My FAVORITE 3rd Gen 4Runner Mods

[@jasonjason9866]

I drive a lot of vehicles, but getting in my 98' SR5 just makes me happy. You don't realize how small and maneuverable these are comparative to new trucks and suvs. Granted, there are not many suvs from this era on the road. I've had mine since 04' and it will definitely outlive me and I'm only 46. Great video-subscribed.

[@AdventuresWithSmitty]

Thank you, I truly appreciate it. I feel the exact same way about mine. There’s something special about these 4Runners. I just changed the oil in mine and afterwards I was admiring just how smooth it’s still running all these years later.

[@txrunroutdoors]

3rd gens are amazing for so many reasons. I love mine. They are easy to work on and last forever. Thanks for showing that OBD/app. Gonna look into that. For my storage box, i cut the factory carpet out of the cargo area, exposing the metal, basically truck bed. I then used the carpet i cut out and set it on top of the box. Its tough, easy to clean, and matches the interior of the truck.

[@AdventuresWithSmitty]

Thanks man, I appreciate it. There’s something special about 3rd gens. I gotta admit, that’s a genius move with the cutting out and using the carpet. I never thought about that!

[@txrunroutdoors]

@AdventuresWithSmitty I was inspired by my shrimp bucket spilling water during a fishing trip!! The only way I felt I could clean the carpet was to cut it out. So I cut it out, cleaned it, stored the clean carpet in the garage, built the drawers later on, and then it dawned on me that the carpet I hoarded would fit perfectly on the box. So, moral of the story, sometimes the random things we hoard in the garage DO find a use.

[@TenSuns1914]

Amazing video. Thank you for your timr and efforts for the community.

[@AdventuresWithSmitty]

Anytime! Thank you for taking the time to leave a positive comment! 👍

[@ulyssesgood1]

keep it up the good work Mr !

[@AdventuresWithSmitty]

I appreciate it! Definitely more videos coming!

[@FRECKLYRAGE]

sick 4runner bro

[@AdventuresWithSmitty]

Thank ya! I love this thing.

[@TheRPetterson]

I’d try a marine grade/outdoor carpet on the box. Maybe hit it with a waterproofing coat first, then epoxy it on. Inset d-ring tie downs are nice to have on the box too. But, if you put firewood back there, it’s a pain to vacuum.

[@AdventuresWithSmitty]

That’s an awesome idea! That makes a lot of sense. That would definitely be more durable. Good call on the tie downs. It’s slick right now and things LOVE to slide around. Haha.

[@ethanwarren123]

Love your 4Runner. I need some advice. I want to get a new bumper and some exterior upgrades but it’s a 2wd. It’s my first car but it’s a gift from my aunt so I’m grateful for it. Also how rare is an sr5 with leather seats and wood trim? I can’t find another. My wood trim is damaged.

[@AdventuresWithSmitty]

Thank you. I love this 4Runner. Congrats on yours! That’s a great gift. Haha. SR5’s with leather is pretty rare! I think I’ve only seen a few pictures of it. What color leather? What’s most intriguing to me is that it has different stitching. It’s different than the Limited leather seats, or at least what I’ve seen. The wood trim is a great question. Is it different than the Limited trim? I know some of those center pieces are pricy! I’ve seen them sell for $100. Car-part dot com or someone parting out on marketplace may be your best option. Or you could probably swap it to the basic trim set if you can’t find parts. As far as the upgrades go, it’s up to you truly. If this is your first car I say enjoy it. It’s special. Some people use 2WD’s to commute and travel and love it, some can’t live without the 4WD. I will say that unless you’re very mechanically inclined, it is better to sell the 2WD and buy a 4WD than to try and make yours 4WD if you can’t live without it. I guess my advice is to enjoy it. It’s a great gift from a family member. If you want to fix it up and make it yours you can, or if you want to keep it stock and save money for a later build you can do that too. Hope that helps!

[@jvogler_art4708]

I did the tundra brake upgrade. For me a huge tip, avoid the brand cardone. I went with Cardone rebuilt calipers and they are such poor quality. They work but idk if they forgot the shims. They squeak like the devil while driving.

