'00 4Runner Limited "Get Lost" Build

[Fiffa]

Yo!

I've been lurking on here for the past year since getting my '00 Limited after moving to the PNW. I've been slacking pretty bad with getting this thread going and I suck at remembering to take pics of what I've been doing, but my documentation more than makes up for it, lol.

I got her a little built already, but it was primarily high mileage maintenance, which ended up costing around what I paid for it: $7,200. The goal is to make it into an overland, go-most-anywhere vehicle when all is said and done. There's not a ton left to do, but my mind is always wandering.

The day I brought her home:

How she's sitting as of 01/23/21:

The guy before me babied this rig and really didn't want to give it up, but his wife gave him an ultimatum of either continuing to wrench on this or sell it and wrench on their GX470; with three kids in tow, he chose the latter for it's 3rd row seating.

I haven't really met any people around here yet that are into wheeling/camping. Also haven't gone out much in lieu of work and all of the weekend projects so far. HMU and we can make some plans to get lost!

Engine & Drivetrain:
- 3.4 5VZ-FE all stock
- 4.30 gears (soon to be 4.88)
- Factory e-locker rear
- Airbox deckplate mod and ISR Mod with K&N filter
- 4 hole Denso fuel injectors (OEM upgrade)
- Odyssey Batteries 34R-PC1500T
- "Big 3" wiring
- Blue Sea fuse block for light and other accessories
- All else was OEM maintenance items done by the previous owner within the last 30k... like, almost the entire engine bay and drivetrain was serviced/replaced outside of a motor rebuild. It's at 262k right now, so I plan on rebuilding at 300k regardless

Suspension & Brakes:
- Bilstein 6112 3rd Gen 4Runner specific
- Bilstein 5100 rears
- Bilstein 5160 4th Gen 4Runner
- OME 2890 rear springs
- Dobinsons C59-210v springs (LC front coils that work on the rear)
- Durobumps 2.5"+ option, F/R
- Eimkeith PCK
- Mstudt end links, F/R
- Sway bar delete, F/R
- Front diff drop kit
- JBA UCA's
- 13WL TBU with Powerstop drilled/slotted rotors & HD braided brake lines
- E-brake bracket made for lift
- Extended rear brake line with stainless braided line

Wheels:
- 17x7 et+15 2017 4Runner wheels
- 1" hub centric spacers
- 255/75R17 Goodyear Duratrac
- 16x8 et-10 Level 8 MK6's
- No spacer
- 285/75R16 Falken Wildpeak AT/3

Exterior:
- Morimoto D2 projectors retrofit with 5k Morimoto HID’s
- Panamera 2.0 DRL LED projector shrouds with Switchback LEDs
- Satoshi grille mod
- Sherpa Matterhorn MKII roof rack w/ 38" X6S light bar, MaxTraxx mount, & Hi-Lift mount
- Running board delete (sliders to come soon)
- Slim window visors
- ARB 8x8 aluminum case awning w/ tent add-on

Interior:
- RX8 leather front seat conversion
- Leatherique black leather dye for rear seats
- Black carpet replacement throughout
- Gray seatbelt swap from another 3rd Gen
- WeatherTech mats
- Full color conversion to satin black interior with light gray upper half
- Led bulb conversion for HVAC and gauge cluster
- Diff lock button light-up mod
- Clock mod so green matches the green led in HVAC controls
- Rear storage box/camp kitchen built by McKinsey Craft, modded by me to include black carpet dye, locking 36" sliders, & Tembo Tusk XL fridge slider w/ cutting board attachment
- Sherpa rear cargo base (removed the carpet underneath and it works perfect with the box)
- Rago rear racks (botched the **** out of the install)
- Raingler full ceiling net (not installed and not really impressed with the non-existent customer service nor their install guide - probably going to install soon)

Electronics:
- Pioneer AVH1440-NEX
- Alpine rear flip-down TV
- Midland Micro GMRS w/ stubby antenna
- Uniden CB w/ 4' Firestik

 

[Fiffa]

A few more pics to give you an idea of how the overland side of things are coming along...




And a obligatory (although weak) flex pic...

 

[RoarinRow]

Wow awesome build out!

 

[Fiffa]

Wow awesome build out!

Thanks! It's been an interesting reintroduction into the modding world, but really fun. It's nice that most of what's getting done actually serves a purpose, lol.

 

[RoarinRow]

Thanks! It's been an interesting reintroduction into the modding world, but really fun. It's nice that most of what's getting done actually serves a purpose, lol.

