Murph's Build - 2001 4Runner Limited 4WD - 6 Passenger

Hey, TW. I'll let this be my formal introduction. I'm new to TW, but I've had my T4R for about a year and a half now. I heard that there was a pretty good following of 4Runner owners over here and decided to hop on the bandwagon.

In the fall of 2012, I was inspired by @fjatheart to buy an off road capable rig. He had an FJ40 that he wheeled and an 01 4Runner that he was planning to build into a trail capable daily driver. After searching many FJ80s and 4Runners, I purchased this 2001 4Runner Limited on October 27, 2012. It was completely stock except for a TRD cat-back exhaust, K&N air intake, and an aftermarket Stereo/CD/DVD player with 12" subs and amps. I started modding it just days after I brought it home.


Here's the start of the build:

Murph's 2001 Toyota 4Runner Limited 4WD - 6 Passenger

Most current photo (April 2014):




What it looked like the day I bought it (October 2012):




Suspension:
Front - Old Man Emu 883 coils with OME 9004 shocks
Rear - OME 891 coils with Bilstein 5100 Tundra shocks (part# 24-100144)
SPC Light Racing UCAs
Toytec Diff Drop
Rear swaybar removed (destroyed the driver's side mount twice, so I'm done with it!)


Armor:
Shrockworks Front Winch Bumper with Full Hoops
Stubbs Welding HD-SKO Sliders
Budbuilt Front Skid and Belly Pan Skid


Tires & Wheels:
265/75R16 Cooper Discoverer STT tires
Stock 16" Limited wheels (minus center caps)
Matching spare


Powertrain & Steering:
Stock 3.4L V6
Stock air intake with ISR Mod (Intake Silencer Removal)
TRD cat-back exhaust
Safari-LTD Steering Gear (11/06/2013)
Stock Open Diffs (front & rear)
Genuine Toyota Front Wheel Bearings
Genuine Toyota CV Boots on original Axles
Denso A/F sensor (10/31/12)
Plugs & Wires (11/4/12)
Denso Radiator (10/1/2013)


Exterior:
PIAA 510 fog lights in front bumper
4' Wilson CB antenna on front bumper
PlastiDip rear badges
Pinstripes by the trails of Tennessee


Interior:
6th seat in cargo area (2nd gen front bucket w/ 3rd gen rear 3-pt seat belt)
Cobra 19 DXVI installed in place of ashtray
Constant 12V plugs (console and rear)
Weathertech Floormats
BlueSea USB port
Fire Extinguisher


Recovery Gear:
Superwinch Talon 9.5SR with Viking Amsteel Blue Synthetic Rope
Factor55 ProLink winch thimble
Superwinch roller fairlead
CO2 onboard air tank
Hi-Lift jack with roof rack mount
Various straps, shackles and other gear


Things to come:
CBI (or homemade) rear bumper with Tire Carrier
Rear Air Locker (likely ARB)
Whitson Metal Works Roof Rack
Modular drawer system
Vintage Coleman Cooler (that will be installed on rear bumper carrier)

 

Thank you, Chris!

 

Because I didn't actually keep up with a build thread since I bought the 4Runner, a lot of this will be a look back at what was done. It'll take some time for me to catch up. I'll be including not only mods and maintenance stuff, but there will be some off-roading pictures thrown in too.

I hope y'all enjoy.

Murph

 

The first mod was removing the running boards… "instant lift". Maybe not, but it did make it look better.
Before:

After:

 

On the drive home, the check engine light came on. After checking the codes, I determined that I needed to replace the pre-cat A/F ratio sensor. I ordered a Denso (part #234-9002) from Amazon for much cheaper than anywhere else. Of course, it was an easy plug and play install.

New sensor with gasket:


Old sensor:


New sensor installed:


The CEL codes also indicated a misfire on two of the cylinders.

This is why:


I installed new NGK plug wires and spark plugs.

