'96 Runner Build

[Max Power]

Looks like fun. Glad to see you are enjoying your recent modifications.

 

[broncomitch]

Nice runner man! My co-worker has one on 35's and it has the supercharger and what not.
If I got rid of the bronco thats what I would have.

 

[Coco]

Small world!! It was good to see you at the hotel lol. (i was in the white 3rd gen with LROR) We'll need to make a run sometime! I thought your runner looked sick down there!! But I'm with you, I would really like to SAS mine, but at the same time, it won't be a cheap build.

I've thought about doing a long arm front (kinda baja style) and run 35s, or if I do SAS it, I would like 37s.

 

[Thardy]

Thanks for the complements guys. I like how it has turned out so far, and I couldn't have asked it to perform better. Going Up, it was pretty cool seeing the Low Range crew down there. You guys have some pretty sweet rigs. Someday my runner will be as sweet as that white BAD ASS Taco.

 

[sixstringsteve]

Nice pics, looks like you had fun. You don't need a hardcore rig to enjoy the terrain. I miss wheeling my lightly modified rigs, seems as though I covered more ground with them.

x2, I feel the same way. Thinking of trading/selling my rig for something less built...

Great looking runner and great trip report.

 

[Thardy]

You don't need a hardcore rig to enjoy the terrain. I miss wheeling my lightly modified rigs, seems as though I covered more ground with them.

I was actually thinking of this the other day. I think I am going to proceed towards the SAS and do a couple more mods on this, but I kinda liked being able drive it to Moab and back. It was really nice being able to air up my tires and head home with the option of pulling off the main road doing a mild trail then continuing on our way with not so much as a second thought. Also it is just so much more comfortable for a guy my size than the old CJ-5.

 

[Coco]

Thanks for the complements guys. I like how it has turned out so far, and I couldn't have asked it to perform better. Going Up, it was pretty cool seeing the Low Range crew down there. You guys have some pretty sweet rigs. Someday my runner will be as sweet as that white BAD ASS Taco.

Ya Sean's taco is pretty sweet! My personal opinion tho, it is too tall, and too narrow. It doesn't steer too well either, but that is because of the wheelbase, and the rock assaults/Toyota axles don't like to steer anyway. But it drive awesome down the freeway, and does really well Offroad.

 

[Coco]

I was actually thinking of this the other day. I think I am going to proceed towards the SAS and do a couple more mods on this, but I kinda liked being able drive it to Moab and back. It was really nice being able to air up my tires and head home with the option of pulling off the main road doing a mild trail then continuing on our way with not so much as a second thought. Also it is just so much more comfortable for a guy my size than the old CJ-5.

This is my feeling too, for a short time, we were going to do a buggy, but I found out I hated not driving my vehicle I wheel with on a rail basis, and I hated driving the tow rig (I was glad tho I decided not to do a diesel) then if I wanted to go do a trail, I had to load up, drive out, do the trail, and load up to come home. Nothing I missed more than being able to drive around town, and go do trails at a moments notice

 

[Coco]

What size tires are on it right now? Are those 35s? I couldn't find the size on the thread, and couldnt stop staring at this in Moab my runner wants to grow up so bad!

 

[Thardy]

No they are only 33s. I wish I could fit 35s but not quite. I had to get wheel spacers just to get the 33s under because the rubbed the A frame. They still rub the back side of the fender a little bit but that's just a matter of a little trim.

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[Thardy]

Ya Sean's taco is pretty sweet! My personal opinion tho, it is too tall, and too narrow. It doesn't steer too well either, but that is because of the wheelbase, and the rock assaults/Toyota axles don't like to steer anyway. But it drive awesome down the freeway, and does really well Offroad.

I agree with the height. I would like to keep mine as low as I can, but still run 35s. I think if I can get the front up level with the rear then maybe do a 1" body lift I might be able to fit the 35's. But thats going to have to wait for the SAS. I have a front Dana 44 that I'm going to put under it but that won't be for a while (i promised my wife I was done spending money on it until we finish building our home). I've got to decide whether I want to go leafs or figure out a 3-link in the front and beef up the rear.

 

[Thardy]

Well some bad news on the runner. Clutch is slipping . I guess with 260k miles I shouldn't be surprised, but thats money that should be going to the SAS. Will it hurt anything if I try to milk it out? I'm not going wheeling any time soon, and it only slips when I hammer down. I would like to hold off on replacing it until spring or summer when I get my bonus from work. Anyone replace a clutch on a 3rd gen runner? How hard is it?

 

[sixstringsteve]

just my opinion, but if it's slipping now, I highly doubt it'll make it more than a month 'till your clutch is done. But it won't hurt anything to keep driving it as is. You'll just end up stuck somewhere one day when it gets really bad.

 

[Thardy]

I know they don't last long once they start to go, but I only drive it at most 15 miles a week and some weeks it doesn't move. I have 3 rigs so it's not need if it does go. It just sucks.

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[Thardy]

My clutch made it til last weekend, so while everyone was down enjoying EJS I was in the shop pulling my tranny. After 255k mile of being stuck together dang it was a beast to get apart. We work for 4 hours friday night trying to get it apart then gave up for the night at around midnight. Sat morning got it apart. The Pilot bearing was froze to the input shaft. Once we finally got it apart it only took about 2 hours to get the clutch changed and everything back together.

Then it was time to start breaking it in. We headed out west! We ended up about 1.5 hours west of Corinne past the Golden Spike Monument and northwest of Kelton. Had a great time, roasted some hotdogs, had an Easter egg hunt, shot the guns, then headed home. Will try to get some pics posted when my phone stops being a POS.

Also added a 1" body lift.

This weekend I'm heading back up to Brigham to hang with the family. Plan on doing some more stuff like installing the Diff drop I picked up from Low Range, new rear shocks, Sliders, Front swaybar discos, and lengthen my panhard. We shall see how much I actually get done!!

 

[Thardy]

Well I thought I updated this. I got everything done except the rear shocks. After we got everything done I met up with Kevin B. and headed out to the Hogups. Had a great time except when I washed all the mud off, all the paint from my new sliders came off with it.

 

[Thardy]

Small list to ge done this week:

Fuel Filter
Plugs and Wires
Clean Throttle Body
Repaint Sliders

Near Future:

Spare Tire Carrier
Swap Rear Coils
Rear Shocks

 

[Thardy]

Started working on my tire rack yesterday. I should have it finished and mounted today!!

 

[sixstringsteve]

...when I washed all the mud off, all the paint from my new sliders came off with it.

Check out self-etching metal primer, it'll really stick to the metal and can withstand a pressure washer.

 

[Thardy]

Check out self-etching metal primer, it'll really stick to the metal and can withstand a pressure washer.

So funny thing about that! I actually had a can with me when I painted them and I was told not to waste my time with it I knew better than that.