Top 25 Mods For The 5th Gen 4Runner Under $100 In 2022

Congratulations! You are now the proud new owner of a 5th Gen 4Runner. You likely will catch yourself staring at it in your driveway, or turn back and look after you have parked. The 5th Gen 4Runner is a masterpiece of design, functionality, and durability. It is also a blank canvas, ripe with the potential to be customized to your heart’s content.

It’s easy to dream of all the upgrades you can do to your 5th Gen 4Runner, but many of those upgrades come with a steep price tag. After just purchasing a 5th Gen 4Runner, you may be short on cash for a while. Fear not! You can still upgrade and customize your 5th Gen 4Runner for a reasonable cost. Pick the low-hanging fruit first with these top 10 mods you can do to your 5th Gen 4Runner for under $100 each!

1. Cargo Net: $25

Find it online:

• 4Runner Cargo Net: Check Price

If you’re like me, your trunk will quickly fill with gear: survival gear, recovery gear, cold weather gear, and tools.

Drawer systems are awesome, but until you can afford them, you’ll need to improvise. I use plastic totes or other similar small containers. A cargo net is an easy way to secure these items and prevent annoying rattling. For about $25, it can also serve as a great safety item. You don’t have to worry about some random piece of equipment flying around if you’re off-roading or have to slam the brakes in an emergency.

I have a heavy quilt covering my plastic containers and tools, then secure it with a cargo net. Mine is an old VW net I had that happened to fit. Fortunately, there are plenty of cargo nets available that are specifically designed for the 5th Gen 4Runner.

2. Interior LED Light Kit: $25

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• Interior LED Light Kit: Check Price

Many 5th Gen 4Runners still come with halogen interior bulbs as stock. Luckily, upgrading the interior to LEDs is an easy and inexpensive modification that makes a dramatic impact. Rather than finding individual bulbs, save cost and time by getting a pack of assorted bulbs specifically designed for the 5th Gen 4Runner.

There are many brands to choose from, but I got the iBrightstar Super Bright Canbus LED Bulbs. They run about $25 for the set and have worked well for the few months I’ve had them, both in extreme cold and heat. There is no flickering, and they provide uniform, bright white light. They are easy to install and require no electrical knowledge.

3. Locking Receiver Hitch Pin: $26

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• Lockable Receiver Pin: Check Price

This isn’t really an epically cool mod, but having a bike rack or hitch-mounted spare tire carrier stolen because you didn’t have a receiver pin lock is a major bummer.

The RhinoUSA Hitch Lock Receiver Pin is a 5/8″ pin with a sleek design and a rating of 14,000 lbs. I purchased the RhinoUSA pin for around $25 because it features a rugged protective coating and lock cover, which protects it from the elements. This is especially important in the North, where I live, as heavy road salt during the winter quickly leads to corrosion and rust. This product is designed and tested in the USA but manufactured in China.

4. Vehicle OCD Center Console & Glove Tray: $33

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• Combo Kit: Check Price

The 4Runner features a generous center console storage bin, but it’s essentially a large, bottomless pit. It’s not ideal to be able to throw tons of stuff in there when you can’t easily find it later on. Center console organizer trays remedy that in a very inexpensive way.

With a typical combo kit, you’ll get a lower and upper organizer. The lower organizer divides the bottom half of the console into six sections, while the upper one adds a divided tray for small items, such as pens and coins.

5. Energy Suspension Front Bump Stops: $37

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• Black (8.9104G): Check Price
• Red (8.9104R): Check Price

These Energy Suspension bump stops were never intended for the front of the 4Runner. In fact, they’re actually marketed as universal rear bump stops. Despite this, they have been widely adopted by the community as the go-to budget-friendly front bump stop upgrade.

They offer a definite improvement over the factory bump stops that basically feel like rocks by comparison. The Energy Suspension bump stops eliminate that jarring feeling upon contact, and at a fraction of the cost compared to other popular, more expensive options.

6. RSG Body Mount Chop Kit: $39

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• RSG Offroad BMC Kit: Check Price

The RSG Body Mount Chop Kit price is exclusive to the pre-cut metal weld plates required for performing a body mount chop to clear larger tires. Taking that into consideration, this mod is only truly under $100 if you can weld them on yourself or have a generous friend who can. The plates are 1/8″ thick steel and save you the time of measuring and cutting your own.

7. LED Fog Light Bulbs: $40

Find it online:

• White LED Fog Light Bulb (YotaVerse.com): Check Price
• Yellow LED Fog Light Bulb (LASFit): Check Price

LED lighting is by far superior to standard stock halogen lighting. I was happy to find that my used 5th Gen 4Runner already came with this mod.

