5th Gen 4Runner Grill How-to

Before I can sell you a mesh kit for this style grill I have to show you how to prep your grill to accept the mesh.

Here is the style grill - 2010 & up Toyota 4Runner (the 5th body style for this SUV):


For the first step you'll need a basic Philips head screwdriver. From the back, remove all 16 screws and carefully separate the outer surround and center insert from the grill frame:


Put the outer surround aside - we'll need that later.
You will never need the inner cap section or Toyota emblem again for this grill so discard them or put them away to collect dust.
This is the piece we are interested in:


The next part is the most important - and understand: Once you do this there is no going back!
100% committed!

We are going to remove the center plastic "mesh" from the inner grill frame:


Do do this you are going to need a tool capable of cutting through ABS plastic.
I use this:


You could also use the rotary Dremmel with a cut-off wheel just watch the RPM's

The goal here is to cleanly remove the plastic mesh pattern and retain the outer shape of the grill.

My best advice: Take your time!

Here are some detailed pics of where you will need to cut:

This is the side of the grill - notice the small front lip is still intact. I use this as a guide line for cutting.


This is the top over where the stock toyota emblem was - it gets a bit thin there so be careful.


For the bottom I leave part of the cross pieces intact - to do otherwise I feel would have an adverse affect on the structural integrity of the part.


Once you are done you'll be left with this:


The next step will be cleaning up our grill surround - I simply took a razor knife to all the plastic boogers left over from the cutting
there really is no need to go nuts sanding & painting - you won't really see any of the edges once the mesh is installed.

Here is a shot of the bottom where the mesh is fastened with 5 #8 1/2" stainless screws (Included with grill)



In this shot you can also see the most difficult aspect of these builds - getting that curve... without that the mesh would not fit well at all. It was exceedingly difficult to get that right.

Once I have the batch back from powder coat the end of this week I'll complete this write up with additional install pics and offer the first batch for sale.

More to come...

 

TO BE CONTINUED?! AWE SHEEEEEIT. Cant wait! SUB'D

 

Another step closer!!!

 

Pulled this little gem out of my archives...
Going to need it shortly.

 

Added info to the OP.

 

Perfect reason to go and buy a new tool!

 

Yeah, i have four or five regular dremels but no cutting ones like that....

 

You can pic up the older ones used on fleabay for like $50 or so...

The MultiMax tools are much more robust than the rotary tools.
I've burned up 6-7 rotarys in like 3 years - only killed one MultiMax and it took almost 3 years to do it.

 

why do you think i have so many rotaries lol...

 

Then you do a bunch of metal work and it looks like this:





pretty neat.

 

Hot. Like to see one in red with black mesh

 

Haha!

Looks. Freaking. Amazing. I'm excited to see it PC'd.

 

I'm aiming to get a few sets made up and get them into my next p/c batch.

What do you think: shipped with letters attached or separate?

 

How do the letters attach? I think if they are easy to attach and the attachment points are pre drilled or marked, so we can do the Toyota letters in any color we want???? Just guessing. BTW, I have two 5th gens now, so I'm going to need two of these.

 

Attached.

 

I use 3M exterior adhesive mounting tape for the letters.

Attached it is....

 

I only offer them powder coated matte black like the mesh - if you wanted them another color you'd have to do that yourself.
In that case I'd ship them unattached like I do when someone wants to do that on a Tacoma raptor grill.

 

Just got this. $59.99 delivered from eBay... Thanks for the tip!


Hoping to start cutting up my spare grill this weekend.

 

Buys multi max dremel.

Only uses it once to make grill.


Lol. Have fun! Love to see what you create!

 

I am headed to North Carolina this coming weekend for the hurricane Creek meet.
I'll post a bunch of pictures once I get the current powder coat batch back and then we will go from there.