Toyota RAV4 Off-Road Build Part 1

Follow the 1996 RAV4 Build. Let's see what this sucker is capable of!
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Supra Engine Teardown: • 2020 Supra B58 Engine ... ​
Engine Build Playlist: kzbin.info?list​...
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More drift team videos:
• 3D Printed Turbo Manifold: • Turbo Manifold 3D Prin... ​
• GR Supra Build: • 2020 Supra Drift Build...
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ABOUT PAPADAKIS RACING:
The Papadakis Racing team began drifting in 2004 and is the most winning team in Formula Drift history, earning the 2015 & 2021 titles with driver Fredric Aasbo, as well as back­ to­ back championship titles with driver Tanner Foust in 2007 and 2008. The Rockstar Energy Drink / Nitto Tire Toyota GR Supra is the latest competition build from the Carson, California, based team.
Team owner Stephan Papadakis is a legend of sport­ compact racing who began building his reputation in the 1990s with the first front-wheel ­drive, tube­-chassis drag car in the U.S. The team earned multiple records and championships in the discipline, turning in elapsed times and trap speeds previously thought unattainable in front­-drive drag cars. Papadakis' successes in front­-wheel drive were matched by his efforts in rear­-wheel drive when he campaigned a Honda Civic that became just the fifth car to join the NHRA's Sport Compact 200 MPH club

[@bumbr07]

I love this channel, straight to the point, no messing around, clear and consumable information.

[@cl7510]

This is good to know. I’ve been subbed for awhile but only now started watching. A lot of automotive channels do way too much blah blah blah and what seems like time filler.

Yeah man exactly this

[@lll2923]

This is one of my favourite channels I really wish you guys put out more content it's great

[@mamun-sardar]

❤️❤️❤️

[@XBBBBBXx]

but the fact that its the content is "rare" makes it even more exciting when we get something

[@lll2923]

@@XBBBBBXx theyve uploaded three videos this year that's too damn rare, all the fans want to see what's going on with the shop and the builds they've got going on, all the content they put out last year was amazing we need more of it

[@volume311]

Same, favorite channel by far

[@DevineDigital]

Fully heartedly agree, I stumbled upon the channel a while ago and immediately watch a video when I see it.

[@jonnenne]

Nice to see you do some "normal" modifications instead of the super-engineered superclean modifications from scratch. Thanks for the video and hope you make more content. You are one of the few no-bullshit channels out there.

[@KrazyKavy]

What most don't know, the RAV4.1 was loosely based off the rally Celica ST205/ST185 Turbo GT-Four...so you can see where this project is going. The RAV4 is a legit beast in sheeps clothing, it just took this dam long for people to realize it. I knew this day would come, when a real builder would take on a RAV4.1 project. The RAV4 comes with a 3SFE engine, which is the NA Econo-version of the almighty 3SGTE engine. Everything on a Celica GT4 fits on the RAV4 and drops right in with little to no modification; engine, trans and all. While I wouldn't call the RAV4 an overland rock-climbing beast, it can easily be turned in to a offroad rally monster. Just check the racing lineage of the Celica WRC and how they dominated the 80s and 90s rally circuits(including the Safari Rally in Africa), and youll have a idea how badass you can make these old school 90s RAV4s. And just like the value of most sport compact 90s cars, I can now see the value of the RAV4 skyrocketing. haha

[@carholic-sz3qv]

Hi from Germany. We definitely need an upgrade on this small rav4, I really enjoy your direct to the topic videos.

[@XBBBBBXx]

can i get a ride in that, looks fun! also where are we supposed to find a desert ?

[@hangman13]

You went missing for months. Glad you're back.

[@baska-]

*This video had one major issue: it was only 9 minutes long.*

[@devinpashby1104]

YES!! Hey from Oregon, ‘99 Rav4 on full Old Man Emu here. Every step of this video is what I (and many others) have already gone through! Skid plate diy, lift, 5th gear fix, lack of torque and travel! Can’t wait for your custom ideas for this ride. Well done!!

[@mrthesquid]

Oh man, a long travel Rav4 coupe would be great. I always thought these little car trucks were pretty neat. Looking forward to see what you will end up making out of this thing.

[@SloppyMechanics]

I love this, what a nice break from serious racing

[@MrShanilicious]

‘More speed out of this car’ fingers tightly crossed that it’s a 3SGTE swap 😍

[@rhysbertrand8903]

2gr fe would be better

[@ajkarkos]

@@rhysbertrand8903 the Rav4 AWD manual transmission won't bolt on to a 2GR. The center differential is too large.

[@mrunabout]

@@ajkarkos That is disappointing. I would have loved to see one of these get 2GR swapped.

