Anyone with experience traveling with a toyota 4runner? | Squat the Planet

Anyone with experience traveling with a toyota 4runner?

Billy Cougar White

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 30, 2016
Messages
217
Reaction score
261
Location
Amherst Nova Scotia
I'm considering buying a 1999 Toyota 4runner and hitting the road with my dog and girlfriend. Anyone with experience rubber tramping in this or a similar vehicle? I plan to travel around Canada this fall and then go to the southern USA for winter, maybe come to slab city for a while.
 

SaltyCrew

∆-FLY LOW-∆
Joined
Sep 21, 2018
Messages
120
Reaction score
316
Location
Midwest
Toyota makes a great machine. You'll have the 3.4L V6 in that rig, solid engine if it's been cared for. Transmissions are solid in them, not any common problems at all with them. Things to check before buying would be to see if it had the timing belt and water pump replaced. If it's over 150K miles, they need replaced if it hasn't been. Parts can be a bit pricey for Toyotas nowadays, but if the vehicle seems like it was cared for nothing should break anytime soon.

** I have seen those engines blow head gaskets though.

**They don't get very good milage, but hey at least youd have 4wd to go about anywhere off the hard roads you want.

**Sleeping in the vehicle with 2 people and a dog is going to be TIGHT with gear to boot. If you're going to mostly tent camp or whatever outside, solid rig to travel in.

** @Jake Pemberton can give you a first hand expierence if he wants to chime in. He built a platform bed in the back of his for sleeping.
 

BradKajukenbo

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 5, 2019
Messages
207
Reaction score
559
Location
Dunsmuir Califonia
I had a 1995 4runner. being 4x4 little bit of a gas hog in town. But on the highway it had great miles per gallon. Was always driving from Seattle to Redding. Only once did it breakdown. That was just the water pump. Replaced it and never had any problems.

I currently have a 1999 Ford Expediton. Awesome to travel in. I have a bit of a phobia of motel rooms so when I go out of town, its enough room to camp out in. In March me and my son spent a weekend in Eureka camping out on the Samoa Sand Dunes. There were a few 4runners there tearin' it up on the beach. Hella fun.
 

Jimmy Beans

Bad Order Hoghead
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Dec 26, 2010
Messages
2,042
Reaction score
4,796
Location
Dick City California
Website
www.youtube.com
I have a 91 Toyota 4x4, it's been great to me. Only negative I can say about it is the gas milage. You'd think a 4 cylinder wouldn't get 17mpg but that's my truck on a good day.
 

SaltyCrew

∆-FLY LOW-∆
Joined
Sep 21, 2018
Messages
120
Reaction score
316
Location
Midwest
I have a 91 Toyota 4x4, it's been great to me. Only negative I can say about it is the gas milage. You'd think a 4 cylinder wouldn't get 17mpg but that's my truck on a good day.

Love those old trucks. I've had a bunch of them. 22re is a super solid engine. Yes 17mpg seems a little low of where it should be. You have a manual or auto trans? Oversized tires? Does the engine seem to run good? Some common reasons for poor milage could be; needs tune up, timing adjusted, valves adjusted, vacuum leak, O2 sensor not working, shitty gas. Do you have a check engine light on at all?
 

Jimmy Beans

Bad Order Hoghead
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Dec 26, 2010
Messages
2,042
Reaction score
4,796
Location
Dick City California
Website
www.youtube.com
The book that came with the truck lists it at 17mpg new off the factory floor. Manual transmission. I have 35X15.50R22 tires on it which definitely don't help. It runs great, 188k miles with a fresh rebuild 9k miles ago, it's like new. Does have one vacuum plug not sending to egr that I have to find before I can get it to pass smog. That's the only known issue it has. I think they just weren't designed to do much better MPG.
 

SaltyCrew

∆-FLY LOW-∆
Joined
Sep 21, 2018
Messages
120
Reaction score
316
Location
Midwest
The book that came with the truck lists it at 17mpg new off the factory floor. Manual transmission. I have 35X15.50R22 tires on it which definitely don't help. It runs great, 188k miles with a fresh rebuild 9k miles ago, it's like new. Does have one vacuum plug not sending to egr that I have to find before I can get it to pass smog. That's the only known issue it has. I think they just weren't designed to do much better MPG.
Oh the tires are deff where you are losing the gas milage, guaranteed. Truck has 4:10 gears if it was a factory 4cyl 5speed. You could source some 4:30 gears from an auto trans truck for cheap and would help alot, or 4:88 would put it back to factory but they are more expense as they are desired.
 
  • Useful
Reactions: Jimmy Beans

WyldLyfe

I'm a d-bag and got banned.
Banned
Joined
Jun 3, 2019
Messages
228
Reaction score
303
Location
tasmania
I tell ya what to do man, or what not to do.. bro, don't leave ya daam keys in the 4x4 when you walk into a store, cause thats what i done and when i came out i literally saw the fucking thing driving away.

Btw.. my 4x4 was a ford, and now im cruising in a different car, its not a 4x4 sure it can't go off road as well, but the amount of petrol (thats gas for you mericans) it takes is far, far less. So one days petrol in the 4x4 can be like three days in what i got now or maybe more.

RUBBER TRAMP IT UP!!

giphy.gif
giphy.gif
giphy.gif
emotion_PoliceCar_3x.gif
 
Last edited:

About us

  • Squat the Planet is the world's largest social network for misfit travelers. Join our community of do-it-yourself nomads and learn how to explore the world by any means necessary.

    More Info

Help us pay the bills!

Total amount
$10.00
Goal
$100.00

Latest Library Uploads