For those that offroad their LR4...a few questions before I pull the trigger

[avslash]

thanks for all the info! I am finding it incredibly helpful.

I got the beast home yesterday. Seemed like that wait took months instead of days. Now the real fun begins. I have a ton of work travel the next few weeks (probably months) so it will be a little slow going but we still have some time for the snow to melt in the high country though I might sneak out to Moab just for the heck of it if we can get the motor back in the 4runner this weekend.

One thing I opted out of was an extended warranty. I was planning to purchase one since buying this through my local JLR dealer but it was 25% of the cost of the vehicle. Seemed steep to me. We do all our own work on all our vehicles and I can't imagine this will be THAT much more difficult. Hope I don't regret it but feeling better about it since this is a '13 and in theory, the biggest ticket item should have been addressed with upgraded parts - or so I have found in researching it.

One thing I seem to be "missing" on this is are electrical connections for a trailer. Looks like a pretty easy kit from JC to solve that. I have a '65 14-foot "canned ham" trailer I restored a few years back that I pull for hunting season. no brakes...just lights.

I'm sure I'll come up with a bunch more questions along the way but at least now i have a platform to build off of sitting in the driveway

Atlantic British sells a wiring harness for the trailer that is known to work. Might be a better bet than Whitney.

 

[Bryan Jones]

2.5" Proud Rhino lift rods
255/55r19 Goodyear Duratracs (for now )
Everything else is bone stock. I off road mine all the time

 

[Rkymtnman]

Atlantic British sells a wiring harness for the trailer that is known to work. Might be a better bet than Whitney.

Ha...I was thinking JC's British - a rover candy shop on the front range but Atlantic British is what I actually meant...now I think I confused myself! That Atlantic British is the harness I was looking at.

 

[cperez]

One thing I seem to be "missing" on this is are electrical connections for a trailer. Looks like a pretty easy kit from JC to solve that.

Atlantic British has an excellent OEM alternative to the LR trailer wiring harness. I've installed 2 of them in 2 different LR4s with no problem and with solid performance. I think it was on sale recently but that may be over now.

 

[Rkymtnman]

So I have been going over (and over...and over) this thread and others. One question (for now)...

I see the Proud Rhino strut spacer kit comes with or without rods. I also see that @avslash uses adjustable rods. Curious to understand the logic behind that. Do the adjustable rods give you more lift than a non-adjustable kit or do they just allow you to run "less lift" whenever you are not on the trail? I realize they are just adjusting the height sensors and like that they correct (for lack of a better term) the sensors to a stock position after installing the spacer kit.

If I understand what @mbw was saying in an earlier post, rods do almost nothing to correct fitment issues. After crawling around under this thing yesterday, fitment seems dictated by the tiny wheel wells and action of the suspension. The lift will just give me better ground clearance.

Thinking I am going to target my choices and efforts to run a 32.1". Correct me if i am wrong but the only additional "mods" I would need for 33's is more aggressive trimming.

Ordered the IID tool and planning to address lift/tires and sliders in the sort term to get started. Thanks for all advise!! I'm really finding I love this thing far more than I had thought. I am "downsizing" out of a Denali duramax pick up and the goal was a streetable trail rig that could handle mountain passes and trip to the airport. Starting to think i have found the best of both worlds.

 

[Bryan Jones]

If I'm correct, the adjustable rods allow you to go from stock height, to lifted by adjusting the rods. The other rods, just lift it.

 

[avslash]

So I have been going over (and over...and over) this thread and others. One question (for now)...

I see the Proud Rhino strut spacer kit comes with or without rods. I also see that @avslash uses adjustable rods. Curious to understand the logic behind that. Do the adjustable rods give you more lift than a non-adjustable kit or do they just allow you to run "less lift" whenever you are not on the trail? I realize they are just adjusting the height sensors and like that they correct (for lack of a better term) the sensors to a stock position after installing the spacer kit.

If I understand what @mbw was saying in an earlier post, rods do almost nothing to correct fitment issues. After crawling around under this thing yesterday, fitment seems dictated by the tiny wheel wells and action of the suspension. The lift will just give me better ground clearance.

Thinking I am going to target my choices and efforts to run a 32.1". Correct me if i am wrong but the only additional "mods" I would need for 33's is more aggressive trimming.

Ordered the IID tool and planning to address lift/tires and sliders in the sort term to get started. Thanks for all advise!! I'm really finding I love this thing far more than I had thought. I am "downsizing" out of a Denali duramax pick up and the goal was a streetable trail rig that could handle mountain passes and trip to the airport. Starting to think i have found the best of both worlds.

The adjustable rods only difference from standard lift rods is that they have an extra notch in the upper section.

This allows you to switch from standard height to the 2.5" lift without removing the rods. You just flick them from one notch to the other.

These are in contrast to the true "adjustable" rods that are available that have a threaded coupling. These allow you to individually adjust each corner.

 

[Bogwhoppit]

I live off-road. Yes, down a sand road in the Pine Barrens. My LR4 doesn't see a lot of rocks, but it does get very deep muddy bomb-holes, massive flooding on the trails this past year, and sugar sand is highly abrasive. My suggestion is: 1. Gap tool, 2. Tires and wheels -265x65x18 -GFB A/T's, then stop right there. Wait and see what you may need. Plenty of people run with no bulbar, no HD (mine isn't and I run with Rubicons and lifted Cherokees all day) Christ, if a bloody Trail Hawk can run Imogene/ Black Bear stock except for tires so can a stock LR4 EASILY - Look what Andrew St. Pierre White did on Baboons Pass with 19" tires at 45psi LOL. I suggest you keep the weight down, and any armor you add, make it Aluminium. Just don't make the mistake of adding to much **** to your vehicle to the detriment of your GVWR, especially if its a daily driver like mine.

If you need to add weight, exchange some weight, say by removing the 3rd row, and the second row of seats, if you don't use them.

 

[ktm525]

Love it. Add Lightness.

 

[Rkymtnman]

usually I add lightness by chopping a buncha **** off but this thing is just too pretty. Point taken however.

For those of you who have them....where did you mount your ham radio? I have a small dual band kenwood I'd like to install but only found 1 place to do so...in the passenger footwell area. Suggestions?