Michigan Tacomas

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na, i thought silver lake was closed for rvs? i go easy on my vehicles,mostly two trackin, never did understand how people can baja $30,000 vehicles. last fall we bought a canam 1000 commamder for that. but plenty of trails in the UP to ride and im only 30 sec from getting on the mac bridge.

 

Sounds like we need to do a meet at Silver Lake this year. We have had small Tacoma groups in the past. If you don't want to take your truck on the dunes I have a place we can park them. I am sure 928 Engineer and I will be willing to take people for rides also.

The best part about the dunes is that you can have fun no mater what you drive. Not everyone will be blitzing the whoops or jumping, but at the same time it is a ton of fun to do hill climbs and weave through the trails in the wooded section. And yes there is also mud and water holes for the people that are into that. I am usually up there with a group from prerunners all the way to crawlers and everyone always seems to have a good time. Getting around the dunes is more about tire pressure and driving style than what you are driving.

You would be surprised how much fun it is just to be up there. It can be like a car show sitting around bullsh$tting with your buddies.

 

Sorry guys didn't mean to kill you conversations with my opinion.

on another note I am sure I will be making trips to at least Badlands, Bundy Hill, and Rocks and Valleys also this summer. If people have plans or interest let me know might be able to meet up at those places also. Only bad part about those trips is we bring mostly heeps. But then again that what Jeeps are good for, taking on body damage.

 

I agree I think everyone can have a good time out there and I'm always down to give rides. I considered doing a Bundy Hill run before the prerunner invasion to do a shake down on the new front end so if it looks like a possibility I'll try to let everyone know in advance.

 

I'm planning on going to the dunes at some point this year. I've never been before and I would like to take my truck out. I don't see that sand can hurt it as long as I'm careful and don't hit anything too hard.

 

You'll be fine. We took 11 stock jeeps out there for a test trip for work and we were fine. One guy fried the electronics due to some special instrumentation installed while he was being a dummy driving through puddles and one guy went over a dune going way too fast and crunched a front end but what do you expect taking 8 Germans who have never driven off-road lol.

2016 Jeep Cherokee Limited 2.2L diesel (Euro Spec) with street tires was doing circles around the raptor engineers that were out there...just gotta watch out for peaks of the hills after windy weeks

 

I'm still trying to figure out where to get a flag to mount on my ARB bumper

 

There are a few options...

1. Weld a tab, and use the flag with the nut mount on the end
2. They make a tab with a u-bolt on one end that you can clamp to your bumper and use the same flag as above
3. Suction cup mount to the body
4. Clamp on tube mount, which is what I have, like this one http://www.kartek.com/parts/clamp-on-hinged-whip-bracket-1-34-tubing.html

 

I have two tabs on my bumper already for antennas I would guess or lights. I'm just trying to figure out where to get the flag and pole.

 

B&L Motorsports or David Allen have stores right at the entrance to the dunes, both sell flags and mounts.

 

Sweet. Thanks.

 

Of course!

 

Hey Michigan Tacoma owners! I wanted to post a link to my Tacoma, as it is now for sale on this site. It's in excellent shape, and is just looking for a good home. Selling as my family has outgrown it, and my wife needed a more economical vehicle than our family vehicle. So rather than have 3 vehicles, we are selling the truck. I'm located in Big Rapids.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/2010-trd-off-road-double-cab.417275/#post-12065406

 

are there any taco or 4runner folks that live around the mackinaw area?

 

Whenever you fellas plan on going to Silver Lake let me know. I would love to come along. In the past month i upgraded my suspension and tires and need to go have some fun with it now.

 

May 14th will be my first trip to Silver Lake for the Prerunner Invasion. Plan on heading up Friday afternoon and coming home Sunday evening as long as all goes well. Coming into the season with all the upgrades listed on Page 93 as well as a few others. The Toyota group is pretty small, 4 gen 1 tacos and an FJ ranging from mildly built to my truck. My only other planned trip is July 23rd for the Long Travel Round -Up but there will be plenty more, just not sure on dates.

I may also plan a Bundy Hill trip before the Prerunner Invasion to do a shakedown and try to get the shock valving setup with the new front end so I'll post up here as I'm getting close to finished.

Current List:
Install front end
Rebuild and Mount coilovers
Mount bypasses
Mount bump stops
Mount, plumb and wire radiator and fan
Fill Radiator
Mount AC condenser
Mount under hood accessories like fuse box etc...
Run all new brake lines and eliminate ABS
Re-route fuel lines on driver side to clear shock mounts
Finsh welding engine cage
Build new motor and trans mounts and install
Mount Rigid 6" lights for headlights
Finish mounting seats to cage
Plate cage to cab
Install dash
Battery is moved to rear, need to run cables and install cut-off switch
Replace rear dif fluid
Install rear shocks
Finish plumbing fuel cell
Make and install fuel cell straps
Install windshield
Install bedsides
Nut and bolt check
Alignment
Test drive
Last but not least...Sit back, crack a beer and enjoy all the hard work put in over the off-season

 

Dang busy!!!! I thought I did well installing an OME lift on my truck!!! lmao!

 

Haha yeah it's been a busy winter. I wish my list was smaller, May is approaching faster than I'd like...wouldn't be a prerunner if I wasn't working on it all night the day before an event though

 

I hear you man. Must be a change living in Ann Arbor compared to Az in terms of places you can wheel your rig. I know I am always on the watch for little places to get a quick drive in around here. I am down in Monroe myself. Used to live in Ypsi and worked in Ann Arbor for about ten years.

 

I usually hit the dunes at least once a month. The only set dates at this point are April 2nd and the prerunner invasion weekend. This first trip I may be in my Jeep unless I have a productive weekend so Tacoma will be good enough for now and I will take it. My welding skills seem to have gone to hell so I will have to work on it alittle. The passenger side kinda looks like crap but will work. Haven't done much welding in a few years and it shows. @928 Engineer Let me know and I will meet up at Bundy for some testing.