CVyota's "gonna take a while" build

Thought I'd start listing the stuff I've done, before I forget:

Suspension
Front
Extended Icon 2.5 adjustable coilovers with 700# Icon springs
Wheeler's bump stops
Light Racing Upper control arms

Rear
Dakar leaf springs
Wheeler's bump stops
2.5 Kings with Res
U-bolt flip
Shackle Flip

Armor
Brute Force Rear Bumper
Pelfreybilt IFS and Mid skids
BAMF Sliders, Rear diff skid and LCA skids
Pelfreybilt front bumper

MISC
285/75 16R Goodyear Wangler MT/R w/kevlar
16x8 SCS wheels 4.5 bs
Softopper
high lift Jack
ARB Twin Compressor
Phuka sway bar mod
Oil catch can
Blue sea fuse box with 100amp fuse and relay
20" double LED light bar
Rigid Duallys
2 KC 6in Daylighter spots
Dual Optima yellow top setup
Warn 10k winch
Airflow snorkle

and other stuff
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This is Taco #2 for me, first one was an '05 DCSB Pre-runner, OR pkg that I did no modding to and did a few trails that I souldnt have, but got through them anyway.






Got stuck one time and my wife, who isnt a truck fan, said,"well why didnt you get a 4 wheel drive?" I took that as "you need to go get a new truck with 4 Wheel drive, as soon as we get home!", she doesnt remember it like that.

FIRST YEAR

So I got a '11 DCLB (needed more room to haul outing gear) 4x4 no pkg, figured I would do the mods I wanted this time:
Basic Truck



How it sits now-It has about a 2.75" lift in front and just over 3" in the back


Added 2 D rings into the back corners.
Added guage pods and a temp guage. (I found out about TW when trying to fix my temp guage on the '05, didnt get one on the '11) also was looking at scan guage and ultra, didnt like the design but found the Ecometer for about 70 bucks. (edit- this can be a hazard with side curtain air bags, there is a risk of them flying out-at you!)

I like the way it looks:
http://www.digital-auto-gauges.com/products/Auto-Thermometer-Gauge-for-Trucks-and-Cars.html
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ATM-9100/
http://www.gaugepods.com/toyota.html



Got the TSB done, gained 1.5 inches in the back, but I know it will settle
Fire ext (in case my friends Jeep catches on fire) and weathertechs (1st group buy)

Did the diff breather mod

Year 2
got Eibach springs today and 5100 set to 0"
11\1\11
As this is the first time I have ever dealt with suspension, I started simple and will try to do this myself.
Finally got them on. Did the work myself, following Chris 4X4s thread, not too bad, moving the sway bar out of the way was the key.

Installed my first piece o' armor BAMF diff
Wrangler Duratrac 265/75-16R
softopper installed

rerouted the exhaust

BAMF sliders
added some quick fists and a High-lift to the bed

Brute Force rear bumper
and Debadged

Year 3
Blacked out the wheels
Got my Homer grill and 20" light bar and BAMF grill mount

added BAMF LCA and PELFRYBILT IFS and Mid skids
redline struts, Oil catch can, 100 amp switched fuse box

This thing got a crack in it so i swapped to a dual setup.

CB


Well, 77K later, the TSB springs are frowning, and I have pushed the Billies to the max, Time for the next stage.
Installed LR UCAs and Extended 2.5 Icons


Dakars, Wheelers bumps, Ubolt flip and 2.5 Kings w/res

Installed Firestick on back corner using BAMF mount
Installed M31 batttery in Pelfeybilt cage
and ARB twin compressor behind the rear seat

replaced the 20 year old radio shack CB, turns out it was causing feedback-age or not shielded enough
Replaced the Gas can cage with an ATO cage.
New tires and Wheels


Year 4
12/14-Got my Pelfreybilt bumper:

Bought some cheap 6" KC Daylighters (halogen) cheap, but I am hoping they do the job as spots.

To do:
Trans skids
lockers
305 tires
regear





Moddest flex



Got a slight bend on the DS spindle, so I ordered a new one and some TC gussets to beef them up.

Gusset done

Year 5

New retro plates

Finally had the rivets knocked out for the shackle flip

new shoes

Broke 2 bolts on the Frame horn(my bad), fabbed up a new mounting plate

Dual battery setup with a promarine iso and solenoid

Now on the 3 try with the battery setup. The weight from the 2 batteries and the way I offroad, caused the fender/core to separate.I moved the 2nd battery behind the pass side rear seat (it is a sealed Optima, so no fumes) and it works much better in this location.there is a write up in this thread.

Dual battery gauge replaced the outside temp gauge. Got it from Redarc in Australia, couldn't find a good quality one in the US.

Installed a Warn winch installed the solenoid in the passenger side engine compartment


latest pics:


Added much needed supports to tie the bumper to the frame from relentless:


Swapped out the CB for a 25W ham...much better


Added bed stiffeners to the back corners


Rebuilt the Icons at 150k. The tophats had broken from the tower flex, a known problem with the Tacomas and the design of the Icons

The fix is a spacer on top of the tower.

 

nice!!

Got a link for the gauges?? i like em!

 

this one has a good selection

http://www.digital-auto-gauges.com/products/Auto-Thermometer-Gauge-for-Trucks-and-Cars.html

ecometer:
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ATM-9100/

 

would you say its pretty accurate??

 

where did u get your guage pod?

 

It can be fine tuned, I got it within .3 mpg and stopped messing with it. So for me yes, it is always the same, never varies from that .3.

 

http://www.gaugepods.com/toyota.html

plastic texture was a little off from my '11 but not enough that anyone will notice

 

how hard was it to mount? How did you wire the ecometer?

 

The pillar is very easy to remove and the ecometer plugs into the ODBC II plug under the dash- really easy. the temp gauge required an add a fuse and running the probe to an outside location, the whole thing took me about an hour (including the beer run).

 

Nice! Love the pod gauge. Ive been wanting to get rid of the garage door roof console thing, but Ill just get one of those.

 

I am definately getting that gauge pod.. I want the ecometer definately... Think there is one for transmission temp that would be pretty useful

 

I really like what you've done with your truck. I drive the same thing and have done a few of the same mods. I just bought a temp gauge/compass and hope I like it as much as you do your aftermarket gauges. What did they run you?

 

Thx!

Dont remember the cost, but if I bought it, it wasnt too much
The links will take you to the pages

 

For now the cage I bought is screwed into the bed with big washers on the underside. did 20 miles of washboard and they didn't come loose.

If you are talking about the blue water jugs, I use the large quick fist. 4 screws hold down the bottom and the upper is mounted on the rail

 

All kinds of fun stuff on order...heading towards a MT build

 

Ah, i got cha.

the one I have is from http://www.okoffroad.com/stuff-gascan.htm

But I want to get a second one and was going to ditch the old one for this one From ATO http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/ar...nato-jerry-can-mounts-universal-mounting.html:

 

I've always admired your build Andy, didn't know you had a thread until today. Can't wait for your your next DV report.

 

Thanks man! One more year of scouts and I will start running DV meets.

 

Are you active in scouts because you have kids in the scouts? Just curious. Also would your DV meets be open to forum members? There is interest from TW members for sure. I was recently asked to organize a group trip, but I am severely limited on time, sounds like you are too. It would be fun to wheel / explore / camp sometime with ya.

 

My kid just turned 17 and I am scoutmaster for one more year. Yes it will be a TW meet I have some great ideas for a multiday event. I look forward to wheeling with you!