Ok I'm trying to decide what i really need, or what I really want.

Right now this is what I plan on going with:

SAWS
TJM-15
OME's (rear springs/shocks)
Diff-Drop Kit

The total of that comes to around 1600 bucks. Do I really need all that? I don't do hardcore off-roading, no rock climbing, but I do wheel and go muddin. The reason I'm asking this is because 1600 bucks is a lot of money!! So here are my 2 choices

1) Stick with my first plan, have a nice sexy built up rig, and be satisfied with my 1600.

2) Just go OME's all around and use spacers up front. Which will require me to use a spring compressor which I don't really want to, and get a set of spacers up front. Which this setup will sag in the future (how long though?)

Keep in mind I don't ever plan on locking, adding a winch, or snorkel or anything else after i do this. I plan to do this, and that's it. So would it be pointless to get the tjm if I'm not adding a winch? But I LOVE the look of the tjm-15 I would say i go wheelin probably once every few months or so. But I would like to go camping and snowboarding a lot more.

Please give me some good advice, as this is all the money I've saved up lol. Also I plan on getting a sports car when i get out of college (4 years) so should I really spend all this money? I feel I will get my money's worth in 4 years if I go with my first decision, but I'm just kinda iffy on the total amount.

TIA!!

 

Rob,

Sounds like it will be a sweet looking rig!

For me, what I want is many times not what I need, however, it depends on the extravagance of the want. I don't think $1600 is unreasonable for what you want to purchase. That is not an enourmous sum of money and if you get a good job when you get out of college, if the 4Runner is already paid for by then, buying a sports car shouldn't be any problem.

If that is what you saved the money to buy, buy it. If you are going to be completely broke for the rest of the year and have to eat bologna sandwiches every day, trim the wants and go with just what you absolutely need to achieve some level of your want. Better some of what you want than none at all.

Getting your perspective now on "wants" and "needs" is very important for when you add others into the equation of your life, like a spouse and/or kids. My wants often get bumped down the list of importance when compared to what the rest of my family needs. Don't here me complaining cause I ain't. I'd much rather see my kids have what they need first, then want, than daddy with some new part on his 4Runner. Getting the want for the 4Runner boosts my ego, getting the want for my children feeds my soul. It doesn't take long to figure out which one lasts the longest and has the most significance.

Enjoy your college days and your life, you only got one, so get the stuff and enjoy it!!!



Brian

 

I'll play devil's advocate and take the other side of Brian's point.

I first got my rig dirty about 4 months ago, for the 6 years previous to that, the only dirt it had seen was a gravel driveway.

When I first went out, the only real extra I had on it were sliders. It had stock suspension and _undersized_ (through a mistake) tires with 50-60k miles on them. I had a great time, plenty of fun, and really had no reason to do anything else with it.

I could have easily stopped right there and been done, done, done. The trails would have accepted me fine after that, no probs.

Yeup... no NEED to do anything else to the rig. Nothing MAKING me want to do anything else.

heh.
heh-heh.

 

Screw the bumper and pass on the SAW's. Get yourself some front Cornbred spacers, OME front and rear shocks (firm) OME rear 891's and call it a day.

Just shaved $1000 off. Unless you "need" the clearance or plan on hitting livestock on a regualr basis, pass on hanging more ornamants on the christmas tree.

 

If you're into wheeling at all... go with the lift for sure. The ground clearance will really improve what you can do on the trail (especially if you put some good tires with it). OME will do fine on the trail, and you shouldn't need a spacer if you're only adding a bumper (no winch). I'm running the same setup your talking about (OME/TJM) and I haven't needed a spacer. From what I've heard, but big advantage to the SAW setup is on-road ride quality. I don't see a significant difference in trail performance between SAW and OME, but that's me.

The diff drop is basically insurance. No one will ever say you need one until they blow a CV. It's your call on that one.

The bumper will be almost entirely cosmetic for you. It will offer more protection from rocks and trees and such, but only you know if you really need it. If you're not going to be adding a winch, then the bumper isn't necessary in terms of function.

 

"hitting livestock on a regular basis"... come to where I live in Alabama...MOO!

The more I read (listen) to Schaefer I think he is the Dr. Phil of Yotatech!

I love his no punches held back advice!



Brian

 

Yeah, but he's making me wanna sell the TJM-17 that I haven't even installed yet!

