The Getaway...Crom's build and adventures

After reading that I said to myself, Crom has got to be as old as fuck as me, LOL. Great movie dude, and BTW I realy enjoy your build thread, one, if not the most functional build in TW!!!

 

Having a truck shell with no vent was quite a burden. Heat was a major issue. In 90*F weather, and direct sun for a few hours I measured temperature at the roofline to be 148*F. That's just too much heat. I decided to install a vent in the shell. I ended up going full custom and it turned out really well. My project was completed on 7/19/2014. I used a bit of 4" ABS pipe and a

Canplas 133070GN Vent Pipe Cap

Canplas ABS vent pipe cap for $15. It has been completely maintenance free for 1.5 years now with no leaks and no problems.

It is low profile and does not interfere with the roof rack. It is helping cool the inside of the shell by ~25*F at the roof line.

I'm calling it a complete success.

Here are a few photos and basic steps of how I did it.

Mark off work area with blue tape to protect paint. Measure and find centerline, and use ABS pipe to mark I.D. and O.D. for a template.


I put up a "drop cloth" on the underside of the roof to catch debris there (I hate messes).


I used a cordless drill to drill small holes all the way around the template.


I then drilled a larger hole to fit the rotary tool into, then it was fast and easy to connect the dots. I used a vacuum to collect dust. No mess.


Shell now has a nice round hole.


I used my fingers to push back and break the paper cellular structure to make room for fiberglass repair.


Mix fiberglass epoxy stuff which is waterproof!


Sand fiberglass with sanding drum and rotary tool after 25 minutes of hardening.


Test fit vent and cap


Apply Velcro brace for vent and tape off area again


Set ABS pipe into joint with adhesive sealant.


Install vent cap (after 48 hours) (Top down view)

 

Dude you're so awesome hahaha!! I love it. Way cool custom mod right there!! You've seen a significant change in temperature since installing that?

 

I forget exactly on which trip it happened, but sometime in 2010 the ABS almost killed me when I couldn't stop the truck near a cliff in Anza-Borrego. The truck was in 4HI. After I changed my shorts, and caught my breath, I vowed to understand, control, and modify the operation of ABS in the truck.

The results of that vow was this thread authored in the summer of 2011.

ABS Kill Switch mod for 05+ Offroad EASY WAY! (PICS)


Generally speaking, I disable ABS when my tires hit dirt for any wheeling trip, or if there is snow / ice.

Here is a pic of me testing the mod. Mash the brakes hard and tires dig in! Works great!


It's my observation that ABS is often very misunderstood. There are furious debates about this subject. What I have determined is that there is no legal requirement to have this feature enabled on vehicles sold in the united states. There is for VSC, but not for ABS.

ABS is a system that relieves the driver from understanding and employing a braking technique called threshold braking. In essence it is a trade off between locking up the wheels and potentially loosing steering control during emergency braking, and increasing the distance required to stop.

 

In April 2010 I took control of the DTRL circuit. I thought it was dumb that I couldn't turn off the DTRL with a switch. So I looked at the factory wiring diagram and installed a switch.

To share the joy of modding I authored a thread for others to follow.

DTRL toggle switch mod (stealth mode)

 

Thanks for this vivid anecdote, especially in offroad circumstances. I am more likely to encounter these conditions than ice. If something like that happened on Silver Creek Trail headed down from Bristlecone to Bishop, the result would well be death down a 1000-foot cliff. Granted you can only descend that trail in low range and low gear. But still. On ledges in the Eastern Sierra, I really don't want Toyota doing my thinking for me.

Coming from an 01 w/o ABS (FTMFW), I'm still acclimating to and learning about all the nanny shit and VSC and crap on the 15 that I used to just ignore because it was irrelevant to me, and my limited mental capacity was needed elsewhere.

So...why not just pull the ABS fuse, as I have heard other do? The obvious answer is because you still want access to ABS; but why, since you seem to have a fully operational brain, eyes, and feet?

 

Ugh.. This thing is awesome, i love this.. Almost makes me want to sell my first gen and buy a second gen haha. Im in love with that Baja rack too.

 

In March 2015 I installed stainless steel speed bleeder brake screws. This allows me to perform brake bleeding procedures and even full brake system flushes all by myself.

I have even flushed 32oz of new DOT4 fluid in 32 minutes.

This is a wonderful mod to save time and money. Brake fluid is hygroscopic, which means it attracts and absorbs water. The brake lines are steel and they can and will rust from the inside out. Even though there is no provision to flush brake fluid from Toyota, It's a really good idea to replace the fluid every so often.

My mechanics shop will flush the system for about $70. With this mod I can do it all by myself for $8 and about 30-40 minutes time.

I shared my experience in a DIY thread entitled:

DIY, Brake fluid flush, 4x4 - TRD Off-Road with Speed Bleeders





Old vs. New

Fast and easy, and no mess!

 

Wonder if this will work on my 09 even though Im a SR5

Also I need to find those bleeders for the rear FJ disks... My truck is so Frankenstein.

 

In July 2012 I installed the world famous ImMrYo Rear-View mirror Bracket.

Whoever designed the rear view mirror location was high on drugs or very very short lol!

The ImMrYo bracket relocates the mirror about 3" higher. It's been installed for 3.5 years and 35,000 miles with zero issues. Flawless design execution by ImMrYo.

Photo credit "Dunkel" click pic takes you to original post.

