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

Replaced the brake booster and the hose that connects it to the upper plenum. It had a constant hiss that would change tone between being on and off the brakes. That hiss is gone but now I feel like it doesn’t brake as well.

 

I think 100Ah would be plenty for you. More than enough to start, but you might find it useful over time. Opens up possibilities like cooking with electricity instead of propane, using a microwave, that kind of thing.

This is something I was "worried" about too, or at least, really liked about our current AGM systems. But then I saw the van-lifer's solution to this - more "gadgets" (obviously, b/c you need more gadgets to discuss on your channel in order to create content). A bunch of them just bring along a battery charger - like our CTEK chargers - to cover the case where they've somehow depleted their starting battery and need to recharge with the house battery. Obviously not quite as convenient as a direct jump, but does mean you can get yourself going again.

Doesn't solve the winch situation, but have we ever needed two batteries + running alternator worth of power for winching? Maybe in total we had 4 trucks pulling Frank out of a river, but that's probably about it.

Yeah, see above about bringing a standard 120V battery charger.* Plus, the whole point of the house battery is that you never end up drawing down the starting battery, esp. when there's no possibility of accidental linkage with the ML-ACR.

That, and the lithium battery - in general - has so much more usable power in the same size/weight.

* Also, I recognize that having a permanently mounted battery charger in the truck for this scenario might seem goofy (and like extra weight), but as I thought about it, I realized that having one hooked up in there just for maintenance of my dual AGM system would be a nice thing. Would be nice to leave it hooked up all the time, and when I get home from a trip, just plug into shore power to keep the whole system happy between outings. Right now, I have the charger in the garage and this little adapter plug hooked into my Blue Sea fuse box, so it's not hard to connect them, but its not as convenient as just pulling an extension cord.

 

I have linked the batteries on purpose a few times when I have had to do some extended winching. Not certain it was absolutely necessary but the option was there so I thought it wise use it.

FWIW, I have never accidentally linked the batteries together with the ML-ACR. There have been a few times where I have forgotten the auto-link system was turned off or manually disabled.

 

I've never accidentally linked the batteries, either. Probably what I should have written was that there's no risk of leaving it on auto and having both batteries slowly drained w/o the ML-ACR unlinking them. This has happened to me a few times - luckily never to the point of not being able to start the truck - when my dash cam hasn't turned off or when I accidentally left devices charging while the truck was parked for an extended time.

Also - wrong thread, but here's the antenna...

 

Noted: 20.5" overall length. Do you recall which end was shortened? Does that end cap come off/unscrew? Or does the antenna come out of the base?

Also, wondering if this is the same antenna? It's quite a bit cheaper on this site.

https://www.arcantenna.com/products/stico-flexi-whip-quarter-wave-roof-ft-niti-antenna

edit: 20 9/16" overall length

 

Yep, 20 9/16" is what it looked like to me too, with the cap, which seems to have a bit of a point, so just take that into account when measuring.

The SWR is measured when everything is all "connected" so I'm sure we cut off the top and that cap can be removed. Didn't want to remove it right now b/c it's been on there and exposed to the elements, so who knows how crusty it is. But, I'm sure I put it back on "tightly" when I reinstalled it.

As for that -M item number - you'll see that it is for the mast only. Hidden away at the bottom...

 

Ahhh, hence the -M in the part number. Thanks for catching that.

 

Sage advice. The Black Bolt always goes first on installation. @Jixerboy96 Ain't nobody got time for cracked flex plates.


https://youtu.be/P0n8ZsWhlL8?si=07fFUI8RKn2usHMo

 

I broke a shock. I’m in the middle of nowhere on a hunting trip. I just pulled it off and will run without it until I get home. These OME shocks seem to be hard to find these days. I was thinking about going with a different brand. I have OME leafs so have a bit of a lift over stock. What shocks does anyone recommend? Bilsteins?

 

I'm running Toytec 2.0s in the rear and so far they've been tremendous. They're rebuild-able and made for 1-3" of lift in the rear.

 

Dobinson’s

 

Certainly some interesting upsides, you know my longterm plan with the back of my truck already so you can see why I really like the LiFePO4 option and truthfully I'm not worried about fully drawing down my starting AGM during winching. The no self jumpstart is a bit of a downer though, the LiFePO4 is dense energy but its a bit unfortunate it can't really run high amperage things, sorta a slow burn battery. The "just carry a charger" argument doesn't work for me TBH, not for weight reasons but because I've never drained a battery to my own demise... but I've had cells in the battery die at random and no amount of slow charging fixes that well enough to crank back to life. Still might not outweigh the upsides, I mean jumper cables do exist and I'm not above begging and exchanging favors.

 

My back seat has recently started falling apart so I've been mulling over ideas for a platform for the dog and maybe keep a single bucket seat for the random 3rd wheel we pick up once a year

 

My back seat is a cruel joke played by Toyota anyway. Putting people back there is nearly as inhumane as declawing a cat. So I'm hopeful this will make it a more useful space, both in usable shelf space on top and moving relocating weight and clutter from the engine bay.

 

I'll second what speedy said, I used the exact same hardware he posted. I did the pan several months in advance because I dropped the pan to install a new oil pump the same time I did my timing belt and water pump kit. There's probably some half decent pictures in my Little Red build thread if you need some reference

 

I remember the jumper seats from my 01 extra cab, probably something similar to what you're working with.

I had to squeeze a car seat in there once and that was kinda sketchy.

 

Yeah, I removed all that and the structure that holds it, makes some good room back there.

 

Kinda? My truck hasn't had the rear seats for several years and now serves as a space for the dog thanks to scrap wood in @Speedytech7 loft. The rear seats are a joke!

 

That's why I wanted a double cab, it's not for more people it's just for dry storage. If I wanted to haul people around I'd get another 2nd gen

 

If you want more dry storage... 4runner...

I like my current setup, a full canopy and a back"seat" for the dog. Lockable dry storage. I wouldn't give up one pedal for two doors.