Keeps you busy that's for sure!

 

[Fiffa]

Thanks! It's been an interesting reintroduction into the modding world, but really fun. It's nice that most of what's getting done actually serves a purpose, lol.

Keeps you busy that's for sure!

You don't even want to see my to-do list!

 

[RoarinRow]

You don't even want to see my to-do list!

I hear ya, 'we' are never over. There will always be a list, especially if you're trolling this site daily lol.

 

[Fiffa]

External trans cooler done!

I opted for the Hayden 678 cooler and it has worked great on the 30-minute drive I've taken so far! Hills that use to put the temps into the low 200's are now barely getting to 165°F. I'm going to test it on the trails this weekend, but if the first drive was any indication I think the O/D button will be going back to obscurity. The nominal temp for the test trip was around 140°F.

Amazon.com: Hayden Automotive 678 Rapid-Cool Plate and Fin Transmission Cooler: Automotive

I also wanted to have some abrasion resistance built-in to the hoses, so I opted for nylon sleeved hose.

Amazon.com: theBlueStone -4AN -6AN -8AN -10AN Braided Fuel Line Hose 20FT -6AN Nylon Braided for 3/8" Tube Size: Automotive

Lastly, I was worried about heat soak (most likely for no reason) between the lines and because I'm apparently a stickler for cleanliness, I saw these hose separators that ended up helping with routing more than I thought they would.

Amazon.com: -6AN Hose Separator Clamp - Fuel line Mounting Clamps,Aluminum Hose Fitting Adapter, Great for 3/8 Fuel Hose, Oil Line, Brake Line, Water Pipe and Gas Line,4Pcs/Pack,Black: Automotive

As I was researching on the 4Runner forums, I noticed that most everyone was going through the passenger side of the "bulkhead", but my test fits made the lines way too cramped with all of the A/C stuff around, so I figured I'd just go through the drivers side.

The cool thing was that the Magnefine filter that was added had plenty of space to be mounted up front, too. There was a connection tab with two holes for something on the drivers side and I opted to zip-tie it there and added a hefty guy around the tab for security.

Naturally, I had to do some finagling to the radiator connection to keep the hose from kinking with the 90° barb, but I think it turned out nice and the separators allowed me to run the send and return around the lower radiator hose without much fuss.

I've got to hand it to the previous owner. By him changing the radiator already it made removing lines a breeze. The fluid that I drained (did the ~30k drain and fill at the same time) looked almost new despite the 240°F+ temps that it had been subjected to numerous times through the hills this summer. This was also the first time that I removed the factory skid plates even though I've done a few oil changes and I'm hoping that the oil wetness that I saw around the pan was from my sloppy filter removals and not something else. The engine hasn't really lost anything on the dipstick, so I have faith that it's most likely just residual mess.

All in all, this was an easier install than I thought it'd be and definitely something everyone should do!

 

[Fiffa]

I'll never get tired of wrenching on this thing, but I'm really losing my patience for not having my own garage where I can do tedious projects at my leisure, lol! Yet another "shouldn't take this long, but it is" weekend project: LCA bushings.

I mostly followed the "Part 1" guide from Timmy on YT, but some of my steps weren't so easy as his. First, it didn't dawn on me until the second side that I needed to remove my diff drop spacers in order to lift it out of the way of the horizontal bolt on the steering rack, but the passenger side wasn't too picky with it still being in anyway; just a little tight. Second, I didn't bother to preheat the bushing that was about to be pushed out with a 6-ton bottle jack, which most likely would've require less force to get it to break loose. Not so bad so far, but I don't think I got one of the bushings all the way by utilizing Timmy's channel-lock trick; it just bent the outer ring before I realized that I could use the ball joint service kit I have for it all to work perfectly on that front face side - 41mm wrench works awesome on the back.

The first major issue came when I went to put the passenger LCA back in. I could get the outer washer in with one side but there no room at all for the other. I messed with it longer that it took to do everything else up to that point and then called it quits after a few hours. After some rest, I had an epiphany that I could just ratchet one side to compress the bushing and then wedge the other sides washer in with the help of a pry bar. Success!

Now, the other side...

