I Inherited a Tacoma, best way to make it last?

Tagging because a lot of this is on my to-do list for my recently acquired Taco.

The wheel comment is interesting though, I have these same wheels and my driver rear has a slow leak/will end up 10-15 psi low after a week or so before settling out. I was going to have the shop look at it when I get new tires soon. Is there anywhere in particular that they are known to oxidize first or do you have any more info on the failure mode here? Thanks!

 

Welcome to TW! Sorry about your loss. And like has already been said he definitely had good taste in trucks. Lol! Lots of good advice here. Fluid film or whatever your preference to take care of the frame and general maintenance seems to work for most folks. If you're not driving it regular then start a schedule. She will last. Again welcome.

 

On the seal/bead. I had them cleaned up a couple of times and that helped temporarily. If your TPMS is original you could have a slow leak there, too. The Off Road tires look so good on the white truck, too!

 

Welcome to the forum and congrats on the truck!
Beyond maintenance and frame check, take a look at the bed side to see if they're splaying out at all. Easy way to check is the open gaps on the side of the tailgate when closed. Our beds can have a tendency to flex outwards and sometimes crack due to weight on the bed sides, like a camper or racks.

If you see it necessary, then consider adding bed stiffeners like this: https://www.chaosfab.com/product/2005-2015-Toyota-Tacoma-Rear-Channel-Bed-Stiffeners-48675

Lots of brands out there that do the same stuff pretty much. They also add function to the bed with adding more tie off/down points.

The Off-Road is capable as-is and a great platform should you choose to change things up in the future. Have fun!

 

I would agree with this: even if it isn't bowing out, add the stiffeners as a preventative measure to compensate for the topper. And, if you ever want to put a canoe or small fishing Jon Boat up there, you won't have to worry about any problems or the additional added weight.

 

That good advice. Especially considering how tall the topper is.

 

To the OP, just because it's a colorado truck mean it will have rust issues, I own a 17YO tacoma that grew up in colorado and it's under carrage looks better then most 3YO eastern trucks. Almost zero rust. I did coat the under carrage with por 15 a few years ago just because. If the last 17 years are any indication the truck is going to die of old age before it rusts out.

 

You're right! I am getting mixed messages haha. My thought is that since what it has its original fluid that's been in there for 10+ years that it would be a good idea to just take it in and have it totally flushed as somewhat of a "reset" and then just regular drain and fills from then on. Maybe I'm be too cautious, if there is such a thing?

Thank you for all the places to look! Im going to crawl up under it this sunday and see what 12 years of Colorado has done to it. I don know that he almost never drove in the snow... Except one time on Super Bowl 50 my wife (then girlfriend) and I got her Ford Escape stuck in a 3 foot snow drift 50 miles out in the plains, he came and rescued us during halftime....

Interesting, I've never heard of that! The ones on this truck I know have sat in the driveway for months without issue.

I have heard of this, however my thought was that the topper helps since it alone of so rigid but maybe I'm wrong. I think I'll go push on the bed side there at the end and see if it moves or flexes at all.

I do see a little rust around my upper shock mounts in the rear because you can just see it from standing beside it. It looks like surface rust though, and like I said it's on my short list to monkey around under there and see what I see.

 

Frame care is pretty important, making sure everything is geared and lubed properly is too

 

Yeah, IMO absolutely change the fluid. But not all flushes are created equal, so it depends on how they do it. Any shop that doesn't remove the pan for a flush (so most quick oil change places) is risking pushing all of the gunk/solids/metal etc that's lurking on the bottom of the pan into more critical locations and potentially cause problems down the road.

Then there's a the idea that transmission fluid contains a lot of detergents, so simply replacing it will clean at least some of the gunk but slowly enough that the risk of clogging anything is lower.

If you're at all mechanical, you could DIY by draining & removing the pan to clean it.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...e-2nd-gen-transmission-pan-and-filter.726329/

If it were me, I'd do that, and call it good. But if you're really ambitious, you could pull the return line from the rad/cooler and use the trans pump to push more fluid out, but that's arduous and slightly risky.

 

That is a cool uncle. Hope he don't have any jealous/envious nephews, or daughters.

