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

There is some interesting conversation out there about the 3 lines of EverStart
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/everstart-max-worth-2x-everstart-value.360768/post-6259844

It seems there is some physical differences in the product lines. And I thought it was Walmart simply using Price Tiering
https://www.moesif.com/blog/api-monetization/api-strategy/Tiered-Pricing/#

EverStart batteries are manufactured by East Penn Manufacturing and Exide Technologies
and I guess the preference is to get the East Penn Manufacturing ones for better overall quality? https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/identifying-east-penn-batteries-at-walmart.391629/

 

I went through the threads you referenced. I was getting into analysis paralysis with the battery.So I got the most current one they had on the shelf, it measured good on the meter and in about 10 mins I was out.
If it gives me 3 years I am happy. If not, they will give me a new one.

 

I've had the Everstart for about 4 years now.

Still going strong.

 

Got her weighed today 6020 lbs, with me in it. She’s a lard ass no wonder she’s got a saggy bottom, and I’m getting sub 12 mpg

 

I said "don't bother building a platform".......like a lot of people do with screws, glue, carpet kit, ect......

I don't consider what I did building.

 

I feel your pain also, my runner is overweight also. For the sagging I went with the extra heavy duty Icon springs. I also changed the brake system to stop tech brakes. When I hook up my trailer it, sagging, is the worst. Considering airbags for those times. Part of the weight cause is I have a 24 gal aux gas tank where the spare normally sits. The mpg is like yours, oh well our builds are the cause, your runner looks great. Just curious what is the main weight on yours?
Blessings

 

Changed the oil and greased the prop shaft spiders last night (15k mile service).
(Quick shout-out to Captain Spalding for the "oil change checklist" he provided a while back.)

SO many times here, I've read about the service department fellas overtightening the oil filter cap. Well, I experienced that last night. I changed oil after the first couple thousand miles, then had the dealer do the 10k oil change. Holy smokes, they must have put three men and a small boy on the wrench when they put that back on! I thought it was going to take the same to remove it, and then I wondered if I was going to break the darned thing in the process.

But it's done now, except for putting the skid plate back on. I'll do that tonight and keep on motoring.

 

Ugh, they used an inpact gun to put to put it on. Id stop going there or complain to the service mgr. filter housing is 18 fts lbs and the little drain cap is like 8 ft lbs.

 

Man, I tried using the impact to remove it, too... no dice.

I ended up using a foot-long box-end wrench on the end of my ratchet (the long breaker bar I had on hand was 1/2", not 3/8", so wouldn't fit the MotivX tool) and cranking on it for a bit. I probably said words Mom wouldn't be proud of me for....

 

holy shit man!! This is why i would never let a dealership change my oil or even rotate my tires. Theyll blast it down with no regard for torque specs. So frustrating. Id take it back and watch them try to take it off using a torque wrench to see the # and then Id ask them for a brand new filter housing at their cost.

 

You have to wonder what percentage of 4Rs are driving around with stripped or missing skid plate bolts and filter housings that would take a 4' cheater bar to remove. While a good many on this forum won't let the dealership touch their truck, we're a small percentage of 4R owners. The lines at the dealership service departments are always there.

 

If I hadn't already drained the oil (and I had the time*), I'd have been mighty tempted to do that.

- - - - -
* My nearest dealer is just across town, but I won't do business there, based on past experience. So my next choice (the dealer where I got my 4Runner) is an hour's drive away.
- - - - -

I've got one more freebie oil change under the ToyotaCare thing, but I'm not sure I'll take advantage of that. Doing so basically involves a half-day off from work, as their service department doesn't work weekends. It takes less time for me to do the job myself than it would take to drive over there, wait, and drive back. Might as well do it myself.

 

very true, thats how they keep then coming back. Create the problems and keep that service line full!

i was at a gas station in NC and saw a girl drive in with a nice volvo suv/cross over. I told her that her plastic engine cover is hanging down and about 4” off the ground. She told me she just had the oil changed last month at the dealership. ‍♂️ she could care less. Thats the type of people in the service lines…

 

Those Volvo people are something else.
(Said the guy who used to own a Volvo...)

 

i agree, when I got my 2022 new they gave me their spiel about that. I told them “politely” that they’ll never see my car in here for any of that. Lol!

 

People that don’t work on their own vehicles don’t know and don’t care. As long as nothing is rattling and the wheels aren’t falling off they are happy.

 

I had my oil changed at a dealer once on 1 of the 4 4Runners I have owned. Once was enough!

 

side note on this, you can get. 1/2” to 3/8” adapter for your MotivX tool for times like this

 

tire rotation & brake clean

 

Looks like I'll be headed to Lowe's (again ) after work today....

 

Dissent Off-road rear bumper is on

 

F*** YEAH!!! Whats the weight on that?

 

Their site says #125 with no hitch, no hardware.

 

^ this. I kept the stock hitch since I tow a pop up. I had a minor issue with the bumper and they came through huge. So major shout out to them.

 

Curious why you chose the low hanging hitch solution and not the one IN the bumper?



you can always use a drop hitch if needed.

oh never mind ease of installation

"High Clearance Weld In Hitch. (Requires DIY notching rear crossmember and welding supplied 2” hitch kit)"

 

Also the loss of tow rating. Just thinking if something does happen while I’m towing, I don’t want that to be a legal argument. With the factory hitch I maintain that argument.

 

Made some solid additions today.

1-up bike rack and RSG rails (angled, no top plate, no kick out).

 

No stated tow rating is a valid concern for sure. I guess naïve me never thought about it in 2008 when I replaced the rear bumper on my 2007 FJ with a Demello with integrated hitch solution (side note: Demello is an ahole and the product trash, would not recommend still to this day). I've towed SO much with the solution but it never worried me to do so. Darn the lawsuit happy country we live in.

 

I've been spoiled by our trusty late 90s Camry with the 5SFE when it comes to maintenance. Those who owned one would know, the oil filter sits on top of the block in the engine bay staring at you when you open the hood. Our older Ford sedan is just a tiny bit more involved but at least the filter is close to the drain plug.

By contrast getting to the filter on the 4R is....a bit more involved. And don't get me started on the cartridge design. At least on the 6th gen they went back to a conventional filter so one point to the 2.4T.

Luckily we put most of our pavement miles on sedans(crazy concept, I know) so the 4Rs only get annual oil changes. If I was commuting with the 4R and have to change it 3-4 times a year I would be pissed. Now before anyone says "people can't afford multiple vehicles", the combined current value of our two older sedans is about 5k total. LOL.

 

You know, there IS some room in the engine bay… seems like there could be a filter relocation kit developed, to get the filter up high, drain side down, and easy to replace.

I’m no plumber, though….