Bob_98SR5

Hi guys, Based on several happy YT member's feedback on the Commando 870 alarm system, I decided a few months back to purchase one. Midiwall spoke very highly of Ryan at Commando, so I gave him a call tdoay. Ryan was kind enough to put together the following group buy: 5 or more buyers = $124.00. The online website price is $169.99. So a savings of $45.99. Shipping is a paltry $8.00 per unit. Ryan did say that newer Toyota vehicles with the engine immobilizers will require a "Bypass module" (item #RSPKT) which is an additional $29.00. Ryan says that the 1998 and up 4Runners will need them, but I am 95% sure that the 1998 4Runners do not have the engine immobilizer feature. Also, 2002 and up Tacomas will need them. If your master key is thick, most likely you have the engine immobilizer. But to make 100% sure, call Toyota Motor Sales USA with your VIN number and ask them. The Group Buy Rules 1) Post that you will purchase the alarm system 2) When the post count equals 5 or more, we can begin to purchase the alarm system directly from Ryan at Commando (contact info below) 3) At the end of 30 days, the group buy will end. Guys, this is quite a deal as compared to other systems out there. As far as I know, Midiwall, Birdman and Designsbyme have installed this system and have sung its praises. Moreover, Midiwall's advice to me over the years has been 100% dead on with electronic and computer stuff, so his word is golden to me Ryan's phone # is 800-780-1409 (M-F 10am to 6pm EST). His email is ryan@commandocaralarms.com. But its best to call him; super cool guy. If you need more information, do a search on "Commando 870" on the forum. Thanks, Bob

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Bob_98SR5

Oh yeah, I'm in! Count me in as #1 on the group buy list!

SLC Punk and Praufet, I know you guys wanted to buy this alarm system, right?

Bob

Praufet

I'm in.

__________________
--Brian
'94 4Runner SR5 4WD
285 Terra Grapplers on FJ80 wheels|Rancho 9000s on all 4 corners|Cruiser coils|Marlin Rear brake line
Stereo
CDT Audio CL-61A|CDT Audio CL-6X|Profile 640 and Profile 600M|Audiobahn 100Q

AznSky

would I be able to bring my runner into a shop and have them take out the old one and install this one??? Cuz my old one is retarded and I have no clue what it's doing, so I disconected the brain

__________________
Rob

Bob_98SR5

dibble,

from the conversations i've had with midiwall, birdman and designsbyme, its fairly straightforward. hopefully they'll chime in or you can contact any of them directly.

the good thing though is that ryan is very helpful re install, according to mark (midiwall).

removing rs3200 alarm: if its anything like my rs3000, its easy. theres one main harness that connects the entire alarm system to your 4runner. there's some taps that you need to cut and disconnect. all in all, it took me about 2 hrs tops. if i had to do it again, less than 45 mins. someone on here has the alarm install manual. just do the reverse.

bob

edit: dibble, the thing you also forgot is that this alarm is a 2-way alarm. that is, it will let you know (within its range) if your alarm has been triggered. w/ the big remote, it will even tell you where

Bob_98SR5

aznsky,

if you have the rs3000, go to my page here at http://www.4runners.org/articles/rs3000 and download the pdf install instructions. just follow step-by-step on how to remove the old system. its not hard at all and in fact, all the things that need to be unhooked are located in the driver's side area. no joke!

bob

kickaha

I didn't think the new SR5 4Runners had the immobilizer. At least the dealer said they didn't.

__________________
BuyerBeware!

AznSky

bob I don't have the rs300, I have some random crap one (steal shield)

__________________
Rob

Amir904

i have a 98 with a remote start system and i do NOT have a transponder in my key, so NO immobilizer unit. i might be interested, only thing is, will i be able to swap out my current prestige system with this one with relative ease?

__________________
07 4runner 4.7 SR5
98 4runner 3.4 SR5
87 FJ60

Bob_98SR5

rob and amir,

i would have not a clue on how to remove your alarm systems. sorry! but why not ask the mfg of the system for the install manual?

when i removed the rs3000 system, it was pretty apparent what needed to be removed (wire taps) after doing a few. the rest was unplugging harnesses.

bob

shazaam

If u guys had ur alarams installed at best buy or circuit city, they both have policies to return your vehicle back to stock whenever u want for no charge.

