Sun visors are useless for side sun

This is my first 4Runner, so I am just discovering some of the quirks. I'm at 6000 miles and it's an amazing vehicle except for the sun visors. The driver seat can not move far enough forward (with me in it) to make the visor work on the side and more often that not, I find the plastic extension inadequate.

It looks like Toyota makes plenty of vehicles with sliding visors. Before this TRD ORP, I had four Jeep Cherokees and got spoiled by their effective visors. Anyone know if these from the FJ are the right size to mod into the 5th gen 4Runner?

 

Yeah they aren't great, I think I remember it being discussed here before, but I can't remember what the solution was. Try searching for thread topics using the search bar at the top right or a google search might come up with something.

EDIT: take a look at this thread. Not sure if it's a solution, it was the first one that came up.
https://www.4runners.com/threads/better-sun-visor.37689/#post-572045

 

I did the search and found that one and a few others, but I didn't find threads that took it to the next step of modding in visors from other models. No way I'm the first to think of this, so there's a pretty good bet they don't fit for one reason or another. Guessing there would be posts about it if they fit. Still...

 

I just wear a floppy bucket hat when the sun comes in from the side.
And I won't speak for others but, I'm also a former motorcycle rider and have trained myself to not look directly at the sun. I know it's there so I don't need to look at it.

 

My front drivers and passenger door windows are tinted, I have no issues with sun from the side.

 

Seems like I read about these working by mounting them where the grab handle is, possibly in conjunction with the FJ fixed grab handle:



https://www.ebay.com/itm/1129749273...1291&msclkid=f276f49e2da11a48773992be54d431d5

 

I have read about those too, but our 4Runner has a sunroof and I hear those FJ side visors do not tuck up flush.

 

I did read that those won't work with a sunroof.

 

Exactly! This is the first vehicle that I've ever tinted the front windows on. A couple weeks after picking it up I discovered this issue during a 75 mile westbound drive (January, so sun was farther south). The sun was baking me and I couldn't wait to turn a different direction! Next day I had the front windows tinted to match the rear and I haven't used the visors to the side since!

 

Tint windows?

 

Kinda blows my mind the efforts people will go to when you can just...

 

Most places will do this for $60-100, cheaper if you are tinting more windows.

 

I think OPs issue is with the side window, not the windshield. But I agree, the tint strip up top is nice.

 

This doesn't solve the OP issues that are W/Door window. I have mine tinted to match rear OEM & still would like a shade to block out the sun.

 

OP's not the first to ask but I haven't been able to find anything definitive other than that the 4th gen visor won't swap into a 5th gen. Someone's asked here about a 3rd gen Tacoma but I don't think anyone's tried it.

 

Is there a consensus whether the FJ side visor would work in a non-sunroof 4Runner?

 

Yes I believe they will & I still may try it on mine W/Moon roof. That's what it says when I leave it up in garage on my phone app???

 

Are you going to try it with the FJ grab handle?

 

While the lighted mirror is different, the dimensions are close enough between the Highlander and the 4Runner for me to try finding one to try. Anyone already try that?

 

I just tested this out - Highlander to 5th gen ('23 LE). The visor fits and works, however when it is telescoped fully it doesn't go very far (considering the length of the window). For some reason the light on the visor isn't powered when the door opens but it does activate the upper ceiling light.

 

It might be worth trying with the XLE visor, that should have the same sort of switch when opening the mirror instead of just the lift-up flap.

 

If anyone's interested:



Write-up here: https://www.4runners.com/posts/585187/

 

Looks good. I can see this being a pain for me since I got the moonroof I never use.

 

Interesting. In my well over 30 years of driving i have never needed the side visor.

 

I just wear a bucket hat for those times when the sun intrudes from the side.

 

I use mine often. I'm also very light sensitive. I blow out candles when we have them at a restaurant table. My irises dilate a lot. I like the idea from the FJ but I'm really tall and already my hair brushes the ceiling at times. I may just be out of luck.

 

When driving with the sun shining through the side window, my Uncle used to put a business card in between his eyeglass frame's left arm and his head. It would be like having side-shields like those glacier glasses have. I tried it one day and it worked surprisingly well. Looks goofy and limits your peripheral vision a bit, though.