Why are fog lights important? Less than a week after I got my 4Runner, I had to drive in heavy snow at night. The high beams were too reflective on the snowflakes, but the bright LED fog lights lit up the snow-drifted roads amazingly well. The same happens with dusty environments, particularly when off-roading.

Some people prefer bright white light in snow, and others prefer amber lights for better visibility in dust and dirt. Either way, LED bulbs are brighter than halogen bulbs by about 300% or more. For less than $60, you can easily install new H11 LED fog light bulbs for the 5th Gen 4Runner.

For a slightly higher cost, you can replace the entire fog light housing with several other options, each offering distinct advantages.

8. LED Projector Low Beam Light Bulbs: $40

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• LED Low Beam Projector Bulbs: Check Price
• High Beam & Low Beam LED Kit (Under $100): Check Price

Similar to the fog lights, the stock low beam halogen projector lights in the 5th Gen 4Runner are easily upgradable.

It is relatively easy to install new LED Projector low beam bulbs for less than $60. These LED projector bulbs provide a bright, cold-spectrum wavelength with a clear cut-off line to avoid blinding oncoming traffic. Similar to the fog lights, the bulb is also size H11. Another, more expensive option is the Lasfit H11 bulbs. For more information, we also have a comprehensive guide on headlights for the 5th Gen 4Runner.

9. TRD Shift Knob: $45

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• Black Leather w/ Red Stitching: Check Price
• Carbon Fiber: Check Price

If you find your factory shift knob a little boring, you’re not alone. Add a touch of flair to your interior while maintaining an OEM+ aesthetic with a TRD-style shift knob. The 4Runner Lifestyle is available in black leather or carbon fiber options. The black leather option provides a more upscale feel, while the carbon fiber adds a sporty vibe. These are made of high-quality ABS+ leather and are very easy to install.

10. Rear Mud Flap Delete Kit: $50

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• Revtek: Check Price
• ARK: Check Price

If you’re not a fan of rear mud flaps, this mod is for you. Unfortunately, you can’t simply remove the factory ones, as you’ll be left with unsightly gaps and holes. These mud flap delete kits will conceal everything that’s left exposed when you remove the factory mud flaps for a super clean look. They are made of durable plastic designed to withstand all the road or trail debris you’ll encounter.

11. K&N Engine Air Filter: $57

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• Performance Engine Air Filter: Check Price

If you want an upgraded air filter but don’t want to invest in a full-blown cold air intake just yet, K&N replacement filters are a popular option. They claim to be a performance air filter that allows more air to your engine. The appeal for many is that they are OEM size and drop right into your factory air box with no modification required.

12. Decal Kits and Emblems: $3-$60

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• TRD Straight Stripes: Check Price
• TRD Slant Stripes (3″ – 12″): Check Price
• TRD Slant Stripes (24″ – 36″): Check Price
• 4Runner Blackout Emblems: Check Price

Customization with graphics or emblems is an important part of personalizing your 4Runner. Although there technically is no functional improvement with graphics or emblems, they are really cool and give that personal touch.

These are the things that make you smile when you see your rig and can help set your 4Runner apart from all the other 4Runners in the world. Many people will black out their decal lettering, add decals, or add emblems. I received my Mudhorn name badge from Atomic Car Concepts and was very happy with its quality. You can even customize your own name badge.

I also threw in some awesome cupholder bottoms, size 2.875″. You can easily remove dealer emblems as well. Whatever you decide, it’s going to be awesome, because it’s going to be yours.

13. Raptor Lights: $60

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• Raptor Lights (YotaVerse.com): Check Price
• Raptor Lights (R4T – Multiple Color Options): Check Price

If you are lucky enough to have a TRD Pro-style grill, Raptor lights make a stunning addition to the already aggressive front-end look.

Even if you do not have a TRD Pro 4Runner, you can swap out the front grill with a TRD Pro grill, but that will exceed the $100 threshold. There are many variations of Raptor lights available, depending on what style you’re looking for. They can be amber or white, smoked or clear, three lights or four lights, but all are LED.

I literally bought the most inexpensive option I could find, which was the GTINTHEBOX 3 Pcs Grille LED Amber Lights for about $27, and have been extremely happy with them. There is no flickering, and they are super bright, even with the smoked cover.

It requires some electrical knowledge to install, and ease of use depends on whether you want them to be always on with the ignition or on a separate switch. I went with the easiest option available, which was always on with the ignition. Check out my video on how to install raptor lights.

