Although the 4Runner is a very capable truck when it rolled off the factory floor, the marketing folks at Toyota have deemed it necessary to leave a few things off the truck. In an effort to add what Toyota didn't build into the truck, I have started to perform a few modifications.

Rock Sliders--With the help of my former roommates, I fabricated some custom rock sliders. I designed these sliders be able to support the weight of the entire truck, and not need to weld, or drill into the frame. Because of budgetary constraints, I didn't want to add a body lift either.

Extended Differential/Transfer Case Breathers-- As one drives around the friction in the gears heat up the surrounding air in the differential housing. This heat increases the air pressure and, if not vented, could push out lubricants through the bearings. To prevent this, the stock toyota breather uses a valve to vent excess pressure. When traveling through an extended water crossing the water will rapidly cool the air in the housing creating negative air pressure. The valve should prevent water from being sucked in, however, it could stick open because of some kind of debris. To remedy this situation, one should extend the diff breather with a tube to a higher location.

Downey 1.5 Inch HD Springs-- As with all 2nd gen 4Runners the rear springs begin to sag straight from the factory. Not only does this limit departure angles, but it just looks funny. After installing the springs I gained 2.25 inches in the rear. The install was easy, only took a couple hours. Now the runner looks much better and my co-workers can't make fun of me anymore.

Onboard Air--Old, 1980's Cadillacs came with an air ride suspension that used a 12V air compressor. I modified 2 of these compressors for use as on board air. I also modified an old 2.5 gallon stainless steel fire extinguisher tank for use as an air tank.

Sway Bar Quick Disconnect-- Independent suspension is horrible for off roading. Not only is it relatively weak, it also severely limits articulation (the ability of a vehicle to keep all 4 tires in contact with the ground, despite severe unevenness of the road). To help with articulation one can disconnect the sway bar. Here is a quick and easy way to disconnect the front sway bar.

Automatic Transmission Fluid Cooler--Once in a while the auto transmission light comes one when I'm driving up a steep grade, especially on hot days. It even came on once when I was driving around on the Pismo Dunes. I installed an auxilliary transmission cooler to help with these extreme conditions.

Heavy Duty Rear Bumper--Again with the help of my former roommates, I built a bumper that could withstand the stresses of off roading. In addition to the bumper, I built in a swing away toolbox/tire carrier that will also carry a hi-lift jack and a jerry can. The unique thing about this bumper is the removable aluminum toolbox that is mounted where one would normal carry the spare tire on the swing away portion bumper. This frees up a lot of space in the back of the 4runner.

Idler Arm Brace--Oversized tires and hard wheeling will eventually bend the idler arm resulting in poor handling. Installation of an idler arm brace can help prevent damage.

Taurus Electric Fan--There is a lot of talk on the internet about installing the Ford Taurus fan. At $30 from the junkyard it's a bargain compared to $200 flex-a-lite fans and it pulls more air.

Manual Locking Hubs -- Most 2nd gen and all 3rd generation 4runners come with what is known as the Automatic Differential Disconnect system to provide the shift on the fly capabilities. The ADD system also necesitates that the front axle and the differential always rotate even when in 2wd. This puts wear and tear on the CV boots and may or may not decrease gas mileage. Manual locking hubs are a good way to prevent this wear, at the cost of having to get out and turn the dial at the wheels. I don't have a writeup on how to do the swap but it is very easy to do. Here are some other people's writeups: Toyota Aisin hubs --Warn hubs -- rebuilding Aisin hubs.

ARB Lockers and 5.29 gears