I think this is a great suggestion and i think I'll try to do this. It'll probably be weekend by weekend since my spring break is almost over. Should I get the cladding and flares painted before or after I'm done mounting them?

 

mark and fit them up before so you don't have to be as delicate with them. then after you KNOW they'll fit and you're happy, then have them painted and just snap them on when you get them back.

 

Where would I be able to get the files to square off the holes?

 

Not trying to hi-jack, just a quick question:

Bamachem- I've got the Limited two-tone black and grayish 4runner and have thought about getting the bumpers, flares, and side cladding painted so the whole thing will be completely black. Do you happen to remember how much it cost to get your bumpers and flares painted to match, or do you have any good guesses what it would cost?

 

get the file at home depot / lowes / sears, etc.

i painted my own. i've heard some people get estimates as high as $2000 to take everything off and paint/clear them. if you leave everything on, pull the flare and bumper gaskets, and then just remove the tag surround, you can prep and paint everything on the truck. you should be able to get that done for $500-$800 and $1000 at most. you then just order the color-matched flare and bumper gaskets from toyota and put them on and you're done - providing you're going to a color that toyota had color-matched gaskets on (only on the sport edition colors with fat flares and the monochrome limited edition runners) you're fine since you're going all-black.

 

bamachem-

I'm guessing you got your gaskets from the 01-02 sunfire red sport edition 4runners right?

 

yup. 2002 sport edition in sunfire red. however, i just got 4 front gaskets. it's cheaper to get the 4 longer ones and then cut them to fit on the back instead of paying almost double that for the rear gaskets. i think they were about $10 each new.