Squeaky Penguin's (Trip Reports) Build Thread

Picked this truck up bone stock with 200K miles on it in March of 2012. Some saggy stock suspension got me started on modifications, and then I didn't know where to stop...

9/17/23



7/16/18

IMG_1568 by Brett Bjorgum, on Flickr

5/13/17 - Jumpup Point

Powell & More (29 of 31) by brettbjorgum, on Flickr

8/26/16 - French Creek on Holy Cross
IMG_0802 by brettbjorgum, on Flickr

11/08/15 - Chinaman's Gultch


Rock Therapy 2015 - Silver Crack


Middle Saint Vrain - Coney Flats 10/26/14

Photo Credit to Evan Beloni

Rock Therapy 2014 - Golden Crack:


5/04/14


Current Specs:
2001 Xtra-Cab V6, SR5, TRD, Manual
Mystic Gold Metallic
Bed bobbed 10"

Driveline:
Nitro 4.88s
Factor E-locker, ARB front locker
Yukon Chromoly axles
Northwest Fab ecocrawler

Suspension:
ADS Racing Coilovers
Total Chaos UCA
Solo Motorsports LCAs
Gusseted Spindles - Cam Tabs- Coil Buckets
Daystar bumps
Deaver J59s
2.5x10" King RR
U-bolt Flip Kit
Wheeler's Superbumps

Armor:
BAMF kickout sliders
All-Pro Apex Front Bumper
Tube rear bumper
CBI Frame Reinforcement Plates
Low Range Offroad Gas Tank Skid
Trail Gear Frame Boxing Plates

Lighting:
Hella 4000s
BD Squadrons

Wheels/Tires:
35x12.50r17 Hankook MT2s
KMC Impact OLs

Interior:
Corbeau Moabs
Kenwood KMM-X704 Headunit
Polk Audio DB-571's Front & Back
Polk DB1001 Tweeters
Alpine MRP-F300 Amp
Kenwood KSC-SW11 Sub

Recovery:
Superwinch Talon 9.5 with customsplice diamondback line and in cab controls

Other:
Tundra Brakes
Chinese Snorkel
Viair 400H OBA setup with slider air tank


Waiting Patiently:
Nothing anymore.

Notable Trips:

