How Trailhunter high mount air intake (snorkel) mounts to A-pillar

[tipsyjam]

Trailhunter owners or anyone who has installed the OEM snorkel, I am requesting some assistance:

Could someone please take some close up pics of how your snorkel mounts to the A-pillar? Even better if you can take the inlet tube cover off and look inside where the bracket and protector pokes through the hole in the inlet tube as pictured below. Cannot find the bracket and protector anywhere as of yet, so I will be making my own mount. Looking for some OEM inspiration. There are some pics/vids close to this part online but they aren't really looking at the bracket mount but rather the snorkel inlet itself.

I've got it temporarily attached to the A-pillar with molding tape but this is a temporary solution indeed.

Thank you for the help in advance and I appreciate you taking the time.

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[jbigelow]

DMed

 

[Someguysomewhere26]

Did you add this to a non trialhunter model?
Any way you could tell us how/ cost?

 

[tipsyjam]

DMed

From my DM to you -

Trailhunter high mount air intake parts below:

PTR03-35242-AA
Should be the rubber hose that connects the air intake to the fender wall in the engine bay. This one also comes with the plug for the grill port of the air intake filter housing.

PTR03-35242-AB
Should be one of the air ducts, either A-pillar or inside fender

PTR03-35250-AJ (supersedes PTR03-35242-AC and PTR03-35250-AB)
Should also be one of the air ducts for the snorkel

PTR03-35250-AL (supersedes PTR03-35242-AD)
Should be the plastic cover on the outside of the fender cut

PTR03-35242-AE
Should be the hardware kit like studs and nuts to hold the exterior and interior ducts to the fender.

58741-YY010 (bracket part, could not find)
17769-YY011 (bracket part, could not find)

Fasteners and clips I bought:
90105-06345
90105-A0223
90467-A0001-C1

These are different part numbers from the 4Runner trailhunter part diagram below, but I'm sure they function the same. You will need a minimum of two (2) each and you may end up with an extra fastener. The -C1 clips are basically one time use as far as I can tell from having to install and remove them, so I bought plenty in case I need to remove the fender cap in the future again.

Fender, RH, with Trailhunter:
53811-AK040
Comes stamped for snorkel and unpainted from Toyota.

 

[Someguysomewhere26]

First off. Thank you I’ve been trying to find out how to do this and this was perfect. Second. I figured it would be significantly more kinda surprised.
Not that that’s cheap but.

How hard was the install

 

[Someguysomewhere26]

Forgot about the fender lol ignore that comment

 

[tipsyjam]

Did you add this to a non trialhunter model?
Any way you could tell us how/ cost?

Installed on TRD Sport non-hybrid.

Cost before shipping in above post screenshot. Not seen there is the trailhunter fender which cost me around 500 USD after shipping and then around 1000 USD to paint. I got it painted at a very high quality collision repair shop so that price may vary.

This ended up being long af but I think I got everything. I'll make sure to proofread and edit if needed later.

I'll try to keep it high level and will add detail on any lessons learned or things to look for throughout. I highly recommend watching Youtube videos on whatever you can find if you are unsure how to do a step, but know that not everything is there. I watched some videos on older generation Tacomas and can confirm that the general concepts you'll see in those videos for similar parts remains the same for this generation. If you don't mind paying a bit extra, I recommend subscribing to Toyota TIS for the short trial the day before you do this and spend a couple hours studying the different procedures and diagrams on these parts that you will be removing and installing - this is the best way and most complete. If you are slightly mechanically inclined it should not be difficult and no special tools are required, it just takes time. If you don't want to deal with it, you can always go to a body shop or similar. It took me probably 5 hours total, but I struggled like a mf with the fender well liners as I didnt have many extra grommets or clips and I was trying to save them all. Otherwise, I was jamming as I'd studied the diagrams/procedures on TIS and done research prior. I'd estimate a solid 3.5-4 hour job if everything goes smooth and you're jamming it:

