PennSilverTaco's "Perfect 5-Lug Regular Cab" Build, Aspergers, and General BS MegaThread!

God dammit. Why does this have to have a Texas license plate?

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...-to-confirm-compressor-clutch-engages.445735/

 

"Armor" - Arb front, Fab-4's rear, and Tacoma OEM boards to ward off the parking lot door-dingers. The rack is for putting the spare on, when i load up an ATV.

I also echo that a dash-cam should be the 1st line of defense... The Ruskie's have got a good thing going in making it mandatory standard equipment, to keep people honest.

Laugh all you want, but I basically built this specifically for an inter-urban commute from Hell.. The Toronto-Hamilton corridor is one of the more congested, with high ratio of distracted/careless/ill-trained drivers in North America. Yes, it's a 5-lug, no more, no less. Low speed shunts are most likely, and most numerous. I intend to keep my truck going for more than a few years than is the norm. Mine may be a budget 5-lug, but being my first new car in 30 years driving, I'm into long-term investments, being on a budget myself.

Look at what the Aussies do with their 2wd 'Utes' .. they are generally dealing with really big hopping marsupials - not stupid people, or really stupid deer as in North America.

I hate dealing with insurance co's and i hate dealing with repair shops. I really hate dealing with people who do stupid things behind, or in front of me. There is not much positive about a car accident that is not your fault, but there is that certain after-accident smug satisfaction - that comes from being able to drive away from the situational scene of most accidents around here, while that other guy leaves on a hook. Anything larger than me - i'm still basically at their mercy.. and there are plenty of bumper-humping F150 idiots out there, in congested rush-hour traffic, but my truck will survive better than most cars on the road... one can only do so much, before getting to offensive weaponry =)

If you need further fuel for on-road thought, you need to go through this post, as well as the parent Armor forum: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/plate-bumpers-after-impact-with-pics.379600/

In the end, if the armor destroys the truck in the midst of a major accident, being somewhat medically fragile.. better it, than me.

See my build page, for gradual progression on "up-armoring" a 5-lug. I think it's a little better mechanically thought out than the above mad-max liability appears to be.

 

Drop a Viagra in the gas tank. It will stiffen things up.

 

Never seen a plate bumper get hit, eh? Scares off prius, sure, dents like a whiny girl.

 

Thats why. there's nothing you can do to prevent being sandwiched. Thats just a risk of being on the road with other drivers. It was drivable because the stock bumpers did their job. Sometimes full steel bumpers can transfer the energy into the frame.

I'd take a couple crunched bumpers over a bent frame.

 

Actually, yes i've had a plate bumper get hit - the Fab-4's got hit in a low-speed shunt .. see the above comment about getting to drive away, while other driver gets towed away.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/cheap-bumpers-on-ebay.438074/

Sorry I had too

 

Your truck is pretty much my truck! Just with extra cab space, a third pedal, and gauges in kilometers instead of MPH. How much did you pay for the front and rear bumpers?

 

For details, it's best to get to my 'build page' and go to page 6 for the build inventory..

The front bumper is the Arb here = http://www.4wheelparts.com/Bumpers-....aspx?t_c=64&t_s=26&t_pt=6410&t_pn=ARB3423140

I paid $1428.00 CDN at the time.

http://www.4wheelparts.com/Bumpers-...?t_c=64&t_s=26&t_pt=3486&t_pn=FFITT05-Y1351-1

The Fab-4, IIRC was $890.00 CDN.

Both sourced from 4wheelparts, both installed by me.

 

Th

This happened to me in factory "armor." She met my trailer hitch cover with all of her Honda Accord fury.

Nbd, bruh

 

I've seen that piece in person, he was 20 minutes away and wow up close is so much worse

 

Does your truck have air-conditioning, power windows, and power locks?

 

Why do you call your truck a "slug"? You don't think it's slow, do you?

I have a 2010 2.7L/4-speed auto 2WD. It is no slouch, and I have no problem keeping up with traffic. Most of the roads I drive on have 55 MPH speed limit. I do 60-70 to keep up with traffic. The speed limit on the PA Turnpike is 70 in most places so I'll do 80. And again, my truck has no third pedal, just a slushbox.

 

Before you go out and get armored up you should get with a few of us locals and see the bumpers/sliders/armor in person.
If nothing else you'll get a little more education.

 

That is probably caused by something else, maybe your carb needs to be adjusted because it is running too rich or the auto choke could be malfunctioning.

 

wow... sounds brutal up there!

 

I looked into this for mine 'cause I like the idea a lot. I found that Viper's authorized dealers are a bunch of complete fucking idiots and abandoned the idea for now. I've heard this kind of thing is real sketchy to DIY and yet the shops left me with zero faith in them.

I'd love the idea as well.

 

I've had mine almost the entire lifespan of the vehicle (Clifford model). I use it rarely.
I find the best use is to activate it while I'm actively scraping ice, or during mornings where I would need to sit and idle anyway until the heater can get rid of the windshield fog.
Would I get it again? Meh...

 

Relative to what i am used to in the past - two, three and four wheels - combined with tire upgrade which has messed with the final drive gearing ratio a bit, and the additional weight of armor and add-ons, it is a relatively low-performance truck. It is a term of endearment for my truck also. It effectively serves my needs, but relative to acceleration, it is a wee bit on the unresponsive side depending on traffic circumstance. Nature of the compromise, modified from OEM spec beast.

Yes.