What did you do with your 4runner today?

[nuron]

Finally had a chance to finish my grill this weekend. I still want to throw on another layer or so of paint and a clear coat probably do that this weekend. I think it came out looking pretty good though.

One of the most original mods I've seen here so far. I predict a trend of these in the near future.

 

[yotaguy674]

Finally had a chance to finish my grill this weekend. I still want to throw on another layer or so of paint and a clear coat probably do that this weekend. I think it came out looking pretty good though.

We NEED close up pics. Looks so badass!

 

[Whytey]

Thanks guys. It took quite a Bit of patience in time to get it to fit right. The grill is a TRD Pro Tacoma eBay knock off. Honestly there's not a lot to it other than you need to dremel the hell out of it to get it to slip in. It's held with nuts and bolts at the top coming in from the stock grill into the black plastic and zip tied at the bottom Into the square area where the hood release latch is located on the grill. The only real bummer is the cheap Chinese plastic they use scuffs up pretty easily so I had a ton of little scratches that I ended up covering with trim and bumper paint from duplicolor.

Got a link to the grill you purchased?

Looks awesome! Nice job!

 

[kcdehart]

I threw a P0204 code, which means injector #4 failed a circuit test. No evidence of misfire so my theory is that the combination of a remarkably cold morning start and a 6-year-old battery caused the code during crank.
So today my 4runner gets a new battery and I cross my fingers.

Mine failed around this time last year, as well. Found out it was the original battery from 2004 and probably would've kept going if I hadn't let it die once in the cold because I'd been driving another car instead. RIP

Meanwhile, the Advance battery I got to replace it is showing signs of weakness only a year later. *Sigh*

 

[mkerul]

Mine failed around this time last year, as well. Found out it was the original battery from 2004 and probably would've kept going if I hadn't let it die once in the cold because I'd been driving another car instead. RIP

Meanwhile, the Advance battery I got to replace it is showing signs of weakness only a year later. *Sigh*

Which battery did you get? I also got one from advanced and went with one of their platinum AGMs over a optima red top, hopefully that's not a decision I end up regretting.

 

[kcdehart]

Which battery did you get? I also got one from advanced and went with one of their platinum AGMs over a optima red top, hopefully that's not a decision I end up regretting.

I wanna say it was an AGM platinum or Gold. At least it has a 3 year warranty if it does die. Might accidentally leave my lights on a lot near the end of those 3 years though lol

 

[hstexan]

Opened boxes yesterday

Installed the ladder this morning

 

[JVC8790]

GOBI Ladder?

Looks good, makes me want a ladder even more now! (even though I don't even have a rack)

 

[hstexan]

GOBI Ladder?

Looks good, makes me want a ladder even more now! (even though I don't even have a rack)

Yep--put it on order around Black Friday with their 10% off holiday coupon and it showed up just about 8 weeks later

 

[riceandpho]

I wanna say it was an AGM platinum or Gold. At least it has a 3 year warranty if it does die. Might accidentally leave my lights on a lot near the end of those 3 years though lol

if you like to leave the lights on all the time when getting out. you can get the mini vci cable and program with techstream to make the lights go out after you take the key out and open the door. i have it set like this, it acts the same way like my dad's 06 tacoma.

 

[YetiX]

Installed Bilstein 5100's in the rear of my daughter's 4Runner but couldn't drop the axle enough to install the OME springs. :ybrick: Did do an oil change though.

On mine, I replaced the rear window seal, lubed the driveshaft, and re-routed the ham radio's antennae cable as it was getting pinched by the hood hinge.

 

[kcdehart]

if you like to leave the lights on all the time when getting out. you can get the mini vci cable and program with techstream to make the lights go out after you take the key out and open the door. i have it set like this, it acts the same way like my dad's 06 tacoma.

Sorry, was a joke about wearing the battery down so that I could replace it under warranty

Mine just turn off 30 seconds after I open the door. Or turn off when I push the lock button twice.

 

[JVC8790]

Didn't install, but I ordered Moog End Links for the front and rear to go with the rest of my suspension overhaul.