I thought I was on easy street! I had the rack out of the way, the LCA came out super quick, and then onto pressing out the old bushing... womp, womp. I could literally see the LCA flexing with the amount of force I was putting on it with the jack and no matter how much heat I applied (the internals were literally on fire at one point) it would not go! I tried to use the ball joint service kit, but that damned outer bushing lip was in the way! I tried to cut and smash it out, but the arm made it near impossible to do about half of it. Well, I needed to buy a reciprocating saw anyway, so off to HD I went!

Two drill bits and a whole lot of swearing later, this is what was left of that finnicky bushing. The crazy part was that once I cut two slits into the metal sleeve it pulled right out! All-in-all, I would not try this again without being able to do it on my own time in my own garage. I was at my company shop until 2 am THIS MORNING putting it all back together and cleaning up... and I still had to take the company truck home because the alignment was all wonky with the addition of Sonoran Steel 1/4" strut spacers done at the same time.

Speaking of the spacers...

They were supposed to give me about 1/2" of additional lift up front, which should've still kept about a 1" rake. At the moment, all four fenders at ~39" from the ground, which seems odd. I read a post on here about someone questioning if the UCA bushings could add a lift, with the general consensus was that is could offer a slight lift because of the droop you'd get with bad old bushings, which I had, but this seems a little excessive. If anyone has input then it'd be appreciated! Well, off for the alignment!

 

[Fiffa]

Changed out the lower trailing arms for some big boy Rokmens...

Also put some Strongflex bushings in the panhard bar and re-installed in the lowest setting of the drop kit (was in the middle for the previous lift that was 1.5" lower). Have some more to put in the upper trailing arms tonight, too. Removal of the stock bushings is relatively easy with something like this:

Advance Auto Parts - Two-arm puller

I recommend finding a washer that goes out past the sleeve and has a smaller ID to put between the bushing sleeve and puller, though. I marred the first bit of threads on the puller because the sleeve ID was slightly too big. I used one of the bolts for the other side of the bar, but I gouged the middle as a result. :doh:

... I'm more of a "hulk smash" kind of guy, so forgive my lack of brainpower when it comes to auto work, lol.

 

[Fiffa]

Speaking of the spacers...

They were supposed to give me about 1/2" of additional lift up front, which should've still kept about a 1" rake. At the moment, all four fenders at ~39" from the ground, which seems odd. I read a post on here about someone questioning if the UCA bushings could add a lift, with the general consensus was that is could offer a slight lift because of the droop you'd get with bad old bushings, which I had, but this seems a little excessive. If anyone has input then it'd be appreciated! Well, off for the alignment!

The front did end up settling to ~38" after the alignment and some spirited maneuvers on the way home from the shop, which gives me a stance that I am more than happy with! No more rubbing with the 33's and no pinchweld modding!

 

[Fiffa]

Finally took her out for a proper shake-down!

Me and the dog went to Tillamook OHV to start learning how the 4Runner handles amidst the roots and rocks. I'm glad that I waited until everything in the suspension was at a stopping point because I was not ready for the classification levels they give these trails in relation to ski trails! I stayed on blue squares all day and if that's how they normally are then I don't think I'll ever be attempting black diamonds without some serious encouragement, lol.

Before I went I mapped all of the 4x4 trails based on the map that my buddy hooked up into Gaia, but at least two of the blues were either completely or partially blocked due to new logging that's going on.

My last run of the day resulted in having to backtrack because of this, which turned into a much more interesting run the second time around; even my awning was getting some abuse! I learned that the stock fuel tank skid sucks, so the RCI group buy on the 4Runner forum can't come soon enough. I also think it would be wise to get some shock protection for the back because there were some rock gardens that could easily crack something around the axle.

Needless to say, I'm now hooked! If anyone has websites to share in regards to finding other places to ride then post 'em. Wanna head out on a weekend? SPEAK UP!

... there were a ton of people on the trails, so I didn't want to be that ******* that stopped in the middle to capture the ultimate flex shot. Ah well, maybe next time.

 

[Fiffa]

Sorry for the post dump! I'm copying from my build thread on the 4Runner forum, lol.

Fiffa's "Get Lost" Build

 

[Virginiawilderness]

Great looking 3rd Gen!

 

[Fiffa]

Great looking 3rd Gen!

Thanks! It'd be even nicer if I didn't back into trees while trying to get out of people's way on the trail, lol.

 

[MarioT'sCJResto]

Yo!

I've been lurking on here for the past year since getting my '00 Limited after moving to the PNW. I've been slacking pretty bad with getting this thread going and I suck at remembering to take pics of what I've been doing, but my documentation more than makes up for it, lol.

