By After two generations of derivative platforms and surfer bro attitude, the Toyota 4Runner finally broke into its own with its 3rd generation in model year 1995. This is after, of course, Toyota’s all-wheel-drive trucks like the Tacoma and Hilux had risen to legendary status amongst the offroading community: the LandCruiser wasn’t born beautiful, but it was capable. The 4Runner was beautiful, capable, and more, delivering reasonable fuel economy around town and some of the highest safety ratings in its class.
But let’s be real, fuel economy and rollover statistics aren’t why we’re here. We’re here because of FOUR WHEEL DRIVE, CRAWL CONTROL, LIFT KITS and POWER! These are our must-have mods for your Toyota 4Runner!
8 Must Have Mods for Toyota 4Runner Video:
Roof Rack
What good is a badass, four-wheel-drive go-anywhere rig if you can’t take all your stuff along with you? And we mean all your stuff, not just the “it fits in the hatch” stuff. A good roof rack is a great idea for road trips, off-road expeditions, and general daily utility. They can be used for skis, bikes, luggage, groceries/rations, spare wheels and tires, small arms, the pride of a nation, and more. They’re pretty heavy-duty too, with racks like ARB’s aluminum cargo basket that can hold up to 330 lbs of contraband. This 330-pound carry weight increase is actually the same as the steel version of the rack, despite the aluminum version weighing almost 40% less!
Wheels and Tires
The standard wheels on 4Runners are thicc. Like, functional thicc. Unfortunately, they’re also heavy, and a little plain. If you’re looking for a super simple styling upgrade, new wheels can dramatically change the look and feel of your truck.
For a start, the standard wheels are almost 30 lbs apiece. Switching over to a lighter weight wheel like the SCS Ray10 can save you four to six pounds per wheel, decreasing rotational mass and unsprung weight. If you’re looking more for style than function, the dealership option TRD off-road premium bead lock wheels or the SEMA spec wheels from the 4Runner TRD Pro are absolutely gorgeous and designed first and foremost by BBS for the 5th-gen 4Runner.
Lower unsprung weight means you can fit heavier duty tires without worrying as much about wrecking your drivetrain! The biggest tires you can reliably fit under the stock fenders without rubbing are 32”, but with a little ingenuity (and a saw) you can crank things up to around 34” without much trouble. Don’t forget, tire compound and tread style are just as important as tire size. You can pick tires that look cool and off-road-ready, but are you going to spend enough time on trails and backroads to get the most out of them? Knobbly off-road tires can be a detriment to your fuel economy and wear significantly faster, while highway tires will last longer but don’t offer as much offroad traction. An all-weather tire is a good compromise, but do the math on how you’re spending your time versus how much you’re spending on your tires.
We have 1’000’s of options for wheels and tires at www.Motoroso.com, and for support, you can reach us there on live chat, or call us toll-free at 1.833.MOTOROSO (1.833.668.6767).
Rock Sliders and Side Bars
Ever slipped trying to step up into your truck? Ever bashed your subframe on some terrain that came up higher than expected? Hopefully, the answer to both of those questions is “no,” but no matter what you should think about some rock sliders. Rock sliders or sidebars are big old metal bits that bolt onto the left and right sides of your truck. They serve as steps to help you get into your vehicle but are strong enough to add an extra few inches of protection to the bottom and sides of your truck. There are plenty of styles and material options for sidebars: you can go with the rounded, chromed-out look for a mall crawler, or get big, black multi-level sidesteps with sharp angles and bare metal. Whichever you pick, they’ll be a welcome addition to both the daily useability and off-road durability of your 4Runner.
Here is a great option for Rock Sliders:
Rocker Bar Only: N-Fab T104RKR Rock Rails for 2010+ Toyota 4Runner
Rocker Bar Steps: N-Fab JPTS32 Rock Rail Detachable Steps
Rocker Bar With Steps: N-Fab T104RKR Rock Rails with Steps for 2010+ Toyota 4Runner
A solid option for Step Bars:
Westin Outlaw 58-53835 Step Bars for 2010+ Toyota 4Runner
Lighting
Off-roading at night is dangerous. However, a significant amount of this danger can be mitigated with the addition of upgraded headlights, or even floodlights or a light bar bolted to the bumper or roof. Exterior lighting can make driving at night safer, and in some cases more efficient. Older 4Runners will see both brighter light and lower power draw when their halogen-bulbed headlights are swapped out for LEDs.
