any advice for cross country in a first gen?

The faster you drive the less time you have to get into an accident.

That's all the advice I have.

 

My thoughts exactly! I don't speed per se, just in passing packs of cars on 2 lane highways. I generally avoid the "free"way if at all possible. I will probably be driving old '93 the whole way, though I understand parts of this have become interstate. As the old trucker saying goes "I drive '93, pray for me"

 

And really man, the idea here is to enjoy the drive. My '02 never let me do that - it dove and bounced all crooked on every frost heaved piece of road and whoopty. Alignment was irreparable. On long drives I just wanted it to be over and layed hard into that go pedal.

 

Is it standard or auto trans? Get the wheel bearings and center bearing checked/lubed etc. Other than that it should be fine cross country. Ive taken the Toyota's Ive owned across numerous states.
If yours is manual trans the clutch pedal starts to sag and the clutch disengages the Cruise control. Theres a small microswitch on the topside of the clutch pedal where you can adjust the switch.

 

Do you have pictures? I've never seen it.

 

I've driven the distance to the moon and back , make sure the AC is charged and working and belts are all ok.

 

I just did an 18,000 mile road trip around the United States (all 48 states) starting in October. I slept in the truck bed with a camper shell for most of it. I would easily do it again the same way if I could.

I can impart a bunch of advice - anything specific that you're looking for guidance on?

 

My wife, bro-in-law and I traveled from California to Florida several summers ago. We also had our two dogs. We left Bakersfield, CA, picked up my bro-in-law in Vegas, stopped at the Grand Canyon, visited friends in Alabama, and ended our trip in Jacksonville, FL. We did that trip in less than a week. It was a fun trip.

We kept our clothes & sleeping gear behind the drivers seat and stayed at KOAs. We only had one bin in the bed so that the dogs had the room. (One of them slept on the bin.) At the time, I had a Can-Back soft top on it. Kept the back rolled up, and the sides partially open so that the dogs had circulating air. Plus, we drove a lot during the early, early mornings so that it was cool for the dogs. Did a lot of pit stops to let them run and stretch their legs.

As for the truck, no issues at all. Before we headed out, I made sure that everything on the truck checked out okay: fluids, battery, belts, tires, etc. I had a small toolkit with just the bare essentials, plus some coolant, a quart of oil, and a couple of cans of Fix-a-Flat. We mostly stayed on the major freeways, so we weren't too far from towns/cities. Just in case.

My advice would be to make sure everything is cool at least a week before leaving, especially when changing out the fluids, balancing tires, new belts, etc. That way, as you drive it for a week, you know everything is okay.

 

So, a number of you seem to have familiarity with the manual transmissions. Thanks by the way for the advice on the clutch safety cutout. I was wondering, coming from an automatic, does the manual trans make itself heard - that is with whirring gear type noises like when you're backing up or in first and second. I'm thinking this is just normal to the standard gearboxes on these. I know that for some transmissions like the ax-15 on my wrangler changing to royal purple improves its manners.

 

its under the dash, look where the clutch usually sits in its normal position.

 

on manual trans there is a normal whirr noise in reverse but a loud grinding noise is not.

 

Also, who has good advice on how to get some free sleep on the road without being hassled. I traveled with a camper shell on my old truck but found it made me a bit of a target. I was thinking I might make a go kit with sleeping gear and a bivy sack to go sleep in the weeds away from the vehicle.

 

Walmart allows you to sleep in their parking lot overnight for free. Same as regular rest stops.

 

rest areas, just dont get caught up like this

 

If you haven't already check the timing belt cover for a replacement sticker.If it's not there I would try and pull the cover to check the belt.
I know the 3.4 is a noninterference engine but it's still a pain to have it let go on a trip....

 

Hey Danny,

Good Luck on your trip. It sure sounds like it is going to be a fun trip.

You were asking about synthetics. Synthetics are always a good idea in every application including the manual transmission. They don't break down, which is great. I run Amsoil synthetics on everything in my Tacoma except the engine. I use Castrol full synthetic 5W-30 for motor oil. The only reason for this is because Castrol full synthetic is sold in 5 quart tubs and Amsoil is not. Synthetics in the transmission might not making shifting easier, but it certainly will be much better on the transmission's internals.

Here is my experience with the first generation Tacoma manual transmissions. They are a smooth transmission, but they certainly are not in the same caliber as a performance automobile transmission in terms of smoothness. As far as reverse, they go into reverse much easier when they are shifted into a few other gears before reverse is selected. There is always a little bit of gear noise when backing up with the R150F. I have had mine so long I am numb to this noise. The same thing goes for first gear. When you are at stop, they go into first much smoother if you pop it into second before you shift it into first. I am sure you already know this so I apologize for the redundancy.

I never use the cruise control on mine not even on long distance so I can't help you much there. Although, in your case with your upcoming travels, I am sure cruise control will be quite useful.

Good Luck,
Paul

 

i have been known for napping in truck stop car parking lots.

It get real easy to sleep in the drivers seat when your tired enough


It is a personal thing if I nap longer then 15 or 20 minutes most likely I am going to want (need) Coffee

In my younger days I roamed around the Mountain West The heating water and making Instant Coffee gets old fast .

Besides cute friendly waitresses or waiters depending are always fun to watch

 

I drove my '98 4x4 2.7L 5-speed access cab from Atlanta to Laguna Beach California 5 times. Either towing a small trailer or my son's '77 Celica (Christmas present). Truck had over 200K miles and never missed a beat. I recommend changing the lubricant in the trans, transfer case, and differentials before you go. Have fun, and enjoy your Taco.

 

small trailer, hmm... so I'm going to look at an 8x10 cargo trailer tomorrow. It could just be my next apartment for the summer. It rains a lot in northern Washington and I think the canvas tent might start to mold.