mandog's Hard Shell Camper & Stories from the Road

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RESERVED FOR TECH SPECS
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Skid: M8 1.25 x 20mm, 13mm wrench, 22 lb

Lugs: 21mm, 83 lb

Axle nut: 35mm, 173 lb

UCA frame bolt: 19mm, 85 lb

Upper shock: 14mm top nuts, 43 lb

Lower shock: M14 1.25 x 80mm, 61 lb
12.10.20 — Swapped driver, 22mm un-flanged head

Upper ball joint: 19mm, 50 lb

Tie rod: 22mm, M16 1.5 castle nut, 81 lb

Outer Tie rod: ES80895 Moog
12.10.20 — Replaced driver, used Lucas Marine Grease

Lower ball joint: 19mm, 118lb

LCA Camber bolts: 22mm, 135lb

Superbumps: 8mm + 5/16 socket driver + 15mm socket // u-bolts: 19mm, 73 lb

Differential fluid: Lucas 85W-140

Amounts: 1.6 qt (front) // 4.8 qt (rear) // total: 6.4 qt

Drain / fill plug front: 10mm torx head // Rear: 24mm

Front: drain 48 lb, fill 29 lb // Rear: drain 36 lb // fill 29 lb

Tire rotation: cross moving F to R.

SERVICE RECORDS:
11.02.19, 19000 (tires on)
03.25.20, 25000 (oil)
09.20.20, 30889 (oil)
12.21.20, 38389 (diff, oil, rotate, align)
04.06.21, 45700 (tires on, align)

LINKS:
TSB https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2017/TOYOTA/TACOMA/PU%252FCC/4WD
DIY https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/3rd-gen-diy-maintenance-quick-reference.406712/

 

Speakurrz are in! There’s plenty of good write up on these cheap kicker swaps, so I won’t go overboard on detail (yeah, sure! )

Parts Ordered
- Kicker 6x9 door speaker — Crutchfield (

$119 46CSC6934 Kicker CS Series 150 Watt 6 x 9" Car Audio Coaxial Speaker Pair, Black

46CSC6934) — $105 shipped
Comes with mounting bracket, butt connectors and speaker connections
- Subaru Kicker tweeter — A mazon (

$117 H631SFJ101 Subaru Genuine Tweeter Kit Kicker WRX STi Forester Crosstrek Impreza H631SFJ101

H631SFJ101) — $100 shipped
Comes with wiring harness ready to go. Plug-n-play

TW Link Followed
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/premium-audio-upgrade-for-less-than-250.510424/

Notes / Experiences
1. Door speaker wiring — I’m partially color blind (no, really!) so figuring out these speaker wires was kind of a dilemma. I don’t think they’re polarized wires, however, I went with lime green (-) on driver and blue (-) on passenger. Also, I think the smooth, non-clippy side of the harness is negative.

I didn’t have a harness to match, despite it showing in the product image from crutchfield, but they did give a baggie of 20 gauge butt connectors and a pre-cut wire that fits the speaker terminals. So, snipping off the old connector and splicing together with the new wires was how it got wired up.

2. Metra speaker bracket — While this isn’t quality, it is free and gets the job done. The supplied hardware/install is a little funky. It fits the door perfect, which is good, but it required one of the four holes that connect to the speaker to be drilled out.

And apparently you’re just supposed to drill a screw through an un-threaded, open slot and expect it to hold snug?? Whatever, went to the shop and pulled out some short bolts. No way to get a nut on the backside unless you dremmel, but a fatter machine screw with some lock washers did the job just fine.

3. Door panel clips — As many have mentioned, its important to see what’s left in the door after removal and putting anything that may have gotten stuck back onto the door panel before attempting to get it all clipped back in. This holds true for all snap-in parts.

DISASSEMBLY


OLD SPEAKER


RE-ASSEMBLY + NEW SPEAKER (note the deletion of white connector clip going to speaker)

SPEAKURRRTEST
​

 

Howdy!

After speaking with folks on here, the concern over the amount of front lift and altered angle on the CV axles had me pulling back out the front suspension.

I had the coil overs adjusted and collars brought down 5/8 and 1/2 inch, making the final spring seat height 8.5”. This reflected itself as a 1” drop in fender to hub height.

