I had a friend do it who installs equipment in emergency vehicles, but I watched and helped a little. Pretty basic really; measured, marked, and drilled the holes. Mounted the bases, screwed on antennas. We did add a bead of silicone around the base in addition to the supplied gaskets. Works great. We only needed to drop the rearmost portion of the headliner to gain access. I’d do it again without reservation.
Hoppy’s build thread - 2022 ORP
- Thread starter hoppyjr
- Start date
I had a friend do it who installs equipment in emergency vehicles, but I watched and helped a little. Pretty basic really; measured, marked, and drilled the holes. Mounted the bases, screwed on antennas. We did add a bead of silicone around the base in addition to the supplied gaskets. Works great. We only needed to drop the rearmost portion of the headliner to gain access. I’d do it again without reservation.
Since I don’t intend to rock-crawl or do the serious off-roading that others might, I actually downsized tires to the stock 265/70 size.
My son took the new 275/70 K02’s for his Jeep JK, which works great for him. I went with C-rated K02’s in 265/70. They are lighter than the 275’s and I’m more than pleased with their performance.
My son took the new 275/70 K02’s for his Jeep JK, which works great for him. I went with C-rated K02’s in 265/70. They are lighter than the 275’s and I’m more than pleased with their performance.
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I experienced two modifications that I came to regret and one that never materialized (in the next post).
The two regrets:
- KC Slimlight LED lights: great lights, but my original bumper mounting location wasn’t ideal as it didn’t provide a good range of adjustment. Those have been removed and Morimoto 4Banger pods & ditch brackets have facilitated the additional forward lighting I wanted. The KC’s may get installed on my old Chevy pickup.
- Viper Cut: while Brad did a great job, and it was necessary when I had the 275 tires, I just prefer a stock appearance. I plan to keep this 4Runner forever and when running 265 tires, a stock bumper works fine. I ordered a replacement from Painted OEM Parts online. It arrived color matched and packed well.
I’ll get updated photos when the weather is nice.
The two regrets:
- KC Slimlight LED lights: great lights, but my original bumper mounting location wasn’t ideal as it didn’t provide a good range of adjustment. Those have been removed and Morimoto 4Banger pods & ditch brackets have facilitated the additional forward lighting I wanted. The KC’s may get installed on my old Chevy pickup.
- Viper Cut: while Brad did a great job, and it was necessary when I had the 275 tires, I just prefer a stock appearance. I plan to keep this 4Runner forever and when running 265 tires, a stock bumper works fine. I ordered a replacement from Painted OEM Parts online. It arrived color matched and packed well.
I’ll get updated photos when the weather is nice.
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things about the hood…..
I’m not a big fan of the non-functional hood scoop. My original plan included the LED light bar from Armor Light Co. and a black TRD Pro scoop. At least that would make the scoop have a purpose.
Without going into detail, the LED bar arrived defective and my overall experience with Armor Light Co. was not pleasant, so I cannot recommend that product or company.
I still have the black Pro scoop but haven’t installed it. [edit: done 5/18/23)
I’m not a big fan of the non-functional hood scoop. My original plan included the LED light bar from Armor Light Co. and a black TRD Pro scoop. At least that would make the scoop have a purpose.
Without going into detail, the LED bar arrived defective and my overall experience with Armor Light Co. was not pleasant, so I cannot recommend that product or company.
I still have the black Pro scoop but haven’t installed it. [edit: done 5/18/23)
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One more thing….
This week I received the C1R hitch mounted light pod from Diode Dynamics. This provides a simple plug & play solution, giving an additional white led reverse light, red led tail light, and bright led brake light with an optional pulse capability. It plugs in behind the trailer wiring connector, leaving the connector usable and clean.
Initial impressions are positive. When I pushed it into the receiver hitch until it clicked, the pod stuck out a bit and had a little bit of a rattle/looseness to it. I simply pressed in a bit more until the light lens was flush with end or hitch receiver and it’s all good now.
