Hood insulation missing on TE?

[ClockWork]

The sheet metal should have nothing to do with the structure of the car. The thinner, the better. I had a camaro that had a fiberglass hood and front fenders, the sheet metal is a non issue in the structure of the car, it is for looks and efficiency.

Except this is not a car, it's a truck. Any heavy hail or light debris that falls on the hood creates a dent. The same can be said for the body panels.

 

[philsey]

Dude, isn't there a Land Cruiser, 4th Gen, Subaru, or Audi forum where you'd be happier?

 

[ClockWork]

Dude, isn't there a Land Cruiser, 4th Gen, Subaru, or Audi forum where you'd be happier?

Dude, I'm on em all.

 

[zstampe]

So the headlights don't go off by themselves like they do in my 4th gen?

 

[sandcrawler]

So the headlights don't go off by themselves like they do in my 4th gen?

they go off by themselves after ~30 secs. and immediately with a second press of the "lock" button. same as the 4G.

 

[4FL]

Except this is not a car, it's a truck. Any heavy hail or light debris that falls on the hood creates a dent. The same can be said for the body panels.

It does not matter what it is. My 1995 f-350 got hail damage when I was in KS, how thick do you think sheet metal should be? My 1971 chevy truck even got hail damage and that darn hood weighed a ton.

Sheet metal is not a structural component of the car, if you disagree with this, than you have options available to you. You can purchase a car in which you feel the sheet metal is thick enough for your liking, or you can get custom made items under the incorrect thought that somehow this will make your car tougher. In reality, all it will do it weight it down without giving the car any further structural support.

Race cars have this same concept. Their protection is roll cages and tube frames (my camaro was sub framed in the front), this is what gives protection, sheet metal is for looks, efficiency, and for placement of accessories, like the lights.

 

[zstampe]

they go off by themselves after ~30 secs. and immediately with a second press of the "lock" button. same as the 4G.

Ok that's what I figured.

So why does one want auto headlights then? Leave them on and you have no issues.

 

[1engineer]

Uh Guys,
Before you get too carried away the sheet metal on our 4Runners, including the hood, is a structural component. Here's how:
Hood - While not designed to carry any load, it is integral in a front end collision as it is designed to fold and offer resistance to the incoming force of whatever you hit (or hits you)
Fenders, Doors Quarter Panels and Roof- Sheetmetal "skin" is attached to door frame by welds and adhesive to stiffeners which will hold them together during a side impact, causing them to act together to resist bending in an impact.

Imagine driving your 4Runner around with no sheetmetal, just the inner stiffeners, and getting hit. Yes, the sheetmetal plays an integral part of the vehicle's structure.

Thickness of the metal is not as important as the rigidity of the metal, which is accomplished through metallurgy and what we usually think of as "creases" or "curves" of the sheetmetal. Ever wonder why a panel is not perfectly flat on any vehicle?

And finally, hail damage. I have seen hail dent a fire truck hood and break plywood. 1/4" steel plate is what you need to be impervious to hail.

 

[Antman]

Uh Guys,
Before you get too carried away the sheet metal on our 4Runners, including the hood, is a structural component. Here's how:
Hood - While not designed to carry any load, it is integral in a front end collision as it is designed to fold and offer resistance to the incoming force of whatever you hit (or hits you)
Fenders, Doors Quarter Panels and Roof- Sheetmetal "skin" is attached to door frame by welds and adhesive to stiffeners which will hold them together during a side impact, causing them to act together to resist bending in an impact.

Imagine driving your 4Runner around with no sheetmetal, just the inner stiffeners, and getting hit. Yes, the sheetmetal plays an integral part of the vehicle's structure.

Thickness of the metal is not as important as the rigidity of the metal, which is accomplished through metallurgy and what we usually think of as "creases" or "curves" of the sheetmetal. Ever wonder why a panel is not perfectly flat on any vehicle?

And finally, hail damage. I have seen hail dent a fire truck hood and break plywood. 1/4" steel plate is what you need to be impervious to hail.

Your brain is too big.

