Help me keep my 4th gen "forever"?

[Ask10]

Hi,

Sorry, two threads posted in a row.

I've owned a lot of cars over the years (several dozen), and for many reasons ultimately, I've decided to stick with the 4th gen 4runner "forever". It's comfortable, capable off road (4wd), has an aftermarket support, reliable, reasonably powerful, and well...to me it looks cool.


Anyway, I want to stay in a 4th gen as long as possible. I just have a few questions, mainly in making the truck "mine".

1) Interior. Sorry, but I hate the climate controls. I always bump them, and I think they're ugly. I would like to put in the unit from the GX470 (dash as well since mine's toast). No idea if it will work, only that the general shape looks similar and nothing turns up on google either.

2) Body cladding replacement panels. I'm one of the few who loves my gray cladding, but I can't anywhere than sells replacements other than the dealer (for $$$$). Mine's in good shape, but things don't last forever obviously. Ideally I'd actually like an 09 V8 4WD and then stick gray cladding on it so I get "shopping car insurance", VVTi, and a much newer truck at the same time.

3) Did the 4th gen ever come with "manual" 4wd controls (V6 or V8)? I like manual controls better. (I get the impression from searching...no)

4) (goes with #3) Are all V8 4th gens full time 4wd? (I get the impression from searching...yes).


Alright, I assume you can see where it's going. If I can find a 4wd V8 with manual 4wd controls and can swap some better looking interior bits into it, I'd be set "for life". Aside from the above, it's been my favorite vehicle ever to own, so I want to settle in now and make it mine.


Any info appreciated, thanks!

Ask10

 

[preacher35]

Hi,

Sorry, two threads posted in a row.

I've owned a lot of cars over the years (several dozen), and for many reasons ultimately, I've decided to stick with the 4th gen 4runner "forever". It's comfortable, capable off road (4wd), has an aftermarket support, reliable, reasonably powerful, and well...to me it looks cool.


Anyway, I want to stay in a 4th gen as long as possible. I just have a few questions, mainly in making the truck "mine".

1) Interior. Sorry, but I hate the climate controls. I always bump them, and I think they're ugly. I would like to put in the unit from the GX470 (dash as well since mine's toast). No idea if it will work, only that the general shape looks similar and nothing turns up on google either.

2) Body cladding replacement panels. I'm one of the few who loves my gray cladding, but I can't anywhere than sells replacements other than the dealer (for $$$$). Mine's in good shape, but things don't last forever obviously. Ideally I'd actually like an 09 V8 4WD and then stick gray cladding on it so I get "shopping car insurance", VVTi, and a much newer truck at the same time.

3) Did the 4th gen ever come with "manual" 4wd controls (V6 or V8)? I like manual controls better. (I get the impression from searching...no)

4) (goes with #3) Are all V8 4th gens full time 4wd? (I get the impression from searching...yes).


Alright, I assume you can see where it's going. If I can find a 4wd V8 with manual 4wd controls and can swap some better looking interior bits into it, I'd be set "for life". Aside from the above, it's been my favorite vehicle ever to own, so I want to settle in now and make it mine.


Any info appreciated, thanks!

Ask10

I will try to answer your questions since nobody else has:

1) I haven't the faintest idea of whether or not the Lexus HVAC panel will fit
2) I purchase most of my OEM parts from OEMparts123.com as it is way cheaper than the dealer... and If memory serves, they have your cladding.
3&4) The 4x4 V8 is more accurately described as "sort of" full time four wheel drive. That is to say that when four wheel drive is not engaged, the front wheels are still being turned by the transmission, but only at (I think about) 20% of what the rears are turning, via the transfer case. Once the four wheel drive is engaged, then the power is evenly distributed between front and back.

 

[ben550]

3&4) The 4x4 V8 is more accurately described as "sort of" full time four wheel drive. That is to say that when four wheel drive is not engaged, the front wheels are still being turned by the transmission, but only at (I think about) 20% of what the rears are turning, via the transfer case. Once the four wheel drive is engaged, then the power is evenly distributed between front and back.

do you mean power is evenly distributed once the center diff is locked? Cause by the knob 4H is always engaged with more power going to the rear axle.

