Screaming Phoenix Build

[Yotard]

My wife wrecked my 98 4runner last week so I looked all over for a new rig.



I had put about $6,000 into since I purchased the 4runner in April 15'.

May - 265/75R16 Goodyear MTR Kevlars
Timing belt
Tune up
Magnaflow muffler
Minor maintenance


June - Aussie locker
Deckplate and ISR mods.



July - Toytec Boss lift with a bunch of add ons.



September - Blew front spiders at Barnwell
New CVs
New brakes and rotors
New bearings front and back
New hubs
New shoes and drums
New ring and pinions from ECGS in 5.29 flavor
Spartan locker
Toytec Body lift
35" Fierce Attitudes


As you can see I put a lot of money into it. USAA refused to cover the $6,500 in receipts I sent for all the new stuff after the accident.

After getting hung up by a manger and them refusuing to honor their "$5,000" accesory coverage. They only offered $500 and said I have no recourse.

I am letting the case sit for a while.



Enter Land Cruiser


I broke 7 CV shafts with it since April so I decided to find something with a beefier IFS setup or a solid axle.


I began my search for a new ride and came across a used 1999 sitting at a BMW dealership.

It has 240k miles on the clock but looks and drives great.

The trim needs some attention and the radiator too tank is cracked. Other than that it's a sweet ride.

It DOES have the factory rear locker option which makes me happy.
(The light keeps flashing when it's on by I confirmed operation by doing a few low speed donuts in a field.)

Step 1. I plan to do what I usually do when I get a used vehicle. I'll go through it and fix all the little stuff.

New radiator
Timing belt
New brakes (they feel glazed)
Brake flush
Coolant flush
New diff and tranny fluid
Tune up
Clean throttle body
Magnaflow exhaust [ Done ]

Step 2. Fun begins.

New suspension (shocks bottom out easily) Currently debating on setup.

Either ARB or extra spider gears in the front to address the scary "IFS goes boom" situation.

Skid plates (looks like we only have one option)

Weld on sliders I had laying around from the 4runner project.

295/75R16s

Stage 3. Armor and reduction

I might regear depending on how it feels.

Front and rear bumpers tied into sliders.

315/75R16


The goal is a daily driver that I can take to Moab and run Golden Crack once a year.


I'll post pics once I resize a few. Tapatalk sucks.

 

[ivancook]

If the rear diff light on the dash is blinking, it may not be fully engaged. I picked up a used 99 a few months back that had probably never been offroad and needed to do quite a few figure 8's in a gravel lot to get it to finally engage. Once it worked, the light stayed lit and it's been good ever since.

 

[RyanStl]

Surprised to see that high of a mileage vehicle at a BMW dealership. Typically, something like that would go to auction and end up at a used lot. They must have just received it on trade-in. I hope the previous owner picked up an I8 and not a X5.

 

[yotasavg]

If the rear diff light on the dash is blinking, it may not be fully engaged. I picked up a used 99 a few months back that had probably never been offroad and needed to do quite a few figure 8's in a gravel lot to get it to finally engage. Once it worked, the light stayed lit and it's been good ever since.

It can definitely engage and not ever go solid, mine has worked like that for 2+ years. I know when it's on because I can feel it, but it never shows it on the dash.

OP: if you figure out how to fix it, please post up! Congrats on the new ride!

 

[Yotard]

It can definitely engage and not ever go solid, mine has worked like that for 2+ years. I know when it's on because I can feel it, but it never shows it on the dash.

OP: if you figure out how to fix it, please post up! Congrats on the new ride!

I took his advice and found a new construction site with loose soil and started doing figure 8s with it on. Eventually it came on and stayed on.


Works after about 30 seconds now.

I found a way to upload some pics. Yay!

I also found my inner tie rods had too much slop.

I had inner and outer TREs replaced.


Next is radiator (leaky leaky) and timing belt kit.

Pictures of Rising Phoenix!!




I also have a few pictures of the former ride. ( Can't edit previous posts on my phone? )

Sent from my SM-G920P