Retrofits of the stock components are cool, but auxiliary lighting kicks things up about six notches. LED light bars stretched across the roof of your 4Runner can output hundreds of times more light than your standard, single- or dual-element headlights. Small LED pods or halogen floodlights around the vehicle can be used to illuminate the ground and your surroundings to make sure you don’t back over or around surprise logs, rocks, or woodland critters. Darkness has no power over your vehicular recreation when you’ve got all the intensity of a collapsed sun strapped to the top of your truck!
Intake
If you’re driving a later model 4Runner, things get spicier: the 4th gen 4Runner was blessed with a 4.0-liter V6 engine and a 4.7-liter DOHC V8 as performance powertrain options, blowing the 3rd gen’s “puny” 3.7L V6 engine out of the water. Cold air intakes do wonders for the V6’s throttle response, and wake up the V8 at high RPM for great pull overtaking on road trips and roaring up sand dunes.
If you’ve got an early-generation 4Runner, cold air intakes can seriously increase your throttle response. The long stock piping in the factory intake setup is tight, and runs right over the intake manifold, so it’s hot too. Even cutting open the big plastic bit at the front of the stock airbox on a 3rd gen can get you more power, but the more elegant setup is a cold air intake from aFe or K&N. These will breathe better and sound rad, giving you more of that breathy V6 noise from your VZ.
Suspension
Bigger tires can give you an extra inch or two over stock, but there’s nowhere else to go but up when you’re headed offroad! The 4Runner TRD Pro is equipped from the factory with Fox suspension, but there’s still room to grow. Upgraded long-travel shock absorbers make sure you can get the most compression possible out of your suspension setup, enabling you to flex all four wheels against one another over any terrain. New springs are a worthwhile upgrade as well: longer springs can increase your ride height, and changing spring rates can make your ride looser or stiffer. It’s tough to recommend jumping an SUV, but if any four door truck was built for it, it’s the 4Runner. Remote reservoir shocks, upgraded control arms and modified suspension geometry are available for almost all generations of 4Runner, making sure you can set up your truck’s suspension for whatever obstacles it needs to tackle.
Skid Plates and Bumper Reinforcement
Rock sliders are a good start, but not all of the sharp-and-dangerous-things will be attacking from the left and right. Depending on your approach angle, you might find your radiator wedged up against a hill, or your oil pan impaled on a previously-hidden rock. Whatever the situation, protecting the front and undersides of your vehicle is very important. Your 4Runner likely has a factory installed skid plate, but it serves more of an aerodynamic purpose than a protective one. For a more bulletproof solution, stainless steel skidplates and heavy duty plate bumpers can take a ton more punishment than your stock plastic and chrome. Whether it’s a brush guard to keep your headlights from getting thwacked out by tree branches or a full off-road armor package built for thermonuclear war, get something to protect your running gear. There’s nothing worse than being stranded out in the middle of nowhere and seeing a mile long trail of oil behind you.
Winch
So, after all those other fun upgrades, you’ve got a very capable truck. But what happens if all that tire, suspension, and power can’t get you out of a sticky situation? What if your buddy rolls his Jeep? What if there’s a basket of kittens stuck off the side of a cliff? Do you call for help and sit tight, abandon all hope, or use your handy dandy winch?
We prefer the last of those options. With a winch and tow cable setup, the worst you can be is prepared. If you’ve got to do some tricky maneuvering through a river, pull yourself through a snow drift or sand pit, or rescue some cute animals, a winch will be a literal lifesaver. Maybe mount one to your fancy new front bumper.
4Runners are legendary. Check out the Motoroso Marketplace where you can reach us on live chat, or call us toll free at 1.833.MOTOROSO (1.833.668.6767) for off-road goodies, power upgrades, wheels, and suspension for your Toyota SUV. We’re here to make sure you’ve got everything you need to get out and make your own legends!
