Overlanding in the Wild West!

[SKVenture]

Originally Posted By: AZjeff
Nicely outfitted but no roof top tent? Did you sleep in the back?

Be careful, we visited out here from western Pa in 2004 and a year later we moved! Ain't never moving back either. No middle ground, either you love the SW or you hate it.


Yes, we slept in the back! You can check out the platform we built on Youtube by searching for LetsGoOverland

Roof Top Tents are really trending right now and for good reason. They are not on my wish list however as we have not experienced the need to get one as of yet. Our current set up works very well for us!

 

[SKVenture]

Originally Posted By: TheKracken
Fun trip! How hot was it out there in Utah? Also the coolant issue doesnt sound good.... Try to make sure you top off with toyota red when you can!


The temps where low 100s. It hit 105 on the second day and that was the hottest.

We had flushed the whole coolant system out and replaced with Zerex Asian red before we left. I had a gallon of that with us that I replenished the system with when needed!

 

[SKVenture]

Originally Posted By: EdwardC
Originally Posted By: EdwardC
Thanks for posting! That sounds like an awesome trip, glad to see the 4Runner made it. Do you happen to have any pictures of the sleeping quarters?


Originally Posted By: Chris Meutsch
Two of my favorite things on Earth: The Western US, and a 4Runner. Gotta get me one of those before I kick it.


It's on my list too! Either a 4Runner, or an older Toyota Pickup or Tacoma.


Nevermind! I just found your YouTube Channel (and subscribed!) with the video of the sleeping platform.

Awesome! Thanks for subscribing!

Cant go wrong with with a 4Runner or Tacoma!

 

[53' Stude]

Originally Posted By: SKVenture
Originally Posted By: EdwardC
Originally Posted By: EdwardC
Thanks for posting! That sounds like an awesome trip, glad to see the 4Runner made it. Do you happen to have any pictures of the sleeping quarters?


Originally Posted By: Chris Meutsch
Two of my favorite things on Earth: The Western US, and a 4Runner. Gotta get me one of those before I kick it.


It's on my list too! Either a 4Runner, or an older Toyota Pickup or Tacoma.


Nevermind! I just found your YouTube Channel (and subscribed!) with the video of the sleeping platform.

Awesome! Thanks for subscribing!

Cant go wrong with with a 4Runner or Tacoma!



Thank you sir for the write up and photos. I'm checking out your YouTube channel as well

 

[02SE]

Originally Posted By: SKVenture

The only issues we ran into was with climbing the mountains through Colorado. The Truck did NOT like the altitude and would regularly burp coolant from the overflow tank pressure release valve.

It chugged along however and for up and down the mountain range twice! Water temps hit 220 and trans temps hit 265!!!


Sorry to hear about the ankle.

About the 4Runner: I've been all over the Colorado San Juans and Moab, Canyonlands, and tons of other trails in Utah, in my 3rd gen 4Runner. There's never been even a hint of getting too hot, even crawling up steep inclines in 110+°F heat with the AC cranked.

I recall your list of maintenance items you had taken care of, from one of your first posts here. I didn't see a new fan clutch or radiator cap on the list.

If your fan clutch isn't performing as it should, the temperatures will start to climb, and if the radiator cap isn't holding pressure, the coolant will boil much sooner. The coolant should never get so hot that it boils in a properly functioning cooling system. I'd suggest replacing both of those items.

Another possible factor is if you were climbing some of those steep inclines in high-range while off-road. That can cause your automatic transmission to really build excessive heat. Shifting into low-range will ease the load on the transmission, enabling it to run much cooler.

To give you an idea of your 4Runner's capability when it's working as designed. My Sister owned a 2001 4Runner that towed a boat that was right at it's rated 5k towing capacity, numerous times during the summer, for 15 years. All over Utah and the southwest. Over 10k+ ft mountain passes, in 100+°F heat, etc. She never had any overheating issues. She now tows the same boat with no issues, with a '16 Premium Trail Edition 4Runner.

Thanks for sharing your story.

 

[SKVenture]

Originally Posted By: 02SE
Originally Posted By: SKVenture

The only issues we ran into was with climbing the mountains through Colorado. The Truck did NOT like the altitude and would regularly burp coolant from the overflow tank pressure release valve.

It chugged along however and for up and down the mountain range twice! Water temps hit 220 and trans temps hit 265!!!


Sorry to hear about the ankle.

About the 4Runner: I've been all over the Colorado San Juans and Moab, Canyonlands, and tons of other trails in Utah, in my 3rd gen 4Runner. There's never been even a hint of getting too hot, even crawling up steep inclines in 110+°F heat with the AC cranked.

I recall your list of maintenance items you had taken care of, from one of your first posts here. I didn't see a new fan clutch or radiator cap on the list.

If your fan clutch isn't performing as it should, the temperatures will start to climb, and if the radiator cap isn't holding pressure, the coolant will boil much sooner. The coolant should never get so hot that it boils in a properly functioning cooling system. I'd suggest replacing both of those items.

Another possible factor is if you were climbing some of those steep inclines in high-range while off-road. That can cause your automatic transmission to really build excessive heat. Shifting into low-range will ease the load on the transmission, enabling it to run much cooler.

To give you an idea of your 4Runner's capability when it's working as designed. My Sister owned a 2001 4Runner that towed a boat that was right at it's rated 5k towing capacity, numerous times during the summer, for 15 years. All over Utah and the southwest. Over 10k+ ft mountain passes, in 100+°F heat, etc. She never had any overheating issues. She now tows the same boat with no issues, with a '16 Premium Trail Edition 4Runner.

Thanks for sharing your story.


Thanks!

The rad cap was replaced when the rad was replaced!

Fan Clutch is good to go!

The car never "overheated". The dummy light for Trans Temp did not pop on and the engine water temp gauge (dummy gauge) did not spike.

Thanks for the input tho!