reh5108's 4 Banging SHITBOX tUrBo 4x4 Build

Hate to say it..

buuuuut

We told you so

 

This is with the cab lifted again? Jesus you have clearance for days to get in there.

 

Yes. Just wait until your head is in there or you need to weld the edges not facing you. It might be able to go higher if the radiator shroud is removed.

 

Oh I know all about it when I did the TC gussets and the top plate gusset from Eimkeith, it was a bitch. I ended up welding the back of the top plate gussets from inside the engine bay. I can see the back side of those going down the tower being more difficult though, you almost can't weld the back side of the TC gussets unless the engine is out.

 

Finally got around doing the tac weld mod to the steering column. It made more of a difference than I thought it would.

Found another crack in my core support... P0420 is still hanging around.

Replaced my green led dash lights with white because that's what I had leftover from replacing some dead ones on the T100. I'm not sure why the green quit working. Occasionally I'd see a flicker of green but they never stayed on.




Installed some fog lights also. May end up moving them closer to the center.






Fog lights



Headlights



30" lightbar

Not sure if there is much of a difference between the headlights and fogs. The fogs are about useless in the snow after a few minutes of driving as they are not hot enough to melt it fast enough.

 

Those even real fogs? haha

That's why bought the Pro SS3 C2 fogs. They will melt the ice.

 

Cheap Amazon lights, honestly wasn't expecting to much from them. They are listed as "flood beam"

What constitutes a "real" fog?

 

Damn, you're getting some snow over there!



Oh yeah, truck is cool, yada yada

 

Judging from the light pattern they are just floods. I wouldn't drive with those, you'll piss of every person driving in the on coming lane.


Real fog lights have a very wide and very sharp cut off. They are meant to light underneath the low beams. Not supplement them like another low beam.

 

Feels like it hasn't stopped for two weeks. Even forecasted "sunny days" we've been ending up with a few inches. Totally opposite of last February. Killing me not having a sled this year but at least I'm getting shit done on the shitbox.

 

Can you please make this a PSA on all 3rd gen Tacoma, GX and 4R forums?

 

and every other jack ass who buys cheap LED pods and blinds me on the highway with their "fog lights".

God i hate them haha

 

Last ditch effort at salvaging this bed. Idk why I didn't think of doing the second method first but o well. Trying to weld rotting 14 guage metal to 1/8" isn't fun and is likely pointless. Hoping this works and will be the last time the bed comes off in a long time. I did cut the wires leading to the taillights and I'm going to install a plug so it will be that much easier for the inevitable next time. This was @eimkeith idea.




There's just something so satisfying about laser cut steel. Could have probably gone a size or two smaller with the guage steel but I'm excited to try them out.

 

Could make a few small improvements to these but overall I'm happy with them.

Just tested it out. I'm hoping once I get weight back in the bed my toe gets a bit better. As it sits now it's out a 1/4" from my last alignment measuring from one lug to the other.

 

Looks great! Were you able to weld these in completely without removing any major components? I might be interested in this as well. Don't wheel nearly as hard as everyone else here, but this looks like a good preventative measure. Just need to find a shop who can do the welding here in Portland.
Also looking at Eimkeith as an option. Easier install but not as robust. https://eimkeith.com/buystuff/stk/

Keep us posted if you decide to make these available!

 

I was able to get the top and one side on the driver engine side. The exhaust side wasn't going to happen without removing the turbo so I did not bother. Not sure what would need done on the 3.4 but pulling the intake plenum and exhaust manifold off should be enough to get the back sides for the 2.7. I think the front is the more important side. I started to have cracks propegating from the toe of the welds at the frame and was able to reinforce that area as well. I did also have to cut the brake line bracket off and then just welded it back on. Waiting to see how the install goes for another truck before I have more cut. So far it seems that there are some slight differences.

I bet there's a TW member in Portland that could help you out. It could be done in a weekend.

 

nice man! Looks like a few inches wider would have been helpful. Especially for jumping up a tire size

Didn't know that SendcutSend would do bends too. That's cool. I need to brush off my CAD skills..

 

I drew it to be able to do a 40" perfect circle. It is tighter than I thought it would be with my tires. Plan to make it an inch maybe two wider, the slots for the tape measures a 16th wider, and maybe some hash marks so it's easy to set the bolts symmetric from one another. 12 guage is plenty stout might scale it down to 14 gauge. They are a bit cumbersome to hold up for camber.

 

Are you sure your wheels are round?

 

That is a very valid question. How round could those wheels really be any more.