What have you done to your 5th Gen 4Runner today?

Installed Yakima roof rack crossbars in preparations to pick up a CVT rtt that I found a good deal on. I am beyond impressed at how sturdy those are and after evaluating everything some more have decided not to be putting on an aftermarket roof rack after all. Stock rails are plenty strong to support an RTT, it’s the crossbars that are the weak and overly flexible point. Yakima blades attached to the rails provide just the right amount of flex and shock absorption that is actually much better in absorbing shocks and distributing impact (during breaking or sideways rocking) before it is applied to the sheetmetal of the roof itself. They are also beyond the capacity of what will be on top. Most RTTs are 120-160lbs range only.
When you add other stuff on top in addition to the weight of the aftermarket roof rack - we’re looking at static forces probably in excess of 300lbs and imagine what that translates to in dynamic forces while off-roading - violently swaying all that mass side to side. I would not put anything beyond the RTT on the roof while in motion.
Consider that at the end of the day aftermarket roof racks use the same 8 bolts to keep everything attached to the roof as well. Again, racks and mounting brackets being made of steel is actually worse for the mounting points (and your vehicles roof) then it is on the stock rails that provide some flex and as such are able to dampen the forces while in motion. Remember that people with aftermarket roof racks have a tendency to load them up even more - additional gear, fuel, water, etc - and again - everything is held up and is kept in place by the same 8 bolts secured to the vehicle’s sheetmetal on the roof.
Look at your vehicle from the front, or the rear, imagine all that load on the top of the roof, and then imagine going over the rough terrain and vehicle rocking side to side. All those forces are being transferred into the vehicles roof, with no dampening (on aftermarket rails) through the 8 small bolts and into the roof sheetmetal
Now, I know that many won’t care because aftermarket roof racks look cool, and you can add all your awnings, ditch lights, water and fuel canisters etc - but, I wanted any future buyers to consider this too. At the end of the day - I’ll trust Toyota engineers far more than any other aftermarket supplier.
Flame on!

 

Got the windows tinted. Blacked out the chrome lug nuts with ColorLugs.

 

Wow you drive so much

 

Looks nice and much cleaner design than the old Thule square style cross bars … but both companies have come a long way!

 

Got my 23 Zero Walkabout RTT in this week and also put together a contraption to hang it in the garage.

 

In all fairness before covid I drove up to 8k miles a year.

 

I find myself agreeing with you. My Ecotechne rack side rails actually rest on the roof seams for the entire length of the rack, which I think is much more robust than the "floating" racks I see these days. I wonder why more racks don't do this, as I think the distribution of load is much more even than relying on the stock mounting locations like you mention. I guess some do require drilling and installing rivets for additional support, but I steered clear of those racks.

 

haha must be nice! I average 25k a year. Wish I had a beater for commuting

 

Concur. Most aftermarket roof racks rest on the roof on forward sections, too. There are pegs that basically provide weight support. But, again, all of the “no drill” roof racks are still secured by those tiny bolts only. Forward brackets will help support the weight from the top - but they do nothing for side to side sway.

 

wired the AOB switch to wiper heater so it will be lit when lights are on and re-arranged the switches
lights on fogs off

lights/fogs on

 

Topped off my first two improvements with tint today. Installed NFab RS nerf bars just before the holidays.

 

So i made an extra payment for the baby, I want this paid for asap and i am blessed with a job in these crazy times, so might as well keep the dream alive.
As I was drinking a beer, my finger slipped on the keyboard, god knows how(???), and I found myself with an order for the Gobi ladder.....
Strange things are happening.....

 

Replaced all my interior bulbs, license plate lights, reverse bulbs and mirror puddle lights with LEDs. Super cheap and easy to do, but definitely worth it.

 

Yeah. There were (and still are) a lot of complaints about the "CNC" racks as they're called, especially the ones that use flat side rails made of quarter inch aluminum. They do almost nothing to prevent the rack's ability to twist and shimmy side to side, at freeway speeds and on the trail.

The Ecotechne may seem heavy and clunky in comparison, but the brake-bent steel siderails, front fairing, and crossbars work together like I-beams (or a boxed frame). When assembled and snugged down to the roof seams, it's immovable. I can rock the entire truck back and forth from grabbing any point on the rack without budging it a millimeter.

 

What’s the product number(s) for the entire set-up? Thank you.

 

You only need two items -

 

That is my concern with aftermarket racks. Ideally, the “basket” will be as solid as possible - but there should be dampeners between the basket and the roof of your truck. Otherwise, all shock from dynamic forces is transferred into the car’s roof.
Did you drill extra holes to get the rack secured to the roof?

 

I appreciate the info. Thank you.

 

Added 4 FJ cruiser cross bars to the pro rack. Trying to make it more functional. The fj bars are a little different but close enough.

 

That looks good

 

Very nice that is a lot of cross bars i think 2 extra bars would be sufficient enough but that is something else how much was each cross bar thanks

 

I would like to do this to one of my switches. What wire did you tie into?

 

Ordered the DiodeDynamics 29mm festoon bulbs for the dome light; Auxito and Yorkim do not fit properly and you will bend the case; the 31mm fit in the tailgate.
Also ordered 2 DD HP5 (194) bulbs for the puddle lights and 2 sidemarkers in pure white.

 

I got them for $30 each. Yea definitely could have gotten away with 2 but I just wanted the extra for the few jerry cans I carry.

 

Love this:
blue tint
clarity
blindspot




Almost same

 

Finally getting around to installing a CB Radio. Went with a 3’ Firestik with 18’ Fire Ring/Stud Mount, the Rago Fab Antenna mount, and Uniden Pro 520XL.

Had some difficulty running the line due to the sliding rear cargo deck, but managed to find a rubber grommet leading straight to the rear bumper. Worked out decent, but plan on re-routing through the bumper so it doesn’t snag on the trunk lid.

 

on my 2020 its white wire from the wiper heater. i will highly rec you check with a multimeter before doing anything cause the wire colors different depending on the year.

 

Nope. Weight and stiffness keeps it firmly in place on the roof seams. The rack is supported directly by the entire length of the roof.

 

that's great deal where did you find them at thanks

 

You have any luck with Jerry can? They changed design and I got screwed by them