Preventive maintenance is the key for any vehicle so it lasts as long as possible. And looking at forums to spot the weak points. Luckily, not many on 2nd gen V6 Tacos. Rusting undercarriage is the big one. If your uncle went offroading check them front wheel bearings and ujoints, and center/carrier bearing. I would replace them by 150K, as well as thermostat, belts and hoses when the 2nd coolant change is due. Maybe also the idler and tensioner pulley bearings.

Some things I would do now if not already done:
Brake and PS fluid flush
Replace air and cabin filter
Replace diff/transfer-case fluids with syn fluid. (Use Valvoline or Amsoil for the east to use squishy bags)
ATF drain/refill, or flush, but drain/refill is simpler
Check brake linings, front and rear, for current wear
Check age of battery, I would replace if older than 5 years
Check that all fan speeds work (a Taco weak point here is the fan/resistor connectors)

I am familiar with the burnt/melting headlight assemblies - a weak point on the 2nd gens with DRL’s. I replaced mine with generic aftermarket assemblies. I replaced mine at ten years, in 2017 but the lens started burning at about 5 years. They are holding up well with no signs of lens burning.

 

No other nephews or daughters, just me.
The power steering was done a couple years ago; as well as the fan, fan clutch, and belt, because the old pump developed a leak and somehow threw the belt. He had Toyota do it.

I already experienced the fan resistor! And I learned it's best to get a high quality one.

 

For tranny, I would recommend you check this guy out as he’s a pretty conservative Toyota specific mechanic, who seems to have a lot of understanding that backs up his approaches.

https://m.youtube.com/results?sp=mAEA&search_query=Car+care+nut+tacoma+transmission

In a previous video, I remember him saying that if you have a older transmission, with higher miles that wasn’t changed at the correct interval, it might be better to leave it alone, and just let it continue to run. I know that sounds odd and I’ve seen the comments from others hear about detergent, debris, particles, or whatever else is part of how the transmission now operates.

Congrats on taking over the track, sounds like a great connection to your uncle that you get to enjoy and honor him with for a long time.

 

From my experience, it is not a faulty resistor that is the issue, it is a faulty resistor connector. One of the middle pins does not seat well and accumulates corrosion over time. If you look closely at the connector you may notice a burnt-looking mark on it. The reason the fans works after replacing the resistor is that you break the corrosion when you remove and reconnect the connector. Mark my words … in time you will again have fan issues. The long term solution is to rewire a new resistor connector. A possible second issue, that happened to me, is the same corrosion issue with the fan connector. My connector melted and fell apart when I removed it. I rewired the connection with .087 female terminals.

 

Select the type of transmission fluid change to do: partial drain-and-fill or full flush replacement and make it the first priority. That Aisin transmission at 78,000 is a mere teenager IMO and judging by the care your Uncle took with this truck, will outlast most of us. Don't put it off.

Personally, I would have a dealer do a drain and fill via the "shop-manual" procedure to get the fluid level perfectly correct, and would tell them to leave the pan and filter screen alone if it's not leaking. If you want to do it yourself sometime down the road, that's fine. (pan drop and clean with filter screen) But don't let them crack it open and expose it to contamination, sketchy re-seal job, dirty rags or lost magnets. Every post and video I have watched shows the pan drop and screen replacement at this mileage is a waste of time and money unless the truck has been abused. (Mine at 128k is bone dry and no evidence the pan has ever been dropped.)

FWIW, I had a flush and fill at 106K with no adverse issues or behavior thereafter. I made that decision based upon the overall impression and condition, that the truck exhibited good care by the previous owner that it was well cared for: serpentine belt, valve train condition, service records tires, brakes and pristine engine bay. YMMV.

You don't have to guess how your truck was cared for and maintained by the previous owner!

 

You'll probably get that wish. My brother in law has had both knees replaced. 3 months later he was back to work..in a printing shop running around all day. We still go camping and to a bunch of concerts together. Not bad for 68

 

Change oil, fluid film frame add fuel conditioners ( water remover , sea foam, stp fuel treatment)

 

It took longer than I wanted to get under it and poke around, but I'm glad I did. Overall I think the frame is in darn good condition for the age, just a few little spots here and there but it didn't seem like anything a good sand and painting can't fix. I did howver notice that the shocks are ruuuuusty, especially in the rear.