Leveled Up TRD Pro 4Runner: Adding More Function to Toyota's Capable SUV

Introduced in 2015, the TRD Pro 4Runner was an attempt by Toyota to capitalize on an increased demand for factory off-road performance by long-time Toyota enthusiasts. Raiding the TRD catalog, the SUV was equipped with upgraded suspension, skid plates, TRD goodies, and unique single year colors. 

In 2020, checking the TRD Pro box gave you a non-metallic Army Green paint, Fox shocks, TRD-specific springs, a locking rear differential, multi-terrain select, Nitto Terra Grappler all-terrain tires, and revised front and rear bumpers. All in all, the TRD Pro 4Runner was a great way to get a vehicle that was trail-ready with a warranty. 

A Good Head Start

For owner Dustin Hunt, the TRD Pro represented a solid foundation for a more capable build. Coming from a 2002 Chevrolet Silverado HD, he wanted something small enough that he could take on narrow East Coast trails, but also comfortable and reliable enough to serve as a solid base for a mild overlanding build.

“My goal has been to build something that suits me and my wife’s lifestyle but not look like a bolt-on mall crawler. We use and abuse this car all over the south east while jamming to Widespread Panic and the Grateful Dead. I’ve got 30k miles on [the 4Runner] and probably 10k have been on a trail.”

Breaking It In

Although most trails in the southeast aren’t going to feature intense obstacles, Dustin has made a point to seek out the most aggressive paths he can find. “I broke off the OEM Predator steps the day I bought it on a trail in North Georgia. I’m glad I did so I could convince my wife we needed rock sliders which are a must if you do any rock crawling.” By testing the TRD Pro at the limits, Dustin quickly found out what worked, what was worth keeping, and what needed to be sold off. 

At 9,000 miles, the factory TRD Pro suspension was removed and replaced with the Ironman Stage 2 lift kit giving the 4Runner a 3” lift. The kit offers upgraded on-road dynamics, and dramatically reduces body roll while increasing stability with excellent off-road touring performance. The Stage 2 kit includes drop-forged upper control arms that allow for factory suspension geometry, making the modification a set-it-and-forget-it ordeal. 

To replace the fragile OEM side steps, a set of custom rock sliders were installed, and a NguyenWorks rear bumper was installed to give extra clearance in the rear. 

Nitto Trail Grappler Mud Terrain Tires

Dustin originally replaced the factory tires with a more aggressive set of all-terrains, but quickly found their limits. “A/Ts and mud just don’t mesh well, and you can’t avoid mud around here. We really struggled getting through the soupy stuff,” he admits. Looking to his fellow trail runners, he set his sights on a set of 285/75/17 Nitto Trail Grappler mud terrain tires. 

Even with a lift, however, the stock 4Runner body could not handle a set of 34” tires. By hammering the pinch welds in the wheel well and doing a body mount chop, the vehicle was ready to handle the larger setup.

Although the Trail Grappler is one of the more aggressive off-road tires in Nitto’s line-up, Dustin has found them to be a perfect match to the upgraded daily-driven 4Runner. “A lot of the people I ride with had the Trail Grapplers and swore by them, and they were making the muddy sections look easy while I had to get through with speed and a prayer. I’m much more confident going solo camping and off-roading with these tires. They shed the mud so well and grip boulders with ease. I had A/Ts before this but they just didn’t cut the mustard for the excursions we go on.” 

Overland Ready

For camping, Dustin was able to score a CVT Mt. Hood roof top tent on an annual sale that makes for a perfect place for him and his wife to rest after a long day on the trails. The tent is mounted on a set of Outgear Solutions low profile crossbars, and accessed via a Baja Designs ladder. 

By focusing almost exclusively on the functional aspect of this build, he has created a perfect OEM+ version of the TRD Pro 4Runner. Nothing looks out of place or ornamental, and for an off-road focused vehicle, that’s the ticket for a head-turning aesthetic. But while looks are hard to ignore, this is a vehicle that has been built to be driven. 