Photos when time permits, but I would buy this again without reservation.
Edit:
Although I’ve never used my hitch, there is rust around the receiver area. I’ll need to sand and paint that soon, but here’s a shot of the C1R hitch pod light I the off position. I’ll get night shots when I have someone to help out.
This week I received the C1R hitch mounted light pod from Diode Dynamics. This provides a simple plug & play solution, giving an additional white led reverse light, red led tail light, and bright led brake light with an optional pulse capability. It plugs in behind the trailer wiring connector, leaving the connector usable and clean.
Initial impressions are positive. When I pushed it into the receiver hitch until it clicked, the pod stuck out a bit and had a little bit of a rattle/looseness to it. I simply pressed in a bit more until the light lens was flush with end or hitch receiver and it’s all good now.
Photos when time permits, but I would buy this again without reservation.
Edit:
Although I’ve never used my hitch, there is rust around the receiver area. I’ll need to sand and paint that soon, but here’s a shot of the C1R hitch pod light I the off position. I’ll get night shots when I have someone to help out.
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Friday’s project included three new items and one “swing and a miss”.
The mod that didn’t work out was the new ScanGauge 3. While it is feature packed, I found more negatives than positives, so it went back. Among the negatives; no auto display dimming, only digital gauges, poor mounting options.
The stuff that worked out well:
- WeatherTech hood protector / bug deflector
- WeatherTech side window deflectors
- TRD Pro style front skid plate. This one is the version for KDSS, from CarHomeTrim.
All the WeatherTech parts went on quick and easy - and the quality is evident. I’m pleased.
The skid is also much nicer than expected, being thick, sturdy, and apparently well made. It did require I remove the plastic shield that goes between the stock front skid and bumper. I plan to trim that piece and reinstall later. I like that this skid has an access panel, eliminating the need to remove the full skid for oil changes.
Here are some updated photos, taken today.
The mod that didn’t work out was the new ScanGauge 3. While it is feature packed, I found more negatives than positives, so it went back. Among the negatives; no auto display dimming, only digital gauges, poor mounting options.
The stuff that worked out well:
- WeatherTech hood protector / bug deflector
- WeatherTech side window deflectors
- TRD Pro style front skid plate. This one is the version for KDSS, from CarHomeTrim.
All the WeatherTech parts went on quick and easy - and the quality is evident. I’m pleased.
The skid is also much nicer than expected, being thick, sturdy, and apparently well made. It did require I remove the plastic shield that goes between the stock front skid and bumper. I plan to trim that piece and reinstall later. I like that this skid has an access panel, eliminating the need to remove the full skid for oil changes.
Here are some updated photos, taken today.
Bobby12many
New member
Truck is looking great! Your lighting upgrades are very nice. Do you have a closer-up picture of the new fogs installed (off)? Interested to see how they look compared to OE LEDs. Performance looks pretty fantastic... which is good considering the $$$
Looking forward to pics of the reverse light performance. I'm mulling options for improved rear illumination and this is a pretty elegant solution.
Cheers
Looking forward to pics of the reverse light performance. I'm mulling options for improved rear illumination and this is a pretty elegant solution.
Cheers
Thanks, I’m very happy with how everything it’s working out.
Here are a couple close up photos.
I installed the Kicker full speaker upgrade kit from Trail Grid Pro, into my 2022 Off Road Premium.
Used their YouTube video as a guide and all was very straightforward.
I don’t have an amp or subwoofer as the TRD Pro does, but the speakers made a noticeable improvement in sound quality. Midrange seems more defined, highs are crisper, and bass feels more punchy. Overall I’m satisfied.
I’ve added a link to the kit I used and a link to the install video, in case you’re interested.
Kicker Plug & Play 8 Speaker Bundle Upgrade | '10 - '23 4Runner
Kicker 8 Speaker Plug & Play Upgrade Bundle Install | 2014 - 2022 Toyota 4Runner - YouTube
Used their YouTube video as a guide and all was very straightforward.
