4Runner Roof Rack Project

Yeah, man. I found a 4runner part out on CL awhile ago. The dude wanted $150, and wondered why I passed.

 

I have some black L-track and I was eyeballing my cap last weekend thinking the same thing.

 

I had really good success using this tool:





This wasn't the cheapest unit on the market @ $70.00...but it seems to be a quality unit.

It came with three mandrels that you can see from the packaging. Do a little research into what you will be using the most, and get the mandrel set that provides the most flexibility.

I sourced this tool locally here in San Diego, at Ababa Bolt Co., but obviously the net it a good source as well.

 

Thanks for the link, 2BeersPlease!! My 2004 is creeping up on 200k miles and I want to break it out of its "stock" shell. The roof rack is just a piece of its transformation. Pics to follow.

 

Update, still works perfectly, no leaks, haven't hauled much weight on it but of course that wasn't the idea. I will say I regret not painting it before putting it on.

 

What year model 4Runner rack is that for?

 

I have no idea the year, I believe its a third gen 4runner, in my experience pulling parts off of 5 or 6 at the junkyard, they are all completely identical except for the screws used to hold them in which don't matter. Sunroof, rear wind deflector, doesn't matter they're the same.

PS most use star/torx screws, I believe some used phillips head or hex head. Bring them all

 

Riv nut tool is the best invention.

 

Dude I’m so glad I found this thread. Ive been wanting a roof rack but didn’t feel like buying one. Don’t remember how I stumble upon the thread but I’m glad I did.
My little sister has a 98 4runner that I stole the rack from haha, so I didn’t have to pay for it and got all of the hardware. I decided not to cut mine down. I haven’t gotten rubber to fill the gaps on the end yet but I really like how it looks. Not sure if this is just mine but is yours not lined up perfect with the gutters on the truck? Mine gets kinda smaller towards the front.
Only took a couple hours, $23 rivet tool from northern tool (don’t get the one from Harbour freight it’s shit, my brother tried it and it broke using it with steel rivnuts) and 2 cans Ace $5 flat black spray paint, also bought new bolts from ace to match my rivnuts I used 1/4 x 20 thread. I used some FIPG I had laying around to seal all of the rivets and bolts. All together about $40 and a couple hours. And when I get around to welding together a more legit rack that can handle some weight I will just use the same rivnuts.
Don’t mind the white hood, that’s next on the list haha

 

oh snap, you did the older 1st gen front end. thumbsup.

 

I couldn’t resist stealing it from my donor for the manual swap, the 96 front end looks more Toyota to me than the 01-04, personally they kinda looked similar to an f150, same as the tundra back then. But the 96 looks like a proper Toyota, just a little closer to a Hilux Double cab. Just missing the diesel.

 

Very nice @Ccrowe323 yeah the gutters are wider at front than back, I don't remember how exactly I accounted for it but it's straight. Could you post a pic from the side showing the overhang that results from not cutting them to length? Some people may want to see. The plastic caps on the front of mine actually aren't touching the roof, but I figured why bother making them...

Also assuming you put screws in the empty holes on the donor 4runner so water cant leak in? The flared screws you used are superior to what I did since theyre larger and will center the rack more securely

Glad the thread was useful to you! Mine still doesn't leak at all but I do have to put 303 on it here and there because the plastic fades a bit.

 

Mine aren’t touching, I used just a strip of some 1 1/4” wide weather stripping to pad the ends to black out the gap a little bit. I didn’t put screws in the 4runner but since it is my sisters $800 4runner that is falling apart and will be sold as parts pretty soon, I just filled them with some industrial silicone I had leftover from work haha, I smoothed it out and made it look decent, can’t even tell.

The screws I used worked great but I failed to realized they didn’t have any rust coating on them and the tops already have some surface rust on them, gotta take care of that soon.
Here’s a pic of the front and back as well. The rack flexed and curved to the roof pretty easy. I just started from the middle bolt and worked outward to keep it even until getting to the end