I have been busy in general and haven't updated this thread in awhile. I have added a full length sherpa crestone sport rack. I like the low profile a lot. still getting use to the weight limitations but it is a great rack regardless...with rack unloaded there is little to no impact MPG wise.
I added a pair of harbor freight 4-LED pod lights to the A-pillar area, more for on road than ditch light use. these HF LED pods are actually well made for a very reasonable price point but I will be swapping them out for something smaller, amber and back lit. the HF 4-LED pod lights are super bright, the amber backlight is nice and tasteful but the side shooter LEDs are too bright for the given location. the side shooters are not clocked (left or right side) and can't be turned off. driving down the road with them on in that A-pillar location is far too bright, the whole hood area is daytime lit up bright! oddly there is another set of HF lights that are smaller and the side shooters are clocked. other than that, its a solid thumbs up on the HF 4-LED pods when installed in the proper location. I also installed an amazon sourced 22" Lasfit brand amber LED light bar to the front of the 4runner for testing before being installed for good in the new front winch bumper. so two things, one, it does condensate as reviews pointed out and two, light output it is not only very bright/even but the reach is way further than anticipated! I might just get a second amber LED bar from the same vendor for the roof rack and call it a day on the front facing lighting on the 4runner. I paired both of these lighting setups with a HF plug and play lighting harness. other than a somewhat cheesy light switch on one of the units they were also well made (think very good solid terminations, correct wire gauge sizing and real DT connectors). You can't fab one from scratch for any cheaper let alone faster. HF uses two different sized DT connectors on their harness kits depending on which LED unit it needs to plug into so choose accordingly.
the existing full bedslider platform in the back of the 4runner is still a game changer. I use it constantly and haven't missed having a back seat once or wanted a pickup truck since.
the super heavy duty rock sliders/rock guards are still a win. I much as I hate the added weight, I still love my overbuilt 80lbs+ each sliders. they have shielded the door/side area of the 4runner from 4-6 really hard shooting rocks impacts while driving down shale roads on the last three camping trip up north. there some portions where it took out chunks of bedliner on the rails down to bare metal on a single strike.
dual battery setup is still a win and peace of mind, btdt.
my front winch bumper is about ready for install. after all of the purchase/plans, metal plasma chopping and fabbing all by other I butchered my new front winch bumper paint wise. the short version, it is not a paint friendly shape be it rattle can, brush or roller...so thank god for leftover black bedliner. I have decided to install
the new front bumper without the winch. I recently relocationed a hi-lift jack with a pair of sherpa hi-lift jackmounts permanently to the roof rack and no longer free the need to buy a winch anymore.
