Backcountry Vehicles

WasatchWill said:
Exactly. My wife says that if we were to finance another vehicle, it will be the family car before my own commuter/recreational car. So yes, an older car with high miles that is still mechanically sound and fairly simple to work on when something does break down is where I'm at right now. Hence, some of the older 4Runner models out there. I've read that the Generation 3 models and the V8s of the gen 4 are fairly simple engines to work on, reliable, and parts are fairly inexpensive. I do a lot of my own work, unless it's something more involved like a timing belt, or anything else like that that needs the engine lifted. Then it's a toss up between whether I want to spend all that time and labor on it myself, or just pay for a professional to do it.
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Being willing to do your own work goes a long way. I have zero background working on vehicles but just decided a few years ago I’d learn when stuff needed done and it’s a huge money saver (and time killer at times ha). There’s so much info between YouTube and forums that it makes things a lot less intimidating (and often wonder why on earth you’d spend $500 taking it to a shop to do something so easy). Buying a higher mileage vehicle you might not have big engine trouble but you do have more things to keep up on (just replaced my whole suspension and also ended up doing control arms, cv axles, and lots of sawzall-ing).

We have an 06 4runner (bought with ~80k, now has 130k) and my work has two 2nd gen Tacos and two 3rd gen 4runners (I believe 3 of the 4 are well over 200k and they get worked hard) so I’ve had some experience with what you’re looking at. Between those 5 vehicles the only major things that have happened was the “pink milkshake” on one of the 3rd gen 4runners and had a ball joint go out on one of the tacos and had a wheel fall off (obviously a really big deal, if you go with something other than the 4th gen 4runner make sure to check the ball joints). I do appreciate the extra size of the 4th gen and the 4.0 engine is quite a bit better performancewise compared to the 3rd gens. Overall we’ve been really happy with it.
 
Brendan S said:
Being willing to do your own work goes a long way. I have zero background working on vehicles but just decided a few years ago I’d learn when stuff needed done and it’s a huge money saver (and time killer at times ha). There’s so much info between YouTube and forums that it makes things a lot less intimidating (and often wonder why on earth you’d spend $500 taking it to a shop to do something so easy). Buying a higher mileage vehicle you might not have big engine trouble but you do have more things to keep up on (just replaced my whole suspension and also ended up doing control arms, cv axles, and lots of sawzall-ing).

We have an 06 4runner (bought with ~80k, now has 130k) and my work has two 2nd gen Tacos and two 3rd gen 4runners (I believe 3 of the 4 are well over 200k and they get worked hard) so I’ve had some experience with what you’re looking at. Between those 5 vehicles the only major things that have happened was the “pink milkshake” on one of the 3rd gen 4runners and had a ball joint go out on one of the tacos and had a wheel fall off (obviously a really big deal, if you go with something other than the 4th gen 4runner make sure to check the ball joints). I do appreciate the extra size of the 4th gen and the 4.0 engine is quite a bit better performancewise compared to the 3rd gens. Overall we’ve been really happy with it.
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If I go 4th gen, which I'm really leaning on, it'll probably be the V8, or a 2006+ V6, simply to avoid the head gasket problem that surfaced in a lot of the V6 engines between 2003 and 2005.

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Will, get the Vin of the vehicle when you get serious about one and run it through the Toyota recall website just to be sure.
 
Picked up an 01 Runner a couple weeks ago. 160K old, so apparently it's just broken in. Hope to get another 100K+ out of it before big problems hit the power train. I put on some new outer tie rods and new lower ball joints just after getting it. OTRE on drive side needed to be replaced, so figured I'd do the other and do the LBJ's as a pre-caution due to a number of others out there who've had catastrophic LBJ failures with little to no warning out there on their 3rd gen runners. Gotta love all the info online in forums and on YouTube to help with the DIY jobs on these. It really is fun to turn the old wrench.

I also took the time to install a new JVC double din DVD stereo along with a SiriusXM tuner and a rear view camera.

It'd be fun to lift it a bit, but I think I'm going to keep it stock. It's stock lift and clearance is pretty darn good, I think, for all the places I can think of going with it. And lifting these only puts more stress on those lower ball joints due to that one weak spot in how that generation was designed and engineered.