I got her a little built already, but it was primarily high mileage maintenance, which ended up costing around what I paid for it: $7,200. The goal is to make it into an overland, go-most-anywhere vehicle when all is said and done. There's not a ton left to do, but my mind is always wandering.

The day I brought her home:

How she's sitting as of 01/23/21:

The guy before me babied this rig and really didn't want to give it up, but his wife gave him an ultimatum of either continuing to wrench on this or sell it and wrench on their GX470; with three kids in tow, he chose the latter for it's 3rd row seating.

I haven't really met any people around here yet that are into wheeling/camping. Also haven't gone out much in lieu of work and all of the weekend projects so far. HMU and we can make some plans to get lost!

Engine & Drivetrain:
- 3.4 5VZ-FE all stock
- 4.30 gears (soon to be 4.88)
- Factory e-locker rear
- Airbox deckplate mod and ISR Mod with K&N filter
- 4 hole Denso fuel injectors (OEM upgrade)
- Odyssey Batteries 34R-PC1500T
- "Big 3" wiring
- Blue Sea fuse block for light and other accessories
- All else was OEM maintenance items done by the previous owner within the last 30k... like, almost the entire engine bay and drivetrain was serviced/replaced outside of a motor rebuild. It's at 262k right now, so I plan on rebuilding at 300k regardless

Suspension & Brakes:
- Bilstein 6112 3rd Gen 4Runner specific
- Bilstein 5100 rears
- Bilstein 5160 4th Gen 4Runner
- OME 2890 rear springs
- Dobinsons C59-210v springs (LC front coils that work on the rear)
- Durobumps 2.5"+ option, F/R
- Eimkeith PCK
- Mstudt end links, F/R
- Sway bar delete, F/R
- Front diff drop kit
- JBA UCA's
- 13WL TBU with Powerstop drilled/slotted rotors & HD braided brake lines
- E-brake bracket made for lift
- Extended rear brake line with stainless braided line

Wheels:
- 17x7 et+15 2017 4Runner wheels
- 1" hub centric spacers
- 255/75R17 Goodyear Duratrac
- 16x8 et-10 Level 8 MK6's
- No spacer
- 285/75R16 Falken Wildpeak AT/3

Exterior:
- Morimoto D2 projectors retrofit with 5k Morimoto HID’s
- Panamera 2.0 DRL LED projector shrouds with Switchback LEDs
- Satoshi grille mod
- Sherpa Matterhorn MKII roof rack w/ 38" X6S light bar, MaxTraxx mount, & Hi-Lift mount
- Running board delete (sliders to come soon)
- Slim window visors
- ARB 8x8 aluminum case awning w/ tent add-on

Interior:
- RX8 leather front seat conversion
- Leatherique black leather dye for rear seats
- Black carpet replacement throughout
- Gray seatbelt swap from another 3rd Gen
- WeatherTech mats
- Full color conversion to satin black interior with light gray upper half
- Led bulb conversion for HVAC and gauge cluster
- Diff lock button light-up mod
- Clock mod so green matches the green led in HVAC controls
- Rear storage box/camp kitchen built by McKinsey Craft, modded by me to include black carpet dye, locking 36" sliders, & Tembo Tusk XL fridge slider w/ cutting board attachment
- Sherpa rear cargo base (removed the carpet underneath and it works perfect with the box)
- Rago rear racks (botched the **** out of the install)
- Raingler full ceiling net (not installed and not really impressed with the non-existent customer service nor their install guide - probably going to install soon)

Electronics:
- Pioneer AVH1440-NEX
- Alpine rear flip-down TV
- Midland Micro GMRS w/ stubby antenna
- Uniden CB w/ 4' Firestik

What a great platform to build off. Can't wait to see more.

 

[Fiffa]

What a great platform to build off. Can't wait to see more.

Thanks! It took me a hot second to research and make sure that I was getting myself into the right rig for what I wanted to get out of 4x4ing and I have been nothing short of ecstatic this entire build!

 

[Fiffa]

This is why I'm not allowed to have nice things...

One trip out to the trails and these aging axles took a shit... BOTH of them, lol. I think with having a ~3" lift up front it's time I get some of those sweet CVJ axles I keep hearing so much about. Gave the tires a jiggle and the bearings both seem good. The drivers side inner CV though... well, that rumbling I was hearing the other day is oddly similar to what I could hear when spinning the tire today. Fingers crossed new axles do the trick!