Pretty Blue Wires:

 

I learned that PlastiDip wasn't just for tool handles. Dipped the emblems and tag surround









Finished:


I also PlastiDipped the grille:

 

I ordered 5 Cooper Discoverer STT tires (265/75R16) from Discount Tire. It's beginning to look like a true off-road vehicle.





(11/28/12)

 

The day after I bought my tires, I received my Old Man Emu 883/891 lift with OME 9004/60027 shocks from Toytec.



I paid the extra money to have Toytec assemble the front shocks/coils. I loved the "running man" hieroglyphics that they added. A special touch.



(11/29/12)

 

On 12/06/12, the UPS man brought these all the way from Susanville, CA.

Stubbs Welding HD-SKO sliders…



I took them out to the garage and "mocked them up".

 

Finally getting to the stuff everyone wants to see….

On 12/8/12, @fjatheart and I filled the day by installing the OME lifts on both of our 4Runners. That was a LONG day!

Before...


Front going on…


Rear going in:


The money shot…


And a couple of after lift poser shots…





(12/08/12)

 

Once my lift was on, it was time to get working on the sliders and having them installed. Over the next few days, I primed and painted them. One thing that I do regret is using the white "bare metal" primer. I found out quickly that when the topcoat gets scratched, the white shows through like a sore thumb.

These Stubbs HD-SKO sliders are great looking and very strong. I liked the fact that the legs came pre-welded. If I could go back and do it again, I would have had Richard weld in some gussets between the legs and mounting plates for a little extra rigidity and strength. Since I don't have a welder of my own, I had Essentially Off Road of Murfreesboro, TN weld them on.

Primer...


Paint...


Mounting by EOR…




(Installed 12/20/12)

 

Clean 4runner! My nickname is Murph too

 

Thanks, Murph!

 

For Christmas of 2012 I got a Motorola 19 DXVI CB to be able to use on trail rides. I ordered an 18' Wilson antenna cable, a Wilson Flex-4 antenna and a FireStik stud mount. I built an antenna mount that attached under the left taillight. I eventually sold that mount and ordered an ODL mount which are no longer available.



I installed the CB in the dash in place of the ashtray. I created a how-to thread and included it below in post #22.

That was a fun and useful install that created an OEM look for the CB.



Here is the mount that I built out of scrap metal that was in my garage.




(12/30/12 - 01/3/13)

 

First trail ride…

Derek (TNRunner99 over on "another forum") and I went up to Windrock Park/Coal Creek OHV on a Saturday for a little trail ride. Since it was in early January, there was ice covering all of the water and waterfalls (not something we see a lot of down South). That ice was the result of my first trail damage. I took another friend and my oldest son along with us and we had a great time. Here are some of the pictures (not the greatest quality)…

Beautiful Tennessee Sunrise on the way that morning…


















A sheet of ice on top of one of the water holes gave me my first trail damage… busted both blinkers and smashed my "TBL" plate.




Instagram shot:


(01/05/13)

 

After about a month and a half of driving with the 4Runner lifted, I started smelling some grease coming from the front end.

I looked under the truck and found this on the driver's side inner fender and frame.


At first, I thought maybe it was coming from the brake line. But then I found this…


The inner CV boots were leaking on both sides. The driver's side was worst. I went ahead and rebooted both CV axles. It was a very time consuming and messy job, but not too difficult. The hardest part was finding that sweet spot to "pop" the axle out of the front differential.

Several items I bought from Lowe Toyota in Warner Robins, GA for the 4Runner. The new CV boots are in there somewhere.


Sorry… No pictures of the actual job being done. My hands were to greasy to handle the camera or iPhone.

 

Sweet build, my mom has a 96 runner that i tried to buy as a trail rig, no go haha she loves it too much!



Subbed

 

Thanks, Cham. Maybe one day she'll let it go. ;-)

 

nope, just got it repainted 2 years ago, it look brand new again, i couldn't do it haha, i've got a 82' Solid axel toyota pickup i snagged shortly after being shot down.