What have you done to your 5th Gen 4Runner today?

I just purchased mine a little over a year ago. I also bought it to trailer my motorcycles to North Carolina and back to Atlanta. I do a little off-road riding with the family but nothing too severe. I almost purchased one back in 08 but ended up getting a Pathfinder. What part of Georgia do you live in?

 

I don't live in GA, but all my schlepping back and forth to GA is to visit relatives and go camping on a friend's lakefront property. We did own a property up in Martin, GA but the PITA building requirements made us realize we were better off in FL. We can walk to everything, and we're skirting retirement age in the next 10 years. Having amenities close at hand makes a difference. If we need to go camping or off-roading, we've got two great private places to go - I have a relative (also in GA) who has 450+ acres of conservation land. Two words: PARTY TIME.

 

Roof rack dialed in!

 

Once upon a time, I was one of those people who was all about gas mileage and always drove the smallest of gas-sippers, but my inner kid always wanted something like the K5 Blazer. For 25 years I was a Honda driver, after particularly disappointing ownership experiences with used VWs and a Mazda 323 my parents got for me as a high school/college/get-a-fucking-job car. My last Honda pissed me off after making "a noise" one day on my way into work. My mechanic is close to the house, so I pulled in to check my oil only to realize (WTF?!) there was NO OIL. Not a mark on the driveway, nothing. My mechanic told me to always travel with oil for the duration of ownership of the Honda, because that particular year of engine (2014) was known for burning oil and its upper engine gasket leaks. I asked about repair costs and he said around $3500 - and told me not to bother because by that time the car was eight years old, but had only 84K miles on it. I didn't mind adding oil to it as needed; it was the 84K miles that pissed me off more than anything else. Honda quality? NOPE!! Time to move on! Started researching the Ford Maverick, ordered one, drove mine for two years, was a member of Maverick Truck Club forum, etc. Lots of useful advice same as this forum, but the one issue that brought everyone together with the Maverick was the WAITING and ANTICIPATION of ordering it and waiting for it and getting teaser emails, etc., until finally, you got a call from your sales guy with the good news your truck was here! But there was a lot of shady shit going on with dealer markups, etc. A lot of people walked from their orders.

I went so far as to order a '24 Maverick specced out the way I should have gotten it (AWD, etc.) changed my mind, ordered a '24 Ranger instead - got a call from the dealer that it was there and even had pictures sent of it (it was a beautiful truck) but something in the back of my mind said "walk away." Two orders placed, two orders refused.

Glad I walked from those orders, because if I hadn't then I never would have gotten the 4Runner of my dreams.

And here we are!

 

The smile tends to get knocked off the face of 4Runner owners while we're at the pump. Constantly gassing up and watching that pump just keep going and going and going and going. But then we hop back in the SloRunner and the smile returns.

 

I will never put anything on the roof of my 4R, and decided I like the look better without a rack. OEM Toyota rack delete installed. Tomorrow I am dropping it off to have a pile of suspension goodies installed!

I also added a new Start Button with a matching key fob. The other day I covered the chrome steering wheel emblem with a topo black emblem.

 

It was a beautiful weekend in the mountains. Perfect weather, though those pesky mosquitos ate me alive lol

 

These trucks do look nice with the luggage rack delete!

 

I did get far enough into my owners manual to read 23 gallon tank. Needless to say, I'll be doing my best to not let that needle get too low!

 

I've driven a GMC 2500HD for the last eleven years, which is the fifth 3/4 ton GMC/Chevrolet truck I've owned. Comparatively, my 4Runner feels like it is super efficient!

 

The 4R to me drives like a luxury vehicle...solid, quiet, nice commanding view of the road, and mechanically sound as a pound. I was almost afraid I'd get in it and find the seating to be like the Tacoma - low to the floor, legs splayed out in front. To me, the previous Tacomas were like riding a gaited horse with the seating position, only the horse was a better ride. Never could get comfortable whenever I drove my friend's Taco. Couldn't see over the hood, and if I scooched the seat up, my knees would be under my chin. No happy medium.

I need to take my 4Runner out and go have "a moment" with it - put the rear seats down, climb in the back with the hatch wide open facing a body of water, get the tunes going, have a beer and be like "F--- yeah..."

The next time I make it over to Pinellas County, I think I'll take it over to the Dunedin Causeway and park there. That was one of my old stomping grounds back in the day. Still good for a free day of fun and parking while enjoying the water.

 

Sounds like when the weather finally cools off we Floridians need to have a 4R meet and greet. Maybe TRD Jon will come out .
I like his channel.

 

I'm looking forward to some cooler weather. Halfway through August and it's hotter than the bowels of Hell, even here at the beach.

I'm down for a meet-up!

