GA Tacoma Owners BS Thread

"Don't let your frame limp. Keep it hard with Fluid Film"

 

Well I got my daily a daily



This beaut has 98k miles and it's an '03 single owner, 75-80% of maintenance done by the dealer that it was purchased at. Got it for a smidge under $5k

 

Man, when I moved up there I saw so many rusted out trucks…I was like oh hell no!!!
They do salt the roads!!

 

It is interesting to me that it seems to be a county/local decision and not something that is handled by NCDOT (or whatever they call it now).

My in-laws are up in Boone and frame rust does not seem to be as bad of an issue there. My FiL has had some rust issues on his '99 F-250, but that has been mostly leaf springs and wheels. AFAIK, the frame has not been an issue....though he has had it coated once or twice (but probably not more than twice).

 

Also all PM's for Mod Day have been sent out. If I missed you let me know

 

I need advice on a 1st gen. We are doing a headgasket on a 98 4 cylinder with 225,000 miles. Would you go ahead and do the timing chain while you are in there?

 

Yes

 

My mentality with older vehicles is yes if you are in that far may as well so you don't have to worry about it for a long time. The caveat to that is if it's something you are able to do and not break/make anything worse off.

For instance, when replacing a clutch you may want to swap in a new rear main seal since you are already starring at it getting the throwout bearing out.

 

Oh yeah for sure always replace the seal while your in there. We've never replaced a timing chain on those trucks before so we just wasn't sure if was necessary. Like one of those it's not broke don't fix it things. But also another question on my own truck. Thinking about getting a bed mat to keep things from sliding around. But does it make it more annoying to slide things into the bed? I have a camper shell so I have to slide everything in there basically

 

I have a bed mat and love it. Also have a shell. The only thing it make more difficult to slide in and out is a full cooler with rubber pads on the feet. I have 2 sets of leftover floor mats and I keep one in the bed. If you turn it over with the soft side down and rubber side up, you can put anything on it and slide it into and out of the bed on the bed mat with ease. Bed mat is a must have. And if you don't have a spare floor mat, let me know. I have tons haha, but I bet a thick piece of cardboard box would do the same.

 

Thank you man. I put kayaks in mine and they will be wet so cardboard wouldn't last. I do have some random throw away rubber floormats. I just tend to strap everything down but yeah the bed mat seems like it would be sweet

 

The kayaks will slide fine. Really the only thing I can't think of that did have the issue was the cooler. And its only my RTIC one with rubber feet. Others with just plastic bottoms slide fine on the mat. If you use the mat to help, it needs to have a soft side. I don't think an all rubber mat will help with sliding anything if its rubber on rubber.

 

The pros of the mat far outweigh the few cons. No brainer first accessory to add kinda thing for me.

 

And don’t do the timing chain without an Aisin OEM water pump.

 

love my bed mat! Most items stay in place without straps. As stated, rubber foot coolers really do stick to it. I’m always sliding my wolfpacks to the front of the bed without issue. Without the mat it would be a free for all back there while driving, so slick.

 

I bought one today. Then immediately went and picked up a piece of furniture that was difficult to slide in there. But on a good note it was better to slide it on the rubber than on the plastic and probably scratch it up

 

I bet it wasn’t sliding around on the way home!

 

This is true!

 

I cut my mat in half (vertical) so half my truck bed is grippy and the other have is easy to slide things in and out of. Great for my applications!

 

And I figured it's not that big of deal to roll it back up and put it in my garage when I want stuff to slide in and out.