December 28, 2023. It's been quite a while - eight months to the day - since the last Rig Review, making this only the second review of 2023. That's just pure lazy on my part, but I'll plead "no way to work on the truck since it's been in Las…
6 CommentsTag: wheels & tires
Wheels and tires.
TL;DR - I'm done with 16" wheels and the limited tire selection they offer. My next set of tires (and therefore wheels) will be 17". I don't need new tires quite yet, but mine will only last another 6-9 months. Finding skinny 16" tires (255/85/R16) with a hybrid AT/MT tread…
Leave a CommentTL;DR - I got my third Cooper ST/Maxx flat ever, all on the same set (my fourth) of tires. I still think they are one of the best tires out there. I got another flat - this time the driver rear - as I was driving home on I-5 after…
Leave a CommentTL;DR - My Cooper ST/Maxx tires finally gave me a bit of trouble. Still, I'll probably buy a 5th set when these wear out because they've performed better than any other tire I've seen others run on the trail. I had two flat tires on our recent trip to run…
Leave a CommentFor much of my childhood, summers were spent in the Plumas National Forest. I have such fond memories of waking up in our favorite campground, earning Junior Ranger patches, and fishing in creeks recently stocked with so many fish that the stream bed was obscured by wriggling tails. And yet,…
20 CommentsTwo of my favorite camping conveniences just got better. Ever since I modified my tire inflator to extend the hose on it - enabling me to inflate tires standing up rather than crouching down - I've been very happy. Old guys don't want to strain their knees when out camping.…
6 CommentsAugust 29, 2020. Well, it's been a while since a rig review - things have been working reasonably well; a nice side effect of constantly evaluating and tweaking the setup of the truck to dial it in. Since last time, we've completed the following trips: Nevada Backcountry Discovery Route Bridge-to-Bridge…
Leave a CommentTL;DR - I gouged a sidewall, and I need a new tire. I've been running Cooper ST/Maxx tires for the last several years. They are a great tire, and I have yet to find a tire that I prefer, overall. Traction is excellent in a variety of terrains, road noise…
Leave a CommentTL;DR - I have four brand new 255/85 R16 ST/Maxx tires on the truck now. Again. I looked around a bit for new tires, given that my ST/Maxx were on their last legs. I also did a bit more digging into why mine were so worn out, as I noticed…
Leave a CommentTL;DR - I've really liked the ST Maxx tires, but they are on their last legs. Time to start a search for replacements. I put a new set of Cooper ST/Maxx 255/85R16 tires on the Tacoma a little over a year ago when I switched to 4Runner 5-spoke wheels. They've…
Leave a CommentI've been putting off rear brake shoe replacement on the 4Runner for quite a while. In fact, it's been almost six months to the day since I replaced the rear axle seals, and I've needed to do the job since then - the gear oil that leaked out through the…
Leave a CommentWhen it rains, it pours! It was only a few weeks ago that I replaced the rear axle seals on the 3rd gen 4Runner. No good deed goes unpunished however, and it was only a couple days after doing the job that the same failure happened on the Tacoma -…
1 CommentWell, as I mentioned previously, our last family camping trip was both a success and a failure. I mean, the camping part was all success, but noticing that my rear axle seals were leaking when we got home - that part was definitely a failure. The telltale oil streak of…
25 CommentsI recently discovered a dreaded gear oil leak on my 4Runner, and knew it meant only one thing - it was time to change the rear axle seals (and bearings and brake shoes since they were now saturated with oil). In addition to the story of the 4Runner repair, and later…
19 CommentsTL;DR - The wheels are awesome and the bronze is a great color IMO. It does not however hold up to brake fluid that sits on the paint for an extended period of time. The 4Runner wheels look great after getting painted bronze in their makeover. The I really couldn't…
Leave a CommentJune 12, 2019. (and really, the preceding two weeks) It's no secret that over the last few years, I've been through quite a few sets of wheels. I started with my stock 15" aluminum alloys, which "had to go" as part of the most expensive brake upgrade ever and resulted in…
28 CommentsIf you're here looking for how to install Tundra 13WL or 13WE brakes on a 3rd gen 4Runner, you can read how I did it on this particular day, but the more useful page for you will probably be this guide: Step by Step Tundra Brake Upgrade on a Tacoma…
36 Comments