__________________
Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, and the lesson afterwards.

<-- the artist formerly known as sdastg1

AznSky

ok i'm in. I'll figure out something I guess.....

__________________
Rob

Bob_98SR5

Ok, here's the list of 3 so far:

Bob 98SR5
Praufet
Aznsky

lee

FYI, I'm looking into it.

Thanks for doing the legwork, bob.

midiwall

Wow... That's quite the build-up Bob, I hope you guys like it!


The install is "straight forward" but it will take some stretching and reaching up under the dash, and in your case Dibble, possibly in the driver's door.

When you buy from Ryan, you'll get access to an area of their site which has the wire colorings/locations for everything you need. There are other places to find this on the 'net, but I can attest to Ryan's chart as being dead-on accurate.

The alarm comes with everything that you need for the basic install (immobilizer excepted). There's even an extra relay in case you need it for the starter (I didn't, and don't think you will in any of our rigs). "Basic" means: ignition, starter, alarm, door locks and one additional function if you don't need the relay for the starter.

The unit itself has 6 outputs which can be setup to control anything you want - and the outputs can be programmatically switched to be active HIGH or LOW. If you don't know what this implies, then you may want to seek out an installer who does - it'll be important when you're looking to control things like the sunroof, rear window or mood lighting.

My install took about 6 hours across two days (it was _cold_), but to do it again it would probably be 2 hours. The extra 4 hours were spent in verifying wire locations, figuring out where to mount the hood safety switch, getting the unit itself mounted, finding a good location for the antenna, programming the start time, etc.

Side note: When you setup the starter, pay attention to the extra sheet of paper that's in the box (unless the manual's been redone). It explains a bit more about the different ways that the strater knows the engine's running - and you HAVE to change the system from the power-up default.

Also look on the Commando site for additional modules, like the temperature sensor. Outside of being able to "ask" your rig what the temp is and having it displayed on the remote (k3wl!), you can configure the system to autostart the truck when the temp falls below a set temp (I think it's 20*, 0* and -20*). When the temp gets to that level, the system will start the truck, run it for 10 minutes, shut it off, wait a couple of hours and do it again.

If you live in MN, upper MI, ND, AL, etc. that could be something you'll want to make use of.

And... if you have a rig without power locks, then I can atest to these working REALLY well. They're solenoids that you mount in your doors and rig to your lock system. Instant power locks controllable by the 870 remote!


This is a pretty cool system. It's been just over a year now and I have no regrets. You guys are getting a KILLER price.

Oh... one downside... The remote plays a stoopid little tune when you put the battery in for the first time.


Have fun!

__________________
~ Mark
'96 4Runner Limited S/C MI - 370cc injectors, Air! horns, Airaid MIT, ATS A-arms, 285/75/R16 BFG MTs, Bored TB, Brembo slotted, Cobra 75 WXST, Deckplate, Downey headers, Hayden cooler, IPT valve body, Level 10 torque convertor, Meanstreak exhaust, OME/OME rears, On-board PC (XM, Nav, WiFi, etc), Port 'n Polish, Remote Start, SAW fronts, Hilux console, SMT-5, Stubb's sliders, Supra MAF, TJM-17, 2.0" pulley, Viair 450c, Walbro 190, Weasy2k cams

Bob_98SR5

hey mark,

i was hoping you'd find this thread!

thanks for the first-person description and explanation. so do you have all 5 doors including the rear lift gate hooked up? and for the rear lift gate, does commando have an option to actually open it?

and about the alarm sound itself, is it a constant, pulsed alarm sound (wrraaaa! wrraaaa! wrraaaa! wrraaaa! )? or is it that annoying 4 tone, cylic sound that i think most alarms have?

...and is it loud?

bob

midiwall

I just saw it today... I gotta pay closer attention!


I only have the locks on the system, I didn't bother with the windows, sunroof or anything in the hatch.

I had the windows hooked up for a moment or two, but I decdied to unhook 'em. The climate around here doesn't really constitute opening your windows to let a vehicle cool off.

The kit can definitely handle the rear window, though you might have to use a relay - my rear window motor's fubar'd so I never tried.

