Squeaky Penguin's (Trip Reports) Build Thread

Would you stick with access cab or go 4 door?

 

I'll trade ya but we keep our toppers

 

Regular cab
No whores.

 

Trading one set of problems for another...
Subbed.

 

This ^ FWIW I am seeing my second gen friends going through the same BS maintenance at far fewer miles. Everything from leaky rear main seals, rear axle seals/bearings, the front bearings are a joke, etc. Shit I am dealing with at 220k they are dealing with at 50-100k.

 

DCSB with something like a flippac would be ideal.

I want something more comfortable for longer trips. Sleeping in the bed works great for a weekend, not so much for a week. Added interior space of a DC would be nice too.

Two too few cylinders.

Honestly, only toying with the idea and it would be very difficult to sell my rig at this point. It has been very reliable considering it's got 272k miles on it. Would also be difficult balancing a DD with the work I would want to do to it. Need to get to work somehow.

Especially after all the work this spring, I just wanted it to work for wheeling season. I've worked on it after every trip this year and getting tired of it.

 

I know the feels...Frankenstein has been depressing lately. Mostly because i just don't have the time or space anymore for his antics.

BUT

Would never sell. Because when it all lines up and works...its awesome. And can only get better the more time i pour into...if i ever get that again.

I will say, i have enjoyed having 2 trucks ALOT in the last year or so. Its been great to beable to just go on trips regaurdless of the Frank's condition. As well as frustrating. I LOVE how much quieter and more comfortable Igor is...but I HATE how Igor handles offroad compared to Frank. But for an all around truck, he is perfect. I can go camping. Drive across the country. Haul stuff. Get good mileage still. Really how a Tacoma should be honsestly.

So maybe just get another 1st gen

Although..when one works..its tempting to just start modding that one full time. Its nicer the 2nd time. You know exactly what you want and how to do it haha

Granted, maintaining the two trucks has been a balancing act as well with funds. Gotta keep Igor going full time as he has DD duty. So Igor gets the money more often then not to make sure it'll last another 100k.

2nd gen would be nice. I've thought of it. Purely because the aftermarket support is killer right now for them. Just too much $$ for me. And not ideal anyways.

Also...id never go for a flippack. Too heavy. Top heavy at that. I like driving fast

 

Just read through this thread, hang in there!

I've been wheeling for 20+ years. No natter what the truck you wheel you will be doing this kind of maintenance - it is the nature of the beast! My best advice, stop driving through mud pits like the one a few pages back...

Nice truck, hope you get over the blues and keep it going!

CAZ

 

I would never own two first gens, way too impractical.

Main thing to consider is that what I want out of my truck has been changing recently. For the most part, I'm over day and weekend trips just for the sake of wheeling. Yeah, there's still some trails I want to hit and technical wheeling I would enjoy, but for the most part, I'm over the thrill.

New build would be focused around longer trips. My rig can't be comfortably driven for miles on end, and I don't think it's an ideal platform for doing so anyways. A 2nd gen would be a better choice for sure.

A new build would start around a practical sleeping setup. A flippac can't be beat in that regard IMO. Way too many negatives of a RTT/bedrack setup.

Thanks CAZ!

Mud pits like that are very rare for me, but certainly don't help. Power steering pump I sorta blame myself, knew I should have dropped the money on an OEM unit. That being said, I would have expected the NAPA reman to last a bit longer.

Hoping it holds up to a bunch of highway miles and some wheeling this weekend.

 

The price of the flip PAC always got me, hard for me to justify the price, great idea but I could buy my truck twice with price of one of those, I've also read they have hinge prob?

But my personal setup is def top heavy but I'm not planning on gettin crazy with the wheelin, An the reasonable price was a big factor for the setup i went with

 

By the time you add up a RTT, a bedrack, and a way to keep all your gear dry, you could probably buy a used flippac. And then it's still more practical. And I wouldn't want to run a RTT on top of a topper. Too high.

 

I almost bought a used one for like 1-2k? An the hinge needed to b repaired an the tent was pretty shot, but I got a smoking deal on my rtt so that kept my cost low,an I hear ya on the rack above topper it's def up there ha,but I guess I was more concerned with being able to lock up my gear, an I hated the thought of tryin to grab shit an having the bed rack in my way. Due to my truck bein dd don't want/need to get crazy she's just a cruiser, I got my other turd I can try an go ham with



Side note, the goose gear habitat looks like a much better/well thought out design but with a $8600 price tag hot damn

 

The flip-pac is yesterdays news.

http://rockymountainfourwheelcampers.com/at-habitat/

 

Find me one used and I'll buy it. Don't even care if it's for a access cab or dc, would build the truck around one.

Those are awesome, but too expensive. Whereas a used flippac might be attainable.

 

I just don't understand this "too expensive" thing. it's a third of the cost of a legitimate camper and light as can be.
You'll spend that or more on a used clapped out piece of shit just trying to make it liveable again, then modding it to be what you want, repairs, etc, someone's leftover fungus, yuck.

 

Based on that a flippac is 50lbs lighter. When I've seen used ones they look pretty good, they're a lot newer than wildernests. Those are often ratted out.

 

Fiberglass vs aluminium is prolly the weight difference. I'd go aluminum, personal preference. Especially the way you drive,

I guess I do understand wanting to keep it cheap, after all, you are going to have to sink a ton of cash into a 2nd gen to make it half as worthy as your 1st gen.
not to mention all the weird vibes. There is a reason the aftermarket is so huge, the truck is a pile from the start. How many legitimate TW Toyota mechanics actually own a 2nd gen?

 

All valid points.

A 1st gen is clearly a better vehicle for technical wheeling. Even our 2nd gen buddies will agree. 2nd gens are roomier and more comfortable though. My truck has it's fair share of vibrations, and is kind of a pain to drive on the highway. I think at this point however, I'm willing to sacrifice some of the ability of my rig if favor of comfort and versatility.

Haven't bought a 2nd gen yet. We'll see.

 

I thought your truck rode smooth with those fancy shocks? You really should drive mine. It's like a Cadillac.