't understand why anyone would want a rack without an air dam. I had that situation briefly and it was like driving around in an old timey tornado movie.

Side note: I saw an FJ the other day. I was looking at the roof rack and couldn't help but think that it looked completely useless. I wonder if the PRO racks are as bad.

 

I guess the Pro roof racks would carry an extra spare tire ok, but they’re not exactly a flexible design.

 

Yep. My GoRhino rack came with an air dam and I was getting a bit of noise and reduced gas mileage, so I thought if I took the air dam off, it would allow air to flow through it and reduce wind resistance. Took it off and above 35 mph, it was like a helicopter was landing on my roof. Crazy loud! It went back on ASAP.

 

This video shows a little bit of the underside on a Bronco.

https://youtu.be/B9fUtkvGgSY

 

Its not useless by any means. Carry's a massive cargo bag just fine. I can see why other racks are better and that will happen down the road some day but its better than having no rack, and I will swap it over to the sienna some day to make it a Sienna Pro

 

Lol! You better start a build thread for that Sienna.

I think my biggest issue with the FJ rack was that it was curved to the contour of the roof. And, the front half is just side rails. It looks neat, but it doesn't look like it would hold much. Of course, I'm just considering how I would want to use it. It might work fine for some.

That said, my giant Jurassic Park basket is not as useful as I had hoped, either. Maybe I'm just picky.

 

The exhaust on the '20 Pro sucks. The Nitto's are trash also. They whine on the highway and break loose easily in the rain. I'm ready for a small lift and 285 KO2's or Falkens.

 

So I guess you decided to keep the 4R after all?

 

Don't have a choice. I'm so upside down I can't get out of it yet. Plus I'm not sure I will ever own another new vehicle again so I want to enjoy this one as long as I can.

 

Yeah, life is a compromise. I really wanted a flat platform style that would accept a lot of different configurations, so I went with the Front Runner. You can order sides for it too, and turn it into a basket, but I don’t need that, so far. The main thing are the bolts that slide in the rails that provide a really solid attachment point for just about anything. I guess my only criticism of the Front Runner rack is that it’s steel, and could be aluminum.

 

I've been looking at Bajarack. I like the look of a basket, but I think a flat rack is probably more practical.

 

It’s amazing how expensive these things are, for all they amount to.

 

True! It almost makes a guy want to learn to weld and fabricate my own. If only I had the tools and knew how to use them.

 

How are you so upside down on it? They have one of the best resale values of any vehicle?

 

I had to roll some money from my Jeep and in the first year the 4R still drops pretty far. Its a great time to trade it, but I don't want to trade it for a lesser Toyota.

 

I agree on the exhaust. One of my employees just got an ORP and am seriously considering swapping him for his stock exhaust.

Am surprised at how great the Nittos are. Best snow / ice performance from an AT tire I’ve ever experienced. Surprised you say they are loud, I don’t hear them at all...... especially with the roof rack and exhaust, lol.

If you not a fan of loud tires then I would stay far away from KO2’s. I have them on my work vehicle (2017 Tahoe), and they howl like banshees, brutal wet traction (even with the anemic 5.3L), took a ton of weight to balance, and don’t roll very smooth. They do however have good snow / ice traction, and have had great tread life.

I have Cooper AT3 XLT’s on my Tundra, and am beyond happy with them. Quiet as stock donuts even at 33”, roll super smooth, great traction everywhere, American made, and look awesome. Only have 10k miles on them, so cant really say anything on tread life. But they do have a 60k mile warranty, so Cooper at least stands behind them.

 

Chances are that those K02s on a work truck needs an alignment but once cupped, will never smooth out again. A lot of guys complain about noise, but they’ve damaged their tires by not spending $ on regular alignments. You need to be religious about them, especially if you’re bouncing around off road. My K02s are quiet. Also, up here in snow country, I don’t consider a K02 a winter tire, personally. By November I’ve got Blizzaks on, and I’m ready for serious conditions. My K02s are cleaned up and sitting on a rack until spring.

 

Agree on regular alignment and rotation, trust me, my Tahoe has had both and the mechanics at work have tried dutifully get it worked out.

Not sure what snow country you are in, but the KO2's are snow rated and have performed admirably in the last two winters here in south central Alaska. Especially with the portly Tahoe and smooth auto 4x4 system it has. Have been running AT tires up here year round on all my trucks and SUV's (save my Jeep SRT with Z rated tires for summer) for the last couple decades with no issue.

 

Yeah, I know they claim “snow rated” haha, whatever that is. In winter, a winter tire is best, because it’s softer and grippier. I live in central Ontario Canada, just outside the Greater Toronto area in a snow belt from Lake Huron. Around here it’s not unusual for roads to be closed during winter storms and you’re prohibited from driving on them by the police. I’ve lived in the Yukon, and winter tires are best up there too, because of the cold temperatures.

 

I have had very good luck with 4WD and 3 peak snow rated AT's. That said, I would LOVE to see what a 4runner with snow tires is like.

My Scion TC with Hakkapliittas is probably better in the snow than a 4×4 with lesser tires. If I was that far north, and had the means, I would surely get a set of snow tires for the 4runner.

 

Well, I have read this entire thread today, start to finish. The funny thing about it is this. 99% of people that buy brand new four runners don’t even use them off road to their full potential. Most that do take them off road consider off roading to be gravel and dirt forest roads that most two wheel drive trucks could drive on. I take mine off road a few times a month, and more in the fall and winter. I have never been stuck. I have used the rear locker a few times, and it works well. Never used the winch, never used my traction boards. Stock size tries on it.
But everyone talks about how much more capable the Jeeps are, and how better the Bronco looks on paper. And, you can get 35’s.......! The reality is, most people that buy the Bronco, or the Rubicon Jeep, dont or won’t take them off road. I see the Jeeps everyday with 37” tires on them driving down the road. Not a scratch on em. Not even any dust in the fender wells. Ultimate mall crawlers driven by middle aged women hanging their feet out the doors.
I’ll stick with reliability, good highway driving, comfort, and all the off road chops I’ll ever need. When I do get stuck, I have a winch. I don’t need 35” tires. I don’t even need a front locker. If I needed all that, I would build a dedicated rock crawler, and trailer it to the off road park. You can have your 35” tires. I’ll keep my factory sized 31’s, and know it will get me there and back home.
Just my opinion....

 

I totally agree with you, Arky73. Stock tire size is important for me, as I don’t want to regear. I’ve gone bigger tires without regearing, on a Tacoma back in the day and it was a mistake I won’t make again. My 4 Runner is my only vehicle, so it needs to do civilian duty most of the time, including VIP trips to the airport etc, so a rough, hard running, jacked up rig won’t work for me. Even though I don’t off road every day, I treasure those trips, and want a reliable, comfortable vehicle that I don’t need to worrry about. My 4 Runner ORP is definitely that vehicle. It is mostly stock, but because I wheel alone, and sometimes with my wife, I put a winch on it for peace of mind. I have only used the winch once so far, to help someone else who ran off an unmaintained winter road in a snow storm. I felt sorry for them, as it was the middle of nowhere, and they couldn’t get a tow truck to pull them out. I have made a few subtle mods, good tires, a roof rack, a rear bumper, but if you saw my 4 Runner at a first glance, it looks bone stock. It runs smooth and fast on the big highways, and goes anywhere I want to take it off road. Totally classy, reliable and bullet proof.