Popping the hatch would be something that would take a bit of work (because of the mechanism), but it's pretty straight-forward. I'd suggest talking to Ryan about it, but my guess is that you could use a door-lock solenoid. Or you might have to use something stronger like a door popper (used as openers on rigs with shaved door handles) which is just a stronger, non-latching solenoid.

But yes... the system has the outputs to be able to handle it.


Oh, you know that you'll love it.

Yeah, it's that cyclic wailing louder-than-bejeezus thing. Mine's actually not installed. (shhh!) It wasn't so much 'cause of the alarm itself, but 'cause I didn't want to have it chriping each time that it performed a function (e.g., lock/unlock, ignition on, programming, etc.).



You might have to get in there if you want to handle the front/rear windows as pairs or other combinations. I don't remember how much detail Ryan's wire charts have at this level. But, you can give Ryan a call (or email) with questions.

__________________
~ Mark
'96 4Runner Limited S/C MI - 370cc injectors, Air! horns, Airaid MIT, ATS A-arms, 285/75/R16 BFG MTs, Bored TB, Brembo slotted, Cobra 75 WXST, Deckplate, Downey headers, Hayden cooler, IPT valve body, Level 10 torque convertor, Meanstreak exhaust, OME/OME rears, On-board PC (XM, Nav, WiFi, etc), Port 'n Polish, Remote Start, SAW fronts, Hilux console, SMT-5, Stubb's sliders, Supra MAF, TJM-17, 2.0" pulley, Viair 450c, Walbro 190, Weasy2k cams

Birdman

I have been very happy with the FM 870 so far. It is a full featured alarm and comes with most everything you will need to do a full install. I have a manual tranny so no auto start here. I hooked it up to trigger on all 5 doors, disasble the ignition rather than the starter(since I have a manual they could just bump start it without this feature), lock and unlock all doors, flash the lights, and also installed the optional Dome Light Supervision feature which turns on the dome light when I disable the alarm to enter the car. It goes off after 30 sec or when I turn on the ignition. I did not set it up to control the windows or anything like that. I just didn't see the need. One feature I like is that it automatically locks the doors when you start the car, and unlocks them after you turn off the ignition. It's trivial but I was surprised when it first happened.

Unless you have an immobilizer or don't have electric door locks and want them, this kit has prety much everything you will need for a basic install(ignition/starter disable, alarm, door locks). Since the Toyota's use a negative trigger for the door locks, you will need to go out and buy 4 or 5 diodes to isolate the circuits from each other. This is all explained in the install manual and diagrams are available online through the Commando website and several other places. I went a little relay crazy and used relays for everything, but I think I could have done without them on the door locks.

One thing I am a bit disappointed about is the range of the remote/receiver. It may just be the location where I installed it, but I don't think so. It couldn't be any higher unless I mounted it to the windshield or in the headliner. Unfortunately, the wires for this unit are not very long and I wasn't in the mood to extend them and take down the headliner. Currently, it's zip tied to the top of the upper middle vents, 1/2" below the surface of the dash and directly in the center of the vehicle. Based on my observations the range it less then a 1/4 mi. and more like 1/10 mi. or 500 ft. Dunno.

All in all I am very happy with this unit. It has an excellent set of features and you can't beat the price, even without the group buy. This is my first alam and my first install so I can't compare it to others, but a lot has to be said about the technical support from Commando and the fact that they stand behind their alarms, even when installed by the end user. You will find that most alarm companies will not stand by the warranty unless the unit is installed by an authorized vendor. This is not the case with Commando.

I took a lot of pictures during my install but haven't gotten around to doing a write up, and all the experiences/challenges I had are starting to fade from memory. I will say that I learned a lot during the process and gathered a lot of info on the electrical system. I will try to get my pics posted in the next day or so and update this post with the URL so check back.

I give the Commando FM 870 two thumbs up!

__________________
=Birdman=
--
-
1999 4Runner "Highlander" SR5 5spd - Imperial Jade Mica
TJM T-15 Front Bumper, Sonoran Steel Rear Bumper, Old Man Emu Springs & Shocks, Revtek Diff Drop Spacer, 4Crawler 1" Body Lift, 265/75/16 Bridgestone Dueler A/T Revos, Deckplate Mod, Amsoil Air Filter, Flowmaster 50 Series Deltaflow Muffler, Amsoil S-2000 Oil, Optima Red Top Battery, Cobra 75 WX ST CB Radio, Hella Dual-Tone Air Horns, Yakima Rack w/all the trimmings

midiwall

Hmmm... I'm having a bit of a time visualizing just where this is, but if I have it right, then you're describing a spot kinda' in free air, about 12" back away from the windshield, right?

