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

Why not 1/4? The AP skids are 3/16 and are denting

 

I would probably try and make some gusseted/reinforced 3/16 skids over doing 1/4 ones, though with the reinforcements the weight difference might not be all the much. My 3/16 Budbilts got pretty mangled too, but I think some reinforcing would have helped prevent that

 

You could just take a hammer to them and weld in some reinforcements and even go so far as to weld a new thin plate on the bottom that you could remove to keep them lookin fresh

 

I’m not really concerned about looks, but they are starting to press the lower control arms

 

The weight difference would be minimal to go up a 1/16” I’d guess. And definitely add some reinforcements.

 

Did you see the flow from the solar array? It was pretty crazy looking when we passed by. Like something SciFi.

It's a good amount, I think around 2 or 3lbs per square foot.

 

3/16" is fine if they designed well, and you'll bend 1/4" skids too. The AP skids are just a flat sheet with no reinforcements. I kinda consider skids a consumable that only last a few wheeling seasons.

IMO - if you're at this point in your build, I highly recommend just getting your own welder. A skid plate is a perfect first project too, because it really doesn't matter how they look. Lots of resources on here to make your own skid, and there's only minor difference to mount one to an AP bumper.

 

I'm going to do rear shock replacement on my 03 pre-runner tomorrow.
I've seen videos and it looks very simple, but my question is ~
Should I empty the bed of my truck ? will it make any difference if I have weight on the springs while I swap out the shocks ?

 

Yeah, I think you are right. I really need a welder.

 

Finished the wiring on my elocker axle swap...and now my headlights and led light bar can turn on when the key is out...so...

But I'm locked in the back and waiting on a new extended brake line so I've got a few days to sort it out, and by sort it out I mean beg others to help me because, well, I don't know enough.

 

Shouldn't matter. I just crawled under the truck, unbolted the old ones and put on the new, I have the Icon 2.0s for up to 3" lift and had to compress them by hand some to get them to line up with the bottom mount.

 

Stumbled through making my own flatbed. Had some rear end damage and I decided to bite the bullet and make it custom

 

Do your tires not rub when flexing?

 

Doing the whole snowbird thing in central Florida. The other day, sitting by the pool, I started surfing Facebook market place. Lo and behold, what popped up but a partout of a 2001 DC, smashed front, even lunar mist, just like mine. End result, I'll be hauling home to NY, passenger side doors, and the bed box. This was the perfect solution for the badly repaired areas that I have been living with since I bought the truck. Way easier than trying to remove the thick bondo and repair. So easy to remove, not a speck of rust anywhere on a truck with 388K.

 

Haven't had any issues yet but really haven't had more than about 400 pounds in the bed since the build. Planning on a lift before long anyways.

 

Well found another leak on my taco, just in time for an upcoming TW meet. Looks like its leaking at the front output shaft at my transfer case.
Question is type of fluid, it looks like red ATF dripping out.

 

Night and day difference,
Guess I did not know how bad my old coils and struts actually were.
It’s one of those things you get used to as time marches on and don’t realize how bad something is because you get used to it

Took the truck for 150 miles loop through pot holes and mountain roads after my alignment was done.

Truck does not get jarred anymore with each pot hole and steering is much tighter too and the front end stays much more planted.

Going around Corners the truck doesn’t dip down or tip as much as before either and At 80 mph the truck glides with easy, no vibration, no steering wheel movement at all and feels totally tight.

I’m definitely a happy camper

 

nice

 

hard to tell from the pic, but if it's coming from the front output companion flange seal it would be gear oil.

I just got the seals to do my front output on my T-case as it's leaking too.

 

So the UCA checked out to be in good shape this morning when the Alignment was done so I’m not gonna worry about replacing that at this time so I want to focus on the rear shocks now.
I have the yellow Bilstiens right now,

I have a 1 inch lift because of my helper springs for my trailer, what shocks should I go with in the back in your opinion, ? bilstein 5100?
That will Complement the Kings I can’t use the OEM king shocks in the back because of the helper springs