Feature Friday: Keegan Daly’s Toyota 4Runner Built for Adventure
Keegan Daly’s 4Runner has been built with a clear purpose from the start: protection, preparedness, and capability.
Rather than centering the build around one standout modification, Keegan has focused on creating a setup that works as a whole. Suspension, recovery gear, storage, and protection all play a part in making the 4Runner better suited for time off pavement and the kind of travel he has in mi
Known as @RecceRunner on Instagram, Keegan has built his Toyota 4Runner around protection, storage, recovery gear, and the kind of supporting upgrades that make sense for a vehicle meant to spend time away from pavement. His current setup includes Old Man Emu MT64 suspension, a Dobinsons snorkel, roof-mounted storage, Maxtrax, MOLLE organization, recovery hardware, and a long list of smaller upgrades that all fit the same overall direction.
What stands out most is that there is an actual theme behind the build. Keegan isn’t just adding parts because they are available. The goal is protection, capability, and making the 4Runner better equipped for travel off the beaten path.
Building Around Protection
Keegan describes the part he loves most about the setup as “the design philosophy of making an armoured vehicle.”
That idea carries through a lot of the build.
Rather than focusing on one dramatic modification, he has added equipment throughout the 4Runner that supports durability, storage, recovery, and self-sufficiency. The setup includes an RCI 2-inch recovery skid step, a Factor 55 Crossbeam Shackle, Maxtrax recovery boards, and multiple mounting solutions for carrying gear securely.
The interesting part is that Keegan still sees protection as an area where the build can go further.
When asked what he would change or do differently if he started over, his answer wasn’t that he would remove anything. He would add more skid plates and rock sliders.
That tells you a lot about where the build is headed.
Old Man Emu MT64 Suspension
Underneath the 4Runner, Keegan is running an Old Man Emu MT64 suspension setup.
For a build carrying additional gear and moving toward more protection underneath and around the vehicle, suspension becomes a major part of the equation. The MT64 setup gives the build a stronger foundation for the added weight and the kind of terrain Keegan is preparing the 4Runner to handle.
It also fits the overall philosophy of the vehicle. This isn’t a build centered around achieving a certain stance for photos. The suspension is part of a larger system that includes recovery equipment, storage, roof-mounted gear, and future armor upgrades.
That makes it one of the more important pieces of the entire setup, even if it isn’t always the first thing you notice.
A 4Runner Set Up for Storage and Recovery
A big part of Keegan’s build is dedicated to organizing and carrying gear.
Inside, he is running Cali Raised MOLLE shelving and panels, along with rear seatback mats, aluminum MOLLE sun visor panels, an aluminum dash mount, and additional small storage solutions throughout the cabin.
The same approach continues outside.
A G88 roof rack gives Keegan plenty of room for gear up top, while a Greenlane ladder makes that roof-mounted setup easier to access. Garage88 side-load panels add even more usable exterior storage along the rear quarter area, giving him another place to secure equipment without taking up interior space.
Recovery equipment is a major part of the setup as well.
Keegan carries four Maxtrax MK2 recovery boards, using Maxtrax universal pins, Maxlox hardware, and a KAON folding Maxtrax mount. A RotopaX water container and multiple mounting brackets add another layer of preparation for longer trips or time spent farther from pavement.
None of these upgrades are especially flashy on their own, but together they make the 4Runner feel much more intentional.
Snorkel and Air Intake Protection
One of the more distinctive upgrades on Keegan’s 4Runner is the Dobinsons snorkel kit, paired with a Sy-Klone Series 9001 air precleaner.
That combination fits the build especially well because it extends the same protection-focused thinking to the engine’s air intake.
The Dobinsons snorkel and Sy-Klone air precleaner fit naturally with the rest of Keegan’s build. Together, they add another layer of protection to the intake system and reinforce the same focus on durability and preparedness that runs through the rest of the 4Runner.
Lighting, Interior Details, and the Smaller Upgrades
Not every part of a complete Toyota 4Runner build has to involve suspension or recovery equipment.
Keegan has also spent time on the smaller details that make the 4Runner easier to live with.
A Cali Raised dual-zone light bar adds exterior lighting, while Meso Customs red and white interior lighting improves visibility inside the cabin. He has also added WellVisors window deflectors, AJT climate and radio knobs, an AJT transfer case knob and trim ring, blackout exterior pieces, upgraded floor mats, and several smaller interior and exterior details.
There are practical safety upgrades in the mix too, including an extinguisher mount and fire extinguisher.
That combination of big and small modifications is part of what makes the build feel complete. It isn’t just an off-road parts list. Keegan has addressed storage, visibility, recovery, organization, safety, and everyday usability along the way.
What’s Next for Keegan’s 4Runner
Keegan already has a well-developed setup, but he’s still focused on adding more protection. When asked what he would do differently if he started over, his answer was simple: more skid plates and rock sliders.
More underbody protection would push the 4Runner even further toward the design philosophy he already has in mind: a vehicle that feels prepared, protected, and ready to deal with rough terrain without turning every obstacle into a concern.
That is what makes this Feature Friday interesting.
What ties Keegan’s build together is how consistently each upgrade supports the way he wants to use the 4Runner. The suspension, recovery gear, storage, and exterior equipment all point toward the same goal: a setup that is more prepared, more functional, and better suited for time off pavement.
Keegan’s 4Runner already has a clear identity, and the next round of upgrades looks set to push that same protection-focused approach even further.
You can follow Keegan and see more of the build on Instagram at @RecceRunner.
Want to see your 4Runner featured next? Submit your ride for an upcoming TD4R Feature Friday.