What Have You Done To Your 3rd Gen Today?

^That's all well and good in principle. However, 2nd and 3rd gen diff drops are useless - by simple geometry, the CV location drops by only ~40% of the spacer thickness. That's why the only sites pushing for diff drop spacers are the ones selling them. The diff drop potentially does more harm than good, as the diff mounts are pushed below the frame crossmember outline. If they hit any large debris on the road (paving stone, tow hitch ball, brick), the diff mounts can punch a hole in the engine upper oil pan. In a way, a skid plate is more important if you have a diff drop.

 

How how high is your lift? Your tried to install the cheapo aftermarket knockoff skidplate from China.

About link website. They don’t know WTF they talking about solid front axle BS. Solid front axle don’t have CV axles crap.

 

^Looks to be an Aussie site, so their solid axle vehicles are Land Cruisers and Nissan Patrols. The front axle shafts in Land Cruiser 80 series have CV joints. For example: https://www.ebay.com/itm/323735338035

 

Apparently, I mistaken. Things are different in "the Land Down Under."

 

The "cheapo aftermarket knockoff" is the same exact dimensions as the $400+ Toyota TRD skid plate. Don't be fooled into thinking you are getting a better skid plate because Toyota produced it and charged more than double. Besides, what does this have to do with it not clearing the differential drop? The OEM TRD plate won't either.

 

I asked how high is your lift? But I never was BS fooled about who has better skidplate, OEM, or aftermarket.
You wrote previous posts ago that you don’t off-road. If that the case, your lift makes your Tacoma a “Highway Princess!” Only “pretty!” But one of these days you might go offroad, and forget yourself, get all excited, BAM! SMASH! Underneath! Stuck!

 

If you're dead set on keeping the diff drop, you can install the skid with additional spacers and longer bolts at the front two crossmembers.

 

I considered that option. You also need the spacers and bolts in the middle attach points as well. Thanks

 

I'm 56 and paid cash for my limited, so yes, I'm a "highway princess." I'm also a "highway princess" with my 2024 4Runner that I paid cash for as well. Perhaps I'll drive both down a gravel road some day!

 

Owners manual at least once a month, engage 4wd, so inside parts don’t lock up. Then don’t work. No need go crazy off road.

 

Thank you. I went with the Dobinsons lift kit

 

Lee Majors can always be recalled from retirement to "Stunt Man" your truck on light gravel.

 

I know nothing about diff drops, but do know that the RCI skid is designed for them, is a very good product, and also has the access panel for oil changes. [Plus they have a really cool factory ]

 

Gordon Gulch in the morning and added the skid plate this afternoon. Yeah why not add it before the trail...long saga with me stripping a bolt.

 

Changed the oil and filter canister with a OEM metal one and while on the ramps greased the drive line zerks . Also changed to a Fumato drain valve.
The dealer did the previous oil change when I brought the truck 3 months ago and the plastic canister was way over tightened.
I also added some DOT reflective tape under the tailgate as I’ve done with my trucks for years
It makes seeing you from the rear a lot better

 

I finally got my new switch panel from @ITmaD installed. In the process I discovered that there were no relays on my lights (done by previous owner). While fixing that issue I also discovered that some of the ground wire was done with coax wire. Like - WTF. There is no possible reason to use this for lights, or a ground. Ever. There is now 14/2 marine grade (Amazon marine grade anyway- but it feels like good wire.) all the way to the Reverse lights. It has split loom on it as well. The fronts got a harness that @OldSchlPunk passed along to me, I'm not sure where it came from but it looked like a CaliRaised Switch. I swapped it for the switch I bought for this project, which fit better in my new panel.

There is a fair bit of corrosion on it when I stripped it for this picture. My truck is a '22.

Anyway,here is a before picture of my switch panel.

And here is my newly installed and tested panel.
I did a little bit of wire management, I'd really like to get a switch pro at some point. But that kind of cash is going to payments for the time being.

 

IMO, the Taco went to a more deserving owner. surprised nothing caught on fire the way it was wired.

 

I got the auxbeam 8 switch panel and love it! Very affordable for what it is and really cleans up the wiring, I wish I’d have done it sooner. Just in case you were on the fence of sooner or later like I was. I have 2 lights previously ran into the cab before the panel and then a few on the panel and it’s sooooo much easier and cleaner. Good job correcting all the previous owners wiring issues. I’m currently doing that with a boat trailer/Hobie kayak…he was surely not an electrician

 

Do "Future you" a favor and run a dedicated ground to those trailer lights. Splicing is fine, but good shrink fit over soldered splices - not those horrible vampire taps. Nine years ago I rewired a trailer I got third hand. Have not had a single problem with lights since.

 

You're going to miss those '70s plastic toggle switches! They looked so good!