Gatnos' 2020 TRD Off-Road Premium Build & Adventure Thread "Carolina"

Hello everyone,

I'll start out by saying this is going to be a long post. I'm creating this to document my personal project that is my 4Runner, and have created the thread to document the journey. However, I've enjoyed reading other people's build write-ups and Toyota histories, so I figured I would share my own, for anyone else who might feel like reading.

In February of 2004, my parents purchased a 2003 Toyota Sequoia in Dunnellon, FL. It had a TRD package on it, with only 9,300 miles. I was 3 years old at the time. My dad had perviously owned a '87 4Runner SR5. It became the daily driver of the family: I was picked up and dropped at from elementary school, then middle school in it; we made our annual summer trips to western North Carolina in it; we even made occasional trips to the Orlando theme parks in it.

When I turned 16 and got my license, it became mine. In addition to driving to school and practice, I had the pleasure of driving my friends, since I was among the first to get my license. We had lots of fun going to the beach and exploring our hometown of Winter Park, FL, just outside of Orlando. I even put a Pioneer head unit in it, the best upgrade ever. A few months later, I started dating a wonderful girl, and she decided to name my wheels Ariana, after Ariana Grande, because we both liked her and it was, after all, pretty "Grande."


Childhood ride in my childhood home driveway, Orlando, FL in Sept. 2020

Between our freshman and sophomore years of college, we took a road trip from Orlando through Nashville and Cincinnati to Niagara Falls, then to Acadia National Park in Maine and back down the east coast. Ariana did a great job of keeping us safe both on the road and at night in Walmart parking lots. However, by the end of the journey, she had a cracked windshield and over 180,000 miles. The windshield was an issue because nobody would replace it due to the rust around the sealant, which could have been a $1,000 repair. On an 18-year-old vehicle with a Kelley Blue Book value of about $2,000, my parents began to pressure me into purchasing a new vehicle.

I was never entirely open to the idea, but I wasn't opposed to it either. This was before my more extensive knowledge of Toyota SUVs. In hindsight, a five-speed 4.7L V8 Toyota engine could have lasted me much, much longer. I should have eaten the $1,000 to repair the windshield. The most financially responsible solution? Hard to say. But I was beginning to want to customize the vehicle a bit more. That may have been less of a good decision.

Regardless, I was given the opportunity to take a loan from my parents, without interest, to purchase a new vehicle. I had a good amount of money saved from working throughout high school, and I figured I would be able to do some work to pay off the loan too. The pandemic had me home from school and at the time, we were working on selling our Orlando home and moving to North Carolina.

I considered a 2nd generation Sequoia. My friend had a 2011 Platinum, but I was not a fan of the body style at all. Plus, I wanted less of a gas guzzler. I was familiar with Toyotas and decided briefly to look into the Highlander, the next largest option (I feel safer in SUVs) and loaded in features. I soon found I much preferred the look of the 4Runner, however. I also was considering the 2020 Ford Explorer, and after test driving, I loved the feel, fuel efficiency, and gadgets it came loaded with. But another of my good friends, who knows more about the consumer auto industry than anyone I know, pointed out how more electronics means less reliability. Power liftgates break (as I had seen at that time with my mom's 2010 Lexus) and no Ford engine was ever going to outlast a Toyota's, if even at the expense of cool gadgets. I also wanted a capable off-roader to tackle the North Carolina weather and terrain I was soon to find myself in. Plus, I had to admit, I wanted something "cool" as a 19-year-old, and would have plenty of time later in life to drive a "soccer mom" vehicle.

I found my match in Saint Augustine. A 2019 SR5 Premium, with the XP Predator package to give it the stand-out, off-road look I liked, and with about 42k miles on the odometer. It cost a dime, but I had a well-paying job lined up for myself, and I knew it would be worth it.


Old and new in St. Augustine, FL, Sept. 2020

It might not have ridden as comfortably as the Sequoia, but I absolutely loved the way it looked. It even had a sunroof! I took it off-roading the first night I had it, covering the dealership wash in red dust from the clay trails of Clermont. I joined the 4Runner Reddit group and this forum and began to research different modifications. My girlfriend evened named it "Bertha," for no particular reason other than it looked like a Bertha (I guess) and it kept the alphabetical pattern that began with Ariana.

