AlumEscape Expo Build

Great pics!

 

Very nice build OP!

 

Thanks guys, there's still a lot more to come!

 

Very nice build. Subbed

 

Looks great buddy!

 

Holly piss those light are bright I've been looking at getting a set of those lights for Iggy and those night shots where exactly what I was looking for

 

Yeah I'll also be getting a set of those from iggy!

 

Wow just skimmed through the build awesome rig! Dont know if anyone asked but how close to matching is the paint on the rims to the body? I just got a '15 SR5 DCLB MGM and I was looking at those rims, the fn five star, or scs stealth 6.

 

Got anymore pics of your bumper up close really thinking about getting the arb but I'm not sure about the fitment... Does it seem to flow with the body real good?

 

Thanks man, I'm hoping that some more major mods will be coming in the next few weeks in preparation for the 2nd annual Mid-Atlantic Overland Festival!

 

No kidding guys! I was shocked by the brightness on these units and the quality. The only suggestions I'd offer (given the investment) is to swap out the hardware for some button-head style stainless fasteners, tamper-proof if you can. I wanted to do what I could to make sure these don't walk off when I'm away from the rig haha.

I wired them up through separate fuses and relays too under the hood so if I don't need the full power of sun I can just pull a fuse and run one instead of the pair

 

Stu - the color match is really close. I can't remember what else Dustin (JdMeF9SiR2) offers in the graphite gunmetal but the quality is top notch and he offers great customer service. I was so pleased with the whole deal that I have a matches set of wheels on my teardrop camper build which gets lots of looks.

I don't think I have any pictures of the wheels right next to the paint but they are easily assumed to have been color-matched. These wer taken right after I got them mounted up.

 

Yup that's it, time to start hoarding the pennies! Thanks!

 

Honestly I was hesitant to go with their design on the '12 at first as I saw some photos that seemed the show the headlight/grille bars as too high and too far from the body. I also thought I wanted front shackle mounts which the ARB design doesn't provide.

That said, I'm very impressed with the quality and fitment now that it's on. My initial concerns about the hoop height I think was because most folks tuck the bar in very tight to the body which obviously shifts the whole bumper up relative to the grill, headlights and hood. I can only imagine that those folks are beating the crap out of their front fenders when flexing offroad because there is a lot of movement between the chassis and body. I also picked up an eBay replacement bumper cover for a base model w/out flares to hack up for the install. It your cover has the flare extensions you will have holes that are visible after the install as the flare extensions on the bumper have to be removed to run the ARB. The holes would he most visible in the first photo below.

Hopefully these shots will give you some more to go on:







I'll warn you that I'm not impressed with the quality of the turn signals/markers and the ARB/IPF foglights. Both have known water issues and I've experienced both. I've cleaned and sealed the turn signals/markers (see post 44) and it's been holding up great now. I did have only of the glass foglight lenses nearly fall off after about a month of use because the glue failed. I caught it in time and disassembled and cleaned both units and sealed them back up with the same flowable silicone. So far so good but I do have a bit of clouding on the inside of the lenses again which is disappointing. Live and learn.

 

Haha good luck, that's how this whole sickness starts

 

What do you mean if your cover had the flare extension?

 

The 4x4's and Pre-Runners have the fender flare extensions on the front bumper that are secured by clips from behind. These flare extensions have to come off to cut the bumper cover and install the ARB bar. I'm sure that makes very little sense by the explanation so I tried to find you a picture - This first silver Tacoma has had the flare extensions removed and the stock bumper cover cut.



This is a 2wd base model that doesn't have fender flares so no fender flare extension holes are in the cover.


Going this route let me save stock bumper if I ever need to go back to stock and I have no unsightly holes!

 

I see what you're saying now. I wonder what needs to be don't to make the older style fit the 2012+ tacoma?

 

I can't say with certainty but I was originally considering the same. After digging around online back then I found this shop in VA that had apparently done so. I don't know what all was involved but the gap killed it for me. I guess it's a matter of what you can live with - the gap or cutting up your bumper or buying another to cut up.

 

Ok thanks! Sorry for all the questions...