MARYLAND TACOMAS

Mornin' MD.

Yesterday I finished wiring fogs on the new bumper - noticed both front outer CV boots are obliterated. (sigh). I picked up some silicone higher-angle boots from Dobinsons; they're enroute. It's never really easy with this truck - Not as easy as swapping out cv's as I need to harvest the old inner boots ($80 for those fancy, high angle red boots from wherever I got them. Then put on the new boots for the outers.

It's only money I suppose.


Last night I tested out the RoughCountry single-row LED bar that sits in the new bumper. Very happy with the purchase; not like turning on the sun, but it's probably 3-4x brighter than my high-beams on my LED head light bulbs.

Re: those fogs I installed - supposed to be a spot/flood combo - very spotty and I don't really like it. I'm finding it difficult to find true floods for fogs. I want them to shine for like 30 feet and flood the whole front area side-to-side, more like the OEMs did. The search continues.

 

Are you gonna swap out the needle bearing for the ECGS bushing while you’ve got the drivers side CV out? Or had that been done already?

Can’t help with finding fogs but maybe @crashnburn80 might.

 

I’ve not suggested the Ironman set up since the prices have really gone up but the Nitrogen stage 1 kit is on sale for 1K, the kit is front coils rear shocks and full leaf packs https://ironman4x4america.com/nitro-gas-suspension-lift-kit-suited-for-toyota-tacoma-2005-stage-1/

I’m also not sure how the ride is on the nitrogen’s are. I have the foam cells and with E rated tires, I feel it’s a little too stiff. They are valved like that from the factory. I’m not sure about the nitrogen’s are.

 

Morning all…

Yesterday was beautiful! Had the day off because the kids had the day off… why not, right! Weather was perfect. They were out playing basketball, skateboarding and riding bikes. I also took advantage of the weather and decided it was a great opportunity to wash the truck.

Today’s weather, not so great! They say temps are steadily dropping through the week. And currently raining in Frederick. We will see shortly how that’s going to effect the work load today… currently, a lot of trucks and drivers just sitting around doing nothing!

 

Probably not? No idea. Haven't noticed a need? But I'll look into it - thank you!

 

@RobP62 has the puller… unless it’s loaned out right now. That’s the only extra step is pulling and installing the new one if you already have the cv out. videos on the linked page as well
https://eastcoastgearsupply.com/i-8536125-toyota-8-clamshell-bushing-eliminates-needle-bearing.html

 

danke, danke! For me, it's about finding somebody to pay to do the work as my hand-strength is nearly non-existent most of the time. I called a couple shops in OK when I was changing torn boots; three of them refused to ever take a CV boot off a new shaft. I ended up paying a guy trying to earn extra $. I expect swapping boots will be hard to find up here, too.

 

I got ya. I guess replacing the boots you don’t need to pop the inside spline out of the front diff either.
I can’t say I’ve heard of anyone for that work. Maybe @$500TRD or @Tonymontana

 

I've got CV boot band pliers, if you can get the parts to me I could swap the boots over for you.

 

Thank you! Do you have a stretch-tool?

My delimma is - I'd have to pull the axles and install two new boots on the new axles, then re-install in one-sitting, or leave the truck for a bit. Have you done axles? Interested? I'd bring the parts and $ for the help.

 

I've texted Tony - pending his schedule but nothing firm set yet.

Just thinking about it - Maybe I do the boots only? Re-grease them and re-install over the current axles (which seem fine; no clicking, no grittiness....)

 

@DetroitDarin maybe?!

 

the cut-off between snow and rain will be just along the pa/md border.
#eeyore

 

I swear you make it rain around here I'm gonna be pretty unhappy. I just spent a good amount of time crawling on the wet concrete at the coil op wash to clean off my frame/undercarriage today...

 

Are you wanting a flood light that is off road only and shouldn't be run on the street and will be worthless in fog/poor weather blinding yourself in fog and blinding other drivers on the roadway, or are you wanting a fog light that has an exceptionally wide pattern, illuminates a very wide area around the front of your truck (much wider than your stock fogs) and has cut offs so it is actually useful in fog, doesn't blind you and doesn't blind other drivers?

This is what happens when you go with cheap Amazon lights for a very specific pattern requirement. If you want to do a cheap light bar, sure. No optical engineering is required for a light bar, though the good ones will utilize it for better performance, but a light bar can simply use open buckets and dump light everywhere with no throw and work fine as a light bar. Zero engineering or manufacturing expertise is required to make that product. For a fog light, the light must be controlled and manipulated to give it the wide spread, requiring actual lighting expertise and manufacturing discipline as LEDs do not create a wide beam of light. Spot/flood combo certainly wouldn't offer you the wide spread like stock.

For a 2008 with an OEM bumper, the best bang for the buck is easily the Diode Dynamics SS3 Sports. Memario1214 can hook you up (hotshot offroad). If you wanted to go cheap, there are still decent SAE Fog pods in the $100 price range if don't mind adapter brackets for an OEM bumper or will easily bolt to an aftermarket bumper, like the SuperBright LED fogs or the OffRoad Town fogs listed in the first post for LED white. I've tested most of the actual fog lamps for our trucks, all the info is listed in this thread, no need to search for products.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-led-sae-j583-fog-pod-fog-light-review.554813/

Regarding your formula for determining how much to spend on fogs, I see this a lot specifically in lighting where people try to save money buying an off brand amazon light but then end up actually spending more because the off brand light performed poorly, vs buying something of known performance the first time that actually ends up being less expensive in the long run.

There are a lot of fog products for Tacomas covered in that thread. I've tried to take the exact guesswork you are doing out of light buying so people buy the light that is best for them the first time. If looking for a fog with specific design and budget requirements, I'd start by reviewing the products there and posting in there for any additional suggestions.

 

I've done dozens of FWD car axles and I've done a few on 3rd gen 4runners. I've used the "refresh" kits from Toyota that have the different greases for the inner and outer joints. I did the ones on my 3rd gen 4runner right after I got it, 5 years later not a single leak. The Toyota re-boot kits are nice. If you don't have any clicking/slop in the current axles, just reboot them, or re-boot them and keep them for trail spares and install new axles if the budget allows.

 

If you’d like to try two more axle rebootings…..

 

Morning MD!

 

Good morning everyone!

 

Morning all