TRD Pro parts

[34SF]

Ok,I have a dumb question but I'm a newbie.
Yes, I have searched and I have read this whole thread.

Here it goes.
I have a new Trail 2015.
This TRD PRO suspension kit mentioned in this thread: are these the exact parts that come on an actual TRD PRO? Same model bilstein and springs?
If I install this kit on my Teail edition, will I in fact have an identical suspension to the TRD PRO from the dealer?
I know some will slam me for this but I am looking to see if this is the exact kit that the TRD PRO has.
I'm somewhat impressed at the prices. I assumed they would be outrageous. The grill kit is outrageous, but the important parts aren't.
Even the TRD PRO rims are not over the top expensive.

Part numbers are the same for the individual pieces. The kit number is specific to the kit and includes all the sub parts.

 

[TRD4runnin]

Anybody have a seat of the pants comparison between the SR5 and the SR5/TRD Pro suspension conversion? I'm looking to reduce the amount of "dive" but don't want an even softer ride than what comes stock. I keep reading adjectives like "squishy" and "softer" but it would seem with the Bilsteins the conversion would be less "soft" than stock. If you've done it, your voice speaks the loudest!

2/28: Gonna answer this one my self...bought the TRD pro kit off ebay, It came with everything but instructions which I downloaded from TIS after a $15 subscription. Got the fronts on today and it brought the front up about an inch and...no nose dive on level streets. Seems to track better and feels a bit firmer without being harsh. I'll do the rears tomorrow if I'm not too sore; I'm old and fat and this was not the best time I've had in the garage.

Tips: The Toyota instructions are pretty complete. I don't have a lift so I'm using a floor jack which reduces the amount of room you have to play with. The instructions said to remove the front skid plate. I was too smart for that and made the project longer than it should have been because I couldn't reach stuff. Take the skid plate off; don't be me. Air tools made this faster, regular hand tools will do it though. The back bolt on the shock tower was a pain to torque correctly but I'm taking it in to have the alignment checked and all the front end bolts torqued to spec. Overall, I'm pleased with the ride and very much like that this is a Toyota part.

3/1: Installed the rears today which was uneventful. The absence of a lift was a problem due to the significant amount of travel in the shocks, especially the TRDs. I wound up using several blocks on the floor jack to get the wheels up high enough to get the tires back on. Instructions for the rears are pretty good though there was some difference between the parts provided and those pictured. In addition to the supplied parts, you'll need some blue locktite for the reservoir mounts. Everything is well made EXCEPT the bottom mounting hook for attaching the reservoirs to the frame. It uses a nylock nut and is made of low grade steel. Very easy to over tighten. Be careful with this part as it is not something you can zip off to the hardware store for. The level stance achieved with just the fronts disappeared when I installed the rears and returned to basically the factory rake.

Overall, I'm pleased with this though I'm not sure how much the rear reservoirs will add to the capabilities. The difference between the stock set up and the TRD is quite noticeable. Ruts and holes have less impact and the handling seems more precise with less roll. I haven't noticed any change in alignment but will have this verified next week. The kit was complete except for the lack of instructions. If you have a reasonably well equipped garage you should be OK to do this on your own and save the $800 my dealer wanted to put these on. I'm not sold on the reservoirs and think that regular Bilstein shocks would have been just as good. Time will tell and I'm looking forward to seriously testing this out once the snow melts.

$800?!?!? They're on crack. It's a 3 hour job max time wise at a dealer with the alignment included.

 

[mapaliz]

$800?!?!? They're on crack. It's a 3 hour job max time wise at a dealer with the alignment included.

Please help with TRD front valance 53901 install instructions for my 2015 sr5

 

[brownbull]

Has anyone added the TRD Skid plate on a Trail w/ KDSS yet? Is it worth getting it and making cuts to it?

 

[K9trainer]

Can someone confirm that the TRD front shocks are indeed set to different perch settings and confirm what that setting is?

 

[Bevo]

Can someone confirm that the TRD front shocks are indeed set to different perch settings and confirm what that setting is?

On my Pro the driver's side is set on the top perch and the passenger side is set on the lower perch. It was installed at the port this way, as I believe most were. With this setting my truck does not have the side to side lean that many owners complain about.

I have seen a couple of guys on the forum who have said that both sides on their vehicles are set on the upper perch and they sit level side to side. I am not sure if I buy that.

 

[sandcrawler]

Has anyone added the TRD Skid plate on a Trail w/ KDSS yet? Is it worth getting it and making cuts to it?

it's been done. can't recall who exactly, but i've never seen any pics of the cut pattern.

 

[Chris4r]

Yesterday I had the TRD Pro skid plate on my 2015 Trail (mine does not have KDSS, and the instructions in the skid plate instructions clearly state that it will not work with KDSS). They had to remove the wimpy Trail protection plate to bolt on the TRD skid plate. It was a very quick install. The only difference I can tell is that my steering is just a bit stiffer (I have no idea why).

 

[K9trainer]

On my Pro the driver's side is set on the top perch and the passenger side is set on the lower perch. It was installed at the port this way, as I believe most were. With this setting my truck does not have the side to side lean that many owners complain about.

I have seen a couple of guys on the forum who have said that both sides on their vehicles are set on the upper perch and they sit level side to side. I am not sure if I buy that.