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Unfortunately, it used to have a Clear Bra on the front end that apparently wasn't taken off properly. Just a cosmetic defect for now, but it'll take a bit more cash if I want to really make it look like new again.

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And of course, I went a bit crazy with the back window. Deer on the top center and BYU sticker on bottom center were already there from the previous owner. Since I work there, I was happy to leave it and add a whole lot more.

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WasatchWill said:
Picked up an 01 Runner a couple weeks ago. 160K old, so apparently it's just broken in. Hope to get another 100K+ out of it before big problems hit the power train. I put on some new outer tie rods and new lower ball joints just after getting it. OTRE on drive side needed to be replaced, so figured I'd do the other and do the LBJ's as a pre-caution due to a number of others out there who've had catastrophic LBJ failures with little to no warning out there on their 3rd gen runners. Gotta love all the info online in forums and on YouTube to help with the DIY jobs on these. It really is fun to turn the old wrench.

I also took the time to install a new JVC double din DVD stereo along with a SiriusXM tuner and a rear view camera.

It'd be fun to lift it a bit, but I think I'm going to keep it stock. It's stock lift and clearance is pretty darn good, I think, for all the places I can think of going with it. And lifting these only puts more stress on those lower ball joints due to that one weak spot in how that generation was designed and engineered.

View attachment 60249

Unfortunately, it used to have a Clear Bra on the front end that apparently wasn't taken off properly. Just a cosmetic defect for now, but it'll take a bit more cash if I want to really make it look like new again.

View attachment 60250

View attachment 60252

And of course, I went a bit crazy with the back window. Deer on the top center and BYU sticker on bottom center were already there from the previous owner. Since I work there, I was happy to leave it and add a whole lot more.

View attachment 60251

View attachment 60253
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Looks good! Have you had a chance to take it off road yet?


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Spent the weekend in SLC hunting for an adventure vehicle. Exhausting! How did we do this before smartphones?

Brought an 05 Xterra Off Road back to Moab. 120k miles, very good condition. Lockers, even. Couldn't find any 3rd gen 4Runners with reasonable miles on them (do not like the 4th gen, can't afford 5th gen), so went with Nissan.
 
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Kullaberg63 said:
Spent the weekend in SLC hunting for an adventure vehicle. Exhausting! How did we do this before smartphones?

Brought an 05 Xterra Off Road back to Moab. 120k miles, very good condition. Lockers, even. Couldn't find any 3rd gen 4Runners with reasonable miles on them (do not like the 4th gen, can't afford 5th gen), so went with Nissan.
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Pic please (or it didn't happen...) :)
 
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Needs stickers, looks naked! :p
 
Toyota = overpricrd
 
Just got the Xterra shown above. We do a lot of trips with a bike rack on the rear. But the tailgate is the best place to hang out and base most camp chores out of.

Anyone have experience with pivot arms that allow the bike rack to swing out to the side when stopped, like this ?
 
Kullaberg63 said:
Anyone have experience with pivot arms that allow the bike rack to swing out to the side when stopped, like this ?
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I've used the Yakima Full Swing quite a bit. You have to worry about it when you're doing through steep changes in the road, but otherwise it works fine and is easy to swing in and out. Just be careful not to let the bikes rub each other the wrong way.

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Kullaberg63 said:
Just got the Xterra shown above. We do a lot of trips with a bike rack on the rear. But the tailgate is the best place to hang out and base most camp chores out of.

Anyone have experience with pivot arms that allow the bike rack to swing out to the side when stopped, like this ?
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Me, I have no experience with swingouts but much experience with hitch mounted, fixed ones. Have had many epic fails due to mechanism/structural failures with cheaper ones offroad. Including breaking in the middle of the White RIm. So, a swingout has more potential for failure due to the additional joints and mass so I would opt for a beefier/high quality one over flimsy. Especially the way you like to use your stuff :)
And, as Nick points out, changes in overhang and departure angle and clearance are variables to consider in your assessment.
 
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