Hello All!
After having this
S-Tech Switch System for close to a month and using it almost every day I feel comfortable sharing my review, installation and even a discount code for forum members! As you will read I was beyond impressed with the product, and personally believe this product should be in hands of more owners in which the product is tailored to; 5th Gen 4Runners. Which is why S-Tech has given me permission to offer forum members
10% OFF their purchase from www.stechswitch.com/ by entering the code: Toy10
First and foremost I want to thank S-Tech and Team Tech Offroad owner Scott for providing genuinely some of the best customer service I have received, even with a time zone difference no matter when I sent an email I received a phone call minutes later with him happy to answer any questions right there even throughout the weekend.
Lets Begin
My search for some sort of accessory and power management system was prompted by a growing section of my home that was being filled with mods I wasnt ready to install until I found an option that fit some criteria I listed below in no particular order.
1. It was aesthetically pleasing and tied into the vehicle cleanly
2. Performs as intended (the obvious)
3. Cost Value (To extend on this Im a person that needs "Justification" for why something costs a certain amount. After owning and using the "Bigger" name units in other vehicles I always felt the price didn't match what I was receiving. With some units now hitting upwards of $900 in cost with bare minimum included I wanted to seek other options
After some researching I came across the S-Tech Switch Systems and after some more research found a growing popularity among the Jeep community. The big thing that caught my attention was the 5th Gen 4Runner Specific offering which includes; a 3D printed switch housing for either of the awkward cubby spots below the head unit AND a 5th gen specific engine bay mounting bracket for either the driver or passenger side mounting. All is made in-house and there is no need to look for mounting accessories from another company or make your own. After emailing a few questions I had I quickly received a phone call from Scott and he explained everything I needed to know and more. I was sold on Scott'scustomer service alone, I ordered the minute we got off the phone and my order was shipped the next day.
My Order
The particular configuration I ordered was the Custom 6 Switch System option
All for the price of $344.99 (this is without the 10% off forum discount code: Toy10)
Custom S-Tech 6 Switch System- Custom 4Runner Switch Housing w/ install template
- Customization in Switch Layout, Switch type, Color and Accessory specific labeling
- Power Control Module
- Plug and Play wiring Harness
- Custom powder coated Mounting bracket
- All Mounting Hardware
- Accessory Fuse tap
- Install instructions
Again all for $344.99
In addition I ordered I ordered
their 60 Amp Circuit Break W/ 24in Battery Extension Cable a $20 addition I think everyone will highly recommend you get to protect your vehicle.
Package Arrival and Contents!
First Impressions
I was pleasantly greeted with "Proudly Made in the USA" (Colorado Specifically) stamped and stickered inside and out of the packaging. As well as being greeted by S-Techs new 5 Year Buyer Protection Warranty before you even open the box that holds the unit and switches. After taking everything out the overall quality is incredible. Everything from the precision of the custom housing/ bracket, quality of the rocker switches, thick protection surrounding the wiring and of course the power module, All met if not exceeded the quality of other comparable units on the market that are being offered for hundreds more. In addition, their focus on the consumer is unmatched by not only providing such a bang for your buck but also by simplifying installation through clear directions and guided templates, which gives the consumer a sense of ease when installing and pride when it is all installed and working!
On top of everything else, you get the impression of the companies confidence and willing to back their products, especially since the original warranty of 3 years wasn't enough for them to receive a unit back they challenged themselves by giving purchasers a
full 5 year Warranty Most manufacturers offering similar product offer
2 years at max
My Chosen Switch Layout and Custom 5th Gen Housing
Fit and Finish
First image is showing the switches installed as a whole. Second image provides a close up of how perfectly the custom housing fits inside the cubby
Installation
I will go into full installation walk through in the post below this one. But install was as simple as it could get. Between the detailed instructions and fool proof template provided the install should be a breeze. If I wasn't doing a detailed install I would have been done in closer to an hour and that is including dis and reassembly to remove the lower cubby section
The Engine bracket uses two open factory bolt points and just needs to be bolted with supplied hardware. and before you fully tighten the bracket it allows for several inches of adjustability if you wish to move it closer to the battery or more towards the cabin. Only somewhat difficult part was running the cable through the firewall which in reality is still not bad just need to be careful. As well their is plenty of wiring so you could easily install the system on the passenger side and still cleaning run the wiring around the engine bay to the firewall grommet on the driver side.
Power Module and custom bracket
In Addition if you prefer a different bracket style Power Tray Makes a Bracket specifically for the S-Tech System and 5th gen 4Runner
Brief Install Notes Cont.
Powering The System: I have the unit wired up so that switches are only powered when the key is in the ACC position and obviously when running. Unit turns entirely off when the key is in the off position, so there is no power draw. If you have a dual battery setup with some accessories that might be always powered like a fridge or camp lighting, definitely add in both
the voltage meter for the status of your accessory battery and add
S-Techs Low Voltage Disconnect , and the switch to toggle the back lighting on/off.
Overall Thoughts Thus Far
After a month of daily usage Ill comment up to this point as far as my experience. The system is preforming now just as it did the day I installed it. Switches haven't lost any "spring" even after the amount of times ive sat in traffic and flicked the blank switch hundreds of times out of boredom, still feels the same as when I took it out of the bubble wrap.
I did want to comment on the Dual USB Voltmeter accessory. as well I wanted to see how accurate the voltmeter is, after testing it I can safely say it is on point with its readings. On top of that the USBs have charged both an iPhone XS Max and an iPad simultaneously from 0 to 100% within an hour which is impressive when comparing to the factory USB that doesn't provide enough power to even maintain the current battery percentage.
Something to note is the unit is NOT waterproof but is water resistant and which is something I wanted to test, after running through several deep puddles and water crossings the unit never skipped a beat.
At the end of the day the real thing that matters is that the unit will do its job in powering my accessories and protecting my vehicle/ accessories from issues like a short or overheating (luckily I haven’t had to test this yet). But, thus far the unit continues to be extremely reliable to where I have no doubt every time I flip a switch whatever accessory is attached will turn on. In addition if something does happen or there is an issue have the satisfaction of your 5 year warranty while most companies have 2 years at max.
Again I have to comment and thank Scott for providing the utmost customer service and reiterate his passion and desire to put the best product forward for his customers.
If anyone has any questions please feel free to either write here or send me a pm Id be happy to help out!
Attached here is my system as well several other possibilities and configurations possible
Linear Mode
