Flatbed,35’s and Mainly Parked For Repairs

List of stuff I'm planning on doing during reading week. This way I don't loose it...

-oil/filter change, grease stuff (need to get a tube of grease), rotate tires
- install wheelers front bump stops
- install tailgate re-enforcement
- figure out current wiring with intent to upgrade
-center console organizer
- ...

 

Looks like I did more reading than anything.

Stuff to do for summer added to op-
-rotate tires
- install wheelers front bump stops
- install tailgate re-enforcement
- figure out current wiring with intent to upgrade
-center console organizer
-install rear HC bumper
-install pefreybuilt battery box with 31m battery
-install rigid fogs and backups

 

Damn Peter, that's quite the list of goodies to install! Your rig is gonna be a whole new beast this year. Looking forward to wheelin with ya more.

 

Thanks Mike, I have definitely spoiled myself this year. The damn group buys were too much to pass up. Im hoping im not too busy this summer to get out, but hopefully I'll be able to get to the season opener like last year. Will definitely be prepared this year. Would be sweet if I could get the HC bumper on before then though, but we will see how she goes I guess.

 

Well I tried to readjust my front bumper today because I didn't think there was enough space between the fenders and the bumper. Well, 3 hours later and I don't feel like I did anything except tire myself out. Ill post some pics, and maybe someone has an idea of what I can do.

Driver side before



Driver side after


Passenger side before


Passenger side after


Wish I had my garage back at home. I must have had the bumper on and off at least 5 times, and I don't think I did much. Time will tell as paint will rub off where ever it rubs.

 

Yea group buys are killing me too! lol Just looking at those pics of your bumper there Peter and I'm willing to bet you'll definitely be rubbing off road. As soon as the truck starts really articulating that bumper will push up on the corners and snap the clips holding the flares on. Happened to my truck with the allpro as well. Did you try inserting a washer on each side on the bottom bolt to help push the bumper out and get it a little more straighter?

 

Yeah it will rub, its already starting to just drivimg on the road. I did try putting washers on the bottom, of the 3 main bolts, but im going to have to try again. I was cold and getting a little frustrated/tired so my patience for lining up stuff wasnt the best haha. Ill try again when weather/school isnt as crazy. Thanks for the tip:

 

Well took another crack at it today, and its as good as its going to get for now, atleast it wont rub while driving for fack sake. haha. I also bought ome more washers and put them over the 3 main bolts, and 2 on the bottom cross member, since I didn't have enough before.

I have a little over 1/2" driver side, and about 5/8" on the passenger.

driver=better


passenger


Overall


And to make sure I wouldn't rub too much while flexing.....






more like but had to make sure. When flexing I has as much room as I did prior to adjusting. It will do lol. Now I can finally focus on my work haha.

 

Truck is looking good Peter! That gap is looking much better now, you should be fine on the trail now.

 

Thanks Mike. I hope so, the thought of taking that thing off again is making my back hurt. Gave me a chance to touch up any paint that was rubbed off due to the lack of a gap. Paint is holding up pretty good, and is super easy to touch up. See how the touch ups last though.

 

Well Bumper is still good. It did settle a little bit when I was adding washers to spread the loads of the bolts/nuts but no paint rub. Also the paint touch ups are working out pretty well even in the shitty weather so that assuring.

Bought some more stuff

got another set of stock 16' 2gen rims in town and they came with tpms sensors. Plan is to make 2 sets of 5 rims. One set of 5 as 2ng gen 16" rims, and the other set is going to be 1st gen 16" alloy rims. plus I have the tpms sensors to either do the pipe bomb or put on the 1st gen rims.

Also got a diehard platinum 31m battery over the weekend in the states. Ordered it online for $234 US, and by the time I paid taxes, duties and what not, im at 280ish Canadian. Considering the battery goes for 289US I did pretty good considering.

Its a big bastard that I look forward to installing when I get home from Exams.

The to do list grows....

 

had a little M&G in Windsor today. Hopefully the meets get a tad bigger haha

 

nice truck, love all the armor..!!!

 

Thanks it's coming along. Still have the high clearance rear bumper to install in a couple of weeks. Little nervous about that one lol.

 

Well I haven't updated this in a while since the summer was so busy. Will be posting pics sometime but I installed my rigids, rear hc bumper, big battery with tray, redid some wiring, got my painted 1st gen rims wrapped with 255/85/16 cooper st/max.

Just wanted to post this for future reference

http://www.aironboard.com/online/toyota-replacement/tacoma-2011-2013-center/amber-amber.html

 

So this summer I got a lot done. Started off by getting started on the rear bumper install as soon as I got home

Masking off


No return


Kinda straight. Not to bad with a grinder and a shaky hand

Other side

Mock up



Here I prepped the bumper with marine clean and metal ready from por15. The metal ready leaves a dust like residue on the bumper. I talked to a body shop guy later on and he mentioned it might have been some kind of solfate that promotes paint adhesion.

4osh coats of Por then 5 of tremclad spray paint.


Drove around like this for a couple weeks while I was painting. Was only able to work on projects on the weekends.


