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

That winch is buried mighty deep... why? No shit talk. Interested.

 

To get under the bed, the winch has to be about 2 inches lower than the bumper. Moving it back makes a better line angle.

Also being between the shackles make it less likely it gets hit. Way out by the bumper, I'd come down on it coming off a shelf.

 

Hot.

 

If I'm not mistaken, there was a dash cam video posted here on TW of a crash when the ball joint failure happened at high speed. The truck was totaled and the guy was lucky to walk away with minor injuries.

 

Fair enough. Only checked compression once, and I didn't warm up the engine first (had just finished doing valve adjustments). Most cylinders tested between 170-180psi, so I'd bet fully warmed up my numbers would be much better. At least good enough to get a turbo

 

Your life will be 100x easier if you do it up right with an aftermarket ecm like @Speedytech7 and I did.

 

I've had the opposite experience. I was changing oem every year because they had noticeable play in them. Installed a moog and oem side by side and the Moog is still going 4 years later.

 

I’m a purist but needed some tunes better than the stock AM-FM cassette player that came with the truck. I found and bought an NOS CD player and installed it today.

 

Finished the wiring for the heated seats today. The passenger seat is done and the driver seat will be dropped off next week for leather and heated seat inserts.

7.5 amp circuit breaker for good measure.

 

That's definitely my plan. And I have a 5-speed so it can completely replace the OEM ECU right? versus it only supplementing the ECU on an auto truck?

 

Yessir. Here's some minor motivation just because I videod a test I was doing

https://youtu.be/uXDpw80yfhA?si=CciMzb2rQUyCjAH6

 

That's so cool. Turbo noises are very motivating indeed!

 

Well Today, I sound proofed my front doors on the DC, and installed my new Kenwood Stereo speakers that have been patiently waiting for a year or longer.This last spine surgery has me feeling like getting some things done on the Tacoma, that I've put off for too long. Will sound proof my rears and install the new speakers in the back hopefully tomorrow. That will all depend on how I feel in the morning. Got to get the Valve Cover gasket materials together and get that done before Cold weather sets in.

 

What kind of materiel did you sound proof with? And is there significant improvement with road noise etc?

Edit: I'm interested in hearing the improvement details. I've been wanting to sound proof my rig.

 

I used a Dash Mat, Raammat and PS Ensolite on my 97 4runner. Did as close to 100% coverage as I could... doors, floor, roof. Stripped the entire interior. The difference was dramatic, both in sound system quality and road noise reduction.

 

Another weekend, another AutoCross in the bag! Ran with a local Porsche club that opened their venue to other clubs/racers. Mostly a Porsche showing but we had some local heat out there as well. Running my brothers 97 Taco with some recent mods done to it such as some stiffer, more aggressive bump stops, front/Rear to assist with travel while cornering heavy. Fresh MAF sensor and a few other areas tuned up,, sway bar links, bushings.

This was my second AutoX ever, After going into the previous event with a “learn the truck mentality” I went into this event with a “gotta give it my all mentality” which ended up happening ever so righteously. Thanks to years of hard work my bro has done to the taco and with my bros great words of encouragement and pointers I was able to leave this event so stoked and ready for the next one.
I’ll post the run times when the event coordinator posts them!

My bro ended up grabbing 3rd for the entire event with his standings! Majority of the people were running their very high dollar Porsche's, but at the end of the day they were so curious about the truck and how my brother and I were ripping it. Came down to the good ole saying “it’s not the car(truck), but the driver ” I believe my bro ran a 39.6 second lap and I was able to squeeze in a 40.7 second lap, which my bro was blown away by because of it being my 2nd event!! Very tight course, but fun if you knew how to approach the flow of the corners and able to keep a clear mind.

My bro and I have some maintenance plans for his taco coming soon before the next event.
I’m in the process of finishing my ext cab 95.5 Taco for next years AutoX season. Gunna be 2 Bros and their Yotas!

Apologies for no audio, dash cam decided not to record audio- https://youtu.be/z3XSApNJx7s?si=hDRcpGPGaykV-Cz5

Appreciate y’all’s time and righteous vibes. Much peace Taconians

 

Finally got around to relocating my winch controller. Made a couple custom brackets out of aluminum bar. I don’t have a metal brake or a vise so had to make due with a c clamp and some locking seamers.

 

I used 80mil Kilmatz. There are some good reads here on TW on sound proofing, but I didn't go as far as other have. I only did my doors so that I could install my stereo speakers that have been sitting here waiting on me. Post #220102 also has some good products listed. I haven't road tested it yet, but I did sit there and listen to some Van Hagar. Definite improvement.

 

All of the old leaf perches are cut out. New rear leaf perches are tacked (tacked well) Leafs are half in.

Left the rear perches tacked in case I need to move them front/back to get the right shackle angle.