sagiphile

Gave up thinking about an FJ Cruiser and decided to plow money into used vehicle I can have fun with (less expensively).

I just picked up a '95 that's I'd like to make an off-road + commuter project, adding bumper, winch, sliders, etc.

The only sliders I've found are self-tapping to the frame, or welded on? Have I just not stumbled into a simpler solution yet?

What's the issue with rear bumpers? The only one I saw that I liked was about $600.

Cargo racks? Gobi isn't showing anything, but I did find an inexpensive OSI rack that looks like it fits the OEM mounts.

I've ordered Bushwacker extensions and plan to remove the running boards to fit the sliders. Should I wait on sliders entirely if I plan to lift?

Thanks for all encouraging replies.

KJB

Elvota

Sliders work best firmly attached. Welding works best for firmly attaching things. Simpler solutions may not be better in the long run.

Lift question... what type of lift? Suspension or body? If body, wait for sliders, will expose more of the frame anyway and make them easier to install. If suspension, sliders now or later shouldn't matter.

Rear bumper is complicated on these vehicles with the side wings and such. Plus being an "older" vehicle, your options will be somewhat limited. Custom is spendy. Might try watching the classifieds here, they do pop up for sale now and then.

Front bumper a TJM or ARB work well, specially with a winch as you mentioned.

Hope all this is some help.

sagiphile

Thanks for the reply. Regarding lift, I'm thinking a little more ground clearance may eventually be necessary. Also not sure what's going to happen when I add the weight to the front. Are adjustable coil-overs the way to go?

At what point does it become stupid to put money into these "older" rigs?

keithguts

GOOD LUCK with your new toy. I also have a 95 runner, and I love her.

faubrunner64

well the 95 will not allow adjustable coil overs! unless you buy a jd fab or totaly chaos long travel suspensin kit witch are very expensive. what i have done on my 95 runner is a 3 ich body lift and a 3 inch drievtrain lift, aswell as a 1.5 inch ball joint spacer and 1.5inch coils spacers for the rear from 4crawler.com 6 inches total of lift for cheap. and there are other options for the sliders other than welding 4crawler makes abolt on and so does allpro offroad research your suspension and the go with a lift from there good luck 95 runners are rad man!

Elvota

That's a loaded question

Just ask yourself before you begin the long list of mods, that will get longer and longer and longer..... where do I want this vehicle to take me, and how badly do I need to get home? Then take all that cash you saved on this older 4Runner and start modding away.

Big rocks, crawling ledges, riverbeds: armor makes a lot of sense.
Flatter terrain, lots of muck and mud, sand or snow: armor makes less sense.

Just think about what each mod will get you, and if that makes sense for your application. In my opinion, it only becomes "stupid" to put money in a rig when the money you are spending makes little sense.

Besides, you can never spend to much on a sweet 2nd Gen 4Runner.

FredTJ

Mmmm, you've lost me here. Even your sig. doesn't make it clear to me

What do you mean by a "3 inch drivetrain lift" ???

I'm trying to figure where your totals are coming from.




Fred

faubrunner64

yeah it is confusing got me a while to understand also. basicaly sence i lifted my body 3 inches, it allowed me also to the lift my drivetrain up along with it. so i lifted my drivetrain lift Engine,tranny,xfercase 3 inches using engine mount extensions and an almost strait across scross member for the xfer case versus the stock crosmember that hags down about 4 inches. i ganed about 3 more inches of under belly clearance using the drivetrain lift. as for my suspension lift i have a 1.5 inc lift coil in the drear made by downey and the i put a 1.5 inch coil spacer in for a total of 3 inches there. and for the ball jooint spacer it is 1.5 inch and i torqued the torsion bars anohter 1.5 inches for a 3 inch suspension lift all the way around. hope that helaps it is prety confusing

4x4Lamm

Check out my build-up thread, I have a 95 also.

(I need to update it w/ lots of stuff though, but I am lazy...)

Lamm

slosurfer

So you have 1.5" bj spacers and you torqued your tbars up 1.5"? What kind of cv angles do you have? have you checked to see if you can spin your cv's at full droop?

faubrunner64

yeah well good question i havent wheeled with it yet i have my manual hubs on free so ill have to get back to you on that! im kinda expecting at least 2 torn cv boots everytime i wheel. i wish i could s.a.s. but no time or money

sagiphile

Thanks for the replies. I've got to cover the basic repairs first, then I start the build up project.


Rack
ARB
Winch

navyredneck

First off, congrats on an awesome decision. I've had many friends and family tell me that I'm insane for buying an old vehicle and then dumping money into it. They don't understand that I'm taking a reliable vehicle and then choosing when (vice a car payment coming every month) and I'm putting more quality stuff into as I want it (dealer didn't choose my mods).

I just did a suspension lift and will probably do a 1" body lift next (to set myself up for an engine conversion many months down the road) and hopefully some nice sliders next.

I'm pretty big on preventative maintenance and spent a LOT of time when I first bought the vehicle changing all the fluids and easy stuff like valve cover gaskets. Plus, I always tell myself that there's only so bad I can mess up a cheap, older car.