The Frankenstein Build! LT/Expo/Trail rig..and BS

ish?

 

You can't really go wrong with Magnaflow. Period.

 

Yeah but many have said you lose low end power and fuel economy.... so I wouldn't like it that much.

 

Yea 18 isn't very loud.

Okay so update time.

So my last trip I did some winch ping and tugging with my bumper. It bent forward pretty badly or so it seemed it had bent at the frame mounts. Turns out it did but only a small part of the mounts. Took a few whacks with a hammer and it was flat again! Cut out some 1/4" plate we had lying around and drill a hole just like the bumper. Going to weld them into the bumper later tonight or tomorrow. Should make it quite stout! Tim at Elite was very helpful and almost mad it had bent he offered to make me a whole new center section if needed or anything for me. Was very helpful and stood by his product. Love Elite! Thanks Tim!

Here are pics of the bumper on the truck




Here it is off the truck. Nothing else bent at all other then the outside part by the mounts




Couple hits with a hammer and bam!



So my dad whipped out the oxy/setilin torch and a slab of 1/4" plate we had lying around and cut out 2 squares 4x6" to mount right behind the mount.




Cleaned off the rust and lined up where to drill holes



Drilled. What a bitch. This stuff is HARD.




Put a bolt in to hold it in place for welding



More to come!

 

I honestly have no idea what I'm looking at

But I'll stay and find out how it ends.

 

Agreed

Nah not really. Not that bad with magnaflow. Flowmaster yes

Yep. And beefing it up.

 

Well yeah... I'm not that knobtacular.

I just don't see what I'm supposed to be looking at in the pics

 

The part that is bent is the part the bolts to the front of my frame for the bumper. It bent when I did some big winching since the side bolts slipped under the pressure.

 

I've read you claiming that many times.

And then even saw a chart that magnaflow uses to show gains... but it's in the 4000-5000 rpm range. And when asked, "why are they showing that range?" The answer was, "because if they showed you the low end, no one would buy them"

Hypothetically, if I were to buy an 18" would I need to get mostly new piping for my exhaust? Mine is still stock, 15 years old, and I would assume kind of corroded.

 

Wow. All I can say is WOW.

It looks to me like the whole center section really should be made out of 1/4". You were not doing anything out of order. It should not have bent like that. WOW.

 

Yea it might not be a bad idea for him to make that piece out if 1/4" now..but hey. Not my call. If there weren't gussets to the front skid I'd put 1/4" all behind it. But it's impossible.

But I'm actually amazed that that is the only part that is bent. Literally everything else is straight. Other then one spot on the sorta bottom of it from when I hit the rock and a another when I hit the ledge on TOTW.

This should fix it though I think.

 

Hey speaking of slipping, bending bolts, etc... can I thread jack for a second?

I'm going to buy a d-ring recovery thingamagiggy for my hitch receiver and read a thread here about what pins to use. Dudes were throwing out all sort of force threshold numbers and weight ratings, etc and said to only get a 5/8ths (?) pin or else using it for recovery is useless. Here's the thread: http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/of...ar-tow-hook-does-not-require-tow-hitch-2.html

I have a class III 2" receiver... essentially what I'm asking is, "what the hell should I get?"

I'm just going to use it for recovery.

FWIW I was looking at this d-ring shackle:

$41 SmittyBilt 2IN RECEIVER CLEVIS BLK - SB29312B

http://www.amazon.com/Smittybilt-29312B-Receiver-Shackle-Receivers/dp/B001CF1A7O

 

Honestly just a 5/8ths will do for recover I'd think. I'd carry an extra for the hell of it. But usually you won't be getting super tugged with it. Your rig is light it won't take much to get it unstuck or moved.

 

Thanks Monte

Yeah, I figured I'd throw a spare one or two in the recovery kit.

And after reading some reviews on that Smittybilt I might look for another shackle

 

I'm using that smittybilt thing in my rear receiver

 

Yea make CERTAIN the shackle is US made. Up on the north slope in AK where my dad works all Chinese shackles are banned. They break a lot.

 

Welded up my bumper today. I'm getting better. Feeling more confident for when I have to weld in my cantilever kit from Engage or frame plates.




Cleaned for paint




Painted! Now just gotta wait

 

Lol no..haha

 

What did you use to paint it?

 

Dupilcolor bed liner. Used it on bed rack and both bumpers.