Sport bumper trim provides NO protection whatsoever. It is thin plastic and shatters easy. Yes it will leave holes if removed. Don't know what it could be auctioned for but they go for ~ $375 to $400 new from Toyota.
The Manik I'm guessing will come as one piece with the center part only and the the second piece might be the light gaurds added on, etc. Look at the warranty for both the chrome and black, that may be telling.
I "finally" recently bought a 4runner v8 sr5, too tall to fit in sport, long story, anyways, I am receiving it this friday and have heard that the stock tires SUCK and there is some previous posts saying other tires are really good, but not much talk on the quality of grand treks.
I am curious what you all thought of them. I looked into 'exchanging' the 'new' dunlops for Bridgestone Revo's, but i cant seem to get much for the dunlops. I am just curious if the dunlops REALLY suck, then i might just bite the bullet and upgrade now while the stock tires are still worth something.
Since i live in Ottawa Canada, SNOW driving is rather important, plus offroading maybe once a month, nothing to serious though.
With regards to the Dunlop tires, I wouldn't say that they "suck." I think that they are great all around tires and provide a nice, smooth ride with little tire noise, but the Bridgestone's would be better for you considering your concern for snow driving. I have driven my Dunlop clad 4Runner in the snow with little difficulties in NYS. For off-roading,the Dunlops are ok, but don't have the bite for serious off-roading. It all depends upon your needs.
I own a 2003 4Runner Limited, and I had my dealer install the hood protector offered by Toyota. Thus far, I've not had any problems with this accessory, and in fact it seems very well made, very functional, and it looks great, too. In addition, I periodically check its mounting hardware for any loosening, and I've yet to find any. Highly recommended.
I have been shopping the Weather Tech window vent shades as they appear to be sturdier than some of the other brands I've seen. Any opinions as to their functionality? You can't crack a window in the Runner when it is raining and since I smoke, I would like to draft the smoke/smell out while staying dry. How about wind noise? Improved or not?
Toyboxx I found out that in order for me to install a Manik grille guard on my 04 4 runner, I need to take out the bolts on the underside and there are two 3/8 inch bolts behind each black plastic piece in the front. If I take the sport bumper assembly off and install a Manik, I was infomed in would hinder the air bag sensors ability to deploy in case of an accident. In fact, I heard Toyota discontinued making these types of guards for liability reasons. Do you agree that this would hinder the air bag sensors. Also, any recommendations on what to use to fill the 2 holes on either side of the bumper once removed? Thanks in advance Dillon
I would agree with Toyota on this one. If the company cannot say it won't affect the airbag then there is a good chance they may.
I personally am not a big fan of these. I have had them and I don't think they offer much in protection and in some cases can make the damage of an accident worse. They often shake and the finishes don't hold up like the rest of your truck. IMO they are for style and not substance. The front ends of cars nowadays are highly engineered and I don't want to mess with that. (i.e. crumple zones, airbags)
ARB and TJM sell replacement bumpers that have been tested to insure compatability with the airbags. BUT they do not have one for the fourth generation 4Runners yet. That is what I am waiting for.
Toyboxx Thanks for the insight. I tend to agree that the guards are probabley more for asthetics. Hence, I am not going with one. Just curious, with respect to replacement bumpers, when they are available for 04's, what is the advantage and what are they made of? Can you give me a ballpark price?
Don't know of the availability yet, it may be a while. although I will be checking every few months.
Advantages are that it is a replacement so it is funtional and limits the adding of weight. Also you can mount winches to them. I'm pretty sure you can get the in steel (maybe stainless too) and some in aluminum.
They are expensive. I would say $600 to $1000.
Do a search for the companies and you will get an idea of looks, price and features. ARB and TJM
I've had the Smoke colored WeatherTek Window Vent Shades in my V6 04 Sport for about 6 months now, and I'm very happy with them. They effectively keep the rain out, and provide good ventilation. I would recommend them.
Toyota's sport bumper trim is clearly for looks only. When I was shopping I spotted that option on several vehicles and was equally surprised at the flimsy plastic construction of the thing and at the $500 cost.
For approximately that same $500 you can get the WAAG bumper (not grille) guards, including shipping, for both ends of the vehicle. If you're interested in my resoning, see post #8899 in the main 4Runner discussion.
I can say from personal experience that the WAAG bumper guard protects against front end damage in a low-speed parking lot bump. If you're interested in specifics see my post #403 in "Toyota 4Runner: Problems and Solutions." I just got my replacement "front runner" bumper guard installed and am about to get the old one to the responsible party's insurance company so they'll reimburse me for the cost. It saved them a bunch of money, too.
