We gave this one owner 4Runner an extreme makeover with a thorough upgrade of the in car electronics. His other car is a late model Lexus LX which is fully loaded with sensors and cameras, so this SR5 trim 2004 4Runner felt a little basic in comparison.
To start we installed the latest and greatest from Thinkware, the U1000 2CH. This has a powerful 4K front camera and 2K rear camera as well as 5GHz WiFi. This camera is a huge step up from older Thinkware models as the video quality and WiFi download speed are greatly improved, enhancing the overall user experience.
For the head unit, we went with the Kenwood DNR876S which is one of their best offerings for the modern vehicle. Not only does it offer wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay but it has Maestro connectivity which was essential for this install. The iDatalink Maestro RR is perhaps the most powerful radio replacement module on the market and will give the user more features than a standard amp turn on/steering module. Cost-wise they are about $100 more than a Crux amp turn on module but it's well worth it for this application.
With the Maestro RR we are able to see not only tire pressure display but also read and clear any engine codes. With the digital JBL amplifier the Maestro RR enables gain control and fade control, not normally available through standard RCA connections. The Maestro also gets a reading on the vehicle speed and gear data so it will do the reverse trigger but more importantly it can do a front camera trigger. The Kenwood head unit also has a manual trigger for the camera with the cam button.
We installed a small bullet shaped front camera in the front grille for even better visibility. This is activated automatically after shifting into drive and will stay on until a set speed is reached. It can also activate automatically at low speeds. On top of the rear camera and front camera, we also installed an 8 sensor iBeam parking sensor kit to cover both front and rear bumpers. For visibility, we installed the Lumens Sportline series LED bulbs for the low beams. Lastly, the car was on original 16 year old Dunlop all seasons which we replaced with BF Goodrich All Terrain KO2 tires.