[@AdventuresWithSmitty]

Good tip! Thank you

[@w00zyhead]

Vinyl wrap on the wood

[@kimberley9335]

What was the full info for the bumper. ? I’ve been wanting one for my 2000 4r.

[@AdventuresWithSmitty]

I have that exact bumper linked in the description. It’s the ARB 3423020. ARB is an Australian company, some of the best in the industry. They technically never made a bumper for these 4Runners, but they did the first generation Toyota Tacomas of the late 90s and early 2000s. They’re nearly the same size and fit great on these 4Runners. It does require some metalwork to get it to fit. There are some great videos that will show you how. You’re removing the end cap plates of the front rails so this will fit. It’s the only difference with the 4Runners and Tacomas. I hope that helps! I’ve loved this bumper.

[@kimberley9335]

@ awesome thank so much

[@Vivianauxito]

Another solid video, Jeff. Just straight to the point with everything! We specifically produce LEDs for auto. Can we invite you as a collaborator to do a review? We've email for an inquiry.

[@yomoreboostpllease]

Got me tripping thinking it was car wizard other channel

[@AdventuresWithSmitty]

Haha. I’ll take that as a compliment. Car Wizard is the man.

[@beardedmtbr]

Nice truck! About to purchase that same model, how many miles did yours have when you bought it?

[@AdventuresWithSmitty]

I appreciate it! Congratulations. I bought it with right around 180,000 miles. I’m now at 348,000 and I’d have no hesitation driving it across the country tomorrow.

[@beardedmtbr]

@@AdventuresWithSmittythis one I’m looking at has 241k and been maintained 🎉

[@AdventuresWithSmitty]

@beardedmtbr Nice! Don’t let the mileage scare you. If it’s been maintained it should give you years of trouble free miles. Best of luck!

[@beardedmtbr]

@@AdventuresWithSmittydo you mind linking your lift kit?

[@AdventuresWithSmitty]

I’ll see if I can find a link! I ordered mine from Wheeler’s Offroad. They sell the front coils assembled which was nice. I went with Old Man Emu (OME) 883 front coils and 891 rear coils. These are a heavier spring rate to accommodate for the heavy front bumper, rear storage, and possibly rear bumper in the future. I paired them with the Bilstein 5100 shocks.

[@Shepherd4R]

I looked for the app and didn't find anything like what you showed. I found one with the same icon called "Tor Diagnostics", but it wouldnt find or connect to the obd2 adapter.

[@AdventuresWithSmitty]

On the Google Play Store it’s called “Torque Pro (OBD 2 & Car) by Ian Hawkins. I don’t believe it’s compatible with Apple devices right now.

[@Shepherd4R]

@@AdventuresWithSmitty So strange I checked in play store and typed that in verbatim, it even auto completed like a popular search, but it doesn't show in the results. This is overkill but whenever you have the time / free moment can you check the publisher name? it should be right under the application name. UPDATE!: I found it by googling it and manually installing the APK. Maybe it just isnt compatible with my phone (s23). Thanks much for your help!

[@AdventuresWithSmitty]

@@Shepherd4R No trouble at all, happy to help! Ian Hawkins is the developer. There is also “Torque Lite (OBD2 & Car). That’s the free version. Maybe try that first. I wonder if it’s locked by country (I’m in the US). There is some risk, but you could try Googling the app name and downloading from a site other than the play store. It would be an “APK” download for an Android app.

[@labb971]

What brand is the OBD2 Bluetooth?

[@AdventuresWithSmitty]

It is “Panlong.” I have it linked in the video description. The app is Torque Pro for Android.

[@25falcons]

how rough does it ride with the lift?? is it very firm?

[@AdventuresWithSmitty]

It is firm. The lift I went with is the most common I think, but can have a stiff ride (the front especially). However I don’t regret it. It feels better than the worn out stock suspension. There are other lifts with a soft/more forgiving ride but are higher in price.