The modifications I invested in included:
- T9 head unit from cartrimhome
- Imbedded LED turn signal turn signals from cartrimhome
- Raptor lights from caliraisedled
- Blacked out sequential mirror turn signals from runnin4tacos
- Red D-hooks
- RhinoRack Pioneer Platform roof rack
- Center console tray

In the following three months, I travelled extensively in the new wheels, putting over 9,000 miles on it.


On Watson Island in Miami, FL, Oct. 2020


The expert vehicle-namer! On the Blue Ridge Parkway in Mills River, NC in Nov. 2020

The day after New Year's, I began yet another trek from FL to NC when I got into an accident just a few miles from my origin. My 4Runner was totaled. Nobody was hurt, but in addition to battling some trauma and not having a vehicle, I had to search for a new one.

I decided to stick with the 4Runner. I liked it a lot. There were a few options, but not many suitable ones locally. Every time I found one, it was sold and gone before I even had a chance to go look at it. After awhile, hunting during every minute of free time I had, I found an ad for a 2020 TRD ORP in Shell Rock, Iowa.

Right off the bat, I loved the way it looked. It was a 2020 too, which meant an upgraded infotainment system without need for an upgrade, and new features to help me feel much more safe on the road. Plus, the trim meant a beautiful new interior and even more off-road capabilities. And, as a bonus, I got to retain the TRD title shared with my very first Sequoia. The best part was it was only a bit more than the first, 2019 4R. I originally thought the fact it was in Iowa was going to be an issue, but the solution was simple: ship it.


On the carrier in Hendersonville, NC, in Jan. 2021

With only 13,133 miles, it was time for the true adventure to begin.

Right off the bat, it was clear the Iowa dealership did not quite know what a treasure it had. Probably because it was a Ford dealership? In addition to the year, trim and low mileage, it was loaded with optional equipment from the factory/port, such as:
- KDSS
- Moonroof
- TRD Pro exhaust
- Grey TRD wheels and wheel locks
- Floor mats and cargo tray
- Predator step bars

Also, the previous owner had installed numerous modifications, including:
- Full RCI aluminum undercarriage armor and skid plate
- Sprint Booster throttle response controller
- Interior LED bulb swap
- Turn signal bulbs from lasfit
- LED High beam bulbs with DRL drivers from xtreme LED pro
- RAM cell phone mount pivot point


Carolina in the driveway of my parents' new house in Hendersonville, NC, Feb. 2021

I love the new 4R. I have warmed up greatly to it, and it has helped me tremendously in recovering from the accident. In the less than 2 months since it arrived, I've put about 6,200 more miles on it (I need to chill, I know) and have explored many new places in the region where I now live. Luckily, I was able to pull a few of the key modifications off of Bertha following its totaled status, and have added a few more modifications to it:
- RhinoRack Pioneer platform roof rack on CX legs
- AlphaRex Pro headlights with LED bulbs swapped
- Blacked-out sequential mirror turn signals
- Center console tray, glovebox organizer, and interior cargo liners
- D hooks

However, the bezel lights are yet to be hooked up to the battery until my dad and I build an accessory fuse box next weekend.


Day trip to Charlotte, NC in Feb. 2021

I also have the Toyota Heritage grille and new smoked amber lights that came in and will be added next weekend. The next project is sourcing and acquiring the sliding cargo tray in the trunk. It will be key in leveling out the back of the vehicle and will be helpful for camping trips when it gets warmer here. The to-do list includes:
- Sliding cargo tray
- Getting a 20% tint in the front to match the factory privacy glass in the trunk and backseat windows, or perhaps darker all around
- Backup camera relocation from Aiden James Customs
- Rear hatch ladder from GOBI
- Ultraswing rear tire carrier with camping table from RIGD

Down the road, I am considering some TRD Pro Fox Shocks or some similar suspension upgrade. I don't know enough on the topic to make an educated decision, and the pricing of such an upgrade makes me want to wait at least a year or a few. I am also considering a TRD CAI and red caliper covers because I am an egomaniac. And maybe a wireless CarPlay dongle?

