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

Got the skid plate installed, hard to see due to night install but my friend got the powder coat pretty close to matching the body. Went with something a bit glossier than my sliders so it’s easy to spray down. Also powder primer undercoat.

 

Working on a rear storage box/drawer/sleeping platform. Will add pics later. Using black Starboard (HDPE) for most of it with most likely wood for the drawer to save a little weight.

 

Thanks. I was parked and inside. It seems only the hood and grille.

 

Well since misery loves company, if it makes you feel any better the 1st new car/truck I ever bought (2017 Tacoma Limited) - purchased with 6 miles on the odo, someone backed into my front end on the 6th day of ownership - I had 300 miles on there lol.

 

Sorry for that...I have less than 800. I ve had it about 3 weeks. I can only hope parts aren't months out

 

It’s got that green chromate primer look of the aluminum on a freshly built airplane. Is that what it is, or a color? Either way, looks slick!

 

Fuse? You’re talking about the parking/marker lights right?

 

To each their own, however you just reduced your approach angle by about 6" with that bull bar.

Also, the first "O" on your heritage grill looks to be rotated clockwise by about 45˚.

 

I have been chasing a ghost since buying my TCUV 2020 TRD Off-Road...

It is a steering wheel shake that's pretty strong and lives from about 55MPH to the 65MPH range. Sometimes a little lower, sometimes a little higher (which is really rare because I tend to drive like a grandma because I like getting 23MPG city/highway).

If you experience this at any level, please read on...

While the tires on it are crap, (Thai-made) Hercules Terra Trac ATPs that have now been balanced three times, including a road force balancing, an alignment check, etc, the places I've taken it can't find anything...

I called up a service advisor I've used in the past, he's a Tacoma owner. Here's what I heard...

There is a problem. It has cropped up in some Tacomas and 4Runners. The problem is recurring and it doesn't matter if you've got everything aligned and balanced.

The shaking appears on smooth asphalt just as much as it does on concrete highway which is usually segmented and not as smooth.

It is been conveyed to me that Toyota Corporate is aware of this.

Shaking is never a good thing and, I highly recommend that if you are experiencing this that you go to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration and file a complaint. Who knows what the shaking will lead to in less than ideal driving conditions or after a few years when parts are weakened by the shaking. By complaining to a federal agency, additional engineers will look at this and and be compelled to come up with a solution. It may be an out of warranty repair or replacement of a part, something that Toyota would not do on their own without a nudge from a governmental overlord.

https://www.nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem#index

Thank you.

 

New 4Runner owner here. Before buying my TRD Off-Road I spent some time talking with a good friend who is on his second 4Runner - been driving them for ~ 10 years. He tells me he experienced the shaking you are talking about, with two different brands of LT type tires. So he went back to his OEM tires (P265/70R17) and the problem went away. Just an FYI.

 

I had some issues when 4Runner was new, the shaking occurred only on one specific part of a highway, but it is gone now. So, I can only assume, that my 4Runner had shaking because some parts were new and needed time to settle down.

 

It’s a mix of a Columbia Coatings matte green and a Prismatic Powders forest or something. I was definitely happy with the results and it took almost a pound of media to coat. It’s a pity I’m gonna end up beating it up

 

So sorry!!! Time for a front steel bumper!!!

 

Noticeably louder. I'm not using the included Hella relay, so the horns may be throttled a bit by the voltage drop on the factory wiring. The Supertones are the loudest direct-acting horns on the market I think. There are "air horns" which are louder (for example:

$42 Wolo (419) Bad Boy Air Horn - 12 Volt , Black

https://www.amazon.com/Wolo-Model-419-Black-Design/dp/B000F5DQWY/ ) but there can be a delay between pressing the horn button and getting a sound.

 

Another night in the books this time track bar correction from DR KDSS. Definitely something to consider if you do take advantage of your articulation regularly.

 

From my own observations and experience, as well as other members, that is almost always an issue with the stock tires or wheels. Personally, I think it was closer to a range of 56 to 64, but it's in the neighborhood. Even road force balancing didn't resolve for most people the first time, but I found that on the 3rd oil change and stock tire rotation, to my relief, the offending tire was moved to the rear or spare and the 2 up front were perfect enough that the mysterious strearing shakes disappeared. When my rig was still new and under warranty, I tried to always take some yellow wheel marking crayons and mark DF (driver front), PF (pass front), DR, PR, SP, etc.. so that if the vibrations would resume, I would identify which tires the dealer moved and put them back up front. Of course, now that service isn't free, I'm the diy tech at home, I pay more attention to the rotation order.

Could be a different problem or cause for others (caveat emptor / your mileage may vary) but that's what I found for my rig.

NOTE: eventually replacing the tires also works out for most people, then they realize hey the vibration is gone.. unless something else came loose by then; replacing the wheels could have positive or negative outcome if keeping the tires.

Still, not a bad idea to report your observations and actions, in the event something occurs. Good luck to you and to everyone else!

 

Oh man, I’d be pissed , so new
This kind of stuff makes me want to get the front bumper sooner than later, for on road protection.

 

time for a winch bumper

 

Also those bumpers dont stop anything but shopping carts. I read an article on those “bumpers” and they call the crash multipliers.

 

They cant balance using standard hub centric balancing. They need to do a lug centric balancing with an adapter

 

Installed new Ironman Raid style winch bumper. Looks great, fits good but winch install is a bit of a PITA.

Can finally go wheelin' solo without being stressed about getting stuck.

 

Maybe it's the angle of the photo, but doesn't the hoop on that completely block your TSS sensor plate?

 

Replaced the driver side rear brake caliper. Being dumb, I stripped the guide bolts out and had to replace it. Bleeding the brake wasn’t that bad.

 

Just posted the video of Lasfit LED bulbs I shared pics few days ago. Light output testing starts around 20:00 mark and I have included the time line bookmarks in the description of the video since I think the video is little long since I'm not a pro, I was just recording as I'm doing it. I think @36:52 Lasfit LED on halogen projector vs stock LED headlight housing on my 21' is very interesting to see (at least for me ).



https://youtu.be/YcW5-EwZ-HI

I also like the fact I was able to use my Amazon account to complete the purchase process from Lasfit site.

 

Had the Diaz Fabrication devil horn emblem left over from my previous Taco. Mounted it on the 4Runner after some dremeling of the grille plastic:

 

I finally had time and got help from my son-in-law to install the Westcott Designs TRD Pro Lift Kit for stock Fox suspensions. I did watch a few "how to's" on YouTube that make it look way to easy. It's not that easy but the videos sure helped. We completed the installation with little trouble. Bought a set of BFG KO2's 285/70R17 to complete the desired look and ride. Got all the glass ceramic tinted too. I think that'll be it for mods for a while. Actually, I'm looking at the full roof rack from Westcott Designs. Maybe...

 

4R looks good with those 285s. I also like you went with Load C. A nice balance between on road comfort and offroad strength. I still remember people saying BS "you don't need a lift for 33's" which practically doesn't work.

Edit -
Any challenges with balancing KO2s? Did road force balance? Few seem to have issues in balancing KO2s.

 

As a matter of fact, of the original four KO2’s I purchased from Costco, one had to be replaced as it took way too much weight to balance it. Costco said they had to order a replacement as that tire was defective. Had to wait a day but they had one come in and had the defective one replaced. Balanced normally. Wow! I wonder how often they come across a defective KO2? All good now though. Rides great on the freeway. Thanks!

 

Ole Clifford got his yearly deep clean and ceramic coating touch up yesterday. So naturally today will be loading it with bags of potting soil and stones for the latest landscaping project.