• 2013:
  • Rock Therapy 2013 - Seven Mile Rim - Fins N Things - Elephant Hill
  • Whishbone's Colorado High Country Trip - 8/23-8/25/2013
  • Chinaman Gultch 11/16/13
• 2014:
  • Chinaman Gultch 5/04/14
  • Rock Therapy 2014 - Kokopelli Trail - Gold Bar Rin to Golden Spike - Cliffhanger One & Two
  • July 4th 2014 weekend by Wishbone - Tin Cup Pass - Grizzly Lake - Mount Antero - Baldwin Lakes - Birdseye Gultch - Mosquito Pass
  • Steamboat Area Wheeling 8/16-17 - Farwell Mountain - Eliis Jeep (Recovery) Trail - Elkhorn Mountain
  • Yankee Hill - Kingston Peak - Jenny Creek 9/21/14, Reports starts about here.
  • Spring Creek 10/19
  • Middle Saint Vrain - Coney Flats - T33A Plane Crash 10/26
  • Kelly Flats 11/02
  • Chinaman's Gultch 12/13/14
• 2015:
  • Rock Therapy 2015 - Hurrah Pass - Chicken Corners - Lockhart Basin - Lockhart Canyon - Elephant Hill - Devil's Lane - Bobby's Hole - Beef Basin - Hell's Revenge - Fins N Things - First bit of Behind the Rocks - Strike Ravine - Minor Threat - Metal Masher - Poison Spider - Steel Bender - Wipe Out Hill and 7 mile Rim backwards. Yep, one hell of a week. Found here
  • Farwell Mountain Clearing and Snowbash 6/20/15 here
  • Little Muddy Creek to Sidwinder 7/11/15 here
  • Red Cone - Radical Hill - Swan River - SOB Hill 7/19/15 here
  • Alpine Loop and More! 7/22 - 7/26/15 here
  • Tomichi Pass - Alpine Tunnel - Hancock Pass - Grizzly Lake - Tin Cup Pass - Taylor Pass - Montezuma Basin - Pearl Pass - Italian Creek - Reno Divide 8/28/15 - 8/30/15 here
  • Halfmoon Gultch - Mosquito Pass - Wheeler Lake 9/12-9/13/15 here
  • Farwell Mountain Loop - 10/11/15 here
  • Chinaman's Gultch 11/08/15
  • New Years Moab style here
• 2016:
  • Rock Therapy 2016 - Maze District Exploration including Flint Trail, Maze Overlook, Doll House, and Poison Springs Road - Flat Iron Mesa - Trifecta - Behind the Rocks - Hell's Revenge - Minor Threat
  • Red Cone - St. John's - SOB Hill 7/17/16
  • Cumberland Pass - Alpine Tunnel - Tomichi Pass - Hancock Pass - Tin Cup Pass - Taylor Pass - Richmond Hill - Aspen Mountain 7/29-7/31/16 here
  • Shoshone Lake - Christina Lake 8/05-8/07/16
  • Holy Cross - Hagerman Pass - Frying Pan Ridge - Crystal City - Devil's Punchbowl - Pearl Pass 8/26-8/28/16 here
• 2017:
  • Hole in the Rock Trail - Burr Trail - Hole in the Rock Road - Smokey Mountain Road- Grand Bench - Alstrom Point- Parissawampitts Point - Locust Point - Jumpup Point 5/5-5/14/17 Here
  • Antero - Iron Chest Mine - Hancock Pass - Tomichi Pass 7/15-7/16/17
  • Kelly Flats - Bald Mountain 7/28-7/29/17
  • Morrison Jeep Trail - Goose Lake - Lulu Pass 8/24-8/27/17 Here
  • Richmond Hill - Montezuma Basin - Castle & Conundrum - Pearl Pass - Paradise Divide - Devil's Punchbowl - Lead King Basin 9/08-9/10/17 Here
  • Rock Therapy 2017 - Kokopelli Trail - Cliffhanger - Steel Bender - Anticline Overlook exploration
• 2018:
  • San Rafael Swell 3/30-4/01/18 Here
  • Lavender Canyon - Beef Basin - Devil's Lane - Elephant Hill - Lockhart Basin 4/14-4/16/18 Here
  • North Rim of the Grand Canyon - Lake Mead - South Rim - Flagstaff - Sedona Area 5/5-5/13/18
  • Oregon Trail - Lander area - Tetons 7/14-7/17/18 Here
  • Holy Cross - Wurtz Ditch - Slide Lake - McAllister Gulch - 8/04-8/05/18
  • Montezuma Basin - Pearl Pass - Mt. Tilton - Reno Divide - Italian Creek - Taylor Pass 9/21-9/23/18 Here
    
  • Rock Therapy 2018 - Dellenbaugh Tunnel - Secret Spire - Tusher Tunnel - Flat Iron Mesa - Metal Masher - Wipeout Hill
• 2019
  • San Rafael Swell Here
  • Sierra Madres - Red Desert Here
  • WY & MT Expo Fishing trip Here

 

Original First Post Crap
You guys will laugh, first thing I did was peel off both the window visors things and the tint... So here it is pretty much stock and as I got it.


Then wheeled it some:



Took the topper off for a little bit, and then took it wheeling:
Teller City:

Parkview:


Did I mention I love the mountains here in Colorado...

Painted the valence and fender flares with Rustolem bedliner:



Decided my stock leaf springs were toast, and TW was a bad influence, and ordered 5100's front and rear, and wheeler's 5 packs.

Old leaf springs:


Front 5100's were backordered, so I installed the rear stuff anyways. Can you say rake! Also, note the new dent from the first wheeling trip!


Front 5100's showed up, and I set them in the middle positon with the stock coils:


And then tested the new Billies out:
View from Sand Mountain towards Hahn's Peak:


Alignment shop made a little mistake:


Got some 265/75/16 BFG TA KO's to fill up the wheel wells a little more. Also, somewhere just before this I tore off one of the front mud flaps, so I took off the other, backs will stay for now.
Looks pretty all washed and waxed...