So my new center hub to inside fender measurements are:

23.25 font and 24.25 rear, making for a 3.5” lift and 2.25” lift respectively

I still plan to drop the differential, but the CV axles look much better. Test drive continued to operate normal and will get the alignment as scheduled.

While the coils and wheels were off, began the por-15 rust stop process on the insides of the fender wells, giving all sunlit areas a topcoat. Coming up next, will resume with the remainder of the underbody and give this entire process a write up.

In addition to all of that during the christmas week, will wrap up the last interior mod (chrome delete) and begin packing and rigging out the truck for wintertime camping in the west.

 

Very dope build, similar to what I am trying to accomplish in my DCSB. Keep it up!

 

Thanks ma dude! I checked out your pictures and rig looks nice! I wish I went with just two pieces of the platform lengthwise instead of three pieces. It served no purpose as I can’t access beneath the panels while bedding is in there very well anyway, but that was the thought at least!

Cheers!

 

I kind of like the idea of 3 or 4 pieces though, it would be nice to have lighter pieces to move around. Might have to hinge some of them and make some kind of storage on the side I can access from the windoors, but haven’t decided yet.

Keep exploring!

 

Interior work (chrome delete) went better than expected!

I was not keen on dismantling the 3TPAM dash kit from expedition essentials, but somehow it all came back to me and was able to get down to A/C control panel no issue.

CHROME ACCENTS BEFORE... YICK!


PULLED APART


So, the 4WD + Start/Stop knob was from meso, along with shift ring, cup holder and door handle accent pieces. For the vent rings and steering wheel emblem, I went with AJT as I liked his vent covers better aesthetically.

However, I am at a loss at how these teeny-tiny little strips of 3M were supposed to hold up for against all the various temperature changes I see. AS WELL AS if the chrome pieces were meant to be removed on all the vents or not.

Whatever. I had fun tossing all the chrome into the trash can and busted out some gorilla glue on the vent covers to ensure they won’t find themselves rolling around the cab.


GLUING VENT RINGS ON


BLING BLAOW!


ANNNNNND.... THE AFTER! WOOT!


BYE- BYE CHROME!!

Yunshao Open Top Triple Pistol Mag Pouch with Front Loop Panel for Glock M1911 92F Magazines 40mm Grenade, Tactical Mag Pouch

Quick-access tool kit: WERA multi-bit screwdriver, knipex shears & nuife

CHYEAH! BUiLD 3.0 INSTALLS ARE DONE!

 

Those were my thoughts as well, but its very much a work in progress.

My bedding consists of a 2” memory foam, XL outfitters bag and a heap of blankets, lol. So, its pretty tough work to roll all that stuff back in order to access the panels.

Here’s a pic of what I went for to modify the original build. Ultimately, the hinges failed and screws backed themselves out since they had a load on top of them. And, in cutting the panel, I also lost a good bit of the panel’s support and had to re-enforce it.





I’m thinking delete the split panels in the forward half, and just use one continuous piece, but maybe figure out a way to slot it so it can clear that lip on the shell and it can be pulled up.

I don’t know, its getting aggravating at this point and easiest way to access beneath is just to pull out all of the bedding. The space is partitioned beneath at the 2x4 anyway and the forward half seems to get moisture sometimes anyways. Was a REAL bad place to store my wetsuit haha

But thanks ma dude, should be heading out on another long-term trip to NM/AZ in a week’s time.

Will certainly update as I go. Cheers!

 

Yeah, I can see and feel your pain. I also thought about one big central drawer that was 5’ long and as wide as the space between the wheel wells. Then, can use the space towards the tailgate to the side of the drawer for recovery gear maybe? Going to test out some options.

Enjoy NM/AZ! I’m still back east visiting family for the holidays, but when I’m back out west will be taking a month off work to go hit some UT and CO mountains for skiing, then probably popping in and out of the sierras all winter.

 

I'm using the actual space where the bottle jack goes for most the recovery gear. I don't need quick access to stuff like that. My tailgate storage is dedicated to the most used items like cookware, stove and rear power bank. I use masonry tubs that slide real nice.

You got drawers, no?

I think I made a committed decision to do nothing that wasn't easy in - easy out. For sure, dude! I'm out east too... Carolinas

I been saving UT for when the weather is right. I feel like imma get (intentionally) lost out there!

