Ellis Precision 5th gen shift knobs

MeefZah · Feb 12, 2016

I cross posted this on 4runners.com and T4R.

I recently got a set of matte black billet aluminum shift knobs from Joel at Ellis Precision.

He's been making these for the FJs, Tundras, and Tacos for a while, and the FJ knob will fit the 5th gen 4R, but it's typically found with "FJ" etching on it so that's been kind of a no-go for 4R owners.

He's now making these specifically for the 5th gen 4R, available with no etching on the auto knob and the shift pattern etched on the T-case knob. Upon request and for no extra charge he can do "TRD", "TEQ", or a custom etching (like "SR5" or "4R") or whatever. Some custom etchings that are more involved might have slight additional fees but "TRD" and "TEQ" are already in the computer and are free upon request.

They are available in matte black, black, red, blue, purple, yellow gold, pewter, clear, and coming soon - green.

Both knobs are $149, auto knob only is $99 (prices are shipped, from Canada). He can do a group buy discount, too.

You can order them from Ellis' site, and / or email Joel using the link on the site if you have questions:

Ellis Precision

OK, so on to my review and pictures...

I am anti-bling, and I originally thought these were a stupid and wasteful add on that served no purpose.

I was wrong.

These things absolutely ooze quality. From the way they are packaged and shipped, to the beautiful finish, to the "just right" weight, to the seamless and solid installation, to the quality hardware, to the well written instructions. Top. Freaking. Notch!

They look incredible. I got the matte black, which nicely matches the black plastic of the dash, with a "TRD" etching. The knobs look absolutely boss. You can't even appreciate how great they look until you see them in person (and especially when you compare them to the horrid looking OEM knob).

They actually make shifting better. OK, I'm willing to concede that this might be "placebo effect", but the weight and solid build of them makes the shifts feel more precise. The T-case knob especially, is easier to grab and seems to have a more solid engagement. With the round dimpled OEM knob on there, my shifts into 4Lo always felt kind of imprecise. They "snick" right in now.

Joel is a good dude (I have no relationship with him, just got the knobs from him). He is very responsive to emails / questions, and is a man of his word. I'm highly impressed with his service. He clearly is an off road aficionado and enjoys making quality products for the off road community.

I love, love these knobs. In the interests of impartiality, I tried to find flaws with them, and all I can come up with is that they get pretty cold and hold the chill for a long time (it's 9 degrees here right now). Other than that, I got nothing negative to say. Everyone that has seen them loves them. My wife, who generally scoffs at any mods, is even quite enamored with them.

Some pics:

Knobs uninstalled. The auto knob is two parts, with a (not shown) lock washer that fits in the recess between them. This allows you to correctly orient any etching on the top of the knob by turning the top portion correctly and then tightening the bottom portion up against it. The T-case knob uses a similar concept but instead of the 2-part knob it uses two concealed 20mm nuts to draw tension against each other to orient the knob. Installation takes 5 minutes, with a little trial and error fitting to get the adjustment correct.

The etching is of impeccable quality