The TRD Pro provides a worthwhile head start to a purpose-built machine, especially as one of the few BOF SUVs left in the market. Dustin’s modifications have taken it to the next level performance wise without sacrificing drivability or reliability. We’d say that’s not only a victory for him, but for the overall success of the 4Runner platform in general. 

Luvzilla Attacks! How a 1970s Chevy Minitruck Became a 1,500 Horsepower Twin-Turbo Track Monster

A cheap, disposable mini pickup truck from the 1970s and “dream car” might sound like fundamentally opposed things. And for the vast majority of normal people they are.

But Carl Pegnatori is not a normal person. Or even a normal car enthusiast for that matter. Yes, there are some mainstream, highly desirable vehicles in his stable, including a bagged Hellcat and a ’71 Hemi ‘Cuda convertible project. 

Outside the Box

But Carl also has a love for the unusual. His garage includes the rare GMC Syclone pickup truck, a heavily modified 1962 Corvair and not one but two Chevrolet LUV pickups, including the one you see here that’s known as “Luvzilla.”

Coming from a working class family, Carl’s automotive tastes were always on the blue collar side of things, first owning a Plymouth Barracuda before venturing into the minitruck scene in high school, where he discovered his love (pun intended) for the Chevy LUV.

Years went by, and after hitting new levels of success with his athletic equipment company Carl finally had the means to own his dream cars. But it wasn’t a high-end exotic or luxury machine he had his eye on. It was the humble little Isuzu-built, Chevy-branded LUV truck.

In 2013, he spent $3,000 for a 1974 LUV and the 10-year journey began which has resulted in the radical pickup truck you see here. One that’s been torn down and rebuilt three different times.

As with many long term projects, Carl says things “spiraled out of control,” and looking at the truck we have no reason to doubt him.

The Ten-Year Build

But now with the help of builders KATG Motorsports and Mike Saiki, Luvzilla is just about ready to hit the street, and soon the track.

You’ll be forgiven if you don’t immediately recognize Carl’s truck as a LUV. With the aggressive, one-off brushed aluminum wide-body there are but a few elements left from the original truck’s shape.

And beneath the wide-body sits a custom-built chassis from KATG Motorsports, packing one-off front suspension and an Art Morrison IRS setup in the rear.

Being a Chevrolet, and one that’s been built to go very fast you’d naturally expect Luvzilla to have a V8 under the hood, likely a member of the the ubiquitous LS family. But Carl went against the grain here as well.

No V8 Here

It’s still a General Motors engine, but it’s not a V8. It’s a 4.3L V6, but this one has been fully built from the ground up and is now fed by a pair of 58mm Garrett turbochargers. The gearbox is a built manual valve-body TH400 automatic.

When asked why he went with a V6 instead a much more common small block V8, Carl says he likes the smaller size and lighter weight of the 4.3, and also the fact that it stands out from the sea of V8s out there.

And with an estimated 1,500 horsepower and 1,100 pound feet of torque, the smaller engine is not lacking for power under anyone’s definition. Especially when you consider Luvzilla weighs in at just 2,500 pounds.

With those kind of numbers, bringing Luvzilla to a stop and putting all that power to the ground was crucial. Braking is handled by a set of enormous 14-inch Wilwood discs front and rear.

The custom chassis and aggressive widebody also allow Carl to run wheels and tires that couldn’t have been dreamed of on a stock LUV truck, with Weld S77 wheels 19”x10" in the front and 19"x12" in the rear.

Street & Track

Carl isn’t shy about his need for speed, and the one thing constant about all of his vehicles are their Nitto tires, which he puts to work on the twisty roads and race tracks of Southern California.

And with serious track work in its future, Luvzilla runs Nitto NT01 DOT-compliant road course tires: 295/30/R19 in the front and 335/30/R19 in the rear. And that sounds like a formula to scare some Corvette drivers at the race track.

Carl admits that Luvzilla has been long and sometimes stressful project, but he sees the light at the end of project vehicle tunnel. It should be fully finished this summer and from there he plans to put all of that hard work to the test.