 

[4FL]

See, I define structural component based off of what the auto industry does. The skin has never been considered a structural component of a car, and always has been classified as cosmetic only. Even under the Toyota certified used car program, it states what is considered structural, and what is not.

Anyway, I am here not to argue, everything protects in some way or another. But I still hold that the skin is a no important issue relative to other areas of the car. When looking at safety, the last thing I would consider is the thickness of sheet metal. It of course can assist a lot, but the thickness and weight would be ridiculous.

I love the 4 runners!

On edit: I stated "what the auto industry does", I actually meant what I have read about, I have no in depth knowledge of auto industry processes, just things I have read, and that was actually related to insurance claims.

 

[mpaquette]

We need an Arnold Schwarzenegger sound clip here: "Stop whining!" whenever someone posts complaints about the lack of LED tails. HID headlamps, or other nonsense.

This. Couldn't agree more.

 

[K O]

I just found out my new $40k car is missing something irrelevant. I'm going to post on the interwebs and complain to strangers about it, because that will make it all better.

 

[FlyNavy]

I stand by my statement, and furthermore contend the hood has absolutely nothing to do with QC unless the paint is flaking off. The hood deflects air. That's it. It's not a structural component.

Anything thicker than just what it needs to be adds weight high up, reducing handling and reducing gas mileage. It's the best place to save weight on the vehicle, as it serves a single, clear purpose. Carbon-fiber hoods are on rally cars and the like for precisely this reason, because even our 4Runner hoods probably weigh 30 lbs too much.

I know, but I want to be able to jump and slide across it like in the movies. Oh wait...... the scoop might be a problem.....

 

[harper7]

Yet another place where they skimped from the 4th to the 5th gen. That picture really lets you see just how thin the sheet metal is on these things. Yes, 4th gen too.

Another 4th Gen vs. 5th Gen comparison bash?
The hood is non structural.They put the extra steel and money in something that matters like a stronger frame with new doublers and supports and a 12 bolt rear end with a bigger/stronger ring and pinion which are known weak points on the older 120 platform. I'd take that trade off any day of the week. Where do you think the added 400lb+ is in a 5tth Gen compared to a 4th Gen??. I'd bet it went into the extra safety like full air bag protection,the new 8.2" 12 bolt rear end and from Toyota's own words "extensive frame and body reinforcements have been added, using high-tensile materials to add strength." Curious to see where other people think the extra weight came from because as noted it wasn't the hood?

Dude, isn't there a Land Cruiser, 4th Gen, Subaru, or Audi forum where you'd be happier?

Dude, I'm on em all.

So your like a 20-22 year old college kid that owns a 2004 Land Cruiser | 2007 V8 SE 4Runner | 2011 Subaru WRX | 2011 Audi S5 Prestige w/ Drive Select according to your signature and you sit around all day on forums bragging about it and stirring up shat all day?
Did you get permanently banned for being a social misfit from the other forums and and resign up under a new user ID there too like you did here?
I see your still eskimochaos and wfarrell4 on the 120 and alot of the other forums and twitter.Man you are a forum junky bra!Why don't you give us a break here on the 5th Gen sub forum once in a while?

 

[phillyd2]

Well, I knew that the damn mast antenna could not weigh that much! :jump:

 

[zstampe]

Hey hey hey.......I know the frame is stronger than the 4th gen but will it rust away like the 4th gen?? Ha ha, maybe they just added metal so it could rust away for longer and still be drivable.



(this post was all sarcasm FYI) I'm a 4th gen guy that loves the 5th gens regardless of hood insulation.

 

[terra4r]

man this is outta hand! we figured out from this and previous threads the SR5 and TE don't have the insulation.

END THREAD, END WHINING TROLLS.:sobbing:

 

[4FL]

"man this is outta hand!"

I think that was my fault!

 

[03_4x4Runner]

I heard that Toyota just takes away a few things on each generation and they are just preparing us for the 6th gen. It will not have a hood at all.

 

[4FL]

I read somewhere (maybe on here?) that Toyota had to keep the 4runner under the $40k mark, which is some mental barrier for people to purchase. So they improved in some areas, but nickle and dime it in areas that felt they could without impacting the quality of the product.