- First Name
- Philip
- Joined
- May 29, 2026
- Threads
- 1
- Messages
- 6
- Reaction score
- 8
- Location
- Atlanta, GA
- Vehicle(s)
- 2026 4Runner Limited
- Thread starter
- #1
Figured I would finally post my 6th Gen Limited build now that it is far enough along to be more than just “stock truck plus good intentions.”
A little background: my previous 4Runner was a 2003 Sport V8. I drove it to 320k miles with very little drama, which is about as good an argument for Toyota as you can make without sounding like you work for them. I loved that truck and knew I eventually wanted another 4Runner, but the 5th gen never quite pulled me away from the V8. So I tracked the 6th gen rumors for a while, then decided to wait for the second model year to let some of the early production noise settle down.
For the trim, I ended up with the Limited because the full-time 4WD setup was the most important feature for how I actually use the vehicle. I would have liked to have Crawl Control and a rear locker as well, but for me this truck is about 90% daily driver and 10% overlanding/fire-road use. I am not building a rock crawler. I wanted something comfortable, capable, and cleanly set up for travel, dogs, gear, bad weather, and the occasional questionable road decision.
I work with AI as part of my day job, so naturally I built an AI project to act as a 6th gen advisor while I was sorting through trims, options, and modifications. Practical? Yes. Slightly ridiculous? Also yes. But it helped me keep the build focused instead of turning the thing into a rolling parts catalog.
Current setup:
- 6th Gen 4Runner Limited
- Method 705 wheels in Titanium (+35 offset)
- BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3 tires, 265/70R17
- Prinsu Pro roof rack
- Diode Dynamics roof lighting using three pairs of SS6 pods
- Two center pairs are combo beams
- Outer pair are floods (I may swap the center combo lenses to spots later after more real-world night use)
- Diode Dynamics C2V2 lights on each side and one rear-facing for perimeter/camp lighting
- Lower front air dam removed
- CBI front skid plate
- Cali Raised dash mount
- TrackForm arms
- MagSafe phone mount
- FALCAM Super Clamp mounted to the center grab handle
- This gives me a flexible mounting point for things like an iPad mini, camera gear, or whatever other bad idea I decide needs to be attached inside the truck
- Custom rear cargo/dog cover made from OtterTex waterproof canvas
- We have Great Pyrenees, so “pet protection” is not a soft goods problem. It is a materials engineering problem.
- Full front and side XPEL PPF
- Ceramic coating over the PPF
The wheel/tire setup was intentionally conservative. I wanted more capability and a better stance without creating a rubbing/trimming science project. The KO3s are a good fit for what this truck will actually do: daily driving, road trips, mountain roads, fire roads, wet weather, dirt, gravel, and mild overlanding. I do not need 37s and an apology letter to my fuel economy.
The roof rack and lighting setup were chosen for flexibility. I went with the Prinsu Pro for the load capacity and modularity, and I built the Diode Dynamics light bar from SS6 pods because I liked the idea of being able to change lens patterns later instead of being locked into one beam setup. Right now the center combo beams and outside floods seem like the right starting point, but I need a few more trips before I decide whether the middle should become spots.
Inside, the goal was clean utility. I do not want the cabin looking like a Best Buy install bay from 2007, but I do want solid mounting options for navigation, comms, phone, tablet, and camera-related gear when needed. The dash mount, TrackForm arms, MagSafe mount, and FALCAM clamp give me a lot of flexibility without permanently turning the interior into a command center.
Next up:
- Stealth front bumper with integrated light bar
- TRD Pro grille swap
- Possibly a rear bumper, but I am still on the fence
Long term, the plan is to keep this one at least 10 years. That is why I did the PPF and ceramic coating early. The only thing that might make me change my mind would be Toyota bringing a diesel version to the U.S. market. There is always hope, right? Probably not much, but hope is cheaper than another build sheet.
A little background: my previous 4Runner was a 2003 Sport V8. I drove it to 320k miles with very little drama, which is about as good an argument for Toyota as you can make without sounding like you work for them. I loved that truck and knew I eventually wanted another 4Runner, but the 5th gen never quite pulled me away from the V8. So I tracked the 6th gen rumors for a while, then decided to wait for the second model year to let some of the early production noise settle down.
For the trim, I ended up with the Limited because the full-time 4WD setup was the most important feature for how I actually use the vehicle. I would have liked to have Crawl Control and a rear locker as well, but for me this truck is about 90% daily driver and 10% overlanding/fire-road use. I am not building a rock crawler. I wanted something comfortable, capable, and cleanly set up for travel, dogs, gear, bad weather, and the occasional questionable road decision.
I work with AI as part of my day job, so naturally I built an AI project to act as a 6th gen advisor while I was sorting through trims, options, and modifications. Practical? Yes. Slightly ridiculous? Also yes. But it helped me keep the build focused instead of turning the thing into a rolling parts catalog.
Current setup:
- 6th Gen 4Runner Limited
- Method 705 wheels in Titanium (+35 offset)
- BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3 tires, 265/70R17
- Prinsu Pro roof rack
- Diode Dynamics roof lighting using three pairs of SS6 pods
- Two center pairs are combo beams
- Outer pair are floods (I may swap the center combo lenses to spots later after more real-world night use)
- Diode Dynamics C2V2 lights on each side and one rear-facing for perimeter/camp lighting
- Lower front air dam removed
- CBI front skid plate
- Cali Raised dash mount
- TrackForm arms
- MagSafe phone mount
- FALCAM Super Clamp mounted to the center grab handle
- This gives me a flexible mounting point for things like an iPad mini, camera gear, or whatever other bad idea I decide needs to be attached inside the truck
- Custom rear cargo/dog cover made from OtterTex waterproof canvas
- We have Great Pyrenees, so “pet protection” is not a soft goods problem. It is a materials engineering problem.
- Full front and side XPEL PPF
- Ceramic coating over the PPF
The wheel/tire setup was intentionally conservative. I wanted more capability and a better stance without creating a rubbing/trimming science project. The KO3s are a good fit for what this truck will actually do: daily driving, road trips, mountain roads, fire roads, wet weather, dirt, gravel, and mild overlanding. I do not need 37s and an apology letter to my fuel economy.
The roof rack and lighting setup were chosen for flexibility. I went with the Prinsu Pro for the load capacity and modularity, and I built the Diode Dynamics light bar from SS6 pods because I liked the idea of being able to change lens patterns later instead of being locked into one beam setup. Right now the center combo beams and outside floods seem like the right starting point, but I need a few more trips before I decide whether the middle should become spots.
Inside, the goal was clean utility. I do not want the cabin looking like a Best Buy install bay from 2007, but I do want solid mounting options for navigation, comms, phone, tablet, and camera-related gear when needed. The dash mount, TrackForm arms, MagSafe mount, and FALCAM clamp give me a lot of flexibility without permanently turning the interior into a command center.
Next up:
- Stealth front bumper with integrated light bar
- TRD Pro grille swap
- Possibly a rear bumper, but I am still on the fence
Long term, the plan is to keep this one at least 10 years. That is why I did the PPF and ceramic coating early. The only thing that might make me change my mind would be Toyota bringing a diesel version to the U.S. market. There is always hope, right? Probably not much, but hope is cheaper than another build sheet.
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