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

I love working with sheet metal

 

Installed a wheelskin steering wheel cover I got for Christmas today! Lacing it up was more of an expert level project than I expected. Not sure I'd do it again, but sure am happy how it turned out.

 

Alright hella late to the party BUT personally I have seen ARB's fail A LOT. My front ARB has been great thankfully, but we have had so many buddies trucks start pissing air using their air lockers. @Reh5108 going up Rose Garden Hill for example. Then just a month ago in MA my buddies rear ARB on his second gen left him open open all trip. My other buddy who's locked F/R with both ARB's had his front locking 50% and rear locking 0% of the time because his rear was pissing air and it runs off the same manifold, Pressure loss in one means not constant pressure on the other. THe scariest part of the partial locking for both trucks was the scary bang noises coming from the trucks when shit would line up and it would lock up again.

I love the stock e-locker (not really defended much here bit if you can source an e-locker axle it's a great option too) because while they can fail and have (mine just did recently) it can be rebuilt, and it can be manually locked into place if it does fail therefore not fucking you on a trip. That elocker actuator failed after 18 hard years of service, and it was a nice rebuild and regreasing and the fuckers mint again.

Both have their place but I personally feel the harrop "feature/design flaw" would not cause too much drama IRL even in a manual. Especially if installed on the front where typically I only lock the front up when I am lined up exactly where I want to be. And this kinda already needs to happen with the ARB airlocker up front anyway. I know when I am still locked up because I can't turn worth shit and I need to rock the truck a little just to let it unlock on me. REally I feel a lot of the discussions on harrops are based on theories with no practical experience with the harrops personally yet. I have seen how many ARB's have denied people certain obstacles, and if mine ever fails up front I would highly consider an e-locker.

 

Nice! I love my wheelskin cover. Also, if you ever want additional thread, you can email Wheelskin - they sent me some thread - no charge.

 

I don't have a horse in this race, cause I have toyota e-lockers and hate em, and I don't like the ARB or Harrop design... but it should say a lot that Ken AKA Zuk will no longer install ARBs for people requesting differential work. He refuses, even with his 12+ years of experience they generate too many complaints and he says many of the parts he gets directly out of the box or as replacements from ARB have failed or have flaws.

 

Equal opportunity hater

 

Just for the record. I guess the above statements are NOT "ragging".

Specifically because I didn't post them

 

Hanging out at Ken's house, he has tried to sell me on the Harrop's. I like the idea behind them, I just don't have a need for them. Maybe if my elocker fails I will go that route.

 

New seat covers! New husky mats! Woohoo!

Seat covers were made in Canada by ShearComfort.

 

I get to be, the toyota designs are awfully over complicated and have so many exposed points for water ingress they're just a gimmicky joke at best. I'm now up to two broken ones and one that refuses to stay fixed. Unfortunately no one makes another locker for the land cruiser center differential. But the front and rear are going to turn into cable actuated ones really soon. I might try a Yukon zip locker for the tacoma, I like the design of the center section it's like the ARB, its stronger than the Harrop and doesn't have the rolling reverse disengage they do which is an unnerving "feature", but I'm hoping the actual air actuator in the Yukon version is more stout.

 

Love the new cover.

Idk why but I can't even force myself to park and not have the wheel straight.

OCD gets the best of me

Carry on...

 

Interesting... I was taught in driver ed to turn the wheel such that should the vehicle roll, the front wheels will roll int the curb (if there is a curb) or the vehicle will roll away from traffic (if there is no curb).


(Source: https://driversed.com/driving-information/driving-techniques/parking-on-a-hill/)

According to this, it's actually law in San Francisco: https://www.sfmta.com/blog/san-francisco-parking-tips-why-curbing-your-wheels-so-important

 

Those covers look nice. I like the saddle blanket style. How's the initial quality?

 

You sir, are correct.

However if you look ahead, the vehicle looks to be on flat ground.

 

Did you just assume the grounds inclination?

 

Your OCD is coupled to an inclinometer?

 

Quality is top notch… I bought the upgraded style with map pockets. The tan with blanket style matches nicely with my tan interior.

They’re made to order and do a nice job.

My wife has had a set on her wrangler for years. They’ve held up nicely.

 

Powder slut 2004

 

Maybe you just need to learn to be a likeable asshole like I somehow am?

Changed the oil in my trans tonight just to verify I don't see any metallic pieces. Likely will ignore my noise TOB till I need a clutch. Also fluid filmed the inside of my frame while my son was napping and lost the wand inside the frame. Spent a solid 10 mins finger fucking my frame to get it back out.

Replaced my colby valve i used for a trail repair with a quad valve stem, should be at less risk now:

Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr

Also got these from my wife for chiristmas so I need to source an upholsterer to repair this seat:

Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr

Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr