Kyitty's Humble Build Thread

Finally received, got powder coated, and installed my RCI Metalworks skid plates! These things are BEEFY. The front skid plate if I recall is like 45lbs. The quality of the skids themselves and the welds on them was pretty top notch. My powder coating guy actually spent a couple minutes pointing out all the things he liked about these skid plates. I had them done in "Cloud White" to go with the Super White that is my truck! Not an exact match side by side... but they are under the truck so who's going to notice the slight difference?


Installing these skid plates is probably a two man job. But... I did it myself. I wouldn't recommend doing it solo - it was a Pain in the A. The rear diff skid does seem to reduce ground clearance a bit - and was a real chore getting aligned properly so it wouldn't impact the drive train. The installation instructions, for a novice like myself, were not that great in my opinion. Everything took me a couple of attempts to mount before I was entirely clear what I was doing.

Mounting the front skid plate (45lbs) by yourself is... well... fun. I used a couple of jack stands to help me hold up one end of the plate while I bolted the other end.


Unfortunately, because I have the factory exhaust system (other than muffler) I had to order the transmission skid plate with the 1.25" spacer. This means an extra 1.25" of lost ground clearance in order to clear the exhaust crossover pipe. Unfortunately, that wasn't enough to clear the pipe. Thus, my drive to work the next day was horrid. The exhaust pipe was rattling against the skid plate for 20 miles total. That evening I had to tear it all down to install a couple washer on either side to lower the skid plate even more. Problem solved. Unfortunately, the two carriage bolts that hold this skid in place are not so easy to get to. Especially on the driver side. You've got an exhaust pipe and catalytic converter in the way of the nut - thereby making a wrench or ratchet very difficult to manipulate.

I also learned the hard way that the DCLB Tacoma has a different gas tank than all DCSB or Access Cab models. Wish I'd seen that fine print before I ordered the fuel tank skid and had it powder coated. Not to mention, the DCLB SR5 doesn't have the mounting bolts on the fuel tank other models have. So not only does the skid not cover the tank right it also has no place to attach. Why can't Toyota use the same fuel tank on all models for goodness sake?

Anyhow, the skids themselves seem of very good quality. Their instructions I believe are definitely lacking. However, when I spoke to Josh @ RCI by phone he was very helpful in helping me figure out the issue with the fuel tank skid plate, why it had no instructions, why I couldn't find the install hardware, and helping me discover it won't work on my truck anyhow.

 

Looks good, keep up the good work!

 

Just ordered new wheels and the Black ProComp Splined Lug Kit (including valve stems):
Method NV: 16x8 6lug @ 5.5


OEM Off-Road wheels are 22.3lbs according to a TW post using a scale. The NV's are said to be 22.9lbs according to 4WheelParts.com. Pretty negligible considering I'm going from a 7" to 8" width.

 

Just got these today! Hopefully I'll have them mounted tomorrow!

 

Nice clean build!

 

Got the Method NV 16's on!! Here she is in all her glory!

 

Went on a snow wheeling trip for New Years. Somewhere along the lines something lacerated the sidewall on my passenger side rear tire. Later found out that same object put a gouge in my Method NV rim.




Was forced to use the factory Dunlop AT20 spare tire.




The Michelin M/S 2's are superb highway tires. And they've handled very well on the ice/packed snow here on the Montana roads. However, in deep snow they are next to useless. They are highway tires after all...

Time to research some true off-roading tires I guess.

 

sub'd

 

Just picked up a Firestik FS3-W (White) from RadioShack for $19. Now I'm working on figuring out how I'm going to install a CB radio in the truck for off-road adventures. After reviewing Amazon, YouTube reviews, and manufacturer's sites I've decided on a

$142 Uniden Bearcat 880 CB Radio with 40 Channels and Large Easy-to-Read 7-Color LCD Display with Backlighting, Backlit Control Knobs/Buttons, NOAA Weather Alert, PA/CB Switch, and Wireless Mic Compatible

Uniden Bearcat 880 CB with built in SWR meter. I've also decided to mount the antenna from the hood in order to take advantage of the sheet metal nearby. Apparently, composite truck beds don't provide the metallic radiation reflection required of a transmitting antenna (so says my online research).

Parts Purchased/Ordered:
Firestik FS-3W (White 3')
Uniden Bearcat 880 CB Radio
RelentlessFabrication Hood Mount Brackets (pair)
Firestik 9' Coax w/Firering
Firestik Heavy Duty Spring/Stud Mount

I imagine these items will sit in my garage for a while... along side my front Husky mud flaps... my fuel tank skid plate... fuel tank straps... Anti-Dark hood kit... and the Smitybilt Winch.

Though I can't wait for my Pelfreybilt bumpers and rock sliders to get here so I can get this party started!

 

Awesome! Just got my CB Radio, Firestik Coax & Spring/Stud Mount. USPS says my RelentlessFab mount brackets are being delivered today too. So, in theory, I should have everything I need to get the CB installed.

Not looking forward to wiring things up though to be honest. I don't like taking plastic (dash) stuff apart in vehicles. Haha!

 

Relentless Fab hood mounts installed!



Anti Dark Light Kit installed.



RCI Fuel Tank Skid and Spectra Fuel Tank Straps installed.

 

sub'd great looking truck!

 

Thank you! Putting on bumpers and winch tomorrow!

 

Really awesome picture!

 

I spent nine hours with the help of a buddy installing my Pelfreybilt bumpers and winch. Unfortunately the BajaDesign fogs did not get installed as they would not fit because of a brace behind the bumper.

 

Couple photos of the bumper install process. This should have taken half the time it did. My buddy and I spent 9 hours to put two bumpers and a winch on. About everything that could have gotten messed up did.

