AR15xAR10s N180 Winter Beater/Party Truck 2000 Highlander 5spd

So the story goes, for the last 20 years a neighbor has has this 4runner and has used it primarily for long distance travel. I have watched this vehicle grow old and gain more dents and scratches as I walked past it to go to school, rode past it on the bus, and eventually began driving past it to work and college. It's not been cared for very well as I don’t think its been washed since 1999 until I got it. But i’ve still always wanted it. Its a 5spd and i’ve known it most of my life. So a buddy of mine tried to make an offer on it about a year and a half ago after buying his first 4runner. The guy wanted an unrealistic number because he had just had the exhaust fixed, the power steering rack replaced and the rear wheel bearings replaced, so we just left it go. Until about 6months ago when I left a note on the windshield. He finally got back to me after the note sat for about three weeks (thank God I put it in a plastic baggie) and we hit it off. I went and looked at it, then it broke an alternator belt and left him stranded at his office building. Roughly 5 weeks went by and we finally got together again. By this time the battery was dead so i made him a cash offer, took the battery home, charged it, came back and drove it home on just the battery.

Here she is, her name is “Sabrina”

How she sits now:









Before:










2000 Toyota 4Runner Highlander (sport)
3.4
5spd manual
4x4
241k original miles
Two owner
Almost a complete service history

Current Maintenance:
Oil last changed- 240,000
Tires rotated- 237k

Mods list:
LED interior lights
LED fog lights- yellow
5th gen 4Runner rear cargo mat
AVS in channel vent visors
2nd gen tacoma husky weatherbeater front floor mats
Kiddie fire extinguisher on quikfist mount
Falken Wildpeak AT3W 32s
2019 TRD Offroad 17” wheels
Auxbeam 22” double row LED light bar
Black American Flag decals on the rear side windows
2006 Tundra Calipers up front
Centric brand coated rotors
Centric brand Ceramic pads
Sylvania 194 Amber corner LEDS
Ultragauge


Service list/Repairs Done/Mods Added:
(@ 230k miles):
Oil change + filter
Spark plugs
Intake gaskets
Cleaned throttle body
Cleaned MAF
Valve cover gaskets
Changed rear diff fluid, tcase, front diff
Flushed the radiator and replaced with new pink coolant
Patched the frame with all new metal
Detailed the interior
Buffed and sealed exterior
Replaced the front markerlights with LED
Replaced the ac belt, powersteering belt, alternator belt
Replaced the tensioners
Cleaned all the brakes and antisiezed
Painted the rear drums
Replaced front turn signals
Replaced passenger side tail light
OEM rear wiper
NAPA CV axles
New front sway bar end links
Rear shocks KYB
Rear coils MOOG (1999 height)
Energy Suspension Red Poly bumpstops (rear)
Degreased and painted stock skids
Flowmaster Delta 40 Muffler
Autozone stainless exhaust tip
Running Board delete
Denso MAF (new)
New Denso O2 sensors front/rear
Magnaflow Catalytic converter
Gates AC idler Pulley

@234k
New 170º Thermostat
New OEM Denso Radiator
All new accessory belts (Continental)
New OEM Power steering Pump and Pulley Assembly
Honda OEM adjustable front windshield sprayers

Duralast Alternator with lifetime warranty installed at 237k
New OEM tensioner installed

Upgrades:
Napa 2006 Tundra Calipers
2006 Tundra large rotors (centric brand coated)
Certric ceramic pads

Things that it needs:

Parts on order:

My plans are/were to clean it up, get it through inspection and run it for at least a year, maybe two. It should allow me to do some more mods to my truck that i’ve been putting off since my truck is my daily driver and primary vehicle.

I want to thank @Unchained 5150 @Pyrite_Pirate @68dave @greengen1 @fatfurious2 and @Tonymontana for their help with this build and answering all my dumb questions!

Thanks for stopping by!

