A non-enthusiast's Tacoma build

Snorkels are useful, even for non-offroading normies like me. Not necessary, but great for peace of mind when doing dumb things like ignoring "CAUTION HIGH WATER" signs.

https://youtu.be/3qS0SIqKmbQ

 

Super quick update: don’t be dumb like me.



Black bolts look better short term, but rust never looks good.



Oopsie fixed with some stainless steel.

 

Got a pair of fire extinguishers installed today. One Halotron (clean agent / expensive) for use on my vehicle, one dry chemical (nasty, dirty agent / cheap) for use on others' vehicles or for run-of-the-mill fire extinguishing needs.



I went to my local 4 Wheel Parts to test-fit some extinguishers and determine the largest size I could fit in the storage bin area behind the driver's side rear seat. Unfortunately, the largest I could stuff in there (while still being able to lock that seat back in the upright position) was a measly 2.5 lb model. Better than nothing, but likely not enough juice if I don't catch a fire early on.

Finding a flat surface quick detach mount with a sufficiently low profile took a bit of research. After poking around on various websites, I came across the H3R Extreme Duty mount. It came out as the best of the bunch, only pushing the extinguisher cylinder an inch away from the mounting surface.

Installation was a pain in the ass, but that's par for the course. Removing the storage bin behind the rear driver's side seat was easier than expected, following @boogie3478's video. Note that you don't have to remove your seats in order to pull this off. Also note that some wiggling, coaxing, and coercing will be required. I did say "easier than expected," not "easy."

https://youtu.be/-N5nTVyXbLI?t=325

From there, I started measuring and cutting. I had to remove a bit of a plastic "standoff" section in order to get the extinguishers as far away from the seat back as possible.



I removed some insulation on the rear of the storage bin to minimize hardware protrusion. This was done to try and reduce any weird interference issues that always seem to arise when adding things that don't belong.



From there, I figured out which mounting bolts didn't sit flush with the rest. There is a recessed "rib" of sorts nearly running the width of the storage bin, so the interior geometry isn't flat; you have to be careful to keep bolted surfaces as in-line as possible to minimize bending the thin plastic. There were 3 bolts (two for one mount, one for the other) that required a stack of washers to level them out with their neighbors.



After this was done, I simply installed all the hardware to secure the mount bases to the storage bin.



Now I have a pair of fire extinguishers readily available, while simultaneously out of direct sunlight and in a location unlikely to result in accidental discharge.





The "DRY CHEMICAL" and "CLEAN AGENT" tags are from Visitags. I thought it prudent to allow anyone to rapidly identify which type of extinguisher they were deploying; at $35 shipped, why not?

 

Nothing ground-breaking accomplished this weekend, just a thorough wash and wax while I wait for my new-and-improved front camera mount components to show up.

I did have an interesting realization. Back when I first got my truck 15 months ago, I frequently caught myself staring at it out the window:



I figured this was due to the novelty of it being my "newest and shiniest thing," and the (admittedly weird) longing stares would wear off with time.



I was incorrect. Whether I'm eyeballing some recently-installed mod or just admiring a well-thought-out and well-maintained vehicle, I still do it all the time. Much to my girlfriend's chagrin, who believes she has been replaced.

 

Quick, vague, and useless (from a technical perspective) writeup for the Trail Toys UHMW (plastic) gas tank skid:



What is that dumb-looking surfboard in the picture? It's a gas tank skid, stupid.

Why get a gas tank skid? Because a bucket full of boom-boom juice is worth protecting, or so Toyota thinks. See: the TRD Off Road and its included gas tank skid.

Why get this particular gas tank skid? Partially because it's rust-proof, so no need for regular checkups. Partially because it's relatively inexpensive, at $175 (versus $275 for Mobtown's aluminum skid). Partially because it doesn't require OR-style gas tank straps with threaded studs, which cost an extra $150 for the OEM part. My primary reason for going with this skid is because it's lighter than anything else out there, clocking in at 8 lbs as compared to the Mobtown aluminum equivalent at nearly double the weight (13 lbs).

What design features make this gas tank skid stand out? It has a "ramped" front section (as most gas tank skids do), which protects the tank fittings from road debris. Due to the attachment method, it also offers a redundant set of support straps to keep the gas tank attached to the vehicle. The latter point isn't really a design feature, since that isn't their intended purpose; it just kinda ended up working out that way.

