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Joined
Feb 28, 2020
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Location
Burlington, NJ
I bought a 1997 Limited 4WD Auto last year with 163k on the dash (lies: Carfax said 254k so I got it for cheaper) as a daily driver to take a load off the 20k/year I was putting on my old BMW. I was taking the BMW to the Poconos, Catskills, Adirondacks, etc. I love the outdoors and the poor car didn't but she held up. I started my search for a bench player. I heard so much about the reliability of these. Funny enough, my best friend's family car was a 4cyl manual 4wd with 420k miles and that's what sold me. My goal was to spend as little money on this as possible while still making sure it was reliable and capable. I'll be honest, I was ignorantly expecting more power out of it to tow a car every now and then but I guess that's what the 2UZ is for.
Since, I've changed the LBJ's within a week of owning it with OEM parts including LBJ covers (from a 4th gen?). The shocks were shot and it was bouncing all over the highway. It wasn't the safest thing to drive on the occasional city highway. Fast forward 6 months and enter mild lift. I went with the Bilstein Tundra 5100 shocks paired with OEM Tundra springs up front and OME 906 springs in the rear. While getting those nightmare shocks out with a Sawzal, I snipped a speed sensor. Rookie mistake. That turned my attention to my spongy and fading brakes paired with my dry rotted tires. Getting ready for a TUB, I picked up a set of TRD FJ wheels wrapped in some old KO's. They were kept in a heated garage so they actually weren't too dry. 2 weeks ago, I got around to the brakes. Went with PowerStop and a set of Wheelers Off-Road extended brake lines. There's a million other things I need to get to but I'm not too concerned yet. Next week I'll be tackling the radiator, TB, and WP. Wish me luck!
p.s. - I couldn't have asked for a better vehicle to introduce into the SUV/truck world!
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Not a shabby start at all. Everything you’ve replaced is normal wear items anyway. May as well do a little something extra.

Have you flushed/changed fluids? Tranny, diffs, transfercase, coolant.
 
While you are tackling the radiator grab an external trannsmission cooler to slap on the front of that new radiator. Nothing to it when everything is open and that prudent move will eliminate the dreaded strawberry milkshake that has been written up here.
 
Not a shabby start at all. Everything you’ve replaced is normal wear items anyway. May as well do a little something extra.

Have you flushed/changed fluids? Tranny, diffs, transfercase, coolant.
Funny you say that, I'm typing this from underneath the car doing exactly that! A slow leak in the transfer case is one of those things I need to get to.
 
While you are tackling the radiator grab an external trannsmission cooler to slap on the front of that new radiator. Nothing to it when everything is open and that prudent move will eliminate the dreaded strawberry milkshake that has been written up here.
Well I was going to research that later but since you mentioned it, what's the benefit of the segregated radiator and trans cooler if the OEM design lasts so long?
 
Nice thing too is there were so many 3rd gen's sold you can literally pick up a parts truck for relatively cheap and have everything you need at hand.
Unfortunately, my local pick&pulls are garbage in variety and stock. Haven't found a single 3G4R in the past 6 visits. I just took it as a good sign that these last so long.
 
I love this forum already. Much more help and positivity I'm seeing all around. I suppose the simple filter of knowing how to use a forum eliminates the negativity and ignorance you find in Facebook groups 🙂
 
Well I was going to research that later but since you mentioned it, what's the benefit of the segregated radiator and trans cooler if the OEM design lasts so long?

Basically insurance that the different fluids do not mix. I changed my radiator after a friend had the milkshake. He is not a car guy and is not on forums so he had no idea what was going on. I had my cooler put on while they were replacing old leaking transmission lines so it was pretty easy.

Then two weeks later I backed over a fiberglass snowplow marker stake that punctured the radiator so now everything is new.

It’s not a 4Runner problem. Lots of cars use the radiator to cool the transmission. Most people don’t change radiators but 4Runners last so long that it needs to be done.
 
Nice and welcome. Cool ride over all so you have a good base to work from. If you do end up needing a parts truck, you should be looking at auto auctions not salvage yards. The real benefit is how a parts car can provide much needed additional outside storage ;) .

I am betting you already checked but... u-joints might need love or replacing.
 

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