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

It's incredible. I went from daily driving my '03 Xtra cab Tacoma (which will now be made into the gnarliest of hunting rigs), to the Crewmax Platinum Tundra, and the creature comforts, ability to get up and go, and increased space inside are all amazing.

How you liking yours?

Edit: I blew the doors off this punk kid in a WRX yesterday and it was so much fun to go fast again lol

 

Seems like a nice solution from @Marlin Crawler to a problem that we're all familiar with, and easier to install than some of the other options...

HD LCA Frame Mount Upgrade Kit, 1995.9-2004 Tacoma | Marlin Crawler, Inc.

This unique kit makes your frame eccentric alignment tabs bullet-proof, whereby no amount of force will ever cause your cam tabs to lose their factory positions.

To achieve this, our patented design wraps USA-made 1/4" thick steel 360° around each alignment eccentric, encompassing all 16 cam tabs for unparalleled strength, durability, and rigidity. This design also greatly strengthens your LCA frame mounts allowing the frame to handle many times greater stress loading than stock as well as provides impact protection to your sensitive control arm hardware. This is ideal for all use cases including daily driving, overlanding, rock crawling, high speed desert, and competition events.

Installation requires welding, however, does not require drilling or cutting of spot-welds and may be performed without removing alignment hardware or control arms

 

huh not bad. But I don't like how you can't really weld the inside without taking it all out and grinding it all flush. If you don't, i'll be a great place for rust to build up unseen.

 

Every possible solution have its own unique problem.

 

Modified a Malone roller bar and installed it on my prinsu cap rack. I decided to use some bronze bushings to keep the aluminum from wearing out easily.
https://amzn.to/47i27Vu

 

What's the point of that? So you can more easily slide stuff up onto the roof rack?

 

Yes, they are typically used for ladders or lumber. I got it mostly to make putting my paddle board on the roof easier.

 

I call it the TopGearTaco
Also picked up a soft topper for a great deal. Kinda stoked.

 

Awesome

 

Good looking taco! How much you lower in the rear ? thanks

 

Shopping for new front shocks, ive ran my 5100 with eibach coils for a long time through all lot of stuff. Has any ran across these yet I really like bilstein stuff currently have 5165s in the rear and they work great. Heres a link to wheelers. Wondering if anybody else has seen these.

 

Been wanting a topper for years and finally found one for a good deal. Featuring the pup

 

Nice! It looks great! I love my Softopper. Absolutely one of the best add-ons I've done to my truck.

 

Nice looking Tacoma, I like the contrast of the black and white. SR5 offroad decal is looking good too.

 

I'm building a parts list to do some exhaust work on my truck. There are some specialty nuts on the catalytic converter flange. Toyota lists them as "lock nuts".

Since I've never worked with this style of nut before, can anybody tell me...

1) What makes them special/how do they work/why are they the way that they are?
2) Do they require any special tools or treatment?



https://www.yotashop.com/toyota-exhaust-lock-nut-90177-a0004/#gallery

 

3" blocks plus probably an extra .5 to .75 inch for the 25 year old original leaf springs. And another inch on the driver's side because of taco lean.

 

Just went through this replacing my cat. Only special tool I’d recommend is a sacrificial 13mm socket to hammer on after you strip it. Otherwise it’s all normal stuff, they were cheap at the dealer by me like $1.80 each

 

Did my best to fix all 4 bump stop mounts on the LCA. Process for 3 was drill the hole bigger to fit a flange nut as flush as possible without falling in, fully welding it, grinding it flush, and then cutting slits onto both sides of the nut and re welding those and grinding that flush. I really wanted to get some material and heat onto each side of the nut since I ground the initial welds flush. Should hold but better than what I assume were factory tacks.

I also had one still holding on so I cut 3 sides of that one close to the internal nut and re welded that all up.

Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr

 

Totally digging the stance and answer!!! Thank you. I’ve got 2” inch blocks in the rear on my EC 5speed currently but have 3” just waiting to go in. Originally tried 4” blocks in the rear but the center driveshaft yolk hardware was binding a bit so went to 2” because I didn’t have 3” on hand at the time. 3’s look like it’s where it’s suppose to be. I get the stance right now I’m looking for with the 2” blocks and a loaded bed lol, Stoked to get the 3”ers in here soon. Have some new bilsteins on the way as well to help stiffen it back up. Appreciate the info again. Here’s a pic of mine with the 2” as it sits right now. She’s been in the works for about a year or so now. Just under 300k on her. Brothers old daily work truck for years, now she’s getting a second lease on life no doubt. Some good maintenance has gone down and I’m planning on Autocrossing it this 2024 season. Gunna push that 2rz for sure. Straight piped to a flowmaster 40 right now and then an LCE header coming in February. The most fun vehicle I have for sure. Thankful for the TACOLIFE!!!

 

Prepped the lca’s for paint today only to notice a hair line crack in my fire wall tub… poked it like a hornets nest.



Interested to see if it rusted from the inside out when I get more time. I believe we tubbed at my buddy’s place in may of 2015.