Toyota 4Runner Accessories

fero · January 2004

Owner of v8 4runner need help for locating borla exhaust for $675.00 plus shipping. Thanks

hotdogonastick · January 2004

didnt need any chains passing through the sierras; although some did. you read/heard the news on the nor. cal storms. wicked weather. the runner performed excellent. no loss of grip/traction, vsc never even engaged. very safe ride. tons of fun in the snow. other people i spoke to re: the chains mentioned the clearance issue as well. the first thing they said is "chains? what for?"

oriente · January 2004

You may want to look up "exhaustproslinc.com".

oriente · January 2004

I thought I pursue the why no chains on front wheels. Here is Toyota's official response; sounds kind of sissy to me.

"Toyota does not recommend installation of chains on the front wheels of your 2003 4Runner. Due to clearance concerns, a chain may break and damage the front wheel well."

md4runner · January 2004

Hey folks...I just got the Audiovox Sirius Satellite Radio that functions via an FM modulator...I was wondering if any other 4runner owners have the same setup? And where they decided to put their car mount?

Thanks...

ukbloke · January 2004

It's definitely a clearance issue - do not put chains on the front wheels or you will be sorry. If you reach over the top of the front wheel and extend your fingers down across the inside sidewall of the tire, you'll find that there is about a finger's width of clearance between tire and metal. It is surprising as too how narrow that gap is. This would be a disaster with chain chains.

It is conceivable that cable chains might just clear under heavy tension but any slippage and they are going to get thrashed, break and who knows what woould happen next. IMO you wouldn't want to use cables on a mid-size SUV anyway. Another alternative is spider chains. These mount on the outside of the wheel only and then have fingers that extend across the tread of the tire. There's one part that you install throughout the winter bolted onto the wheel, and the fingers supposedly install very easily. Apparently they work very well, though I don't know if they come in truck wheel sizes.

But I do have a set of chains for the rear wheels of my 4WD 4Runner just in case. I have never needed to use them. Actually CA state law requires you to carry chains in the mountains during winter even if you have a 4WD with snow tires. Also for high mountain passes in OR, ODOT sometimes require everyone to use cables, regardless of vehicle or tires. If you live in serious winter weather, I think that a second set of wheels with studded tires, studless tires or proper off-road or snow tires is the only way to go.

I'd still carry chains just in case - the one thing I've learnt about winter driving is to expected the unexpected, snow/weather conditions seem to be infinitely variable in these parts.

Mark.

4runtexas · January 2004

hey guys! im really in a jam this time!!

i had been wanting to replace my factory speakers, (basic SR5 audio system is in my vehicle now) for some time now, and i finally got some cash together.

sounds good right?

so i go into my local audio dealer and purchase a nice set of 4 pioneer speakers ( 6 X 9"s & 6 1/2" ), the installer goes in to install the speakers, pops off the door, and was amazed at the set up that toyta makes their speakers in...
the speaker is actually built in to the bracket, there is NO WAY to remoce the speaker without destroying the bracket!!!
so, the manager gives me this answer..
"no one makes brackets for this vehicle, they do not exist, however, for $95.00 PER DOOR, we can make you some brackets custom"...i found myself having a hard time keeping myself from laughing....they wanted me to shell out about $400.00 for some BRACKETS! (more than i payed for the speakers...ALOT more)

someone pleease help me, im in a bind to say the least....

anyone replaced their speakers or been in the same situation i have been in? what did you do if so? anyone know of brackets for sale for our 'Runners?

all i wanna do is replace my speakers!! should it be this hard?

arouth · January 2004

Just out of curiosity, I want to intall either an XM or Sirius satellite radio. Is there a way to install it and have the steering wheel radio controls control it like the regular radio?

Also, any recomendations.....XM or Sirius?

stever · January 2004

Pros and cons of the satellite radio companies can be found in XM & Sirius Satellite Radio.

Anyone know about hooking into the steering wheel control harness?

Steve, Host

corancher · January 2004

I installed a set of front & rear bumper guards this weekend and thought I would share my experience and impressions. I was inspired to order the Waag products by a previous poster in one of the 4Runner discussions, so I'm doing a little to return the favor.