Right now, the long-ish-term goal is to prepare for the next road trip this summer. From western North Carolina, we will be traveling through Chicago and the Dakotas to Montana, where we will begin a tour of almost every National Park and notable POI starting with Glacier and snaking through Wyoming, Utah, eastern Nevada, Arizona (just for the Grand Canyon) and western Colorado before making our way back across the Great Plains and stopping in St. Louis to see the Gateway Arch before coming home. This time, there will be a lot less Walmart car camping and a lot more overlanding in some of the country's most beautiful and diverse landscapes. I want to have the best gear in order to be best prepared for such a journey.


Foggy morning on the Rickenbacker Causeway in Miami, FL, Feb. 2021

For all of you who think I am a privileged, reckless 20-year-old: you are partially correct. But, I am a privileged, reckless 20-year-old with a passion for traveling and exploring above anything else. I have been very very fortunate enough to become employed during the pandemic with a job at a wage that could probably be considered well above standard for my age. I am able to work full time, I save a lot, and I let Uncle Sam's periodic stimulus checks pay for my mods. You are still free to criticize and judge. I am comfortable knowing I am spending money on my passion project, something that I use daily and will continue to use for many years to come. Toyotas are excellent at holding value, and being incredibly reliable, I know someone will be willing to pay good money for an overland-ready ride when I am ready to retire it. And yes, I am still making payments back to my parents for their financial assistance in my original vehicle-purchasing endeavor.

A new car means a new name, with the next letter of the alphabet. I decided she will be named Carolina, after her new home state.

I will keep an updated list here of all modifications made and who made the products.


Factory Upgrades

• TRD Pro exhaust
• TRD rims matte grey & wheel locks
• Moonroof
• Predator step bars
• Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS)
• Sliding rear cargo tray - aftermarket source & install
• Floor liners & cargo tray

Interior

• Interior LEDs
  • Hatch LEDs - Lasfit
• Cabin
  • Dashboard camera
    • Garmin Dash Cam Mini - Garmin
    • Polarized lens filter - Garmin
    • Adapter - Dongar Technologies
  • Center console tray - JDMCar
  • Storage liners - JDMCar
  • Glove box organizer - JDMCar
• Cargo Area
  • First aid kit - Toyota
  • Attic storage net - Blue Ridge Overland
  • Molle panel - Victory4x4
• Performance/Electrical/Engine
  • Sprint Booster - MiniMania
  • Accessory fuse box - Powertray (& many others)
  • TRD radiator cap - Toyota
  • TRD oil cap - Toyota

Exterior - Front/Sides

• Bug guard - ARB (Bugflector II)
• Custom bezel lights - Aiden James Customs
• Grille
  • Heritage grille - 4Runner Lifestyle
  • Raptor lights - 4Runner Lifestyle
  • Heritage livery emblem
• Headlights
  • AlphaRex Pro - AlphaRex
  • LED Bulbs
• Sequential mirror turn signals blackout - Runnin4Tacos

Exterior - Top

• Roof Rack
  • Pioneer Platform - RhinoRack
  • Vortex Leg Rails - RhinoRack
  • Accessory Bars - RhinoRack
• Cases 36" - Plano
  • MaxTrax mounting brackets - KAON

Exterior - Rear/Underside

• Tail Lights - Anzo
• Tire mount - RIGD (Ultraswing)
  • Camping table - Front Runner
  • All-weather cutting board - RIGD
  • License plate lights - RIGD
  • Backup camera relocation - Aiden James Customs
• Trailer Hitch
  • Hitch receiver shackle mount - hikotor
  • Hitch D-ring - Smittybilt
• Aluminum Full Skid Package - RCI Metal Works
• Undercarriage D-rings - Smittybilt

Feel free to follow along as I upgrade and travel. I would love to hear suggestions for other products I consider, or any other feedback you experts know. I am, after all, barely an adult, and have only been in the 4Runner community for about 6 months. If you read all of this, I appreciate you. None of my updates will ever be this long, rest assured.

 

What a great read. Keep us posted on your future travels and mods.
Way to bounce back after an accident.......

 

Thank you, I appreciate that

 

This is a great story. I keep trying to impart a sense of wonderment and adventure on my children. Its a lost cause with my 20 y/o and 15 y/o. There is hope, however, for my 6 y/o (who absolutely love adventure and exploring).

