bpwwer's 2015 Limited build and drive thread

[bpwwer]

Damnit. It's hard to tell is that a dent, or the scratches visible in the pic? Either way that sucks. The scratches could easily buff and maybe a good PDR guy could get the centre part out?

Bad news unfortunately- that will not buff out. The egg ate through the paint. Maybe your insurance will help cover it? Sorry!

Noticed the egg splattered across the tailgate this morning so I promptly got out a bucket and car wash soap and lathered it up good trying to get all the dried on egg off. I thought I had it all off, I think the soap/water kind of covered up this spot. Didn't notice it until latter. There doesn't seem to be dent but the impact area did cut through the clear and maybe through the paint as well. I could probably get it looking better, but on a less than 2 month old vehicle, I think I'll just let the body shop make it look like new. [Update: Just got an estimate and it's $692, mainly for the paint/body work labor. I did spend some more time cleaning it up and everything seems to have washed off so it's just the impact site that needs some help.]

I'm guessing it was just kids, I don't think I've pissed off any of my neighbors. :bash:

Really enjoyed your build thread so far, just picked up a 15 LE two weeks ago and am following your experience with the OPOR sliders, kind of seems like they aren't really a direct fit, or do you think it was just a one-off issue with the mud flaps?

Thanks! [MENTION=115334]Mistaken[/MENTION] had the same issue with the mudflaps so it's probably just the way they're designed. Removing the bottom screw on the mudflap and pushing the sliders as high as they go makes everything fit pretty good. Most of my "issues" were just not having a nice block of time to get them installed. I went back over everything Saturday morning to get them aligned so I no longer have the big gap in the front, the gap at all four corners is about the same and is small enough that I can't fit a finger in there. The build quality of the sliders is great and the holes do line up fine with the frame mounting points. I think the top tips for installation are:

1) Make sure the frame nuts are clear and you can thread in the bolts before you start. WD-40 can help as there may be paint or other junk in the threads.

2) A floor jack really helps hold them in position (and can help with the vertical alignment).

3) Good lighting and the right tools. The bolts for the frame and the bolts for the gussets are different size 13mm and 14mm. A deep 14mm socket helps as does a ratcheting wrench in 13mm.

I would have liked to document the install better but the driver's side was installed in the evening with poor light, the passenger side got installed as a rain storm was starting. Not ideal conditions for taking photos.

 

[Mistaken]

Man! That egg damage sucks. Happened to one of my cars awhile back. Sorry to see that.

 

[bpwwer]

So, this happened sometime last night.

I noticed this after cleaning all the egg off the tailgate, window, spoiler, bumper. It's right below the window. I don't think it's going to just buff out.

There are also streaks still visible where the egg ran down the tailgate and bumper.

Maybe that's what the dog was barking at last night....

Got it back from the body shop and it's good as new. The final bill was $752, mostly to remove stuff, fix the spot and put stuff back on. I think the only part replaced was the rubber molding around the rear window as that actually chewed up a bit from the egg shell.

This weekend I get to use it to haul some interior trim. What's a better way to haul about 14, 8ft long door/window casing trim boards? On the rack or hanging out the back window? Likely I'll be using both methods. I think hanging out the back window will work a bit better to get them home, then when I transport them to their final destination, the back will be filled and the back seat is needed so I'll have to use the rack. This is one of the reasons I have full length roof rack from [MENTION=68079]drabbits[/MENTION] on order.

 

[Mistaken]

Glad you got the egg damage fixed, but ouch!

I would put them out the back window vs the roof. Seems much easier and less risk of anything falling off.

 

[bpwwer]

I would put them out the back window vs the roof. Seems much easier and less risk of anything falling off.

I've hauled various wood boards on my previous 2006 runner many, many times. And had some up on this one last weekend. No issues when it's strapped down.

