What Have You Done To Your 3rd Gen Today?

Can’t beat that

 

I couldn't wait for an MGM so I bought the blue and made my own MGM Microme for my Minime.

 

Finally got rid of the chrome bumper caps and installed glossy black caps

 

appreciate it fellas, im apart of Seekers (we created the wheel )

 

What did you do with the Warn control pack in the middle since it will hit the bumper brace? Did you relocate it?

 

Heck yeah! And going to the ocean and mountains in the same day! Love it here . Haters gonna hate.

 

I installed my RCI front bumper last week and then tackled the problem of how to mount the Toyota OEM fog lights. I didn't want to blow $200+ on aftermarket 4" LED cubes and deal with the wiring when I had perfectly functional fog lights that came with the truck.

I couldn't find mounting brackets for the OEM fog lights online and RCI didn't know of one either. So I designed a set of mounts to fit the OEM fog lights to the bumper exactly using FreeCAD and my Prusa MK3S 3D printer. One bonus is the OEM fog lights are angled inside the bulb so I could take advantage of that in the fitment. The cube lights all face straight forward so they end up recessed inside the bumper a little bit.





Later, I think I'll take the time to make a guard that protects the bulb and fills in the square corners of the cut out.


The mount itself it pretty simple but took hours in FreeCAD to get the dimensions just right and numerous test prints. Design. Print. Attach fog lights and test fitment. Wash, rinse, repeat...




These are prototypes so they are printed hollow so they use less material and print faster. My final version will be printed with 100% infill so they are solid PETG & I think 4mm thickness is really strong.




I had to turn the fog lights up-side-down so the adjustment knob would not contact the base of the bumper and then reverse left and right fog lights so they tilt in the right direction.






To make sure I had the mounting holes just right, I printed plugs that go though my mount and the RCI bumper. Later I made those plugs shallower so they serve has guides for the proper position of the fog light.




Although I designed these mounts to fit my RCI bumper perfectly, I think they would fit any after market bumper that has similar 4" LED fog light holes.

 

Brought the truck in for the 2 year Toyota care maintenance and state inspection yesterday. Less than pleased with dealership service from my visits so far, but this is my first new vehicle and guess I had to learn this lesson.

All previous vehicles were used and over 100k miles at purchase so I did the maintenance. Future maintenance will be on me.

Gave the truck a wash in the evening and came home to find the title in the mailbox. Feels good to have it paid off.

Got plans next week when I take a few days off to do some interior mods and install the switch pros I've been sitting on after doing the initial wiring almost a year ago.

 

Does that affect approach angle significantly? I was toying with the idea of doing a hitch mounted winch instead of bumper integrated so I can pull forward and back but if I handicap my approach that it's not worthwhile. Also mind sending a couple pics I'd like to see it.

 

Gotta go with in channel imo

 

Nice job!

 

Got 20% ceramic window tint installed yesterday. Really changes the look of the truck. Great price and install job was very professional. More privacy and hopefully a cooler interior here in FL.

 

I'm not who you asked, but...
Mine sits about where the air dam used to be. It will affect approach angle some. So far I have not exceeded that angle and have not hit the hitch --- yet.

 

Nice, that's much more low profile that I thought. How did they do mounting it to the frame. Do you think it would hold up being tugged by a winch?

 

The winch was my reason for mounting it. See the Anderson plug sitting outside the grill? With that I can mount a winch in a cradle either front or rear. (Rear needs the extension cord I made.)
However, as far as actual load bearing... I used grade 8 bolts and as many as possible. I haven't had to use it yet, but obviously I will start easy (NO jerking) and hope it's a simple no-traction incline situation (and not a body-deep mud quagmire or climb-over obstacle). I'm pretty confident to start there and then inspect for weak points after each use. Keep moving up in load demand until I feel it will handle it all.

 

Awesome man. Thanks

 

wheels/tires are in waiting at the shop....suspension arrived, along with husky mats and caliraised hidden light bar. woooo

 

I have some things I want to attach to rails without buying specific mounts - what did you use as the backside/nut that the bolt does into inside the rail???

 

Lots of options on Amazon:

$9 5-Pack of T-Slot Nuts - Ideal T Slot Nut for Toyota Tunda & Toyota Tacoma Pick-Up Truck Bed Deck Rails - Cleat/Cleats - by Mission Automotive

https://www.amazon.com/Mission-Auto...-1-a73d1c8c-2fd2-4f19-aa41-2df022bcb241-spons

 

Amazon - 1/8" thick piece for better stability

$14 Install Bay 89-00-9031 ABS Plastic 12 X 12 X 1/8"

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0007WTF02?ie=UTF8&th=1