What Have You Done To Your 3rd Gen Today?

The air bags are phenomenal for my driving. This pic, only 13 psi in the air bags, max is 150. That is with only 300 pounds in the bed.

With 800 pounds in the back and at only 40psi I can lift the rear another inch over this photo. Biggest surprise was how the air bags stabilized the truck on highway driving. So solid, no sway or roll.

I have Bilstein 5100 front and back, no lift. Tires are KO2 265 75 16, E load. E load simply because of high blowout risk on my trails, and I am alone with no backup.

I have had some bad blowouts in bad spots prior to E load tires. I blew 2 SL tires on my first outing with this Tacoma. One sidewall huge hole, the other a sidewall massive bulge. End of same day I was on KO2 E load. A Kal tire in Kamloops saved my butt that day. No tire shop in town had even 2 spares in my size and only this Kal tire had a full set of KO2 in my size. E load are very stiff, so not for everyone. I air down on every off road trip.

I am alone on my trips simply because I love the quiet and solitude. Slow and easy wins…

 

It really sucks when that happens, and yes it can be very scary. I have had many occasions where I backed out and pretty shakey once I made it back out. Starting to get smarter with age. Maybe.

 

THIS, deserves the BEST participation Trophy EVER made!!!

 

I learned much about handling the inside 90-degree turns that slope down-to-the-left (with a minor ditch to the left). I still am not sure when I want to take that trail again.

 

I continue to remove steel and add Ti where I find opportunities. I got serious about installing the bed mounted tire cage. Be aware if you do this. Its not as simple as you might imagine. This, especially if you want it in a certain spot. I did my best to avoid running into obstructions under the truck but, I failed. I had to grind/sand a little section of fiberglass molding under the bed. Sanded it all nice and smooth and painted it black. While I was already covered in fiberglass dust and had a grinder in my hand, I removed the little steel spare tire guides from the frame and ground it all smooth and painted it. The cage install requires two people and it should be someone you communicate well with and has some automotive knowledge. I tried my little nighbor dude but, he is like a T-rex and just couldn't wrap his head around what I was asking him to do. (0 man points!)
I'll recruit my son tonight. The hardest part will be above all of peripheral fuel tank crap. Gonna have to glue or tape the nuts to the wrench while my help threads the bolts in from above. Getting the under bed bracket up in there ought to be a PITA too. Serenity now!

 

This. A 200 foot high cliff on one side in reverse. Other side a 500 foot drop. This pic a straight section. So roll back 3 feet, stop, correct, roll another few feet, stop, correct, repeat. Now when I go back there I park it 2 miles back and hike up higher.

That first time I should have parked it and hiked a mile or 2 to scope it out before continuing to drive. Spots like this a drone would have come in handy.

 

Backed out of shelf road trail a few weeks ago. Was about a mile of reversing, I won't go back to that trail and was the last time I'll go on a trail I haven't scouted.

 

You could tell yourself "I was an idiot!", but you got *something* from that experience. Maybe more caution, maybe finer control ... something. Like the trail I took, I added to my skillset for handling dropoffs, narrow passing (a few vehicles cam the opposite direction), mud-sections (had those) and a beginner-introduction to solo-rock-crawling. Take what you can, adapt later trips.

Maybe others read this and dismiss my words as babble, maybe they see a little of their experience.

 

This would be a concern that I would dread. Fun getting there but meet another vehicle part way and can't turn around but have to back down. Even on easier trails I'm always keeping in mind where I can pull over safely to let another vehicle pass if I have to.

 

Many trails near me I avoid on weekends ... AZ folk emerge en-masse on trails on weekends. Weekdays mostly a few obnoxious SxS that think no one else is out.

 

Agreed, but in almost every new trail I take looking for some remote lake, I can find no trail information online other than satellite maps. So I am often driving into the unknown. I am cautious. Forty years of this stuff and I don’t like taking chances. BC is full of thousands of miles of trails like this, open through crown land from past and current logging and mining activity.

Like this trail. The white spots left and right are the start and end point of this one section. I added the red line to show the trail between these spots. Impossible to tell much from the satellite photo what its like. It is an ATV trail and does lead to one of my now favorite small lakes to fish. It is pretty rough but passable. My first time there I thought a few times about turning back. Glad I did not.

 

That place has "Bigfoot" all over it..

 

NO Doubt!

 

Mosquitoes worse. Those spots brutal in June and July. I coat up thick in repellent and I bring several mosquito coils and Thermacell devices to put around my camp spots.

No bigfoot other than moose and bear tracks. This black bear track. My size 14 feet. He was a big male that followed me for about 100 yards and then lost interest. I went back to get a photo. His foot sinks in, and mine not at all. I did not have my bear spray with me on me that walk so that sucked. Normally I have 2 bear spray canisters on my pants belt when I park it and go walking. I love to walk game trails.

 

My favorite bear spray is called 45/70

 

Speaking of Bigfoot, I know a pretty fun spot near Willow Creek, Ca. (Look that up for OG Bigfoot lore...my kid and I are into Cryptozoology...) So, the spot is near the original Bigfoot Film spot and is the exact spot where they filmed the Stegosaurus stampede in Jurrassic Park 2. Its called Fern Canyon and it is well worth a visit. I destroyed a 14' STI getting down to it. Knocked off the front bumper and blew the power steering rack. A Taco would do well. And if you go, stay here. Coho Cottages in Willow Creek. Awesome vibe.

 

I have 5 rifles but I leave them at home. I would rather have bear spray for a sudden charge where you have 5 seconds or less to react. Too easy to miss a shot with a firearm. Can’t miss with bear spray.

 

Good advice as mountain lions don't like the spray either and, compared to a bear, move like lightning charged four-legged razor blades. (We don't have too many bears where I normally hike. Lots of mountain cats and meth heads.) And Tahoe bears are kinda' "meh" when they see people.

 

Are you talking about Fern Canyon?

https://maps.app.goo.gl/4tVqqu67DJ6H29T8A?g_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy

 

I believe mine came with 25% ceramic from the dealer all around except windshield. Although I think AZ only allows 33%. So I’ll be legally maxed out. Afraid that won’t help much when it’s 115° outside lol. and yep, looking forward to no daylight savings. The old lady’s parents and brother live there now, so we’re used to the no change for them at least.