Pelfreybilt Front & Rear Bumpers in shipping crate. These were well wrapped with foam wrap and plastic wrap. Unwrapping them to see my Super White bumpers was like Christmas morning as a kid all over again!

This is what actually protects you from a frontal impact. Yes, an aluminum tube that's as wide as it needs to be to bolt to the frame directly. That's it. Scary.

Grill and Bumper removed from the Taco. Look at that gorgeous bumper sitting there... Anyhow, after we got the bumper installed permanently we cut away all the black plastic fender liner you see hanging off there. The entire thing can be removed from the wheel well but that reduces dust/dirt protection for your engine bay and air intake. So we left it in place and simply cut off the exposed portions.

FYI - Smittybuilt Winch install instructions are extremely vague (their wiring diagram is great though). I ultimately found out the HARD way that to make the Smittybilt fit properly onto the truck the control box had to be mounted over the motor/electrical end. It cannot be center mounted as it pushes up against a metal brace on the truck itself and you can't lift the bumper high enough to bolt into place. Note: - You'll need a 10" long Philips screwdriver in order to mount the control box on the motor end of the winch.


FYI - RCI's IFS Skid Plate does not mate well with Pelfreybilt Front Bumper. The leading edge of the RCI plate bends up folds up. Without a plate bumper this is great because it provides better protection against rocks and such. However, it prevents the Pelfreybilt bumper from pushing back completely against the Tacoma's bumper mounts on the frame. This made it more difficult to get things bolted down and aligned properly. Bumper went on and off several times trying to figure this out. If you have an RCI IFS plate you'd be best cutting this bent portion OFF before trying to install the Pelfreybilt bumper.

See Top Right of Photograph:

Rear bumper install is pretty straight forward. Unfortunately for me no matter how much adjusting we did I could not get the gap between the taillights and the bumper even on both sides of the truck. As a perfectionist (this truck is my baby right) this drives me nuts. I think it's the truck though as the tailgate seems to sit even all the way across the bumper.

FYI - Factory bumper has 7 bolts on both sides for a total of 14. We missed one on each side because the bolt was black (others were not) and it was high up in the shadows and we missed it. Imagine our tugging on the bumper and swearing as we couldn't figure out why all the muscle in the world wouldn't tear the dang thing off.

Also note that you do NOT have to remove the factory hitch. It attaches to the bumper only and not to the frame.

Finished product: - For some reason the Pelfreybilt only uses 5 bolts on each side instead of the original 7.

Couple notes:

1) I installed this bumper on a 2015 Tacoma SR5 4x4 DCLB with OME 887 Front Coil Springs and a full set of RCI steel skid plates. I forgot to measure my hub to fender height before mounting the bumper. However, I believe it settled lower due to the weight of the bumper and winch. I can say for certain that the ride on the front end is much softer now that it's got more weight on it. It's so noticeable that I noticed very suddenly while driving around town - and I wasn't actually trying to feel for it. I have 886 coils in my garage awaiting possible install.

2) The overall construction of these Pelfreybilt bumpers seems pretty darn solid. The welds appear to be of good quality (I'm not a welder but my dad taught me once years ago - I spent more time grinding bad welds than I did welding). The welds are not continuous across all contact points. However, each weld is approximately 3 inches long (I didn't actually measure).

Since I'm NOT a grease monkey I would have liked some more photos along with the printed instructions provided by Pelfreybilt. Their printed instructions are very clear - I believe - but as someone who doesn't tinker with vehicles often pictures probably would have helped me save quite a bit of time.

3) If you have a 2012+ Tacoma do NOT use YouTube for video instructions on how to remove your front and rear bumpers. I found videos by someone named Honda4Rided who has a 2007 Tacoma and his videos actually mislead me quite a bit on my truck. Apparently the 2012-2015 bumpers are different - or he was doing stuff wrong.

4) Comparison photo to show the height change of front end. Top photo shows my truck with OME 887's and RCI skids. Bottom photo shows same truck with Pelfreybilt bumper and Smittybilt winch installed. Photos taken same day. Pictures enhanced for brightness to allow you to see into wheel wells.

EDIT: I finally put a tape measure on the front end. Center of hub to underside of fender measurements. Driver Side 21 3/4" - Pass Side 22".

That's with OME 887's and OME Nitrosport Shocks (90021), Pelfreybilt Steel Plate Bumper, Smittybilt X20, and RCI Steel Skids (A-Arms, IFS, Mid, and Trans)

 

Thanks for the details on your install. Very useful Truck looks real good !

 

Just got my @Pelfreybilt Sliders welded on today!









New 33" 255/85/16 Cooper ST Maxx and 886 springs coming on Tuesday!

 

Just got the 886 springs put on today to replace the 887's. Also got my Cooper ST Maxx 255/85/16's installed. Here's a couple crappy photos. The truck is dirty and it's been 'snowing' all day long. Also means poor sunlight for photos! Looks like the switch from 887's to 886's gave me an entire inch! Truck looks level again now.

Center of hub to underside of fender measurements:
887s: Driver Side 21 3/4" - Pass Side 22".
886s: Driver Side 22 3/4" - Pass Side 23".






Unfortunately the 255/85/16 Cooper ST Maxx won't fit under the truck where the factory spare was mounted. So now I need a bed mount system. Since I went with a standard Pelfreybilt rear bumper without the arm on it... since my garage isn't long enough for that setup. LOL Dangit!

 

Truck looks awesome!

I feel your pain on a full size spare... A rear bumper with a swingout for a 285 is next on my list... I just can't decide between high-clearance or standard! I'd love to go HC, but something about hacking the bedsides off a truck with less than 13k miles won't let me!