However, this is MDF trim and it flexes like crazy. Given the short distance between the crossbars on the Gen 5, I'm mostly concerned with them slapping the roof as they flex. I might have to do some crazy layout with some on end and wrapping them up at the ends with saran wrap to try and prevent most of the flex. Putting it the back does work well if you can put the back seats down. In rare cases (like when I've needed to haul boards in the rain), I've placed them on the center console. But I'm always afraid that if I have to stop fast, I'll have a board shaped hole in the dash.

One of the reasons I originally got a 4Runner was because it was one of the few mid-size SUV's that could haul a 4x8 sheet of plywood in the back. I don't do that often, but enough that it was a factor. That's something I really don't want to strap on the roof!

 

[inv1GRated]

I've done it by strapping a 2x6x8 to the rack (for rigidity) then the MDF board to the 2x6. the 2x6 will keep the MDF trim boards from contacting your beautiful blue paint!

 

[bpwwer]

Air compressor install

Installed an air compressor under the hood this weekend. I bough the MV50 compressor from Amazon based on all the various reviews around the web. First thing I did was tear it apart to see what I could do to improve it. Interestingly, it looks like they've made some improvements over the past couple of years. The intake and exhaust ports were slightly ported (I ported them a bit more just because). The reeds looked good. They've added some rubber o-rings to help seal the ports. So I really didn't need to do much to the head. I did replace the battery clip wiring with new, larger gauge, wiring.

I fab up a couple of brackets.

The large one is aluminum and will attach to the inner fender. The smaller one is hacked up steel angle bracket. My welding skills suck, but with lots of welding and grinding it turned out ok. I only used 3 of the 4 mounting holes on the compressor. It's mounted pretty good so I think this is enough.

Here's the compressor mounted to the large fender bracket.

Here's the smaller bracket mounted to the stud on top of the fender in the engine bay. Yes, while welding it up I lost a corner of the bracket. I decided to cut my loses and left it that way vs. trying to add more material back and making it worse. With this set up, I did not have to relocate any of the existing wiring.

Then it was just a matter of hooking up the ground wire and setting the compressor in place. Here it is with all the bolts/nuts tightened up but the wiring not yet zip tied in place.

And one more from a different angle.

I let a bit of air out of one tire and tried it out and it works pretty much as expected.

 

[bpwwer]

Added a couple of T4R.ORG stickers. I wanted them to be a bit stealthly but they might be a bit too stealthy.

 

[Neauxla]

Direct fit, no modification needed, just specify that you have a limited when ordering

They fit all limiteds or just 14s and 15s? (I have a 13)

 

[Magnetic4R]

They fit all limiteds or just 14s and 15s? (I have a 13)

They should fit all limited. Nothing changed for the side rocker that i know of. When ordering, just specify your year and model on metaltech

 

[Neauxla]

Do you remember how much foot space you lost using these as side steps when you replaced your running boards? I really only want them as side steps.

 

[Magnetic4R]

Maybe an inch in the front. Not that much.

 

[bpwwer]

Not very exciting but here's an update on hauling the trim boards.

When picking them up initially, I put the rear window down, stacked them up on the center console with a bit hanging out the back. The longest boards are 11 ft. And, yes, I drove most of the way home with my hand on the boards just in case I had to stop quick. I did have a bungee on the back tie downs holding the boards against the tailgate so there was friction there that kept them from sliding.

To get them up to our cabin, I had to strap them up on the roof rack. I used 1x8x6ft pine boards to provide a little extra support. I used bungee cords looped around the crossbars. I've used the bungee cord method when transporting lumber on the roof rack for years and even with a fair amount of oak, it has always held them securely. With the setup below, there was very little bounce (we kept an eye on them through the sunroof). The large bundle did have more slip forward/back than I would have liked when testing, but they didn't move at all during the 2 hour drive.

When doing this, don't open the tailgate before removing the boards. I did that once with my 2006 and was shocked at how much damage the wood did to the paint on the spoiler.

And what did we use those 11ft. trim boards for?

