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

Whats that bolt doing?

 

I have a diff drop installed. Said diff drop comes with 1" aluminum spacers to put between the minimally welded tab with nut to space down the skid plate. This unsupported section of skid plate in front of the spaced down area bends easily. Bolt is fine. Good eyes.

https://media.giphy.com/media/yekZxRr4nM1q0/source.gif

 

Thanks for the feedback and the compliments!
I’m debating whether or not to keep the light bar up there. I daily this truck about 100 miles a day so I’m going to be getting new tires soon. Minus the bad cv axles (soon to be replaced including a diff drop kit) and some 2 Or 3 paint chips this truck is pretty clean. I’ll be starting a build thread soon

EDIT: TW HAS SPOKEN, THE WHEELS SHALL REMAIN CHROME.

 

i powder coated some OEM alloys recently for a spare set, here are the results
did your truck originally come with the steelies?

 

WOW, nice job on those wheels they look great. You do the work yourself? I’ve played around with the idea Of putting Bronze colored wheels on mine, Maybe a method race wheels artificial beadlock style.

And I’m really not sure. I bought this truck with 175k on it. Unknown maintenance history and all that. The truck is a complete mystery to me, looks like it was taken care of pretty well but needs some things. Going through the truck as we speak, cv axles are next on the list.

 

i had a performance coatings shop do it with their oven for a reasonable price I thought
these were salvage wheels and needed a ton of sandblasting to clean up and smooth out

 

Agreed, I had some 5100's this way and water got stuck in the boot. I replaced them with new 5100's because the one of the mounts fell off the rod. Don't know how they got unscrewed. Anyways I found water sitting in the boot and it was rusted, keeping them as spares and will rethread the messed up one.

 

They look like Wet Okole's to me.

 

Glad you decided to keep them as I think they look best in chrome.

But black wheels in general look better most of the time. And they don't pit like chrome does. I had chrome wheels on another truck and even with me constantly polishing them and maintaining them they still pitted

 

The majority of shiny wheels are aluminum, pretty hard for those to go to crap if you give them the slightest attention. Chromed steel wheels are trash after a few years.

Or, be like me and do a silver powdercoat and never have to buy a bottle of wheel cleaner ever again. Brake dust just wipes off with a towel.

 

Go bronze or gunmetal if you're going to paint them. Black is over done and wouldn't look as good on that color

 

I agree, black will take away any detail the wheels have and it will disappear into the background. Bronze or gunmetal will stand out more but with some chrome door handles the polished rims will look good too.

 

Yeah I agree that black wheels take away any detail in the wheel. Just turns your vehicle into a hovercraft.

 

I'd ditch the light bar. It does not look great.

 

I would remove the top light bar and put the front light bar in the bumper. I would also get some Hella ECE E-Codes. I can't imagine those LED headlights performing all that well over the stock ones.

 

Removed bed to address P440 code. Replacing all rubber grommets and fuel pump seals as well as fuel pump while I am in there. 250K miles, might as well. Denso brand fuel pump.

And then clean up the frame, POR 15 any rust then more Fluid Film. Fluid Film is why this frame looks as good as it does even living in Ohio.

 

I agree, these headlights are TRASH. Whatever they are, I don’t recommend them. One is brighter than the other and they only have one setting: shit.

I’m going to remove that light bar probably today and sell it.Ill Use the money for my cab insulation/sound deadening project.

 

New question for the smart guys in here...

Is there any harm in upgrading to a 140amp alternator without doing the big three upgrade? I have a trip planned soon and need an alternator, but I don't think I have time to piece together my big three parts. I've emailed people who allegedly sell kits for the wires, but nobody has returned my messages. Will I set my truck on fire with the higher output alternator? My reason for the alternator is because of my winch.

 

Should be fine but how soon is your trip? Just order the parts off Amazon and have them within a day or 2.

 

If you are actually pulling 140amp's you'd want to make sure the gauge of your wires can handle it without overheating.