TRD Offroad Tacoma Front Struts & Rear Shocks (Bilstein 4600)
FJ Cruiser Trail Team Rear Springs
Energy Suspension Rear Shock Bushings
Energy Suspension Front and Rear Sway Bar Bushings
Moog Front and Rear End Links

Should handle like an all new truck after getting rid of the 157k XReas and putting all of this on next week!

Now I just have to figure out what wheels/tires I want to go with!

 

[Biking4jesus]

Didn't install, but I ordered Moog End Links for the front and rear to go with the rest of my suspension overhaul.

TRD Offroad Tacoma Front Struts & Rear Shocks (Bilstein 4600)
FJ Cruiser Trail Team Rear Springs
Energy Suspension Rear Shock Bushings
Energy Suspension Front and Rear Sway Bar Bushings
Moog Front and Rear End Links

Should handle like an all new truck after getting rid of the 157k XReas and putting all of this on next week!

Now I just have to figure out what wheels/tires I want to go with!

nice! im ditching my xreas soon too (189k) for 2017 off road suspension. was thinking about new sway bar bushings and end links.

 

[JVC8790]

nice! im ditching my xreas soon too (189k) for 2017 off road suspension. was thinking about new sway bar bushings and end links.

I'll let you know how it goes! I'll post up all my findings in my build thread (in my signature).

I had already bought the sway bar bushings (upgrade) and rear shock bushings (necessary). At that point I started to think through anything else in the suspension that might be worn/tired and the end links seem like an easy $100-120 (Moog) to spend for all 4 that should make sure that any improvement with the sway bar bushings and shocks isn't lost through a set of worn end links.

Plus, while it's all apart anyways, these should be easy to throw on (Famous last words).

 

[zimdba]

What made you two think the X-REAS needed replacing? On mine, at 147K, it doesn't feel like it handles road imperfections anymore. It feels way too firm over bumps.

 

[RobD]

What made you two think the X-REAS needed replacing? On mine, at 147K, it doesn't feel like it handles road imperfections anymore. It feels way too firm over bumps.

Mine became harsh. Over a series of bumps, the whole vehicle would "shimmy" around. It was unstable going over bridge expansion joints, especially on a curve. I swapped all of it out for Bilstein 6112s/5160s. Amazing how much difference it made.

 

[JVC8790]

What made you two think the X-REAS needed replacing? On mine, at 147K, it doesn't feel like it handles road imperfections anymore. It feels way too firm over bumps.

TLDR - Xreas is tired, but functioning, removing it before it actually fails.

Mine actually still rides decently in my opinion. The previous owner of my 4Runner is a Toyota Tech and said that it all checks out, it doesn't leak and seems to function just fine, that being said he admitted that at the end of the day, its still 156k 15 year old suspension.

I wanted to go with a small lift on my 4Runner to help out with the rake and was looking at either a spacer lift and keeping Xreas or swapping out the Xreas. After thinking and pricing stuff out, the spacer lift seemed good on the initial price, but knowing that it was only a matter of time until the Xreas would likely go, it seemed foolish to keep it around.

I didn't want to go with a 3" lift like so many people want as my offloading is expected to be a minimum, that is what led me to the TRD Offroad fronts and FJ Rears just to restore the ride height, level the truck, and helping the overall handling and ride quality to improve.

 

[zimdba]

Mine became harsh. Over a series of bumps, the whole vehicle would "shimmy" around. It was unstable going over bridge expansion joints, especially on a curve. I swapped all of it out for Bilstein 6112s/5160s. Amazing how much difference it made.

OK, it sounds like we have/had the same issue. Did you replace any other parts? I've already done poly sway bar bushings, poly rear link bushings, and front end links. But other than that, my suspension is totally stock.

 

[RobD]

OK, it sounds like we have/had the same issue. Did you replace any other parts? I've already done poly sway bar bushings, poly rear link bushings, and front end links. But other than that, my suspension is totally stock.

Just the hats on top of the struts. The rubber there seems to be one of those things you should change out, plus they're relatively cheap to do. I'm a fan of doing things once, so might as well do it all at the same time since I'm already in there.