Thanks, I was wondering if this is the norm from factory (dealer install) should it be the norm when installing 5100s also?

 

[CSix]

Finally found a dealership to do the install for a reasonable cost. They only charged me $399.00 for complete install and wheel alignment. They did it in about two and a half hours.
The SUV no longer has a raked profile like before, sits more level, also the nose dive has been eliminated. The ride is more controlled but not jarring, it seems like a more refined ride, not so busy anymore... I'm loving it. Rear is sitting higher than before and the front is also sitting higher but I'm just waiting for the suspension to settle to get actual lift results. It feels like it's sitting higher when driving it. Overall I am very pleased with this suspension. On a side note; no clunking from my trd pro suspension yet so that's good news too.

Update: I am now experiencing the clunk... dealership able to duplicate and is troubleshooting the issue...more once I get some progress.

I just got around to reading... The clunk still there? the TRD pro thread will be interested because it seems to narrow down to the shock itself?

 

[King_Lewy]

Wonder if that skid plate fits the 2013 SR5

It does
2010+ as long as you aren't equipped with KDSS (which the SR5 doesn't)

 

[Mango22]

I just got around to reading... The clunk still there? the TRD pro thread will be interested because it seems to narrow down to the shock itself?

Yes it's still there. I had a case # opened with toyota usa. With the weather warming here finally I noticed the clunk is not as harsh so I think it is directly related to the shock fluid. Anything below 36 degrees the front ends clunk/bottoms-out really harshly. It seems as the weather has warmed the shocks become more responsive and absorb better but still not 100%. There is still a clattering on rutted dirt roads. That's all I've got for now.

 

[OregonTrailRunner]

TRD Skid Plate on 2015 Trail

Has anyone added the TRD Skid plate on a Trail w/ KDSS yet? Is it worth getting it and making cuts to it?

Tried it, doesn't work. Pulled the stock skid plate off and made templates for both sides. Cut away material and went to bolt it up. The supports underneath the skid plate on the Trail Edition drop down to clear the KDSS and do not allow the skid place to be bolted up. At this point it's a $250 paperweight...

 

[K9trainer]

Tried it, doesn't work. Pulled the stock skid plate off and made templates for both sides. Cut away material and went to bolt it up. The supports underneath the skid plate on the Trail Edition drop down to clear the KDSS and do not allow the skid place to be bolted up. At this point it's a $250 paperweight...

Can you post pictures please?

 

[Saker]

Tried it, doesn't work. Pulled the stock skid plate off and made templates for both sides. Cut away material and went to bolt it up. The supports underneath the skid plate on the Trail Edition drop down to clear the KDSS and do not allow the skid place to be bolted up. At this point it's a $250 paperweight...

So, longer bolts and some type of spacers would not allow this to clear after you made your cuts on each side....?

Hmmmm, wonder how they made it work on the prototype?

 

[sandcrawler]

Tried it, doesn't work. Pulled the stock skid plate off and made templates for both sides. Cut away material and went to bolt it up. The supports underneath the skid plate on the Trail Edition drop down to clear the KDSS and do not allow the skid place to be bolted up. At this point it's a $250 paperweight...

Can you post pictures please?

So, longer bolts and some type of spacers would not allow this to clear after you made your cuts on each side....?

Hmmmm, wonder how they made it work on the prototype?

yes, pics please. this seems weird. the only readily apparent difference (visibly) between the prototype KDSS-compatible skid and the production skid is the lack of the cutouts to accommodate the travel of the KDSS swaybar. there's another guy on here who tried to mount the Pro skid on a KDSS Trail and he bailed on it too. see here: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/186911-trd-mods-2.html#post1978925

it's not obvious why this wouldn't work when looking at the prototype, KDSS-compatible skid, however. looks nearly identical to the production skid.

 

[MLPbrian]

I want that prototype TRD Pro so bad

 

[K9trainer]

For what it's worth, I don't think it's the same skid plate, it's hard to tell but I think the holes are off set some. If you look at the vent cuts the where the "R" lines up, it's slot 3 and 4.
When you look at the KDSS plate the slots are 4 and 5.

 

[K9trainer]

KDSS skid plate vent cuts,
you can see the bolt holes look different

 

[kboxvegas]

So, longer bolts and some type of spacers would not allow this to clear after you made your cuts on each side....?

Hmmmm, wonder how they made it work on the prototype?

I had a local FJ buddy swear to me he could mod one for me and he failed too. So I also have a $250 paper weight. After a full week of working on the truck, I am too lazy to take pics but here is a quick and dirty drawing. (don't hate on my mad paint skills lol)

Basically, it will not work due to the bottom radiator support brackets. The non KDSS ones are flat at the bottom and the KDSS variety curves at the bottom for the say bar. You would have to use 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 spacer for the rear mount and a 3 - 3 1/2 spacer for the front. But this also throws off the angle on the front lip (where it is stamped TRD).

I am betting that the prototype used the flat brackets or none at all. One thing I noticed while installing my lift was at no time did the sway bar ever travel enough that it would have hit the regular bracket at full droop. So unless there are bracket clearance issues during side to side articulation one MAY be able to swap to the flat brackets. I am not sure how one would source these though.