With a beefy engine, excellent stock clearance, and plenty of interior space for holding all your overlanding gear, the Toyota 4Runner is a force to be reckoned with (especially if you plan on rock crawling)!
Whether you’re thinking about getting a 4Runner or you’re just looking for inspiration for your own rig, these 7 overland 4Runner builds are sure to impress.
Let’s dive in!
1. Austin – @t4r_canyoncrawler
Austin is running a 2015 Trail Edition 4runner overland that’s obviously gotten lots of love. We hope to see him at an Overland Expo one day!
Here are the deets:
@bajadesignsofficial – Squadron pro / LED driving combo / s1 ditch lights / 5 XL linkable
@prinsuedesignstudio -7/8s Roof Rack
@c4fabrication – Rear Bumper Half Swing overland series
@heftyfabworks – Hybrid Front Bumper
@smittybilt – 10k X20 Winch w/ Synthetic Rope
@Factor55 – Winch Flat Link / 1 inch Fair Lead
@Dobinsons – 3 inch lift kit w/ KDSS/ c59 -352 heavy duty springs 700 twins up front w UCA / 701 twins in back w c59-329 springs rear / Snorkel
@Methodracewheels – MRW312’s
@bfgoodrichkm3 – 35×12.50/R17
@frontrunneroutfitters – Storage drawers
@ragofabrication – Rear Window Morley Panels
@automotivepersonalized – Vinyl work
@alpharexusa – Headlights – Alpha Rex Nova Black series
@expeditionessentials – Radio Head unit display mount
@pioneeraudio – Pioneer DMH-WT7600NEX
@lfdoffroad – Engine / Transmission Skid Plate
@joeequipment – rear passenger molley panel/ w/ MaxTrax attachment
@snorkelupgrade – Filter
@maxtrax – Recovery Boards
@sprintbooster – Throttle Controller
@cvtfamily – Mt. Hood hard top RTT
2. Kevin – @kevzpar
Kevin’s rockin’ it old school with his 1999 Toyota 4Runner overland SR5! While we haven’t yet met him, it would be awesome to see each other at an Overland Expo one year.
Check out the 4Runner mods in this build:
Suspension & Wheels
Front
- Total chaos fabrication UCA
- Bilstein 5100 with Dobinsons c59-238
- Energy bushings top hat isolators
- Total chaos fabrication spindle gussets
- Wheelers off-road steel braided brake lines
- Sequoia sway bar links
- Soon to have kings suspension
Rear
- 5thgen 4runner Icon overland rear springs 52800
- Landcruiser KYB Japan monomax rear shocks
- Eimkeith trailing arm gussets
- Eimkeith pan-hard correction kit
- OEM lower trailing arms with white line bushings
- Wheelers off-road extended steel braided brake lines
- Rear sway bar delete
- ARB diff breather
Wheels & Tires
- Stealth custom series 17×9 -38 in bronze
- 315 70 17 Falken wild peak at3w tires
Exterior & Lights
- Ckautofab custom front bumper with coastal off-road hoops.
- Coastal off-road rear bumper with tire swing out
- Coastal off-road drivetrain skidplate
- Ckautofab custom retrofit headlights
- JDM clear corner lights
- LED depo tail lights
- Custom headlight filler signals
- CBI-off-road ditch light brackets
- Baja-Designs squadron R ditch lights
- Vivid lumen front 5” lights
- Rock lights and roof rack side light
- Mcniel racing fenders
- SR5 big flares
- 2002 4runner Sport hood and hood scoop
- Sherpa equipment co. aluminum roof rack
- Custom recovery board mount and pelican box
- Ckautofab cb antenna mount
- Smittybuilt awning
Interior
- Leather seat conversion from a limited 4runner
- JVC double din with Apple car play
- Auxbeam 8 switch panel
- Rear view mirror dash cam and back up camera
- LED dash and interior light conversion
- On-board VIA air set up
- Drawer set up
Engine
- Volant cold air intake
We would definitely call this the ultimate overland vehicle – wouldn’t you?!
