It’s no secret that the 4Runner got in a bit of a scuffle when it was maliciously attacked from behind a while back. It’s also no secret that I picked up a new rear bumper from 4X Innovations to fix the damage with an upgrade.
It’s always hard for me to get started on projects for “the truck”. The 4Runner is always the irreplaceable one of the group that can really save our butts if need be, so disabling it on purpose isn’t something I usually like to do. But it has to happen, so here we go.
Spare tire is out and and now an underside shot, to show off that lack of rust. Pretty good for 298k miles right?
The factory trailer hitch and bumper components came off pretty easily other than the hitch being a bit heavy.
The new bumper will require a couple of extra holes to be drilled in the frame, but since this is only a test fit, I haven’t done that yet. I removed the factory inserts in the frame rail and replaced it with the new ones provided. It took two of us and a couple jack stands to get the bumper into position.
Tire carrier was the first place we ran into a couple of minor clearance issues, but nothing serious.
The tire mount was another spot I ran into an issue. Either the bolts or the lugs aren’t quite right for my Sequoia wheels. I had to double washer one nut to get it tight for the test fitting. I haven’t taken measurements yet to see where the issue is yet. The obvious stand out in the above photos is the masking tape fuel pack mount.
About the only thing I didn’t like about the 4X Innovations bumper was the license plate mount solution when using the RotoPax fuel cans. Because of the way the RotoPax mount they put the plate over the spare tire. That just doesn’t seem right for me. I’m looking to make a modular system. I want to be able to mount the cans to the tire carrier and then the plate to the can holder, or mount the plate directly to the carrier with out it looking awkward. Stay tuned to see what I can pull off.