 

This is everything I can remember doing to it:

Tail lights

Front turn signals

Front marker lights

AVS in channel vent visors

Husky Weatherbeater front floor mats

Rear cargo 4runner all weather mat

Tundra Brake upgrade napa coated calipers

Centric ceramic pads

Tundra rotors (centric coated)

Front sway bar end links

Front brake lines

New O2 sensors

Napa CV axles

Front axle seals

New power steering pump

Valve cover gaskets

Plenum gaskets

Air filter

Spark plugs

Cleaned throttle body and intake

Rear diff fluid

Transfer case fluid

Transmission fluid

Front differential fluid

Duralast Alternator

Belts

Replaced tensioners on accessories

Denso radiator

170° thermostat

Full coolant flush and fill

Replaced MAF

Replaced coolant temp sensor

Deleted rear seat heat

Deleted running boards

LED interior lights

Amber LED marker lights

Light bar

LED yellow fog light bulbs

LED third brake light bulb

LED reverse lights

2019 4runner wheels with 11.4k miles

Falken wild peak AT3W 32s

New lugnuts

Steering wheel refurbish

Ultragauge

Replaced front skid plates

Kyb rear shocks

Moog rear coils 1999 height

Rear energy suspension poly bumpstops

Painted roof rack

Flowmaster delta 40 exhaust

Magnaflow high flow catalytic converter

URD o2 simulator module

Autozone exhaust tip

Pioneer radio with bluetooth

Flag window decals

Higher wattage headlight bulbs

AC pulley

Extended AC drain line

Honda windshield wiper sprayers

Blind spot mirrors

Gold emblems on wheels

 

Also reserved.

 

And one more just because...

 

Got the new tensioners on the 4runner tonight and got it running.

FYI doorman universal tensioners are garbage. But at least they work.

So does everything else on the truck but the stupid power antenna.

So fucking stoked!!!!!

 

Maintenance reference:


Engine oil: 5.5qt (valvoline 5w-30 conventional)


Front diff: 1.2qt (

$30 75w-90 Synthetic Gear Lube - 1 Quart (Pack of 2)

75w-90 conventional)
Rear diff: 2.6qt
T case: 1.1
Coolant: 9qt
Manual trans: 2.3qt

 

Whatcha need for parts

 

Subbage​

 

Just ordered some stuff. Currently trying to find

$30 75w-90 Synthetic Gear Lube - 1 Quart (Pack of 2)

75w-90 gear oil that isn’t synthetic....

 

Good luck on that

 

My trail wheels would look awesome on that.

 

The 5th gen offroad wheels?

 

I want the ones with the black cladding like me Momma’s





Messaged a guy about a set earlier today. They go very fast around here.

 

That's what mine are

 

I needs a set.

 

Tonight I finished detailing the interior other than the windows and a few small stains on the front seats.

I also, changed the transfer case and front differential fluids, cleaned and assessed all the brakes, antisiezed the hubs, and painted the rear drums gloss black.

 

Did some research late last night. Watch some videos and learned a few things

Apparently its totally acceptable to patch/box over these holes with new metal. So, the plan is to cut away the jagged edges and clean up the inside as best as we can. Then box over the flat area with 3/8” steel. The areas where the side and the bottom are rotted out, will get the same steel but with a 90° angle in it, so angled steel (L shaped). Should turn out just fine. There will be lots of grinding and wire brushing, then painting afterwards. But, i plan to knock most of the scaling off the frame by hand and spray it down with a rust encapsulator/black paint. Wish me luck!




Also the rear of this 4runner is pretty saggy. Anyone have any idea what rear springs i should stuff in it?

Looking through moog, ac delco, and whatever else rock auto carries, i’ve seen springs in length from anything around 13”-16.4”

I’m guessing get the tallest ones I can find and stuff them in there? May do the shocks too.
The front already has monroe quikstruts on it that are fairly new and not leaking, so I will leave them alone.

 

See if you can work this out somehow Mason