What’s up with the 3G 4Runner?

Rockdawg84

Confidence the feeling before fully understanding
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Don't forget that 3rd gen Runners also came with 5 speeds. And that market is going crazy. I just sold a 2000 5 speed v6 with rear locker and all the major maintenance done. Let it go for 6000 with 266K miles on the clock. The guy who bought it has looked all over the country and told me stories of 5 speeds that were totally clapped out for as much as 13k. If I had been more patient I could have gotten more but I felt good about it and have other projects that need the cash.
 

snowtank

Where the fuck did my beer go!?
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Yeah pricing seems to be extremely high here in az too. Had a friend looking all over the place for the last month for a 3rd gen. All she could find were ones ranging anywhere from 10 to 13k of course had some mods like lifts and lights but no one budging on prices. Finally found a clean 2000 only a lift with 212k on the odo with a clean interior for 6k. Down side is the motor in the sunroof is out and the fuel gauge seems to get caught and give a false reading sometimes. Otherwise clean all over.
 
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Just my .02...

I personally wasn't a believer. I'm a #foolsize kinda guy. I've got an 83 Blazer on 42s and used to "wheel" my 2016 Tundra. I'm not afraid of panel damage.

That said... I took my 99 4runner offroad for the first time last weekend and as much as I hate small ifs vehicles, the 3rd gen is just a perfect size billie goat. I was able to hit trails that I hadn't hit in years because it fit (lots of atv trails). We even had to turn around on a few trails due to my buddies FJC with an RTT was too tall or wide due to fallen trees, but my 4runner on 33s squeezed right through.

I had actually recently bought a set of one ton axles to put under this 4runner, but after last weekends wheeling trip im actually considering keeping the stock width IFS. Going full width axles wouldn't have allowed to fit on these trails.
 

Slim-Whitey

Canadian hoser, Eh?
Know it all snowfake
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Just my .02...

I personally wasn't a believer. I'm a #foolsize kinda guy. I've got an 83 Blazer on 42s and used to "wheel" my 2016 Tundra. I'm not afraid of panel damage.

That said... I took my 99 4runner offroad for the first time last weekend and as much as I hate small ifs vehicles, the 3rd gen is just a perfect size billie goat. I was able to hit trails that I hadn't hit in years because it fit (lots of atv trails). We even had to turn around on a few trails due to my buddies FJC with an RTT was too tall or wide due to fallen trees, but my 4runner on 33s squeezed right through.

I had actually recently bought a set of one ton axles to put under this 4runner, but after last weekends wheeling trip im actually considering keeping the stock width IFS. Going full width axles wouldn't have allowed to fit on these trails.

Just narrow the axles.
 
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Just narrow the axles.

id just find me a waggy 44 or go with a custom housing before doing that. Kingpin one tons are getting hard to get around here and when they do they demand high dollar. I’ll get them as spares for my blazer first.
 

Slim-Whitey

Canadian hoser, Eh?
Know it all snowfake
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id just find me a waggy 44 or go with a custom housing before doing that. Kingpin one tons are getting hard to get around here and when they do they demand high dollar. I’ll get them as spares for my blazer first.

A waggy 44 was still 4" too wide for my isuzus little 60" WMS.

The 60" waggy diffs are getting really fucking hard to find.
Kingpin tons are common enough in Canuckistan. And SD60s are becoming popular.
Narrow it and get shafts from Moser, that's my solution. SD60s are tough axles too.
Also drivers drop, so that's a PITA.
 
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A waggy 44 was still 4" too wide for my isuzus little 60" WMS.

The 60" waggy diffs are getting really fucking hard to find.
Kingpin tons are common enough in Canuckistan. And SD60s are becoming popular.
Narrow it and get shafts from Moser, that's my solution. SD60s are tough axles too.
Also drivers drop, so that's a PITA.

From what I’ve read the waggy44 is about perfect for the 3rd gen 4Runner. I’ve got a line on one local, but honestly for my idea tire size of 33 the IfS may hold up well enough over time. We will see.
 

AssBurns

will wheel for beer
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From what I’ve read the waggy44 is about perfect for the 3rd gen 4Runner. I’ve got a line on one local, but honestly for my idea tire size of 33 the IfS may hold up well enough over time. We will see.
If you aren't doing a ton of crawling, and don't want to go bigger than 35's, then IFS is more than enough. I like the comfort, and handling of IFS way more than SAS. Take than money and spend it on good suspension, and you'll enjoy the truck more than a D44 with 33's or 35's.
 
