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

If you have sway bar end links like this: those won’t work

 

Get em from napa. They have wrench flats on the backs so when that allen hole strips theyre still easy to get off.

 

It only hurts the 1st time. After that its all gravy. I dented the whole side of my truck and I felt shitty. Now, I don't care.

It was right here

 

Took two 3rd Gens and a 2nd Gen through some really tight manzanita on this trip... racing stripes for all of us. I felt kinda bad.

But we all discussed the route before we dove in the brush and everyone was good with it.

We're talking an over grown trail with less than 40 inch clear... it was pretty bad.


Zoom in on the grey truck (Same trip)

 

Had a new 2019 with us on the trail last weekend and took some pretty good damage to his rocker panel on one of the obstacles. I felt kind of bad too as I was leading and planned the trip but I made it very clear in the days prior that this was an armor necessary trail. He had sliders but they were tucked in very close to the bottom of the body and low, no kickout. The rock smashed into the rocker panel right above them. I forget what brand they were.

He seemed totally fine with it at least in the moment, lol.

 

The grey truck in the above pictures took some damage to the rear bumper, lower rear bedside behind wheel and front bumper... on the next trip after the pics.

(We were on Niagara Rim Trail... and he's still running stock tires.)


I ALWAYS make it 100% clear we all stay together, no one is left behind (ever, for any reason) and if ANYONE is not comfortable with an obstical, speak up, we will re-route, and there will be no shit talking about it.

 

You sound like an excellent group leader. Wish I lived closer.

 

Yeah the no man left behind is a rule I hope everyone believes in and follows, I would never go out in a group that didn't abide by that. We didn't really have any other route options other than going back, but going back over the previous obstacles downhill probably would have posed the same risk.

Any way about it if I'm planning the run I try and make sure everyone knows what's needed what to expect, at least to the best of my ability. There's always some risk associated in this ever expensive hobby of ours haha

Another guy had a brake line tear out and we had to plug it and do a brake bleed on the trail, luckily I keep a small bottle of brake fluid in my truck which was just enough to get him safely into town. Probably going to start carrying a bigger bottle now though.

 

We have a very good group of guys to wheel with. We welcome new people, and make sure they feel welcome and know how we roll.

 

You're up near the Sierras right? Man I wish I lived closer to there, I've been to the southern end a few times to wheel and it's by far my favorite place to go.

 

I think they will ride better after installing some of @BartMaster1234 's Cadillac horns. Just blow the horns make believe you are in a big ole DeVille. Haha.

 

I have a set. The only thing they do to affect ride quality is vibrate the floorboard whenever theyre being used lol.

 

In terms of being stuck or mechanical problems, the no man left behind thing had better go without saying for any group I roll with. I was meaning, I don't want to see someone think they have to turn around because they aren't comfortable.

Totally get what you mean where sometimes you have no better choice than to keep going. I try to make clear what to be prepared for, or if I don't know I make that clear too... and give a good outline of possibilities.



Funny you say that about the brake fluid. I was just thinking I wanted to start carrying a smaller bottle, because the big one takes up too much room lol... I gues that is worth reconsidering.

 

yeah I always just kept a small bottle in the truck because once every few months I have to put a tiny bit in my clutch fluid reservoir. But after last weekend I think I'll put a bigger bottle in my tote box that I bring with me on wheeling trips, just in case.

 

Broke her in proper, didja? Good to hear. Moving right along

 

Damn hermano I haven't been keeping up on any builds, yours looks great man!!! I remember a couple years ago you were thinking going 35s, looks like you did?? I love the softopper too. Looks fuggin awesome man.
And you're right, that first dent/scratch really makes you decide then and there if you're gonna stop wheeling and have dent fixed.... Or you're just gonna keep on trucking

 

Daaaaaaaaaamn now those are a couple pinstripes

 

This is the right way to be a trail lead. I've always had excellent experiences with the trail leads I've followed, like at Yota events in Moab or whatever.

 

Like Cat Stevens says, the first cut is the deepest

 

Ordered the Paranoid Fabrications under stereo switch panel. Cant wait till it gets here.