I don’t have an amp or subwoofer as the TRD Pro does, but the speakers made a noticeable improvement in sound quality. Midrange seems more defined, highs are crisper, and bass feels more punchy. Overall I’m satisfied.
I’ve added a link to the kit I used and a link to the install video, in case you’re interested.
Kicker Plug & Play 8 Speaker Bundle Upgrade | '10 - '23 4Runner
Kicker 8 Speaker Plug & Play Upgrade Bundle Install | 2014 - 2022 Toyota 4Runner - YouTube
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Next up: I still have the KC Slimlight LED spots from my initial lighting package upgrade.
The plan is now to mount them upside down, suspended from the center (Toyota) part of the grill.
The original bumper mounted install didn’t provide the adjustment I wanted, partially due to the curve of the bumper. The new install should give me the straight ahead spot I’m after.
Bonus that I’ve got the snap on amber covers, which should help in the rain or snow we see in the mountains up here.
I’ll update with pics when done.
The plan is now to mount them upside down, suspended from the center (Toyota) part of the grill.
The original bumper mounted install didn’t provide the adjustment I wanted, partially due to the curve of the bumper. The new install should give me the straight ahead spot I’m after.
Bonus that I’ve got the snap on amber covers, which should help in the rain or snow we see in the mountains up here.
I’ll update with pics when done.
Thanks for posting your build. I have a ‘22 ORP as well and I’m just starting to do a mild build. I really like the switch panel and lights. I appreciate the stereo stuff. I can’t stand the stereo in this thing. I want an amp and a sub in the worst way but adding that stuff is a pain to add and expensive. That setup will be a nice starting step.
TRD PANTHER
New member
Does the CarHomeTrim skid come with an access panel for oil changes? Is it a flat or satin black?Friday’s project included three new items and one “swing and a miss”.
The mod that didn’t work out was the new ScanGauge 3. While it is feature packed, I found more negatives than positives, so it went back. Among the negatives; no auto display dimming, only digital gauges, poor mounting options.
The stuff that worked out well:
- WeatherTech hood protector / bug deflector
- WeatherTech side window deflectors
- TRD Pro style front skid plate. This one is the version for KDSS, from CarHomeTrim.
All the WeatherTech parts went on quick and easy - and the quality is evident. I’m pleased.
The skid is also much nicer than expected, being thick, sturdy, and apparently well made. It did require I remove the plastic shield that goes between the stock front skid and bumper. I plan to trim that piece and reinstall later. I like that this skid has an access panel, eliminating the need to remove the full skid for oil changes.
Here are some updated photos, taken today.
Yes to oil access panel.
Hard to say from memory but it looked flat powdercoat black to me.
I only wanted to upgrade speakers, so I went with Trail Grid Pro. After ordering I also found OEMAudioPlus has a package that appears to be a direct speaker swap.
The differences:
The TGP kit was $558 delivered. It includes all 8 speakers, using components for front door / dash, then coaxial units in rear doors and hatch. They include everything, adapter rings, hardware, wiring adapters. Plug & Play.
The OEMAudio kit appears also Plug & Play and it’s $649. From the photos it appears to be custom made for the vehicle, rather than using adapter rings, although I’m not certain of that. They components in front door / dash, but use woofers in rear doors and coaxials in hatch. I obviously can’t say how they sound.
While I like the concept of custom fit stuff, I prefer the idea of coaxial in rear doors to have the added brightness of those small tweeters.
In any case, my cargo cover stays closed and I have stuff in the back, so the hatch speakers matter less to me as they are often somewhat obstructed.
The OEMAudio people also offer a kit that include a 360w amp, interface module, the aforementioned speaker kit, and all plug & play wiring harnesses. It’s $1399 and more than I wanted to put into audio for this vehicle, but you may find it a good solution since you want an amp. The company claims it’s using DSP and they pre-tune it specifically for the 4Runner, even down to the upholstery (in our case Softex).
