Are there seriously no tail light guards available?

The 5th gen tail lights are just begging for damage with how they are configured, so I thought a set of black steel guards would be both functional and attractive.

I have searched Google, Bing, multiple 4Runner forums, and Amazon and apparently nobody makes guards for the millions of 5th gen 4Runners out there.

Amazing.

 

Won’t pass inspection in most states. My old foreman had a Range Rover with them from the factory and they failed inspections..

 

That is surprising. Maybe someone makes a rear bumper with integrated taillight protection.

 

Those would probably cause more harm than good.

 

How so?

 

Just want something like this for 5th gens...

 

Really? I've never heard of that. I've never lived in a state that had government-mandated inspections of vehicles.

 

Once a year here......Ugh.....the lines and my Corolla is due next month....during peak rut....

 

Is that a George Forman grill ?

 

IMO they are ugly.
If you look the taillights are pretty well tucked in so...
The guards stick out farther than stock which will actually increase the likely hood of it getting hit.
If you hit something it's going to bend sheet metal vs just breaking the light.
Also, they are ugly.

 

The pic shows a 4th gen. 5th gen tail lights aren't tucked in.

 

Useless

 

For what reason are taillight guards needed?!

 

Because they're bro-tastic!

 

I thought the reason was fairly obvious... To prevent damage to the tail lights?

 

Must be a California thing...

 

Gawd no

 

In case you back into a tree when "wheelin"??

 

Yeah because a plastic guard is going to do anything...

 

There's three kinds of people in the 4Runner world:

Stock
Modded for purpose
Modded for appearance

Things like taillight guards, bull bars, raptor lights, etc fall into category three. There's nothing specifically wrong with that - I mean, I'm a category two man myself - but whatever gets you hard.

 

Gotta love seeing Lexus with taillight guards lmao

 

That's pretty narrow-minded.

You really think that anyone who does a mod that is simply for appearance falls neatly into your category two and doesn't do other mods for purpose?

You have done no mods on your vehicles that enhanced the appearance AND had a purpose?

I agree that there are folks who build mall crawlers that will never see gravel; big lifts and aggressive tires look great, but on those vehicles, purely for appearance. Not my cup of tea.

But anything that provides protection against physical damage is functional and enhances appearance. Pretty sure I'm not the only person here that has had a tail light broken while parked in a parking lot or while turning around on a tight trail and bumping into an embankment.

You don't like tail light guards, fine, but why the need to mock others for wanting them?

 

Damn if you get a broken taillight in a parking lot. Thats some bad luck.

I'm one of those that will park in the far back and walk. And yet I still get people parking next to me for some reason.

 

Not mocking anyone, read the post you quoted

 

You do black diamond trials in moab or something...?? Sheesh. The tail lights bug me also the way they "stick out" but, in all the trials and wheeling I've done, was never worries about them. You must do some wicked shit to be trippin on them getting damaged. Unless,...... your worried about a shopping cart hitting them.

Edit- and if the shopping cart thing is the case.... I dont really know what to tell ya. You worry about the mirrors like that too?
And no, I've never had a tail light broken in a parking lot, nor trail. Or, ever... (probably why you cant find any bolt on ones,... no one wants or needs them)
My want with the tail lights, would be some I could buy and put in, that didnt hang out 47 feet. If anything

 

Just my opinion: Tail light guards are “mostly” for appearance. If you back into something with one on, it’s not going to save your light. You're going to get damage in that scenario with or without a guard; and may actually increase your odds of turning just a broken taillight into body damage. They might possibly stop a branch from getting flung against the light and cracking it, but in my experiences, it’s usually more of a branch poke that will do it in, which these will not protect against. Many I’ve seen (like the example posted above), would also only protect against a vertical strike, if it was horizontal, it’s likely going to find its way in between the bars and still hit the light. Also, based on the ones I’ve seen for jeeps, they are not very stout... a branch swipe that would have cracked a light, is also likely to dent the guard.

Not to mention, that in most scenarios, you’re going to make contact with the body or bumper before the light.

 

That's why I have sliders. My 4 is not getting dinged in the parking lot.

 

I bought a 2020 4Runner. When I got to the tail light cover issue it was the final straw. The 4Runner has been problematic. Lack of accessories is one of many reasons you should not buy anything from Toyota. I'm done with Toyota. Won't buy anything from them ever again. Very cheaply made SUVs.

 

Is today opposite day?

 

Best of luck finding a more reliable, tried and true ride. Did you not look into any of this before you bought it? See you on the Bronco forum, Bye.