2023 TRD ORP w/ KDSS - Upgrade Journal

This thread is an open journal of 'upgrades' done to my 2023 4Runner TRD Off-Road Premium with KDSS.

Introduction:
I want to start right off with an acknowledgement that I'm an idiot. I try to ask the right questions and make good decisions, but it's not going to happen all of the time. There's a lot of stuff that I don't know that I don't know. All I can hope for is (1) that my bad decisions are non-permanent and not too costly, (2) that this thread helps, forewarns, and/or inspires someone working through a similar situation as me, and (3) that other members of the forum will choose proactive and constructive criticism over grabbing a bag of microwave popcorn and watching the train wreck unfold. [ *You know who you are.* ]

I also want to manage expectations. After driving old beaters for most of my life and once having to repair a '79 F150 back to legal driving condition after running off the road and hitting a tree, I know what I'm comfortable doing (or attempting to do) on my own and when it's better for me to just pay someone to do it right the first time. If I do something myself, I'll let you know. And if I opt to hire it out, I'll give credit where it's due.


Current Condition / Appearance:







List of Modifications Completed:

---------------- Upon purchase ----------------
*Go To Sub-Post*
BF Goodrich KO2 275/70R17 tires
Toyota TRD Blackout Wheels
Toyota Emblem and Text Black Overlays
Toyota Grill Bar Black Overlays
Rear Bumper - Black Lower Valence
** Total Cost for these Updates: $3,131.88 **


---------------- Lift Kit ----------------
*Go To Sub-Post*
Billstein 6112 Heavy Load shocks in front w/ E4-FD1-Y005B46 700lb springs @ clip #4 (both sides) for 2.6” of front lift
Billstein 5160 shocks in back
ICON 3" Dual Rate (158507) rear springs
DirtKing UCAs
C4 LoPro winch bumper with full height bar
- C4 High Clearance additions
Diode Dynamics 30” light bar in bumper
- OEM panel switch kit for light bar
Badland Apex 12,000lb winch w/ synthetic rope & 7/8” shackles
KDSS spacers
KDSS Bypass Kit w/ OEM panel switch
Panhard / Trackbar Correction Kit
** Total Cost for these Updates: $9,072.35 **


---------------- Tires / Wheels / Lighting / Cosmetic ----------------
*Go To Sub-post*
BF Goodrich 295/70R17 KO2 tires
Method Race Wheels ‘Bead Grip’ 701 Matte Black - 17x9 | 6x5.5 | -12mm/4.60”
Schrader TPMS sensors (#33560)
WCA 12x1.5 SD Black Lug Nuts
Sherpa Crestone Roof Rack with Traction board mounts, 90 deg. & straight Smileys
ExtremeLED X6S Slim Series Amber / White 44” light bar
ExtremeLED Dual-function Light bar switch
Cali Raised Dual-function Light bar switch (2nd attempt)
KC Hilites Universal Wire Hider
C4 Fabrication Summit Hatch Ladder
Hefty Fabworks Washer Reservoir Skid
Maxtrax MkII Black Recovery Boards
Maxtrax Mounting Pin Set
Lamin-X Amber Fog Light Covers
Seven Sparta - Amber Grille / Raptor Lights
4Runner Lifestyle Rear Quarter Panel Window American Flag Decals
** Total Cost for these Updates: $7,194.23 **


---------------- Accident Repair / Overlanding ----------------
*Go To Sub-post*
Accident repair
Door dent / paint repair
ROAM 6.5 foot Black Awning
Quick Fist clamps and roof rack mounts
** Total Cost for these Updates: $1,221.65 **


List of Desired / Necessary Future Modifications:
Regear to 4.56 or 4.88
Dissent Off-Road - Rear Bumper with combo lights and high clearance hitch mod
Dissent Off-Road - Tire Carrier Swing-out with HiLift mount
RCI Off-Road - Rock Sliders, 5-deg. with tread plate
RCI Off-Road - Full set of Skid Plates
AlphaRex LUXX Headlights - Jet Black
AlphaRex LUXX Alpha Black Tail Lights
Diode Dynamics SS3 LED Fog Light Kit (Yellow SAE / Sport)
ARB On-Board Twin Air Compressor
Rock Lights
Rear & Side Lights
** Estimated Cost for Remaining Updates: ~$12,500 **

