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

Read less. Explore more. the bug has bitten.

 

Yep, the bug has definitely bitten hard. Sadly, reading's all I've got for the moment! *laughs* We're currently in the planning stages for a trip to Arizona sometime next year. My Wife has some family there, as well as some places she wants to show me, and we're going to hit Broken Arrow Trail.

 

I've been prepping for a TransAmerica Trail trip this summer, and added two new mods lately. I'm being intentional to keep most of the 4R as close to stock as possible, and spend the $$ to explore and learn more before making more mods. Experience, learn, evaluate, prioritize and decide is the approach...here's the latest:

• BajaRack rear ladder (allows for loading/unloading my kayak & future spare fuel mount as needed)
• Apex Overland front recovery points (safety capability without the excess weight of a bumper)

A few pics...

 

Bay Area Metal Fab (BAMF) bolt on sliders installed. Love Jerry’s craftsmanship - had BAMF sliders on my Tacoma as well.

 

PM me
not 100% on the question
Talking about door panels and window frame?

 

Keep us posted on this

 

Will do.

 

I installed a Victory 4x4 Blitz Bumper. Upon receiving bumper, I noticed a bad ding on one corner, perhaps from a drop, and another scrape on the drivers side of the bumper. The passenger side scrape/drop resulted in bare metal showing. I went ahead with the install and I have to say, solo its a PITA but got it all buttoned up and noticed that the passenger side facia bows out a little. I have a little OCD and this didn't sit well with me so the following day I actually removed the bumper and attempted to get it over just a bit. You can see in the picture I gained about an 1/8" to the passengers side favor. Again, after all buttoned up and tightened down, I still have a small bow. I have contacted Victory and awaiting to hear back from them. I wonder if the ding on the passenger side is the problem here?

 

Looks like more than one person had a victory4x4 day. We started on the rear last night then a hell of a storm rolled through. So will continue today or tomorrow when all this passes.

 

So the passenger side bumper bowing I believe is a pretty common issue with recent 5th gen 4Runners. There are several threads on both major forums about this. For some, it just develops over time with hot/cold climate cycles. For others, it starts once the front bumper has been removed and replaced at least once. I am also experiencing this after having removed/replaced my front bumper. I don't think this is related to your victory bumper. Some believe that the plastic retaining clips are really one-time use only and that new clips can solve the issue. I believe there is a TSB related to this. Most dealers have been unable to fix.

 

Yep there is a tsb but results have been mixed

 

Called Vroom to check the status of their paperwork...

 

Quick note:
Removing this stuff with acetone requires some pressure while rubbing it off
That said I foresee it staying on a while

 

Agreed, however most people are NOT attentive at all. I do subscribe to the theory that these systems make some people more reliant on them as opposed to just paying attention. Like the girl I saw on her cell who dipped her wheels into the grass not 1 not 2 but 3 times in 40 seconds in her older Mustang. No drivers nanny will fix a proper idiot. But letting my distain for said nannies ebb just a bit, it is possible to not use them as a crutch for the weak but as perhaps a convenience, and possibly a coach or an aid.

My wife is a pretty good driver. By that I mean that I'm not clinging to the door handle screaming to get out. But she does have poor spacial awareness and will hug the left line in whatever lane she is in. I have a tendency to comment on it way too much, thus causing arguments sometimes because I'm being "critical". The point is, is that the lane departure will bark at her now and not me, sparing me the tension somewhat. Because she'll then say, rather irritated, "I KNOW what you're thinking, so you can just say it." But my satisfactory silence is golden. So I have found it helpful in that respect.

Plus I have found that the adaptive cruise control is quite handy for establishing and maintaining a proper draft on the semi in front of me on the freeway to help with milage. I don't fret the fuel cost much because I know what I bought, but I'm not ignorant to 2mpg being a 10+ percent improvement either. Lol! Damn the new $550 car payment.

 

Lol! Me too, just a few days prior. Nice taste.

Also got the lift installed before the sliders and new K02's just last week. Ignore the missing center caps. Shop had to get me new ones after failing to remove them before taking off the lugs with the impact.

Right after purchase I picked up a Scangauge, Weathertech mats f/r and a Husky liner for the cargo area (had better coverage).

The wife is already a smoke show, but now she's a smoke show in a nicely outfitted rig.

 

If you go back to page 500 in this forum you will see I did fix the sensor. Gave a close up shot of my grill. Even though I don't like the tss system, I don't really like looking at the light on my dash either. Cheers!

 

Sorry is always easier than permission!

 

Oh I wasn't being critical. Just trying to get used to the idea of the nannies myself. Yeah that light would bother me too.

 

No worries. When I bought the bumper I knew I may be opening a can of worms. The fix wasn't too painful. Just had to do some fabrication. It all worked out.

 

I ripped it off like a bandaid and spent 3k before our first payment. I think I got away with it because it was her truck.

My Taco had to wait years for all the goodies. And I had to spread it out over years too. Trucks 17 years old.

edit: here’s some pics. Put the L Track in the bed to help keep shit from flying out on trips.

 

Same here. Sounds like my house. When I was building on my tacoma, she was not happy. But the 4runner was a different story.

 

Checked off my very first mods (of a long list) today - thanks to many members here!

Swapped out my low beams with some nice white Katana LEDs (image shows old/new) tried my hand at plastidip on some smaller emblems, and threw some grip tape on the stock runners to save our shins in the rain until I can get those swapped for a nerf bar.


somewhat disconcertingly, also uncovered 4 mystery bolts sitting in a corner under an old pile of leaves. Hope someone before me didn’t forget to bolt something back in...

 

Got the swing outs on and the baby ladder. I’m not sure I’ll keep the ladder it kinda looks goofy (according to my wife). Tomorrow the Jerry can holder, license plate relocate, lights, tire carrier, and hi lift mount will go on. And I might get around to the front runner tables but not sure yet those are going to take some planning. This weekend I’m going to hopefully enlist the help of a buddy and get everything wired up including the wiring for the 12v water pump


One thing I will say is the ladder kinda seemed like an after thought on victory’s side. The bottom bolt is damn near impossible to get the nut on. Luckily my wife’s fingers are much skinnier than my sausages and she was able to put a finger in from the front and one from the top to hold it in place while I put the bolt in. Red loctite though may prevent me from taking it off off again

 

Went from the overlays to the vinyl. Looks crisper and cleaner.

 

One of those “it should’ve come this way” mods. So much improved. I’m fine with the overlays except the SR5 on the side. Fixed that.

 

Get r done

 

Very cool and I bet the pups like it

 

Well said

 

That’s what I say when I get picked on for liking my sr5 wheels

 

Looking good