We should link up if you're in or near northern AZ/UT area late feb/march time.

 

I don't have a drawer, I just use super long and flat bins I got at target to store my camping equipment (tent, stove, etc.) but they slide around so much I'm thinking about a lightweight drawer system but not sure I want to go that route yet because of removability issues etc.

And yeah for sure let's link up. It's only 12hrs from the bay to UT so I'm down for a weekend.

 

POR-15 CHASSIS RESTORATION​

The final piece to this puzzle was completing the por-15 chassis restoration project. I suppose the frame rust issue has been solved by now (3rd gen), but regardless I wanted to lay down some frame protection before anything had a chance to deteriorate.

I was super nervous about this por-15 stuff, but needed a product I could apply by hand. Not likely I’d be using a sprayer, but I did intentionally decide to do this while the suspension swap was going on since the shocks, struts, u-bolts and wheels would be removed.

This paint is serious business and on the more expensive and time consuming side. With 12.5 hours and $145 invested, its best to do the proper prep-work to ensure its gonna be done right.

While I was underneath the vehicle doing the suspension swap, I kept the drill nearby with a wire wheel attached and hit any area I saw that had suffered ground-strikes or rust showing. Before I went into using the por-15 products, I went over everything with this a final time.

The following are the steps I took with the Por-15 rust stop kits I bought from Advance Auto Parts.

PROCESS & TIME​

3-Part Surface Prep total time: 3 hour

• Wire wheel frame and exposed rusty areas
• Degrease metal and rinse
• Metal etch areas to get frame areas treated and rinse
• Allowed to dry and resumed work when conditions were ideal (warm, not humid)

Por-15 undercoat and top coat: 4.5 hour

• Hand brushed fender well suspension areas + drums
• Aerosol por-15’s top coat
• VHT caliper painted drums

Por-15 on remaining underbody: 5 hour

• Hand painted the drive line, mid-body frame, both cross members, spare tire mount, trailer hitch, front bumper, front and rear differentials​

PURCHASING AND PROCESS NOTES​

2x Por-15 Rust Stop Kit, 1 Pint Rust Stop, 1 can por-15 top coat, Supplies ($145)
Cost of purchasing items separate with more product leftover: ($121)

Each kit of Por-15 Rust Stop comes with an 8oz cleaner/degreaser. It’s a really good degreaser, but Spray9 or Formula88 are my proven go-to’s when working on the boat. ($8/gal)

Comes with an 8oz metal etch / surface prep. This could be substituted for an ospho, or anything that causes the zinc/rust reaction to happen. ($24/qt).

The metal etch they provide requires rinsing, whereas some of the others, like ospho, are left on. Only consideration is waiting for drying...

Given the nature of the next step, the por-15 rust stop paint, you wouldn’t want to rush the dry process with either option. Let it dry a full day and check before going on to next step. I used a leaf blower to ensure there was no pooling water.

Lastly, the kit comes with an 4oz rust preventative. This is where the kit is ineffective. I used one can per axle on ONLY the fender well areas. Namely the sunlit areas I was most visually concerned with and would be getting the por-15 top coat after.

To finish the frame and rest of the underbody, I would need at least twice the supplied amount of the black rust stop paint from the two kits.

So, it’s my recommendation to skip the kit. Get your hands on any volume of degreaser/phosphoric acid and purchase a PINT of the POR-15 BLACK ($35) from your local auto store. They should have it in stock.

Note 1: It is true you will go through a ton of foam brushes. If you are using the 4oz cans, you can only get up to a 1” brush inside the can. I skipped pouring into a separate container as it was pointless since I would be using it all and only wasted what got stuck to the sides of the cup. If you buy the variety pack of brushes, you may have to trim some of the wider brushes.

Note 2: It is also true that you wear this paint for a long time. I did well using gloves + a tyvek paint suit ($25), but even with pressing my finger onto something it transferred through the thick nitrile gloves I had on.

One can of the the por-15 top coat allowed me to double coat the fender wells, cover the exposed frame and suspension parts as well as giving the removed skid plates a light coat.

