The Yota gods smile favorably on me. I drove by a recycle yard the other and noticed a 3rd gen that just came in. It looked in perfect shape, no body damage to be seen. Since my interior has gone crap from hauling firewood and many other odd things I stopped in to see if perhaps I could do a little switching...like the whole interior. And to my disbelief, the guy at the counter told me if I did it myself I could take all I want!! The rig was perfect! It even ran and drove, but the 3.4 just wouldn't pass emissions. It only had 90,000 kilos on it and it was CLEAN! So needless to say I now have a new interior, EVERYTHING except the dash. But this rig has a sunroof with the digital compass thingamabober and I want it. (greedy, I know) So my question is, how hard would it be to retrofit it in? Are the wires already run up to my roof? I don't have a sunroof, but know how use a jigsaw. Would any of you kind folks happen to be able to help me out? I'll post some pictures later. Thanks

 

You would be attempting the most terrible, impossible, nightmare, futile, and disappointing projects ever. Unless you are a really, really, good body man who can weld like jesus, i'd pass on this one

 

Sounds like you made a great find, but to reiterate HighLux, trying to install a sunroof, especially a factory sunroof is not something you would want to tackle unless you OWN a body shop. There are aftermarket sunroof kits but they are not always the easiest to install and most tend to leak. The factory sunroof have built in drain tubes that run all the way to the rear of the truck and I mean ALL the way to the rear. As well as reworking the metal work to make the unit fit, there are also roof supports that need to be installed to allow the roof to slide into place while maintaing roof intergity. So if yours didn't come with a sunroof, wait and buy another hilux surf with one already installed.

If I were you, and you really wanted to do this up, for all the work you would have to do, if you could have just bought the other rig intact and swapped out your engines, it would be easier with more sucess then trying to install a factory sunroof in yours. As for the overhead "digital compass thingamabober" if yours did not have one, you will have to run wires for it but it is really easy. the unit will just bolt righ into place. As far as the switch unit tha thas switches for the sunroof, you don't even have to worry about them as you don't have a sunroof! So get that thing!

Just finding the FMU is a find in itself, but the whole interior for FREE?? Unreal, gr8 score, but just snag all that interior stuff, and if you get the FMU from the overhead, it is easy to install in yours, but be sure to get the temperature probe from behind the left side head light. It will be below the light and behind the bumper. You will need that to make the temperature readout to work. There are several threads on here about installing one of these, I did a write up on it as well. Running the wires will be easier for you as the steering wheel is on the right side, correct? So getting to the 'A' pillar on the left will be easy as suesi

 

You make it sound so tempting! LOL

OK..I'm getting it. Sounds like a PITA that even with the great explanation I probably wouldn't fully understand until I was buried in it, so I really appreciate the advice. When you say it would be easier to just swap motors...that makes it pretty obvious.

It is just crazy to be parked next to a rig just like mine that runs, and be able to just swap out anything I like. Feels like stealing! I'll have to get some pictures up. I plan on getting the rack and pinion next. The rig has a three inch JOAS lift and I'll be taking the front springs too. I don't have much time as it will be flipped on it's side and have the motor and tranny chopped out and sent to Russia or Malaysia. The body will then be ripped off... brings a tear to my eye.

There is another one as well, a diesel like mine with 300,000km. Won't pass emissions either. Can't find anything I want off of it except the intercooler, which I doubt I can have. I'll probably ask though!

 

Congrats on the junkyard find. There are no 4Runners by me that i can snag parts off But about the sunroof, DON'T DO IT! Unless you want leaks, and a reduced structural integrity, i would highly suggest you STAY FAR AWAY from the sunroof!!

 

great find Hokkaido! get some pics up if at all possible. No photo hosting is required any longer.

We enjoy seeing our Runners in the far away lands of their birth.

 

Well I got the FMU out before they crushed it. Most of you would've sheot ur pants to see such a clean rig destroyed. There happened to be another surf in the yard and it had the FMU as well. Now I got two, maybe one of you fine fellows with a fac sunroof needs one? Hmmm..on ebay this little puppy would probbly buy me a few boxes of shells...



Anyway..I would like to wire this thingamabober up. But the only writeups I'm finding are for rigs with a sunroof and I am thinking the wiring diagrams are different. So far, I have not found a connector in my roof...so..ah well.... does anybidy know the solution here?

And if yur one of those "Use the search option you freakin noob!" , well.......I'd like to meet you someday....some dark alley...

 

if you REALLY want it..
Eh nvm. It's alot of work.

 

interested Hokkaido but no funds to buy tempting very tempting...

try this link but honestly I just typed FMU into Search and I got like 4 pages.

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f2/f...w-pics-199261/

I can vouch for blcktpsgr- nice Canadian guy and not sure if his ride is sunroof equipped or not.

 

Thanks for the link!
The only problem I'm having is that since my rig doesn't have a sunroof, I only have two wires running into the mirror console for the map lights.

So I don't have the hot wires mentioned in that writeup, the constant and the ignition on wire. I suppose that it would be easy enough to connect something from the fuse box, or would there be a better way?

 

aren't the map lights a constant-meaning you could accidently leave them on and drain the battery?
I would private message blcktpsgr or jump into the thread don't be scared no one will mind...

still wanting to see some pics of Japanese Runners-HiLux Surfs?

 

Or, to avoid wiring issues, you could just fab up a way to fit a piece of glass up in the roof.
Granted, you won't be able to open it. But it will me much more simple.

Either way, I'm subscribed!

 

You should still be able to install the FMU without having a sunroof. Yes, you will need to route the wires down the 'A' pillar, one for ignition and one, for battery power. As Ron, mentioned you can tap into the map lights as they should be constant hot. Several different areas you can tap off for ignition power as well. Check the links for the standard FMU install (which is the sunroof ones) and you can still figure out what wires you will need to run. don't have access to my pages here at work so can't see my pics (they block photobucket, go figure). Considering you have a REAL Surf, you might have to pull both 'A' pillars to route your wires. The ones for the temp sensor which lives behind the left headlight will need its two wires routed down the left side pillar while the ones for the ignition pickup would be best routed down the right side 'A' pillar, shorter run for the wires. Also if memory serves me, you will need to run a wire for the lighting dimmer. I know my install, I hooked up the lighting so when the lights are turned one, the intensity of the FMU lights dims.

Check out the connections for the other installs (mine included) and you should be able to figure out the minimum connections you will need to install this. The screws used to hold the FMU in place are direct bolt on replacement for the map light console you remove.

Keep us up to date on your install

 

boxes of shells? What you want? I reload my own ammo, maybe a trade for the FMU?