 

[bpwwer]

Do you remember how much foot space you lost using these as side steps when you replaced your running boards? I really only want them as side steps.

I bought this 4Runner without running boards because I knew I wanted the sliders. My 2006 had running boards so I can compare them, but keep in mind it is 4gen to 5gen.

These sliders do not function as well as the running boards did when used as a step. For example, with the 2006 I would use the running boards to clean the entire windshield, I can't get balanced easily on the sliders so it's much harder to clean the windshield. It was easier to attach things to the roof rack with the running boards. But in both cases, I still use them to step up onto the rear tire to get better access to the roof. One of our dogs has a bad front leg, she could get in and out of the back seat using the running board, but can't using the slider.

Various passengers have noted that the sliders aren't quite as good as the running board was for vehicle entry/exit. I don't find it much different as I didn't use the running boards and don't use the sliders to get in most of the time. Those same passengers also state that the sliders are way better than having nothing.

If I didn't have plans to take this off-road (and there were times that we turned around in the 2006 because it had running boards instead of sliders), I would have stuck with running boards.

 

[Neauxla]

Well that's disappointing news to hear. Thanks for the info though. :cheers:

 

[bpwwer]

I bought this 4Runner without running boards because I knew I wanted the sliders. My 2006 had running boards so I can compare them, but keep in mind it is 4gen to 5gen.

These sliders do not function as well as the running boards did when used as a step. For example, with the 2006 I would use the running boards to clean the entire windshield, I can't get balanced easily on the sliders so it's much harder to clean the windshield. It was easier to attach things to the roof rack with the running boards. But in both cases, I still use them to step up onto the rear tire to get better access to the roof. One of our dogs has a bad front leg, she could get in and out of the back seat using the running board, but can't using the slider.

Various passengers have noted that the sliders aren't quite as good as the running board was for vehicle entry/exit. I don't find it much different as I didn't use the running boards and don't use the sliders to get in most of the time. Those same passengers also state that the sliders are way better than having nothing.

If I didn't have plans to take this off-road (and there were times that we turned around in the 2006 because it had running boards instead of sliders), I would have stuck with running boards.

Well that's disappointing news to hear. Thanks for the info though. :cheers:

I guess it depends on what you are looking for. I didn't mean to imply that the sliders were horrible as steps. I really wanted functional sliders, I was told that we had to have some type of step. The OPOR's seem to be the only choice for a slider that doesn't require any modifications to fit on a Limited. I guess if I had to rate them for use as a step it would be something like this:

0 - Nothing
8 - OPOR sliders
10 - Running boards

If functional sliders aren't required, there may be other options. I didn't look at other step type products.

Cleaning the windshield is the biggest annoyance I have with them, and that means I can't easily clean the upper center area of the windshield. This may not be just the slider vs. running board, it's possible that the location of the outside mirrors is what makes it more difficult. I haven't compared a 5th Gen with running boards vs. mine with the sliders.

 

[bpwwer]

Light bar install

Light bars are cool, I need a light bar.... Well, maybe not neeed, but wanted. Plus it provides the opportunity to get in on the AOB switch group buy and get one of those cool switches. The only real use for the light bar will be if we happen to be exploring some trails and it gets dark. So with that in mind, something like a Rigid is overkill. I ended up picking up one of these:

SiriusLED 20" lightbar

The reviews seemed good and the price is right. I decided to mount it behind the grill and it seemed to line up well when placed on the aluminum bumper.

Actually getting it mounted there was a bit challenging. The mounting brackets that it came with are designed to mount to through holes. Something where you can get underneath and tighten a nut on a bolt. I didn't really want to drill through holes the aluminum bumper and go buy extra long bolts so how hard could it be to drop it in there?

Getting to this point was like solving one of those bent nail puzzles. I started by drilling and taping two holes in the bumper to mount the brackets. The brackets mount to the light bar using a t-track in the housing. So I took off the endcaps from the housing and loosely attached the mounting block to the bracket and then the bracket to the bumper. I then could slide the housing back on to the mounting blocks, put the caps back on, and tighten everything down.

