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

When I brought it to the machine shop and they quoted me $175 for all 4 bolts, my first thought was this.
They ended up charging me $50 for the one bolt after quoting me $75-$100. I think the job probably took them less than 5 minutes, but whatever. The tool upgrades I ordered are yet another good lesson in why it's cheaper to buy the good stuff.

 

When I worked in a machine shop I love broken bolt and stripped thread jobs, usually 10mins of work for $75 haha

 

What brands of extractors would you recommend? I'm sure there's a lot of guys on here with broken bolts they're just ignoring cuz they're afraid of making it worse.

Luckily, that was not the case this time, but I've been down that road before, so I knew when to say quit.

 

My favorite extractor is a Millermatic 250 haha, but the old fashioned straight square extractors from MAC are the shit too.

 

I definitely miss my welder

 

There's always the option of "upgrading" to the tubular style headers too instead of the factory cast ones.

 

There's a guy with the long tube header on craigslist near me for $180 if anyone in the Sac area's into that.
https://sacramento.craigslist.org/pts/d/sacramento-toyota-tacoma-stock-gear/7547266307.html

I don't think it's the LCE one. May be a Rock Ripper? Doesn't seem like they made any attempt to get equal length like the LCE does.

 

Interesting. Ya they def aren't the LCE ones. those go all the way to the cat.
My complaint with aftermarket headers is that they don't utilize the OEM support bracket that bolts to the bellhousing. I called LCE to ask them about that and their answer was "OEM is over engineered and ours doesn't need it"

I ran my OEM header without that bracket for a while and chased exhaust leaks endlessly. The engine would twist around under load and then the forces would get translated into those exhaust joints and develop leaks.

It actually loosened the rear most stud on the cylinder head exhaust manifold mount to the point where the threads are pretty fucked now. I have the fear that if I take it off again, the threads will pull out on that stud and then I'll be screwed.

 

Maybe that's why I had a burnt out gasket When I bought my truck that bracket was just rattling around loose, and I probably drove 20k miles before I got tired of the noise.

 

Ya that would be my guess. Same thing that happened to me.
The black spots are where the exhaust was leaking. Both on the cylinder head connection, and on that top donut gasket

 

Replaced the bearing in the idler pulley today. That damn Moab mud gets into everything.

 

Nice. 80 is ready for car seat now...

 

What kind of lifetime are you getting out of your idler pulley bearings?

 

This one lasted about 20K but it can vary quite a bit. It depends greatly on exposure. Similar to seals, that bearing is vulnerable to mud and muddy water crossings.

 

I’m still finding Moab colored dust in my engine bay two years later.

 

The last bits and bobs have come in from my buddy. Free.99 in exchange for work.
Just need to get new body mount bushings, the bilstein shocks and some braided brake lines and the 98 will be ready. (Oh yea, brand new frame is inbound- that I’m paying for since the other parts were handled, they showed one in stock. Should have an ETA tomorrow hopefully.)

 

I think my Death Valley dust will outlive the truck...

 

Something sexy about regular cabs covered in dirt and mud.

 

Upgraded the front and rear suspension with the Old Man Emu kit. Dakar leaf springs, 883 springs (way over the top), and Icon Delta upper control arms.

Posting here because my family is tired of my truck pictures and you guys seem to be Toyota enthusiasts.

 

The 883s don't seem too tall. They're rated at almost stock weight, right? Like 600#?