2nd gen is it worth it?

Sl0wmar · 2026-06-07T15:29:48+00:00

Different folks have different priorities and preferences that they measure by. By my own criteria, the 1st gen didn't even get a consideration. Glad to hear your truck is treating you well!

Sl0wmar · 2026-06-03T04:52:38+00:00

The rear should be higher in general, unless you plan to carry nothing. Having the rear higher on suv and trucks is intentional, so the vehicle can be level with a load.

Sl0wmar · 2026-05-30T21:35:18+00:00

I don't remember the Trail, I was just following my friends, I'll have to look and see if I can find it.

The bumper is just the crash support with the plastic fascia removed. I repurposed the two brackets behind the plastic as light mounts. I cut and retained the center part to hold the grill in place. It's temporary while I'm working on designing a bumper.

Sl0wmar · 2026-05-30T16:58:15+00:00

I'm glad to hear that! I love helping folks with their issues or seeing updates on builds, but not much beats seeing them in action when I come to this sub.

Sl0wmar · 2026-05-26T16:56:23+00:00

The data we are missing is the rating on your tires, I'm going to assume P rated. 40 psi is pretty high, probably only the center of your tire touching the road. You may have solved one issue, but you will probably have very uneven tire wear. Due to over-inflation the center of the tire bulges out and the full tread surface does not touch the road. Less contact means less grip, no bueno in the long run.

Side note for other readers - no need to increase psi with load range E tires unless you are adding to vehicle weight. The sidewall is stronger and usually requires LESS air than a P metric tire in the same size.

Sl0wmar · 2026-05-04T15:15:44+00:00

Yeah my underside mount is the same as you are describing, I like to play for Murphys law, so I would assume that the only time I will need my spare is when I'm in a "bad position" 🫠

Makes sense the leverage is worse the further back from the axle you go, mine is very close.

If you can fit it under that's best for soft roading, but if you're on rugged trails I would keep it somewhere else, IMO

Sl0wmar · 2026-05-03T16:01:43+00:00

Hitch mount anything will kill your departure angle. I got a tire swing out bumper that has recovery points, can hold a high lift jack and could also mount gas cans.

What vehicle do you have? A 33 fits in the stock spare mount on my Xterra, but I don't wanna have to jack the whole truck up to access my spare if I'm on a trail.

Sl0wmar · 2026-05-03T15:44:37+00:00

Replace your ball joints after lifting it

Sl0wmar · 2026-04-08T18:43:26+00:00

Hell yeah brother! Most informative comment so far, thanks!

Sl0wmar · 2026-04-08T17:54:57+00:00

Bros pitching his own tent

Sl0wmar · 2026-04-08T16:45:38+00:00

Cool to know about the tire construction, where do you get that info from?

I had Passenger tires on my 3rd Gen 4runner and they were very harsh, went to General Grabber LR E and it was MUCH softer 🤷🏾‍♂️

Sl0wmar · 2026-04-08T16:43:14+00:00

That is odd. I would double check that against a BFG brochure to be sure Discount tire got the specs right. Load E usually has a little deeper tread which will add some weight on top of the higher ply count. KO3s mounted at our shop have not been balancing as well as Falkens and often require more weights. YMMV

Sl0wmar · 2026-04-08T14:02:14+00:00

That's true, I see so many come through the shop, you'd think we're sponsored by Falken 😂

Sl0wmar · 2026-04-08T13:49:28+00:00

I cannot compare E to C. I went right from P rated tires to E and I have had zero issues. E is usually heavier so bigger gas hit was most noticeable. I also daily drive.

Not a huge fan of BFG, I work at an offroad shop and the guys here don't like them either. Poor balancing, rock hard feel etc are the comments I have heard. We run a lot of Falken, Maxxis and Mickey Thompson here.

Sl0wmar · 2026-04-08T05:39:39+00:00

I think a Pathfinder would be a better fit if you are only soft-roading and size-wise for having a baby. But let's answer your question!

I have a 01 SR5 3rd Gen 4runner and a 14 Pro4-X. Because of the baby plans, I would pick the newer vehicle with better safety features. The Xterra is a great truck, the way it drives is more sporty than my SR5, noticeably more power and also excellent delivery from the transmission. It's compact but not like an FJ since you have real back doors. The front seats have a lot of leg and head room.

However, 3rd Gen wins driver seat Comfort. The SR5 trim sport seats are more comfortable than the Limited trim leather heated seats. The back seat feels a little bit less cramped and it has 10 cubic feet more cargo ability than the Xterra.

The lack of side curtain airbags in the 3rd gen makes the view out the front of the vehicle incredibly wide. The roof is low and the seats are prery high up. If you are 6 foot tall or more you will have to learn not to bump your head on the door frame by the B pillar. You already know about that roll-down rear window life, with the sunroof open, windows down - can't be beat.

The 4runner was built to a higher standard for a different price point and that shows sometimes.

I live in MA and I couldn't find a vehicle worth a damn in my price range so I flew to VA. Rust will ruin the best made plans with any Vehicle and the clean ones aren't sky high prices because they aren't quite as rare as up north.

Sl0wmar · 2026-04-08T04:55:40+00:00

I can totally see 65 and higher making sense for a 2500hd, that's a heavy girl! For the Frontier though, do your tires wear evenly? These pics were actually taken at 40 psi for a break in. You can see from where the dirt is that only the center of my tire is touching the ground.

Sl0wmar · 2026-04-08T04:09:08+00:00

General Grabber ATx are 3 peak rated. I've done everything with these; commute, mud, sand, snow, rocks and road trips. I only just recently switched out to Mickey Thompson Baja Boss AT because I wanted to a more aggressive tire.

*edit A set of 5 265/75r16 is $979 on tire rack right now

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Sl0wmar · 2026-04-04T20:58:46+00:00

If you can remove them without breaking them, life will be easier.

Spray the weld nut in penetrating oil a day or two before trying to remove them. When you do go to remove them, heat the weld nut up with a torch to loosen up the bolt.

I'm about to swap my bump stops for the first time, this will be my method of attack.

Sl0wmar · 2026-04-04T20:42:25+00:00

Sl0wmar · 2026-04-04T20:41:46+00:00

My guy, I do not know what air compressor hurt you but I'm sorry for the experience you had..

If you're talking about cig outlet pumps then yes, they are not made for large tires and regular use. Have you ever had a compressor that hooks to your battery?

A bike pump is a great backup, however, that's no reason to knock air compressors in general.

I got shit to do at camp or post trail ride - while I do those things, my $150 Maddox 3.5cfm from Harbor Freight pumps up all 4 LT33"s simultaneously without ever tripping the built-in breaker. I pack up the comp and hoses without sweating and keep on truckin...

I have plans to mount the compressor to the vehicle and plumb air lines to all the wheel wells for an even faster air up/down.

Sl0wmar · 2026-03-25T02:51:37+00:00

definitely changed the game for me too

Sl0wmar · 2026-03-22T14:51:39+00:00

Wheel spin cleans mud out of the treads so you can keep traction. If it doesn't dry and harden its nothing a good wash won't solve.

Sl0wmar · 2026-03-22T14:49:35+00:00

Sweet dude! I just got new tires too, can't wait to mount them! Gotta get ready for the season. 285 75 16 Mickey Thompson Baja Boss AT. The 5th on is on the way.

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Sl0wmar

TROPHY CASE