 

Hey OP @Mountain_Raider welcome here!
So humble, great thread. And super slick Runner.
Did you get all that work done or buy it like that?
I can relate, I wish knew as much as I did now when I lifted my '16 in '21. Some lack of knowledge mistakes costly, some not. This community has so many great knowledgeable people, or persons as the kids say these days, I'm sure your thread(s) will bear fruit.
Cheers

 

I’ve been a Chevy / Ford guy my whole life. My transition to 4Runners was prompted when my 1998 4WD Chevy Blazer (2” lift) decided to bend a rod at 198,000 miles. I put a new engine in it and sequentially replaced just about everything but the 4WD transmission. However, it never ran the same. My wife had owned a 4Runner before we married and she pushed hard for the switch. In 2018, she finally convinced me to buy a TRD ORP and it was the first new car I’d ever owned. Unfortunately, the navigation system wouldn’t connect to any Apple device due to some sort of licensing dispute between Toyota and Apple and I finally traded it in for a new 2023 TRD ORP with even more bells and whistles.


I failed to take a photo of the 2023 truck when I bought it. So, this is a stock photo from Toyota of the model that I got.



After getting the truck home, I immediately ordered the TRD blackout wheels and emblem blackout overlays. The OEM Dunlop AT20 Grandtrek 265/70/R17 tires were replaced with BF Goodrich KO2 275/70R17 tires and I also pulled the rear bumper off and replaced the silver lower valence with a black one from 4Runner Lifestyle.



These updates required no major physical modification to the truck and, IMHO, the truck’s appearance is dramatically improved. The more aggressive KO2 tires also provide better handling in snow and when traveling down dirt roads or light, 4WD trails.



Summary of updates shown:
BF Goodrich KO2 275/70R17 tires
Toyota TRD Blackout Wheels
Toyota Emblem and Text Black Overlays
Toyota Grill Bar Black Overlays
Rear Bumper - Black Lower Valence

** Total Cost for these Updates: $3,131.88 **

 

————————————————————
—— Lift / Suspension Upgrades ——
————————————————————

I’m primarily a media production (video / photo) guy by trade and when I’m hired to do specialty jobs, it requires that I carry A LOT of heavy gear. Enough gear, in fact, that when fully loaded, the truck is so weighed down that the rear fender is only about an inch above the tire and I can see over the back of the truck. (I’m 6’ tall.)



Because of this use scenario, my first big change to the new 4Runner is an all-around lift including a number of behind-the-scenes items and some general improvements to the suspension system to better accommodate the weight of the gear I carry and to make the truck more trail worthy when driving around the mountains of Colorado.

Now… my truck has KDSS which significantly complicates what would otherwise be a straightforward job. Everything I read about lifting a KDSS truck agreed on one thing – get somebody who knows KDSS to do the work AND don’t skip the little adjustment parts that keep the KDSS system operating as close to it’s stock configuration as possible. Otherwise, it’s all but guaranteed that something will get damaged or broken either in the process or afterwards and you’ll be looking at as much as a $2,500 repair bill from the dealer to fix it.

I asked around for a good shop and was referred to the guys at Mountain Yotas in Denver do the work. We discussed how I currently use the truck, what I wanted to do with it in the future, and what additional modifications I wanted to do in addition to the lift / suspension work. After a number of calls and emails, we finalized a plan to lift the truck, upgrade the rear springs, replace the upper control arms, add a winch bumper and bumper light bar, and correct all of the KDSS angles to keep things happy. We also included a KDSS bypass kit to prevent the system from operating while off-roading.

The work was started on a Monday and it was all done by Tuesday afternoon.



It wasn’t until Saturday that I could get down to Denver to pick up the truck. The 60 mile ride back home was uneventful. Although, when my wife (who was following me back) and I stopped for lunch along the way she said, “Remember that I love you when I say this… you need bigger tires.” [LOL. Yeah… she’s a keeper.]



