Excited About Wife's New 4Runner

Regarding the skid plates underneath - (if the 2wd has them)

Put antiseize on the bolts or go more permanent and swap all of them out for proper machine screws. I believe the factory skid plate bolts are all self tapping coarse threaded, and sooner or later you'll try threading one in and it'll bind up and then be impossible to remove.

There's an article here: https://www.top4runners.com/ja/2007/skidbolts.html
Thanks, I’ll check that out later. Yes, the 2WD does have skid plates.
 
It's actually a pretty common misconception that the 4Runner and Tacoma are similar!

They're built in different countries.
Different engines (4.0 vs 3.5)
The 4Runner has bigger brakes like the GX, the Tacoma has smaller brakes and rear drums.

Most importantly.. the 4Runner shares a higher quality fully boxed frame with the GX460. The tacoma has a cheaper style C-channel frame, it's pretty common for them to get bent during a rear end accident.
You’re right; they’ve become more differentiated, with the Taco becoming more commonized with other vehicles, and the 4R keeping higher-quality underpinnings (4.0, fully-boxed frame, still made in Japan).

Ive heard that the 3.5 in the Tacoma doesn’t have a lot of low and midrange torque, and I love that the 4.0 in my 07 Taco does.

I have also heard that the six speed automatic transmission in the 3.5 Tacoma, is not that great of a unit. I have heard that it likes to hunt between gears. And, that is not some thing that the A750E in my 2007 Tacoma does.

I don’t think I’d own a 3.5 Taco, and another reason I wanted to go ahead and get a 2021 4R is that I didn’t want to wait until Toyota does something stupid and puts the 3.5 into the 4R.
 
Regarding the skid plate bolts, on every vehicle I have owned with skid plates or shields I take a oiled paper towel or rag and wipe the threads. Takes just a moment but I can do this while the oil is draining. I’ve never had a problem with the bolts or screws.
 
You'll enjoy the 4Runner. Just be certain of your 2wd choice since it may be more difficult to resell later.


The skid plate bolts are not very problematic in my area, but I guess it depends on the climate. The main issue with the design is because techs/owners overtighten the bolts and/or cross thread them during install.
Anti-seize is a must here - the bolts are typically little guys with a 10 mm head, and it's pretty common to break them once they've started to rust in - or, alternatively, the steel clips on the plastic skid plate break off or spin.
 
Except drums lasts like 3 times a long. My 2005 Silverado has had one rear drum brake job done in 202k miles. Our 2010 Tacoma in the work fleet has original rear drum brakes at 125k. Just one set of front brakes. They're definitely a pain to do but the length of service intervals makes up for it.
Just realized I missed part of your post when I read it, so I'm basically agreeing with you completely. Besides the longevity of drum brakes the parking brake system also seems to be more reliable. I usually don't touch them because I've seen so many seize up...but my coworker parked my truck one day and used the parking brake. No issues. On a 15 year old rust belt Silverado.
 
You’re right; they’ve become more differentiated, with the Taco becoming more commonized with other vehicles, and the 4R keeping higher-quality underpinnings (4.0, fully-boxed frame, still made in Japan).

Ive heard that the 3.5 in the Tacoma doesn’t have a lot of low and midrange torque, and I love that the 4.0 in my 07 Taco does.

I have also heard that the six speed automatic transmission in the 3.5 Tacoma, is not that great of a unit. I have heard that it likes to hunt between gears. And, that is not some thing that the A750E in my 2007 Tacoma does.

I don’t think I’d own a 3.5 Taco, and another reason I wanted to go ahead and get a 2021 4R is that I didn’t want to wait until Toyota does something stupid and puts the 3.5 into the 4R.
I think what happened, they've tried to "Americanize" the Tacoma further, since it's only common in north america; the rest of the world gets the Hilux.
But.. the 4Runner remains a global SUV.

Theres a pattern here...
The Tundra, tacoma, and Sequoia are built in the US and they all have a c-channel frame.
The GX460/Prado, 4Runner, and 200-series Land Cruiser are all global models built in Japan, and they all have a fully boxed frame.
 
