Influencer II
Thank you !...I'm digging the Rav4 too man...you've done a great job !!!!
Rav4
- Thread starter Sangoquiza1
- Start date
Hey man, i love what you have done with the Rav. Sorry to bust on in here so late and comment, i found this thread while looking up information on what a rav4 is capable of. I'm currently in the market for a new(er) car and my preferences are specifically between a 12-13 Forester and a 10-12 Rav4. I currently own an 06 forester and i'm hesitant to leave subaru, but i'd like an engine that is a little easier to maintain. My forester has oil leaks and replacing any gaskets is a nightmare because of the flat boxer engine. So far there doesn't seem to be much of an aftermarket for either the rav or foz, especially the rav4, but all i care about is being able to add a subtle lift and adequate A/T tires because i love trails.
Do you know if it's possible to get away with putting A/T tires on the rav4 without adding a small lift? Obviously it has good ground clearance, but would there be any well rubbing? I found a company that makes 2" lifts for the rav so i am good on that if i need one. I know you mentioned you are kind of sick of questions, but regarding the rav4 there is barely any information on the web about modifying it because it is such a minority when it comes to the off road community. Any feedback is highly appreciated.
Do you know if it's possible to get away with putting A/T tires on the rav4 without adding a small lift? Obviously it has good ground clearance, but would there be any well rubbing? I found a company that makes 2" lifts for the rav so i am good on that if i need one. I know you mentioned you are kind of sick of questions, but regarding the rav4 there is barely any information on the web about modifying it because it is such a minority when it comes to the off road community. Any feedback is highly appreciated.
Influencer II
What size awning do you have?
Don't worry, I'm not going to copy you, was just wondering since it looks almost the same size the Rav4 :)
As for little to no aftermarket support, I think that's just how it is for small suv's in general.
You said it had diff locks, does it have a rear or centre locking diff?
Am asking because my 05 Tucson has a centre diff lock and was wondering which one yours has.
Don't worry, I'm not going to copy you, was just wondering since it looks almost the same size the Rav4 :)
As for little to no aftermarket support, I think that's just how it is for small suv's in general.
You said it had diff locks, does it have a rear or centre locking diff?
Am asking because my 05 Tucson has a centre diff lock and was wondering which one yours has.
Enthusiast III
Been awhile since I been on but here is were my rav4 is at for the moment
Hey I know this isn’t my thread but you should be able to add some A/T tires without a lift it may rub a wee bit just use a tire comparison website to see the difference in diameter. But, it be smarter to just go with the 2” lift just for more clearance for the wheel
Traveler III
Sweet build - I have a soft spot for tiny 4wd's. Here's mine:
1999 Honda CR-V. I've done a bunch of work since I took this pic too, but lots more to do. Keep exploring; tiny rigs unite! :D
1999 Honda CR-V. I've done a bunch of work since I took this pic too, but lots more to do. Keep exploring; tiny rigs unite! :D
Contributor I
After building out and using a several Land Cruisers, Tacoma’s and Sequoia’s my son and I were chatting around a campfire and missed the Amigo we had purchased for him while he was in High School. It was light, nimble, capable and frankly, it was just a lot of inexpensive fun! Side note: He still regrets not checking the oil like I asked him to do. #expensivelessons...
I drive a lot for work and K9 SAR and had always wanted a RAV4 but they were always a little too small for the kit I need to tote around.
I looked at Subies and really dig them but the front seats were not comfortable for the amount of driving I do and the kennel wouldn’t fit by about .25”.
Merits of the RAV4:
They blend in well - Sometimes this is very good as I don’t necessarily want to stick out in a crowd.
There are tons of parts, easy to fix and reliable.
Locking Diff under 25MPH... still TBD on how well this works but now with the BFG’s on it... we will air-down and see.
The second row seats fold down nearly flat to enable car-camping, a large kennel and endless possibilities.
The roof is lower and I can more easily reach stuff
** Don’t think you’re going to build out a RAV4 to the extent of what a Land Cruiser can do as the components are not meant to do so. Determine what you need, what you want and see if a nimble, AWD vehicles is enough.
I drive a lot for work and K9 SAR and had always wanted a RAV4 but they were always a little too small for the kit I need to tote around.
I looked at Subies and really dig them but the front seats were not comfortable for the amount of driving I do and the kennel wouldn’t fit by about .25”.
Merits of the RAV4:
They blend in well - Sometimes this is very good as I don’t necessarily want to stick out in a crowd.
There are tons of parts, easy to fix and reliable.
Locking Diff under 25MPH... still TBD on how well this works but now with the BFG’s on it... we will air-down and see.
The second row seats fold down nearly flat to enable car-camping, a large kennel and endless possibilities.
The roof is lower and I can more easily reach stuff
** Don’t think you’re going to build out a RAV4 to the extent of what a Land Cruiser can do as the components are not meant to do so. Determine what you need, what you want and see if a nimble, AWD vehicles is enough.
Good choice Mich ! I have your twin SE a year younger. SE’s have stiffer roll bars and springs. They are also taller from factory with higher suspension (by 1”) over regular RAV. I see your rims are 17’s, what size tire is that?
On mine I got LP adventure front exhaust ( it improves ground clearance of non-hybrid rav by 2”), and RedArc DC to DC dual battery system.
Attachments
Contributor I
Nice mods! I’ve been looking into power options but just haven’t had the time to focus on detailing what I actually need / want.
The tires are 245/70-17 and great for around town, down trails and in the rain/snow/sleet/slush of our Michigan winters.
My recommendation is to take it down 1 size overall as the added weight is noticeable on the highway and the gas pump.
After a 600 mile road trip my wife averaged 22.4mpg. I keep it in Sport Mode and average 18mpg with primarily highway and some around town (70/30 mix).
To note, I do have a lot of weight in the RAV with all my Overland and SAR kit.
Interesting... I thought larger diameter = longer travel per revolution = higher MPG. 22.4 sounds normal. I get 22.6 on rims it came with. Which are the most stylish ones on this side of Pinifarina Batista. Sounds like your SAR comes with a 12 person rescue raft with 4 stroke outboard.
Trail Blazer I
Thanks for the post. I’m in the process of setting up a RAV4 for the BDR trails and my geology field work.I know not many people believe in Rav4s being nice little rigs for trails and overlanding but here’s mine, 2010 4wd, with dif locks. So far it has a 1.5” lift and 30” tires, standing well over a foot of clearance. She’s getting a custom bumper done soon that follows the design of the pelfreybilts for Tacoma’s, and will have a winch as well, some mud trails here in Oregon are brutal so a winch will be a must. Anyways, I hope this brings inspiration and positivity for other people out there with trusty little Rav4s.
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