What Have You Done To Your 3rd Gen Today?

Ooohh! Might wanna keep this in my back pocket for next year! How did you do it? Just make a hole underneath?

 

The instructions call for some 3M frame treatment (I forget the specific name of it) that you put into this clip you attach to your frame. I didn't have any and didn't want to wait so filled it with silicone and sprayed it with cosmoline. No idea if that will make any difference but you should figure out what you're going to do with that. I'm betting many people didn't use anything.

Once you take the tailgate apart and give it a good look over, you'll see how it works. Probably the most complicated thing was installing the two 2 hole clips that go in the bottom of the tailgate and the underside of the bed.

Mine didn't come with instructions. I just pulled them up on my cell phone and kept it handy for when I plugged in in the passenger side footwell.

Seriously, the entire install is really easy. Now that I've done one I could probably do it in less than 30 minutes without breaking a sweat or looking at instructions.

 

Just did this. Worked out GREAT.
Shout out to @Shiftin2Sixth for meeting me in San Diego and selling me the Meso volume fix. I added the AJT Design steering wheel sides. I trimmed the rubber near the volume up led and then some..... turned out 98% perfect. I cut off the rest of the rubber led covers just because.


It lites up just fine in the dark,I really don't look at it anyway when driving...

Unhooked the battery for 15mins beforehand.
Changing out the parts and chopping the rubber took a total of 15min.

I used a T-30 Torx, small flat blade screw driver and a Phillips screw driver.

Questions or comments welcome.

 

What was the purpose of trimming the rubber?

 

It provided more illumination to the volume up portion of the button. so it doesnt look like this.

 

Those radio knobs...

 

Looks great, just installed the same one on mine

 

@wh11 were you able to remove the extractor?

 

Behold, the non-OEM skid plate. Kind of a PITA to install, I swear I'm like one turn away from snapping the heads off the bolts, but it's on. Until I have to change the front diff fluid, it ain't going anywhere.

 

Here's the thread I created on the Rough Country with a handful of pics. Great company and support but the new rails killed it for me.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/rough-country-low-profile-12-hour-shelf-life.815924/

 

Forgot I recently installed the Form Lighting tailights. Love the start-up sequence and I love that I can activate the sequence anytime. Don't love that I can't see them when driving

 

Noticed you’re running Ridge Grapplers, how are they off road? Are they good on wet pavement? TIA

 

I actually got these last year and they are pretty bald. I have KO2s in the garage while my wheels get powder coated.

I can't speak to them new, but at where I got them (Nov 2022), absolutely terrible in icy wet conditions. So much so that I had to use 4x4.

With all that said, it sounds like AT tires should be replaced around 60% tread. After that, they are summers due to the compound not being as soft as it needs to be in sub 7 degree temps.

I suppose off road I have had no issues, but didn't get it in anything deeper than the sidewall.

I have cradle to grave experience with KO2s, and Im good with them.

 

That’s good information. I’m also considering the Trail Grappler M/T or the Toyo Open Country M/T.

I’m currently running KO2 A/T. They have been great for about 33k miles but are starting to slip on the wet pavement and the sidewalls are beginning to show signs of dry rot, i.e., cracks on the sidewalls.

Thank you for the feedback. It’s much appreciated.

 

And those of us who understand what he said are equally dating ourselves

 

bronze letters in the tailgate. next to black out or remove the badges.

 

Yeah pretty much. I got the idea from someone who used a couple of those kids trick-or-treat pumpkin buckets with holes drilled through the bottom. Those probably would have been easier to mount than what I used. I got a set of those jack-o-lantern yard spike lights because i felt like something made for lighting would look better.

Anyway, they come apart sort of like a clamshell. I notched the bottom of the back half to fit under the ditch light then screwed the face back on. I dunno if that makes sense or not. My ditchlights have the backlit feature which is perfect to light them.

 

I started looking for an OEM hard cover, but it's expensive and you have to change the side rail tops for it (more $$$). It also sticks up a bit. There are a lot of great other options at various price points depending on your needs/wants/compromises. Even the dealers around here sell aftermarket (usually BAKflip) covers in their parts department.

 

In addition to what @McHale said, the other trick is finding the right grommet under the passenger seat. There are two. You want the one closest to the frame member. I eyeballed it from underneath and then slid my hand under the carpet to get it.

I'm not sure if you are doing the OEM or aftermarket, but I found instructions for the OEM on the Sparks Parts site and had them up on my tablet in COLOR. The ones that came w/ my OEM kit were printed in B&W and didn't have the detail. Yes, those clips in the tailgate were a pita for me (because I was sure I had the right orientation and it took me 30 minutes to admit I was wrong and try it another way).

 

Waiting on my Diamondback HD cover.

Yes OEM one. Thanks for the tips!