I hope this helps.
Hoppy
Visited my friends shop, where he did a couple things for me.
Mounted my KC LED Slimlights back on the front bumper, but this time hanging from the center of the heritage grille. My friend made some metal backing plates, which provide stability from the inside of the bumper, behind the “TOYOTA”
The angle of the second shot is misleading, as they don’t stick out as far as the lower bumper does.
Prior mounting to bumper resulted in extremely limited adjustability, rendering them ineffective. This new hanging mount allows plenty of adjustment and I think even looks better.
Wired to my last open circuit on the SwitchPro controller.
Also installed the Redarc Elite trailer brake controller, but the Toyota sized switch insert doesn’t arrive until Sunday.
Mounted my KC LED Slimlights back on the front bumper, but this time hanging from the center of the heritage grille. My friend made some metal backing plates, which provide stability from the inside of the bumper, behind the “TOYOTA”
The angle of the second shot is misleading, as they don’t stick out as far as the lower bumper does.
Prior mounting to bumper resulted in extremely limited adjustability, rendering them ineffective. This new hanging mount allows plenty of adjustment and I think even looks better.
Wired to my last open circuit on the SwitchPro controller.
Also installed the Redarc Elite trailer brake controller, but the Toyota sized switch insert doesn’t arrive until Sunday.
Cleaned her up today for some photos.
Latest updates:
Reinstalled the Toyota Trail Running Boards. While they get in my way, my passengers aren’t as tall and they find the steps helpful. I do think it adds a more finished look, and they help protect against door dings from cars, so there’s that.
Aimed the KC Slimlight LED spots, now hanging from the center of the heritage grille. Perfect.
Photos:
Notice how the front parking lights and rear turn signals are clear when off, eliminating the “egg yolk” appearance that exists with stock bulbs.
Added a shot to show the side profile of the grill spot lights.
Reconfigured the Switch-Pro controller to accurately reflect current accessories.
Redarc Tow-Pro Elite controller is installed and the switch is filling a blank on the left of dash.
Installed a couple Mob Armor mounts; one for the GMRS microphone and one for the passenger cell phone.
Next on the list: under hood lighting, using the KC HiLites Cyclone universal kit. The remaining lower left dash blank will be used to control these, using an OEM style push button switch. Since the switch is 3amp rated and these lights are only 5w each, I don’t think I’ll use a relay but I will fuse them.
I do have the TRD Pro black hood scoop at home, but still not sure if I should install it. Opinions welcome…..
Eventually the battery will get swapped with an AGM, but there is nothing else I want or need for my intended use.
Hoppy
Latest updates:
Reinstalled the Toyota Trail Running Boards. While they get in my way, my passengers aren’t as tall and they find the steps helpful. I do think it adds a more finished look, and they help protect against door dings from cars, so there’s that.
Aimed the KC Slimlight LED spots, now hanging from the center of the heritage grille. Perfect.
Photos:
Notice how the front parking lights and rear turn signals are clear when off, eliminating the “egg yolk” appearance that exists with stock bulbs.
Added a shot to show the side profile of the grill spot lights.
Reconfigured the Switch-Pro controller to accurately reflect current accessories.
Redarc Tow-Pro Elite controller is installed and the switch is filling a blank on the left of dash.
Installed a couple Mob Armor mounts; one for the GMRS microphone and one for the passenger cell phone.
Next on the list: under hood lighting, using the KC HiLites Cyclone universal kit. The remaining lower left dash blank will be used to control these, using an OEM style push button switch. Since the switch is 3amp rated and these lights are only 5w each, I don’t think I’ll use a relay but I will fuse them.
I do have the TRD Pro black hood scoop at home, but still not sure if I should install it. Opinions welcome…..
Eventually the battery will get swapped with an AGM, but there is nothing else I want or need for my intended use.
Hoppy
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