This stuff dried well and combined with the por-15 undercoat, worked excellent at creating a smooth, rock hard surface. All in all, very impressed with the product and would highly recommend it, but it takes time to prep and get things accomplished (12 hours).

FENDER WELLS


LOWER CONTROL ARMS


UNDERSIDE FRONT



UNDERSIDE REAR


UNDERSIDE SIDE


DRIVELINE BEFORE


DRIVELINE AFTER

 

JANUARY UPDATE 1​

Well, the trip west has begun and already 1500 miles have been laid down.

Today I crossed into the land of enchantment: New Mexico and it still brings about those same feelings of excitement.

This time around I chose a more southerly route going through Atlanta and then over toward Birmingham. From there it’s pretty much a straight shot west.

This route has proved far easier in that its flat, straight, little to no traffic and have discovered a lot of great camping options along the way.

One more stop off to see the good folks in Hillsboro and then on towards Scottsdale to settle down for a bit before going off to explore the northern parts of Arizona.

Happy new year to all you tacomaholics!

Pics from along the way...

NIGHT 01 Pine Glen, AL


Talladega NF


NIGHT 2 Harlow’s Casino, MS


Texarkana


NIGHT 3 Crockett Lake, TX


Cold rains continue in Texas


Paris, TX


NIGHT 4/5 Lake Mackenzie, TX


Calm morning on New Years Day


North Texas


Outside Roswell, NM


NIGHT 6 Lincoln NF

 

Awesome build!

 

Thanks buddy! I appreciate the like/comment.

 

JANUARY UPDATE 2

Howdy Folks! Last I left off, I had just gotten across the state line of NM and was camped out in the Lincoln Forest. I made my way into Hatch, picked up some chilis and got back into the swing of things with the good folks of Nutt/Hillsboro. First day there we went into Mexico! Always a good time!

The drive over to Arizona was completely new to me. I turned the highways off on my GPS and went through about 25 miles of dirt roads before crossing the Superstitions into the Phoenix valley. Was so cool to see the Saguaro cacti come out of nowhere and was met by one of those iconic Arizona desert sunsets. AZ itself has been super chill and I’m really liking it here.

PICS FROM ALONG THE WAY...

GHOST TOWNS & NEW MEXICO DESERT HIGHWAYS












Originally my plan was to spend some time in New Mexico to work on the forthcoming video projects, but I’m so glad I made the decision to come out to AZ instead!

Checked the weather the other day and it was 12º in Santa Fe... Yikes!

Anyways, final stages of build video 2.0 and will be releasing a full walk-through tour of the tacoma after that. I’ve some pretty cool stuff in the pipeline... just gotta stay after it!



Also, been diving headfirst into the OVtune topic and received a lot of personal help from @Dank Donkeh Luvver. Sorry if this is unwanted attention buddy, but you’ve been tremendously helpful! Cheers to ya!

I hope updating to the newest TSB will remedy some of those ECU transmission issues and starting from the cheapest option seems to make the most sense. If it’s still unworthy in my utmost amateur opinion, will see about getting the vF software and start looking into the tune packs.


Pitter patter ​

 

Also, I guess this hasn’t really ever happened to me before.. so it’s kinda cool to be spotlighted in this way. The Wild Dolphin Project featured me in their latest, “get to know” blog series...

Link to that article can be found here:
http://www.wilddolphinproject.org/meet-the-team-tyler-hazelwood/

 

Welp, you have the photos... now here’s the video!!



Cheers!

 

GREETINGS FRIENDS!
One week later, the walk around video has been released!!



And if interested in following along on the journey west, click here:
https://www.mandogsays.com/post/route-west-3

I'm here in AZ gearing up for a mini weekend excursion through the Tanto Forest. The deeper I dig into researching trails, hikes, etc., the more I realize what makes this state SO great! Especially with what it has to offer for our collective blood, sweat and tears (truck builds).

This is the place of tacoma dreams!
And I can't wait to get out and see ARIZONA for all that it is

Stay tuned for more! Cheers ​

 

Might have been covered already, how are you liking sleeping in the 5' bed? Are you having to sleep with the tailgate/back glass open to sleep comfortably? I Ideally wanted a 6', but ended up biting the bullet for a 5'. Now I'm debating of I want to get a roof top tent for the topper or build a platform for the bed.