What have you done to your Tacoma today? 1st Gen Edition

I've either been in Northing WY, AK, or MT my whole life. Used to it. Plus the seasons change daily half the time or at least as much as year to year as the weather does day to day. This last winter was rough though. Started early, ended late...still going really in parts around here. mountains were at 200% snow pack. Still snowing up there too every week a bit.

But like I told someone from Georgia once on here...


We live here...because you don't

Rewards are well worth it.

 

sleddin' season

 

Its been awhile, but from the tools laying there I think I unbolted that little brace that is at the center of the wheel well, I cant remember if I unbolted or just popped the rivets but the bracket needs to go so they will come outwards. I just used a small piece of wood against the inside of the fender and kept moving the jack around the wheel well and pushing out more and more. The wood helps so it doesnt push in a small spot and cause a dent, use a somewhat thin flexible wood and it bends to kinda match the fender curve before it starts pushing out

 

Charlotte to Houston was my record trip, 16 hours one way. Gotta have snacks and music. I stopped after entering each new state to stretch and walk around for a minute. If you feel tired stop and walk around for a bit.

I also made sure to take the truck for alignment, rotate tires and change all my fluids before leaving. Also cleaned it really good. Nobody wants to sit in a shit hole for hours on end.

 

The last actual long single stretch I did was the 15hrs from Boise to Phoenix. I was towing so it got a little hairy at the end when j had to stop for red bull haha.

 

The only part that was sketchy was the middle of Nevada, there's a portion where there's no gas for 165mi and that is almost exactly what the cruiser was getting to a tank.

 

must have a big tank. When i was towing with igor i was getting at time 125ish a tank..

 

25.1gal tank, 4.5L I6 that gets 13MPG unloaded, pulling 5500lb trailer. You do the math haha

 

haha nice. Thats pretty bad haha

FRV towing Frank was getting 6.5mpg on premium too..ouch.

 

At 9:1 compression at least I can burn low grade fuel and it doesn't give even the slightest shit. But yeah 6.5MPG was bad, although through Cali, where it was flat I got 10MPG.

 

Leaving next Friday, driving 6hrs to Nashville, renting a 5x9 utility trailer from U-hual, meet the BIL and pick up a "free" motorcycle from him then turn around and drive 6hrs back home. Gonna make for a long day in the Taco.

 

Oh wait, forget what I said. Wyoming is cold as hell, desolate, there are no women here, the grizzly bears eat people all the time, and the wind blows constantly. Better?

 

Perfect!

 

Clowns.

 

There is this squeaking coming from my front end when I'm turning. It doesn't happen when you're going straight, only when you're turning the truck above 10 miles per hour. Sounds like it's coming from the F.L.

Wheel bearings maybe? I don't recall hearing it when it was still a PreRunner.

 

I always thought wheel bearings made a grinding sound when going bad. Easy to check though, see if you have any up/down play or clunking in the wheel when it's off the ground (could also mean a bad LBJ). Spin the wheel when it's off the ground and it should spin freely and quietly if the bearings are good.

 

I'll do that. I just found it weird it only happens when you're turning, and it seems to only come from the driver's side. It's relatively loud, I can hear it in the cab with the window up.

 

Some blow and road head

 

Mine has devloped a squeek the past few weeks as well, although I think my is bushing/shock related. My wheel bearings have started to howl as well, they spin ok and have no play, but man do they howl from 35-45mph.

 

I'm confident I wouldn't be able to hear a failing wheel bearing above 40mph with the KM2s