Thread: 95 4x4 toyota 4runner build(goldie)

I bought her about 6 months ago after totaling my 98 4runner. i named her goldie because i had a 92 ranger that was similar in color and was named goldie. by the way the gold makes me want to vomit. so heres where she stood when i bought her.
95 4runner limited 3.slow 4x4 180,000 miles
total chaos gen 2 caddy kit w/tc idler arm, weld on truss and shock hoop
t100 axles
2.5 fox c/o with res
ome 2" lift coils in the rear w/ stock shocks

i wish i was smart enough to get a pic before i did anything but i wasnt. first thing goldie got was 33" hankook m/t's, winch and bumper, bilstien 5150's for the rear, 2 7" kragen hid's and headlights replaced with hid's all from totaled 98 runner. took her out to cal city for the weekend and 2 things were obvious right off the bat. 1. 3.0 is a pile of shit 2. need rear shocks bad. front was doing ok while the rear was all over the place.


next i drained all fluids and replaced with swepco lubes. just for a piece of mind. rattle caned her black. bought a set of used 12" king double bypass w/ remote res for the rear and 8" saw double bypass w/remote res for the front. all the front needed was tabs welded to the hoop the fit the passes in front but the rear was another story. at this point i decided it was going to be in my best interest financially to buy a bender. got a new jd2 model 32 and 1 3/4.
die. bend some mounts for the rear, cycled the suspension and mounted up the bypasses between the frame and tire. they rubbed. changed the lower mounts and and added some 1" wheel spacers. slight rub...but still a rub. made some new hoses at work with a 45 degree fitting and stopped the rubbing on the hoses. im still rubbing shock body when one tire is all the way up and the other is down. so i came to the conclusion that i need to build a bed cage and scrap the idea of having them in between the frame and tire. and since im going through the cab with a bypass i might as well run a c/o too.
in order to do that i need to remove the panhard bar and crossmember and do a true 4 link correct? right now it has the factory 4 link.

coool build.... see some more pics

blew a head gasket about a month ago. damn 3.o head gaskets . pulled her apart replaced head gaskets and some other minor stuff like plugs,wires, rotor and cap, belts and head bolts. shes up and running again but still slow as shit. advanced the timing a little a got some more response out of her. kicking myself because i sold the 3.4 that was in my other runner. so the plan for the motor is going to be a 2JZGTE / 2JZ GTE DOHC TWIN TURBO 3.0L 24-VALVE TOYOTA SUPRA. now for the rear. last week i cut out the cross member and spare tire carrier, boxed the frame and built a rear bumper. i now have room for a fuel cell where the spare used to be. the stock tank hangs ridiculously low and will be a factor when the links go in so that's the purpose of a cell. need to start collecting parts to finish the rear. cant decide between a 9" or a new tacoma rear with e-locker. will post some more pics in a few.

Looks nice

Digging the 4x4....

rather than trying to make the stock links work, habe you thought about just swapping the rear over to leafs? just throwing it out there. nice truck, good luck with the build.

Originally Posted by LTFJC

Digging the 4x4....

thanks..i grew up in tahoe rock crawlin and would feel naked without it

Originally Posted by desert_steve

rather than trying to make the stock links work, habe you thought about just swapping the rear over to leafs? just throwing it out there. nice truck, good luck with the build.

i have considered leafs due to the $$ factor. i usually get a nice tax refund so if that works out im going to go ahead with the 4 link....if not...leafs it is. i need to get something to drive around too as this is my DD.

O.D. green from gilespe coatings

remember parking next to u at the 2011 huckfest.... any updates?? love 4runners!

Why do people go from leafs to links on every other truck, but 4runners go from links to leafs? Is the rear link setup really that bad?

its just really close on 4runners,leafs i would imagine get more travel than stock 4runner links... my opinion . . .

and ppl want to save the rear seats? im guessing? lol

The links are very short which is not what you want. You want longer links. If building a 4runner you usually want it for the rear seats. If you do a traditional 4 link then you lose your rear seats or have only 1. Unless you do something like links with air bags and a cantiliever setup which I thought about but in the end leafs are cheap, easy and work.

Originally Posted by 90tonka

remember parking next to u at the 2011 huckfest.... any updates?? love 4runners!

update is the 3.0 is a pile of shit. blew the head gasket for the last time so i gave up on her. been building this little gem 86 4runner speaking of huckfest might just have to send the new one a few times

aww man :/ really wanted to see more pics of this one lol i just boght a 1990 4runner and gona start a build thread right now just gathering pics from last few trips this past week... if u have any spare gen 2 runner parts pm me im interested. and very nice 1st gen runner btw! best of luck on tht one.

i love the 4runners i know how to get a badass 3 link on there iv gone over my4runner countless time iv drawn out every possible senario and keep the back seats im currently working on a 6 inch over kit thats waiting to be laser cut ill be whatching this thread clos

shiiiiiit.... let me know whats up on tht kit! lol

it is going to be a few months but for sure!