Lambo's Daily Driver --> Trail Hunter Build (dbc trd) - Now I need a new daily...

I made a CB antenna mount today. It's kinda ghetto-fab'd but it seems to work well. I'm a bit worried about it flopping into the cabin but we'll see. I can also remove the spring and replace it with a stud mount. If it does work well, I'm definitely going to remake it with proper metal bending tools... not c-clamping it to a table and bending it over the edge









Now I just need to figure out cable routing into the cabin. I also still need to purchase a CB radio haha! I originally bought a cheapo one off Amazon thinking I could mount it in the lower center console storage bin, without measuring... and sure enough it was too large. Now I'm looking to get the

$142 Uniden CMX760 Bearcat Off Road Series Compact Mobile CB Radio, 40-Channel Operation, Ultra-Compact for Easy Mounting, Large 7-Color Backlit LCD Display on Mic with Built-in Speaker Mic, Black

Uniden CMX760 but it seems to be out of stock everywhere that sells it for $129.99 vs the $179.99 MSRP. I really want the install to be stealthy and it looks like that compact unit will work perfectly.

 

Went on a spur of the moment Craigslist run tonight to pick up some super cheap wheels... Still not sure if I'll even run them. But. They could have a super cool 80's sorta look if I can clean them and polish them up. We'll see. Still waiting on the wheels I really want to go on sale... and a re-gear so I can run 33's.



Maybe it needs a rad TRD livery to rock those wheels.

 

Well... I spent the evening cleaning the wheels. This is the worst one.

Front (surface rust not removed):


Rear (surface rust removed):


Not super sure if they're safe to run. It seems like it was covered with surface rust which I took a wire wheel to. That removed it and revealed the missing chrome underneath. I think I can continue cleaning them and removing the surface rust then I'll probably paint them grey or black... not sure.

 

Got around to trying the wheels on... They look kinda neat in the chrome.



I also did a bad photoshop to see how they would look painted dark grey/black.



I think they could look cool spaced out a little bit with some 255/85's. As is, it seems they're a very similar backspacing to the stock wheels. Not sure on width, though.

Ehh... we'll see.

 

Toytec had a customer appreciation event today that I decided to check out. Unfortunately they were also doing a 10% discount on everything in stock... so I picked up some 1.25" Spidertrax spacers. I decided that I don't want to run the steelies I recently bought. I just can't really get behind the look. I like black steelies in 15's, not 16's. Hopefully these spacers hold me over until I can get the wheels I want... or I find something else cool on Craigslist for cheap haha!

Spacers installed:

 

Like the build and enjoying the write ups! Looking to install the same lift kit as you. Pics make me miss CO and being so close to Moab.
Keep 'em coming.

 

Thanks! It's a great suspension set up. I'm really happy with it so far. I just wish I did greasable front leaf bushings while I had it all out.

 

Well, I got tired of having the turn signals ziptied to the truck. So, I decided to do the turn signal relocation into the parking light housing. It isn't a pretty job... Who knew JB weld doesn't really like 90° weather ... But it works, for now.





This isn't my final solution. It doesn't look as bad as I thought but I'm still not a fan of the two lights one housing solution. I want to have a dual-filament bulb to handle both the parking light and the turn signal since I don't want to remove the parking light functionality. I have seen people graft dual-filament sockets to the housing but that requires removing the seal and resealing everytime you need to change the bulb... I'm not a fan of that compromise. So, my plan is to find a dual-filament light fixture on a junk yard vehicle and graft that socket onto the parking light housing. I have some brand new housings for that project but it probably won't happen until I get around to doing an HID retrofit as well. I'm trying to keep the lights as stock looking and functioning as possible. I'm not a fan of all the crazy HID retrofits that truck guys seem to like to do.

