What Have You Done To Your 3rd Gen Today?

Generally it is a function of the controller. PWM = pulse width modulation, where the duty cycle of the on-off periods are gradually changed to affect illumination levels. I'm working on a homebrew VLEDs alternative around a controller by Oznium.

Should be able to control footwell LEDs, and some mounted below the vehicle as well. Speed of the fade-in/out is selectable.

https://www.oznium.com/led-controllers/fade-in-fade-out

 

That is what I was wondering. I think the VLED controller is just a trigger off the ground, so it doesn’t use the PWM like the dome lights would. I had a oznium controller for mine that worked great. The 8A version. I triggered mine with the DSIM dome rock. There are a couple things the dome light does that the bed light doesn’t, I don’t recall exactly what though off the top of my head though. But anyway, that set up worked good. The reason I changed from the oznium to the timers.shop dome light dimmer module https://timers.shop/Universal-Dome-Light-Dimmer-configurable-via-phone_p_46.html is that the oznium is ground side PWM, where as the timers.shop is positive side PWM. Not a huge deal, but with a common ground system, you can tie the lights to different systems. So in the back of the truck, I have bed lights attached to triggers to turn on when the topper or tailgate are opened. I also added a couple lights under the bumper aiming down that turn on with the bed lights (so you can see where you’re stepping while back there). But using a positive side PWM also meant I could tie the same lights to the puddle lights. So they come on with both. The one thing oznium did that timers.shop doesn’t though is allow for control of the dimming time. The timers.shop one takes about 2s to change from on/off, where the oznium one was selectable up to 20 or 30 seconds? I had it set at 1.5s, so the difference isn’t noticeable for me anyway. The other option I kicked around in the rear was tying the reverse lights to the puddle lights, but I decided against that. But hit me up if there is anything I can help with. Having played with both, I might be able to help some.

 

Saw the belching beaver sticker and had to say. North County resident here, work about a mile from the beav'!

 

Thanks for that offer! I just have to install the LED strips in the cabin at this point. Everything else is set. If I extend it to handle "puddle lights", I am going to use a bracket where normally the steps would be installed, which I don't have. As a courtesy getting into and out of the vehicle, and locating a vehicle in a parking lot. However, you bring up an excellent point, and that is, what about the back under the tailgate? My wife and I are getting older. No desire to "roll an ankle" because of a curb or some other change in the surface when getting in or out of the vehicle.

Previous project was homebrewing my own forward-facing camera. I installed a front bed rail, and soft-top. Also some hood stuts.

Now, I've got a few other things in the works... Bought a tiny amp (Sony XM-S400D) and will be seeing if I can get a little better sound quality over the stock radio install (non-JBL 8" HU). I'll be replacing the tweeters, and the rear door speakers first. This amp is so small, it will fit behind the head-unit. No desire for lots of power, so 45Wrms x 4channels into 4ohm fine for me. I like to hear the road, and the emergency traffic.

I want to do simple little projects, that don't draw too much attention from the wife.
I'm also thinking about engine bay illumination, since where I live, there's no street lighting, no significant outside lighting at the farm. So many project ideas... so much time.

 

Sounds like you got it I do like the lights in the back. I have 4 lights back there actually. The puddle/bed lights are VLED Max Pods, and the puddle lights on the outside are VLED mini pods. Works good. I also am going to add puddle lights to my predator steps, but that is going to be a little down the road when I can physically do it. You can't see the actual lights here, but this is where they are, aimed down.

 

Got the side steps replaced with some bomb-proof RCI sliders.

Before -



After -

 

Regardless if the DB panels can be opened (mine can) or not, I really like the idea of not having to open/close/fold panels to get to stuff. I'm also using a Cross Bin so utilizing that little space underneath would be cool too. Let us know how the install goes with the Mountain Hatch, which I also have. Looks like you're loaded for bear.

 

Welcome to TW

 

Grew up in NE Ohio. I get the Canadian soldier/midge reference. Fall was always the worst. Hope the union guys aren't busting on you too bad. Whenever I make an appearance in my Tacoma I get some 'Buy American' junk, not too bad though. It's funny how they bust my b*lls but whenever they hop in it's like "damn this thing is nice!". Where did you end up buying your Taco?

 

I got my cam bolt tabs broken by Firestone when they tried to align my tires YAY! They tried to tell me my frame was bent lmao. I'm going to get some new ones welded on soon and an alignment done by someone who knows a thing or two instead of those idiots at Firestone.

 

Not a fan of firestone. Had them do an oil change for me. A couple of days later I went to refill my windshield washer fluid and noticed my oil cap was not on and was just sitting on top of the engine instead.......

 

I had a '70, but it wasn't the Eliminator. 351C was PLENTY for a teen to hit triple-digit speeds on the 101. This is still my dream car, as long as the sequential trigger turn signal and the front headlight grills work.

 

A tire shop almost did this on my first gen when I took it in for an alignment... they told me I needed new lower control arms because they were seized...he went and got an impact gun and I said please take it off the rack ... I took it to my mechanic.. he aligned it no problem... I asked him why it was so easy for him and why the other guy seemed to not know WTF he was doing. He showed me the poor design and said he suspected that so many of the tabs adjacent to the cams fail because all sides of the cams have wrench flats and inexperienced techs are unaware of proper adjustment. They just cannot be turning stuff willy-nilly and may actually be causing the damage. He said if I let that guy go at it with an impact gun I would have encountered bent tabs and seizure.

The wrench flats on both sides are there to be used together during adjustments and as counter-holds for tightening the bolts.

For example, using the front cams for the purposes of this discussion, the proper way to adjust that cam is to sufficiently loosen the 19mm bolt on the front side and then use two wrenches -- one being on the opposite eccentric -- to turn the cams together.

 

After one day I bought my Truck. I bought the Redarc Trailer controller that I am going to cleanly install left of the tape measure.



Then I bought a whole bunch of little things. (Some were free my wife is an Amazon Vine reviewer - Those are the Zero dollar items) These items are fixing things that Id like to add for more functionality.

 

Yes, it is.

 

Yeah, I did the same but with the OEM Plus sound system. Amp went under the drivers seat, hung on the seat springs. Pretty easy hook up. Kind of wish it was a bit more powerful.

 

It was for Memorex tapes. I always thought it made for a great speaker ad as well. It worked for me anyway. Hell, I think it would be a good ad tool today.

 

Back in the late 70s I was onboard the USS Tarawa, and while on Westpac I acquired this picture during a port visit in the P.I. It didn’t have the advertisement writing, just the picture. I taped it to the bulkhead next to my bunk. The XO of the ship saw it during his daily messing and berthing inspection, he told me liked it and I could keep posted on my bunk. The man had good taste. That is what’s known as a sea story….. but a true one. Cheers

 

Put on some tailgate inserts from Eyecatcher off of Amazon. $40 but are very high quality. Thanks for the recommendation @23 SR5 LB

 

Paid a visit to Alcan Spring, makers of the best leaf packs in the country, during my cross country road trip!

Full trip report coming soon.