3. @4r.venturez
Lift: 2 inch BL
Front: King 2.5 Coilovers
UCA: Camburg Uni
Rear: King 2.5 Piggyback Shock
Rear: Springs OME 861 (Landcruiser)
4.88 nitro gears
Factory Rear E-locker
Rims & wheels
16×9 -1 lodio drive
Bfg km3 315/75/16
Armor:
Custom front bumper
Eimkeith rear with custom swing out
Custom rock sliders
Prinsu rack
Roofnest falcon RTT
Custom storage platform
4. @D3v1lsrnr
@kingshocks 2.5 adjusters
@c4_fabrication hybrid bumper
@ecotechne hoodrack
@spidernodrillroofrack
@bajadesignsofficial lights
@factor55llc
@apexdesignsusa rpv’s
@pittman_outdoors awning
@falkentire 295 70r17s
@vtxwheels terras
@coastal.offroad dual swingout
@spidertrax 1.5
@dirtkingfabrication ucas
@krazybeavertools shovel
@alpharexusa headlights
@rc.fabrication gusset double sheer spindles and solid tierods.
R1 concept performance rotors.
5. Josh – @ozventureproject
Suspension, Wheels, Tires & Brakes
- Dobinson’s 3″/2″ Twin-Tube Nitro Suspension Lift (C59-314 Front Springs/C59-327 Rear Springs)
- Dirt King Tubular Ball Joint UCA’s
- Total Chaos LCA Cam Tab Reinforcements
- RSG Metalworks Body Mount Chop
- Dobinson’s Differential Drop Kit
- Icon Vehicle Dynamics Swaybar Relocation Kit
- Whiteline Heavy Front Swaybar Links
- Dobinson’s Extended Rear Swaybar End Links
- Energy Suspension Front Extended Bumpstops
- Durobumps Rear Extended Bumpstops
- Siberian Bushings Polyurethane Bushings – Front/Rear Swaybar Bushings, LCA Bushings, Panhard Bushings
- Stealth Custom Series RAY10’s Gunmetal -38 Offset
- BFGoodrich 315/70R17 KM3 Mud Terrain’s
- R1 Concepts eLine Drilled & Slotted Rotors
- R1 Concepts Performance Brake Pads
Armor, Recovery & Mounting Solutions
- ARB Deluxe Front Full Bumper
- Paranoid Fabrications Fog & Turn Signal Mounts for Baja’s
- TreatyOakOffroad Recovery Points (ARB Bumper Compatible)
- Factor55 Offset 1.5 Fairlead
- Factor55 Flatlink E (Red)
- Warn Industries VR EVO 10-S Winch w/ Synthetic
- Coastal Offroad Rear Dual-Swing Bumper w/ custom OZventure Driver Swingout (Rotopax/Maxtrax/HiLift)
- RCI Offroad Engine Plate Skid (1/4″ Raw Aluminum)
- RCI Offroad Transmission Skid (1/4″ Raw Aluminum)
- RCI Offroad Transfer Case Skid (1/4″ Raw Aluminum)
- RCI Offroad A-Arm Skids (non-KDSS / 1/4″ Raw Aluminum)
- RCI Offroad Rock Sliders (20 Degree w/ Tread Plate)
- SSO Southern Style Offroad Washer Reservoir Protector
- HiLift Jack 48″ Red/Black
- Maxtrax MKII FJ Red Recovery Tracks (Boards)
- (2) Rotopax 4 Gallon Gasoline Pax
- Rago Fabrication Ditch Light Brackets
- Rago Fabrication Lower Shock Guards
- Rago Fabrication Modular Dash Mount
- Rago Fabrication ARB Compressor Mount
- Rago Fabrication Air Mounts for On-Board Air System
- RAMmounts X-Grip Universal Tablet Holder (12″)
- (2) RAMmounts X-Grip Large Phone Mount
- RAMmounts Clip Base
- (4) RAMmounts Diamond 1″ Ball Base
- OZventure Custom Direct Rooftop Tent Mounting Rails
- OZventure Custom Rocker Panel Trim (Trail Edition)
Lighting & Electrical
- GRDIAN NOVA 4K Dash / Rear Camera
- Redarc Electronics Dual Input DC-to-DC Battery Charger (BCDC1225D)
- NOCO Genius GEN2 20A Dual On-Board Battery Charger
- Off-Grid Engineering Complete Dual Battery System
- SwitchPros SP-9100 Switch Panel Power System
- (2) Optima Yellow Group 34 D34/78 Battery’s
- Blue Sea Systems ST Blade Fuse Block – 6 Circuit
- Blue Sea Systems Circuit Breaker Switch Panel – 12V / Dual-USB
- Blue Sea Systems 2408 Terminal Block 8 Circuit
- Blue Sea Systems Maxibus 250A Busbar
- Blue Sea Systems 187 Panel Mount Circuit Breaker 120A
- KUSTOM54 Custom Black Projector Headlights (Morimoto H1 Bi-Xenon Projects w/ Morimoto Panamera Shroud Halos)
- Unique Style Racing 14+ Black Housing Upgrade Tail Lights
- XenonDepot – All Interior & Exterior Accessory LED’s (5000K)
- BajaDesigns S2 Sport LED Turn (Amber / Wide Cornering)
- BajaDesigns S2 Sport LED Rear Chase (Amber / Wide Cornering)