1. Remove front fender flares and passenger side mud guard if installed.

2. Remove front grill.

3. Remove passenger headlight.

4. Remove fender well liner. This is the most tedious part of the procedure. If you remove the wheel before this, it would make it easier but it is not required and you can reach everything still without that. Note that I have no suspension lift and stock 265/65R18 tires though. Fender well liner screw grommets are the worst and I don't really know a good way to explain how to remove them. Best if you can reach behind them and pinch them out of the square hole they sit in. They have bulges on the diagonals of the square part that hold them in the square hole of whatever piece they are installed. A trim prying tool/pick with some needle nose plyers worked well. Brute force and ripping them out will destroy them and possibly damage the part they were connected to so should be last resort. They supposedly come out easily if done correctly with the pick/plyers and some rotation on the way out, but I found myself struggling with them most of the time. Was able to save most, but would be good to have like 15 extra on hand just in case you break some. Grommets are part number 90189-06236.

5. Remove the front bumper extension piece. This is a small maybe 3"x2" plastic piece that connects at the front of the existing fender on the outer side of the top of the headlight. It has a red plastic screw that you can see from the outside that is actually a clip. You turn the screw 90 degrees or so and it'll pop up and unseat itself. If you turn it too far it'll just reseat itself. The extension piece is also clipped into the fender with an Integrated square piece that is like the fender liner screw grommets and can be removed/loosened similarly. Just be careful when removing the extension as it is hard plastic. It pops out eventually if you work it carefully straight out.

6. Remove the plastic protector piece that covers the passenger top outer side of the engine bay. Has clips similar to those that hold the fender flares to the round holes in the fender so it just pops out with some force. You can remove the hood weather strip on top of this if you want to see better.

7. I forget if you can do this step before the next step, but either way, these two happen at the same time. Remove the black plastic and rubber protector/weather liner in the space between aft side of the fender well and passenger door. You can see it if you look straight towards the rear of the truck with your head in the wheel well. It is a plastic piece with rubber on it that snaps into place with large square snaps onto the back side of it in a few places along the door panel side. Only fits one way. I forget if I pulled from the bottom or top or just popped it out with the pry tool from the sides, but it comes out easily with some force. There may also be a random foam piece up inside between the fender well and engine bay that you could pull out at this point. Just kinda hangs in there.

8. Remove the 10 screws that hold the fender to the truck. There are 2 below the door right next to each other that may be painted over with the rough textured paint. There is 1 that you can get to once you open the front door looking forward. There is 1 that is under the soft rubber windshield cowl piece right next to and aft of the hood hinge if you are looking down at it. The soft cowl piece lifts up with little force. The last hidden screw is either just forward of or behind the plastic/rubber fender well front door protector that you can see looking aft with your head in the wheel well. If you're having trouble, look for distinct lines the fender panel makes with other parts it is touching. These lines may be painted over and looks like the panel is integrated with other parts, but I promise once you see the panel line once you can't unsee it and can follow it. The rest of the 5 screws should be along the top passenger side in the engine bay and near the headlight part where the plastic extension piece was removed. You should be able to see these already with everything removed. They are all the same type of 10 mm screw. Remove the fender. It comes off easily. It will probably start popping off as you start removing screws, so I did the top ones in the engine bay last.

9. Remove anything from your old fender for the new one like fender liner grommets and the flourescent green headlight screw grommets. The old fender should end up by itself. Set aside these loose pieces.

10. Remove air intake assembly and take it off the studs in the engine bay and set aside. Cap the turbo inlet if you take the hose off completely.

11. Install the rubber hose that connects the interior fender snorkel duct to the air intake in the engine bay with your new fasteners. Holes should already be there with threads. Only fits one way. Takes two screws and they are torqued to 7 ft-lbs per the TIS.

12. Install the interior fender snorkel duct to the hose up to the stopper on the duct and secure it with one of the other new fasteners you have towards the center of the fender well. Only one will fit, look at the parts diagram to confirm. This one is torqued to 53 in-lbs.