I definitely agree that with the lift, the BFG KO2 275/70R17 look small and the truck needs bigger tires. The front isn’t too bad, but the rear looks awkward, mismatched, and somehow unfinished. That’ll be next on the ‘To Do’ list and will involve consideration of 285, 295, or 315 tires and the joys (and expense) associated with getting them to fit.

For anyone interested… the fender measurements (on un-level ground) after lift (with 275s):
- 37-3/4" on Driver side front fender height above ground (22-3/4" from hub center)
- 38" on Passenger side front fender (23")
- 41-3/4" on Driver side rear fender (26-1/4")
- 40-3/8" on Passenger side rear fender (25-1/4")


Front view of truck with C4 LoPro bumper with full-height bar & high clearance additions, light bar, winch, and shackles.



DirtKing UCAs & Billstein 6112 Heavy Load shocks (Part #47-311039) in front w/ E4-FD1-Y005B46 700lb springs @ clip #4 (both sides) for 2.6” of front lift



Billstein 5160 shocks in back



ICON 3" Dual Rate (158507) rear springs



KDSS spacers (Treaty Oak)



Panhard / Trackbar Correction Kit (Dr KDSS)



OEM style switches for bumper light bar and KDSS Bypass




I should acknowledge that the rear-end is currently quite stiff - which I knew it would be without the weight of a roof rack and rear bumper. Small bumps in the road are no different than before. But, potholes and uneven highway seams will make it hop. For now, it’s fine. The rack and rear bumper will come and with even a few hundred pounds of gear (or sand bags) in the back, it rides beautifully.

One big challenge that I’ll be dealing with as I progress with this build is that of being able to garage the 4Runner. My garage door clearance is 81.5” (6’ 9.5”). And after the lift, my truck has exactly 4-1/4” of clearance from the shark fin to the garage’s frame gasket. My decisions for tires, rear bumper, and rooftop accessories will be an extreme balancing act between adding height and adding weight to ensure it still fits.





That's it for now. Stay tuned for more updates!





Summary of updates shown:
Billstein 6112 Heavy Load shocks in front w/ E4-FD1-Y005B46 700lb springs @ clip #4 (both sides) for 2.6” of front lift
Billstein 5160 shocks in back
ICON 3" Dual Rate (158507) rear springs
DirtKing UCAs
C4 LoPro winch bumper with full height bar
- C4 High Clearance additions
Diode Dynamics 30” light bar in bumper
- OEM panel switch kit for light bar
Badland Apex 12,000lb winch w/ synthetic rope & 7/8” shackles
KDSS spacers
KDSS Bypass Kit w/ OEM panel switch
Panhard / Trackbar Correction Kit

** Total Cost for these Updates: $9,072.35 **

 

Wagon looks great Ben! Welcome... looking forward to more of progress

That was a quick 10G's

 

LOL. Yeah... I'm already at over $12,000 spent. However, I'm trying to ensure wherever possible that each step in the process is an all-in, one-time thing that doesn't require having to come back for BS 'fixes.' I'm certainly not growing a money tree in the back yard. And, it might be that some of what I'm doing is unnecessary. It's just that I've played the game of, 'Will my car make it?' and been on a first name basis with various junk yard owners and employees. I was practiced enough that when my '79 F150 stalled at a light, I could pop the hood and get out, run to the back and grab a gas can, pour a capful of gas directly into the carburetor, put everything back up, get back in the truck and restart it, all before it turned green again. I've decided that I'm too old for that now. I want it to work and I want it to be reliable. It's an investment in my sanity.

We're in late October now and I'm thinking that I'll wait a bit to see what the Black Friday sales look like in a few weeks. Tires, wheels, fitment body work, and a re-gear is what I'd planned to do next. However, any sales or promotions may change that up.

 

Welcome

 

Nice build. I’m doing a very similar build
On my 2021 ORP. I just installed my BOTCK and KDSS bypass switch this weekend.

it appears you are missing one of the main bolts on the BOTCK.
See red circle below.


Here is my install per DrKDSS instruction video.

it’s a pretty important bolt, I’d ask the shop why they didn’t install the factory bolt back in.

install instructions here:
https://youtu.be/IgcDnMVkjnY?si=4raHroXz7Ku64k4a

 

Hmmmm... you are correct. Thank you for noticing that!!!

