14Tacos4me's Best of Both Worlds Build

Buyers are lining up, I'll see what I can get going by LBL.

 

Still waiting for it to warm up a bit before I paint and mount up my rear hitch.


In the meantime we had some fun with the aquaponic system this past weekend.
https://youtu.be/FS9k0jM_JSo

 

For anyone that may be following, there's been a couple updates with my aquaponic system. This has been one of my more enjoyed projects, and I already have plans for upgrades after this thing gets going a little stronger.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKcH1_HRxos

and because this is tacomaworld, here's a pic my wife took of my truck after the first snow of the year.

 

My most recent aquaponic update.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6bvT0FQfaI

 

I picked up a set of skid plates off another TW member.
Shout out to @Mobtown Offroad for how well these aluminium skids have held up, they were not used lightly before I got them.
I can't wait to try these out this weekend at Windrock.


Gretchen Approves

 

Dropped the truck off for an alignment, they spent 3 hours trying to get 3* caster with the adjustable upper control arms and got it to 2.9.

As I was backing out I heard that familiar rubbing sound, after going back and telling them it wasn’t going to work I looked closely and realized that I never took off the mudflaps in front of the wheels. After removing four bolts I no longer have any rubbing, and drive straight as an arrow, that is until I mess it up at windrock this weekend.

I also got my new to me skids bolted up, it took longer than I was hoping and the wife ended up getting home and helping out. Sometimes married life is good.

 

That middle skid can be a rough solo job, but more manageable than the IFS. I always use a jack to help with both.
Also, the 2 rear tiny bolts of the IFS, expect to snap those at some point. Better yet, just leave them out. I broke the second one taking skids off to swap in the diffs.

 

What I found out yesterday are those two small bolts need to go in first, then the front two. After that the transmission skid was only giving me trouble because of some bends on the skid and the truck, nothing a bit of hammer love couldn’t fix though.

Also my low hanging exhaust has almost self clearanced itself to the height of the cross member now.

 

Just a few videos from the Red River Gorge trip back in June 2018, I finally got around to editing and uploading them to the tube. I'll be posting pics and vids from the Windrock trip this last weekend soon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7F0cacZpja8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQLYbtJ_3NM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yq961g5MuFY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YNGIaKSixE

Windrock teaser gif photos courtesy of @honda50r

 

Windrock Offroad Park: 2/15-2/16​

We had a blast at Windrock this last weekend. It may have been rainy and sloppy but it felt good out and our trucks loved the mud. The biggest trails we did were 22 and 49, but there were a bunch of other smaller ones in between and a lot of ground covered in general.
I'm looking forward to going back to this huge park to explore some more.







































Photo credit to @Breezy if you're not following @Breezy.Images on Instagram, you're doing it wrong.




https://youtu.be/KyuDPsOqyiI
https://youtu.be/lVmuqkI0bPM

 

Land Between the Lakes: 3/7 - 3/10​

Had a blast at the annual LBL TW meet. There were record amounts of rain leading up to the trip, then it rained some more during the trip, but in the end the sun came out and we all still had a good time. Wife and I can't wait to see what next year will bring, here's some pics and videos from the trip.

Group Photo


Our home away from home.


Water was the highest I've ever seen it.
























Dead end...































Some videos of us making our way across a creek.

Dave getting a little rub and tug from Knox.
https://youtu.be/m8l_jDB9-_o
After watching Dave I decided to take the easy route.
https://youtu.be/vWvAyZPX-GU
Zackh just made this look like it wasn’t a thing.
https://youtu.be/mp4muFQdHs4
Eric finding a good line to climb up after everyone else had been through including the habitat.
https://youtu.be/bsBr39Qs77c
And of course using the smallest truck we had with us to help Joe up the bank.
https://youtu.be/N-BdZOOWs6k

 

It’s been a quick minute since I’ve updated this, and I hate to keep everyone in suspense so here’s what I’ve done lately.