13. Put the new fender on over the interior fender snorkel duct and start to install all the 10 screws removed earlier. You cannot get the interior fender snorkel duct in if you put the fender on first, I don't care what the repair manual says. Mines is pretty scratched up from trying to do it that way. The repair manual also says to install the fender well to front door plastic weather protector in the aft of the wheel well before putting the fender on, but I was able to push it into place after getting the fender on. Up to you how you do this part, just remember that at some point here you need to install that hidden screw in the aft of the fender well that points towards the door. Remember that the rubber plastic protector snaps in along the vertical in 3 places along the door side, you can see these square snaps if you look at the back side of it when you remove it. You have to tighten all the screws while paying attention and flexing the fender so your body lines match up, your door can open, the hood can close, and the interior snorkel duct is lined up with the cutout in the fender as much as possible. I got my interior snorkel duct rubber seal to sit pretty close with the fender cutout with everything torqued, but it wasn't protruding through to the exterior.

The 10 screws that hold the fender to the truck are torqued to only 71 in-lbs.

14. Now, the fender is on and you can install the exterior snorkel duct. The 3 ball studs you received hold the exterior snorkel duct to the interior duct. They are the long threaded self locking shafts (pre applied blue thread locker) that came with brass fittings. These brass fittings center them in the exterior snorkel duct holes. There are threaded inserts to accept the ball studs on the interior snorkel duct around the seal that you would have seen upon initial inspection. See the parts diagram for proper orientation of the brass fittings in the exterior duct holes in relation to the studs - they should fit nicely into the exterior duct cutouts with the flat washer looking part facing the nut of the ball studs. Start by placing the exterior duct onto the fender cutout and seating it so the rubber seal is centered in the cutout. Remember to try and hold it against the fender as you perform the rest of this step. Then, ensure the brass fittings are installed in the exterior duct holes before installing the studs. You will need to aim and ensure the studs mate with the interior duct which may require you to look back and forth under the fender and maybe even flexing the interior duct around a little bit. Once you get two studs started, they should be lined up and you can start tightening. As you tighten the ball studs, try your best to line up the exterior and interior duct at the same time so the rubber seals on both ducts fit into each other and the snorkel cutout in the fender at the same time. I alternated between forward and aft studs to ensure the exterior duct seated evenly. Everything sits nicely flush both inside and outside the fender when finished. Also remember the ball studs are thread locked in the center so they will start threading easily but then you will encounter resistance halfway through before they are seated on the brass fittings.

The final torque on the 3 ball studs is supposed to be only 53 in-lbs.

When I did mine, I started seeing some brass filings as I was reaching the point of everything being snug that I think were because my ducts and fender cutout weren't perfectly lined up and so the studs started pulling everything together and scraping along the soft brass at the same time. Just be careful of this as you tighten everything. It didn't harm anything and nothing has come loose after a few weeks of driving but I was concerned that I was doing something incorrect. I would go slow and easy using hand tools to avoid damage to the threaded inserts on the interior duct. Because I wouldn't want to have to repair that or be forced to buy a new interior duct.

15. Now, you pretty much reverse everything for reassembly. Ensure loose pieces are transferred to the new fender first. Ensure the top headlight fluorescent green screw grommet is installed onto the new fender. Ensure the plastic bumper extension piece is installed to the front portion of the fender and its red screw clip is seated with a 90 degree turn.

16. Reinstall the headlight. Ensure all electrical connectors are snapped in and if you have an OEM light that the white clamp thing with metal teeth is attached to the headlight in the correct spot. Side bolt torque is 48 in-lbs.

17. Reinstall the front bumper. Ensure all the electrical connections are back in place. Don't install the radiator plastic shroud on the top yet.

18. Check everything snorkel and fender related up until now. Make sure everything is torqued, all the pieces are in place, body lines look good, door can open, hood can close, etc. If everything looks good...

19. Reinstall the wheel well fender liner fabric. Remember that the screw grommets go through the fender liner and into the square hole in the metal or plastic of the front bumper cover before the screws go in. Same for the push clips - through the fender liner and into the hole on the part before seating. There's a shitload of both to find and install so have fun. And remember at this point as you go through this ordeal that anything snorkel or fender related cannot be changed without taking this (and the screw grommets) off again.

20. Reinstall your fender flares.

21. Reinstall your mudguard. If you have extra screw grommets and screws or push clips after this step, they're probably supposed to go in the fender wheel well liner somewhere.

