glwood54 vs. stock 4R

Hey Ben, no problem! I feel like I wore people down with all my questions regarding the lift install with KDSS, and wanted to know as much as possible going in. I've since seen a YouTube video that shows strut installation, albeit on a Lexus, on a KDSS-equipped vehicle, and they did it using a completely different method.

I finally felt I had enough information to go with, that's why I attempted it myself, and wanted to document some of the steps I took that show anyone could do it. Good luck with your installation.

If you have any other questions during your installation regarding what I did, feel free to hit me up.

Gary

 

Adding some more post-tire install pics for my own comparison


Looks a lot more like a 4x4 with decent tires...Discount put 38 psi in these, the door jamb spec is 32 psi for P265/70-17. I think I'll lower them to 34 and try that for a while.

 

Are those 285 or 265/70?

 

265/70

 

Anyone got contact info/email for anyone at Eibach? Weird happening today...

 

951-256-8300. Someone usually picks up within half a minute. I've had to call them half a dozen times this past month for order issues

 

I had trouble with getting my Eibach kit as well. Ordered in April using their spring sale, was supposed to get it in May, ended up calling them twice until they moved my order to priority. Never got a tracking number but was surprised by the delivery to my door at the beginning of June. Did the install myself with the help of my friend and overall very pleased.

Side note: I’m very pleased to see how your falkens with your 4R. Those are the tires I’m looking at getting next in 265/70 as well.

 

Added this recently. Not really a mod, but for 35 bucks and a perfect fit, you can't beat it for a sun shade:




From @Level7Taco on Tacomaworld.

FJC AT shift handle knob:




Head unit CF surround:


Ordered Diode Dynamics SS3 Sport fog lights this week, yellow with clear lenses to swap:
https://www.diodedynamics.com/ss3-led-fog-light-kit-for-2010-2020-toyota-4runner.html


https://www.diodedynamics.com/clear-lens-for-ss3-pod-lights.html


H9 & 9011 swap next.

 

Upgraded all interior, puddle, and license plate lights to LED. No photos, everyone knows what those look like.

 

Recently extended rear diff breather to just in front of the rear driver's side tail light.

 

Update on the H9 & Diode Dynamics SS3 Sport fog lights. All is done.

The install on the H9 went as expected, just had to remove the one plastic tab on the plug side. Accomplished that with an Exacto knife and a Dremel. Then I snipped off the corner of the longer metal tab on the front of the bulbs, re-installed, done. 20 minutes tops. If I had one of those micro snips everyone talks about, even quicker. Here's some before and after photos:

OEM H11


Philips H9


As you can see, a considerable difference.

Then, on to the fog lights. Pretty simple install here also. After turning the wheels all the way out on the driver side, then taking the four 10mm bolts out of the front edge of the wheel well to release the fender liner, I pulled it back and secured it back with a bungee cord. That gave me plenty of room to work on removing the oem fogs. I had previously assembled the SS3 fogs in the mounting brackets, so it was a simple remove and replace operation. The passenger side was a bit trickier due to the plastic cover over the fog light, but I'd read enough to know to have a small flat headed screwdriver to help release the two tabs, one on each side, to remove that cover. Then it was the same, remove the old, put in the new. Some photos of the installed SS3:

As you can see, there is a gap at the bottom due to my aiming strategy. When I installed the fogs, I had them aimed all the way down, just as a starting point, not really having any point of reference yet. With them pointed down, this is how they looked on the street before I went on my aiming mission that evening:


Then I proceeded to find my aiming spot, parked the truck 25' from a wall, and did my best to follow @mynameistory's aiming instructions of the top cutoff line @ 25' being 4" lower than mid-fog measurement from the ground. In my case, mid-fog was 29", so I did my best to get the upper cutoff at 25" at 25' on the wall. Problem is, the cutoff line isn't so sharp at 25' away, so I did my best. This is what the fogs on looked like on the road after my aiming process was complete:


Now the gap at the bottom of the fog lights is smaller. The oem fogs also had a gap, so this is absolutely normal. There's no way the fog lights themselves can be up tight against the housing, there would be no way to aim them. And, you have to be standing right next to the front of the truck looking straight down to even see the gap at all. I'm happy with the resulted look of the fog lights, and they work great, especially compared to the oem fogs.


The only thing I failed to do is take a photo of the oem fogs on the street prior to the project.

Thoughts on the project - very well worth the effort and expense. The H9 bulbs work so much better than the H11 in the low beam headlights. And there is no comparison on the fog lights, the SS3 are miles ahead of oem.

Because I tend to be so anal about these types of projects, I took a lot more time than one would expect. Installing, aiming (maybe @mynameistory can chime in on how he thinks my aim turned out, I may have them a tad high), and I did reinstall the plastic cover on the passenger side over the fog light. If fits fine, it's just a matter of getting it in there and getting the tabs back in, which is really not that big of a deal, there's plenty of room to work with the fender liner pulled back.

Next up - better backup lighting.

