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

Welp i removed my faux hood scoop on my TRD and tried to vinyl wrap it. It was a total and complete fail! I have a new strategy though. Will get some added supplies and try again.

since i had some scrap CF wrap i used it on some small pieces elsewhere. One was my weathertech cup phone- the face and sides. Hardly noticeable and the other on the black portion in the upper digital clock tray….

 

New rims and BFG KO2's. Wife is ready for winter. Window tinting this Sunday.

 

Here’s the rack shots

 

I have a 2020 ORP and while the last 2 vehicles I have had were white, I let the wife talk me into getting black this time. This is my first and LAST black vehicle. It looks great but is a b***h to keep clean and I am OCD AF about keeping my vehicles clean.

Luckily, I work for Southeast Toyota and can get a ridiculous discount on a 2022 ORP in WHITE while selling the black one for more than what a 2022 will cost.

What is going to be a huge PITA though is swapping everything I put on the 2020 to the 2022. Hopefully, everything fits/works the same.

 

Installed a Cali Raised Light Bar with Rago brackets today. Highly recommend the Rago brackets. Thanks rlporter507 for the recommendation. Wiring was a bit painful, but otherwise pretty straight forward, and they are damn bright!

Off


On

 

Ditch lights showed up this morning. If weather clears up a bit will put em on and post pics.

 

How is this possible? At 18 MPG?

 

A bit of an impulse purchase, but one that should make winching a little safer. And it looks nice! Factor 55 makes some nice stuff! It’s like 4runner jewelry lol

 

LMAO I feel you, brotha. I recently went from having all white vehicles to my first ever black truck. Damn is it a B$#@% to keep clean, but it looks so sexy when it's clean.

 

I don't know... Looking at that picture of your beautiful rig makes me think the juice is worth the squeeze.

 

Mine Black too
My last vehicle was black and i paid to have it ceramic coated. It definitely helped. It wasnt perfect and didnt solve my OCD but it was better. Helped alot with preventing scratches and cleaning it was a breeze…. But NOTHING will be as good as white - its physics...

im working my way up to coating my Black TRD. Ive put it in the roof and turned out good. Today i put it on my Aeroskin and headlights. Eventually doing the whole truck. Theres some vinyl wrapping im considering and get mixed info if can wrap over the coating.
i chose the Adams Graphene coating with the fluorescent witness in it. It’s amazing and show perfectly if it is not applied evenly. So far its been an absolute cinch to apply. Heres some pics of the aeroskin coating i did today with and without the light on it.

 

Got my tattered flag on. Driver side only because I screwed up passenger side because I’m a dumbass! Lol

 

Dobinsons lift today. Long overdue!

 

Can you explain the black light and coating a little more?

 

not sure on rules for links to sites..
Look up Adams Graphene Coating.
Adams polishes has a large line of car care products. Graphene is a a newer derivative of a ceramic coating.
Adams has an additive in their coating that when you shine a blacklight (they sell
Or get your own where ever) it illuminates the coating to show you if youve missed a spot or it is streaky/uneven…
It is super difficult to get it to photograph and see what i mean but to the naked eye its clear as day. Heres two pics trying to show the streaking.
You can also see how only the Aeroskin is lighting up with the black light where the rest of the painted surfaces dont. Ive not coated those yet.
After alot of research about applying ceramic coatings i learned you can screw it up and be uneven and splotchy although most consumer grade coatings redice this risk at the expense of longevity vs professional products to detailers.
To me i settled on the Adams Graphene based on its touted longevity, this black light analysis feature and having great results with their other products. There are several other very impressive options out there too I considered as well and suspect also do a swell job.

 

Down in the bottom edge youll see the color difference

sorry hit post before done

 

Very interesting. Thanks!

 

Happy Halloween yall!

 

Drove mine through a massive crater at 50mph on the highway. Might need an alignment now. The wheel is still straight, and it still tracks straight, but seems like I get more feedback from the road now.

 

That's a damn tank trap! Id be calling the local municipality with a bill.

 

I'm pretty sure my wheels followed the white line. I don't think i would have survived the crater if I was a little more over. Hard to tell in the picture, but the Lane narrows quickly as it's merging into another Lane.

 

Continued practicing with Vinyl wrapping and applying the Graphene coating.
Wrapped the small black area on the mirror heads and graphene on the windshield. Was fearful of streaks. Turned out perfect and crystal clear. Slick as wet ice now.

some before and after wrap pics
Learning more how to stretch and use heat gun— critical!

 

Why did you do that?

 

I didn't see it until the car in front of me fell into it. The lane narrows and ends shortly after the hole, so I was focused on merging left. The area is under construction. I'm assuming the week of rain here eroded everything under it.

 

Got the windows tinted today.

 

Testing another dash camera -

https://youtu.be/9RnbBnerk1c

Update -

Looks like there is a big discount coupon for this dashcam today..!!

 

I was just being an ass. Didn't think you hit it on purpose.

 

A few days ago I bought a Factor 55 flat link. I wanted to get the winch line out from under the sun and more protected from road grime. Really nice piece, but the line at the thimble is still subjected to grime and mud splash.

Factor 55, in their wisdom makes a slick aluminum cover that rivets onto the holes the rubber pads inserts use. The problem is that the cover costs another 50bucks. And it doesn't cover the sides of the thimble area.

Well, I cannot abide the idea of accessorizing my accessories. That is a bridge too far. So I decided to “arts and craft” a thin roll up cutting board, punched holes for the barbed rubber plugs that hold the rubber pads on, and bent over a flap to cover the side of the exposed line.







Freely admit it could be seen as a bit ghetto, but function over form wins out this time. Factor 55 should really think of making a simple cover out of rubber to include in the price of the flat link.

 

Please report back. I’m looking at them too but haven’t found one worth the money and trouble to install.

 

Looks like there is a clip-on coupon today that bring the price down to $35.99