What have you done to your 5th Gen 4Runner today?

Completely agree, more is better for average person. I’ve worked at a Nissan and Honda dealership, and my best mate was GSM at a Toyota dealership. Just like Car Care Nut says, moving the the frequency out for oil changes was a move to make the vehicles less costly to operate. My experience at Nissan was that the dealers loved this concept as most people lease and focus on monthly cash flow and usually skimp on maintenance. Thus major components don’t last as long after 5 yrs. Plus in Ontario, Canada we used have an emissions test to re-license your car in which older cars were more likely to fail. Issues arise much after 150K kms, then you have to switch to a different type of oil for high mileage engines. Longer intervals also means justified bigger services, which permits allotments of more chargeable mechanic time. Dealerships have alway made their money from the shop. If you flip cars every 5yrs or less, or you leasing, 10K is cost effective. Want to keep for 10 yrs or more, even if you keep your mileage low then first oil change early and and 5K miles min. Oh, and it’s not just about the quality of the oil after time but also the health of the filter as they are exposed to extreme temp ranges too (filter seals with oil pan, filters ability to catch contaminants) and oil drain plug gasket/washer. I think it’s good to advise people on a cautious approach that is relatively cheap insurance, especially after I’ve seen people cry for costs of repair after warranty has run out … “but I followed all the service guidelines and have had no accidents!”.

 

did you get upgraded struts for the rear door? if so, which ones? TIA.

 

Do a search on that company, really really solid and a history in AT MT tires. Sadly Mickey Thompson acquired the company and shuddered the brand :/


https://ormhof.org/dick-cepek

 

Yep, I agree. I’d venture to guess that the average person doesn’t do their maintenance on time. There is also a reason cars with good maintenance records are typically more reliable and are worth more when sold. Also I’d speculate auto manufacturers push the frequency out on oil changes to comply with the EPA standards and reduce petroleum usage. People who argue against regular maintenance either don’t want to spend the money like you said, or don’t stay in the vehicle very long, or probably don’t know much about cars.

 

I think Mickey Thompson tires were manufactured by Cooper. Their Baja Legend EXP is basically the Cooper S/T Maxx. Looks like Goodyear owns all of it now as of last year. I just tried to go to the Dick Cepek website. It just points to Mickey Thompson.

 

Added the TRD skid plate this morning before it got hot.

 

they are heated ... not sure about the blind spot monitoring (though I would think some do) as I do not have that lovely feature in my 2021

 

Dick was a pioneer of off-road racing in SoCal and Baja. One year he and Micky (I knew both growing up as my uncle Kenny was one of Mickey's design engineers and was pit crew chief when Mickey raced at Indy). got stuck by a hurricane on a beach in Baja while on the 1000. My uncle and Bill Stroppe had been pre-runners for them. They (Mickey and Dick) had been camping on the beach when the hurricane hit and stranded them.

https://i.ibb.co/RCpcHT0/Mickey-Thompson-Challenger-600x450-2x-1.jpg



My uncle is third from the left!

BTW: The Challenger held the world land speed record for a while. Four blown Chryslers (?), each with its own tranny.

Growing up, there seemed to always be a dragster or funny car in his garage, rarely his but a buddy's they were working on. He was one of the two people who taught me to drive in his caddy and 'vette. The other was my dad who was a truckdriver for Carnation milk.

Also, my cousin got a Stroppe Bronc for a wedding present but they totaled it while living in Taho/Truckee.

 

I drove to the "wet side" of WA, over Stevens Pass. Predicted mid-90's in Wenatchee (down from 105 F or so every day). It was in the high 40's up top and 57 F in Monroe and drizzly.

 

I did, went with the max pow ones which you can get form Amazon. Used this as my guide to determine what I needed, I don't have a ladder (and don't plan to run one) but my upgraded speakers was enough weight to cause the stock struts to sag a tad at extension.

https://trail4runner.com/2019/11/04/heavy-duty-4runner-lift-gate-strut-upgrade/

 

That is AWESOME! Great story man!

We are a Dick Cepek family. I have them on the 4Runner & FJ. My brother has them on his Taco and YJ. My dad had them on too but moved to a better freeway tire.

 

Yeah it’s sad. Kinda like Coors or Bud buying up all the good micro brews.

Especially considering I got the set of 5 for under $900 a few years ago for mine and then under $1000 for the FJ.

 

Interesting read, thanks

 

My pleasure! Kinda felt cool having his name on my 4Runner. Might be lame, but I liked it.

 

The Rav4s that come with the Blind Spot Monitor don't have the corner mirror on them. It's one or the other. The new Rav4s don't have the corner mirror at all anymore. Either just a standard mirror or BSM mirror.

 

Mickey was not a good businessman and that is what likely got him shot!

 

What beachguy said. The main mirror parts themselves are same old same old, but the blind spot subsections are where the money's at. I wish I installed them years ago.

This is where I got mine. This place bundles them as a set. I think they're cheaper now than when I bought them a couple months ago. https://parts.elmhursttoyota.com/p-...ot-mirror-glass-retrofit-8796142d208793142d50

I don't know if you have a 2022 with blind spot monitoring, but if you don't, then you won't regret spending money on them. Best $100 or so I spent in a long time.

 

Just ordered them. Thanks for the link!

 

Installed my nonTRD analog blind spot monitoring system

 

Small addition of the retro Kempter TRD badge.

 

Leftover truck bed liner on the skid/color matched letters

 

..and the blackening continues
swapped SR5 badge with retro piece
installed slimline ventvisors
used the rest of the leftover bedliner on top rails

 

Rotopax bracket went in along with 2×1 Gal packs by rotopax. Getting ready for Yellowstone trip in September. These little additions seem like they take forever to get them right. But done.

 

Morimoto headlights last week. This week, the tails.

 

Westcott ladder looks fire!

 

Skip to 3:25 in this video. Don’t take the caps off like he does at the beginning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVz-WCqmaTE

There’s enough slack in the defroster wire to unplug and reattach before you snap the new mirror in. Nothing to it.

 

Very nice. Where did you get the "Toyota 4Runner" decal from?

 

I’ve set my side view mirrors like this for decades, because it eliminates the typical blind spots.
Wonder why more people don’t do it this way.

https://youtu.be/kkQX2gkwJoE

 

I have been doing this since my Canadian friend showed me in college. That was almost twenty years ago. I still turn my head and look through the rear windows though...

 

Installed Weathertech window visors, and replaced interior/rear licence plate bulbs with LEDs. Can’t believe how hot some of the OEM bulbs were after being on for 3-4 mins. Glad I’ve changed them in first week.