22. Ensure the rubber windshield cowl piece that was covering the top fender screw is seated.

23. Ensure the top side plastic engine bay protector and hood weather seal are installed. The protector snaps in place.

24. Remove the cap from your turbo inlet if you put one on. Reinstall your air intake. You may have to do this in a sweeping motion and at an angle leaning the fender port down at the fender snorkel hose from inboard of the engine bay towards the outboard of the engine bay because you will need to insert your air intake fender port into the snorkel rubber fender hose while simultaneously seating it on the intake ball studs in the bottom of the engine bay. You might have to push it pretty far into the fender snorkel hose at this angle before trying to sit it on the studs. Have patience, it will work and does not need excessive force to get it to sit on the studs. Use the compliance of the rubber and plastic pieces to your advantage. Once it is far enough into the snorkel fender hose, the air intake grommets slip easily onto the studs. Remember to install your intake hose to the turbo inlet if removed and tighten your hose clamps. I found out that the torque for the OEM pro air intake hose clamps is only 35 in-lbs. Reattach the MAF sensor wiring harness if removed.

25. Reinstall the radiator plastic shroud and grill air scoop with the push clips. If you do not want the grill air scoop open, ensure you install the plug that came with your snorkel supplies to the air intake box prior to reinstalling the air intake in the previous step.

26. Install your snorkel cutout plastic cover. This one sits on the ball studs like your air intake does in the engine bay. I had success kinda rolling it onto the studs from front to rear. Push it into place and then aim and install your -C1 clips that you got with your snorkel supplies. These clips seat into the holes on the forward and aft of the metal bar at the fender cutout on your exterior snorkel duct.

27. If you have the snorkel bracket that attaches to the A-pillar, you could attach the exterior duct to it at this point. You may need to unscrew the exterior duct inlet vent and pop it out to do so. I do not have the bracket so i tried to attach it the pillar using a plastic rectangular tubing end cap with double sided tape on it. The plug fit into the hole in the snorkel where the bracket is supposed to go. The plug that fit was 1"x1.5" from FiveEyes on Amazon, like 11 USD. The tape gave up on the first drive on the freeway because i didnt do a serious panel prep and didnt use any adhesion promoter on the paint. I didnt feel like doing that so I replaced it with the same plug with a rubber strip facing towards the pillar to dampen any collisions. The snorkel now flaps around a bit at high speeds and the only thing I've noticed is the fender cutout cap starts working itself out of position after a few weeks. I just push it back in place, it's not falling off or anything, just shifts position. I dont notice the snorkel hitting the A-pillar or anything up to 85 mph. Looking for the bracket now and will post if I find the parts for it.

 

[jbigelow]

Thanx brotha

Helps a lot…. Not only for me, but others as well.

Thank You,
John

From my DM to you -

Trailhunter high mount air intake parts below:

PTR03-35242-AA
Should be the rubber hose that connects the air intake to the fender wall in the engine bay. This one also comes with the plug for the grill port of the air intake filter housing.

PTR03-35242-AB
Should be one of the air ducts, either A-pillar or inside fender

PTR03-35250-AJ (supersedes PTR03-35242-AC and PTR03-35250-AB)
Should also be one of the air ducts for the snorkel

PTR03-35250-AL (supersedes PTR03-35242-AD)
Should be the plastic cover on the outside of the fender cut

PTR03-35242-AE
Should be the hardware kit like studs and nuts to hold the exterior and interior ducts to the fender.

58741-YY010 (bracket part, could not find)
17769-YY011 (bracket part, could not find)

Fasteners and clips I bought:
90105-06345
90105-A0223
90467-A0001-C1

These are different part numbers from the 4Runner trailhunter part diagram below, but I'm sure they function the same. You will need a minimum of two (2) each and you may end up with an extra fastener. The -C1 clips are basically one time use as far as I can tell from having to install and remove them, so I bought plenty in case I need to remove the fender cap in the future again.

Fender, RH, with Trailhunter:
53811-AK040
Comes stamped for snorkel and unpainted from Toyota.

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