14. Recovery Shackle w/ D-Ring: $60

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• Hitch Recovery Shackle (Agency6): Check Price

One of the safest ways to recover a vehicle from the rear is through a designated Hitch Recovery Shackle receiver.

For about $60, this Agency6 hitch receiver will provide you with a secure, reliable, and strong rear recovery point. This will not only allow you to help recover other vehicles but also provide a way for other vehicles to recover you.

Why not use the emergency towing eyelets or tie-down loops, you ask? The steel-welded loops on a 5th Gen 4Runner are suitable for use in a pinch with static loads, but are not specifically designed for recovery. If they get bent, they should not be used. If you’re looking to install front recovery points, they are a more expensive mod.

15. TSO MMS Center Console Panel: $70

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• TSO MMS Center Console Panel (Single or Pair): Check Price

The TSO MMS Center Console Panels are sold individually or as a pair (for $135). These panels are installed by drilling their mounting screws into your center console. While easy to install, it isn’t reversible. The requirement of drilling holes may deter many prospective buyers, but they do provide a lot of organization. As a grid panel, you can place countless items on it, from punches to personal defense items.

16. R4T Tire Deflators: $70

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• Runnin 4 Tacos Tire deflators: Check Price

These tire deflators are super simple to set up and allow you to simultaneously air down all of your tires to a set PSI. They are a major time-saver on the trail, as you won’t need to sit by each tire constantly monitoring its pressure. Runnin4Tacos sells these in a set of 4 and provides a carrying pouch to keep them all in one place. If you frequent the trails, these tire deflators should be at the top of your list.

17. ARB Differential Breather Kit: $78

Find it online:

• ARB USA: Check Price
• ARB Knock Off (half price): Check Price

A differential breather is essential if you plan to do any water crossings. There’s a small breather valve at the top of the 4Runner’s rear axle differential that, when submerged, can allow water to enter the case. That’s not a good thing, as it’s filled with lubricant to keep those gears running smoothly.

Once water gets mixed in, lubrication gets significantly diminished and will likely need a fluid flush. A differential breather kit essentially adds a breather hose to the valve, relocating it to a higher position away from water. The common relocation for 4Runner owners is to the engine bay.

18. LFD Crossbars: $85

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• LFD Crossbars: Check Price

Most models of 5th Gen 4Runners come with roof rails, but no crossbars. Adding crossbars opens up a world of rooftop accessories, such as tents, cargo carriers, or other off-roading equipment.

At approximately $85 each, these LFD Crossbars bolt directly to the roof rails, eliminating the need for drilling or other modifications. They are flat, sturdy, made in the USA, and come with all the needed hardware. Another benefit of these is that if you end up getting a full-sized LFD roof rack, these crossbars can also be incorporated into it.

19. KC Cyclone Under Hood Light Kit: $90

20. Offroam Phone Mount: $90

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• Offroam Universal Phone Mount: Check Price

This product is designed for the Toyota 4Runner (2010-2019) and features a patent-pending mounting base.

There is a reason why everyone is talking about this phone mount; it’s lightweight and very functional. The mount features soft internal springs with 3M elastomer-lined grip sides, delivering excellent holding power. It’s nice and wide, allowing for a wide variety of phones. You can swing the mount between portrait and landscape orientation, and the installation is beyond simple. No drilling is required, and priced at under $100, this one is a winner.

21. WeatherTech Rear Floor Liners: $95

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• WeatherTech Rear Floor Liner: Check Price
• Add $14 and you can get a whole set of Husky Liners: Check Price

The stock second-row mats are fine, but there’s a much better option that will help keep the carpet in good condition.

Once that banana peel gets mashed into the carpet and fused with goldfish cracker crumbs, there’s no going back. One of the first things I did to my own 5th Gen 4Runner was install a good quality WeatherTech Floor Liner for about $95. You can find cheaper versions, but WeatherTech offers great quality, flexible rubber (even in extreme cold) that is laser-cut to an exact fit. I laid it out in the warm sun for a day before installation to ensure it was flat and flexible, allowing it to conform perfectly to the floor’s contours.

22. Lamin-X Rocker Panel Guard (2014+): $99

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• Rocker Panel Kit: Check Price

Once your 4Runner leaves the pavement, the rocker panels take a beating. It’s widely known that the paint on 4Runners can be as delicate as baby skin, so add some inexpensive protection with Lamin-X. The Lamin-X brand is well-known in the industry for its high-quality protective film, which can be applied to a wide variety of products. In addition to the rocker panel, they also offer cutouts for several other body sections.

23. KC Cyclone V2 LED: $100