I called the shop and sent them the photos. They immediately acknowledged the mistake and stepped up to get it fixed - all at their expense. The original factory bolt's whereabouts, unfortunately, is unknown and was likely thrown out after the install. So, they're ordering a replacement bolt from Toyota today.

 

That’s what this community is all about; helping one another out, to make things better…

 

That’s a little freaky. That is basically the main bolt for the BOTCK, it’s the first one to be tightened and runs through the guts of the BOTCK. I’d have them go over the rest of their work as well.

*Edit* make sure they check the torque specs also. The 3 main BOTCK bolts need to go to 125 ft-lbs which is significant. The track bar bolts I only torqued to 95 ft-lbs. if you don’t have one already, get a decent torque wrench. A lot of these things need to be checked and re-torqued after some drive time and it’s not always convenient or covered to return to a shop to have them check bolts.

 

Yeah... I think they were more than a little embarrassed about it. The bolt's absence IS a rather significant oversight considering its purpose.

The shop includes a complimentary re-torque inspection for their work after 500 miles. It's not 'convenient' per se since I'm 60 miles away, but they've repeatedly told me that I can drop in anytime to have someone re-inspect their work. I was actually there last week. But, that visit was for them to install a power bypass switch for my winch (which they did for free). I don't think they looked at the BOTCK. And, TBH, I didn't even notice the missing bolt before now to tell them - and I took the documenting photos. I'm presuming that the missing bolt would've been caught during a detailed re-torque inspection. At least... that's my initial 'benefit of the doubt' position. If events dictate that my position gets reevaluated, I'll let you know.

 

Just picked up the same truck. Looking to put together something similar yet a lot less. When you put on the KO2 did the drive on pavement improve? Specifically broken pavement and bumpy road? Maybe my OEM tires are filled up to much but the drive feels hard compared to some that I test drove in ‘22 models.

I want to soften up the drive if possible when throwing on a AT tire and wheel combo in the next few days but just can’t make my mind up.

 

For my part, I didn't notice any difference whatsoever with the drive quality on the 275 BFG KO2 'E' tires versus the OEM tires. Other forum posts here and elsewhere say that 'C' tires will give you a softer ride on bumpy pavement, but I've not experienced it. Perhaps that's just how / where I drive? Or, another option is that I'm just ignorant to the nuances of ride quality. What I CAN say is that the KO2s have always felt way more surefooted on forest roads and poorly maintained city / highway roads than what ships from the factory. And to be fair, I should think that'd apply to any 'upgraded' tire versus OEM.

 

Part #4

I watched and waited for all of the Black Friday sales and then went on a spending spree. The end result is a nearly complete visual transformation of my 4Runner which I hope you’ll approve of.


————————————————————————
—— Washer Reservoir Skid - $148.15 ——
————————————————————————

I started off by buying a windshield wiper fluid reservoir skid plate from HeftyFabWorks. I specifically went with this one because it had two mounting points on different angles and was less likely to spin or get displaced if the larger tires made contact. The skid arrived uncoated and I had a local shop remedy that for me. It looks great and is very well built.









————————————————————
—— Tires & Wheels - $4,146.83 ——
————————————————————

After an unreasonable amount of angst, I settled on BFG 295/70R17 KO2 ‘E’ tires. The overriding factor in this decision was the choice of doing a body mount chop (BMC) or a complete body mount relocate. I just wasn’t ready to go that aggressively into the body modifications and fender trimming. I mean, yeah… a lot has already been done. And, bumping up to 315s would require a completely different echelon of compounding modifications. So… 295’s and a modest BMC it was.

For the wheels, I went with the Method Race Wheels ‘Bead Grip’ 701 Matte Black with a -12mm offset. The -12mm offset kept the inside wall of the tires at the same relative position of the 275s and TRD wheels while pushing the outside wall about an inch out. This created a slightly wider stance without being obnoxiously so. I also had to get a new set of TPMS sensors and black lug nuts.







