Rig decision..

[wa4x4]

So right now I have a daily driver 1998 4runner limited with the rear e-locker and BFG mud terrains. It is an awesome daily driver, so reliable! I took it to Leavenworth (actually Plain) and back on saturday night and today and got really good MPG and street habits. It was very comfortable for my friends and I to cruise at 65mph on the highway.

Saturday I took it up to Reiter because we wanted to test the FJ Cruiser and I decided to take a few trails that the FJ had no business being on. I ended up giving the 4runner a bit of body damage. I knew it could happen, and I'm not too mad about it. In fact, I think it gives it character.

I have a decision...do a 2.5" OME lift, front locker, re-wire the toyota e-locker, move up to 33"s and learn a few tricks of the trade while keeping body damage to a minimum (I just want all my glass, to be honest). This will keep me happy on the street and on the trail, but the trail will still worry me a little. I like being able to bring more than 1 friend with me. I like having the enclosed space to put stuff in the 4runner.

My second choice is to build up or trade my ATV (5k value) for an already built up 84-85 4runner (enclosed space and back seat) and not have to worry as much for body damage, and keep the 98 clean for daily driver duty.

Upside to choice one: daily driver and wheeler in one...does ok in both.
Downside to choice one: won't do as well off road...if I break it on the trail, I have to start daily driving the WRX (which is okay...but I worry about other people hitting me in traffic, etc. Plus 350whp everyday is a handful.)

Upside to choice two: My 98 stays clean... Get a better wheeler.
Downside: Have to pay insurance on another rig, more room taken up in the driveway...it's a 22-23 year old rig and will have it's share of mechanical issues, of course.




What do you think?

[jimbo74]

run the runner and wheel your atv.... done deal


and as far as 350 hp being a handful, if you dont try and show off all the time and drive all crazy, then how much hp you have has no bearing on anything... you can drive a vette in the slow lane, and a toyota tercel can drive in the fastlane.... (not directed at you as beijng a show off or wreckless driver-just no reason that a vehicle with 250 hp cant be driven daily by someone responsible enough not to try and race everyone)

[wa4x4]

It's not really that I am afraid of me wrecking the WRX. I am not a moronic driver in it...I know my place to do that and I am taking it to the track this summer to get that all out. I am absolutely terrified of someone hitting me.

The ATV is just different to me now that I have run a Toyota down a trail. Being able to share my experience with my friends is AWESOME. I would be very willing to sell the ATV to finance a Toyota.

[jimbo74]

i thought you and your parents had like 5 toyotas, what happened to all of those?

[BLACKDOG]

i thought you and your parents had like 5 toyotas, what happened to all of those?

me too? 


I wish I had your decision to make  

You are lucky enough to have 2 vehicles, a lot of us have to stick with one.  You've got to decide for yourself how much damamge you want to incur on the '98, and how much you're willing to do to it.  A lot of people don't care about body damage, and some do.  Some care whether the body damamge is on their dd, and others don't.  You've got to decide what kind of person you are, and go from there.  You've already gone through attempted buildups on a few vehicles, and wound up not finishing.  Whatever you choose, you should really follow through all the way   You'll learn more, and wind up happier with your choice in the long run. 

[wa4x4]

I stopped building on one truck, and that seems like ages ago now.
I look back at where I was with my mechanical skill and I had no idea how I thought I could take on a project like that... I could have finished that 80 now if I tried again.

The body damage thing on the 98... I would like to have all the glass, and have all 5 windows roll up and down and have all the doors open up and close with no issues. Other than that, I'm pretty much game.

I know how to finish a project, just look at my WRX. I am actually finishing it tomorrow afternoon and getting tuned on Wednesday. Should have dyno numbers by next month. 

The 1st gen 4runner would be a more carefree rig. Right now out of a wheeler I would like...
1. Be safe
2. Be comfortable (heater, AC possibly)
3. Be capable (think I need a sold axle for that...)
4. Bring my friends with me with room for a cooler, spare tire, and rescue equipment (extra clothing, tow straps, jumper cables, light tool collection, etc.)


Heh, rocks are hard!!!
I had never done any sort of crawling like that in my life! I walked the route (pretty much a dry riverbed) and thought, gosh this will be easy! There were a lot of basketball sized rocks, a boulder or two thrown in, and then a lot were about the size of my 31"s layed down but stacked and stuff. I got through the part where rescue would suck, so I decided to try a hard section I tried to make up, but due to spotting issues I bypassed (my spotter sucked!!) and when I was coming down it I got hung up on the rear axle. Oh well...that's life. Rocks are also very fun!


We're down to two Toyota's right now, the 07 FJ Cruiser and this 98.

In the family we've HAD.
My 1980 pickup
My 1994 4runner
My 1998 4runner
My moms 2007 FJ Cruiser

And my dad's gonna get a 2007 Tacoma somewhat soon.

[jimbo74]

what about the ford tow rig? i swear you had more cars than that.....

[wa4x4]

Yeah, the ford's still around.
Barely.

I finally got that C6 to stop puking, and now it's getting terrible gas mileage, and I think it's leaking fuel somewhere in the system...oh well, I'll fix it when I get around to it.