[@helmysetiabudi9915]

This is gonna be another awesome build

[@mamun-sardar]

❤️❤️❤️

[@Simnettnutrition]

Heck yah I love seeing Rav4.1 builds. I love the wheel tire combo. I have a 4 door 5 speed myself. Have you thought about a 3SGTE swap? It's a fairly popular swap and boost would just be so much fun in a little Rav.

[@sw20indy]

3sgte swap was my first thought!

[@UncleTriangle]

@@sw20indy A Honda K series is also an option. HUX Racing sells an adaptor to mount the K-series to the MR2 trans. It should stand to reason that it'd work with the Rav4's trans as well.

[@firstnamelastname3932]

@@UncleTriangle k swap turbo was my first reaction lol

[@Buphelous]

I'm about to do that same swap with my 2 door

[@williamsprayberry28]

ayy I have a blue gen 1, 5 speed, gang gang

[@juliusmabry4839]

this is gonna be a badass series

[@mamun-sardar]

How are you

[@juliusmabry4839]

@@mamun-sardar drunk at 3am. just drank a beer in my shower. i’m severely mentally ill

[@carholic-sz3qv]

@@juliusmabry4839 we're on the same wagon mate 😅🤣

[@antoniorios3856]

2 Door SUVs are awesome, so glad the new Bronco offers a 2 door model.

[@fransiscon]

My sister still has her 98 Rav4 2wd. I'm going to send her this video. Hopefully it inspires her for Christmas.

[@checkerboard8382]

Yes this is what were waitin for

[@mamun-sardar]

How are you

[@TBendez]

Love it! Real engineering poured into an older "overlooked" vehicle makes for great content :)

[@MrCarnutbill67]

I see Papadakis and off-road in the same title, I click immediately. I’m imagining like 30” of suspension travel with 3D printed shocks etc. haha

[@thetechlibrarian]

Yup those Manual transmissions with the center locking DIff are definitely a unicorn

[@JnksFINRG]

Nice to see quality RAV4 content! There's a racing series in Nordic countries, Auto Navigation, that's somewhere between rallying and orienteering. These 3 door RAV's are easily the most popular choice. Agile, nimble, and reliable. Faster than small offroaders like Jimnys. Great car!

[@Eduardo_Espinoza]

Oh my God, I want a Jimny so bad! Glad this car popped up, I've been confusing this for the 1st gen Honda CRV. Before I came down the line of comments, I've also mentioned the Suzuki Samurai, I am super pleased to hear that this Toyota Rav 4 would wipe the floor with the latest Suzuki Jimny!

[@tiny_the_200]

Reminds me of the Rad4 build by Dirt Every Day, but your budget build process is cool to see instead and more relatable than simply tearing everything out and replacing the entire drivetrain 👌🏼

[@av8bvma513]

1:50 Go the Hard Core Tyre Man! Who needs a fluffy warm dry heated hidey-hole when one can fit tyres outside in the great outdoors, in the pouring rain and snow and lightning, Kudos!

[@cozza819]

That little spoiler painted gold would make this thing look 100% rad!

[@herrj10]

Steph! Loved this and I hope you continue to make more Rav4/Overlanding content. Your channel is always in depth and explanatory so its fun to watch. Keep up the great work and definitely keep posting more.

[@caribbeangtr8077]

Nice project. I was told when these came out that they use the same floorplan as the Celica GT4. Adding a turbo should be fun.

[@littlesteve855]

Bolt gt4 running gear in it onstead of messing around. The GE is not the GTE by any stretch of the imagination.

[@caribbeangtr8077]

@@littlesteve855 GE would be OK, it's a 3SFE. Anyway, I like his step-by-step approach, its educational to see how much of the stock stuff can actually be used, and where the limitations are.

[@littlesteve855]

@@caribbeangtr8077 so how long till he gets bored and fits the spare motor from the drift car😄

[@turtle6701]

@@Smed_bee_boop Yes i would love to see the 3SGTE motor in it!!! RAV GT4 haha lol

[@internet_internet]

@@littlesteve855 I like this idea

[@stansbruv3169]

Two door 4X4 RAV4?! That thing looks so practical as a moon buggy. An interesting and capable terrain explorer. Nice if a little odd project! Thanks guys!

[@furai333]

This is awesome! Great video to come back on, please more of this content, keen to see the fab side of upgrading the suspension!

