ranma21

Hey guys, got a question for you guys. I know 3rd gen 4runner is a pretty capable off roader for I have tried it in Colorado a few times. But how good is it in extreme wheeling in competition? Both drivetrain and powertrain. Me and my bro are planning to built up my 4runner for the 2006 RainForest Challenge in Malaysia. I am from Malaysia, and we are talking about extreme mud terrain, not like the usual rocky terrain in CO or Utah. I know my LC80 can handle this abuse without problem but the LC is too big for it. Any of you 3rdgen guys wheel in mud before? Ohh yea, we are looking for people who wanna join us too, 2 people as a team. If we can find some more people to do this, it would be whole lot of fun. Just to give you guys some idea, this is a link to some pic from 2001 challenge:http://www.landserwis.pl/rfc2001_1_eng.html

Yota4runner

I don't own a 3rd gen I have a 2nd. But it is of my opinion the Truck is as capable as you make it.

Yes its pretty damn capable stock. But having said that if you do the right mods and build it up the right way it can be that much more capable and reliable. Browse around this site and look at some of the built up 3rd Gens. There are some well built rigs.

bulldog-yota

I would recommend you look at using the 80 for it. The guys seems to run some serious rubber in those races from what I have seen. The 80 will hold up better to serious abuse than any 4R, especially on the axles. Unless you plan on running different axles on the 4R.

Contact Drexx on MUD, he races in those environments can will be able to tell you what works and what doesn't. Look at the ultimate 80 on mud, that will give you an idea of the hardware these guys use.

Kevin286

This may be a dumb question but does anyone know why most of the vehicals featured in the rainforest challenge have the snorkle intake facing backward? Example

4x4Lamm

Seems like it would keep out spray and dust even better. Kind of like when a car drives past you and splashes you, you turn around.

Lamm

bulldog-yota

When hitting water crossings and mud at speed it makes a big splash adn a lot of times it hits the intake of the snorkel. Even the Aus guys do it for deep water crossings, especially when you need a bit of momentum.

Kevin286

Seems like that makes sence. I've always seen it facing forward in america. I guess I thought the 'ram air' effect helped something. Would'nt having the intake facing backward be drawing from a vacuum created by a sorta ventri affect? Perhaps it doesn't matter at the speeds they are driving at?

outdoorfever

dude good luck to you. I have no idea what 3rd gens are capable of, but they are great i'm sure..keep us updated/

4x4Lamm

The performance gain is less valuble to the racers than the snorkles protection so they stick it backwords. I have seen a few like it.

At off-road speeds, I'm pretty sure no matter what direction you pointed it enough air would flow into the tube.


Lamm

northfacer581

id say the biggest area to concentrate if theres a lot of mud is a very very solid suspension, because youll be needed some extra momentum and you want to feel safe driving at a high rate of speed. also, youre definately going to need plenty of power...might want to talk to gadget, he seems to be the expert. thats just my opinion though, im just a dumb 17 year old...

Snorkeldepth

Did someone say "offroad speed" and "water crossing"?

How about:

http://www.swrt.com/cpimages/803341.jpg
http://www.swrt.com/cpimages/749025.jpg
http://www.swrt.com/cpimages/749070.jpg

Oops, sorry . . . wrong vehicle. :pat: I have wondered about running the truck in an Autocross event though. By the way, water in the intake during a water crossing has ended more than one rally driver's day. I'll bet they wish they'd had a snorkel. That big scoop on the hood would only cool the engine compartment if it's functional at all. Intake air comes in from behind the right headlight I think. 'Course we're talking turbo here so . . . . . .

ASU4runner

Having an extended air intake already takes away from power to your engine so it's just amatter of keeping debris/water out. I dont know howmuch of an advantage it would have.

JGM

I think your biggest issue would be finding all the stickers they seem to put on those trucks!

northfacer581

4x4Lamm

Yes, the so called "ram air" effect is very slim (although ARB claims it). The primary idea of a snorkel is to get CLEAN and DRY air to the engine at all times, thats why turning it backwords workes even better. Although the cool air is helpful.

If you look at land rovers, commericial trucks and tractors they have snorkels with a "chimney cap" so it dosent matter what direction they point.

Some commercial trucks have safari style snorkels though too, mostly pointed foreward. Even the Mack big rig Mad Max drives in the Road Warrior has safari style snorkels.

Lamm

mike_d

actually, there may be enough turbulence that there may be a positive pressure behind the snorkle. i don't know for sure, you'd need a wind tunnel to tell you the truth, but think of it this way: the back window in the 4runner always get covered with crap (unless you have a rear deflector). the reason it does that, is that the turbulence behind the truck is pulling the spray kicked up from the truck back to the rear window. also if you drive around with just the rear window down, i'll suck in exhaust. that means that the pressure behind the truck is higher which pushes stuff into the back. the same may happen with the snorkle.

ranma21

Thanks guys for the reply. We will be doing the toyota 3.0 1KZ-TE TURBO Diesel swap too after we ship it to Malaysia. So we either run with the diesel engine or gas 3.4 V6. I am wondering if my SwayAway Racerunner coilover is sufficient for this race. We will install front and rear ARB air locker with 4.56 or 4.88 gear, a winch, a snorkel and beefer driveshaft if we decided to use this runner to race. Or else we might look into a FJ40 or get a LandCruiser Prado over there. No one interested to join us?

tulsa_97SR5

It sounds like an absolute blast, but realistically I couldn't get away to go. There has to be someone on here who is up for it.

Did you end up driving to Belize yet? I think we talked about that when I picked up the hitch.

ranma21

He, nice to hear from you!! we changed our plan coz my bro got laid off so we just went to Co and Utah instead.so have you installed the hitch?

ranma21

Haa haa, that is true too, the organicer will provide them. but he problem is to stick them on