94 4runner SAS

[mtnbiker4evr13]

GSMTR was a blast, I went last year in my FJ Cruiser which was a different kind of fun. Its becoming a Father's day tradition to go camp with my 2 sons and my dad.

It was pretty special to be in the 4runner on a real trip again with him, back when it was first built we did trips at least every month with my local 4x4 club. We both really enjoyed that time together but the past 6 years we haven't been able to get out as much and have taken the FJ.

On with pictures! Admittedly I suck at taking them so I lifted most of these from others in the group..

Ran Friday with the Hot South crew on trail 35 & others. New Razrs set to 9psi bagged out really well with the D sidewall so big win there. Being 1000lbs lighter than the 80's in the group was handy .

At the end of the day ran trail 15 and needed some human intervention after a mediocre line playing around.

Saturday we ran with the "Moderate" group to see some different trails/vehicles. Felt bougie with A/C in the 90+ degree heat and humidity.

Still need to dial in some things and fix deferred maintenance, but will be using the runner more for sure.

 

[mtnbiker4evr13]

Another year, another update

Runner is still kicking without touching anything on it

Only made it out for the annual Slade KY trip, I picked up an 80 that was the focus all year and it was the GSMTR chariot instead of the runner.

I don't know if its a me problem, sagged springs, questionable shocks or squishy tires but this thing has been feeling increasingly unstable on off camber obstacles. Its always been top heavy obviously but maybe I'm getting old.

Going to do some revamping of the suspension to try to get things under control with lowering, bump stops and possibly sway bar.

For a cookie cutter SAS its lower with sagged springs and I run 4" shackles up front instead of 5.5" and I think 6" in the rear on 3in TG regular duty springs. Thinking of frenching the front hanger into the frame (OE crossmember is rotted out anyway and moving axle forward for firewall clearance would be good. I had picked up OE FJ80 radius arms to possibly do a coil setup up front but doubt the juice is worth the squeeze.

Rear I've contemplated 3 link with some OE toyota coil springs from something (FJC, FJ80..) on the east coast I've found I'd trade suspension travel for stability in most cases. Width wise its 60" WMS 3rd gen 4runner rear and up front is an 85 housing with IFS hubs and 1in spacers so 61"ish, seemed to work great on 35s but just unsettled on 37s.

Tldr; probably will do nothing and say the same thing next year

Any way it goes it still has lots of glass up high so it'll never be buggy status until chopping but with 3 kiddos and still use it for the odd camping/wheeling trip I like the rear interior space.