What Have You Done To Your 2nd Gen Tacoma Today?

I've always been partial to Impulse Red Pearl, but that's what I drive. If they had the Barcelona Red back in 06, I would have gotten that color. Though both are so much better than the sea of grey vehicles out there now.

 

Installed another Baja Designs LP6 but Yellow, moved the squadrons to the fog light spot.

Added a Cheap Android phone for reading Engine/Truck telemetry.

Replaced the Linkswell with an Alpine Halo 11" touch screen.

Finished installing my Garmin Overlander

Made hold down tabs and ram ball rail to secure the Alpine to the dash under extreme rough trails.

The Alpine is a very nice touch screen audio unit, plays movies and USB SSD drive music. Very impressive. Car play connectivity is crazy fast and reliable.

 

Yea but, how did you do your dash colors for the speedo/fuel gauge?

 

I use OBD Fusion app, the gauges can be configured individually , color, alarms, ranges, fonts, colors of fonts and so on. Its very nice app.


ooops I had to reread that, the OEm dash cluster...It is still stock

 

Sorry, no, I meant your actual dash. The color contrast, big grey/white gauge colors but kept the rest of the stock amber colors? Not something I've seen before, so I'm curious if it's easy to do. That contrast is pleasing to my eye

 

ya I edited my reply, sorry about that, its all stock, I just have the back light turned up.

 

Added a cheap cap. "Fast-Top"
The rear glass is getting replaced with a piece of plexi.

 

All fresh brake fluid via the gravity feed/bleed method. It was time.

 

Refreshed my new long block yesterday. Did a .010” thicker Mahle head gasket, ARP cylinder head studs, OEM thermostat, Aisin water pump, front & rear main seals, and swapped my upper oil pan out for one with a drain for my turbo.








Today I moved on and cleaned up the block with wire wheels and the dremel, then hit it with 2 coats of rustoleum engine primer, and 3 coats of grey VHT engine paint.

cleaned




Primed




All finished up!

 

I wish I was more mechanically inclined to do something like this. It’s awesome that you’re able to do that.

 

This today, plus window tint after all these years…

 

Recently did the
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-ultimate-headlight-upgrade-h4-not-led-or-hid.398066/
and could not be happier!


I also fixed the disintegrated green (sleeve/bushing -??) with the 4-wire tie fix... and again, could not be happier with the result!

TacomaWorld rocks!

 

Thanks man! I’m a firm believer that anyone can do this type of stuff. I started out not knowing how to do anything myself. The best thing you can do is get after it and just try to learn from your mistakes. That’s how I’ve learned so much haha

 

What was the issue that causes you to do the zip-tie mod on the bushing? It has me intrigued and makes me want to go check mine.

Ultimate headlight mod is one of my favorite mods by far!

 

Oh yeah...

 

@dborrer X2. Interested about this mod as well.

Been tempted to do the ultimate headlight mod as well. Soon or maybe I'll hint at it to my wife as a Christmas gift.

 

Do it. It's worth every dollar you spend on it. Get a half dozen extra bulbs when you do it. The good ones are rated for only about 200 hours, so if you do a lot of night driving you'll need to swap them out often.

 

I do a lot of night driving and have been using those bulbs for almost a year and am still on my first set. Not sure if it’s luck or what the deal is but I’ve been waiting for them to die. I was under the impression I would be blowing through bulbs.

 

My taco is a DD. And slowly I started noticing a sort of knock sound and feel in the steering wheel, when going over bumps and especially when bumps during a turn... Apparently there is a TSB for a better bushing/shaft, but the 4 wire ties create the bushing effect and obviously don't require you to remove that lower steering shaft, which is doable but not super easy...

 

Picked up the ChassisEAR.


It's used to find noises that are hard to detect, like clunks, squeaking, rubbing, etc.

I had this clunk going on and I started replacing all kinds of components. Spent a lot of time under my truck trying to figure out what's loose, worn, or even broken. Took things apart and retorqued them. Nothing stopped the clunking and it felt like it was coming from the front.

After hooking up the ChassisEAR, I quickly determined my noise was coming from the rear passenger leaf spring, front mount bushing. Not where I thought it was at all.

It's a pricey item, but it saved me money and time hunting and replacing stuff. I know I'll need it again. Since the diagnosis, I ordered myself the Dobinson poly bushings and greaseable pins. I had squeaking too, so that should help me.

I'm a sucker for specialized tools and equipment.