As far as airbag function, I think the effect will be quite small and I'm not concerned, but it's impossible to know about every possible situation. The front runner guard will provide a little more crush space, and dissipate some initial energy, but I think that's about it. Remember that the vehicle or object you might hit with your bumper is a highly variable thing, and not a flat test wall, so the effect of the guard is likely to be swamped by the larger variability of the structure of the specific impact situation.
I'll agree that for parking lot bumps they will protect. Over say 15 to 20 mph I say its' protection qualities are questionable. And at that point any bumper will get damaged.
So my thoughts on going for the replacement is not really for protection but for looks, ability to add winch and lights, possibly improved approach angles, tested compatability with air bags and the fact that I am not adding extra weight. These are stronger though so if I was to hit a kangaroo (they are both made in Australia) or a deer I think they would offer more protection that a typical grille/bumper gaurd. Just my opinion.
For anyone who wishes that they would have gotten a Home Link (garage door opener)system with their '03-'04 4runner, it's never too late as it turns out. Total delivered cost to my front door was just over $80 from Partznet.com, for a new Toyota OEM overhead console which includes the Home Link system. Total installation and programing time was under 15 minutes. Easiest modification I have found to date. Pop out the old console, disconnect one plug, reconnect the plug to the new console, push it back in place and you are done. Very easy and works great!
toyboxx, I think we're on the same page with bumper guards and replacement bumpers. They're for different purposes, and the WAAG bumper guard (front) will indeed compromise approach angle somewhat. They're fine for low-speed bumps and as a place to tie down a boat or mount some lights (or even as something to stand on) but that's about it. No surprise that the Australians are the ones making really heavy duty bumpers and grille guards!
my2cents, thanks for the reassurance about the Homelink retrofit. Mine is supposed to arrive in a few days and I'm looking forward to an easy install. My only gripe with partznet is that they don't give you even an estimated shipping cost until you get the notice your order has been shipped. I even sent an email question and they didn't answer the part about estimated shipping.
i have installed the auto ventshade brand. I was concerned about the increased wind noise but it is negligible in my opinion. Its nice to be able to crack your window open when its raining without drenching your arm.
I would like to install the Smittybilt Outland Sport front center guard http://www.smittybiltinc.com/products/frontguards/outsport.html on my '03 4Runner Limited, but it's not yet available for the newer 4Runners. I consider this Smittybilt item to be a more logical, durable, better looking, and a more functional alternative to Toyota's largely plastic and vastly overpriced front (center) bumper guard. If Smittybilt would just come out with a version to fit the newer 4Runners, I would plan to hang a set of PIAA 1450 fog lamps off of it. But as I said, Smittybilt isn't yet offering this for the new 4Runners, and I can't seem to find a similar low-profile, center bumper guard that's currently available for the new 4Runners. (I looked at the Westin Safari bar, but didn't like it.) Any suggestions other than waiting for Smittybilt to eventually get around to offering what I want? (I don't want a wide front bumper guard/cage. I want something like what's shown in the link above.) Thanks. KH
I don't know what that translates to in production, but there aren't any standards in the US to my knowledge. The UK was supposedly regulating them too.
JAOS makes a REALY nice one of these.......but it is expensive! Their light stay is about $400 and the comparable center gaurd is about $650. They are stainless steel and very nice looking.
Thank you for the info. The JAOS center guard looks pretty close to what I'm looking for, except I'd rather have a black finish rather than polished stainless steal. Also, I want to *hang* the PIAA fog lamps from the top horizontal bar, rather than mounting them atop this bar. Any other suggestions would be most appreciated.
I received the replacement overhead console module (map lights, sunroof switch, sunglasses holder) with the Homelink module from partznet today. I installed it and programmed it and it's working fine, but I learned a few useful things that I thought I might share.
This is the same Toyota part that's in the units that have Homelink installed at the factory, and the only exterior change from the previous unit is the addition of the homelink logo/light and the 3 buttons. You can buy the part at your local dealer for $98 or at partznet for $76.50 plus about $8 shipping. List price for the option is about $125.
Installation is basically a matter of pulling down the old console and disconnecting the wire plug, followed by reversing this process. However I found it took a *lot* of force to pull the old console down. You must only pull down on the front edge of the console, as the rear edge is meant to tilt down on 3 plastic stubs and some heavy duty velcro. Perhaps the folks who find the old ones easy to pull down and remove are folks who have already had the sunroof rattle TSB performed, and that has loosened the metal/plastic clips that hold the front portion of the assembly to the roof of the vehicle. These two clips are approximately centered on the chamber that the sunglasses holder retracts into. You can start by opening the sunglasses holder and pulling down on that to create an opening around the edge of the module that you can hook your fingers into.
