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Comments
1. In '05 they switched to the 5-speed for the V-6?? Really? My '03 has a 4 speed with the V-6. The V-8 only had the new 5-speed tranny. That was the original debate V-6 (new engine, proven tranny) or V-8 (proven engine, new tranny)
2. See above post, if they switched it from the 4 speed to 5 speed between '03 and '05 I'm sure they aren't switching back.
3. Easy. No. Different, not lighter duty or heavier duty.
**You confused me by having two #4's.**
4_1. The gear ratio of the two tranny's will be different. They are not a 1 to 1 comparison in gears 1 - 4. Gear 4 in the 4-speed will be a different ratio than gear 4 in the 5 speed. Either look in the brochure or search around to find the gear ratios. I know when car and driver does tests, they put the gear ratios in the specs. I just checked edmunds here and they didn't have the ratios listed.
4_2. If you have the X-Reas (sport or option on Limited), in V-6 or V-8, your suspension will be different than the non X-Reas. Otherwise, engine doesn't change the suspension at all.
5. There's a LSD in the 4WD model as well. So no different.
Hope I was some help.
Don't know about 2-4, but they don't seem particularly important.
5) The LSD is in the center of the 4WD. I don't think the 2WD has a LSD. They do have a "simulated LSD." This is where they use the ABS system to apply the brakes to the side that is slipping. They call this ATRAC on the 4WD.
Before
After
I don't know if anyone is interested, so I won't add any details. If you are, reply to this and I'll talk all about it.
Did you go with the OME lift or one of the spacer lifts? What brand of sliders are those?
I'm particulary linterested in how you feel about acceleration and cruising with the larger tires and the V6. I've got the V6 and would like to go to 265/70R17 and I'm interested in hearing about how much performance you feel that you've lost. Of course, it looks like your tires might be 285s.
"Did you go with the OME lift or one of the spacer lifts?"
Neither. I removed the X-Reas system. It's now sitting in a box. I went with Donahoe Racing's front Coilovers set at 2" lift in the front. In the rear, I had Deaver Spring make me some coils that were 2" higher and 30% stiffer than stock and paired them with Bilstein 5100 shocks. Definitely not a cheap setup, but for what I'm using it for (high speed desert offroading), it is well worth it.
"What brand of sliders are those?"
Demello Offroad sliders. Demello make the best sliders around for Toyotas. These are his hybrid sliders (round outside tube, square inside tube). I should be able to drop the truck from several feet onto a rock w/o the sliders crashing into the truck.
The tires I'm running are actually bigger than 285's, they are 33x12.50R17 TrXus MT's. They are big, burly and heavy. I was preparing myself to be robbed of all my power once I got those things on, but I'm pleasantly surprised. Acceleration and crusing seem to be good still. Obviously there is a difference, the weight feels about twice the former stock tire, but the added diameter actually offsets that weight while crusing. With this powerful v6 I can still haul off the line. I will say though with the big lugs and more air in the tires the truck feels less surefooted on the highway at high speeds. That's fine though because I shouldn't be going 85mph on the freeway in a SUV anyway! I was crusing at 75 this weekend and the engine was still idleing low. I thought I was going have to re-gear in the future, but now that I've driven it, I'm totally happy with the big tires.
265's on the 4th Gen's v6 should feel fine. I think you will be happy with them.
As far as overall impressions and thoughts:
* The suspension difference is night and day. Even the $2000 x-reas doesn't even come close to the quality of the Donahoe coilovers. No more kidney jarring smacks over potholes or bumps. I can take speedbumps and whoops at 30+ and the tires keep contact with the ground the whole time (which is a good thing). The ride doesn't stay quite as flat in the corners as the X-Reas did, but I think that's more a function of me sitting 4" higher rather than a change in the suspension.
* I had to trim to get the 33's on. Took off the mudflaps, trimmed the inside of the front wheelwell and had to cut the plastic off of the bottom corner off the back of the front wheel well. Got that? Bottom, back, front?
* The 4th gen 4runner is SO quiet. I thought I'd hear an annoying hum with the new tires, but I can barely hear them with the windows up and radio off.