Summary: The Waag bumper guards (they're lower profile than brush guards and/or bull bars) are good quality and installed fine. They're beefier-appearing in person than they look in pictures, and that was a pleasant surprise to me. As a matter of fact, I think they improve the appearance of the vehicle some, and I wouldn't want a bigger visual statement.

I didn't buy these bars for decoration, but because the 4Runner (while it does very well in accident survivability) is expensive to repair when you experience low-speed impacts and scrapes that tear the bumper covers. Some folks just park by feel, and others misjudge a little when they're parallel parking, so you can get your bumpers scraped or torn even if you are being careful. I thought these bumper guards would prevent that kind of thing, while not being unkind to other vehicles, and after installing them I still think so.

I don't think these guards would change things much in higher speed crashes, and are not supposed to have an effect on airbag deployment. They would provide just a little more crush/deceleration space, so that should be a slightly beneficial thing. They mount directly to existing threaded inserts in the frame rails, so they're very sturdy. I could even stand or jump on the (weaker) rear one in the unsupported middle, and I don't think I would bend it.

The bars lengthen the vehicle by about 10" including 6" in the front and 3" in the rear. This is somewhat adjustable in the front, though 6" is about the minimum. You might want to factor this in your buy decision. How big is your garage or parking space?

The guards went on just as they were supposed to. It's all bolt-on without drilling, and it just required a little muscle here and there. The biggest problem was the two bolts that also mount the rear tow loop. They were extremely tight, and the job would have been a lot easier with an impact wrench. Waag does not supply lock washers with the kits (though the supplied nuts are the nylock type), and I would recommend the use of thread locking compound on the bolts that go directly into the frame.

bushski · January 2004

Ok I recently installed XM into my 2004 4runner. First of all I bought a cable from a company called PIE (check teh XMFan web site?) that allowed me to directly hook up the XM Commabder to the back of my exisitng radio. The radio has a built in changer control, if you do not have the cd changer installed this allows you to add an auxiliary input to the radio. This set up allows me to use the steering wheel controls and provides the best sound quality.

The XM commander was then installed on the center console right in front of the cup holders. On the lip of the holders so that it is angled up for viewing. It looks real good and fits nicely. HAd it all installed at Tweeter for $99. Professional job.

This is the 2nd car that I have put XM into. XM has more subscribers than Sirius and XM just announced that they will be 100% commercail free in Feb.

arouth · January 2004

Hey thanks for the info. I don't suppose you have a picture of how you have it set up? Can you still put drinks in your cupholders or does it interphere?

So are you saying that if you have th 6 disk CD changer that you can't hook up your steering wheel controls?

Thanks for the info again. I'll definately get XM instead of Sirius.

yabedude · January 2004

If your XM or Sirius satellite radio has an IRd port (remote control), then check out the
SWI-X controller:
http://www.pac-audio.com/products/swi.htm

I've not used this, but have been reading about it quite a bit as I also have a need for one.

--
Chris

yabedude · January 2004

Does this additional hardware take much away from the approach/departure angles due to the increase in length?

This page lists many (2003 even though it's headed 2004) specs, including the angles:
http://www.theautochannel.com/F/news/2003/10/02/169892.html

Specifically:
Approach Angle 2WD: 31 4WD: 32 2WD: 31 4WD: 32
Departure Angle 2WD: 24 4WD: 24 2WD: 24 4WD: 24

I'm not an avid 4x4'r, but I would imagine that 6 inches on the front and 3 on the rear will bite into those angles quite a bit. I understand the low speed impact protection purpose for your truck, but am curious from an off-road point of view.

I only ask as eventually I'd like to eventually install a brush guard.
--
Chris

loudog2 · January 2004

K&n just came out with an oil filter for the 2003-04 v6 4 runners. They just e-mailed me with their product updates.

corancher · January 2004

yabedude, it looks like the approach angle will be reduced, while the departure angle will not be. In the rear, the exhaust tip and hitch receiver will limit departure angle as much as the bumper guard mounts will.

