Build regret(s)

Trying to save money and buy a cheaper option of something. Just do it right the first time. Or you will have to do it twice.

 

I agree but there is something to be said about keeping your build within your means...I feel like a lot of people get in over their heads on here buying stuff they really shouldn't because it's what's most popular on the forum. I know I'm guilty of being persuaded by what I see on here but over the last few years I've learned to be a little more patient with it.

 

This right here sir! I regret being way ... way ... way too anal. Rebuilding shit just to have it new when it didn't really need it (trans and transfer case), putting all new rubber everything just because it's rubber on a 20 yr old vehicle, buying aftermarket just to buy OEM shortly after.

It's been a 3 project that started with my 4 runner that I hot to drive alittle and currently ending with truck that has only ever seen miles on the back of a flat bed or trailer

 

I wouldn't regret replacing the rubber bushings and stuff, that's good maintenance to do on a 20 year old vehicle since rubber does degrade over time and can cause bad problems if it goes completely. But yeah anything mechanical I wouldn't mess with unless it was showing signs of needing repair or had a replacement interval specified by Toyota (timing belt, spark plugs, etc.)

 

I don't necessarily regret replacing them..... I regret being so anal that I have to do all the work at once ("at once" being a relative term since I'm a baller on a budget) cause that has led this truck to always be a perpetual project that I've never gotten to drive once in 7 months of owning it

 

This!

I've gone thru 2 sets of "upgraded" coilovers. First was 5100s, then several years later; Kings. I DON'T regret that at all.

Sure, I could have saved some money and got the Kings first, but it just didn't make any sense. It was a daily driver and occasional off-roader. Why put $1000+ shocks on a truck that doesn't see a trail even once a month? And when you consider higher end coilovers need to be rebuilt fairly often, with the daily driver miles I put on it, I'm sure I would have easily spent as much on rebuilds over the years as I did on the 5100s that required no maintenance.

Most mods end up being an arms race. Take my bumper as an example. I started by just wanting to remove the plastic valance off my front (stock) bumper. Once I did that, I realized I needed to relocate the washer fluid reservoir, and needed to do something about the bumper (that's hidden behind the valance). I start trying to see if I could fab up a "skid plate" that goes from the stock skid plate to the "stock" bumper. Then I somehow ended up with a CBI DIY bumper kit and my (modified) stock skid plate was in the trash. 900 hours of welding later, I finished the bumper but still don't have my skid plates done, so I'm essentially grounded until I finish the skids.

All that because of my stupid idea to remove the plastic bumper valance.

 

my biggest regret is buying random parts, then changing my mind, selling those parts, and buying new parts, and repeating ad nauseum.
My other biggest regret is not properly wiring things the first time around and having to go back through again and do it the right way. Lots of time wasted with that.

 

Yeah, I've done that. I get lazy towards the end and end up taking shortcuts. Then it bugs me so I have to go back and do it again.

 

I always regret that at the end of installing parts when I am tired, hot, and sweaty, I start to take shortcuts. "Eh, I wont torque that to spec, I'll just reuse this old bolt, this part is clean enough, etc." It always comes back to bite you in the a$$.

I also regret spending $100's or $1000's on upgrades and then having responsibilities that deny me from using them. I'm looking at you, work.

 

Oh man...I had one of those. I did the job at least. And then I used an older Miller. Whoa! What a difference. The HF wire feed was super inconsistant but I got good at listening to the motor for speed changes.

My biggest mod regret is dual batteries in the stock battery location. My driver headlight points at the sky. The passenger headlight points at the ground and they're both adjusted as far as they can go. The fender sheet metal has a nice size tear in it too.

It's changed a bit. I got rid of the battery dr thing and replaced it with a quality solar controller thing...ctech d250something.

 

I would love a Miller but holy crap they are pricey haha...I'm sure you get what you pay for though. If I graduate from a weekend welding warrior to more of a pro one day then I will definitely look at something more professional.

 

It was super nice to use. I welded my sliders with it. Sooo nice!

I don't know anything about welding. I'm a chef but was a pastry cook for a while. To me welding is sorta like piping icing in a lot of ways.

 

Not planning ahead and buying an access cab instead of a double cab...Wouldnt have been an issue except for the fact i put to much money into my ACLB to sell.

Still has less than 63,000 miles though. ive been thinking about a cab swap....

 

haha yeah I took a one day welding course last weekend (first time welding), was just a crash course in the basics with a few hours of hands on experience doing the SMAW process.

Seems pretty darn straightforward, but I definitely need some practice going slow and steady. And understanding the details of what kind of welding to use and when, etc.

 

Actually that was the closest, bestest analogy I've heard for welding! I love hearing others share their backgrounds and view on things, just like this. That'll help when I try to explain welding to females or anyone with cook background. The welding chef, huh? I am gonna steal and use your analogy for explaining welding though

 

I tend to get impatient and try to hurry it up. But you can't do that.

I did a WEEEEE bit of welding in college, as part of a machine shop lab. Like, I threw down one 3" long bead with a MIG, then did some oxy welding. Prof complimented me on the MIG weld, but that was pretty much it.

The great thing about flux core is that it's pretty much idiot proof. Just grab some scrap and pull the trigger (plug it in first, lol). Pretty quickly you get a feel for how you are building the weld pool, and if you're getting enough penetration. Just get a bunch of scrap angle iron and go to town. do a bunch of 1" long welds, and vary your amps, wire speed, and your gun pattern. Then cut them all in half and see what penetrated the most.

 

I regret getting my SCS F5's in the 0mm offset when I should have just been patient and waited until the -38mm offset ones were back in stock.

At least I shouldn't have a hard time selling them when I get the ones I want. Now to just play the waiting game for them to come back in stock

 

Not really build related but I regret not thinking things through. Like draining 5+ quarts of hot engine oil into a 5 qt container. Or bleeding brakes into my wife's favorite Tupperware bowl. OK, That one actually made sense to me at the time since the lid sealed so well I figured it would not spill on the way to recycle it. I did not anticipate the backlash when my well thought out plan was discovered.

 

I make mistakes all over the place, I'm not sure what I'm learning yet. After reading this post though, I'm hoping my shock replacements won't be a bad choice. I may have lacked the education about my current set up and what I have been purchasing online. Assuming that just because it says it will fit my vehicle, doesn't mean that it will.

 

Buying Kings and Alcans instead of Billy’s and an AAL