Tacoma or 4Runner? Truck or SUV? This is a question many potential Toyota owners have asked themselves when faced with the dilemma of choosing a new platform. Both are amazing choices, but not without their most obvious differences.
Trucks get that nice, open bed where they can toss greasy, oily parts without risking dirtying up that nice interior. On the other hand, SUVs provide space to secure valuables and keep things accessible while staying out of inclement weather. For us 4Runner owners, the choice was clear. SUV rigs, all the way. No disrespect to our Taco cousins; there is no family rivalry here.
If you’re on the fence about joining either, this article may help you better understand one of the challenges 4Runner owners face: storing dirty gear. Giving up that open bed for an enclosed area does have its drawbacks. Fortunately, Bison Gear has partially addressed that with their external MOLLE panels.
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MOLLE Panels OUTSIDE Your Rig?
If you’ve spent any time in the world of “rigging out your ride”, you understand how helpful MOLLE panels can be. As 4Runner owners, we know our beloved beasts-of-burden provide us with a place to sleep, a place to put our dogs, camping gear, and keep groceries out of the weather. But what about the not-so-nice items? Things like fuel, dirty shovels, gallons of water to wash your hands or rinse dirt off of your kids, because well… kids.
These types of items can not only make a situation inconvenient but also take up valuable space in our cabins and possibly give off unpleasant odors or harmful fumes. This is where a storage option outside of the rig really makes life easier. Bison Gear has come through for us, yet again, with their Exterior MOLLE Panels for the 5th Gen 4Runner.
Product Overview
Made from lightweight, high-grade aluminum to reduce weight, these panels use stainless steel hardware for strength and durability. There are several slots, holes, and MOLLE-patterned openings to offer a myriad of mounting options for your gear of choice. Bison Gear has developed these panels for mounting on either your factory 4Runner rack/rails or their own roof rack. The factory mounted one (which we are covering here), to my knowledge, is the only one of its kind. Be sure to specify which type you have when ordering, as the brackets for each application are very different.
The panel(s) will be installed on your 4Runner with Bison Gear-provided hardware and will stay securely attached to your rear window using the two high-strength suction cups.
The patterned design on the panel was specifically tailored to attach gear like RotopaX, but it also allows you to use other equipment. The fact that the MOLLE openings and slots resemble an American Flag charging forward is pretty badass, too! There is a passenger- and driver-side panel that can be purchased separately if you only need one.
Installation
Tools Required
- Screwdriver
- 13mm socket or wrench
- 10mm socket or wrench
- Ratchet
Like many other installs, I found it helpful to lay out all the parts and pieces I’ll need, so I can not only take inventory of any missing items but also get a visual overview of how it all goes together.
Step 1. Install Mounting Hardware
The panel system uses a top bracket that attaches to the factory rack with T-slot nuts and 13mm bolts. I found it a little easier to install these to the rails before bringing the bracket underneath to meet them, since they don’t drop right in; I had to angle them slightly.
Step 2. Attach Panel
It’s much easier to assemble the bracket to the top of the panel first, then work the whole assembly under the roof rails as a single unit. Also, attaching the suction cups to the panel beforehand will help keep it from smacking onto your window while you’re focused on bolting it up. Use a 10mm socket or wrench for this task. If you don’t like their location, you can always move them around a bit after you’re secure at the rails.
Step 3. Tighten Mounting Hardware
Once you have the bolts threaded through the panel and slotted onto your roof rails, you can slide the panel forward or backward to adjust its position. While you have a little play in the bolts, now would be a good time to adjust the suction cups’ locations on the panel, if needed. When you’re happy with that, tighten the bolts and press down on the suction cups to engage them to the window. The panel is now set and ready to carry your gear.
Final Thoughts
While it’s true that our Taco cousins have that awesome open bed to hold their dirty gear and all that SUV envy, 4Runners can partially compensate for that thanks to companies like Bison Gear. Providing external mounting options allows us to carry everything from fuel to hopes and dreams; water, tool kits, and the like, to “destination unimportant”, while freeing up inside space.
I’ve seen rigs carry small shovels, extra water, and even a chainsaw inside their cabins. While it may start off looking great, I can say that if I needed to use a shovel or a chainsaw, I definitely won’t want them back inside my wicked wagon. Dripping with mud, or smelling like 2-stroke fuel. No thanks. Also, I know that for many running a roof top tent, there’s not much real estate to mount much else, if anything at all.
Bison Gear made Exterior MOLLE Panels like these as a great way to keep some of that gear stored outside of your cabin. They’re simple to install, durable, keep a low profile on the glass, look amazing on the 4Runner, and provide mounting options.
Clearance from the body seen above.
Clearance from the glass seen above.
If you find yourself limited on space or places to mount the gear you don’t want inside, or just looking for extra storage, I would seriously consider these Exterior MOLLE Panels from Bison Gear.
What is the TIP to keep these window suckers secured to the windows? Other brands have the internal leaver that creates the suction when switched to the close position, but then a few weeks later they just pop off and it is such an eye sour to see them unsecured from the drivers side mirror. If you have them, you’ll know what I am talking about. Yes the window is spotless & clean, yet they continue to pop off in time. Thank you kindly!
Hey, sr5thing!
I know this has been a thorn in the side of anyone who’s ever run a suction cup on glass!
What I’ve found that seems to work pretty well, is to put a small bit of water around the edge of the suction cup before pushing it down onto the glass. Not much, just enough to create a droplet on your finger.
Give it shot and let us know if it works for you, or if you’ve found a different way to make those things work!
Oh yea Jon,
I have given it the o’ Hawk tuah & this will give me 4 to 5 weeks of security ^_~
I just want a technique or hardware that will stay put.
Thank you kindly for the reply!