In the front, the changes will depend on the angle at which you approach a slope. Assuming that you approach a slope directly, the thick plate steel mounting plates (below) and the plate steel tube mounts (these are the things with the rubber covers) that bolt to them will indeed reduce approach angle. If you're approaching a hard surface with a steep angle this would be a problem. If you're approaching dirt or sod, it would be less of a problem, as the plates would gouge a trench in the dirt for a short distance. This would produce some excess front end lift and resistance, but would not stop you in most situations where the surface is soft. You would gouge the rubber covers some, however. I'd estimate the angle reduction at more than 5 degrees, but less than 10.

Approaching at an angle, the reduction would be less, but it would still be there.

Hope this helps.

md4runner · January 2004

yup...i realized that xm had more subscribers, but sirius has the deal with the nba, nhl, and now the nfl...that's how i based my decision on which service to go with...

thanks...

rkymtnhgh · January 2004

$95 per door is way too high. The entire installation shouldn't cost you more than $160. It's true that the speakers and bracket are a single piece, but there are a couple of ways around it. I fashioned my own brackets fairly easily and installed a set of 6.5 inch components in the front doors and hooked them to an 80W x 2 amp. I also added an Infinity Basslink self-powered sub, and its all connected to the stock deck (which I plan to replace later). I had no desire to replace the rear speakers, and if I weren't so lazy, I'd remove them entirely. With a sub, there's really no need for them. And because you bought 6x9's for the front, you wont get much added bass from the rear 6.5s. For the money you'd spend on installing the rears, I'd see if you can't maybe return your rear speakers and get a small sub instead. But if all you want is 'rear fill', then that's fine. Just my 2 cents.

Any reputable car audio shop can make simple brackets for you pretty easily and for much less than $95 per door. I think I was quoted around $90 or so at Car Toys for a pair of components installed (custom brackets included), but opted to do it myself. Since you have coaxials, it should be even less.

carguy46 · January 2004

I don't know whether or not this pertains to the above, but I too had some questions about replacing the speakers in my 1996 4Runner SR5. Upon going to crutchfield.com the other day, and selecting "what fits my vehicle," it indicated that none of their speakers would fit in the rear doors, and only a select few speakers would fit into the front doors. I guess my question is, is this true? Can I only replace my front speakers, from that small selection? If this isn't true, what size speakers can I use as replacements (for both doors, and what brands do you guys recommend?) , and why does crutchfield tell me that the speakers are not replaceable? Thanks in advance.

helvabiggin · January 2004

I am looking for a grill guard for my 2003 V8 4RUNNER. Any testimonials?

Does anyone have any ideas? I bought the Aries taillight guards. Those work great!!! I saw the Aries grill guard at www.xccessory.com ,but wondered if anyone had a better guard or experience with this one (ease of installation, stability). I hate buying something without being able to see it.

I want a guard that protects the headlights as well as a pusher, but have not seen much on the net. Can anyone help me or provide a solution?

slitor · January 2004

Check out Wagg.com they have great grille guards

yabedude · January 2004

I think he meant waag.com ;-)

stever · January 2004

At least the Wagg guy drives a Toyota.

Steve, Host

slitor · January 2004

OPPS, I always get that confuse Sorry

terrafirma · February 2004

Safarigard makes 4Runner guards.

Check this independent, non-business site to see tpictures of the Global Exteremes 4Runner taken at a car show.
http://www.toepper.net/global_extremes_4runner.htm

SafariGard made all the parts and they are on sale at safarigard.com

A better alternative to WAAG. I am not affiliated with Safarigard at all, I just know they are selling this stuff.

mrwhipple · February 2004

How heavy are the bumper guards from WAAG?

Did you install them on a '03 or '04.

I am just wondering if the rear guard will clear the newer tow hitch on the '04 V8's.

-thanks

ohello · February 2004

Waag frontrunner and rear bumper guard are both sturdy one-piece guards, both clear everything that they are supposed to clear, and are relatively unobtrusive. They seemed designed to protect the plastic bumpers from parking dings and very low-speed hits - and probably allow you to push a car out of a snowbank. You can jump up and down on them all day long without a problem - but they are not designed to be as strong as the Safari Guard.

