1993 Toyota 4Runner - 4x4Runner

When it came time to design the suspension, Caskey left the factory components far behind. In place of the stock independent front suspension and rear coil springs are 17-inch Bilstein coilovers and Eibach coils. The front suspension is a three-link design with a panhard bar, while the rear geometry consists of a triangulated four-link with a Currie Anti-Rock sway bar added for stability. All the control arm links are constructed of 1.75-inch, 0.281-wall DOM tubing and capped with 3/4-inch rod ends. Fitment for the suspension required the front clip and the rear portion of the frame to be removed. In their place, Caskey used 2-inch, 0.120-wall DOM tubing for strength and rigidity while accommodating the suspension. After fine-tuning the front suspension, Caskey is so pleased with its performance that he is now offering his three-link coilover kit to the public.

Additional body modifications were mainly performed to limit vulnerability on the trail. The entire cab was gutted, and the windshield frame has been vacant for years. At this point, ORS employee Hans Nelson performed some tricky sheetmetal work. In the rear, the hatch was grafted on behind the rear doors to create a small, makeshift bed behind the back seats. The rear fenderwells were also removed and replaced with custom sheetmetal to cover the big Swampers and custom fuel cell required by the four-link suspension.

The front tires are covered by a narrowed hood and heavily cut fenders that mount to the front tubework. The grille was narrowed to match the hood and fitted with Hella lights to provide some semblance of legality. Even though the doors were welded shut, Caskey chose to coat his Toyota in deep yellow instead of painting it orange and putting a Confederate flag on the roof. Speaking of the roof, it is protected from invading rocks by an exocage that also envelopes the A- and C-pillars and ties into the frame at multiple locations.

Now Mike Caskey finally has a rig that looks as good as it performs. With the kinds of trails he tackles though, we doubt it will stay that way for long.