Victory 4×4 3/4 Roof Rack Review – 5th Gen 4Runner

Victory 4×4 3/4 Roof Rack Step-By-Step Install & Review For the 5th Gen 4Runner

As soon as I got my brand spanking new 5th Gen 4Runner Off-Road Premium, I couldn’t wait to make it live up to its name. Like many before me, I started dreaming of off-road adventures and conquering small nations with my civilian tank in the making.

The first step of my build was to up my carrying capability with a roof rack. I researched my options for hours and hours trying to find off-road durability that wouldn’t sacrifice my daily driving experience, and I was NOT ready to do any kind of drilling on my new baby.

I eventually happened upon the 3/4 rack produced by Victory 4×4. This product seemed to fit my needs as my 4Runner is also my daily driver and I hoped to minimize wind noise while maximizing my MPGs. I ordered the rack on March 8th and parts shipped on March 26th. I ponied up the extra cash and got a black hardware kit as well because, well, why not?

Find it online:

• Victory 4×4 Off-Road Roof Rack For 5th Gen 4Runner: Check Price

About Victory 4×4

Originally a USA-based Jeep armor manufacturer, Victory 4×4 is a “sister company” focused on adventure and destination over just trail riding. They make accessories for a variety of Toyota models from 4Runner to the Tacoma and Tundra models and beyond.

From their website:

“We use state of the art design, engineering, and manufacturing to make some of the most durable products in the market while focusing on keeping weight down… Our team is made up of mountain bikers, runners, kayakers, campers, fishers, hunters, adventurers, and overlanders.”

My kind of people.

Unboxing

What’s included?       

• 2 Side Rails
• 4 Mounting Brackets
• 5 Crossbars
• Front and Rear Wind deflectors
• Installation Hardware

Initial Impression

The package arrived impressively secured together with padding and protective wrap galore. This thing could have been chucked off the truck on the side of the road and survived unharmed. For all I know it was, actually – seriously, it might have been. There was a conspicuous lack of my black hardware kit, however. One quick phone call later and hardware was shipped out the next day USPS First Class. While this definitely put a damper on my initial excitement, customer service was top-notch and no questions asked.

Step-By-Step Install

Step 1. Prepare Rig

Clean up the 4Runner (I’m a perfectionist, what can I say) and remove the factory rails. Too easy, but a ladder would have definitely made this a lot easier of a process than standing on the wheels to get it done. I used a cheap plastic pry kit off of Amazon that made getting the plastic caps off of the stock rails a breeze.

Step 2. Preassemble Rack

Layout rails, crossbars, and wind deflectors and pre-assemble on the ground. I put down an old tarp so I had something to work on. Simply tighten screws into nuts, but make sure to leave the fairings loose since they will need to be adjusted later.

Step 3. Trim the Trim

(Front brackets fit in the channel like this)

Here is where I did something smart for once (hey, it happens)! The front mounting brackets won’t fit on top unless you remove some channel trim first. Prior to assembly, I took the front mounting brackets and measured directly how much trim I would have to remove to get the feet to fit in the channel groove. This was far easier than measuring after install. Simply put the bracket in place, draw a line, and trim to fit.

Step 4. Bringing it Together

Add mounting brackets to the rack and place provided edge protector on the front and back of the rack to protect your roof. The install video on the Victory 4×4 product page does a great job walking you through this. I didn’t install a light bar on my rack, so at this point, I was done and ready to place it on the roof.

Step 5. Apply Silicone to Mount Holes

Add silicone (liberally!) to mount holes and set the rack on top of 4Runner with a friend. I placed towels on the roof to set the rack on and then made small adjustments from there. Use a 5mm Allen wrench and secure bolts through the silicone.

Step 6. Protect Your Paint

Adjust fairings and apply 3M Clear Paint Protective film per instructions. DONE!

Initial Review: Pros and Cons

Pros

• First off, this thing is sturdy. There was little to no flex with me standing with all of my weight on 1 beam. The Victory 4×4 website lists it as safe for 250-lb dynamic load and beyond. I fully believe the roof will fail before this rack does.
• While not designed for this, my roof now has added protection. SOMEONE at my house shut the garage door on it and it didn’t make a mark.
• I’ve been driving this thing around for 3 months now and there is barely any wind noise over stock rails. I really only notice it with the sunroof open at speeds in the 25-35 mph range.
• My gas mileage has remained unchanged. I recently went on a 1200-mile road trip with no issues, and only noticed the rack when I was using it.
• Low profile: Rack sits barely higher than factory rails, yet is easy to get under / around.

Cons

• Not a full-length rack.
• Repeat, not a full-length rack

Final Thoughts

This thing is a beast, and I regret nothing. I’ll admit, I’ve definitely drooled over a full-length uni-body construction rack in the past, but it simply didn’t fit my needs. Victory 4×4’s 3/4 rack is sturdy, low-profile, and gives my 4Runner a somewhat unique look, not to mention, I get compliments on it all the time.

I plan on lifting my truck in the future and should (barely) still be able to fit it in the garage thanks to the rack’s low profile. Victory 4×4 also makes a ton of accessories and mounts that are designed to incorporate seamlessly with the rack.  I would buy this roof rack again in a heartbeat. If you are looking for a less than full-length rack that can stand up to anything, this is it.