[TrailDust]

Regarding the tires I'd suggest visiting both tirerack.com and discounttiredirect.com, plugging in your vehicle information, and then assessing the tires available for your Highlander. You can select multiple tires for comparison, and read both professional reviews and owner reviews about each tire. They're great tools at helping you narrow down which tire to buy.

 

[shortlid]

Lift kit?

highlander.
I have been looking around but cant seem to find any lift kits made for highlanders? does anyone know where these are or would another vehicles lift kit fit on?

I live in Halifax, Nova Scotia but will be moving to Newfoundland in Sept.
I have a budget of around 1000-2000.

Bigger tires maybe but anyone ever heard of a Highlander lift kit?

 

[TrailDust]

Bigger tires maybe but anyone ever heard of a Highlander lift kit?

Never. I think due to the type of SUV you'll never see one either. I think only one CAI is out there on the market for 1st Gen Highlanders due to lack of market because of owner demographics.

 

[jabberwock]

I'd suggest you get a different SUV instead of modding a highlander for off-road duty. Highlander with a snorkel would just look stupid.

 

[Offroad Newbie]

The highlander has been through hell and back with me so i'd like to keep it. Plus i have the highlander and dont want to spend money on a different SUV or truck(which is what i woulda got, a nice Toyota half ton) so i want to find any possible way to even get a couple more inchs in it.

And as to the comment about the snorkel looking stupid.....yes i know it would but if it was lifted with some tires i wouldnt care how stupid it looked if it went through big dirty mud holes.

 

[jabberwock]

The highlander has been through hell and back with me so i'd like to keep it. Plus i have the highlander and dont want to spend money on a different SUV or truck(which is what i woulda got, a nice Toyota half ton) so i want to find any possible way to even get a couple more inchs in it.

And as to the comment about the snorkel looking stupid.....yes i know it would but if it was lifted with some tires i wouldnt care how stupid it looked if it went through big dirty mud holes.

Sorry about snorkel comment did not mean to sound so harsh - the Highlander chassis with its unibody construction is just not designed for any real serious off-roading. Driving on a gravel road sure - but its not going to survive regularly going thru anything where you'd need a snorkel.

 

[shortlid]

The highlander has been through hell and back with me so i'd like to keep it. Plus i have the highlander and dont want to spend money on a different SUV or truck(which is what i woulda got, a nice Toyota half ton) so i want to find any possible way to even get a couple more inchs in it.

And as to the comment about the snorkel looking stupid.....yes i know it would but if it was lifted with some tires i wouldnt care how stupid it looked if it went through big dirty mud holes.

The snorkeled air intake is a very small part of REAL fording capability. Rigs like the FJ Cruiser have all electronics and wires routed through the roof to keep them high and dry. It also had extended diff vents to keep water from infiltraing them. I don't think the enginers working on the Highlander even took fording capability into the design. The Highlander is a Toyota Camry platform based crossover SUV, even lacking low range.

I love my '04 V6, 4WD, 7 passanger Highlander especialy with four snows mounted it will go through anything New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont and Qubec has thrown at it. But I have a friend in Merrimack, New Hampshire that has a boulder strewn trail that is much quicker to get to his house. I would not even atempt it with the Highlander, but he drives a bone stock 2002 Nissian Pathfinder down the trail every day to and from work. But he has nose to tail skid plates, locking diff. up front limited slip rear, and low range! On the flip side he get 17 mpg, only seats 5 people in a much smaller uni-body SUV.

I don't want dampen your spirts either but the Highlander can put up with alot but under heavy off-roading conditions in remote areas of NB very expensive parts will start beaking. I have owned Toyota FJ60's and a 1949 Willy Overland Jeep. They were set-up for heavy off roading but there are draw backs to everything.

 

[bepperb]

This guy might help, but really this link should show you the limitations more than how to do it:

http://www.tundrasolutions.com/forums/highlander/192033-safely-raised-04-highlander-kluger-1-a/

Really getting some 225/75 or 235/75 all terrain tires is probably about as far as one can easily go. Our air intake is probably higher off the ground than the water I'd be willing to drive through.

 

[Elevated805]

Did you ever get it lifted? If so post some pix.