4runner TRD Pro

[05Rrunner]

KDSS is an onroad system. It allows the 4Runner to have larger sway bars than the standard model without those swaybars negatively affecting articulation. I think that with the suspension travel that the Pro supposedly gains, the KDSS caused more problems off-road than advantages onroad so they decided to pitch it out on the Pro model.

Yes, yes could not have said it better. Which is why it was never offered on the FJ. And I ordered mine without it.

 

[Global_Grind83]

Hey guys,

New to this form and wondering if anyone who ordered a Trd Pro has got a vin or a date as I to when the vehicle is coming in? I ordered a white Trd around 3 weeks ago and still haven't heard a thing.

 

[NewguyNY]

Hey guys,

New to this form and wondering if anyone who ordered a Trd Pro has got a vin or a date as I to when the vehicle is coming in? I ordered a white Trd around 3 weeks ago and still haven't heard a thing.

I've had no updates either. I was told I'd see the vehicle sometime in October. I ordered the orange one a couple days ago.

 

[Cypher]

KDSS is an onroad system. It allows the 4Runner to have larger sway bars than the standard model without those swaybars negatively affecting articulation. I think that with the suspension travel that the Pro supposedly gains, the KDSS caused more problems off-road than advantages onroad so they decided to pitch it out on the Pro model.

I second the kudos. Well said. This is exactly the way that the TDR reps at the FJ Summit explained it to me as well.

 

[1engineer]

[MENTION=48413]Quentin[/MENTION] you are getting a lot of Kudos for a dumb 'ol engineer lol. Who knew someone who drove trains would know something about Toyotas! J/K man. You are spot on of course but the KDSS on my TE really works well on the turnpike!

 

[1engineer]

[MENTION=48413]Quentin[/MENTION] you are getting a lot of Kudos for a dumb 'ol engineer lol. Who knew someone who drove trains would know something about Toyotas! J/K man. You are spot on of course but the KDSS on my TE really works well on the turnpike!

 

[Quentin]

[MENTION=48413]Quentin[/MENTION] you are getting a lot of Kudos for a dumb 'ol engineer lol. Who knew someone who drove trains would know something about Toyotas! J/K man. You are spot on of course but the KDSS on my TE really works well on the turnpike!

For some reason, my train keeps taking me past the Toyota plant nearby. Must be osmosis.

 

[harkco]

KDSS is an onroad system. It allows the 4Runner to have larger sway bars than the standard model without those swaybars negatively affecting articulation. I think that with the suspension travel that the Pro supposedly gains, the KDSS caused more problems off-road than advantages onroad so they decided to pitch it out on the Pro model.

Or Toyota was just too lazy to offer multiple versions / options of the TRD Pro. I may be wrong, but doesn't KDSS also help with offroad articulation as well (at least it does according the Toyota and Lexus videos I have watched). I just kind of feel like Toyota took the KISS approach to the TRD Pro. Nothing wrong with that, but also no reason to imply that KDSS would not have complemented a beefed up Toyota suspension quite well. There are quite a few members here running aftermarket suspensions with KDSS that can attest to that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfYNEQKh38Q

 

[Global_Grind83]

I've had no updates either. I was told I'd see the vehicle sometime in October. I ordered the orange one a couple days ago.

So strange NewguyNY! Anytime I've ordered a vehicle in past I've always got way more updates. I'll keep you posted if I hear anything congrats on your order as well

 

[1engineer]

Or Toyota was just too lazy to offer multiple versions / options of the TRD Pro. I may be wrong, but doesn't KDSS also help with offroad articulation as well (at least it does according the Toyota and Lexus videos I have watched). I just kind of feel like Toyota took the KISS approach to the TRD Pro. Nothing wrong with that, but also no reason to imply that KDSS would not have complemented a beefed up Toyota suspension quite well. There are quite a few members here running aftermarket suspensions with KDSS that can attest to that.

KDSS in the 2010 Toyota 4Runner - Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System - YouTube

Quite a few have taken the sway bars completely off and several have taken off the KDSS too lol. It just depends. KDSS on a stock TE is great both on and off road. A few years ago we had a fierce tech debate with me [MENTION=8206]harper7[/MENTION] and [MENTION=2]Thai[/MENTION] that I could dredge up if needed. Again, we won't know until someone drives the Pro and sees how the new suspension handles in differing conditions.

 

[harkco]

Quite a few have taken the sway bars completely off and several have taken off the KDSS too lol. It just depends. KDSS on a stock TE is great both on and off road. A few years ago we had a fierce tech debate with me [MENTION=8206]harper7[/MENTION] and [MENTION=2]Thai[/MENTION] that I could dredge up if needed. Again, we won't know until someone drives the Pro and sees how the new suspension handles in differing conditions.

Agreed. I just get annoyed at all the speculation that somehow quickly becomes fact. Someone soon will have a TRD Pro that can provide some first hand feedback. I'm just wondering who will be the first to try and retrofit a TRD Pro with KDSS

 

[bimrunner]

Agreed. I just get annoyed at all the speculation that somehow quickly becomes fact. Someone soon will have a TRD Pro that can provide some first hand feedback. I'm just wondering who will be the first to try and retrofit a TRD Pro with KDSS

I'm going to go on record and guess some will talk about doing it and nobody will actually do it.