The Safari Guard stuff is very heavyweight, extremely sturdy, and designed to protect the bumpers when you are sliding down rock fields. The Safari Guard front also allows you to mount a winch (one of very few ways to do that, if you are interested). This is a whole different class of guards - seems to me a totally different intended use.

All this extra protection from the Safari Guard will cost you more than double what the Waag costs. I got the Waag for less than $500 for front and back shipped (AutoAnything - good company). The Safari Guard is $600 for the front and $500 for the back (plus shipping). They are taking pre-orders now, but it seems very likely that they have already received enough to start production. The winch is another $813 and they offer side tubes for another $375.

So for my money, the Safari Guard was not worth it because (a) my money, (b) the Waag is light enough that it is unlikely to interfere with airbag sensors in a real crash, (c) I do not need all the extra weight of the Safari Guard coming off the already limited max load of 1200lbs. I think that the choice between the two is actually a choice, not a question of which is "better." Both are probably the best options for their intended uses.

For what it is worth, I found the bolts included with the Waag rear bumper guard to be a little on the short side, so I gave them a call. I got a call back within a few hours, they said that they had not heard this before, and they shipped out longer bolts by the end of the day. I was astonished to get that kind of service, and now rank Waag among the best companies I have ever worked with - they really seem interested in doing a good job.

sacstate1 · February 2004

"#353 of 354 Forget WAAG, get Safarigard by terrafirma Feb 05, 2004 (12:46 am)
Safarigard makes 4Runner guards.

A better alternative to WAAG. I am not affiliated with Safarigard at all, I just know they are selling this stuff."

Why? Better built?
SafariGard is more expensive from what I have found. Plus, I have not been impressed with their(SafariGard's) followup to questions and product availability posed at their website. WAAG is in every SUV catalog/website on the planet. Just because Toyota used them for its concept vehicle doesn't make the product better than a leading competitor.

Just asking you to validate why you feel SafariGard is better, no flame.

BTW...I read your post, you beat me to my reply. Thanks.

corancher · February 2004

mrwhipple, I think ohello and I are on the same page on this subject. I wanted a sturdy bumper guard and not a full grille guard or winch mount, etc. I think the Waag products are just the right choice for me, and the quality seems good.

My vehicle is a 2003 that does not have the 7000 lb. hitch. I saw the 2003 version of the 7000 lb. hitch but can't remember if it would share the same mounting points as the Waag. My bolt lengths were fine, and perhaps the reason ohello's seemed short is that the Waag mount was using the same bolt holes as the heavier hitch. There has been a report or two that the heavier hitches (receivers) on the 2004s have gone back to a 2-bolt mount to the rear frame crossmember, but I have no personal knowledge either way. It does seem that accessory manufacturers are sometimes behind on the consequences of mid-year or year-to-year changes.

mrwhipple · February 2004

Thanks for the extra info on the WAAG stuff. It's a nice product.

yabedude · February 2004

They had a deadline of today for receiving 12 orders for the front/rear guards and sliders. Including myself, they has 3 orders. Accordingly, they are not currently manufacturing any of those Global Extremes accessories.

ohello · February 2004

Corancher got it right. I got under there to replace the bolts today and found that he is exactly right. On the driver's side the bolts go through the tow loop, the bumper guard, and the 7000lb hitch. On the passenger side they only go through the bumper guard and the hitch. On the passenger side the shorter bolts probably would have been OK, but were just too short on the driver's side. Very nice of waag to send me the longer ones.

oriente · February 2004

Just reporting FYI. Finally received Borla system and attempted to install. I recommend you dont try it; I finally decided to take it to a muffler shop and they did it for $60, in less than 30 min. Looks good and the sound is great. Very unscientific testing yielded 0-60 improvement of about 0.3 Sec. Best time was about 8.3 sec (4wd, V8), letting the trans shift by itself.

toyboxx · February 2004

What happened during the attempted install? I'm curious as to what is involved and possible problems doing the install.

fero · February 2004

borla installation was easy as oil change (45 min}

oriente · February 2004

First, I found the Borla's instructions lacking. The photos are extremely bad, very dark. Then they reference the front muffler but dont identify it; that created some confussion. But the icing on the cake was that we simply could not loosen the flange above the rear axle, even with spray. The muffler shop did this with an air gun in less than 5 min. Also at the end, the muffler shop had some sort of crow bar that lined up the tail pipes very evenly.
Then there is "fero" to put me to shame!

toyboxx · February 2004

Exhaust can be a pain in the butt. And I'm sure after being used that some will come off easier than others.