—————————————————————————
—— Roof Rack and Light Bar - $1,902.97 ——
—————————————————————————

When I bought my first 4Runner (2018 TRD ORP), I had originally identified Prinsu as the roof rack that I wanted to get. I never did get a rack for that 2018 and I was determined to put a rack on my 2023. However, a few things happened along the way which led me to a different manufacturer. I only live about 15 miles from Sherpa and had an opportunity to meet and work with the guys there on a semi-unrelated topic before buying the 2023. Throughout that project, they were absolute professionals at every turn. And when I later stopped in and inquired about putting one of their racks on my 2023, they walked me through their shop and their employee parking lot to look at various installation configurations and patiently answered every noob question I threw their way. I started watching out for comparative reviews and learned that Sherpa’s roof racks were built better and were far less likely to cause damage through water leaks and rusting or from rubbing on the roof itself. Based on these continuously positive experiences AND being able to support a local company, it just felt right to get a Sherpa roof rack. I ultimately chose their Crestone rack configured for a rooftop light bar, Maxtrax boards, and other various accessories.




The Crestone rack was bundled with a 44” ExtremeLED X6S dual function Amber / White light bar. I ordered a dual function switch from ExtremeLED for the light bar, but it didn’t fit in the dash despite supposedly being an OEM match. A call to ExtremeLED resulting in the discovery that the ‘tall rectangle’ switch was all they had and that I’d need a ‘short rectangle switch. I ordered a ‘small style’, short rectangle replacement from Cali Raised that did fit, but the internal wiring for it was different than the ExtremeLED switch.






One final noob issue I’m having is getting the relays and wiring all figured out for the roof light bar and for future additions of more lights / accessories. I still have a long way to go in learning what the best approach to this is. I know I’m going to have to add in a relay / fuse box and I’ve read a number of other posts that discuss doing it. However, there’s (to me) a gap in the process of explanation and I’m momentarily stuck.


————————————————————
—— Recovery Boards - $273.76 ——
————————————————————

There was a Black Friday sale on the Maxtrax Mk II Black recovery boards for $263.99 / pair. I couldn’t pass it up. Although… I’m now thinking I probably should’ve bought two pair and not just one. Oh well…




————————————————————
———— Fog Lights - ~$18 —————
————————————————————

I really wanted to get a set of AlphaRex DoubleTap LED Dual Color fog lights to replace the OEM ones. However, they sold out before I could place my order and take advantage of a sale event. I’ve consoled myself for the time being with a pair of Lamin-X Amber Fog Light Covers. They’re cheesy, but good enough for now.




——————————————————————
——— Rear Window Decals - ~$55 ———
——————————————————————

I happen to like the idea of patriotism and so purchased a set of US flag decals for the rear windows. This was a 100% frivolous purchase and I love how it looks. Unfortunately, the reactions and commentary have been surprisingly negative so far. I mean… haters gonna’ hate. And as far as I’m concerned, they can go fornicate with a tick-infested goat.




—————————————————————
—— Rear Hatch Ladder - $512.66 ——
—————————————————————

Getting a rear hatch ladder was an experience unto itself. I’ll share that fiasco in a separate post. And for now… a shout-out of support to C4 Fabrication and a sincere recommendation for their products.




—————————————————————
—— Raptor Grille Lights - $78.92 ——
—————————————————————

This was another frivolous purchase. I like the look of them and they’ll go great with upgraded headlights when that finally happens. My long-term plan is to wire them to a separate, OEM-style switch in the cab. For now, I’ve built a wiring harness splitter and connected them inline with the fog lights.




—————————————————————
—— Fuel Economy Change Notes ——
—————————————————————

My average fuel economy before this lump of work was a relatively consistent 17.6 MPG. After adding the larger tires, I was a little worried how much the MPG would drop. I drove a few well-known city / highway routes of 20 to 30 miles each both before and after the install so I’d have a good idea of the effect and was more than a little surprised to learn that there was no definitive change. On some routes, the trip MPG was lower after the change and on some it was actually higher. I then did the same test with the truck after the roof rack and light bar was installed and that’s where the hit occurred. I don’t know where it’ll all settle, but preliminarily results are showing that the fuel economy has dropped by ~2 MPG to around 15.5 MPG.