* As you can tell, I'm just totally stoked. I can't remember if I'm allowed to mention retailers or not (Steve, if not, please just delete this bullet, so I don't have to repost
Nice pics. Welded sliders eh? Pretty fancy work.
Steve, Host
Also, how difficult is it to adjust the height of the Donahoe once it is on the truck?
As far as adjusting the Donahoe's once they are on the truck, I don't have first hand knowledge (because I just used the factory setting of 2"), but from what I've heard from various owners you can adjust them with the tires still on. Loosen the top bolts and use the spanner wrench to adjust. The one point to add is that although the 4runner coils can be adjusted up to 3" of lift, 2.5" should be the maximum setting to preserve life of the shock.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
If you decide to get one be sure the business is reputable. Not only is the product important but the installation is arguably more important. A professional installer is important.... prevents your car from being hacked up.
GOOD LUCK!
I have a dumb question for the list (my last dumb question, i promise, sorry just bought a new 4runner last week). I was playing (ok testing) around with the H2/H4/L4 dial (while parked in my driveway) on the dash, and accidentally put it in L4 without stepping on the brake or putting in neutral beforehand. Would this cause any kind of damage to the 4wd system, even though I was in park and wasn't moving? Everything seems to be fine, but just checking...The owners manual is very vague on this and I wanted to see if anyone knew on here...thanks in advance for your help...
Also, use 4-low only when all 4 tires can freely slip (snow, ice, mud, sand, etc.) and don't exceed 20-25 MPH while in 4-Low.
I offroad a lot and stay mostly in 4-lo, it gives you the slow speed control that you need when climbing hills or crawling over things.
Good luck
If your 4Runner has been well cared for, you can expect it to last over 200-300k!
That said, the previous V8 did 0-60 in about 7.5 seconds. That's plenty fast for a truck, IMHO.
mobile 1 superior?
My wife and I have two children and haven't ruled out a third. My wife currently drives a 1999 Mitsubishi Montero Sport--it has been an excellent maintenance free vehicle for almost 100,000 miles now. Alas we are looking for a new vehicle of about the same size with newer/better safety features etc. Probably will end up getting something similar in size to the Montero Sport but with V8 and a 3rd row seat. We have test driven several vehicles including Nissan Pathfinder, Honda Pilot, Dodge Durango, Toyota 4runner, and Jeep Grand Cherokee. Our favorite three were the Toyota 4runner, Dodge Durango, and Jeep Grand Cherokee. However my wife really likes the looks of the Jeep Commander and it would probably afford our family a little more room and give us a third row seat if we were to need one—so it would replace the Jeep GC in the rotation. The Toyota 4runner Limited V8 we drove was silky smooth and would be fine for our offroad adventures. My only concern is that I am pushing 6' 3" and the roof seems very low in the 4Runner. Not the end of the world as my wife will mostly be driving the new SUV. The Toyota heating and cooling controls seem a little funky and could learn something from Jeep in this regard--Both the GC and Commander seem to have much simpler controls which seem better to me. Of course the 4runners are said to be very reliable which has been a virtue of our current SUV. Nothing but routine maintenance for 100,000 miles. I'm going to assume that gas mileage will be similar in either the Commander or 4runner and isn't a huge deal to me to begin with. We crossed the Durango off the list because the interior fit and finish in the test vehicles we looked at were somewhat poor and the overall size might be a tad large for our needs—it did drive very nicely though—perhaps a little too much wind noise but nice nevertheless. The Jeep Commanders that we have looked at have been nice and tight inside by comparison. So I guess it comes down to the Commander and 4runner. Any one else drive both of these vehicles and have some advice or other information for me? Which one did you buy and why? As of right now I'm on the fence. Who knows, might need to throw the new Explorer into the fray as well. Thanks in advance for your input!
As for the 3rd row, I wouldn't want or need it, and if I did need it, I'd probably consider another vehicle, like an AWD Sienna or Sequoia, or even a Suburban. Prior posters say it's useless for anyone but small children.
Yes, the HVAC controls are horrible, especially when they wash out in sunlight. An Avalon I rented also had similar controls that washed out.