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From what I’ve read the waggy44 is about perfect for the 3rd gen 4Runner. I’ve got a line on one local, but honestly for my idea tire size of 33 the IfS may hold up well enough over time. We will see.
If you aren't doing a ton of crawling, and don't want to go bigger than 35's, then IFS is more than enough. I like the comfort, and handling of IFS way more than SAS. Take than money and spend it on good suspension, and you'll enjoy the truck more than a D44 with 33's or 35's.

IFS is more than enough. With 33s I would prefer it. With 35s or more you'll start to run through consumable parts. Ball joints, steering racks, bushings. But with 33s you can pretty much take it on any trail it'll go up and drive it home without too much worry. I'd leave mine on 33s if I could go back. I'm at the point now where every bushing needs replaced for it not to wander down the road doing whatever it feels like. Oh and the steering rack is full busted.
 
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Third gen is my sweet spot of comfort, convenience, reliability and ruggedness. I paid a tad over 6k twice, both have been awesome. Wife has an 09 Camry, it’s been more hassle with less miles, drinks oil, eats aftermarket altinators and pack rats love its wires.
 

eimkeith

IFSFFS.
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IFS is more than enough. With 33s I would prefer it. With 35s or more you'll start to run through consumable parts. Ball joints, steering racks, bushings. But with 33s you can pretty much take it on any trail it'll go up and drive it home without too much worry. I'd leave mine on 33s if I could go back. I'm at the point now where every bushing needs replaced for it not to wander down the road doing whatever it feels like. Oh and the steering rack is full busted.

no -go forward! :)
 

theesotericone

Build It Beat It Break It. Repeat
Fredo Baggins
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IFS is more than enough. With 33s I would prefer it. With 35s or more you'll start to run through consumable parts. Ball joints, steering racks, bushings. But with 33s you can pretty much take it on any trail it'll go up and drive it home without too much worry. I'd leave mine on 33s if I could go back. I'm at the point now where every bushing needs replaced for it not to wander down the road doing whatever it feels like. Oh and the steering rack is full busted.

IDK man. I broke a lot of shit on 33's. I do break a lot more on 35's though. lol
 
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IDK man. I broke a lot of shit on 33's. I do break a lot more on 35's though. lol
I guess I'm taking the progression into account too. You definitely can break shit on 33s, I've been lucky so far and besides my rack its all been maintenance items and nothing wild. Anyways. The progression in my mind and most people I know is always "once you get 35s, you regear" and for me at least that meant adding a front locker because I'm already in there. Now you're dual locked and can get into even more trouble. Getting peer pressured into obstacles because you have big tires now.

My truck did less dumb things on 33s. Maybe that's the better way to think about it...
 

4runner DOA

Hold my beer
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I guess I'm taking the progression into account too. You definitely can break shit on 33s, I've been lucky so far and besides my rack its all been maintenance items and nothing wild. Anyways. The progression in my mind and most people I know is always "once you get 35s, you regear" and for me at least that meant adding a front locker because I'm already in there. Now you're dual locked and can get into even more trouble. Getting peer pressured into obstacles because you have big tires now.

My truck did less dumb things on 33s. Maybe that's the better way to think about it...

I definitely did a lot less dumb shit before I regeared, locked, and put 35s on. For the most part though, I was already trying stupid shit on 33s with open diffs and atrac, so the upgrades probably helped from breaking even more stuff. Hard to say. I've broken a lot of stuff the last two years. Haha.
 

Slim-Whitey

Canadian hoser, Eh?
Know it all snowfake
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I've always thought of it the other way.

An underbuilt rig, and the person driving it, have to push hard to do the things their group may do. So you end up having to hit shit hard.
 
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I've always thought of it the other way.
An underbuilt rig, and the person driving it, have to push hard to do the things their group may do. So you end up having to hit shit hard.
Location probably plays a role. There are very few trails around me that a single locked, 33" tire truck with a decent driver couldn't finish pretty easily. Most of the hard stuff is optional. Even a lot of the big moab trails like Metal Masher or Kane Creek are like that. So a lot of guys who are underbuilt never really have issues on our runs.

I definitely did a lot less dumb shit before I regeared, locked, and put 35s on. For the most part though, I was already trying stupid shit on 33s with open diffs and atrac, so the upgrades probably helped from breaking even more stuff. Hard to say. I've broken a lot of stuff the last two years. Haha.
It really is a toss up. Although I've seen first hand what 33s and atrac will do so....
 
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