Once you get the module out you'll need to pull out the electrical plug, and that plug is latched in place. A small screwdriver will help unlatch it, if pushed in from the bottom. Try not to short anything out, as power is live to the module all the time.
With the module out you'll see a small motor/gearbox and some shafts. This is apparently part of the motorized wind deflector. Before you install the new module make sure no metal or plastic parts are left in the square holes in the metal roof where the front of the module mounts. Compare the old and new modules to see this.
Homelink programming instructions are in the operating manual; just look for "garage door" in the index. Training for my non-rolling-code opener took about 25 seconds instead of the specified 20, but it worked the first time. Unlike my existing remote, the Homelink buttons need to be pressed for at least a half-second or so to activate.
This is a nifty system, and I'm happy I made the purchase. The other Homelink buttons can be programmed to operate other doors, gates, and even home automation stuff like the wireless X10 links.
Couldn't have described it any better then that. It's probably one of the easiest and most convenient modifications you can do since you use it everyday. I would recommend it to everyone out there that is thinking about getting it.
I HIGHLY recommend getting some sort of guard for the front bumper. I rolled into someone's rear end in a parking lot (woops!)... was barely going a mile or two and received a 4" crack on the front bumper next to the foglamps. Sure enough, her Cavalier was damage-free. I am looking to get one now, but I can never find pictures of newer model 4runners equipped w/ em, not sure how it would look
Takes four bolts to hold each bumper guard. All bolts are provided by Waag. Bolts screw in to existing holes in the frame. Took me 30 minutes to install front and back, as I did it by myself. If you can have someone to hold the bumper guard while putting the bolts in, you can finish the whole project in 10 minutes. No special tools are necessary, just a wrench.
I was planning on purchasing a stainless JAOS center protector and a pair or stainless Manik taillight covers. I have minimal mechanical experience (changing the oil is as far as I go). Would you guys recommend professional installation or is it simple enough to install. From what I understand the center protector just bolts onto existing holes, making installation simple. I don't know about the taillight covers though, in my Durango they had to drill some holes. Any info would be much appreciated. Also, ANY MEMBER PICS OF A JAOS PROTECTOR INSTALLED? If i go ahead with it i'll defenitley post some pics for all to see. THANKS!
I heard those bumper guards fool the air bag sensors, so that the bags don't inflate when they are supposed to - either too soon, too late, or, even, when they are not supposed to. True?
In Australia, "bullbars or roobars may only be fitted to a vehicle with airbags if the bar has been certified by the vehicle's manufacturer as being safe for that vehicle." link
Anyone replace their shifter know on their newer model 4runner. I see some sites that have replacement shifters specifically for 03-04 model years, but don't see how one would remove the existing one.
I will be installing a Navigation system into my 04 4runner Sport. Nav comes from Solara which works perfectly in 4runner. Anyone with experience and good tips before I take my truck apart?
Anyone have any recommendations on a bug/stone deflector? I have tried two different ones and the way they mount allows the yellow sidelights to reflect back at you which is very annoying at night.
I personally have a Toyota Bug/Stone deflector. There is a bit of reflection on the sides, but doesn't seem to be too bothersome to me. What types do you have?
Stay away from those. My 4runner came with one, but since then I have removed it. There is a lot of movement do to the wind and it scratched the hood around metal pieces holding the deflector. I am actually goinig to put the 3m colorless film protector which protects agains chips from rocks etc....
Was yours the Toyota OEM Part? That is the one that I have currently. It comes supplies with Polyurethane tape to prevent scratches from the hardware. My deflector has been on for a couple of months now and does not move at all.
I have heard good things about the 3M film protector, but I was concerned about build up near the edges of the film itself (ie. wax, etc).
Was looking on ebay, I see a lot of Toyota nav systems... a lot from Camry's. Was wondering if they were the same nav system. NO CLUE how to install one, any recommendations for getting one purchased online installed? I have looked at a lot of aftermarket ones w/ pop up screens but would much rather have one in-dash such as the OEM unit. Thanks all.
I would like to add a hand hold to the driver side like the one on the passenger side above the door on the roof. The driver side appears to have plugs in a area one would mount. Is this doable? Does the passenger one work on both sides? It is a 2004 Sport V8. Had it for two weeks now.
People have added the handle on the driver's side. The part numbers may even have been given out in this forum. I would do a search here for that info and if not just talk to your Toyota parts department or find it at partznet online.