- BajaDesigns Squardon-R Fogs (Amber / Wide Cornering)
- BajaDesigns Squadron Sport Ditch (White w/ Amber Cover / Driving Combo)
Audio
- Pioneer Amp
- Focal Speakers
Miscellaneous
- TheBushCompany Alpha Clamshell Roof top Tent
- ConsoleVault 4Runner Lockable Vault
- Ultragauge OBDII Scan Tool
- Cobra 75WXST CB Radio
- Midland USA Handheld GXT 1000 GMRS Radios
- Midland MXT275 MicroMobile GMRS Radio
- ARB On-Board Dual Air Compressor CKMTA12
- OZventure On-Board Air System (inspired by @sponsoredbywifey #wifeyairsystem)
- ARB Differential Breather Kit
- Dobinsons 4X4 Snorkel Kit (4Runner)
- AVS Window Rain Deflectors
- Black Trail Edition Door Handles
- OZventure Stacked Dual-Drawer System
- Dometic CFX3 55im Refrigerator / Ice Maker
Related Reading: Everything You Need to Know About Vehicle Snorkels
6. Karina – @my4r_adventures
“My husband has an FJZ80, 1997. I’ve always liked the rugged, adventurous look of overland rigs. I’ve liked the 4R since I was a kid so as soon as I finally got mine, I hit the ground running with mods.
I appreciate nature and our beautiful country and the desire to explore it all got me into off-roading/over landing. It’s true therapy to get away from the concrete jungle and appreciate fresh air and beautiful views.
It’s also a great time to spend with family without electronics interfering. I’m looking forward to go camping and road trips when my kids get a little older.”
Meeting Karina and her husband at an Overland Expo one day would be sick.
Mods
Bilstein Shocks 6112 front, 5100 back
Shrockworks sliders
C4 lo pro front bumper with high bar and high clearance side additions
Gobi rack
Baja Designs fog lights
TRD front skid plate
Method Wheels rims on Falken Wildpeak tires 70/270/17
3” lift with UPA (SPC)
7. Thuan – @beef_pho_runner
Thuan is rocking a 2004 Limited AWD V8 4Runner.
“I originally was looking to trade in my 4Runner for a newer generation 4Runner or a Tacoma but the more I delved into my research I realized that I already had an extremely capable vehicle with a infamous bullet proof million mile engine. So I decided to slowly add modifications onto the truck piece by piece and doing research and learning more about the community as I went along.
It also made much more financial sense: it’s much cheaper to add 1-2 mods every couple months than make $600 monthly payments on a newer car. I’ve met a lot of great people in this community and have learned so much about my rig and the outdoor community.
I love how capable this 4Runner can be and do just about whatever you need it do and you can build it however you’d like: from basic weekend camping trips to some crazy off road racing builds. From originally wanting to trade in the truck to now never letting it go, I’m excited to continually work on and make changes to it.”
Suspension: Icon 3″ LiftIcon Delta Joints UCA
Tires/Wheels: Nitto G2 Terra Grapplers 285/70/17, Stealth Custom Series Sr8
Lights: BX Built HeadlightsBaja Design SAE Fog Lights, Solid Shift Concepts Fog Light Housing, Amazon LED Roof Pod Lights
Roof Rack/Storage: Prinsu Roof Rack, Joe’s Original Equipment S.L.A.P. Detour’s of Maine Swingout Tire Carrier, Lost Trails Lo-Pro Bumper
Miscellaneous: Body Mount Chop, Sound Deadening: roof, floors, doors, Custom drawers
Final Thoughts & Extra Gear
If you’re looking for more overlanding gear for your 4runner, here are a few new products that weren’t featured in any of the vehicles above:
These accessories aren’t exactly needed by any means, but they’re great to have in your 4runner build. Everything mentioned (besides the first aid kit) is constructed of premium materials and will last a long time if taken care of.
Do you have a 4runner you’d like to share? Leave us a comment down below! Or, if you’ve seen any awesome 4runners at an overland expo, we’d love to hear from you!
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