 

Great read young man. Sounds like you have some awesome people in your life. Just keep doing what you're doing, and welcome aboard.

 

Thank you. And I suppose exploring isn't for everyone. But the older two will surely find something that inspires them. As for your youngest, I hope he continues to chase the feeling adventure brings him.

EDIT: It's also worth noting that I didn't give a lick about exploring until I was 17! Lol

 

Thank you for your kind words. And yes, my people are everything

 

Weekend trip to Ellijay, GA. Lots of deer hanging out around the rig.

 

Picked up a 5th rim for my vehicle. Beginning to start collecting the components needed for the RIGD Ultraswing carrier.

Also constructed the accessory fuse box on a PowerTray. Well really, my dad built it with the help of a very knowledgable and generous member of the Tacoma forum, and I just helped install it.


The fuse box allowed me to safety power the Aiden James bezel lights and headlight strips on the AlphaRex headlights. I also installed the smoked amber raptor lights, wired to the accessory fuse box. Installed the TRD Heritage grille as well. Removed the front license plate and plasti-dipped the front valence panel. The front end is complete!

 

Your rig looks fantastic. I had my front valence on my ORP painted to match before Xpel film installed on the front. I hated the look of the silver painted valence from the factory. I had the truck for a year before I put the film on, and suffered a couple of visible rock chips for the delay. Not sure why a light colored primer was used under a black (Midnight) paint, because chipped paint might as well scream "look at me!"

 

Thank you man!

I agree, the silver painted valences do not look good. I'm not really sure why Toyota does that - they don't really match any of the colors they offer. I considered buying the black valences from the dealership and doing a direct replacement, but decided not to because I didn't want to have to take the bumpers off again and I didn't think I would get the money back from selling the silver ones.

Film seems like a good idea - I just have some cheap matte black plastidip on there but I know it won't last. I'm already pretty convinced it is going to come off when I try to scrub the bug guts off it.

 

Sunset drive on the Parkway last night, since spring is here and they opened it back up. It's a windy route, with a 45mph limit - but the KDSS handles it like a beast and makes it all the more enjoyable. New profile pic on here I think...

 

Also worth mentioning I installed the Anzo taillights with the lightbar and sequential turn signals. This upgrade was a lot more appealing than I had anticipated - the light bars add good visibility and match the style of the vehicle well, and now all of my turn signals are sequential amber.

Rear valence also plasti-dipped black.

 

Was able to source a sliding rear cargo deck in eastern Tennessee last weekend, thanks to Facebook Marketplace. Got it installed this week. Very useful upgrade; the added storage from the under-floor box, the level platform across back seats and cargo area, and the extended tailgate will be helpful for future adventures.

 

Nice score

 

Welcome from Arizona! Nice writeup.

 

Thank you!

 

The AVS Bugflector II went on today. It will be useful when battling the many summertime insects on the southeast interstates and in preventing chips to the hood. Surprisingly, it adds some appealing architecture to the front of the vehicle as well.

 

At last came time to install the modification I have been looking forward to the longest. It cost a pretty penny, but I spent lots of hours at the office knowing it was going toward something I have worked towards and earned. There's not a more gratifying feeling.

Relocated the backup camera to the bottom of the spoiler, right on the brake light for a more birds-eye view angle, using the kit from Aiden James Customs. Install was easy and the video quality is superb. I'm sure you all must know what's coming next...



After a 5 week lead time and another week to ship from Southern California, the RIGD Ultraswing finally arrived. This product, as I said, was more highly anticipated than any other, and definitely had been looked up on my computer more than anything else. Fortunately, I was not disappointed.



Despite the issues others have had with packaging and shipping, mine arrived undamaged (although the package weighed 103 pounds). The product was welded by hand, and is of very high quality. Installation was smooth and quick thanks to the installation guides provided by RIGD. The addition of the Ultraswing, in my opinion, changes the whole feel of the vehicle for the better. I am very pleased with the product and proud to have such an excellent piece of American design and engineering on my vehicle.



From RIGD, I also purchased the Front Runner camping table and all-weather cutting board (in addition to the camping table mount) as a bundle. All of it was of similar high-quality, and the compact yet formidable overall design of the setup is very pleasing. I purchased the license plate lighting and bracket designed and recently released by RIGD.

