4runners Build Thread (ROAD-TRIP WARRIOR)

[4Runners]

Alright fellow 4runners, i have finally decided to jump on the bandwagon and start my long overdue build thread! I nicknamed this thread road-trip warrior because almost all of my mods focus on making my 4runner enjoyable on long cross-country road trips, plus i'll also talk about the road trips i've done to Utah, Colorado, and wherever else i take the 4runner too in the future. Also as a side note i'd like to add that my 4runner has over 160,000 miles and is going strong! So let's get started!

STOCK:
Here's my 4runner (2004 Toyota 4Runner SR5 2WD V6) back in 2010 completely stock being all pathetic and stuck in a rare snow storm we had in the middle of nowhere North Texas:



CURRENT EXTERIOR:
...and here is my 4runner as of January 2012 conquering an icy mountain near Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado!

• Hunter front Grille Guard
• Black taillight guards
• 2 PIAA 520s
• Plasti-dipped Emblems
• Plasti-dipped Rims
• 2 PIAA Silicone Flat Wipers

CURRENT INTERIOR:
Of course the mods that i'm most impressed with is what i've done with the inside:

• Pioneer P3300BT Headunit
• 2 Concept CLS700 Headrest Screens 7in

So, how did this all start? I discovered the 4runner forums back in May 2011 while searching google on how to replace AC control lights in the 4runner because one of mine went out and the dealership wanted $350 to replace it http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/90040-replacing-bulbs-radio-dash-ac-controls-pics-included.html...and that's all i wanted to do. But then i started poking around on the forums and found all of your amazing rigs and before i knew it i started to add mods i never though i would!

1. HUNTER FRONT GRILLE GUARD AND TAILLIGHT GUARDS:
The first external mods i did were a Hunter front grille guard from ebay seller "truckgeardirect" and taillight guards which i got from a different ebay seller for about $350 all together. Here is a pic of the 4runner not long after installing the guards in front of the Dallas Cowboys Stadium:


2. PLASTI-DIPPED EMBLEMS:
Eventually i started exploring the forum and found out how to plasti-dip my emblems black http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/91882-can-you-guys-help-me-make-my-emblems-black-pics-included.html Here's a pic of the finished emblems:


3. PLASTI-DIPPED RIMS:
Of course by then i fell completely in love with plasti-dip and did the wheels too: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/92245-i-just-finished-plasti-dipping-my-rims-black-check-out-pics.html

Before plasti-dipped wheels (notice the black emblems by now):


After plasti-dipped wheels (big difference huh?):

 

[4Runners]

4. PIONEER HEADUNIT:
It would be awhile before i touched the outside again. By now i started to work on inside mods. First came the installation of a pioneer 3300BT headunit to replace the factory radio: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/91414-urgent-need-help-installing-pionner-p3300bt-headunit.html This is a MUST HAVE unit (or something similar) if you take long road trips or want a good base unit for an in-car entertainment system. Of course it needed the parking brake bypass mod so it could play movies on the go! (click on the thread for more details on that) I hook my ipod touch to it via the pioneer cable cord which i bought on Amazon for $30.
Here's a couple pics of the head unit after the install:



5. HEADREST SCREENS:
Then i decided that headrest screens are a must for long road-trips since passengers in the back would have a hard time staring at the little screen up front. So i went on ebay and found a pair of Concept CLS700 7in Headrest Screens with the same color leather as the interior of my 4runner! Both of these cost about $160 and are pretty good quality. Complete thread on that install is here: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/91473-headrests-screens-them-2.html And here's a couple pics of the headrest screens working with the Pioneer headunit:



6. PIAA 520 DRIVING LIGHTS:
By now I had already taken a road-trip to Moab, Utah to see arches national park. The three tv screens make the long drive very entertaining in the dark when it’s all boring. It wasn’t until December of 2011 that I decided that I really do need some driving lights mounted on that front grille guard. So I did some research and settled on the PIAA 520’s mostly due to ease of installment and great quality of PIAA products. That thread can be found here: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/104844-piaa-520-installation-complete-picture-review.html
And here’s some pics of the PIAA lights mounted on the grille guard:

 

[4Runners]

ROAD TRIPS:
Now i love to go explore national parks via road-trips and only just recently started using the 4runner. At first i was nervous due to the high milage when i first drove it to Moab, Utah from Texas (back then it had around 150,000 miles) but now i really believe that these rigs are built to last and will take it anywhere so long as gas doesnt keep increasing till $5 a gallon or something. :dammit:

My thread about a long road trip i was planning that has lots of interesting advice on long trips by many members of this forum is a great read if you want some good advice on taking a high milage vehicle on a road trip: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/90074-4runner-has-150-000-miles-want-take-4-000-mile-trip.html

UTAH:
My thread i made when i finished going to Arches National Park in Utah with lots of pics is here: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/96609-just-finished-3-000-mile-road-trip-southern-utah.html
Here are some teaser pics from that trip:




Also on that Utah Trip i saw a crashed 4runner that fell off a cliff.
I won't spoil the pictures here but will instead make you click on this link for it:http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/96644-red-4runner-falls-1-000-ft-off-cliff-near-moab-utah.html

COLORADO:
My thread after going to Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado is here: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/105238-finished-1-500-mile-colorado-trip-pics.html
This is a very beautiful state, and i always enjoy driving through here. This is one pic from that trip (click the thread for more):


NEW MEXICO WHITE SANDS:
Just as a bonus (because i really liked these pictures) i threw in these pictures of my 4runner back when it was completely stock on a road trip out to White Sands, New Mexico:



Well, that's all i got for now. Some future mods i would really like to do would be a lift, wheel spacers, roof rack with more lights, and maybe change my running boards to tube steps or something, but these are of course very expensive mods. I also might be taking another road-trip out to Zion and Vegas/Grand Canyon area this spring. So, until then...thanks for reading and happy driving! :driving:

 

[SR5 Iron]

Whats up with the licence plate? Is it a fake one you use for photos?

 

[Huskey]

Well done, looks like its comming along very nicely, I also have plans to plastidip my emblems and grille black, as well as my stock rims (which I told my dad he can have for his 3rd gen).

 

[Mytoy4]

Very nice!

 

[JD914]

SuperTroopers. Nice.

 

[magert54]

...and here is my 4runner as of January 2012 conquering an icy mountain near Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado!
View attachment 56414

Next time you are comming up, leave a message maybe we could get a group together to play.

 

[4Runners]

Thanks for the nice replies guys!

Whats up with the licence plate? Is it a fake one you use for photos?

Actually i photoshop the zeros on there. I thought it would be less distracting than blurring or covering them up.

Next time you are comming up, leave a message maybe we could get a group together to play.

Next time i go through Colorado i will!

 

[8086bruce]

Looks great and thanks for all the great pics!

 

[Cali4Runnea]

Wow, I am a fan! Your rig is the first one I've seen so built up for being just an SR5 2WD V6, I think it's awesome, because that's what I drive too! I'm always wishing to upgrade mine to a 4WD V8, even though I took it through the snowy mountains last year, and it did awesome in over 2 feet of snow, with no chains! Maybe I won't feel so bad for wanting to do mods now, your runner really looks nice!

 

[StephenVP]

Holy tube work and video monitors. Im sure the family loves those!