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

Anytime, I'm basically a parts library


@m3bassman Your truck looks way cleaner without that bar

 

This is brilliant. Don't know why I didn't think of this before. Thanks!

 

@BartMaster1234 gave me this tip a while ago, have to admit I hadn't thought of it either. I take extra precaution not to drag my feet on the seal now though

 

There is a small hands quote in there somewhere...

I was thinking the Violent Femmes song "Blister in the Sun" but it's "big hands..."

 

It does, to an extent. Mine had a few tears it in from shoes dragging on it for 20 years, so what I did was rotate the entire seal so the torn part was parallel to the door hinges. Now the bottom of the seal has no tears in it, as it should. You don't even notice the torn section unless you're purposely looking for it.

 

Huh. I need to do this, mine is all torn up.

 

I mean, I think we've all been saying it for two years...

 

Ditches get bitches



And you can point them wherever you need them.

 

Finally tracked down a decent looking used e-locker actuator. Showed up today in the mail and plan on installing it tomorrow morning. Plugged it in just to test and also tore the gear side apart and to my surprise looked brand new. Wanted to grease it up good but still had plenty of Toyota grease inside. Will be glad that is finally going to work being one of the main reasons I searched for an off-road package when buying.

 

Replaced the trans mount and drive shaft carrier bearing.

 

How's it drive now?

 

Just drove around the block, but I'm going to replace all my bushings, inner and outer tie rods, upper and lower ball joints, motor mounts and shocks. I'll post updates when it's all complete.

 

Received these....



And installed stainless steel valve stems in 4 of the 5. Have another pack of stems on the way for tomorrow AM delivery.

Now to wait probably 3 weeks for the tires to be delivered. Meantime I need to do some front end work to the wife's ZJ and align same in prep for the new shoes.

 

I took my 03 Limited to NTB for an alignment today, so glad I did. It was off, and I don't want to ruin my Hankook tires. I'll have to replace my outer tie rod ends later this spring, along with an OME complete suspension kit. Best part was a really good look under my truck,and the frame is in excellent condition. Only has very minor surface rust. All the Cross members look good too. I guess going to the car wash and spraying the crap out of the under carriage does pay off. Some of the pics I've seen here on TW of frame rot is just mind blowing. Some of the posts with pics of people asking if the frame can be saved, make me want to scream RUN AWAY, and don't even think about buying it. I don't have welding skills, and some of the frames posted on TW will need extensive restoration, to be what I would consider safe to drive.

 

What’s your plan to take care of that surface rust before it spreads/travels?

 

Fluid film is also a great tool to keep the undercarriage clean

 

Say it with me, kids...
Ospho, followed by a regular, generous dose of Fluidfilm

 

@Ace115 I've looked at several products, and I'm leaning towards the Eastwood line. I like the spray with the tube for inside the frame, and they also have spray for outside the frame, that they claim will kill rust on the spot. and then paint the frame with either rustoleum, or Krylon black paint. I've thought about the frame snot that everyone claims is the bomb, but I don't want to get crap all over me when I work on it. I'm going to recruit my SIL to help me remove the bed before I tackle the rust problem. After I get that done, then I'll install an OME suspension. If anyone has a better solution than the one I'm going to use, feel free to hit me up.

 

POR15 works as well if done correctly.

 

@Teke I've looked at this one too, so depending on my final decision, it will be either POR15 or Eastwood.