Bumper went on, and prior to install I made sure a hitch would fit in the receiver. Well, that was an issue so after fileing the receiver down to allow for a hitch to slide in smoothly I was laughing. I figured once the paint went on it would snug up a bit. First time I put a pintle hitch on it went on smoothly and all was good. Then went to put the pin in and this happened.


So pissed about that as I couldn't put a hitch on the bumper since the hole should be straight. Anyways, after a couple passes with a dremel I finally could got the hitch on and proceeded to test it.




The bumper kinda tilted due to the tongue weight. Have to fix that still


Got my front super bumps mounted as well


Worked on my trans skid and reinforced it with some channel




Went to the annual SONTT meet at square one as well. Didn't have my rear bumper on at this time. The Baja truck was on 35's, full bed cage, atlas. It was unreal. Notice with the long travel lift he is still lower than me on 35's compared to my 32's.





So summer was a week from being done, and I was going to have to back to school, so I made time to do a few things that needed to be done

installed my dually amber fogs, as well as mounted my incense plate. Took 4 months to permanently mount my license plate. Terrible

Rear backup duallys. These are diffused lens and they are awaken for backups


New tars- 255/85/16 on 1st gen taco rims.

Need to figure out better spare mount


Installed my tailgate reinforcement plate


More tie downs. Added 3 per side on the bed bolts.


Made some hi-lift mounts. Pretty much the same as relentlessness and ato's



Center console organizer. Made in 15 minutes with some left over lexan from another project. It's ugly, flimsy, but it works.


Battery and box. Bastard was heavy. Went to the states to get as well since Canada doesn't have sears automotive. It's a group 31 marine battery.



And wiring. I just tried to make the wiring more efficient. Instead of 8 grounds I tried to have one common ground and soldered everything together. Also, i daisy chained all the grounds for the relays, which are now mounted on the side of the panel. I still have to put loom around the loose wires you see on the side of the fuse panel.



With all that said, I got my list done. Unfortunately a new list is coming along but I still have to make it. May take another year lol.

Though I got a lot of stuff done, I didn't get to test anything on the trails due to work. I'm hoping next summer I'll have a lot more time and will be able to go on atleast a couple runs.

That's it for now.

 

Wow thanks for the complement, means allot. Thanks for the help as well. I know I have to do something with the bumper cause it's still hitting the flare with regular driving. Issue is I already have a pretty large gap between the grill and bumper. There is a winch in the future so hopefully I don't have to make shims to make it function right and look half decent. See how it goes. Schools back on so nothing in the meantime.

Btw I have been watching your build for a while (not a stocker I swear). Awsome work on everything. The turtle mod is unreal.

 

My rear bumper shifted while I was towing a trailer in the summer. Well today I re-adjusted the rear bumper, since it was rubbing on the bedsides since.
Can kinda see how it was in this pic:


Gaps much better.
Passenger side:

Driver side:


I tightened the shit out of it, so hopefully it wont move when I have a load on or pulling someone out. Btw I know my cuts are haggard. They look good from far I promise.

I still have to figure out the front bumper since its still rubbing during daily driving. Not bad, but once the truck gets flexed out on the trails, my fenders will hate me.

Driver:

Passenger=tons of room:

Gaps I Have below the grill.



I have to figure out how to get more gaps between the wings and the fender, without having to shim it. Right now the mounting face of the bumper isn't sitting flat against the cross member. I think I may have to make the mounting holes on the bumper bigger like PSUTaco85 suggested (thanks btw).

 

Well while I was on reading week I got a bunch of little maintenance stuff that I have been putting off.
From my list in the op.
-finish cleaning up electrical-->split loom loose wires.

-re-adjust front bumper
-Remove Transfer case splash guard to be able to get grease fitting with skids on
-Front brakes-EBC slotted rotors and green stuff pads?
-wire 2 switches below hvac
-re-paint sliders/frame, touch up wherever else ​

When I got the sliders burned on, I wasn't able to properly paint them afterwards.Well before winter came around I gave them the por15 treatment. Took me a year to have time to get to this. Was a easy job but a real pita doing it on your back. ​

Before

​

You can see a white substance on the rust which is from the metal ready from por15. Those pictures were taken after degreasing with marine clean, and metal ready. Longest part of the job.

After



Also some other little things like removing my transfer case skid and clearance it a bit more for my exhaust crossover. Cut my skid a bit more on the left.


While that was off, removed some stock skids to give me a bit more room to grease the driveline and clearance skids.



Allowed me to get to this grease fitting without taking off the t-case skid every time.


Other than that, just did a oil change and tire rotation. Really looking forward to snow though. Plan on going to my uncles property to plow through some snow and test the tires. That's on the next break though.

 

For when brakes are due:

Thinking stage 4 is the way to go. Low dust, better performance than stock, and longer life.

http://www.tdotperformance.ca/?cart has free shipping and can pick them up....stage 4 kit=$384 +tax -->this is $50ish more than stock components from dealer.

Stuff that may be needed-->from dealer but check online for cheaper prices
shim kit-part #04945-0c030=$60.72
pin-90240-06158=$6.12 (not sure if pair, or each)