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

Got my alignment finished today with the greasable JBA high Caster UCA’s installed. I asked for 4* or a little more, but this is what he was able to get while keeping the toe and camber in spec, so pretty close. He said the driver side fought him some, but was able to get more Caster out of the passenger side.

To consolidate this all I’ve recently installed Bilstein 6112’s w/Bilstein 650lb springs on #5 & #4 circlip notches, brand new OEM LCA’s, JBA UCA’s, w/ Steel Victory 4x4 Blitz half bumper & 12K Winch (both weighing about 130lbs), steel RCI Sliders weighing about 140lbs, and a 2nd battery, as well as about few skids, and about another 140lbs in the vehicle at most times.

 

What size batteries are you running? Have you upgraded the starter cable?

 

I’m running a group 48 for the driver side, I’d upgraded when I replaced the battery a couple years ago. The second battery is a group 34R, I didn’t think I could fit another group 48 for the 2nd so I went smaller. After it was in and mounted up, I realized I had room to fit the same size battery.

I have not upgraded the starter cable, I didn’t realize that was a thing. I have upgraded the main battery to ground with a 1/0 and plan to upgrade the Alternator power wire to a 1/0 and the engine ground to a 1/0 with the leftover 1/0 cable I have from the 25’ length I bought to achieve “the big 3 upgrade”.

 

Cheapo light bar mounted

 

Ballin! Have you tried them this evening, yet? Id be frothing at the bit to test em out!

 

I took mine out and played around in the snow. The center locker really seems to make a difference. Snows fun!

 

Just got my exhaust re-routed from the back to the side a little bit ago today!

I had planned on him cutting off the resonator and using the stock tailpipe tip for the end. He just used 1 piece with about a 70* angle he bent and positioned it for me. I had hoped it would sit a little higher and closer to the fender, but it sits where it sits as it would have been past level.

Was going to just go with that but he mentioned he had some tips that would look good.

He’s a small local business that I’m happy to support so I bought the tip from him and he put it in. It came out a little farther out than I’d hoped but that’s as far back as we could get with the hangar already welded on and with the tip length.

Overall it turned out good and am happy with it. I’ll get my beefy recovery point installed now on the passenger side where the exhaust used to be and I’ll be all set!

 

Looks good, don't think it sticks out too far.

 

How does it sound without the resonator?

 

Sounds the same so far. Doesn’t sound any louder or any different tone at all. Others who have done the mod and cut the resonator off have said they hear no difference in sound. My experience is the same.

 

New wheel and tire day! Yay!

• Wheels-Method 709HD 17x8.5 0 offset
• Tires-34x10.5x17 Toyo Open Country ATIII

Already rubbing in the rear so the mudflaps have to go.

Kinda close to the front fender and liners on partial and full lock.

Pretty close to the cab mounts on full lock.

will plan on having to to a little more fender trimming and liners pushed forward.

Will have to start considering and checking to see if I need to take a grinder to my cab mounts.

 

Got a new spare tire today put on the factory wheel underneath. Went with an Ironman All Country AT in 245/75/17 31.5” Diameter and 9.6” wide. It fits without a lot of room to spare. I did also order another Method 709HD and a 34x10.5x17 to have a full sized matching spare in the event I damage a wheel and they are no longer available. That’s what went down with my Level 8 MK6.


Got my other recovery point on for the passenger side after re-routing my exhaust out to the side.


Greased my rear driveline U-Joints, and Slide Yoke. I’ll have to see if I can get to the front shaft during the day tomorrow to get that greased without having to try and remove the guard or ordering some attachments for the grease gun. This Lock-N-Lube is a really nice grease gun setup!

 

Worked on the Ol gall all day today, kind of a rough one.

• Greased the front shaft today (front/back U-Joints & Slide Yoke)
• Installed my RCI 1/4” Billet Aluminum Skids for my LCA’s
• Removed mud flaps due to them rubbing with the new 34’s
• Painted my new exhaust pipe black, and the factory pipe behind it too where it was visible
• Drilled out and re-tapped the broken bolts in my Crossmember braces

I’ve had my A-Arm skids for a few years, but had no reason to install them on my old LCA’s. Hope these protect my investment and stop the from cam alignment bolts from getting smashed and the factory cam tabs. Gotta protect my McNuggets lol.



Mudflaps had more bolts in them than my bumper did! Sheesh lol. Definitely have more room in the rear now, and should be an easy trim when needed, but I’m guessing I’ll need to



Once the Mudflaps were removed, I could see the exhaust pipe easier that was just re-routed. I painted it flat black behind the chrome tip and painted the factory crusty pipe behind it attached as well. I’ll probably paint the chrome tip black as well at some point.



I tried to install my transfer case and transmission skids a few years ago when I installed the engine skid. The bolts for the crossmember braces were so rusted and diminished, they just sheared right off so I stopped after snapping 2. I tried again last week and 2 more bolts sheared again.


