Trailhunter OEM Onboard Tire Inflator/Air Compressor Retrofit into Tacoma Offroad Premium DIY

[cape_taco]

I've seen various threads discussing retrofitting the OEM Trailhunter air compressor to other Taco trim packages but nothing conclusive. I just wanted to give a quick post to verify firsthand that it is in fact possible and to give a quick DIY, even though installation is pretty easy.

Ordered the part from Elmhurst Toyota, in IL part number is Toyota (PT949-35240). They had the cheapest price I found on the internet which was $988.75 + $70 shipping. Shipping took about a week and inside the shipping box came 1) the control box, which replaces the factory cubby with usb outlets 2) the compressor 3) a nice red inflator tube in a toyota branded pounch. It also comes with at least 10 T27 bolts. I was stoked about this because I didn't think it would come with 3) based on what I had read.

1, 2, and 3 from left to right.


First thing I did was remove the existing cubby. This is trivial, just 4 torx bolts (T-27 i believe) and unplug the gray connector. Be careful it's brittle! Installation of the new control box is just the opposite of removal.

After it was installed, I verified the unit was getting power and to my relief:

Before I went to install the compressor, I decided to make a gasket for it using 1/8" rubber since the control unit had one and the compressor did not.

Now the only real hard part of the installation, cutting the bed and fitting the compressor unit. I decided to cut out the compressor unit using a cordless router. I wore a mask since the fiberglass really gets thrown around the air. To do this you'll need to measure where the bolts will go using the unit as a plan. Be careful, the middle bolts are not symmetrical (ask me how i know!)!

There are 8 total holes that need to be cut (6 bolts + 2 stabilizers that come off of the compressor housing) AND the big center hole for the compressor itself to fit through. Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of this because it started raining harder right after i took this pic. That being said just take your time with it, it's definitely stressful to cut into a brand new vehicle, just make sure you're not cutting anything behind the bed that you shouldn't be and go slow. Also obviously, I removed the control box while installing the compressor.

To secure the compressor unit, I opted to install rivet nuts into the bed, similarly to how Toyota OEM did it for the control box above. I used this rivet nut tool from amazon. You can also just use regular nuts if you want. The bolts are M6 and come with the compressor as i mentioned above. You can easily access the back of them either from under the truck or by taking out the control unit.

Once the compressor is securely installed, it's just a matter of connecting that to the control unit and reinstalling the control unit. There are 4 connections you need to make before buttoning things up: 1) silver supply air connector from compressor to control unit 2) blue sharkbite-style hose from compressor to control unit for airing down 3) gray power connector going from truck to control unit 4) black power/sensing connector going from control unit to compressor.

Congrats! You now have a compressor you don't have to open your hood for and lug around. I especially like that you can set a target PSI to air down to and the unit will do that automatically. I've tested airing up and down with a Morrflate 4-wheel hose setup and it works great! One thing I noticed is that the PSI measurement isn't always perfect so I would use a secondary tire pressure tool in the loop just to be sure.

Overall a very easy if sometimes stressful (bc of cutting) install. Excited to put more miles on this setup this summer!

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[cape_taco]

Bonus one, I took some pics of the unit from underneath the truck and noticed yet another spare mystery connector up there near the top of the bed....

Any guesses what that could be for? Perhaps for the Trailhunter Scene Lights (do i smell another retrofit coming soon???)?

 

[crepr12]

Great write up and mod...

 

[AltarBoy]

I so badly want to get the compressor kit but in my case I don't have any comparts in the bed. I don't know if I can cut a opening on mine or not

 

[EVOTACO]

Bonus one, I took some pics of the unit from underneath the truck and noticed yet another spare mystery connector up there near the top of the bed....

Any guesses what that could be for? Perhaps for the Trailhunter Scene Lights (do i smell another retrofit coming soon???)?

I have the Bed Scene Lighting on my OR and I also have that spare connector. From what I could quickly trace without any disassembly, it appears that the bed scene lights tie into the inner bed lighting.

Nice job on the retrofit. I was contemplating doing the same thing at some point to my OR.

 

[cape_taco]

I so badly want to get the compressor kit but in my case I don't have any comparts in the bed. I don't know if I can cut a opening on mine or not

If you don't have the drivers side cubby with the USB and 12V chargers in it, you likely don't have the connector to make this plug and play.