 

Nothing new... just some pics from a quick trail run last weekend

DSC_6572 by Phillip Keefe, on Flickr

DSC_6593 by Phillip Keefe, on Flickr

DSC_6575 by Phillip Keefe, on Flickr

DSC_6598 by Phillip Keefe, on Flickr

DSC_6586 by Phillip Keefe, on Flickr

DSC_6597 by Phillip Keefe, on Flickr

 

What trail is that? I spy Breckenridge in the background, and have been all around that area, but not figuring out which trail.

Good start in on this build.

 

Thanks! I'm actually not sure on exact trails. We met up in Keystone and then headed up Montezuma Rd. until it ended. From there I'm not entirely sure where we went.

 

Hit up Middle St. Vrain and Coney Flats yesterday. It was fun but pretty tough, only in the sense that there were a few spots where sliders would have been nice to have. I managed to get through without any rock damage but I think those trails are as gnarly as I'm comfortable doing without sliders... Luckily I have a friend that can build some so it's just finding the time to get that done. Coney Flats has a pretty cool water crossing near the beginning/end (depending on how you get to the trail). Luckily I did my diff breather mod the night before in preparation. However, the lake wasn't very deep so all was good.

Diff breather:



I was originally going to mount the filter to that bottom hole but quickly found out that wasn't going to work... oops!



And here are some pics from the trail run

DSC_6633 by Phillip Keefe, on Flickr

DSC_6609 by Phillip Keefe, on Flickr

DSC_6614 by Phillip Keefe, on Flickr

DSC_6613 by Phillip Keefe, on Flickr

DSC_6620 by Phillip Keefe, on Flickr

 

Aye! Another R3ver. Howdy boyoooo.

 

Oh hey I know you <3

 

Well... the next big trip is planned. Andddd.... we're headed back to Moab!

However, this time I'm going with different people and we're doing Kokopelli Trail to get to Moab. With that, I have quite a bit of work I need to do to the truck in order for it to be ready for the trip. This work includes spark plugs, wires, oil change, air filter, CB install, and sliders. I currently have a local guy fabbing up some sliders so that should be happening, hopefully, sometime next week. Today I knocked out all the boring preventative maintenance work...

07/30/2017 -- Spark Plugs, Spark Plug Wires, Oil Change, Air Filter -- 142,438

I finally got around to replacing the spark plugs with some OEM Denso ones. I wasn't sure when the spark plugs were last changed but when I pulled the old ones, they looked relatively fresh... oh well, at least now I know for sure when they were replaced. At the same time, I changed the wires as well with some OEM ones from the dealer. I think the best thing about owning this truck is how reasonably priced the OEM parts are. The wires were about $60 from Toyota of Dallas whereas OEM sparkplug wires for my E30 would have been, like, $300 from BMW... I really prefer to replace all parts with OEM ones, especially for this truck where reliability is key.

Here's a gross picture of my engine bay with the new wires... All that dirt is from the truck's first trip to Moab haha!



And here's an extra picture for no reason

DSC_6627 by Phillip Keefe, on Flickr

 

Finallyyy got around to putting the CB in. It's installed in the lower center cubby. I wanted to be able to completely stow it when it's not in use. That's why I got the Cobra 75WXST. All of the controls are on the handset.

Here's the box "installed". "Installed" because it's not permanently wired in yet. I want to run it to a switch but I need to figure out a switch panel setup first... So, currently it's just powered by a 12V plug. Not ideal, but it works.



Once permanently wired, this is all that would be seen coming out of the cubby.



I mounted the handset holder on the blank panel next to the air vents. Ignore my ugly floor mats, thanks.



I wish the back light was orange, but oh well...



And here it is all stowed away. The power wires will be tucked when I get around to permanently wiring it.

 

Late night bump with a random pic from today

DSC_6645 by Phillip Keefe, on Flickr

 

Love seeing R3v people end up here haha. Truck looks good! Our builds are nearly identical

 

Same. Makes me miss my e30 though.

 

Yeah it is funny to see the overlap. But an e30 and Tacoma is a pretty sweet vehicle combo.

I have barely touched mine since I got the taco... It's depressing to think about...