My Build
Hey Yall! I figured I'd make a quick post just to give y'all some background on who I am and the truck I'm currently in the process of building. I bought it about 6 months ago, and it had some work done to it, but I've changed just about everything since then! I enjoy seeing the process of building a truck from the ground up, so I figured y'all would too!
Little background on me before I jump into the stuff you actually came here for. I grew up in Utah with trips to Moab in my dad's assortment of different Land Cruisers. So I've been off-roading Toyotas for as long as I can remember, and I think I've learned enough to recommend some products and different builds for ya'll! I've helped a few of my friends create some build lists for their trucks, including one of my buddies who bought his truck stuck and now he's running 6/10s on ONX with ease. Over the next few weeks, I'll create a few write-ups on different budgets and levels of builds so everyone can get some inspo no matter your budget!
The truck I'm currently building is a 1996 Toyota 4Runner, SR5 trim level spec'd with the ultra-desirable rear locker. Obtaining the rear locker was one of my requirements when purchasing a 3rd Gen, as I knew I'd use it, and I have! The previous owner had installed an Ironman Offroad Nitro lift kit, which was a pretty rough ride on the road and didn't get much better off-road. I do think this had something to do with spring weight and could have been changed, but I just recently got a good deal on some Fox 2.0s, which improved ride quality tenfold!
Moving on to protection, I currently have an ARB front bumper installed, which I recently picked up. These bumpers are definitely on the bulkier side of bumpers for these trucks, but I've always loved that look. I'm running some sliders that were installed before I bought the truck, but I believe they are SRQ Fab. I love the fact that they've got a kickout, which helps push my truck away from rocks to protect my wheels a little bit. My rear bumper is worth talking about the most. I built it myself, so maybe down the road I'll do a write-up on what went into it. It's been plenty strong enough for me, and it's taken some good hits for sure. I built a swingout into it so I can carry a spare tire on the back vs underneath the truck because the spare location hinders departure angle. Underneath I've got the SRQ fab skid plates and love 'em, give me lots of peace of mind on the trail. Overall, I love the bumpers, sliders, and protection I'm running right now, and it'll be a while before I change any of it due to how well it's all working.