What is sacrificed by selecting this gas tank skid? In a head-to-head torture test, I would guess that this skid is less durable than its metal counterparts. That said, the Randynator runs one of these and it has held up just fine. He does some way crazier sh!t in his truck than I ever will, so I'm not worried.

How bad was the install? Bad enough to warrant adult supervision (thanks to @EatSleepTacos), but I could say that of pretty much anything that has been installed on my truck thus far. We were done in about an hour, including lots of questions from me and some banter about the Colonial Pipeline shutdown tomfoolery.

 

It seems that, in a frenzy to throw as much money at my truck as possible, I forgot to perform a useful, simple, and free mod: the ubiquitous 12V power outlet always-on mod.

I followed these steps:

I also consulted the handy pictures posted by @EatSleepTacos to ensure that I was pulling the correct relay:

Once I got the relay removed, I was a little confused about disassembly. Randy was kind enough to identify the point at which the two primary housings are designed to separate:



I had never seen the inside of one of these things before, so I took my time identifying the moving parts that needed to be rendered immobile:



My solder joints are bad enough to be considered a war crime, so there was no way in hell I was going to attempt that method. Instead, I used a short section of ziptie as a shim to push the relay contacts together:



From there, I reassembled everything and tested. Not exactly cutting-edge stuff, but past due and certainly useful.

 

I performed a peculiar mod today: replacing the stock AC power outlet switch with the 3rd gen equivalent.




I did this to add a little logic to how my switches are organized. Call it OCD, efficiency of movement, or whatever you like; it makes sense to me.



The tall switches located to the left of the steering wheel are easy to see and easy to access; as such, it makes sense to set controls for functions that may be needed on the fly in this location. The switches located under the center console are not as easy to operate; accessories that are not needed on the move can be located here, in a less convenient location.

I consulted with TW's resident OEM wiring guru, @caribe makaira, to determine the feasibility of this mod. Once we figured out that it was both possible and low-risk, we assembled a shopping list:

OEM 3rd gen AC power outlet switch, P/N 84480-04040
OEM 3rd gen switch connector, P/N 90980-12558
Male 090/2.3II terminals, qty 5: https://www.hi-1000ec.com/product/1369
Pre-wired female 0.64III terminals, qty 5: https://www.hi-1000ec.com/product-list?keyword=12870&Submit=Search
20 AWG 5 conductor wire, 4 ft required:

$15 20 Gauge 2 Conductor Wire Audio Power Cable Speaker Wire (Red & Black) 25ft

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089SGQ559/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_EH2PZAG7Q6J3V0S7KX81?_encoding=UTF8
Mating pair of OEM connectors compatible with 090/2.3II terminals: I went with OEM P/Ns 90980-10996 (female) and 90980-11101 (male) since they were the only ones I could find in stock, but there are plenty of options available


The idea behind this mod is very simple. Create a wiring harness extension from the stock AC power outlet switch connector:



... to the 3rd gen's switch:



... in a resilient and easily-reversed manner. I made a sketch to ensure that I was accurately tracking terminal positions and wire colors:



This helped me understand how the finished product would come together.

On one end of the wiring harness, I soldered on the pre-wired 0.64III female terminals used for the 3rd gen switch connector:



On the other end, I crimped on 090/2.3II male terminals. From there, all I had to do was install the new connectors, following my sketch to ensure the terminals were in the correct positions:



The modifications to the existing vehicle wiring are fairly straightforward. I checked the connector wiring scheme to ensure that it lined up with the factory wiring diagram:




Once that was confirmed, I removed the white terminal retaining clip and used a small screwdriver to push the terminals out of the connector:



The only remaining steps were to insert the terminals into the new connector:



... and perform a preliminary function test, which yielded no surprises. The transplant was successful, but not yet complete.



I have never removed the lower trim piece that houses the small switches in question. What an absolute pain in the ass it was. I had to pull:

Lower driver's side trim, including all prerequisites (door sill, kick panel, foot rest, coin holder)
Glove box
Shifter panel and knob
Center console storage
Center console side trim
Climate control panel
Head unit (with the 2TPAM, making things much more difficult)
Head unit surround trim and 4WD selector, including loosening the gauge cluster trim

Once all that was removed, I could finally undo the two 10mm bolts holding the trim piece in question. I disconnected the 12V power outlets and took the whole piece to the back of my truck for a closer look:



Oh great, these switch slots are keyed. "Keyed," meaning they will only fit the one switch they are designed to use from the factory. Spoiler alert: 2nd gen Tacomas were not designed to accommodate 3rd gen switches.



