TRDrodeo
Fireroad pussy
Current status: RUNNING
*Status subject to change based on how hard I beat it*
Grew up with my dad taking me on camping trips and off-roading constantly. Vehicle of choice was a 98' Isuzu Trooper 4x4 with 33's BFG A/Ts, an OEM LSD and nothing else. When I grew up and was allowed to drive it, many years would pass but I eventually did something dumb and rolled it going too fast in the dirt.
So I bought my own 4x4 to beat on. $1,200, 4.5 quarts low on ATF and banging into gear.
Used 33" Cooper A/Ts from some guy getting rid of Excursion wheels: $160
I didn't ask, "cAn I fIt 33's wItH nO liFt", I just did it. I also removed the sway bars at the same time, because fck it.
It rubbed and wasn't any fun off-road. But I had 33's, mission accomplished.
Next up, 1" body lift using skateboard wheels. And 2" lift OEM Trooper coils for the rear.
'
Bueno!
Told the exhaust shop to cut off whatever was on there, and weld on whatever muffler they had lying around. One flowmaster 40(?) and $75 later, I could now hear my engine running.
There's a lot of cheap crap on here that contributes to the 'OVERLAND' aesthetic I'm going for, but it's just a 2nd gen Rodeo with the right supporting mods to be an extremely capable weekend warrior.
LIMITATIONS:
1. My steering rack is located higher than a typical Toyota, and forward , just under the radiator. With a bottom mount for the outer tie-rod. While I have what I might say above average front droop, for a late 90's BOF SUV, my droop is currently limited by my inners contacting the rack, and my outers maxing out. I have an extra spacer under my front shock top mount, to give me a little more extension travel, but ultimately I'm limited by steering angles.
2. Rear OEM LSD is a clutch pack type, and it's fried to hell and back. Rear axle is a Dana 44HD with Trak-lok or whatever it's called. Works flawlessly when healthy, hinders you when fried. An auto locker needs to go in ASAP to get me in with the big boys on real trails.
3. 4.10 gearing on 33" M/Ts SUCKS. long distance highway trips are all but out of the question, driving up a slight grade requires dropping down a gear or two and monitoring trans temps. I have a rear 4.56 R&P, but no time or money to pay for an install of that, and the inevitable locker. Until I do, its 15-20MPG highway and 10 city.
4. The front diff can only be dropped about 1" before the front 2 mounting bolt heads contact my steering rack body. Full removal and modification of the diff mounting brackets is required for more drop.
5. Rear upper mounting for my shocks is less than ideal, and is currently limiting me from running longer shocks. The top mounting hats need to be cut off and spaced up at least 2" at the very least, I could then run a 26" extended shock, instead of my current 23". I am not against any removal of floor in the rear cargo area, just to run longer shocks.
6. Driver side mounted gas tank needs to go. The OEM skids on this truck are fantastic, and save my ass, but having a giant tank where I want rocks to go, sucks.
TL;DR
Hi, I have a 4x4 Rodeo with nothing but eBay parts and I off-road as much as possible knowing I have to go to work the next day. I use the 3rd gen T4R platform as inspiration. I live next to COB, a moderator on the T4R forum and my BFF with an armored green 3rd gen that was my inspiration to start my own green 4x4 build.
*Status subject to change based on how hard I beat it*
Grew up with my dad taking me on camping trips and off-roading constantly. Vehicle of choice was a 98' Isuzu Trooper 4x4 with 33's BFG A/Ts, an OEM LSD and nothing else. When I grew up and was allowed to drive it, many years would pass but I eventually did something dumb and rolled it going too fast in the dirt.
So I bought my own 4x4 to beat on. $1,200, 4.5 quarts low on ATF and banging into gear.
Used 33" Cooper A/Ts from some guy getting rid of Excursion wheels: $160
I didn't ask, "cAn I fIt 33's wItH nO liFt", I just did it. I also removed the sway bars at the same time, because fck it.
It rubbed and wasn't any fun off-road. But I had 33's, mission accomplished.
Next up, 1" body lift using skateboard wheels. And 2" lift OEM Trooper coils for the rear.
Bueno!
Told the exhaust shop to cut off whatever was on there, and weld on whatever muffler they had lying around. One flowmaster 40(?) and $75 later, I could now hear my engine running.
There's a lot of cheap crap on here that contributes to the 'OVERLAND' aesthetic I'm going for, but it's just a 2nd gen Rodeo with the right supporting mods to be an extremely capable weekend warrior.
LIMITATIONS:
1. My steering rack is located higher than a typical Toyota, and forward , just under the radiator. With a bottom mount for the outer tie-rod. While I have what I might say above average front droop, for a late 90's BOF SUV, my droop is currently limited by my inners contacting the rack, and my outers maxing out. I have an extra spacer under my front shock top mount, to give me a little more extension travel, but ultimately I'm limited by steering angles.
2. Rear OEM LSD is a clutch pack type, and it's fried to hell and back. Rear axle is a Dana 44HD with Trak-lok or whatever it's called. Works flawlessly when healthy, hinders you when fried. An auto locker needs to go in ASAP to get me in with the big boys on real trails.
3. 4.10 gearing on 33" M/Ts SUCKS. long distance highway trips are all but out of the question, driving up a slight grade requires dropping down a gear or two and monitoring trans temps. I have a rear 4.56 R&P, but no time or money to pay for an install of that, and the inevitable locker. Until I do, its 15-20MPG highway and 10 city.
4. The front diff can only be dropped about 1" before the front 2 mounting bolt heads contact my steering rack body. Full removal and modification of the diff mounting brackets is required for more drop.
5. Rear upper mounting for my shocks is less than ideal, and is currently limiting me from running longer shocks. The top mounting hats need to be cut off and spaced up at least 2" at the very least, I could then run a 26" extended shock, instead of my current 23". I am not against any removal of floor in the rear cargo area, just to run longer shocks.
6. Driver side mounted gas tank needs to go. The OEM skids on this truck are fantastic, and save my ass, but having a giant tank where I want rocks to go, sucks.
TL;DR
Hi, I have a 4x4 Rodeo with nothing but eBay parts and I off-road as much as possible knowing I have to go to work the next day. I use the 3rd gen T4R platform as inspiration. I live next to COB, a moderator on the T4R forum and my BFF with an armored green 3rd gen that was my inspiration to start my own green 4x4 build.
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