98-00 Tacomas Only

Tip for the wise as well... when my girl got home from work that night and saw that her expensive blow dryer in the garage being used as one of my "tools" she was not too stoked to say the least haha....so ya stick with the heat guns

 

White, correct? No clear coat. You're just working the single stage paint.

Clay or even better, a NanoSkin Autoscrub is the way to get the paint clean. After that, some stepped grades of polish using a PC and the correct pads, followed by a nice wax, and you'll be stunned at how good it can look, even up close.

I worked on an '04 Sienna that had been outside in Florida sun it's whole life, maybe waxed 3x, and got it to be a 3 foot vehicle everywhere but the hood. Which had a lot of chips.

 

I use a blow dryer too, (as a tool!) although there are things a heat gun is a better choice for. But I use the blow dryer left by my beloved wife #1 (deceased). She doesn't care anymore, although I 'may' have gotten in a bit of trouble before........... but there are no witnesses available to prove that.

Anyway. Thrift shops and garage sales are great places to score hair dryers. $1-$2 tops. Test it before you buy, all setting combinations.

Since for most of us heat guns are occasional use tools, pawn shops are a good bet to find one. Just know some brands/pricing before you shop, and you'll know if the pawn is a good deal or not.

 

Thanks for the knowledge as usual bill.

 

It was a tongue in cheek question (mostly). But no lights isn't the definitive way to know 'no'.

I've certainly never backed down, or climbed up, anything that looks like that! However, I have gone both up and down grades steep enough that they were quite difficult to walk. Dyke walls around some swamp retention areas come to mind. (was a cross country land surveyor for a few years)

Anyway, when backing down (for better clearances) I never used reverse, so you'd have not seen my lights either.

1) gravity works better than the gear box in extreme positions. You don't need mechanical motivation.

2) being in 4wd low, 1st gear, allows use of the engine to assist with controlling the decent. Yes, at some expense to the clutch, but it can work better than brakes, especially if you start sliding a bit.

3) works well going nose down as well. Except then you use reverse as your brake assist.

In most cases this isn't needed. But in some cases it's good to use.

 

Certainly taken as a joke... But yes, I never resort to reverse while climbing.. bad idea. Some circumstances if stuck but usually "there's no turning back" so to speak.

I have always felt more control over the vehicle while having a manual transmission. Slowing down/ descents with gearing in the rear and more brakes in the front have saved me quite a few times. Fortunately I have never used reverse as a an additional brake assist... HA!

 

Was with a group retrieving rental cars from a multilevel parking garage one day, with one of those steep curvy ramps. One car's brakes pretty much failed, bad master. Lady driving it got it in reverse (auto) at a low speed using ebrake, and when speed got to high tapped the gas. Was actually quick thinking and a better choice than trying to manipulate a foot pedal ebrake, needed both a foot and a hand, or running into the wall.

Parked the car at the bottom flat and had it towed..........

 

Ok, so to make Scoobarooo feel less offended by the Title: 98-00 "Only" can anyone else chip in on another name for the thread? or are you guys WITH 98-00 ONLY ok with creating bias and affections only for our year models?

I think "98-00" must stay but if there's another tag word you would like to suggest, please do so.

 

Also, continue to send pictures, I plan to do a 98-00 Tacoma of the month as the thread pic.

 

Leave it!

 

Nah, I'm just messing

I like the 98-00 Yotas.

 

It's a little old (trying to find the original pic) but...

 

Found it!

 

Just got my new Aries grill guard on. Like it pretty good

 

i have done a few debadges before i was asking because i've never done it on a 15 yr old truck thats spent its life all over the country in the outdoors for that time and don't really want "ghost badges".... thanks for the info!

 

1998 tacoma TRD 3.4 v6 with 288,000 5 speed. Trail gear front bumper, rock slider, rear bumper with custom swing out tire rack. Soft topper. 285/75/16 nitto trail grappler

 

Here's my old 98. Nothing was ever wrong with it. Would've kept it forever if it was 4WD.

 

My old 99' pre-runner, got rear ended and was totaled out with a bent frame. Only issue I ever had with that truck after having it for 10 years was the starter went out.

 

Damn that sucks. At least you got to upgrade to a 4x4