I've installed two of these, both have the control unit way up under the dash on the driver's side, and that left me plenty of wire to get the antenna to reach anywhere on the left side of the windshield. Mine is in the lower left corner, and a buddy's is all the way up to the upper left corner.

I didn't have to pull the headliner or the A-pillar plastic. I just brought the wire up the side of the dash and tucked it in behind the pillar with a small screwdriver.

My sensitivity is good enough that I can start the truck from a line-of-sight distance of about 500' - BUT - that's also shooting through two layers of a concrete parking structure, and aiming to the back of the truck. I haven't really tried a clear shot.

I agree though, it's not the 1/2 mile that the specs say, but I ain't complaining! I can't really see a need to start my truck when I can't see it.

__________________
~ Mark
'96 4Runner Limited S/C MI - 370cc injectors, Air! horns, Airaid MIT, ATS A-arms, 285/75/R16 BFG MTs, Bored TB, Brembo slotted, Cobra 75 WXST, Deckplate, Downey headers, Hayden cooler, IPT valve body, Level 10 torque convertor, Meanstreak exhaust, OME/OME rears, On-board PC (XM, Nav, WiFi, etc), Port 'n Polish, Remote Start, SAW fronts, Hilux console, SMT-5, Stubb's sliders, Supra MAF, TJM-17, 2.0" pulley, Viair 450c, Walbro 190, Weasy2k cams

Bob_98SR5

c'mon guys, 2 more!

midiwall

*BUMP* for a kickin' deal!

__________________
~ Mark
'96 4Runner Limited S/C MI - 370cc injectors, Air! horns, Airaid MIT, ATS A-arms, 285/75/R16 BFG MTs, Bored TB, Brembo slotted, Cobra 75 WXST, Deckplate, Downey headers, Hayden cooler, IPT valve body, Level 10 torque convertor, Meanstreak exhaust, OME/OME rears, On-board PC (XM, Nav, WiFi, etc), Port 'n Polish, Remote Start, SAW fronts, Hilux console, SMT-5, Stubb's sliders, Supra MAF, TJM-17, 2.0" pulley, Viair 450c, Walbro 190, Weasy2k cams

jimrockford

Man I miss remote start. Count me in!

One more to go...

__________________
Kevin

2004 Infiniti G35 Coupe
1998 Toyota 4Runner Limited - Sold
Deckplate Mod, Rear E-Locker, Anytime Locker Mod, Commando FM-870, 2 1/2" Lift, 285/75R16 Bridgestone Dueler Revos
Kenwood XXV-01D, Sirius Sportster Replay, Memphis 16-ST500D, Rockford Fosgate 4.6x, Image Dynamics IDQ-12, CDT EF-61i

Bob_98SR5

dibble,

i can see you sittin' on the fence! the 870 will blow that rs3200 you probably have in your 4runner right now. the rs3000 sucks and imho, the only thing better the rs3200 has over the rs3000 is the remote range

$124 + $29 + $8 shipping (roughly $160) is a CHEAP price compared to other 2-way alarm systems out there. do some price comparisons on viper/DEI products and you'll see why this is such a great deal---and has a few Yotatech member stamps of approval on it too


lee:

commit, dude!

ok, enough pressure for tonight

bob

Bob_98SR5

JimRockford!

Alright!

Ok guys, we need just ONE more. Here's the list so far:

Bob 98SR5
Praufet
Aznsky
JimRockford

For the rest of you who are on the fence, one more person will open up this great deal for the rest of the membership until March 2nd. Be the "big man" and be that 5th and then every other YT member who is interested can purchase the Commando 870 system without waiting for other members to join!

And to Praufet, Aznsky and JimRockford, thanks for being the first few people to step up to the plate

Bob

AznSky

No prob........now I just gotta find somebody to help me take out the old one and put in the new.

__________________
Rob