I just picked up a new 2004 SE V8-4WD and the truck is very nice. However, I am underwelmed by the pathetic center console, especially the part that could contain a navigator unit. Does anyone know a good source for accessories that could replace the little container that seems just enough for a wallet? I have the standard radio system.
Also, I could only find one cigarette lighter in the front seats. I need one or two more for the various chargers I am carrying. I never thought I would regret my Navigator but this is a clear example where downsizing bites one in the butt.
I am planning to finish the faces with some wood as well and I am open to any suggestions to spiff up the drab look of the 4runner.
When I purchased my 4Runner about 10 days ago, the service/parts section of the dealership was already closed and they couldn't get me my floor mats so they mailed them to me (I live about an hour from the dealership). The cargo area mat I received is made for 4Runners with the 3rd seat and had two big cutouts in the middle of it as well as a few smaller ones along the edge to accomodate that option. I did not get a vehicle with the 3rd seat option. Is there only one type of mat available for the cargo area and those of us without the 3rd row seating have to deal with stupid unneccessary cutouts, or did they ship me the wrong cargo area mat? I called the parts department today and the guy told me he only sees one part number for the cargo area mat. If this is my only choice, I won't use it... it looks stupid with the cutouts in it, IMO.
There must be more than one mat. I have a cargo mat in my 04 V8 Limited which is one solid piece with no cut outs as you described. Of course I don't have the 3rd row seats.
Comments
Thanks
Dillon
The Manik I'm guessing will come as one piece with the center part only and the the second piece might be the light gaurds added on, etc.
Look at the warranty for both the chrome and black, that may be telling.
I "finally" recently bought a 4runner v8 sr5, too tall to fit in sport, long story, anyways, I am receiving it this friday and have heard that the stock tires SUCK and there is some previous posts saying other tires are really good, but not much talk on the quality of grand treks.
I am curious what you all thought of them. I looked into 'exchanging' the 'new' dunlops for Bridgestone Revo's, but i cant seem to get much for the dunlops. I am just curious if the dunlops REALLY suck, then i might just bite the bullet and upgrade now while the stock tires are still worth something.
Since i live in Ottawa Canada, SNOW driving is rather important, plus offroading maybe once a month, nothing to serious though.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks.
I found out that in order for me to install a Manik grille guard on my 04 4 runner, I need to take out the bolts on the underside and there are two 3/8 inch bolts behind each black plastic piece in the front. If I take the sport bumper assembly off and install a Manik, I was infomed in would hinder the air bag sensors ability to deploy in case of an accident. In fact, I heard Toyota discontinued making these types of guards for liability reasons. Do you agree that this would hinder the air bag sensors. Also, any recommendations on what to use to fill the 2 holes on either side of the bumper once removed?
Thanks in advance
Dillon
I personally am not a big fan of these. I have had them and I don't think they offer much in protection and in some cases can make the damage of an accident worse. They often shake and the finishes don't hold up like the rest of your truck. IMO they are for style and not substance. The front ends of cars nowadays are highly engineered and I don't want to mess with that. (i.e. crumple zones, airbags)
ARB and TJM sell replacement bumpers that have been tested to insure compatability with the airbags. BUT they do not have one for the fourth generation 4Runners yet. That is what I am waiting for.
Thanks for the insight. I tend to agree that the guards are probabley more for asthetics.
Hence, I am not going with one.
Just curious, with respect to replacement bumpers, when they are available for 04's, what is the advantage and what are they made of?
Can you give me a ballpark price?
Thanks
Dillon
Advantages are that it is a replacement so it is funtional and limits the adding of weight. Also you can mount winches to them. I'm pretty sure you can get the in steel (maybe stainless too) and some in aluminum.
They are expensive. I would say $600 to $1000.
Do a search for the companies and you will get an idea of looks, price and features. ARB and TJM
I am also very interested in the ARB style bumper, instead of the typical "grill guard". Please post when they become available.
Whitney
For approximately that same $500 you can get the WAAG bumper (not grille) guards, including shipping, for both ends of the vehicle. If you're interested in my resoning, see post #8899 in the main 4Runner discussion.
I can say from personal experience that the WAAG bumper guard protects against front end damage in a low-speed parking lot bump. If you're interested in specifics see my post #403 in "Toyota 4Runner: Problems and Solutions." I just got my replacement "front runner" bumper guard installed and am about to get the old one to the responsible party's insurance company so they'll reimburse me for the cost. It saved them a bunch of money, too.