 

[FrontRange4Runner]

You know, you are right. I'll tell my friends at TMS to not bother. I'll tell them to kill the TE, too, because a base SR5 is probably cheaper to build up. Then again, you could buy a used 4Runner for a lot cheaper than new and build an amazing off-roader on a 4th gen for the fraction of a new SR5. Maybe just cancel the whole 4Runner program because the value just isn't there versus a used 4th gen, GX, or LC.

Wow, it seems like my post my have inadvertently set you off there. I was simply comparing the 2 most off road oriented 4Runners and what I think you could do to your vehicle for that extra $5K. I did not say anywhere that the Pro should not be made, or that it was a "waste of money". If others come to that conclusion, that is their opinion, just as my opinion is that the money could be spent differently, especially for those who plan getting hard core. I even stated that people should spend their money how ever they please - if that is on a Pro, then so be it. As I have said many times on here, we need every sale we can get to keep these vehicles coming to here. My post meant no harm.

 

[FrontRange4Runner]

So how's your warranty with all those mods?

How about efficiency? Still gonna get 20 mpg?

Best of all, how about when you go to trade it or sell it? That TRD will still be worth about 80% of the $42K or $34K after 3 years. Let's look at your $37K TE Build:
$37K + $5K worth of mods = $42K right?
Problem is after 3 years your TE that you have $42K invested in is only worth $30K because very few pay for private mods unless they come from a place like ICON. Now, you could pull all that stuff off and sell it for maybe 1/4 of what it's worth (tires worn, wheels scraped, etc) so now you are up to $30K +$1.25K = $31.25K.

So mine is worth $34K and yours is worth around $31K for a difference of $3K. That's a lot of beer money. You speak of value in your post but you need to take some of the intangibles into account too.

Last thing for those who are miffed that KDSS is not offered on the TRD PRO:
Did you ever consider that KDSS might not be needed with this suspension package? That on road cornering and off road articulation might be as good as the current TE's with KDSS? That's what I am thinking.

If your goal is to have the most capable 4runner right from the show room floor, the the Pro is obviously the way to go. However, there are many people who buy there vehicles and immedeatly start modding (warranty be dammed!). For those people, that $5k makes a big difference. Money spent on the mods will not be coming back, but that does not matter if you plan on keeping the vehicle for 200k. I completely agree with your trade in assessment, and the stock vehicle will always be worth more at trade in than a modded one, even if it has very expensive mods. There are very few buyers for modded vehicles. To me, part of the "value" of these vehicles comes for the fact that they are built to last, and if you keep them, you maximize whatever money you spent on them. Trading in almost any vehicle @3 years is a loosing proposition.

As far as KDSS goes, I agree whit your above assessment. I'm not surprised that the Pro does not have it. Many people on here have proven that you can build a suspension setup that meets or exceeds KDSS. With the setup on the Pro, KDSS seems redundant at best. I love mine, but when it's time comes, I will probably switch it out for a completely different suspension.

 

[Fireside]

For you guys that are pre-ordering.
Any options available with these that you know of or are they strictly as is?

 

[c2one]

For you guys that are pre-ordering.
Any options available with these that you know of or are they strictly as is?

There are just a few add-ons, like a cargo net or cross bars.

All are listed here and there is a breakdown by region...
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/160015-4runner-trd-pro-64.html#post1782505

 

[Fireside]

Thanks! Got it.....

 

[DRDpro]

What color is everybody ordering?

I'm stuck between Inferno & White

 

[4Running Daily]

What color is everybody ordering?



I'm stuck between Inferno & White

Inferno, do it.

 

[sn_85]

$42K starting? I got my Trail for $37K. That gives me $5K to play with. $1K OME suspension (any duty), $1K for full under body armor, $1K Tires, $1(.2?)K ARB front bumper, $500 sliders. Take the extra $500 plus the fact that many of these item can be had for less than $1k and put that towards installation. Now I have beast of a vehicle for the same price. Obviously people could spend this cash however they wanted, but I feel like the pricing that I am seeing makes the TRD Pro climb an insurmountable mountain, value-wise. However, if orange is your thing, then go for it! Spend any hard earned cash however you like, I just like to stretch mine a bit where I can..(beer is non-negotiable)

IMO, if you intend to keep the TRD Pro the way it is without adding a lot or changing things it's a pretty good value. All it basically needs is a pair of rock sliders and maybe a roof rack and it's good to go for most adventures. Obviously those who are looking to build a serious rock crawler with LT suspension or add a ton of mods need not apply, however, for the majority that are looking to add an entry level setup like the Toytec Ultimate lift or OME this offers a very similar setup.

Toytec Ultimate $1200
Front skid from Bud $300
AT Tires $800-1000
FN Wheels or SCS $800

Again, those are basically the essential upgrades that the TRD-P offers if you were to do it yourself. Estimate of your own mods is anywhere from $3,100 - $3,300. I didn't account any installation fees or other misc things like powder coating, etc etc. If the TRD-P upgrades are $5k more than stock TEP that's a pretty good value imho. That extra $ you spend for installation, warranty, and piece of mind is worth it. When you do mods yourself there is always a chance that something is done wrong. There is a squeak here, a squeak there or some other thing that could go wrong. That's why you're paying that extra $2000 over doing your own mods. If I was deciding between TEP or TRD-P, I would spend the extra 5k as once you start adding mods to a TEP it's really not that much of a premium over the long run.