 

On July 17, 2012 I changed my own oil for the first time in over 10 years. During the change I installed a

$33 Fumoto F-103 with LC-10 Included F-Series Engine Oil Drain Valve, 1 Pack

Fumoto F-103 oil drain valve. It has a double ball valve, and locks open or closed. I backup the lock with a zip tie for extra caution. It saves me a ton of time doing oil changes myself and I know it's done right.



Zero issues with this mod. Very happy with the construction and operation. Made in Japan.


Oil goes into a empty soap bottle. Zero mess.

 

Right about the same time I was solving the thermonuclear heat issue in the shell with a roof vent I decided to try and block heat from getting into the shell through the windows. I ended up using some Reflectix insulation from the home improvement store. it comes in a roll of 16"x25' for about $18. It works surprisingly well. In the day time in the sun, when I place my hand by the glass I can feel the intensity of the reflected sun. Cheap and very effective.



I don't remember how I went about installing it but it's just cut to size, trimmed and pressed into the recessed of the factory A.R.E. window frames. I had to make little cut outs for the window locking mechanisms. It works great for keeping heat out and adds privacy to the shell.


The reason for the rainbow appearance, is because my kids were playing with multicolored lights at the time I took the pic.

This is how it looks from the outside.

The back of the shell glass does not have the Reflectix stuff. I tried but it didn't work out. Instead For the back glass, I ended up wrapping it with a carbon fiber textured vinyl in three pieces. Tedious to make straight lines. It turned out really well and I've been quite happy with it.

 

Spot Trace.

Thanks for the reply.

Yes. Very dramatic change. My old notes say 25*F change in temp at roofline, but I believe it's even greater. The benefit is tremendous. Prior to the vent it was an oven back there. Those days are long gone.

Yeup. Yeah ABS on ice is a disaster, massive safety liability. I'm sure you seen the tons and tons of threads that come out every year at winter time about trucks not being able to stop at a stop sign, etc. Some of them are epic.

Thank you.

Just a wild guess, but I bet the FJ disk uses same as Tacoma front SB7100 . Call them or email www.speedbleeder.com/ Good company to do biz with.

 

In Jan 2013 I needed some reliable tie down points and decided to put some eye bolts in the Tacoma rail system.

I used some Grizzly G9513 - T-Slot Nuts, pk. of 4, 9/16" Slot, 3/8" - 16 for the proprietary Toyota track. I found some 3/16 x1/2" eye bolts at local home depot and grade 8 washers. They have served me really well when I needed to tie off a load.

Over time I figured out optimal places for the eye bolts and I have not had to move them in a few years.

 

In this post, I'm going to show you how to save a shit ton of money by doing a full flush of the automatic transmission fluid yourself with simple tools in your driveway and about $60 in parts and fluid. I did this in March 2015 with 54,840 miles on the odometer.

I used a lawn and garden sprayer pump.

The pump cost was under $9 from wally world, found in the garden section. I cut the tip off and attached some

$16 Watts SVIG20 Pre-Cut 1/2" Diameter by 3/8" Clear Vinyl Tubing, 20-Foot Length

3/8" ID clear vinyl tubing with a size 4 worm clamp. I also thoroughly cleaned and dried the pump prior to use with mild soap and reverse osmosis water.

I picked up (3) gallons of Valvoline MaxLife Automatic Transmission Fluid for about $17 each, also at wally world.



I popped out the plastic grill in front of the truck and set it aside. I needed access to this little gem, the transmission cooler.



I put some paper towels down by the hose clamps and disconnected them and moved the hoses out of the way. I then connected some clear tubing and placed both lines into a bucket and started the truck. I wanted to be absolutely sure which was the output and the return line.


I started the truck and let the transmission pump the atf fluid out into this bottle. When the truck's pump started to go dry I turned the ignition off.


Then I disconnected the top tubing and attached my pump's tubing. I proceeded to pump the same amount back in that had just come out. I repeated this process 3 times and then the truck was pumping out new fluid. At that point I stopped the truck and put the factory atf cooler lines back to the hard lines. Then I proceeded to park the truck on level ground and perform the ATF fluid check procedure as described in this thread here. I had an extra quart in there that came out and then I buttoned it all up.

My Toyota dealer wanted over $300 for this. I did it myself in my driveway for less than $60. Take that Toyota!

 

Crom, you are condensing and organizing, eh? Getting ready for something big?

 

In the short time I have had the 15, I have found the OEM bedrail tie downs to be annoying as fuck. Can't even hook a standard rubber trucker bungee on them without a fuss, and I find them cumbersome to operate. Again, Toyota does not seem to hire truck users as truck designers.

*taking notes on hardware

 

Awesome updates! Definitely interested in doing the ABS and dtrl switches when I get some time.

 

OAF. Yup, getting there day by day, lol. I have a very eccentric collection of friends. People from all ages and walks of life that I see on a regular basis. One of them is named Bob M. and he just turned 99! He is a pillar of inspiration to me. He is also one of the baddest mother f*****s I've ever known!

Just importing scattered posts in old threads that I thought might be helpful to others.

Yes the factory tie down hardware is quite the let down. My old mounts are collecting dust in a garage box.

Thanks. Good to hear from you! I was thinking of your last Kayak trip to that lake in your build thread. Inspiring to me, I want to try that sometime. Also was looking to finally circle back around (after a year, lol) and install some hinge pins for those rear seats. Still on my list.

 

Thanks! I haven't had time lately to explore much or even get things done on the truck. Life is great now, so I'm not complaining. I'll just have to live vicariously through your and others' trips for now.