 

[Greydog]

There are a few guys on here who either painted or plastidipped their cladding, it looked pretty good too. Prolly alot cheaper and easier that removing and replacing it all?

4th gens did not have manual shift 4WD, only the dash switch I believe.

 

[Sungod]

1. How are you bumping the ventilation controls? They seem to be in a pretty logical location to me. The only thing that irritates me is the auto recirculate when you adjust the temp down.

2. the 03 body cladding will not work on an 09. If you like the unpainted look then you can just buy after market body cladding. It comes unpainted. Keystone sells the after market parts and they are about half the dealer price.

3. No manual controls because of the locking center diff. With open an open differential it is essentially 2wd under normal conditions. When you lock the center diff, it functions as a traditional 4wd. Without it locked, it will still function as a 4wd, but does so with traction control to adjust power delivery.

4. no selectable option for the v8s of any year.

 

[Ask10]

Thank you everyone so far, much appreciated.

For the climate controls, I have a tall water/coffee bottle so often when I take a drink and put it back, I turn the fan off.

Thanks for links to body cladding, and suggestions for aftermarket (slipped my mind completely), and plastidipping (also slipped my little mind). Might be an option when it comes time to "replace" it.

Thanks all also for confirmed the 4WD options as well, just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything.

 

[Dylan]

The 4x4 V8 is more accurately described as "sort of" full time four wheel drive. That is to say that when four wheel drive is not engaged, the front wheels are still being turned by the transmission, but only at (I think about) 20% of what the rears are turning, via the transfer case. Once the four wheel drive is engaged, then the power is evenly distributed between front and back.

Yeah the V8 is always in selected 4-wheel drive, whether 4Hi or 4Lo.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

~The interior controls for the GX470 will most likely not fit properly, the connectors and the wiring are also probably not similar. This is also probably the case with the instrument cluster as the interior is slightly different and there are some functions on the GX470 Instrument Cluster that the 4th Gen 4Runners do not have.

~The '03 unpainted cladding will not match up on a '06~'09 4th Gen properly as there was a mid-cycle refresh that slightly altered the front body lines and rear bumper (they went to a 1-piece unit, from a 3-piece that was on the '03~'05.) As was pointed out though, you can always plasti-dip your existing fenders and/or purchase new fenders (they come un-painted from the factory.)

~All J120 (and J150 vehicles) vehicles had an electronically shifted 4WD system, even the FJs with the Manual Shift levers still had an ADD (Automatic Disconnecting Differential) actuator on the front differential to connect the front differential to the transfercase. Toyota hasn't had a truly manual 4WD system in a long time, but the system allows the vehicles to have much better on-road manners while retaining a robust 4WD system off the pavement. As long as you regularly exercise the 4WD system you shouldn't have any major issues with the system.

~The 2UZ-FE (4.7L V8) equipped 4th gen 4Runners all came with an "All-Time 4WD" system that was adapted from the Land Cruiser, the vehicle is always engaged in 4Hi with the option to shift into 4Lo and Lock the Center Differential. Now the biggest difference between Toyota's system in the 4th Gen and the typical "All-Time 4WD" systems found in Domestic vehicle is that all 4th Gen 4Runners in the North American Market came equipped with a Torsen T3 "Torque-Sensing" Center Differential. This mechanical differential acts similarly to an LSD and helps control power between the front and rear axles as needed, this allows the "All-Time 4WD" system in the 4th Gens to be highly flexible and have very good on-road manners. In fact the transfercase between the 2UZ-FE & 1GR-FE (4.0L V6) equipped 4WD vehicles are nearly identical save for the lack of 2WD in the 2UZ-FE equipped vehicles; running in 4Hi in the V6 model is identical to "All-Time 4WD" in the V8 vehicles.

 

[Ask10]

^^Thank you, for the interior tips and body info as well. Thinking plastidip and a shorter water bottle x2 is the way to go for the interior. I'll just deal with the look of "the three starfish" as my wife calls them.

I was wondering how that worked (4WD) and was reading up on it, but didn't quite get it. I was thinking it may have been similar to my old CR-V (viscous diff) except in reverse (FWD vs. RWD) but that makes more sense now that you compare it to the previous Toyota systems.