1998 TOYOTA 4RUNNER suspension

4RUNNER (1998)
NOTICE
Do not perform any of the follow-
ing changes without consultingyourToyota dealer. Such changes can
interfere with proper operation ofthe SRS airbag system in somecases.
Installation of electronic itemssuch as a mobile two- way ra- dio, cassette tape player or
compact disc player
Modification of the suspensionsystem
Modification of the front endstructure
Attachment of a grille guard(bull bar, kangaroo bar, etc.),
snowplow, winches or any otherequipment to the front end
Repairs made on or near thefront end structure, console, steering column, steering wheel
or dashboard near the frontpassenger airbag

4RUNNER (1998)
Part 2
INFORMATION
BEFORE DRIVING
YOUR TOYOTA
Off- road vehicle precautions
Break- in period
Fuel
Operation in foreign countries
Three- way catalytic converter
Engine exhaust cautions
Facts about engine oil
consumption
Twin ground electrode spark plugs
Brake system
Brake pad wear limit
indicators
Luggage stowage precautions
Your Toyota's identification
Theft prevention labels
Suspension and chassis
Types of tires
InformationOff- road vehicle precaution

4RUNNER (1998)
CAUTION
Always observe the following pre-
cautions to minimize the risk of
serious personal injury or damage
to your vehicle: Avoid sharp turns or abrupt ma-
neuvers, if at all possible. As
with other vehicles of this type,
failure to operate this vehicle
correctly may result in loss of
control or vehicle rollover.
Avoid loading any items on the
roof that will make the center
of gravity even higher.
Always slow down in gusty
crosswinds. Because of its high
center of gravity, your vehicle
is more sensitive to side winds
than an ordinary passenger car.
Slowing down will allow you to
have much better control.
Do not drive horizontally across
steep slopes. Driving straight
up or straight down is pre-
ferred. Your vehicle (or any sim-
ilar off- road vehicle) can tip
over sideways much more easi-
ly than forward or backward.When driving off- road or in
rugged terrain, do not drive at
excessive speeds, jump the ve-
hicle, or strike objects, etc.
This may cause loss of control
or vehicle rollover. You are also
risking expensive damage to y-
our vehicle's suspension and
chassis.
Break- in period
Drive gently and avoid high speeds.
Your vehicle does not need an elabo-
rate break- in. But following a few sim-
ple tips for the first 1600 km (1000
miles) can add to the future economy
and long life of your vehicle:
Do not drive over 88 km/h (55
mph).
Run the engine at moderate speed
between 2000 and 4000 rpm.
Avoid full- throttle starts.
Try to avoid hard stops during the
first 300 km (200 miles).
Do not drive slowly with the manu-
al transmission in a high gear.
Do not drive for a long time at any
single speed, either fast or slow.
Do not tow a trailer during the first
800km (500miles).

4RUNNER (1998)
NOTICE
You should not attempt to remove
the theft prevention labels as itmay violate certain state or feder-al laws.
Suspension and chassis
CAUTION
Do not modify the suspension/
chassis with lift kits, spacers,
springs, etc. It can cause danger-
ous handling characteristics re-
sulting in loss of control.
Types of tires
Determine what kind of tires your
vehicle is originally equipped with.
1. Summer tires
Summer tires are high- speed capabili-
ty tires best suited to highway driving
under dry conditions.
Since summer tires do not have the
same traction performance as snow
tires, summer tires are inadequate for
driving on snow- covered or icy roads.
For driving on snow- covered or icy
roads, we recommend using snow
tires. If installing snow tires, be sure
to replace all four tires. 2. All season tires
All season tires are designed to pro-
vide better traction in snow and to be
adequate for driving in most winter
conditions, as well as for use all year
round.
All season tires, however, do not have
adequate traction performance
compared with snow tires in heavy or
loose snow. Also, all season tires fall
short in acceleration and handling per-
formance compared with summer tires
in highway driving.

4RUNNER (1998)
A safety chain must always be
used between the towing vehicle
and the trailer. Leave sufficient
slack in the chain for turns. The
chain should cross under the
trailer tongue to prevent the
tongue from dropping to the
ground in case it becomes dam-
aged or separated. For correct
safety chain procedures, follow
the hitch or trailer manufactur-
er 's recommendations.
CAUTION
If the total trailer weight ex-
ceeds 453 kg (1000 lb.), trailer
brakes are required .
Never tap into your vehicle's
hydraulic system as it would
lower its braking effectiveness .
Never tow a trailer without us-
ing a safety chain securely atta-
ched to both the trailer and the
vehicle. If damage occurs to the
coupling unit or hitch ball,
there is danger of the trailer
wandering over into another
lane.
TIRES
Ensure that your vehicle's tires are
properly inflated. See Chapter 7- 2
for instructions.
The trailer tires should be inflated
to the pressure recommended by
the trailer manufacturer in respect
to the total trailer weight.
TRAILER LIGHTS Trailer lights must comply with fed-
eral, state/provincial and local re-
gulations. See your local recre-
ational vehicle dealer or rental
agency for the correct type of wir-
ing and relays for your trailer.
Check for correct operation of the
turn signals and stop lights each
time you hitch up. Direct splicing
may damage your vehicle's electri-
cal system and cause a malfunc-
tion of your lights.
BREAK- IN SCHEDULE Toyota recommends that you do
not tow a trailer with a new vehicle
or a vehicle with any new power
train component (engine, transmis-
sion, differential, wheel bearing,
etc.) for the first 800 km (500
miles) of driving. MAINTENANCE
If you tow a trailer, your vehicle
will require more frequent
maintenance due to the additional
load. For this information, please
refer to the scheduled maintenance
information in the ºOwner 's Manual
Supplement/Maintenance Scheduleº.
Retighten all fixing bolts of the
towing ball and bracket after
approximately 1000 km (600 miles)
of trailer driving.
PRE- TOWING SAFETY CHECK
Check that your vehicle remains
level when a loaded or unloaded
trailer is hitched. Do not drive if
the vehicle has an abnormal nose-
up or nose- down condition, and
check for improper tongue load,
overload, worn suspension or other
possible causes.
Make sure the trailer cargo is se-
curely loaded so that it cannot
shift.
Check that your rear view mirrors
conform to any applicable federal,
state/provincial or local regulation.
If not, install the rear view mirrors
required for towing purpose.