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

A few days ago, added the TRDP rims. Tonight, loaded the truck up with plants and soil for the first time. It was a load that, in the past, would have meant three trips in the MINI. Love it.

 

I would not drill into the roof. Water has a way of finding the path of least resistance. Once your rig leaks, might as well sell it. Find a rack that does not require drilling as there are plenty of options out there.

 

I would normally agree with you, but consider that the oem roof rails are attached to the roof using similar rivet/plus nuts. If the holes you're adding are going to leak, then original mount points have the same potential. Silicone rtv is your friend

Typed like a child from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

 

Similar yes, but consider that a robot with extreme precision is drilling the roof rack holes and installing the covers that completely seal the drilled holes from weather. Very well engineered. Now take someone like me that is blind in one and can't see out of the other. I would slant/rim out and then what do u do. RTV will only last so long. I'm just saying not to mess with intended design but I'm also the guy that will not lift his vehicles anymore. If roof rack companies cannot work and design around the factory holes, I would have to pass on them.

 

@rydik21 Emblems look really good blacked out. I'm looking to do the same with mine. What kind of work is involved? New here and haven't heard of plastidip, and I'm curious if you have to take the plastic panels off and what kind of painting is involved.

 

Wait! Are you saying that after a few beers I cannot do precision work!? I have been looking at alternatives. I have the moon roof and I would need a full length rack. I'm also worried that if I install a rack that you have to drill and decide in a week that it's not what I want then what? I do like the look of the Prinsu and it's modular design though.

 

By the way, I have decided to upgrade the windshield with a nice crack... Yep, 6 days into a new vehicle and I catch a rock on the highway! Window scars are cool..right?

 

Plastidip works but it takes a while and doesn't last long. When it chips, you have to peal it all off and start over, it can't be touched up. IMO, this is the way to go. Same look but lasts forever and takes a few minutes to apply.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/14-17-TOYOT...ash=item3d369a12db:g:0bQAAOSw-29ZQY7b&vxp=mtr

 

That looks sick! Custom job? Makes me want to do the same!

 

Reinstalled the Rola Rack after finding out the aftermarket brackets from 4xinnovations was bare steel. One day of rain and rust formed. Wet sanded it with 220, a couple coats of rust reformer, and a couple coats of flat black paint ought to do it.

Then took the family to the park for a Sunday picnic after church and used the rack for the stroller. No more jamming it between the second row and all the car seats inside!

 

Working for a truck manufacturing company for 38 years we would not drill the sheet metal after the vehicle has been ecoated and top coated. You open the vehicle up to corrosion down the road. Can you keep water and corrosion from starting, probably, but you need to know what is the correct items to use and how to use them, especially if you plan to keep the vehicle for several years.

 

For some odd reason the engineers at Toyota have the angle of windshield at the wrong slant (no pun intended) They understand this is a HUGE problem with the runners. I had ours 1 day before a nice star burst. Ugh!!! If they would increase the angle more objects would glance off without damage. Let's start a "Class Action". LMAO.

 

You could not be more accurate. Well done Sir.

 

Thoughts on using these points for jacking the front of the truck? Lower control arm mount point. Seems sturdy enough.

 

Sure but it'll destroy the skid since I believe it covers that section of the control arm. I go directly to the frame and put a block of wood between the jack and frame.

 

Ok. Ill double check, but there's no skid there. Just the cross member and lower arm. Used that rather than the lift cause they can't seem to get the blocks in front of the transmission cross member.

 

OK I guess i'm wrong then. I thought the front skid went under the control arm tabs some. I had my jack stands in front of the cross member no problem while installing my lift so not sure why they had a problem?

 

Gave plasti-dip a shot and blacked out my front and rear emblems. I think it came out awesome!

 

Changed the oil and filter myself. Removed the skid plate, long bolts and thick washers toward the front bumper. Short bolts in the rear. Do not get these mixed up. Running Mobil 1 0w20 full synethic 15,000 mile guarantee. Purring like a kitten.

 

You don't plan to leave that oil or any oil for that matter, in your engine for 15k miles do you?

 

No, I am a no more than 5k mile on any oil or six months. I've never used Mobil 1 until now and am pleasantly surprised. Got 2 more mpg in my Tundra and running 1850 RPMs at 70 MPH when I use to run at 2000 RPMs. I Send every oil change off to Blackstone Labs for complete analysis.

 

I'm the same, did my first oil change at 2K using OEM oil and filter, I will do it again at 5K and may switch to Mobil 1 also but still run the OEM filters. The drop in RPM is interesting, I will have to keep an eye on it if I switch over.

 

Did you see any metal shavings on the drain plug at the 2k mile change? OEM filters work great as often as you and I change our oil. If you decide to do this yourself, make sure you buy the OEM wrench. This will avoid breaking pieces of the plastic housing.

 

Link to oem wrench?

 

Here you go.

 

Already have the wrench and I upgraded to the metal housing at my first oil change at 2K miles. Haven't hit 5K yet. Zero metal shavings on the plug or inside the plastic cover. I babied it for the first 1k miles, no hard driving of any kind at all. May have something to do with it.

 

That's fantastic. Sounds like you plan on keeping this vehicle a Long time. I know I am. Want to get 300k miles out of this machine.

 

Where did you get the metal housing?

 

It's actually an OEM housing used on the Prius, Camry, Rav4, as painful as it is to use Prius parts on our trucks lol. Only thing you have to do is swap over the metal center post that the filter slides on to. Ours is a little longer than what comes in the metal housing. Just pops out, no effort at all.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/TOYOTA-LEXU...ash=item3d2fc72de1:g:DP8AAOSwXetZPIEn&vxp=mtr

 

Great idea. Thank you.