Easy Weekend Mods

[fayewong]

I appreciate all the mod suggestions and some are really helpful that I did not know about. Especially the HFL filter that I will be doing soon.

I read all 54 pages and it was filled with a lot of neat and crafty ideas built to suit their own needs and hobbies. So they are all special beasts within their own.

I am personally more about functionality, usefulness and safety , so aesthetics are on the lowest priority on my list (satoshi grill, removing chrome looks, etc) . So its good to know about the plastidip if I really need it even if it is not car related.

Here are my adjustments to my 4runner:

1. I added a motorcycle dual usb plug and took out the old cigarette lighter.
2. New Kenwood stereo with backup camera
3. Took the instrument cluster out to solder the white ones in and get rid of the awful orange look. Now it matches my 2006 GX 470 instrument cluster. All white leds, and HVAC is all white too. Shifter is all blue since my car is blue.
4. added blind spot indicators named Ottonavi, which only seem useful 20% of the time. but 100% necessary if you got a low sports car lurking in your blind spot. (maybe blind spot mirror would have been sufficient and cheaper. Will just slap that onto my GX470.)
5. I cut the inner walls off my instrument cluster because I am OCD about the stupid tunnel look. Now I can see my cluster as one whole piece, the way it SHOULD BE for any cluster. The 3 separate tunnels is hideous for me.



My future modifications when I have the time..
Mechanical:
1. remove the HFl filter.
2. clean the throttle body and the MAF sensor
3. do the fifth gen rotor and caliper change

Electrical/Safety features:
1. add another dual usb charging port for the back
2. drill holes into the side mirrors for side view cameras and add another dual channel lcd monitor above the stereo so I can see anyone hiding in my blind spot without turning my neck like an owl.
3. add a parking sensor switch with a parking sensor on the rear and front of the car in case I may hit a low pole or hydrant that is out of view.

Does anyone with an electrical background or know if i need to set up a fuse or something to distribute the power usage since I am running alot of electrical components?

Where can i draw the power from? the power under the stereo? thanks a bunch.

 

[S p a r k y]

[MENTION=133098]fayewong[/MENTION] put up a pic of the trimmed cluster please. That's a good idea.

 

[fayewong]

[MENTION=133098]fayewong[/MENTION] put up a pic of the trimmed cluster please. That's a good idea.

I never intended to show off it, but this is what it looks like. I was a bit rough on it with a grinder so thats why it doesn't look smooth for the cut. "trim" would be a little nice for the way I did it. It looks more like it was broken off instead. lol

I was planning to fill up the hollow part from the portions that were cut, sand it, and then paint it to match the original color on the cluster. I have been too lazy to do it. I merely just did this so I didn't feel like I was staring down three sections of the cluster.

At least I can see the "7" for the RPM without having problems.

 

[jsmith21]

I never intended to show off it, but this is what it looks like. I was a bit rough on it with a grinder so thats why it doesn't look smooth for the cut. "trim" would be a little nice for the way I did it. It looks more like it was broken off instead. lol

I was planning to fill up the hollow part from the portions that were cut, sand it, and then paint it to match the original color on the cluster. I have been too lazy to do it. I merely just did this so I didn't feel like I was staring down three sections of the cluster.

At least I can see the "7" for the RPM without having problems.

What brand leds did you use in the hvac controls?

 

[techoguy]

I never intended to show off it, but this is what it looks like. I was a bit rough on it with a grinder so thats why it doesn't look smooth for the cut. "trim" would be a little nice for the way I did it. It looks more like it was broken off instead. lol

I was planning to fill up the hollow part from the portions that were cut, sand it, and then paint it to match the original color on the cluster. I have been too lazy to do it. I merely just did this so I didn't feel like I was staring down three sections of the cluster.

At least I can see the "7" for the RPM without having problems.

What HUD are you using?

 

[fayewong]

What HUD are you using?

Echoman HUD

another nice addition to the car which you cannot see in the pic is an extra large rear view mirror. I got it at Autozone. 10x better than those special auto dim ones. just wear sunglasses! lol.

For the HVAC light bulbs, I don't remember. Probably from ebay. or from the link to one of the thread on this forum by Yoshi.

 

[Fl_tigers]

I never intended to show off it, but this is what it looks like. I was a bit rough on it with a grinder so thats why it doesn't look smooth for the cut. "trim" would be a little nice for the way I did it. It looks more like it was broken off instead. lol

I was planning to fill up the hollow part from the portions that were cut, sand it, and then paint it to match the original color on the cluster. I have been too lazy to do it. I merely just did this so I didn't feel like I was staring down three sections of the cluster.

At least I can see the "7" for the RPM without having problems.

This looks really good! Wouldn't have thought of doing that but may need to look into it.


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[DZNUTS]

I appreciate all the mod suggestions and some are really helpful that I did not know about. Especially the HFL filter that I will be doing soon.

