This is my first post although I've owned my 4Runner since last July and used this site for research prior to my purchase - what a great resource!.
I bought a 2000 Limited with the e-locker. It had 48,000 miles on it. I live in the Northwest - so that means it wasn't cheap, but I plan on keeping it a while.

So far, I have removed the running boards, unplugged the DRLs and done the deckplate mod and put driving lights under the rear bumper. I just finished a satoshi grille, and cupholder LEDs. Thanks to Speedy and Bob_98SR5 for their awesome writeups. I put in two Toyota fog light switches (one for the backup lights and one for IPF 968s in my future) in the dash. Because I can't see them when I'm driving (and because I didn't want to accidentally drive around with the backup lights on) I wired LEDs into gage panel to indicate an aux light is on. I thought about other methods, but I had leftover LEDs and resistors from the cupholder mod.









My next step is to have the dark silver part of the grille painted to match my Millenium Silver paint and to install the IPF 968s.

GT

 

I feel your pain on the NW prices.

Awesome mods, I think that's the first time I've seen someone do dash indicator lights in that area of the dash.

 

Thanks - I was looking for a spot that would clear to the driver, but not really stand out too much when the lights are off. Behind the plastic that covers the gages does that pretty well.

 

how about some pics of the rest of your 4runner with the satoshi mod and everything else and just so we can see what your 4runner looks like...

 

Yeah,let's see the whole rig.

 

x2! Let's see the rest of it!

 

I don't have any good recent shots - Here is when I first got it - pretty much a stock 4Runner, gold emblems and all.




When I was doing the last step of the satoshi, I left it outside to do painting in the garage. That night we got 1/4" of freezing rain topped with 7 inches of snow. So my new grille was ready....but my runner looked like this,,,,



Once I thawed it out, I put the grille on.




Next is the IPFs - Than I'll get some more photos.

 

hmm im likening that grill i may just have to cut mine up unless someone wants to swap me a 99 one

 

Really like the grill as well. Can you do a write up on how you did the grille? The metal insert seems interesting enough and simple enough to do, I just like to have more instructions so I can step through it without much mis-stepping. Those grilles are hard to come by in wrecking yards so once you start hacking kinda hard to retreat back!

A write up on your install of the LED and how you installed, hooked up what parts you used would be HUGE! Very nice idea and once you pull that gauge cluster, its EASY to pull again. Thanks for a great idea. Looking forward to getting your input on how you did it. Thanks!!

 

Here's one write up:

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f126...4runner-75822/

 

BTW: What is all that fluffy white stuff all over your 4Runner...

 

PFDaxe - it wasn't the snow that was bad, we had freezing rain under it - my 4Runner had a layer of ice that was 1/4" to 3/8" thich all over it - all along the door seams, on the door handles, everywhere. I'm in Eastern Washington - technically a desert but not quite Arizona!

Ritzy - search this forum on illuminated cup holder or take a look at http://www.hooliganbiketech.net/sportrunner/ - his writeup for the LED cupholders is awesome - Radio Shack part numbers and everything. Once I did that, I applied the same idea to my fog light switches - I tapped into the wire that ran from the switch to the relay and used that to power the LED.

The grille mod has been documented a lot - The only thing I did differently is in attaching the aluminum mesh to the grille; I attached it to the risers that go to the clips - I have photos if you want - it is hard to explain.

GT

 

Do you have the pics of the rear driving lights? I was trying to think of a place to mount some lights for backing up in a dark area. I also thought of maybe switching out the backup lights with LED? Not sure if that would create a significant amount of light output. I've seen some lights rigged up on the rear hitch, rear spoiler and such, but all looked kind of out of place and ugly to me.

 

Here is when I drilled the dash panel for the LED



See the little piece of plastic by the temperature gauge needle? Well I didn't - It stuck behind the needle and I didn't notice it until I was driving to work. The needle was stuck on the bottom all day - until I took it all apart again.

Here is my Satoshi grille zip tie job



I figured that two of the clips went through the mesh so they hold it firmly in place - the rest I drilled holes in the riser part and just zip tied it - but my mesh was pretty stout - it might not work with the finer stuff.

 

what's that creamy yellow thing in that pic? looks like old muscle, just wondering what flavour?

great satoshi, i do believe i'm going to re-do mine pretty soon. get rid of the gutter guard and replace with some real stuff like you have there. probably paint the chrome too.

 

Here is what I did on the backup lights - They just stuck on and I suck them as far forward as I could and still get a good sticking surface - I still wish they were a little more forward - but they are relatively small.





They put out OK light - more like a foglight than a driving or headlight.

 

My other garage space is reserved for a 1968 Yota Parts Holder


It is a 68 Olds 442 vert - just ratty enough to let the kids crawl around on yet nice enough to be a comfortable driver. Maybe in the spring I'll get motivated to work on it.

 

Welcome to YT!

Nice 4Runner