[@Trail-Warrior]

Happy to see this video... I love it! Toyota used the E series transmission into many vehicles and many parts are interchangeable. You can swap the fifth gear set off a Camry to get lower engine RPM on the highway. You can install a factory Torsen rear diff (both type 1 and type 2 are availlable, but type 2 torsen are stronger). Another option is the chinese made e-locker for the rear diff. If you want to get better suspension travel in the back; get Jeep Wrangler extended front shocks because they are bolt-on. As an exemple; the ProComp MX6013 gives 2.5'' more suspension travel in the back of the RAV4. I'm waiting for the next video! :)

[@wsshead]

Great video as always, Papadakis. Interesting to see the automotive industry utilizing the same style electrical pin and pin crimper we use in aviation. Looking forward to every next video, you guys are the best!

[@TakoIbarra]

And just like that, Rav4 prices are up!! Pretty badass to see these little 2 doors actually being used for real off roading!!

[@AnttiBrax]

The best 4x4 channel on KZbin.

[@alainterbovc]

This is great! I've been building one in my garage for the past 6 months now and can't wait to take it on some trails. Definitely an underrated platform for having fun off roading

[@internet_internet]

Shhh. Some things are better left as secrets. 💸

[@PatrickRich]

I love everything about this build. I had a 96 5 speed and I took it off-roading places it should not have gone. FYI - a Torsen rear differential was optional in these from the factory. Not sure how hard it would be to find but it made a pretty big difference. The only thing that really held me up was gearing and power. One question and a comment - tire size? Also, I assume those tires are at least d rated, I think you could safely air down to basically nothing with that tire and the weight of these things. 12-15 PSI wouldn't be too low.

[@Eduardo_Espinoza]

Sweet! I'm gonna try that, 0 psi here we go!

[@johnlougheed8040]

Tema 4x4 makes a drop in limited slip differential for 1st gen rav4's. They are available on Ebay.

[@Shehan.H96]

I love RAV4’s. Seeing you guys giving it some love makes me very happy 🙂

[@Jon_98]

Seen this all over ig since i picked up my own 97 rav4. Huge inspiration to me right now. Keep on with the updates I love this thing!

[@mamun-sardar]

Super video

[@fieldstraw25]

Waiting for 3S-GTE swap :)

[@WAFFELTIME]

Love the little Rav that could, very unique for an offroader.

[@toddscars]

Amazing video. Straight to the point and no talking crap for 15 minutes with three minutes of usable stuff. Keep it up!

[@cinematic7853]

1

[@mamun-sardar]

❤️❤️❤️

[@Metalwolf765]

I had a cheap shitbox SUV for off-roading and the biggest upgrade came from switching from the OE replacement Kayabas to Bilstein 5100s. Everything else was pretty standard. Big brakes from a different model in the same line, braided lines, wheel bearings, Old Man Emu springs, lighting, and a 2 way radio with a huge antenna. Had a blast doing it and beat on it pretty good. Sold it recently to fund a slightly better off road rig :)

[@IbericaOverland]

Am I dreaming? Papadakis on the offroad word!! is my lucky day

[@addeats]

I have a simple life, I see Stefan Papadakis working on any car, I click, that simple...

[@playwme3]

Awesome. I’ve got a 4 Door cut down into a ute for running around the farm. It’s gone up every hill i’ve thrown it at so far.

[@whengchung90]

Definitely wanna see more on the little Rav 4 and it's adventures and mods! I love Rav 4's and it's so nice to see someone like Stephan try and bring out it's full off roading potential!

[@ColeGaffney]

i have had 3 of these in the past, all manual, 2.0 petrols, swb, they are absolutely fantastic!

[@internet_internet]

I’ve been eyeing these the last couple years. Glad me & Stephan have similar taste!

[@kenniswilliams182]

Your attention to DETAIL, " If you were my Math teacher when I was in high school I would be getting A+'s.

[@isaacberry5023]

She’s a beauty, looking forward to more progress on the Rav build

[@DodgeCrazed]

The RAV4 is one of the most under rated units out there. I’ve always though they would make great race vehicles.

[@JohnnyWooh]

These are such enjoyable videos. Thanks for coming up with these cool projects and sharing the knowledge.

[@rtmanes88]

Your videos are worth it just to view the thought process behind your tunes and upgrades, I learn so much every single time.

[@AceXwilD]

That 2D Looks SO FUNNY! Its like the cartoon drawing people do of cars that make them look all small and anime.

[@therionkp36]

I had a 97 4 door auto AWD A/T tires. That thing was fun. My friend was always trying to get my stuck on the trails with his Jeep and even he was surprised that the little Rav4 was always behind him.

[@krisjaynav]

the project we didn't know we wanted. have been a big fan since my days as a lil tike at LACR.

[@arthurheusdens]

Thanks for putting this out! It’s really entertaining to watch.

[@Versedian]

Love this project Stephan, can't wait to see more.