To wire it up I bought the following inexpensive wiring harness.
wiring harness

I cut the inline fuse holder out and wired the main light power directly to the aux fuse box (see earlier post for info on the aux fuse box). I also cut the supplied switch off, leaving a single "trigger" wire. The wires to lights are run along the wiring harness that goes around the battery and up under the radiator support. At this point, if I touch the trigger wire to +12, the relay switches on the lights just like it's supposed to.

Part 2 will show running the wire through the firewall and wiring up the switch. At this point, I'm going to make the light bar independent of the headlights.

 

[bpwwer]

Light bar install Part 2

This switch was hooked up to an empty slot in the fuse box that had switched power using an add-a-circuit? so that the lightbar can only be turned on when the ignition is on, but it isn't wired to the high-beams. Since it will only be used off-road, this should work fine. Here's the add-a-circuit in the fuse box.

Does everyone just leave the fuse box cover off after using one of these? I did find another type of tap that should be much lower profile, but it doesn't add a new circuit. I may give that a try.

I took the green and gray wires from the empty white plug behind the dash and pulled them out of the plug. I simply wrapped the bare wire around the connector ends and covered with heat shrink. This seemed like a reasonable fully reversible way to get the dimmer circuit to the switch. It would be ideal if there was a connector with pigtails that could be plugged into the plug.

Here's the final results, I scraped my hand a bit while working on the wires back there but didn't realize how much blood I left on the dash until I saw the picture

Here's some of the under hood wiring. Not too exciting. Relay mounted next to the fuse box. I replaced the small plug on the firewall with a grommet and ran the trigger wire through that.

The wires to the light bar run behind the battery following and under the radiator support following an existing bundle.

 

[CSix]

This switch was hooked up to an empty slot in the fuse box that had switched power using an add-a-circuit? so that the lightbar can only be turned on when the ignition is on, but it isn't wired to the high-beams. Since it will only be used off-road, this should work fine. Here's the add-a-circuit in the fuse box.

Does everyone just leave the fuse box cover off after using one of these? I did find another type of tap that should be much lower profile, but it doesn't add a new circuit. I may give that a try.

I took the green and gray wires from the empty white plug behind the dash and pulled them out of the plug. I simply wrapped the bare wire around the connector ends and covered with heat shrink. This seemed like a reasonable fully reversible way to get the dimmer circuit to the switch. It would be ideal if there was a connector with pigtails that could be plugged into the plug.

Here's the final results, I scraped my hand a bit while working on the wires back there but didn't realize how much blood I left on the dash until I saw the picture

Here's some of the under hood wiring. Not too exciting. Relay mounted next to the fuse box. I replaced the small plug on the firewall with a grommet and ran the trigger wire through that.

The wires to the light bar run behind the battery following and under the radiator support following an existing bundle.

Looks Good! How did you connect the Green and Gray wires to the Sasquatch AOB switches to get the dimmer to work? I connected a green wire from another switch but the switch does not dim. Thanks!

 

[bpwwer]

Looks Good! How did you connect the Green and Gray wires to the Sasquatch AOB switches to get the dimmer to work? I connected a green wire from another switch but the switch does not dim. Thanks!

I'm pretty sure it dims, but I'll double check to make sure I wasn't seeing things. EDIT: Yes, it dims. And I'll have to go check the the diagram to be sure, but I think it's wired like this: EDIT: It is.

switch blue/green -> green wire
switch black -> gray wire

Since the dimming is actually on the ground side, it's important to connect the switch light ground to the gray wire and not to ground.

I don't know what that unused connector behind the dash is for, but it seemed like a better place to access those wires than splicing into the existing switches. It was pretty easy to pop the cover off the connector and pull out the green & gray wires. I probably should have looked for a pin that would fit in the connector, but I was lazy and just stripped an inch or so off the switch leads and wrapped them around the connector.