At first, the handle and pin were very hard to use. The stiffness of the swinging arm provided a challenge as well, and the whole thing was rather difficult to set up after the easy installation. However, while the swinging action of the gate is still pretty heavy, it all has loosened up after a few uses and is much easier to set up now. The weight of the vehicle also seemed to have shifted noticeably to the rear at first, although this was mostly remedied after the stock spare wheel was removed from the undercarriage beneath the trunk. My only real complaint with the product is the fact that after the latch handle is opened to allow the swing out, it must be pushed back into the "closed" position, otherwise it will make contact with the lid of the trunk and prevent its opening. This definitely seems like an oversight in design. Nonetheless, the addition of the Ultraswing and accompanying accessories will serve me very well in upcoming adventures.




Lastly, I installed a tow hitch d-ring recovery point in the hitch from the back of the Ultraswing. I wanted to make sure I had a rated point of recovery at the rear of the vehicle in case of emergency.

 

Awesome build, brother! Keep us posted on your adventures!

 

Looks awesome man! I’m in Greenville, SC and am in Asheville often. Hope to see you around!

 

Thanks SoundWarrior!

 

Nice, Greenville is a great area. See you on the road (or trails)!

 

Installed the Victory 4x4 molle panel. Well-designed, versatile product. Was able to add a 14" Gerber hatchet, flashlight, Toyota first aid kit, and Eno hammock with straps. My dad also designed a mounting bracket for an Amazon paper towel holder, so I was able to install that from afar thanks to his detailed instructions



Also put in the cargo area attic net from Blue Ridge Overland. Install took only minutes, and the net can be removed just by undoing 4 clips.

 

Great story Justin!
BTW, I live in Hendersonville.

 

Have enjoyed those beautiful views many times on my motorcycle and my 4Runners.

 

Hendo is where it's at!

On a motorcycle seems like the way to truly do it (or a convertible.) I wish the parkway could be kept sacred for motorists who wish to feel the road and be connected with nature, rather than packed with tourists who go 25mph.

 

Got that right!!

 

Rooftop storage containers went up this weekend, in preparation for my 32-day road trip beginning on Friday. Going to need as much storage as possible since I'll be living in the vehicle the whole time, and storage containers seem more secure and accessible than a bag or a net.




I went with dual 36 inch rifle cases from Plano. In addition to being manufactured in the US, the Plano cases are durable, waterproof, low profile, lockable and reasonably priced. They are no longer entirely watertight since holes had to be drilled in the bottom of the cases to mount them, but they will be resealed (the entire mounting system will need to be redone, this was put together in a relative hurry). Less valuable items will be stored up there, such as dirty laundry, recovery equipment, and certain cooking gear. The cases came with keys to lock, but after testing the keys to find the same key can unlock both cases, my suspicion was confirmed: all Plano gun cases are keyed alike. I went ahead and got some small padlocks to prevent break-ins.

The cases are mounted to accessory bars made by Rhino Rack specifically to mount attachments to the Pioneer rack system. Unfortunately, Rhino Rack no longer sells a hardware kit meant for mounting items like this, so the boxes were mounted by running a bolt through the bottom of the box into a t-nut that could slide into the channel. The bolt also ran through an aluminum bar in the inside of the case to keep it mounted. Another excellent design from my dad, who seems very motivated to make sure I have the best possible experience on my trip out west (thanks Dad!).




Also mounted MaxTrax mounting brackets made specifically for Rhino Rack Pioneer systems by KAON; an Australian company producing an accessory to mount Australian equipment to an Australian roof rack. The boards were to be mounted ahead of and perpendicular to the storage boxes. This particular bracket set makes used of the MaxTrax mounting pins, and altogether suited me better than the MaxTrax mounting kit produced by Rhino Rack, which is designed to have the boards hanging off the side of the rack. However, despite ordering almost 8 weeks ago (I was given no information about lead times upon ordering), it seems as though my MaxTrax boards will not be arriving in time for my travels... which is disappointing.

 

Your build is looking suhweet! Have a great time on your road trip - enjoy every minute of it!