I gotta admit, Toyota has earned its reputation, but if you got in an Explorer you'd like it too. My 4Runner makes lots of road noise, too much IMO.
I have no comment on Dodge or Jeep since no one I know owns the latest models. Good luck.
Thanks for the thoughtful response and your points are well made. I certainly agree that a stout V6 like the one found in the 4runner provides more than enough power in most situations. Although I should add that I live in Colorado at 7,000+ feet and we also have some crazy weather at times as you can imagine. Many vehicles that provide more than adequate performance at lower elevations really start to feel pressed at our elevation, especially when loaded with family, pets, luggage, trailer, skis, bikes and the like:)
The joy of SUVs are for the combination of things that they are good at. We definitely use ours. In addition to traditional domestic duties, I use it to haul gear to our cabin in NM --ladder, tools, power washer, chain saw etc not too mention the family and pets....suffice to say that the extra power is useful during the mountain climbs that we often encounter. With all of that said we have been getting by with the woefully under-powered v6 in our Montero Sport. Definitely if we go the v6 route the 4Runner would have to be the choice. I don't think the Jeep's v6 would be very accommodating.
My wife was more impressed with the v8 than the v6 in the 4Runner. We haven't even bothered to drive the v6 in the Jeep.
I also agree with you that the 4Runner seems to have a slightly higher grade of materials used in the interior but I think the Jeep incorporates better design in the interior and this extends to the seats. Would you happen to know if you can get three car seats to fit in the second row?
Both the Jeep and Toyota dealers seem to be very willing to deal. My guess is that as 2006 progresses their willingness to deal will increase with the new vehicles coming to market--even more competition with a focus on fuel economy. I tend to drive a hard bargain as I pay cash, don't trade a vehicle, and I take my time.
If you don't mind letting me know, what has been your city/hwy MPGs with the V6 4Runner?
Thanks neprop!
My wife is a sunroof fan. She uses it often and it is a really big deal to her. Although I should add that all of our vehicles have had sunroofs in them--I guess due to equipment level they are ordered with. Yes the vehicle is primarily for her but we do use it for our various trips to the cabin etc. 4 hour trips are routine for our family. We have two children in car seats and are considering a third. So the third seat isn't immediately needed and would only be used for children in any event. We don't really want to move to a full size vehicle because for the most part I have been unimpressed with the space utilization of the big utes and for everyday domestic use they are overkill for our family. We require the durability and ground clearance of an SUV so mini-vans are not on the list. Ultimately you might be right regarding the head clearance in the 4Runner. As nice as it is this will probably be the deciding factor.
Thanks!
My wife and I just purchased an 06 Limited 4Runner with a V8 and 4x4. Like some of the other members of this forum, we researched a lot of SUV's before deciding on the 4Runner.
Some of the front runners were the Jeep Commander, 4Runner, and Pathfinder. In addition, we took a close look at the Durango and Explorer.
To make a long story short, and of some value to you, here is the run down.
Our 6 mos old rendered my wifes G35 obsolete. It effectively became a two seater with him and all his gear. We decided to replace the car with an SUV that had some luxury and power in addition to the necessary space. And hey, if it was sporty, all the better.
The Commanders passenger front seat is useless with a rear facing baby seat installed behind it. The Pathfinders second row didn't accomodate me, I'm 6'3". We didn't drive the dodge or ford. I am sure they would be comfortable, but, quality is an issue.
So, the 4Runner won out. I don't bump my head on the sun roof, an adult can sit in the front passenger seat without wearing the dashboard, and two people will fit in the second row with the baby seat installed.
We did a lot of research. All SUV's have one problem or another. The 4Runner had fewer issues than the others. This factor was key in our decision.
If you have a child in a rear facing baby seat, I highly recommend installing the seat when test driving.
Good luck with your selection
Last but not least, I'd recommend the Platinum extended warranty. Enjoy.
Very interesting point about the car seat. We do have one child in a rear facing car seat and another in a front facing. We haven't tried the car seats in the Commander but certainly will before making our final choice. Thanks for the input!