 

Realized I hadn't updated this thread in a while. Edited my initial list in post #1 to add LED interior/license plate lights, H9 Headlight bulbs, Diode Dynamics SS3 Sport fog lights, FJC AT shift handle knob, rear diff breather extension to behind DS tail light, LED backup lights ordered, and today decided to see if all the talk about the Sprint Booster is true.

I had gotten a Pedal Commander back in December 2019, but it sat on the shelf for 7 months, never got inspired to install it, most likely due to I didn't feel my 4R really needed it, plus I didn't care for the size of the controller box. Sold it to another member.

Life went on 'til just recently; then when I saw a SB sale, I purchased it on Cyber Monday for $232, figured it was worth a try. Installed it today.

Initial thoughts after install and first test drive:

Installation was a breeze - the thing that took longest was leaving the door open for 10 minutes prior to installation. Everything unplugged/plugged as expected, fit as it was supposed to, and looked good. The controller is so small I hardly notice it is there. I mounted it on the switch blank next to the dash dimmer switch just to the left of the steering wheel, and it looks like it was meant to be there.

Upon first drive, I had it off. I then turned it on to Sport 5, upped it to Sport 7, Sport 9, then Race 5. Sport 5 was impressive with the change, I noticed the throttle response change immediately. Sport 9 was even quicker, and Race 5 was too much for my taste. That setting had the truck going through the gears in a hurry.

One thing I really like is it remembers where you had it last in each mode. So if I set the mode Sport to 5, or any other number, it remembers that. So even though I drive around in Sport 7, one touch of the button puts it in Race 5, and two touches it's back to Sport 7. Easy peasy.

I think I will settle on Sport 7 and leave it at that. A marked improvement over stock. Time will tell if it affects fuel mileage. I'm very happy with it for the price.

I'm not going to tell anyone they need one of these. It definitely ups the drivability of the 4R by several notches, and IMO is well worth the purchase price, if you can find one on sale. I really like the small controller profile also, and if you never need to change, you can remove it altogether.

Edit: Settled on Sport 5, it seems to fit my driving style better.

 

Did you use a kit for this? Or, piece it together yourself? I'm going to do all of the fluids this winter and figure I might as well do it while I'm down there.

 

I bought a kit from a seller on TacomaWorld. Let me find the link...

 

Here's the link:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...kits-30-free-shipping-or-free-install.641193/

Mine was slightly more, as I asked him to send me a kit with 8' of hose, just in case I needed more.

 

Thank you!

 

My pleasure. Were you ever a member of TW?

 

Still am. I do more stuff with the Tacomaworld community as there aren't a ton of 4runner guys in the Midwest. My camping trip is usually me and a bunch of Tacomas. Although, @Chris In Milwaukee joined us for trail day this year.

 

You'll like the kit. @Blais03 and his brother @LivinLoud are usually pretty busy, but they went out of their way to ship me my kit, even made a special trip to the post office. They ship them Priority Mail.

Gary

 

Good review.

If I were to get one, I'd choose the SB over the PC.

I like that the SB has the anti-theft pedal lock feature.

 

Thanks. That was me also - the SB seemed the better choice.

I remember back in 2006 when I got a brand new 2007 JK Rubicon, coming from a 1997 TJ Wrangler. The '07 JK was the first time I experienced drive-by-wire acceleration, and it startled me how much throttle pedal lag there was. I must have gotten used to it, though, as I considered a device to eliminate that lag, but never got one. Until now. Even now, I didn't feel I really needed a SB, just figured I'd try it for the price, and to be able to see if it really makes a difference. It definitely does.

 

I'm in the same boat.

Don't feel like I need it, but I might try it one day at the right price.

 

Next up, I think - fix the most glaring issue with the 5th gen 4R - no driver's side A-pillar grab handle. I will probably order the bracket and grab handle, and modify the cover on the A-pillar. I could have used a handle there many times. Thanks Toyota bean counters...

You might notice that my list, with the exception of the sliders & AT shifter handle, is mostly replacements for components Toyota should have on a 4R from the factory...

 

Done January 3rd!

 

Swapped the FJC & oem TC shift handles today for the Ellis Precision ones recently received.

Good:


Better:




Best:





Also put in the Salex center console organizer, and it works fine with the other console tray I had purchased last year:

 

Reserving a spot for the installation of the RCI engine skid on order.

 

Go a new sun shade from Level7Taco at TW for the rig as I needed one for the Tacoma, and moved the one I had to it.



The previous one now in the Taco:

 

Finally got decent weather and was able to modify Jason's bracket to work with the KTJO handle and pillar cover. Turned out fine, looks just like the passenger side and is the same color.


The raised handle mounting points give about 3/8" more room for your fingers when grabbing the handle. It actually feels more sturdy and secure than the oem passenger side grab handle.

Another upshot of all this is I now have a modified oem a-pillar cover and grab handle if anyone is interested to doing the original modification using Jason's bracket with the oem parts. Would save you all the modifications, you'd just have to mount the bracket per Jason's instructions, then mount everything else as is.

 

That looks sick! love that look, hate they have no driver handles off the lot. Maybe one day I'll follow suit..
I opted out paying for OEM raised handle pillar and anchored an OEM FJ handle for finger clearance, no Jason bracket.

 

What did you attach the bottom of that handle to?