carpet rant

[mslim]

I absolutely love my 2004 4Runner, great V8, good mileage, lotsa torque, great build quality and service

but....

What's with the cheap-ass carpet? I am a truck guy and I haul stuff with the 2nd seats folded down in the back.

The thin mouse fur carpet maybe OK for soccer moms; but I'm hauling video production gear, music amps and instruments, construction materials from the Home Depot. All the soft plastic wheel well covers are scratched up and the carpet is torn. I can't use a plastic liner like Weather Tech cause frankly it doesn't reach all the way to the back of the front seats.

In my old Jeep (and also in my boss's Volvo station wagon) The wheel wells were carpeted and the carpet was a good closed loop design.

Anybody here in the same boat and have a good solution?

 

[orangeblast22]

I agree too..some what...I mean...the carpet is nice looking......but as far as durability goes, it seems to be pretty weak in that dept.

Which brings the question, given the lack of performance parts for our 4runners and such and lack of aftermarket support....

I'm having a hard time understanding which market the 4Runner is aimed at.

 

[keylay31]

I've been hauling around my DJ equipment (including 2 BIG JBL speakers that barely fit) and I haven't had too much of a problem... Wish there was more aftermarket stuff, but no biggie to me.

 

[Kmvreter]

Anybody here in the same boat and have a good solution?

I custom cut a large sheet of 1/2" plywood to fit most of the back with the seats down. It's bulky but I only put it in to use as required. I live with the scratched plastic (it's a truck.)

 

[icantsee]

 

[icantsee]

via Rock Slide

Full Thread
www.yotatech.com/f79/rock-slide-s-2002-sport-90509

 

[icantsee]

via Rock Slide

Full Thread
www.yotatech.com/f79/rock-slide-s-2002-sport-90509

 

[icantsee]

via Rock Slide

Full Thread
www.yotatech.com/f79/rock-slide-s-2002-sport-90509

 

[mslim]

Thanks again for the pix icantsee. Clever solution by Rockslide but wouldn't work for me. I've got to slide stuff in from the rear and the lips on those liners would hang up my gear. I even jerked out the baby seat anchors on the seatbacks so my gear could slide in unimpeded.

I may get some grey indoor outdoor from Home Depot and use the factory cargo mat as a template and cut it to size. I would if you can still get the edges bound from a carpet shop?

 

[Colemanfu]

I haul a bunch and run mine as a flat bed 24-7. I even took out my back seat to make it fit a bit more flush when down and to give the front seat some extra lumbar. It also gives some room under where the back seat back rest sits flat. I cover the back with some heavy camo and keep a crate for any random junk.


Most the time the jack is in the space behind the front seats.

 

[Colemanfu]

You can't recline your front seat like that with our removing the lower part of the back seat.

 

[CNI]

I KNOW WHAT YOUR TALKING ABOUT!!! I had a complete floor liner that covered the back of the seats on my Jeep made by Highland called BLACK ARMOR but they don't make it for the 4R! If you do a search for HEXOMAT im thinking about going that route and custom making mine to fit just like the other member did here with the hard mats. I was thinking about ordering one for like the suburban and then cutting it down.

http://www.autoanything.com/cargo-liners/64A2569A0A0.aspx

There is also the CANVASBACK cargo liner and it covers the whole thing also
http://www.autoanything.com/cargo-liners/61A1052A0A0.aspx

It is $139.

It would still be hard to SLIDE in your gear with the canvas. Right now I'm using a huge piece of thick cardboard that I custom cut to fit perfectly with the 2nd row seats down until someone makes something good.

 

[Falls]

You could get a rubber bed mat for pick up beds and cut it to fit. Thats my plan soon as I get around to doing it.

 

[CNI]

You could get a rubber bed mat for pick up beds and cut it to fit. Thats my plan soon as I get around to doing it.

Yeah I thought about that too but won't that put black marks on the carpet and plastics in the 4R? That is why I haven't gone that direction.

 

[MrTom]

Anybody here in the same boat and have a good solution?

Buy or rent an enclosed trailer.

 

[CNI]

Re: Re: carpet rant

Buy or rent an enclosed trailer.

I'd do that but no place to put it. Don't want it sitting in my driveway as my sub has rules against that. Besides that was the purpose of getting the SUV right, to haul gear? Otherwise I would have gotten a Acura TL!

I think mslim and icantsee are like me, just want to protect the carpet from a little wear and tear and keep it nice looking for the years to come.

 

[mslim]

Yes actually I would prefer an enclosed trailer. That way I could gig with a real Hammond B3 and Leslie speaker and leave them loaded and ready to go at all times.

Unfortunately I live in a townhome w/ a two car garage (filled with one car and my motorcycle plus various tools, workbench, spare parts, PA equipment). The trailer is prohibited by the homeowner's association. My friend lives in a development up the road from me and a trailer space is included in their association dues. Pretty sweet! It saves him $60-80/month in storage fees and he keeps his Dodge p/u camper and a small Boston Whaler up there.

 

[MrTom]

Enclosed U-Haul is about $15 for a 4x8 to $30 for a 6x12 at 6 hours. Suspect you could get better rates depending on how frequently you rent.

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[mslim]

Yep I'm a big fan of U-Haul. Been cross country with 'em a couple of times and used them for out-of-town gigs in the past. You ain't had fun until you've seen a 5x8 fishtailing behind a Plymouth wagon on an icy Mississippi road in Dec.

Basically though for regular local gigs, it gets too expensive for one guy's gear on a weekly basis. It does make sense to cut down on the gas guzzlin' vehicles when we take the whole band out of town.

Got to love the V8 4R for pulling a medium size trailer. No chicken sh#t trailer hitch here. Comes right from the factory with a trans cooler and righteous hitch . Check out what's on a Ford Explorer. You can really see the difference in Manufacturer philosophy there.

 

[icantsee]

Toyota 4Runner Utility Truck

Inspired by Kmvreter ...

I custom cut a large sheet of 1/2" plywood to fit most of the back with the seats down. It's bulky but I only put it in to use as required. I live with the scratched plastic (it's a truck.)