[@xodanny2955]

these build videos are so rare with how much quality this one has; such an ease to watch and quality build and taste

[@LessTalkMoreDelicious]

Awesome! Love this build! 🏜🚙

[@randy438]

I've never seen a 2 door. That thing is friggin sweet!

[@Somegoy]

I have a 96 4 door 5 speed and its been so good to me. I live down a shit dirt road through a flood basin. When monsoon hits it will be like 2 foot deep in water, winter will be a foot of snow and ive never been close to stuck even on my highway tires. Such a good little car. And im at 240k

[@tptrsn]

High quality content as always -- Thank you again!!

[@davidblanck4131]

Every build you have done since I've been subscribed is so epic. Loving this one so far.

[@DanielBoone1294]

I'm so excited you're doing a video series on this. Super cool.

[@bennyfactor]

Missed this when it came out! What a cool project! Those 2 door rav 4s are super cool!

[@rob45x]

Wow. Loved the build. Can't wait for more rav 4 action!

[@SeiPokGuy]

So cool to see Steph build one of these, different than everyone else yet still interesting. A 2-Door Rav 4 with manual and AWD is pretty damn rare, and in this condition it's almost unicorn status.

[@LegendBiscuits]

Love your storytelling ability, super cool video. Can't wait to see more

[@lukeboelitz]

Love your videos. Thanks for sharing this project.

[@Misha2293]

My good friend had a 2-door RAV4 as a well, and another has a SCION iQ. We would call them the small squad. 2-door RAV's are super cool and extremely rare! Great to see on be put to use!

[@parabolic85]

This is such a great channel. Watching this feels like meeting up with a friend and hearing about their latest project.

[@traistaylor]

Loving this, spending so much time around drift cars for work off roading is the perfect escape

[@megej2600]

Literally the best off-road vehicle

[@Uglier.]

JUST checked up on this channel a day ago to see if I missed any uploads in the past couple months. What a surprise :)

[@matthew3136]

I will be moving to the desert in a couple years. Love budget and reliable cars like this. Nice ride.

[@Jimboslicevr]

So awesome to see a offroad build by you. Love it man

[@zimble]

Love this video style with the narration. Can’t wait to see what you do with it

[@jmhofmeyr]

PLS show more of this and other projects as they evolve. Love the style of the vids and also love those wheels u put on.

[@smacke2950]

it is so nice to see clips from months ago at the start of a new video, it really shows dedication to detail and planning

[@doggothedog7744]

Love your vids! Fast, straight to the point, very informative. The gen1 rav4 is really cool and the later gens aren't really rav4-ish anymore imo.

[@MrShlee1]

This is awesome!!! Glad to see the Rav4 getting some love. I have the 2018 and think it’s the greatest little vehicle I’ve ever had. Slight improvements here and there but minimum at best

[@xodanny2955]

im surprised how great these rav4 look and how overlooked they are.

[@slowlearner984]

Love these things. Looking forward to what you'll do with it. So far it's looking super sano!

[@omonyjacobjoseph7267]

Awesome content always. It's always worth the wait...

[@Bra1403]

It's freaking cool guys! Pleasee upload more videos like this!!!

[@2superblus]

Awesome build! I was super excited to see you doing something outside of the norm again.

[@jschaddock9]

This is amazing. i love the old 2door rav, and even more so off-road moding it.

[@jamescannone1425]

Team Papadakis meets Toyota Off-Roading. A match I could only dream of before! Please do more on this “Little Rav That Could”!

[@stephensherwood3905]

Really fun video, thanks for uploading!

[@RevRodge]

I love this, thanks for putting it up!

[@kyushalimit5931]

This is so rad! love these little 2 door Ravs

[@Spazum888]

This is a great video. Love the idea of taking older gen cars and modding them for whatever, drift, dirt, track. keep up the great work!

[@Ztaal3]

awesom little project, I love the Suzuki Jimny and I feel this is like the bigger brother.

[@giannhslakiss]

Quality off road upgrade 👏👏👏 ….μπράβο Παπαδάκη έχεις φοβερή ομάδα.

[@nickpalombo3985]

A great comeback video after being gone too long! 2 door manual rav4 is my favorite unicorn. So lucky to find one in such great shape. Can’t wait for the next videos

[@TRACKMKIII]

This is different and dope!! Keep it coming!!!

[@tropicalspeedbmw]

Love the 2dr ravs and following your build on this! Super rad!

[@zentrolm]

i missed your videos stefane,the interior looks mint! this looks like a fun project to come back to.

[@Jkeith000]

I actually email a 4x4 tv show over ten years ago requesting them to build one of these. Excited to see more.