 

I installed the bling TRD black chrome exhaust tip. Should be good for another 8-10 hp.

 

New roof rack: Sherpa The Crestone
New Springs, front and back: Eibach
New Radiator: CSF

If you are in the Bay Area and are looking for someone to help you with your projects and general work, my Friend Nico will be able to help.
It would not have been possible to me, if it had not been for his help and expertise.

There is more to come, and I will post all of the components installed on my rig.

 

New radiator for any particular reason??

 

Speaking of gas pump shenanigans, I was not prepared for how much of a conversation starter the 4Runner is. Often people come up to talk about it, "I love the bumpers", "I love the winch", "Looks like a Fire Truck". So that puts the smile right back on my face even though I'm bleeding cash right into the pump.

 

I used to get asked questions all the time when I first got my Maverick. They're a lot easier to come by now than they were in '22.

Once I fill this rig up the first time at a gas station, my only hope is to not cry too much/too loud. If my Maverick had a 13+ gallon tank, filling it would be about $40-$45. So, with the 4R tank being 23 gallons, I can't let it go past the 1/2 mark.

 

Yes. When having more weight on the rig, skid plates, gear, towing small trailer it will help. More durable too, all aluminum, welded.

 

Well that sure out does my bling exhaust tip install today .

 

No, it does not. That was done yesterday, and mine were done yesterday. LOL

 

Nice. I can relate . I love my 4 Runner too. Enjoy

 

Did you use a kit for this?

 

Funny you should mention that, in the 10-ish months that I've owned my ride I have been accosted no less than 8 separate times at the gas station.99.999% are dudes gawking over my truck. Never a hot chick wanting to throw herself at me because of my retro stripes or bronze wheels. *sigh* Maybe one day!?

Last Saturday I was washing my truck at the local drive thru car wash place and the Sgt for the local PD was there washing his Tahoe. He parked next to me and struck up a conversation that lasted ONE FREAKING HOUR. Thankfully this was 7 in the morning, so it wasn't blistering hot, but still. I couldn't give the guy the cold shoulder, especially when my tint is illegal as hell. He never said a word about it though. Just gave me lots of compliments about how nice it looked.

Then today I decided to swing by the local Chick-Fil-A for some "Jesus Chicken", as I call it. They had a kid standing in the drive thru taking orders manually. I felt bad for the kid because it was after 5pm and over 103 degrees. Well, when I rolled up this kid practically jumped into my window. "Whoa dude, I've seen this cruising around town and it's the best one I've ever seen, blah blah blah." Then he offered me a free cookie.

I was going to say "No, that wouldn't be right, you'll get in trouble!" Then I remembered..... I really love cookies.

So there ya' go, you may spend a small fortune on gas, but you'll get lots of compliments and free cookies. That helps offset the pain my wallet feels when I gas up.

 

This is what I did to offset the cost of filling up my gas guzzling SloRunna'. I got a Kroger Mastercard. I saw one of those "sign up and save an ADDITIONAL 25cents off a gallon of gas" signs. This is back when I owned a Tacoma. Naturally my interest was peaked.

I signed up and got one. I pay it off in full every month, so no interest charges! Now, every time I grocery shop at my local Kroger I use my rewards card. That card can get me up to $1.00 off a gallon of gas. (on Fridays they do 4x's the fuel points), so if I buy $100 worth of food, ($1 = 1 reward point/100pts is worth 10 cents) I get $400 worth of points. Following me?

Then I get another .25 because I pay for all my groceries with the Kroger Master card and get even more money off. The last time I filled up I got $1.25 off a gallon of gas. I was almost bone dry, so it took 22 gallons to fill it up. I saved $27.25

I think I paid about $2.09 per gallon? Gassing up all the time sucks balls, but it hurts a lot less because of the savings that I'm able to get thanks to Kroger's fuel rewards.

 

Yes, the factory Toyota roof rack delete kit. There are brackets with rubber washers that fit over the rack mounts and bolts with rubber washers to hold the bracket down and seal everything from leaking. There are plastic covers that snap onto the brackets to tie it all together. I bought the rack delete kit from Yota Xpedition for $85.

 

I love the radiator. But is there a reason you needed it? Towing? or anything? Just curious. It's a good looking radiator.

 

Bilstein 8112 at 2” in from, 8100 with 1.5” B12 springs out back. Dobinsons UCAs, Bilstein front sway bar relocation bracket, DrKDSS pan hard bar correction bracket, DuroBump bump stops F/R, and Dobinsons adjustable rear sway bar links. I had my installer remove the diff drop. On my short drive to dinner everything feels awesome! Sunday I need to go explore a rough track out to an off-grid property and will have a better idea of how it all behaves then.

 

Looks great!
Stock 265 tire size or 285?

 

285 Mickey Thompson Baja Boss AT