As far as airbag function, I think the effect will be quite small and I'm not concerned, but it's impossible to know about every possible situation. The front runner guard will provide a little more crush space, and dissipate some initial energy, but I think that's about it. Remember that the vehicle or object you might hit with your bumper is a highly variable thing, and not a flat test wall, so the effect of the guard is likely to be swamped by the larger variability of the structure of the specific impact situation.
So my thoughts on going for the replacement is not really for protection but for looks, ability to add winch and lights, possibly improved approach angles, tested compatability with air bags and the fact that I am not adding extra weight. These are stronger though so if I was to hit a kangaroo (they are both made in Australia) or a deer I think they would offer more protection that a typical grille/bumper gaurd. Just my opinion.
my2cents, thanks for the reassurance about the Homelink retrofit. Mine is supposed to arrive in a few days and I'm looking forward to an easy install. My only gripe with partznet is that they don't give you even an estimated shipping cost until you get the notice your order has been shipped. I even sent an email question and they didn't answer the part about estimated shipping.
http://www.smittybiltinc.com/products/frontguards/outsport.html on my '03 4Runner Limited, but it's not yet available for the newer 4Runners. I consider this Smittybilt item to be a more logical, durable, better looking, and a more functional alternative to Toyota's largely plastic and vastly overpriced front (center) bumper guard. If Smittybilt would just come out with a version to fit the newer 4Runners, I would plan to hang a set of PIAA 1450 fog lamps off of it. But as I said, Smittybilt isn't yet offering this for the new 4Runners, and I can't seem to find a similar low-profile, center bumper guard that's currently available for the new 4Runners. (I looked at the Westin Safari bar, but didn't like it.) Any suggestions other than waiting for Smittybilt to eventually get around to offering what I want? (I don't want a wide front bumper guard/cage. I want something like what's shown in the link above.) Thanks. KH
I don't know what that translates to in production, but there aren't any standards in the US to my knowledge. The UK was supposedly regulating them too.
Steve, Host
Thanxs
This is the same Toyota part that's in the units that have Homelink installed at the factory, and the only exterior change from the previous unit is the addition of the homelink logo/light and the 3 buttons. You can buy the part at your local dealer for $98 or at partznet for $76.50 plus about $8 shipping. List price for the option is about $125.
Installation is basically a matter of pulling down the old console and disconnecting the wire plug, followed by reversing this process. However I found it took a *lot* of force to pull the old console down. You must only pull down on the front edge of the console, as the rear edge is meant to tilt down on 3 plastic stubs and some heavy duty velcro. Perhaps the folks who find the old ones easy to pull down and remove are folks who have already had the sunroof rattle TSB performed, and that has loosened the metal/plastic clips that hold the front portion of the assembly to the roof of the vehicle. These two clips are approximately centered on the chamber that the sunglasses holder retracts into. You can start by opening the sunglasses holder and pulling down on that to create an opening around the edge of the module that you can hook your fingers into.
Once you get the module out you'll need to pull out the electrical plug, and that plug is latched in place. A small screwdriver will help unlatch it, if pushed in from the bottom. Try not to short anything out, as power is live to the module all the time.
With the module out you'll see a small motor/gearbox and some shafts. This is apparently part of the motorized wind deflector. Before you install the new module make sure no metal or plastic parts are left in the square holes in the metal roof where the front of the module mounts. Compare the old and new modules to see this.
Homelink programming instructions are in the operating manual; just look for "garage door" in the index. Training for my non-rolling-code opener took about 25 seconds instead of the specified 20, but it worked the first time. Unlike my existing remote, the Homelink buttons need to be pressed for at least a half-second or so to activate.
This is a nifty system, and I'm happy I made the purchase. The other Homelink buttons can be programmed to operate other doors, gates, and even home automation stuff like the wireless X10 links.
http://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/lukeg37211/album?.dir=/Yahoo!+Ph- - oto+Album&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//p- - hotos.yahoo.com/lukeg37211
how many bolts hold each one on underneath?
they look good.
link
Steve, Host
do you know what they weigh, by any chance?
I have heard good things about the 3M film protector, but I was concerned about build up near the edges of the film itself (ie. wax, etc).
I just picked up a new 2004 SE V8-4WD and the truck is very nice. However, I am underwelmed by the pathetic center console, especially the part that could contain a navigator unit. Does anyone know a good source for accessories that could replace the little container that seems just enough for a wallet? I have the standard radio system.
Also, I could only find one cigarette lighter in the front seats. I need one or two more for the various chargers I am carrying. I never thought I would regret my Navigator but this is a clear example where downsizing bites one in the butt.
I am planning to finish the faces with some wood as well and I am open to any suggestions to spiff up the drab look of the 4runner.