With 74,000 miles on the truck I replaced my front brakes, the rotors were in good shape, so I had them resurfaced. Rear brakes were good so I just cleaned them.

Changed my oil. Since I added skid plates I went ahead and installed a fumoto valve to make it cleaner and easier in the future.
Fumoto F103S LC-10 Lever Clip FS-Series Engine Oil Drain Valve

$37 Fumoto Original F103S LC-10 Lever Clip FS-Series Engine Oil Drain Valve, 1 Pack

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D9FCRWM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_68iSsXGCLtbFn

Looks like one of my tires has started to wear a little unevenly but considering I have over 40k miles on them it’ll be time to replace really soon. I’ve been looking into 33’s, leaning toward Cooper st Maxx in 255/85-16 or KO2s in a 285/75-16, but haven’t really made up my mind, and still need to do a CMC.

Hopefully I’ll be getting out here again soon, but for the meantime I’m spending a week at the beach in Florida.

 

You can take my opinion with a grain of salt, but...

If you ever think you might want to do 35s, go ahead and do it now. You just need a little trimming of the fenders and flares and putting your flares back on.

My advice on 33s would be the 255/85/16 ST Maxx. It's a taller tire that requires less trimming (because if fine you're going to trim, go for 35s) and performs better on and off road than the KO2. My opinion from personal experience with many different tires.

 

Did you re-gear your Tacoma when you had 35’s?
I’ll have to price some stuff out but it just seemed like a lot more headache then 33’s.
Also I don’t know if you can make a 35 fit in the stock spare location.

 

I did eventually. @BigMacMcCoy is running 35s right now on stock gears and did fine at Windrock, and the drive there and back. It won't fit in the stock spare location.

 

Agree with Dave about going straight to 35s if you think you want to. I went from 265/75/16 to 35/12.5/17 and it makes a world of difference. Reach out to us if you want help with cutting. It's not a hard process and it's totally worth it.

I loved my KO2s, but I haven't tried many other options. Right now I'm running KM3s. I have heard awesome things about the tall skinnies, and I agree with Dave here too, if you're not going to go to 35s go with these.

Yeah man, 35s made a world of difference at Windrock. I'm in an SR5 so I'm open/open, no lockers or regear (yet), and I was still able to keep up on some of the harder blue trails that we did.

Without a regear you'll notice a lack of power, but I really don't hate it haha. I drive like a grandma though, and struggled to keep up with Dave sometimes even before the 35s. I do plan on rehearing and adding lockers, once I've saved up.

Biggest difference so far is that when the truck is in drive and you take your foot off the brake it probably will not move. You've gotta give it some gas to go anywhere haha. I also have 500lbs of steel armor and g0t 12mpg before the 35s, so that probably has something to do with that.

 

Holy dead thread batman! Back in July I had a ladder fly off someones trailer and into my truck while driving down the highway. After some deliberation I decided to go ahead and have the damage repaired.





It felt like a lot longer than 11 days in that POS rental, but I finally have my truck back.
They somehow forgot to touch up the front grill of the truck, so I got them to order one with the color matched grill surround. That should arrive next week.
I'm still not sure if I'll miss the chrome or not, but I'll probably see if they'll let me keep the original part in case I want to swap back for some reason.

 

I got to pick up my new grille Friday evening and took some time today to install it, and clean my radiator.


I’ll have to get some better photos in the sun later, but I’m already smitten with it.

 

Black Mountain Off-Road Adventure Area: Oct 20-22​

It may have taken a couple years, but I was really glad to make it back out to this park. Such a gorgeous area, and a great time of year to be there. Had a blast hanging out with friends and running some new trails. I didn't take too many pictures but here's what I got until next time.
​

 

Land Between the Lakes March 5-8
This was my 4th year going to LBL for the TW meet. I had a blast and can’t wait for next year.





















































Gretchen was definitely glad to be back home yesterday.