 

Yea what you guys are saying is really making sense, I've always been a little iffy, but you guys have almost set my mind straight. From the looks of it I'll probably go with OME's all around and stay with the original bumper. But now i need to get spacers to level out the front with the rear correct? So Cornfed is the way to go? And what size?

Also anybody wanna teach me how to use a spring compressor? That's the part I'm worried about.

Thank you all for the advice. Saves me a grand.

edit: Also Steve, what would you say is the best OME setup for street driving and occasional wheelin? Cuz I remember Tom got 892's? And he had a big problem with his cv's.

 

If you can afford the bumper, it's well worth the money. If you want to save money scrape the snot out of the stock plastic.

 

If your asking me what I would do:

Front OME shocks (firm)
Front 1.5" or 2" Cornbred Spacers
Revtek 3/8" Top out plate.
Stock Toyota front coils

(This is softer/more flexy than the OME 881, 1.5 & Revtek makes 2" total lift. 2" & Revtek makes 2.5" total lift.)

I drove Ziad's 4Runner in Colorado and the 881's are way stiffer than the SAW's or the spacer formula above. Your call d00d. I like it nice and soft.

Rear OME Shocks (firm)
Rear OME 891

(Limiting straps if your going to wheel it hard, but I'm willing to bet your not.)


Food for though ???

SAW = Stay A Way

Ever tired getting a replacement part from them. Give them a call on the phone, it's always a disapointing experience.

 

Does it matter that my rig is a 96? so there's been a good amount of miles put on the original coils. And that it came with standard 15" wheels so does that mean the coils are different? I'm not sure I wanna trust my old coils, but new ones wouldn't be better?

and what does the top out plate do may I ask?

 

Was the coil spring recall on the '96's just the rear? I threw the notice out...but if its the front too, that may help a bit. I wouldnt worry about sag though unless its already uneven.

 

Mark,

I wouldn't regret the TJM at all- remember the tank trap I drove through about a week after installing my TJM. That little "love tap" on that rock on the way out would have demolished the stock bumper, and likely would have torn the plastic valence off.

Toyo, an alternative is to do what Steve said- leave the stock bumper on. If you're only going mudding, and not going to be climbing much rock, maybe you don't have to worry about wrecking the front bumper. However, if you do smash it, you still have the money for the TJM sitting in your account, so you could buy it then. Or, buy my stock bumper which has been taking up space on my porch to replace your smashed one.

 

Yes that does matter. You want a set of brand new 99 front springs for a V6 & 16" wheel 4Runner. 2 springs can be had fromon-line dealers for less than 100.

Your call spacers and stock springs are softer, OME 881's are chaper than stock and spacer and will more than likely need trip packers or give you an unknown amount of lift. Spacers are very exacting in the lift they gave.

Your call, it all work in the end.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...ory=33585&rd=1

 

yea I saw that. I really don't like used stuff, but thanks anyways.

also I'm probably gonna go with ome shocks and springs all around, and maybe a 1/4 " to 1/2 " spacer for the front. (if I can I can fine one) or would I be able to use the ome trim packers?

You think that'll work?

 

Don't listen to any of these old guys they all have families to worry about, bills, houses, girlfriends on the side.

spend every last dime you have, including the dimes you won't get till the next paycheck. make that rig look sweet as ˟˟˟˟, so that you can finally impress a girl, and get her to go on more then one date with you. cause let's face it, your a pretty boring asian dude, and that rav4 your driving now .. isn't helping out your image too much. Get the rig hooked up so at least you guys have something to talk about. I mean let's face it you can only take the girl to so many polka nights before she gets sick of you.

 

I'm confused... the point of this thread was to determine how best to spend your money (i.e. what you really need for the way you use your rig vs what would be nice to have). Why do you keep listing spacers as something you need? I have a 96. I also have the 15" wheels. I went with OME HD all around. I have a TJM T-15. I still don't have or need spacers in the front. If I really nickled and dimed it, I might be able to argue that I needed 1/4 or 1/2" spacers, but certainly not a 1" spacer. Can you even get spacers less than 1"?

 

Oh, I know... Watching you go through that is what made me want a bumper in the first place! I'm just flakey 'cause I haven't been out in so long and thus questioning why I'm still wanting one.

No worries... It'll go on!

 

Yeah, you just need a fix for your addiction, it'll get you all fire up again. Actually, have you seen my ride since I got the new tires/rims?