maddmatt02

I am wondering if any of you live around the northwest of washingont and know any good trails to go wheelin. I used to have a silverado 4x4 but live on whidbey island and there is nothing, all trails have way too many trees, and too narrow for a huge old silverado, firts night I had the truck I popped over a root and it was all mossy or whatever and pull my truck into the tree, pushed in entire pasenger side door, probably should have looked at the trail in daylight first but I got the truck home at night and it was my first 4x4 Id ever owned and was eager to go to the woods with it. I am thinking of gettign maybe a early 90's 4 runner. lifted with 35/12.50 interco swamper thornbirds. probably lockers later on, but initially I doubt Ill be able to afford them, just read where someone spent 1100 on a front setup (complete assembled diff though) also could you tell me sites that sell lift kits and lockers and stuff for not too outrageous prices, whats the highest you can lift a 4 runner without having to worry about driveline troubles (i know that only one of these questions actually belong here but I didnt wanna post a lot of different posts right now).

Waterboy

There is quite a few of us from around Seattle.
As far as trails, it depends how far you want to drive and and what kind of terrain you want to drive. There is a spot out on hwy 2 past Monroe called Reiter.
Do you have a particular 4runner in mind or are you just planning in general on the lift and accessories? There is always IFS lifts for sale from people doing SAS to their rigs so the for sale sections are always a good place to keep an eye on.
Using IFS in the front, 7 inches (4 suspension, 3 body) is about the max you can lift a 4runner. If you want a cheap lift with out messing with with drivetrain angles you can put a 2" body lift and and fit 33" under it. Member 4crawler sells them and people only have good things to say about them.
Welcome to the board.

maddmatt02

I am actually considering a jeep cherokee also cuz a friend of mine has one wiht the 4.0 I6 with 35's and a heavy system and it still has the power to easily push the weight. I am looking at a early 90's 4runner like this one, and I wanna get the V6 which I am pretty sure is a 3 liter right? so its smaller than the jeeps and plus dont inline 6's usually got more torque?

I wanted to get 35's but if they wont fit, I guess 33's would be cool, still look burly on a 4 runner I bet, I just know my silverados stock tires were 31" and it just looked like a wimpy truck with those little tires, and even lifted full size trucks on 35's they just dont look real beefy. but the tires I was thinking of are the interco super swampers TSL/thornbirds, cuz they are only 130-150 for 33/10.50-11.50 or 12.50.

are those decent tires? I want something that will be good for off road but not really loud rough on the street, and from the description they sounded decent, or would the super swampers TSX/SL steels be better, im sure they arent a great freeway tire but I guess I could deal with a noisy ride as long as they'l be good tires for going off roading, aside from whatever trails I go on, Ill most likely be in mud. also does a narrower tire mean better gas mileage. and wide tires are good for rock crawling for more contact patch but narrower are better for mud cuz they get to thre tough stuff below the mud quicker? right or wrong?

I wanna lift it at least 4 inches, all suspension preferably but if its a combo of body/susp. it would be cool also. if I did wanna do like a 5 or 6 inch suspension lift (are they available?) what kind of driveline mods would I have to do?

and do you think a 3.0 V6 will push a big 4 runner on 33 or 35's with about 40 pounds of stereo equipment, and other luggage and junk.


like maybe this 1990 - http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...r=&cardist=100

or this 90 - http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...or=&cardist=20

or this 93, already lifted with 35's - http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...or=&cardist=21

maddmatt02

oh, also, I looked at the trail legend thing and wouldnt wanna hit anything harder than a 2.5 for a few runs if not many many more than that. I could drive pretty far for them, how often do a bunch of you guys meet up for a trip? I owuldnt wanna drive real far to do it all by myself, specially if I get stuck, man would that suck. I will get a winch for sure as well on whatever I get.

maddmatt02

well, just read on a swap where a guy put the 7gme or whatever the supras engine is into his truck cuz the 3.0 was weak, said with the 35's he couldnt even cruise at freeway speeds and got horrible mileage so I am probably going cherokee, I am gonna ask this in the main 4 runner forum though to se if thats how everyone feels.

Shane

There's a reason we call them Thornturds...

maddmatt02

ok, thats good to know before I bought them. why though? how about the super swampers SX steel's? or would I be fine with just something like the wild country TXR's??

thanks

Shane

Large uninterrupted tread blocks, no open voids, noisy... Basically they're crap. An SX is going to be noisy as well, but it's a very good tire for the NW. Since you're worried about a "2.5 rated" trail, I'd say get the wild countrys. "2.5" by the way is barely more than a dirt road....

midiwall

Hey Matt; keep an eye over here: https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f15/ for things going on and coming up. It's getting to be That Season again when the folks that didn't t like the snow start looking for things to do.

There's also "4ROC": http://www.4roc.org/ which is kindofa' more locaized sister site of YT. There's babble over there about trail runs.

And... The good folks at the WA chapter of TTORA: http://www.wattora.com/main.asp (a Tacoma users group) usually welcome 4Runners on their runs.

btw... don't wait to be lifted and have new shoes to get out on some of these runs. I went on my first run (just about a year ago) pretty much bone stock. But beware, that was the beginning of the end to the Visa card.

maddmatt02

well, thats what I thought reading it but I figured im novice and it says novice so Id try there first, I have been on 2.5's then alreay buy the sound of it, and midiwall, I dont have a runner yet, but it will be lifted wiht new tires right when I get it pretty much, unles I get one thats already lifted, I really want this one but I gotta sell my car first. http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...or=&cardist=38

and also could a runner on 35's with 4 inch suspension lift go through 2 feet of water, or would a snorkel be necessary? Iwouldnt think so considering the axles would just be getting wet at about 1.5 feet.

Serith

Depends on how fast you are going. if you crawl through(under 3MPH) you would be fine, if you like to go fast, or decently fast, you will want a snorkel. If you plan on going through a lot of water (like most of us in the northwest) you will want to get diff breathers. you can search on this forum to see how to install them, it's pretty easy (except for the front one, kinda a pain). They will help so your diff's will not get flooded.

And welcome to the world of offroading, it's a lot of fun, but if your not careful, you'll be broke 24/7

crash

As soon as I super glue my rig back together I am ready to play

Ducky

I live in Marysville, I will be doing some exploratory runs up near here... try to find some worthy trails... and note them for future 4roc runs...

Ill let you know when Im heading out.

maddmatt02

alright, well, if I am going to go through deep water like that I will go slow, I like going fast, thats why my insurance is so high :pat:

but I realize you cant go fast when 4 wheelin so I would be able to deal with going slow, I used to have a stock silverado 4x4 and even though it couldnt go evrywhere, I still had fun going slow climbing stuff, basically if it isnt the normal way to drive I will enjoy it.

I live on whidbey and the only place I know of is this place on the side of the road, just abig muddy hil, and then there is some trails that lead to the woods of of the roads hat people tell me they use to go wheelin on but the entrances are all barracaded now wiht thjose huge cement blocks they use to divide the streets while they do road work.