As you saw at the shop, the right tools can make a big difference. Breaker bars, heat, air tools and if all else fails the sawzall. I've learned the hard way about exhausts so now I am prepared.

Thanks for the reply.

teridemn · February 2004

My 2004 Limited 4x4 is finally in--the truck is loaded plus has the Nav system. I went to inspect & drive it prior to signing anything & was shocked to find out there is no "alarm" system available!? I guess I assumed the "theft deterrent" system was an alarm but it is a system to prevent someone from stealing the car. This is good but....I need an alarm system to alarm if someone breaks into the vehicle. Anyone have any suggestions on aftermarket systems?

corancher · February 2004

AFIK teridemn, the alarm system on the 4Runners is just a software option that gets loaded or enabled at the port. The parts are already installed in all the 4Runners, including door/window sensors and glass breakage sensor. You probably already have the pair of key fobs that lock and unlock the doors, and have the rear window control and red panic buttons on the fobs.

I suspect the dealer service department could get everything set up for you, and perhaps just charge you something similar to what you would have paid if they had done it at the port.

Others will chime in if I'm wrong about this, I'm sure. And it could be that 2004 is different from 2003, though I doubt it.

mrwhipple · February 2004

The AutoMate works very well and is fully compatible with the electronics. You even keep the factory keyless remotes. Very nice.

teridemn · February 2004

Corancher--I did have the dealer check--at first he thought it wasn't a problem---however after checking further he said the 2004's didn't have that option....which I might add sounded strange to me.

teridemn · February 2004

Another thing that is suspicious all literature listing the specifications for the 04 4Runner indicate the Limited comes standard with "anti-theft alarm system with engine immobilizer". This sounds like an alarm system to me. The sales rep must not know what he's talking about. I pick the vehicle up today--so I guess I'll find out. This certainly wasn't a deal breaker for me--but was a little surprised when I asked & was told it wasn't available--pretty strange for a top end vehicle.

md4runner · February 2004

How much did the AutoMate cost you after installation?

glb2 · February 2004

I bought an '04 SR5. The dealer installed the
RS3200 Toyota VIP system. It took about 6 hours.
Works great. Invoice is about $240.

alfster1 · February 2004

How much did it cost you with installation?

alfster1 · February 2004

The anti-theft alarm system with engine immobilizer is standard on the Limited, but it does not include shock sensors. The standard alarm would need to be upgraded to the RS3200 VIP system. You can always pay a little more for a Clifford alarm with remote engine start.

glb2 · February 2004

I negotiated on mine with the system already installed from the factory. When it got here, no alarm was on it so they gave me a due bill. My numbers show I got it at invoice cost. The manager did complain that he would have to cover the installation.

teridemn · February 2004

You can always pay a little more for a Clifford alarm with remote engine start.

alfster--will the standard system alarm if a window is broken? Plus I assume the "Clifford" system would have to be installed somewhere other than the dealer?

Thanks,
teri

glb2 · February 2004

The RS3200 will sound a 20sec warning if you tap the window with something like the tip of your key. If there is actual breakage or breakin, it will sound for several minutes and disengage the starter.

alfster1 · February 2004

The standard alarm will not sound if the windows are tapped or broken. If the doors are opened without a proper key, the alarm will sound if armed and the starter will be disengaged.

A Clifford alarm would need to be installed as an aftermarket accessory. I don't think Toyota dealers provide this alarm in most areas. The Clifford alarm that I am most interested in is the Clifford Matrix RS 2.1 with remote start. A GPS tracking system similar to LOJACK is also available as an add-on.

If I can get a decent deal for the RS3200 from the dealer, I might go for that instead. It is my understanding that the list price is about $400 + installation, which I think is way too much.

Toyota 4Runner Accessories

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