My brother helping show off some flex:



Grouse hunting:


Scouting for duck hunting:


Good thing I'm short, opening of duck season;


Just recently now, I installed a BAMF light bar, 4 crappy 5" lights, and made an even crappier satoshi(ish) grill. Bought a $40 grill of eBay to hack up in case I want to go back to stock:




Original Second Post
Got the 881's installed!





Also took the time to install some Wheeler's bumbstops and sway bar bushings.

Think the old coils needed replacement:

 

Made an order from Superbrightleds to get a couple things:

New reverse bulb comparison


Found out I was suppose to have a glove box light


Color matched my climate control bulbs to my headunit:


And also got some really bright dome and map lights. I did have to add some 1w 100ohm resistors to make them work with the key off though.

 

Copied everyone on here and added an Uniden 520 in the ash tray location.



Currently have a 3' firestik on a BAMF mount. Was a little surprised I couldn't streach the 18' coax all the way from the back to the center console, so I had to add an adapter and a 3' section of coax to the back of the radio.

 

Managed to find a stretch of decent weather to get the sliders on:





Nice looking welds:


And a little test:

 

Subbed...

 

Installed a rear diff breather extension today. $5 union from Toyota, and $8 worth of stuff from the harware store. I'll be looking into doing the front diff and transfer case next. Was a really easy install except for the ice and dripping water falling on my face....

 

Also, got a box from JLee:



His old LCA skids. They'll be a nice splash of color and I should be able to get them on here pretty soon.

 

The installation wasn't exactly what I would call easy, but here ya go:

 

Painted my stock wheels with Duplicolor Bronze wheel paint. Will give it awhile and decide if I want to keep it or go to graphite. Never really liked black wheels.

 

It may have worked with a little more effort, just didn't want to go through the hassle. I've got 8" of extra by the tailgate. And another 8" or so in the rear compartment by the jack. Good thing about this setup is that I can plug in my SWR meter by pulling the little kick panel by my left foot.

 

Added a fire extinguisher behind the drivers seat:



Also reworked my Hi-Lift mount and picked up a box to keep things organized in the bed.



Thinking I might pick up another fire extinguisher to mount in the bed just in case.

 

I guess I should try and update this a little more often.

Redid my grill. Made it only 1" deep to better fit the lights, and colored matched it. I think it looks much better this time around.

 

Did a little audio work the other day. Don't want to do anything too complicated, so I added some

$58 Polk DB571 5-by-7" Coaxial Speakers (Pair, Black)

Polk DB571's to the front door, run off of a Sound Ordnance M2100 amp under the passanger seat. So far I'm loving the sound.







I'm going to give it awhile before I decide if I want to do anything else. Thinking about some Polk tweeters to replace the factory door ones, but dont't know yet.

 

How did the 881s settle? How is the ride quality?

 

I've really enjoy the 881's. Much better ride quality than the stock TRD coils, and an inch more of lift of the lowest setting, as opposed to the middle. It seems like they didn't settle too much, but I never did take any measurements.

Here's my stance as of yesterday.


I've been somewhat tempted to bump the 5100's up to the middle setting, but I'm already perfectly level as is, definetly don't want a bro lean. I've also heard mixed opinions on preloading OME coils. I ment to talk to White Toy Taco about his 881s on the middle setting when I wheeled with him in Moab. Might be worth asking him to if you're wanting a little more lift.


My original intention was not really to lift, but now I'm wanting a little more rake. Between the topper and the 100+ pounds of crap in my bin in the bed I'm pushing the Wheeler's 5 packs. Might be looking into an AAL and/or new shackles.

 

I guess I should update this some more

A few pics from Moab:

 

Great pictures! I love your build. Keep up the good stuff!

 

Thanks man! For the little bit I've done to it I really enjoy it.

Really wish I could put more into it....

 

Just ordered the AAL's for my 5 packs along with some new U-bolts and an extended brake line.

It'll be nice to go back to some rake!