I read all 54 pages and it was filled with a lot of neat and crafty ideas built to suit their own needs and hobbies. So they are all special beasts within their own.

I am personally more about functionality, usefulness and safety , so aesthetics are on the lowest priority on my list (satoshi grill, removing chrome looks, etc) . So its good to know about the plastidip if I really need it even if it is not car related.

Here are my adjustments to my 4runner:

1. I added a motorcycle dual usb plug and took out the old cigarette lighter.
2. New Kenwood stereo with backup camera
3. Took the instrument cluster out to solder the white ones in and get rid of the awful orange look. Now it matches my 2006 GX 470 instrument cluster. All white leds, and HVAC is all white too. Shifter is all blue since my car is blue.
4. added blind spot indicators named Ottonavi, which only seem useful 20% of the time. but 100% necessary if you got a low sports car lurking in your blind spot. (maybe blind spot mirror would have been sufficient and cheaper. Will just slap that onto my GX470.)
5. I cut the inner walls off my instrument cluster because I am OCD about the stupid tunnel look. Now I can see my cluster as one whole piece, the way it SHOULD BE for any cluster. The 3 separate tunnels is hideous for me.



My future modifications when I have the time..
Mechanical:
1. remove the HFl filter.
2. clean the throttle body and the MAF sensor
3. do the fifth gen rotor and caliper change

Electrical/Safety features:
1. add another dual usb charging port for the back
2. drill holes into the side mirrors for side view cameras and add another dual channel lcd monitor above the stereo so I can see anyone hiding in my blind spot without turning my neck like an owl.
3. add a parking sensor switch with a parking sensor on the rear and front of the car in case I may hit a low pole or hydrant that is out of view.

Does anyone with an electrical background or know if i need to set up a fuse or something to distribute the power usage since I am running alot of electrical components?

Where can i draw the power from? the power under the stereo? thanks a bunch.

Get new battery terminals that allow multiple connections for each terminal. Then run a pair of nice 4 gauge wires to a fused distribution block. Run individual lines to each of your pieces of equipment


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[fayewong]

Get new battery terminals that allow multiple connections for each terminal. Then run a pair of nice 4 gauge wires to a fused distribution block. Run individual lines to each of your pieces of equipment


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oh, so thats how it is done. thank you so much!

 

[Pale Rider]

Swapped out the stock running boards for these tube style that hang from the body mounts. Definitely a little easier getting in and out because they dont stick out as far as stock.

Which tube running boards did you install? Are they from a Sport Edition 4R?

 

[Muskoka4runner]

Plasti Dip front grill and remove V8 emblem.

i also removed the v8 emblem from my grill, it looks much cleaner IMO. Love the colour, I've never seen a red 4th gen in person.

 

[JeratBP]

i also removed the v8 emblem from my grill, it looks much cleaner IMO. Love the colour, I've never seen a red 4th gen in person.

Funny, we were going to drive it up there this August. Decided we will probably fly to Buffalo or Toronto and rent a car to get to the cottage.

Jeremy

 

[4by4th]

I'd been considering the same mod. maybe a 1/4inch off the brake pedal. It's only a problem with some work boots.

You can start just by removing the rubber pedal cover. I liked my brake pedal so much better after my mod and without the rubber cover that I pulled the rubber cover off my Wrangler's brake pedal too.

 

[Dehe@rrys]

Interesting! How would this effect emissions testing? Anyone in CO have any issues with our new emissions testing after this mod??

 

[Trumpet]

You can start just by removing the rubber pedal cover. I liked my brake pedal so much better after my mod and without the rubber cover that I pulled the rubber cover off my Wrangler's brake pedal too.

I'd only do that if I textured the pedal in one fashion or another. Bare metal would be a bit slick in some conditions\.lane:

 

[4by4th]

I'd only do that if I textured the pedal in one fashion or another. Bare metal would be a bit slick in some conditions\.lane:

Not with any shoes I've tried. Easy to take off easy to put back on, you can always put it back on if you don't like it. My son actually did it with his manual trans Accord brake and clutch pedals several years ago, apparently not uncommon thing to do.

 

[El Duderino]

Which tube running boards did you install? Are they from a Sport Edition 4R?

I bought them on realtruck .com

 

[Pale Rider]

I bought them on realtruck .com

Thanks Duderino. Are they the Pro Series or the Aries? How do you like them? Good quality?

 

[JeratBP]

Greased 4 of the 6 zerks this morning. I couldn't remove a small skid plate covering the other 2.

Wanted to install Rear Diff Breather mod, but could not figure out where to mount the new breather. I'll do some searching for installs w/ pics.


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[Muskoka4runner]

Funny, we were going to drive it up there this August. Decided we will probably fly to Buffalo or Toronto and rent a car to get to the cottage.

Jeremy

ha, small world!