 

[cape_taco]

I have the Bed Scene Lighting on my OR and I also have that spare connector. From what I could quickly trace without any disassembly, it appears that the bed scene lights tie into the inner bed lighting.

Nice job on the retrofit. I was contemplating doing the same thing at some point to my OR.

Interesting, will have to dig more into where the scene lighting ties in. Also, what could that connector be.....

 

[AltarBoy]

If you don't have the drivers side cubby with the USB and 12V chargers in it, you likely don't have the connector to make this plug and play.

There truck wouldn't be prewired behind the bedside? I remember my 3rd gen was prewired for bedlights even though mine didnt come with bedlights.

 

[cape_taco]

There truck wouldn't be prewired behind the bedside? I remember my 3rd gen was prewired for bedlights even though mine didnt come with bedlights.

One way to find out.

 

[dudeguyinc]

Thanks for the great write up.

 

[bsquaredMTB]

Great write-up! I'm REAL tempted to go this same route but that price tag is $$$

 

[tgrneal]

That connector could be for the prewired aux switch. I believe that’s where mine is on my TrailHunter

 

[fourharts56]

Dumb question for you....I see in your video you used a green/yellow air hose. Does the one provided not reach all the tires?

 

[cape_taco]

That connector could be for the prewired aux switch. I believe that’s where mine is on my TrailHunter

Ahhh that would make sense! Looks like the same connector they give you too. I think you're onto something

 

[bsquaredMTB]

I've seen various threads discussing retrofitting the OEM Trailhunter air compressor to other Taco trim packages but nothing conclusive. I just wanted to give a quick post to verify firsthand that it is in fact possible and to give a quick DIY, even though installation is pretty easy.

Ordered the part from Elmhurst Toyota, in IL part number is Toyota (PT949-35240). They had the cheapest price I found on the internet which was $988.75 + $70 shipping. Shipping took about a week and inside the shipping box came 1) the control box, which replaces the factory cubby with usb outlets 2) the compressor 3) a nice red inflator tube in a toyota branded pounch. It also comes with at least 10 T27 bolts. I was stoked about this because I didn't think it would come with 3) based on what I had read.

1, 2, and 3 from left to right.


First thing I did was remove the existing cubby. This is trivial, just 4 torx bolts (T-27 i believe) and unplug the gray connector. Be careful it's brittle! Installation of the new control box is just the opposite of removal.

After it was installed, I verified the unit was getting power and to my relief:

Before I went to install the compressor, I decided to make a gasket for it using 1/8" rubber since the control unit had one and the compressor did not.

Now the only real hard part of the installation, cutting the bed and fitting the compressor unit. I decided to cut out the compressor unit using a cordless router. I wore a mask since the fiberglass really gets thrown around the air. To do this you'll need to measure where the bolts will go using the unit as a plan. Be careful, the middle bolts are not symmetrical (ask me how i know!)!

There are 8 total holes that need to be cut (6 bolts + 2 stabilizers that come off of the compressor housing) AND the big center hole for the compressor itself to fit through. Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of this because it started raining harder right after i took this pic. That being said just take your time with it, it's definitely stressful to cut into a brand new vehicle, just make sure you're not cutting anything behind the bed that you shouldn't be and go slow. Also obviously, I removed the control box while installing the compressor.

To secure the compressor unit, I opted to install rivet nuts into the bed, similarly to how Toyota OEM did it for the control box above. I used this rivet nut tool from amazon. You can also just use regular nuts if you want. The bolts are M6 and come with the compressor as i mentioned above. You can easily access the back of them either from under the truck or by taking out the control unit.

Once the compressor is securely installed, it's just a matter of connecting that to the control unit and reinstalling the control unit. There are 4 connections you need to make before buttoning things up: 1) silver supply air connector from compressor to control unit 2) blue sharkbite-style hose from compressor to control unit for airing down 3) gray power connector going from truck to control unit 4) black power/sensing connector going from control unit to compressor.

Congrats! You now have a compressor you don't have to open your hood for and lug around. I especially like that you can set a target PSI to air down to and the unit will do that automatically. I've tested airing up and down with a Morrflate 4-wheel hose setup and it works great! One thing I noticed is that the PSI measurement isn't always perfect so I would use a secondary tire pressure tool in the loop just to be sure.

Overall a very easy if sometimes stressful (bc of cutting) install. Excited to put more miles on this setup this summer!

Question on this post, what is that white paint on the bed. Did you use spray paint to mark the holes?

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