Today I committed to just breaking them all off and planned on drilling them out and tapping them. What a pain in the ass! I was able to get 7 of the 8 done successfully. One of them had a small drill bit break off in the center. IDK how I’m going to drill that turd out!


Had a lot of issues unfortunately


Some of the bolts sheared, and a few others from previous jobs on this 4Runner



I ran out of time screwing with the bolts, so I just put the crossmembers back on. if I have time tomorrow, I might try to get the other 2 skids I have installed.

 

Such frustrating work, but you’re almost there!

 

Any plans for the MK6's?

 

I was going to keep one or 2 of the wheel/tire combos for a spare and sell one to my neighbor. A funny thing was when I was getting my new tire/wheel combos put on I mentioned to one of the salesmen why I was buying new wheels and tires already, due to one being wallowed out. That’s when he mentioned there is a place within a couple hours of me that repairs wheels with steel insets and welds them in. It looks like it’s only $75 to fix it when I got a quote from them. Man that $75 could’ve saved me a few Thousand bucks lol. I’ve been driving on it since September and had held fine as it was.

Long story short, I’m going to sell the wheel/tire as a set locally along with my prior lift kit that was on it. That’s my plan for now.

 

Well I finally finished getting my 1/4” Billet Aluminum RCI Skids on! Installed my last 2 which were the Transmission skids and the transfer case skid. You can see how dingy the front engine skid is since it’s been on since purchased in 2021.

I’m finally fully skidded and armored up!

• Victory 4x4 Blitz flush bumper
• RCI Steel Sliders with top treads
• RCI 1/4” Billet Aluminum engine skid
• RCI 1/4” Billet Aluminum Transmission skid
  
• RCI 1/4” Billet Aluminum Transfer case skid
  
• RCI 1/4” Billet Aluminum Fuel tank skid
  
• RCI 1/4” Billet Aluminum A-Arms skids

It’s nice to FINALLY get the monkey off my back and have all my skids installed after like 4 years

Now that I have my broken crossmember bolts drilled out and retapped, I’m finally able to install my skids.

Pretty cut and dry install. Had to attach a crossmember for the transfer case skid for it to bolt through.

 

Where are you located?

 

AZ

 

Did my 265k oil change. Just need to reset my maintenance light.

 

Ordered CV axles
Axle seals
ceramic pads and rotors for both front and rear

Next weekend should be fun...

 

Speedohealer programmed and Rad Rubber engine splash guards installed


Programmed my Speedo Healer so my speedometer would be accurate again. Went from a 275/70/17 to a 34x10.5x17 and was off about 2-1/2mph this time. Estimated it at about 5.3mph off from factory 265/65/17and got it about right on now.



Installed my Rad Rubber engine splash guards as well. They fit pretty well, and are designed to have a little slack in them. I ordered an extra bag of the plastic push rivets to replace some other broken and missing ones under the hood and as they are found. Kind of irritated me to open the package and read it the “important apply fluid film on the rubber both sides and let dry”



Just a heads up if anyone installs them. They should have had the info posted with their sales item and even offer it when you buy the splash guards instead of finding out as you’re installing them. Needless to say I didn’t have any fluid film on hand, and they didn’t get coated.



Before install, and after they are all broken out from installing my JBA UCA’s


I had a metal trim rivet removal tool that helped them be removed pretty easily. Would have been a pain in the butt otherwise to get them all out. Of course they all broke while removing so it’s nice the splash guards include them.



Tire noise seems quieter at cruising speeds and should do a good job of stopping mud from getting inside the engine bay. I kind of wish they would have covered the whole bay, behind the UCA’s, but maybe that’s by design? Don’t recall how the OEM’s were and exactly what all they covered.


Nice to have all my rivets back in under the hood as well!

 

Rad Rubber is the shit! One of mine tore, no explanation other than maybe my body lift and it was a smidge too short, after a couple years?

I contacted Eddie the owner, and he sent me out a replacement after I sent him some photos. He’s a great guy!

 

I threw my summer tires and wheels back on...because, well, it's not winter this year

 

Snowpocalypse 2026 came and went

 

Lowered the front of my rig today with the 6112’s. I went from #5 perch driver side and #4 passenger side, to #4 driver side and #3 passenger side. I wanted a little more rake and the front was just a little too high. We’ll see what this gets me. It feels more stable and a little tighter on the road.



I have had an annoying little squeak on the drivers side. I pulled apart my Poly red Energy front sway bar bushings to clean and re-grease them. They sure felt like they’ve hardened over time! I screwed up and accidentally grabbed the wrong grease gun which had my expensive Mobilgrease XHP 222 Special w/Moly and that was used that for the bushings. No more squeaky though!!!

I had read that you can drill, thread, and install a grease Zerk to make it more convenient to grease. I may have to look into that

 

Looks great! A better stance, for sure! Grease those poly bushings! The zerk is the easiest way, by far!! Nice work!

 

I agree, the slight raked stance is where its at.

 

big nasty 4g on kings
interesting mirror pods

 

INCREDIBLE!!