Driver side A pillar grab handle.

How'd you contact him???? I used the gmail.com e-mail from the "other" forum.

 

I dropped a couple washers down A-pillar while installing Jason's bracket. Fortunately, they didn't rattle, and even more fortunately, they worked their way out to the floor after about 5k miles.

 

https://www.4runners.com/threads/driver-side-a-pillar-grab-handle.10893/page-2#post-360280

 

His gmail account. In a few places it is noted that he is busy and travels for work, so may take a few days.

Note: I have a couple of email addresses. I used one, and I think maybe it went to his junk mail folder. I emailed him from my other address and got an answer in 3 minutes. Put "Bracket Needed" in the title.

If you don't hear from him in a few days, let me know and I can tell him you need one too. He says they are available right now, first come first served as always.

 

Note to self: don't do this when I install. Maybe tie a retrieval thread around them.

I saw someone who substituted a plastic spacer, but that doesn't really seem necessary to me.

 

Thanks. Ordered the parts and just need the bracket!!

 

That's the one I used. I'll hang on for a week or so and then try again!

 

Parts from KTJO or just the Toyota handle?

 

Handle and fillers.

 

I verified from past emails sent that that is the correct email address.

 

My 2015 has a curtain airbag on the A pillar.

What happens to it?

 

The curtain airbag is on the door window side of the handle, just like the passenger side. It will deploy as intended. One member on here found that out the hard way.

 

I agree. To add some more detail, the handle installs forward of the airbag and forward of the airbag's deployment path. Also, don't forget to disconnect the battery before doing the work, just in case.

 

Now you tell me...

 

How did this happen? A nicked electric wire triggering inflation?

 

He was in an accident that totaled his 4R, and the airbag deployed even though he had the handle.

 

Oh, I thought it happened during bracket installation.

 

Works as intended!

I did!

No nicked wires, wish it would have been that easy...

Yes, @glwood54 is correct, driver side airbag deployed just as the passenger bag did.

 

Thanks for the info

 

Update: The KTJO A-pillar trim cover mysteriously developed an unsightly bulge on the front edge by the windshield, about where the bottom bolt sits. I don't have a photo, sorry. All that to say, I took it all off and went back to the oem trim cover with the Toyota handle. The quality of the oem trim cover is better, and no more bulge. I now have a bit less finger room on the handle, but overall the original mod is working great.

I did use a hair dryer to try and straighten out the KTJO trim cover, and that seems to have worked. I'm letting it sit in the workshop for a while to see if the bulge returns. If not, I may reinstall that down the road. It's very simple to switch between the two versions.

For now:

 

Put one in this AM. Took about 2 hours. Used typical home tools (1" hole saw instead of the tapered bit, etc.). Went so-so. Some confusion regarding the instructions but we figured it out! (Humorous side note: My buddy put the two screw "Caps" in the box, so that we wouldn't lose them. Wife came along and threw them in the recycling w/o looking. I saw the box had disappeared from where we had set it and that was the first place we looked. Bonus for being married to the same woman for 37 years?)

 

One being the version this thread started out with, using Jason's bracket and the modified oem A-pillar cover?

Agreed on the same-wife-for-X-years theory. Going to be 50 this year, and I pretty much know where to look for stuff when it disappears...

 

Yep!!! On both counts!!

 

How much does Jason charge for the bracket?

 

I paid $120 including shipping. Haven't installed yet. Step bars helped a lot and I'm just grabbing the steering wheel for now. I am very concerned about not being able to get my hand in the handle as it seems not to have much space.

 

Right!? I can’t help but feel bad for my cushion everytime even with grab handle. I remember seeing one of the members here with an earlier 5th gen replace the drivers foam.

 

Yes I run the mismatched handles!
FJ on drivers side, factory on passenger. FJ’s got more room.
It was cheaper, especially in canada, then to do it proper and buy the whole pillar trim n such.
Hope these photos help folks

 

If I didn’t have the KTJO kit, I’d follow @djwantke ”s lead. FJ handle with the Jason bracket.

 

The OEM 4R gives more space with the KTJO pillar garnish than with the OEM garnish because it has little pedestals like on the passenger side. I'm glad I went for the combination of KTJO and Jason's bracket, although the KTJO is probably fine by itself.

 

The bracket needs to have holes drilled for it? Or it uses preexisting holes?