Gave the 4Runner a good scrub-down today — even crawled underneath to knock off some old grime that’s probably been there since the Clinton administration. While I was down there, I got reminded of a few things on my “eventually” list: replace the fuel filter and freshen up the skid plate.

The skid plate especially was killing the look of the front end. I hit it with degreaser, soaked it in rust remover, and followed up with a zinc phosphate metal etch before laying down four coats of satin black. I probably would’ve preferred flat, but I already had the satin cans on the shelf — so satin it is.

While I was at it, I swapped out the fuel filter with a fresh OEM one. Judging by the gunk that came out, it was long overdue, though I’ve definitely seen worse. Overall, a solid cleanup day — one more round of small stuff that makes a big difference.