6th Gen 4Runner Crash Plate & Splash Guards Removal

[Trail4R]

Toyota made the 6th Gen 4Runner a little easier to modify to fit larger tires. Here are the four components you can remove to do so.

1. Splash Guards and Felt Liner
2. Body Mount Crash Plate
3. Frame Rail Crash Plate

Tools and Materials to Remove Items

1. Phillips head screwdriver
2. Clip Fastener Removal or a small flathead screwdriver
3. Drill driver
4. 17mm Socket
5. 6" extension

1. Mud Splash Guards and Lower Felt Liner​

2. Body Mount Crash Plate​

3. Frame Rail Crash Plate​

Removal Is Easy​

Start by removing the plastic splash guards. There are two Phillips heads on the inside of the wheel well and one underneath the splash guard. Then using your plastic pry tools, remove all three of the plastic clips holding the splash guards and felt liner on.

After the splash guards are removed, take a 17mm socket and remove the body mount crash plate.

Then, using a 6" extension and the same 17mm socket, remove the frame rail crash plate.

That's it.

With these components removed, you can now fit a bigger tire in the wheel well.

We tried to initially fit a 35" tire with a +25mm offset wheel on the factory TRD Off-Road suspension, and it was rubbing on the rear fender sheet metal and the front plastic bumper quite a bit. In order to fit a 35" tire on the factory suspension without a lift, you would need to trim back the rear fender sheet metal about 1" and push the front bumper clip forward about 1".

Here are a few shots of the 35" tire rubbing on the front and rear of the fender well.

Rear Rubbing​

Front Rubbing​

Wide Out View​

35" Tires with + 25mm Offset Wheels on Factory TRD Off-Road Suspension​