What Have You Done To Your 3rd Gen Today?

Added some dc jacks to a mount system. Now my phone mount can charge.

 

I had “Mexican Style” tacos for dinner tonight because of your post!

2X Lengua and 2 Pork!

I'll have to disagree with your assessment of the “Taco” branding.

Enjoy your truck forever!!!

 

Is that a switch in the second pic? If so, what's it for?

 

Anyone ever seen their temp gauge go above the normal spot just below halfway?

I was stuck for hours on 285 above Denver in nearly standstill traffic and had to turn off the AC to get the needle back down. I tried turning the AC back on about 10 minutes later and it did it again. AC even blew warm for several seconds. Super unusual behavior.

‘22 with 50k miles, coolant level normal after checking at the next stop. Definitely caused some stress due to over heating ptsd from other vehicles



edit: found a thread with others saying this is not normal. The truck is very muddy right now, I’ll start by cleaning off the radiator.

 

It is. It toggles those DC jacks. Sometimes I don't want my phone to charge. I did that so I could prevent it from charging to 100% (which stresses the battery more) but just remembered I recently found a setting to stop it from charging over 80%. But I wanted the switch anyway.

 

Threw the truck to the side of the drive. Broom in hand. Getting loose stones off the drive. In laws are coming.

 

Finally finished the tailgate panel. Pulled the Softopper off. Found color matched fender flares Rolled over 16,000 miles

 

You didn't say what the ambient temp outside was, so hard to judge... Is that as hot as it got (according to the gauge)?? Also don't know how close you were to the vehicle in front of you.. But sadly I think these are what is called buffered (dummy) temp gauges, meaning the needle does not move relative to the actual engine temp, but a relatively stable reading with in a set operating range, so the only way to know for sure how hot if at all you were would be to see what live data was showing (what the ecm sees)...

That being said, I have never seen mine move even when sitting in the middle TN 97* days with the feels like (heat index) 107* of a very humid heat for 30-60 minutes while waiting on something with the A/C on with me and the doggies in the truck...

Yes, clean off the condenser, but be very careful not to hit it with too much pressure where you will fold the fins over, if bad enough, might have to somehow seperate the radiator and condenser just enough to clean the front of the rad too being careful again not to bend over the cooling fins...

If that doesn't help, or not restricted with butterflies, mud and what nots, and the coolant level is full, then the fan clutch could be failing amongst other things...

Did the temp drop as soon as you started moving again??

 

I used the truck for a truck last night, the VERY well off neighbors at the end of our street (on a private several hundred acker family plot) did an amazing (bigger than the city's yearly big show) fireworks show last night and invited the neighborhood plus lots more, a few hundred people at the very least showed up... Well both my kids, there 3 kids as well as some friends and there 3 kids (see a pattern lol) all went, but 1/2 walked to it and since I can't walk very long, I drove the Taco, flipped the 3 (2?) fold cover back, so we slid the cooler under the cover and for the ride back one or 2 of the small kids got under it and with the rear seats folded down for when the dogs ride with me (stayed home last night) we all but one got in the truck on the ride back, could have fit all of us but one adult wanted to walk the hilly 0.6 miles between our houses...
Total 7 adults, 9 kids for a total of 16 people, 15 of us all packed in the short bed with some sitting on the tailgate... lol
They also had popcorn and what my kids called, rich people ice-cream (lol) for everyone, 2nds,3rds were offered, take all you want they said-very generous family...

 

An update this morning: coolant level does show now at just above the “low” line on the reservoir after letting the engine cool. Going to try to track some down in the mountains on the 4th.

It was not overly hot actually, 85 degrees or so. And the needle did go back to the normal spot after moving.

Edit: Also checked the radiator and it does not appear all that dirty.

 

That’s a cool panel. Details?

 

Just 1/8” aluminum sheet cut to fit and covered in EVA foam boat flooring I got off Amazon. Cup holders are from Amazon too

 

installed anytime front and rear camera and finally fixed my dual voltage gauge to read both batteries (it wasn't working before and would only read one, I think I had a faulty meter)

 

Wait, we need more info on this mod.

 

Does it give you Waffle Butt?

 

Bought a big sheet of aluminum and trimmed out a replacement panel. Used a big hole saw to sink the cup holders in. Covered the whole thing with this material

$43 OCEANBROAD Self-Adhesive 96''x15'' Diamond Pattern Boat Flooring EVA Foam Marine Boat Decking Sheet Non-Slip Mat for Jon Motor Boats Yacht Helm Pad RV Floor, Dark Gray with Black Seam Lines

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D9H3CYVS

Nice and comfy on the knees in combination with the Bedrug

 

Good looking tailgate cover!

I've been searching and searching, best I can find on Amazon is a 48"x96" 1/8" sheet of aluminum, is that the one you got? That tailgate piece is ~55" wide...

 

I found a piece locally, 48"x66" for $110. Aluminum ain't cheap! I'll cut a couple more out and sell them to make my money back.

 

Sourcing metal sucks on Amazon, look for a local metal supply company. Most places will have no problem selling to the public, you will get a better selection, and it will be cheaper too.
If you have a Grainger near by they are good too, it is a little more expensive than a metal company but it is easier ordering through them.

My aluminum tailgate panel is 1/8" and while I don't know the alloy number (I bought it from Mobtown Offroad years ago) I would guess it would be 3000 or 5000 series aluminum which is easier to work with than 6000.


Or if you don't want the hassle of sourcing and cutting, you can buy a premade one -

https://pakrax.com/collections/toyota-tacoma/products/pakrax-05-current-tacoma-tailgate-panel

https://snailarmor.com/products/snailarmor-tacoma-tailgate-flat-panel

https://www.relentlessfabrication.com/products/2016-tacoma-tail-gate-reinforcement

And I am sure there are others out there as it is pretty easy to make, these are just the ones I found on a quick google search.