I wish I had read this post before I changed the oil in my 4Runner for the first time last week. I didn't want to take the skidplate off so I reached through the wheelwell to unscrew the filter. I got the filter off without spilling much oil, but I couldn't get the filter back out through the wheel well. Slipped out of my hand onto the skidplate, upside down.

I ended up reaching in from the top, which I think is the way I'll do it from now on. You can't see what you're doing when you go from the top but it's actually not that hard to reach the filter.

 

i dont take the pan off to change the oil.. once in a while i will and spray it off and clean the under body with brake cleaner and all is well

 

i forgot to mention that, always get grade 8 bolts for anything supporting loads. or even higher than grade 8 if you can fid it, but Home Depot/Lowes usually has grade 8 and thats fie.

 

Toyota recommends 5w30 (it's on the oil cap).

 

You don't need to get at it from under...

I did it that way at school and some kid from Jiffy Lube walked by and laughed. I was like "What's so funny" and he points to the rubber fender liner and goes, "You could have just reached through there and you could have drained oil without taking off the skid plate".

Soo....fender liner trick works.

 

Thanks guys. I did use the the fender thing worked great. I took the skid off just so i could figure out what i was doing. I should of gone to home depot but it was $2/bolt not bad not great. as for grade 8 thats what i was thinking i would need.