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

I'm definitely squatting fully loaded.

You can see that here:

IMG_3953-2 by Michael Halat, on Flickr

Honestly haven't paid much attention to squat/rake though.

 

Wow those bumps are tall now haha Id box the stock...bump pads or whatever. They will fold flat.

 

Not a bad idea, happened on my old frame.

 

I'm running Dakars with ICON three leaf AAL and I like them a lot. I do have air bags as well, but I only use those when I am out getting a load of fire wood.

 

Yeah.. are you really utilizing all of the uptravel in the Dakar leaves if you extended the stock bumpstop that far? Why are your shocks almost all the way compressed at ride height? Couldn't you easily solve this with longer shackles to put your ride height at the right spot?

 

Thats just his choice and more limited likely by how he mounted the shocks. Not the leafs really.

Because the leafs don't hold the weight.

No exactly no

 

So you're saying that my leaves are junk (Dakar w/AAL)? This is with ~350 lb of camper + 50 lbs spare tire + 20 lbs tools in the bed.

 

...I don't know how useful this post will be, but it's not uncommon that people ask me some version of how I got comfortable going off into the great outdoors as much as I do. Sometimes it's about how I got started; sometimes it's about how I am able to do so many trips; other times it's about how I developed the ability to feel confident in dealing with anything that comes up on the trail.

So I wrote a thing. It seems good, or at least seems like me.

How I Got Started with Offroad Adventuring

​

 

Yeah bags are on my list as an interim solution.

Yes, I put a zip tie on my shock shaft last trip and the zip tie gets pushed right against the shock bump. I can MAYBE cut 1/2" from the bump stop, that's it.

Also extensive testing was done with a broken down pack (the way you are supposed to do this).

Shock relocation by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Shock relocation by Michael Halat, on Flickr

Bump height was based on the theory that super bumps will compress close to half it's height.

This.

Yours have rake still and mine still squat so

 

No. Im saying his leaf are.

If yours work then they work.

Leaf springs wear out. They need replaced every 1-4 years depending on how you offroad. Just the name of the game.

Im guessing if you loaded up with full camp gear you'd see some squat though?

 

I still need to get my bottom shock mounts welded on and then do the u-bolt flip.

 

True, and I do have 2 years of hard wheeling on these Dakars already too. That's why in the end a pack built to my weight specifications by Alcan or Deaver is my best option. And airbags can help me out for now and when I overload in the future. Especially since I plan on hauling a dual sport AND camp gear eventually.

 

I'll let you know when I head to Moab next weekend.

 

From the day I bought my truck used in 2015 the door stop (technically known as the Check assembly - driver's side part# 68620-04010 [ended up being $98 all in from the dealer]) has been essentially useless. If the door were open on flat ground and a dragonfly landed on it the door it would close (not really but you get the point...utterly useless). Finally decided to replace it.


You can see how the nylon arm with its humps and bumps had worn down a lot.


Straight forward and relatively easy to do. The only tool I needed was a 10mm socket. Took about an hour but that was because once I had the door panel off I found several fuck ups the PO had left for me regarding the upgraded JL Audio tweeter and crossover thingy - both hanging loose in the door cavity.


Saw he had epoxied the tweeter to the OEM speaker mount.

He also "crafted" a mount for the crossover thingy with a piece of pre-holed steel (forget what that stuff is call OTTOMH) and drilled it into the door sheet metal.


Crafted my own piece of metal and remounted the crossover thingy and re-epoxied the tweeter back to that OEM piece of metal.

Buttoned everything back up - only broke one clip taking the panel off (new ones on the way) and everything works fine again.

My 1st world problem now is that I am so used to barely touching the door to open or close it that now, when it stops half way it annoys the crap out of me. Need to relearn that muscle memory.

 

My MULE. Cleaned out and organized the tools and material. Love this girl. Rolls around with God knows how much weight and never complains. Tows my trailers or hauls loads of material on the flat bed, in addition to her static load. Just about to hit 250k. Shooting for 500. 2003 prerunner v6 trd. My design Custom steel utility bed/rack (trade work for the fab). Slide master 1000lb bed slide. Diamond plate aluminum boxes (unknown brand), bought them used off my old boss that I learned to plumb with. Super spring progressive aal.

 

Washed my engine off last night, started it this morning and it ran rough. Took it for a drive and got P0302 code. Checked the coil pack and it was dead. Picked up three Denso coil packs at the wrecking yard for $40.00 and it runs smooth again.

 

Think it was a coincidence or did water end up in there?

I wash my engine a few times a year and even though I know people do it every day, stuff like this makes me nervous about doing it. I usually just put the hose gun on the 'shower' setting and just let it sort of rain over the engine bay, I never blast it for fear of forcing water into somewhere it shouldn't be.

Doesn't always do a great job of cleaning it but if I let degreaser soak on it for awhile first it comes out OK.

 

I blasted it, and then I let it sit all night and most of the morning. But I think water got into the coil pack and shorted it out.

 

I rubberized my frame....no issues here

 

You also live in Sac, which does not see winter, nor do they salt or spray the roads...