Sup yall

[Hoya]

Sup yall,
I have had my 4Runner for 3-4 years now. I used to be a member on Yotatech for a while, but then I just stopped going because at that time I didn't have the funds to do any mods, which made me unhappy. During that time though I had actually contacted Good Times to find out the details behind his build, and was actually incredibly close to attempting to make an East Coast version of his Runner (BTW Sorry to hear about what happened, good luck with your rebuild). I had it all figured out, but my only problem was the cost and the shipping cross country for the LT suspension! Oh well. Now though the prices are double what they were when I first looked! Its crazy. But for now, I am finally going to be able to put some money into my truck! I have a few ideas, a few things Im gonna try differently, and maybe something crazy in there.

For my ideas, I was first wondering if anyone knew where I could get some diagrams of the 4Runner's frame? (plz help here!)

All of my life my dream truck has been the 1st gen Runners, I just loved the way they looked with that top that could come off. Well I want to try to do that for a 4th Gen (specifically, mine ;)).

What I was initially thinking was that I could just chop off the top half from behind the driver's seat on back, put in a roll bar behind the passenger seat, and mount the rear door on a fabricated rear bumper. I was going to get a soft top and maybe figure if I could somehow keep the old roof as a hard top (could be impossible). Well, it turns out that my 4Runner has a sunroof/moonroof (something that I actually love), so that idea is semi ruined.

So my next idea was to see if I could remove the area from about the rear seat handles back, (I feel like that may be where the mechanism for the moonroof ends and install a roll bar in the place of that last pillar to assist holding up the roof (it would be sort of at a steeper angle then the current pillar). I'm not really sure how well this would work and unless I can get around the problem the sun roof imposes I may have to scrap the plan entirely.

For the rear I was thinking of a fabricated bumper that would have to have a pole or something that I could attach the rear door to (either a swing door from the left or maybe even a folding down door). The bumper would also hopefully have a tire carrier and some other stuff.

I would love to do LT suspension in the front but that may be just too expensive for me! Otherwise I may just do an OME 3" all the way around. Not quite sure still what tires I would want to get.

Well, now you pretty much know what my rig's hopes and dreams are. Now time to see if I can make them happen :D

Peace

[Good Times]

welcome aboard!

Welp before you jump the LT bandwagon I would recommend you think about what you want to do with your 4runner as the mods you present to us is going to cost a pretty penny. Depending on your ultimate goals for your 4runner we can evaluate several different options and go forward :)

[Hoya]

Yeah, I was going to get it about 2-3 years ago (back when I would have had to get a custom rear lift), but now it seems to be double or so the price that it would have been then!! I would love to turn it into a desert racing vehicle but unfortunately, Im in the NE for a little and not too many deserts around here. So I'm probably just gonna get OME shocks and coils, MAYBE go coil overs (if its within the price range for now).

Its sort of what Mossyrock did, but I would leave the back open (or maybe not). Just think 1st Gen 4Runner with a 4th Gen 4Runner lower body/front end

[Good Times]

You can't go wrong with the OME configuration. It's 100% maintenance free so it'll be the easiest to work with. Ride feel will be like stock but lifted so that's an added bonus.

Going to coilovers will be much nicer (ride feel) but those require maintenance every few years. The only downsize but it has its perks.

[Hoya]

As far as the sunroof goes, I think that it is pretty much unreasonable to keep it as it is now if I did what I actually want to do (Which is chop it off from behind the driver's seat. I guess that changes my questions slightly. Do you know if taking out the C pillar (or at least just converting it to a 1st Gen. type roll bar) would be bad for the structural integrity of the runner? Would you be able to install a roll bar there (it would be RIGHT behind the back row seats.

[Good Times]

you mean something like this?

https://publish.comcast.net/rpath/T3IsA6ZOv3UoznGXEqL8HqNsprN350Jx7yu0C_wxm_5gq9Db_w 9CONn8KXReNnQV1oKYTpqXFlr-8cWIiDXhZ-IejNBT0e73aO-MnQU5bbGUixz2f_4_gaXm6c1xGrR_/

Doug owns this 4runner and lives out in FL. The guys that made this 4runner also worked on the trail-lex (LX470 chopped similar to this) which has been very popular online. You could do something like this too to preserve the moonroof :)

[YotaFun]

Welcome to the site.
Lance has got you covered it seems :D
I was curious, you said east coast, were you located my east coast friend :D

[Hoya]

you mean something like this?


Doug owns this 4runner and lives out in FL. The guys that made this 4runner also worked on the trail-lex (LX470 chopped similar to this) which has been very popular online. You could do something like this too to preserve the moonroof :)


That is one option I have been thinking of going with, but its not really what I'm feeling. What I may do is turn the sun roof into the latch type (oh well). Then I could cut the roof off right up to behind the driver/passenger seats. Put in a roll bar going up by the rear occupant's shoulder's and extending back attaching near the end of the rear wheel well. But I would love to see his rear bumper and if he kept the original rear hatch (or at least the bottom).

As of where I'm located, currently in New Hampshire, but I'm from DC and may be up in Maine this winter. :D

EDIT: Its sort of like this, I have always loved the look of the 1st Gens and the fact that they were a convertible, thats awesome!!! Id love to do that pretty much to a 4th Gen, I think it would be incredible.

[Hoya]

Ok, well you can ignore most of that as through the helpful advice of X-Tool Pimp, I realized that I would have to do a lot more to ensure the structure then I really want to. So for now, I'm going to stay semi basic. Thanks for the advice yall.

[Cebby]

you mean something like this?

https://publish.comcast.net/rpath/T3IsA6ZOv3UoznGXEqL8HqNsprN350Jx7yu0C_wxm_5gq9Db_w 9CONn8KXReNnQV1oKYTpqXFlr-8cWIiDXhZ-IejNBT0e73aO-MnQU5bbGUixz2f_4_gaXm6c1xGrR_/

Doug owns this 4runner and lives out in FL. The guys that made this 4runner also worked on the trail-lex (LX470 chopped similar to this) which has been very popular online. You could do something like this too to preserve the moonroof :)



I just wanted to see this pic again. That's friggin' awesome!

[04 Rocko Taco]

Indeed it is Mike...

Hoya, it sounds like you need to plan out what you really want from your Runner. A custom chop job on a 4th gen is going to cost a pretty penny, and be a TON of work, such is the price of being an innovator...


As Lance said earlier, the OME setup that you are considering is what I would go with for a starter set for basic all around utility and trail riding, it will get you a decent lift, so you can fit some tires under that thing, and it will keep you with a very decent ride quality, something a lot of other lifts lack.

Until you decided the purpose for your rig, you are best to stick with broad general mods that will contribute to whatever purpose your rig serves. But also give thought to future mods, and plan out what your goal for the vehicle will be, i.e. - a daily driver that can play in the mud? Or do you want an expedition type vehicle? Are you looking for mostly forest service road type trail riding, or are you looking to become a serious rock crawler? Or even as far as just making your truck look good, these are all choices to consider, and things you need to think about in the path to creating your "Ultimate Yota".

If you need anything just ask, we have some very knowledgable people here, I for one, don't know much about the 4th gens, but I know we have some folks on the site that do!

Whatever choices you choose, I wish you the best of luck, and hope to see you on the trails!