Among his plans are as many track days as possible, events like the Hot Rod Power Tour, and he even plans to let some pro drifters borrow Luvzilla to see how it slides.

Carl admits that he easily could have bought a brand new supercar with the money he’s invested in this little minitruck, but he has no regrets. And when it comes to being unique, Luvzilla makes a new McLaren or Ferrari look like a Toyota Camry.

15,000 Mile Ridge Grappler Review: Daily Driven Chevrolet Silverado High Country 4WD

No other vehicle on the road today has more demanded of it than the modern pickup. As trucks have made the transition from utility to luxury, owners want every bit of both sides of functionality. A 4WD equipped model needs to not only perform on the trail, but also look the part of a proper off-roader. Additionally, with the stratospheric prices of modern pickups, most owners need it to function excellently on-road as well since it is often their sole vehicle.

Regardless of the vehicle’s design, that breadth of usability isn’t possible without an equally capable set of tires. Twenty years ago, the thought of commuting on mud tires would have been reserved for the most insane of off-road junkies.

Nitto’s Ridge Grappler Hybrid Terrain tire, however, features a revolutionary dynamic tread pattern that provides a quiet and comfortable ride with off-road performance capabilities. Head up to the local mall in Georgia, and you’ll see dozens of daily-driven trucks with Ridge Grapplers. Did Nitto actually pull off the ideal off and on-road combo?

Owner Anthony McConnell is mostly a car guy, but has generally always had a truck as his daily driver. Coming from a lowered F150 prior to this 2017 Chevrolet Silverado High Country, he wanted this truck to be more practical and have an aggressive off-road look.

Off-Road Performance 

His priorities for tires were actually more on-road focused, paying careful attention to tread life and road noise specifically. He was not willing to sacrifice too much off-road functionality or aesthetics though. He admitted, “I prefer a little bit of both [types of driving]. I've used my truck for many different projects. Whether it be driving down the highway to Fernandina Beach, FL and cruising across the sand or pulling 30+ bushes and trees out of my front yard, I wanted the traction and control that these tires provide.”

He has had the 33x12.5x18 Nitto Ridge Grapplers on the truck for 17,000 miles so far, and has found ample uses for the deep aggressive sidewall lugs and carefully engineered tread pattern. “The best example I have is driving in the sand at Fernandina beach, FL. There were signs everywhere stating "4x4" only. Of course, my truck is a 4x4 but I never had to need or even had to engaging it. It was a little funny to see a decent amount of people getting stuck even with 4x4 engaged, but the Silverado handled it effortlessly.”

On-Road Manners

On-road, he’s had equally positive performance. Not only is he pleased with the tread life and road noise, he’s been impressed with wet weather traction. Wet weather can be unpredictable in the South (as evidenced by these pictures), and while most mud-capable tires can be a bit slippery in the rain, the Ridge Grapplers have impressed.

Additionally, by sizing down his wheel diameter from the stock 20s, he gained a meaty sidewall with the Ridge Grapplers on an 18-inch wheel which has been a welcome improvement to the stock ride. Aesthetically, the taller tires, bold sidewall design, and Method wheels give the originally luxury-focused truck a more aggressive look.

Best of Both Worlds?

If there is any concession that’s been made, it is that there’s been a drop in MPG with the oversized 33x12.5x18 over the stock 32” equivalent tires that would come with any larger tire. Although he has plenty of life left in his current set of Ridge Grapplers, Anthony has already decided that he’d buy them again in the future.

“I have considered going with a less aggressive tire in the future solely due to gas mileage. Honestly though, I'd much rather have the quality, traction, and look of the Ridge Grappler over a slight improvement in mileage. I mean, it's a truck after all.”

Modern trucks require modern tires. Anthony purchased the Silverado High Country 4WD to be a luxury vehicle, a commuter, a hauler, and an off-roader. For Anthony, the Ridge Grappler hybrid terrain has succeeded in all of those same categories of performance without compromising the core aesthetics and function of the truck.