I think what happened, they've tried to "Americanize" the Tacoma further, since it's only common in north america; the rest of the world gets the Hilux.
But.. the 4Runner remains a global SUV.

Theres a pattern here...
The Tundra, tacoma, and Sequoia are built in the US and they all have a c-channel frame.
The GX460/Prado, 4Runner, and 200-series Land Cruiser are all global models built in Japan, and they all have a fully boxed frame.
Good points
 
Anti-seize is a must here - the bolts are typically little guys with a 10 mm head, and it's pretty common to break them once they've started to rust in - or, alternatively, the steel clips on the plastic skid plate break off or spin.

The skidplates are steel. Or aluminum on the TRD Pro. The bolts have 12mm heads. There is a plastic piece which just directs airflow through the radiator.

The bolts on the 5th gen 4Runners are basically the same as what was on my '97. I never had a problem with them in 22 years. Any problem that owners have experienced, invariably arises from ham-fisted hacks cross-threading or over-torquing them.

Being a motorcyclist, I sprayed a bit of chain lube on my skidplate bolts.
 
Can't go wrong with a 4Runner. They're a bit outdated and boring, but sometimes that's good!

I have two 4Runners. A 2005 and a 2017. Both purchased new. I had to do headgaskets on my 05 at 88k miles (not super uncommon with the early 1gr-fe's, unfortunately), but other than that it's been very reliable. It has about 145k on it now. The 17 has 33k on it and is my wife's daily driver. She loves it. We have a 2021 Tahoe High Country that we've had for a few months and she's never even driven it. She sticks to the 4Runners. Ha!

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The skidplates are steel. Or aluminum on the TRD Pro. The bolts have 12mm heads. There is a plastic piece which just directs airflow through the radiator.

The bolts on the 5th gen 4Runners are basically the same as what was on my '97. I never had a problem with them in 22 years. Any problem that owners have experienced, invariably arises from ham-fisted hacks cross-threading or over-torquing them.

Being a motorcyclist, I sprayed a bit of chain lube on my skidplate bolts.
I’ve done that before. Always seem to have a can of Maxima Chain Wax sitting in the garage.
 
Can't go wrong with a 4Runner. They're a bit outdated and boring, but sometimes that's good!

I have two 4Runners. A 2005 and a 2017. Both purchased new. I had to do headgaskets on my 05 at 88k miles (not super uncommon with the early 1gr-fe's, unfortunately), but other than that it's been very reliable. It has about 145k on it now. The 17 has 33k on it and is my wife's daily driver. She loves it. We have a 2021 Tahoe High Country that we've had for a few months and she's never even driven it. She sticks to the 4Runners. Ha!

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That’s cool to know that your wife has access to a new 2021 Tahoe High Country and still drives the 4Runners!

I‘LL tell my wife about that. Especially since we talked briefly about something like a Tahoe or Expedition.
 
We talked about different kinds of sport utilities other than the Toyotas, but never for very long. She likes the look of the GM and Ford full-size SUVs, but what stopped us from even considering those trucks, and I know I'm going to irritate some of y'all with this, but it's just my experience - the lack of quality and dependability. My experience with them (no, I haven't owned one, but I've known lots of people who did) is that they just nickel and dime you to death. Fuel pumps. Water pumps. Alternators. Starters. Blower motors. Blower motor resistors. Etc. Etc. And, to us, the interiors just aren't put together very well.

My wife's Corolla needed an Alternator & a Blower Motor before 100,000 miles.....The Interior quality & paint quality is worse than any domestic I've ever owned.

The Japanese certainly built a reputation.....Especially throughout the 1990's & 2000's for building some of the best cars, But have cheapened their brands since. I'm not irritated at all.....Buy what makes you happy.
 
My wife's Corolla needed an Alternator & a Blower Motor before 100,000 miles.....The Interior quality & paint quality is worse than any domestic I've ever owned.

The Japanese certainly built a reputation.....Especially throughout the 1990's & 2000's for building some of the best cars, But have cheapened their brands since. I'm not irritated at all.....Buy what makes you happy.
Yeah, most things have gone that way after the accountants have gotten hold of them.
 
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