————————————————
—— Current appearance ——
————————————————





Summary of Updates Shown:
BF Goodrich 295/70R17 KO2 tires
Method Race Wheels ‘Bead Grip’ 701 Matte Black - 17x9 | 6x5.5 | -12mm/4.60”
Schrader TPMS sensors (#33560)
WCA 12x1.5 SD Black Lug Nuts
Sherpa Crestone Roof Rack with Traction board mounts, 90 deg. & straight Smileys
ExtremeLED X6S Slim Series Amber / White 44” light bar
ExtremeLED Dual-function Light bar switch
Cali Raised Dual-function Light bar switch (2nd attempt)
KC Hilites Universal Wire Hider
C4 Fabrication Summit Hatch Ladder
Hefty Fabworks Washer Reservoir Skid
Maxtrax MkII Black Recovery Boards
Maxtrax Mounting Pin Set
Lamin-X Amber Fog Light Covers
Seven Sparta - Amber Grille / Raptor Lights
4Runner Lifestyle Rear Quarter Panel Window American Flag Decals


** Total Cost for these Updates: $7,194.23 **

 

We love your build, thanks for choosing us for your dual function light bar it looks great!

 

Well... phooey.

I took a drive from northern Colorado to south Texas. Stayed in the Houston area for three weeks and then drove back to Colorado. The total trip was about 3,000 miles.

On the way back, I made it to within 150 miles from home and got rear-ended in stop-&-go traffic on I-25. The damage doesn't look bad. However, I've thirteen error / warning messages on the dash and a number of things - A/C and back-up camera, for example - no longer work.

I can't imagine how this little damage could result in this many issues... but there it is. Warnings on the dash now include: Check Engine warning light, TPMS Malfunction, Traction Control Malfunction, Pre-Collision System Malfunction, Headlight System Malfunction, LDA Malfunction, Drive-Start Control Malfunction, Lane Keep Assist warning light, Trac Off warning light, etc. I stopped in at O'Reilly to have the warning codes read and that added to the above list a 'fault in the Transmission Range Sensor electrical circuit.'

Tell your trucks you love them. There's no telling how long you'll have together.

 

Two weeks later, the drama continues. Turns out that the chick that hit me was borrowing the car from her boyfriend in New Mexico. He had insurance, but the coverage was so low that their USAA agent said the policy was all but useless and likely wouldn't cover the cost of replacing even the plastic bumper... much less any body / sensor damage under it. The USAA rep advised me to file with my own insurance and then sue USAA for reimbursement afterwards. I might (but likely won't) see a settlement in 1 to 2 years.

Luckily, I have a good policy and low deductible with Auto-Owners. So after two weeks of back and forth with USAA, Auto-Owners jumped right in and the claim process has gone from filing a claim to having a repair estimate and scheduled repair appointment in only a few days.

The repair estimate for this love tap is $5,000 and 3 weeks in the shop (starting mid-next week). I can't fathom how it'll take three weeks. If all goes well and according to plan, that'll amount to 6 weeks of downtime for the truck. Hooray.

 

Seven weeks...

That's how long it took to get the truck repaired and back in my hands. The repair work came in at $4,855.57. Thankfully, my insurance only has a $500 deductible – which I may get back in a year or two if the subrogation effort is successful.

The repair shop - Markley Collision Center in Fort Collins, CO - did a great job on fixing the accident damage. They also addressed a rather nasty parking lot dent and paint damage on the front passenger door for an additional $225 AND detailed the truck inside and out. It's looking good as new. Now... I gotta go get her dirty!

In celebration of getting my truck back, I drove over to Sherpa in Berthoud, CO and bought a 6.5ft ROAM awning (Black) and a pair of Quick Fist clamps to allow adding a shovel to my Crestone roof rack.



Overland Expo Mountain West 2024 is happening this weekend. I'll be out there on Saturday (24th) seeking inspiration and knowledge. I'll also be attending the Sherpa after-party in Berthoud. And, no, I won't be riding the mechanical bull. If anyone is in the area this weekend, feel free to say hi.


Summary of Expense / Updates Shown:
Accident repair
Door dent / paint repair
ROAM 6.5 foot Black Awning
Quick Fist clamps and roof rack mounts

** Total Cost for these Updates: $1,221.65

 

We were at Expo and the afterparty too! Must have seen you there. Glad everything worked out and great rig!