Like I said....I got the WRX to finish tomorrow.

[jimbo74]

Yeah, the ford's still around.
Barely.

I finally got that C6 to stop puking, and now it's getting terrible gas mileage, and I think it's leaking fuel somewhere in the system...oh well, I'll fix it when I get around to it.

Like I said....I got the WRX to finish tomorrow.

i think you need to figure out what you want to do... i mean what your intentions are ultimately... personally i would sell the truck, and drive the subie, go atving when the wheeling bug bites... there really is no reason to have multiple vehicles, especially if you wnat to go fast at the track, dd, and wheel.... its impractical really, best to invest the $ somewhere where its not going to depreciate in value, or in a vehicle you never or rarely drive.... i mean if you have all the $ in the world, or your parents will pay for everything, thats cool, but i know for me, its a little bit liberating knowing i dont have much debt and dont have to rely on my parents for everything.....

[wa4x4]

Right now the ATV just isn't scratching the itch for me. I had a pretty decent wreck on it in 2005 and never really got over it, so now every time I get too off camber in it I freak the hell out. Hard to describe, but the ATV ended up going down a ravine and stuff...
Plus, being in a truck and the ATV are two completely different things. Hard to describe, you just have to try both to know.

I think I could financially handle dumping the ATV, keep my 98, keep my WRX, and buy a 1st gen. Say what you want, but at this point in my life I have no expenses and it's nice getting these large expenses out of the way before I have a mortgage payment, kids, etc etc.

[Rockcrawlintoy]

why does it have to be an 84-85 4 runner. jus t pick an IFS runner up and sas it. by  the time u get new springs and put a new hanger on it, and done x over it would have been just as easy to do an sas.

Drew

[BLACKDOG]

Right now the ATV just isn't scratching the itch for me. I had a pretty decent wreck on it in 2005 and never really got over it, so now every time I get too off camber in it I freak the hell out. Hard to describe, but the ATV ended up going down a ravine and stuff...
Plus, being in a truck and the ATV are two completely different things. Hard to describe, you just have to try both to know.

I think I could financially handle dumping the ATV, keep my 98, keep my WRX, and buy a 1st gen. Say what you want, but at this point in my life I have no expenses and it's nice getting these large expenses out of the way before I have a mortgage payment, kids, etc etc.

If you are skittish on the ATV, I'd dump it.  No reason to keep something around that you aren't comfortable with.  Then I'd decide whether to run the '98, or get a 1st gen runner.  And no, you don't need a SA to make a good wheeler/crawler.  Esp.  if you want it for the rocks, but don't have much experience.  You can crawl with IFS, hone your skills, and then do a SAS.  You'll be a better driver down the road, and you can find an IFS runner cheaper than a SA runner, simply because there are more of them out there. 

What ever happened to your 94 anyway?

[jimbo74]

ok, so your parents pay for everything tahts awesome.... now here is the reason i was saying minimize.... you are going to have your dd. the subie, and another truck.... lets say the subie sits, and your dd needs a tranny, ok youve got anotehr vehcile to drive, so thats part of a problem solved, but now youve got to replace a tranny, are your parents going to pay for that too? support vehicles with mechanical problems, not even problems but stuff that jsut happens isnt easy. and it sucks when there is some catastrophic failure.... id hate to see anotehr thread in 5 months saying, well some kid pulled out in front of me, and the 4runner is toast now, but i can drive my subie or the trail rig now, which one should i drive?

[wa4x4]

Well in that situation it would depend on which one of the two would be more reliable, lol. Probably the Subaru.

I'm making money now and think I could swing having 3 rigs. Gawd damn that seems like a lot when you say it...

I could probably do a SAS. My friends have done them and would be willing to help me do it.

My 94 was having motor troubles. Talked it over with my dad, should we throw a 22re in it and keep driving it for another year or two, maybe give it a SAS and wheel it or get a new car....I got a Subaru.

[BLACKDOG]

Well in that situation it would depend on which one of the two would be more reliable, lol. Probably the Subaru.

I'm making money now and think I could swing having 3 rigs. Gawd damn that seems like a lot when you say it...
I could probably do a SAS. My friends have done them and would be willing to help me do it.

My 94 was having motor troubles. Talked it over with my dad, should we throw a 22re in it and keep driving it for another year or two, maybe give it a SAS and wheel it or get a new car....I got a Subaru.

exactly.  3 vehicles for any one person is overkill IMO.  but if you've got the funds

[wa4x4]

I can just use the excuse I'm a collector???
LOL.
Each one would serve a different purpose, I guess.
One fast
One slow
One driver

I think for right now I'm gonna wheel the 3rd gen for a while, get more comfortable off road and then move on to another rig.

[DTB]

[Rocksurfer]

[wa4x4]

WOW.
Dirtoyboy has been doing some freakin' WORK!

*looks at avatar*

[kneedownnate]

You're still around   Time to set off some more foggers I guess

[wa4x4]

Well, got my WRX back on the street.
Holy hell, I'm daily driving this thing all summer...it's FUN!