What Have You Done To Your 2nd Gen Tacoma Today?

I'm a week late, but: I haven't tried (or had to try yet) on the Tacoma, but on other cars I usually press the brake pedal about half way down and put a stick against the seat to hold it there. I closes off the master cylinder so you get minimal (if any) dripping.

 

I modified my windshield wiper reservoir by cutting three and a half inches out of it and then gluing it back together. This is because my 35-in tire when fully stuffed would hit the upper fender wells so I beat the hell out of it with a sledgehammer. Result is more travel when flexed out but Reservoir no longer fit. I didn't have the reservoir in for many months but recently I've been playing in the mud and this is a must have for that.

 

My TC bed stiffeners have rusted away too and I’m not even close to the salt water. Nice work on DIY!

 

Replaced my reverse lights with these Osram HIR's after finding this thread. (https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/gy6-35-hir-921-reverse-light-upgrade-vs-high-power-leds.474996/)
Had to do a little bending of the contacts in the light socket but nothing really over the top.

 

Cartrimhome steering wheel upgrade. Still need to paint the trim black but I like it so far.

 

Did a quick one day trip up to Sacramento last Wednesday to pick up an 4x4 conversion for my bros 1st gen and the old girl crossed over to 200k on the odometer. She rode perfect, no squeaks or squeals or any issues there and back.



Then drove to Arizona Friday. I love this truck but the backseat space has been an issue with having passengers. Might be time for adding bigger truck to the family in the near future.

 

Got all my center console parts in yesterday. Gonna be doing the install here in a little bit. I'm going to do the cab floor in sound deadening and adding the 2nd gen tundra console accent light so the cup holders will be lit up. Pics to come. Been waiting to do this since September.

 

Plastic welder would have done the job. $15 Harbor Freight.

 

$1.50 worth of Gorilla Glue got the job done first.

 

Finally "finished" the rear bearings, brakes, and 3G leaf swap (+ TE 1/2" spacer). Got a bit more of a boost from the leafs than expected, went ahead with the spacer after reading some guys actually seeing some sag after the 3G leafs were put in, this might be a touch more rake than I wanted..but we'll see, other stuff to do before fussing with those again. Looking forward to driving this again, been off the road since...wow, September!

 

Stripped the center stud on the rear drive when putting the center nut back on.

Not my finest moment. Definitely a costly mistake.

 

how was it replacing the rear bearings? I have that on my to do list, but not confident in doing it.

 

so... for anyone that wants to know how to break back into their 2006 engine compartment after their well-meaning-but-short-sighted son dropped the hood on a locked truck with no battery, here's how to get back in:

that stamped metal shield that's keeping you from popping the hood?
it's held in with two 10mm (of course) bolts. undo those and the shield drops out.

now you have access to the engine bay again, so you can replace the alternator, on the side of a road, in the gravel, frozen mud, and snow coming down sideways.

 

It kind of depends on what your experience level is, best I can advise is watch some videos and be realistic with your comfort zone. It wasn't as bad as I was bracing myself for, but I did get a 20T press and the special press tools, and made a 3D printed seal driver to get it driven in squarely and at the proper depth. I'd plan on a full weekend, one day to do the first one, and once you've got the process down, the 2nd should be something you can knock out in a few hours I would say; and then plan on the drum brakes to be a really fun bonus job, haha.

One side came off easy; the other made such a loud bang when it finally let go I literally had a headache for a couple hours afterwards (and it kind of freaked out the dog). Both of the press-on spacer/retainers were pretty badly galled, I know some guys seem to be able to salvage them but it's not something I'd plan on. I didn't want to get stuck waiting on parts, so I basically just bought everything but the axle itself. I primed myself for the job with these two videos (the press tools I got are shown in the 2nd one by 'Timmy the Toolman' but he's doing a Lexus or something in that video which seemed a little different; the first by KFlo is a direct how-to for 2G/3G Tacoma but he uses a slightly different set of tools on the press).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcrlDQL8NIg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRkedFQkrqs

 

Well, I got carried away and didn't get a pic of the sound deadening. The console is installed, much more comfortable to drive now.

 

Lol..... oh wow!

Reminds me of this scene.

https://youtu.be/C_Nl8NZjhmg?si=iho8WAgfAoE2T3sg

 

LOL, I hadn't thought of that.
make the boy seventeen and put him in a slightly torn and grease-covered carhartt and that's pretty much it
his rules for swearing: you don't get to use a word until you know what it means, no cursing around ladies or children.

so yeah, I just scratched my head and asked him what was going through his head. his answer, verbatim, "Well dad, obviously nothin' or I wouldn't have done that"
It's already a joke in the house. we're all cleaned off, towed the truck home, he'll finish it in the driveway. lesson learned, life goes on.

he just got the old alternator out and brought it into my office on a piece of 550 cord and announced "father, I have brought you the head of my enemy"

I gave him a sincere nod of approval.

 

I installed my Auxbeam switch panel. To mount it where I wanted, I ended up having to remove the shifter cover, center console, climate control panel and cd player. To remove the plastic piece I mounted it on, I had to partially lift up the two center air vents as well, which is the only reason the cd player had to come out.
Laying out the holes was my only goof up. You can see in one picture the hole was right on one of the ribs on the back side. If I could do it again, I'd shift everything to the left a quarter inch or so, but the panel is centered on the dash which is what I was after anyway.

I zip tied the switch's plug down in the driver side foot well for the time being. I'll be installing the rest of the wiring for the switch and my light bar after I get my new front bumper on.

With the small machine screws holding it in place, it seems as though it wouldn't be too secure but there is no wobble to it at all.
This little evening project took three hours and four beers.

 

hey about the condensation on the oil cap. I live in Canada its really normal with short commutes.
I installed an oil catch can and I have to empty once a week / mostly water and creamy oil. I work really close to home and the oil doesn’t get to operating temp. I switched from liquid moly to Mobil 1 0w30 for winter. With the liquid moly there was so much milky gunk I had to scoop it out with a screwdriver. With the Mobil one there’s a little on the oil cap. Summer time no issues whatsoever and never have to empty the catch can. As a tech I would change the blower motor/ resistor and pig tail and cabin filter once. It sounds shitty but I have been burnt so many times trying to save someone a buck just fixing what’s broken and come back for the same issues but different part now. Customers thinks you just fixed that and it’s doing it again…. I have changed the resistor and test it and works on speeds now but the blower motor making noise on high etc. change it one time and enjoy your truck. I hope this helps.

 

A man in a brown truck made a stop here yesterday.