Problem solved with a round file. Note that I opted to move my USB/aux-in one slot to the right, which is why I had to "re-key" that area as well.

A horrifying realization crept up on me. I would have to do this whole disassembly process again in the near future in order to install and wire my air compressor and cargo light switches. I decided I would try to minimize any re-work by running 550 cord through the wiring route and terminating it in the corresponding switch blank:



I'm hoping I can tape the connectors for the new switches to the 550 cord and pull it through. Will it work? I have no idea. It's worth a try, though.

At this point, all that remained was reassembly. I'll spare everyone the details, since the language involved made this a decidedly non-PG13 evolution. After 4 hours of ass-pain, I managed to get everything back together correctly and working.

 

My bed was feeling a bit neglected, so I decided to give it some love in the form of Line-X.



There's quite a few folks who don't think paying to have a composite bedliner sprayed on a composite bed makes sense:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/bed-stiffeners-and-spray-in-bedliner.723755/

While their dismissiveness make sense on the surface, the truth of the situation is a lot more complicated. The OEM bed is made of fiberglass, which is an excellent choice due to the material characteristics: light, strong, flexible, and corrosion-proof. Unfortunately, composites like fiberglass have one serious disadvantage when compared to metal beds: surface deformations (like gouges and nicks) actually weaken the material at the point of impact, whereas steel beds may dent but won't lose any strength. For you engineers in the audience, I understand this is a gross oversimplification that doesn't account for FEA-driven structural geometry concerns and compromised crystalline structure at the point of deformation. Just bear with me for a moment.

Since nature is lazy and attacks things at their weak points, I figured it would be sensible to reduce the likelihood of these weak points forming in the first place. Polyurea (the chemical used for Line-X) is pretty resilient stuff, and can stand up to repeated impacts and abrasion well. Despite its drawbacks - specifically its lack of flexibility - I think it was the best choice for my intended end state. Worst case scenario, I have an unnecessary protective measure to add to my list of paranoia-driven modding: XPEL headlight film, vinyl wrapped roof, about a gallon of Fluid Film, etc.

In order to reduce the severity of my bill from Line-X, I pulled everything out of my bed myself. I didn't realize how much crap I had accumulated in there:



Naked beds are weird-looking:



I left these bolts (and the accompanying tonneau rails) in place because I couldn't wedge a socket in there to take them out. I asked @EatSleepTacos to have a look, and I'm damn glad he did. I had no idea that they secured the bedsides to the truck. That could've been a sh!tty drive to work:



As you can see, I also left my Total Chaos bed stiffeners in place. The tolerances on the bolt holes are very tight, so removing them and adding about 1/8" of Line-X to the bed would've made reinstallation damn near impossible.

I dropped my truck off at Line-X of Virginia Beach on a Thursday afternoon. I talked with the guy behind the counter and explained that I wanted him to spray over my bed stiffeners, which garnered me a weird look. After a bit of explanation about the tolerance issue, he said he'd do his best.



His best is pretty damn good, in my opinion. I couldn't find a flaw anywhere, and I spent a good 10 minutes inspecting his work.

While I had the bed stripped down, I figured I'd take the opportunity to get some more stuff installed:

@mattgecko LED strips under both cargo rails, inside the lid of my toolbox, and under my hood. I haven't done any electrical connections yet; that will be on hold until @Puppypunter gets a chance to spec out and build a power center, which will drive all my auxiliary electronics.





I attempted to install my ARB twin compressor in an Expedition Essentials bedside compressor mount, with mixed success. The preliminary work went okay, more-or-less, including cutting the rib off the backside of the bed:




... drilling the holes in the bed (slightly oversized due to Line-X application afterwards):



... and modifying the bedside cubby in accordance with the provided instructions:



I did run into some serious issues when it came time to install. It looks like the holes I drilled in the bed weren't spaced out far enough, despite my repeated checks to make sure the template was indeed stretched taut before drilling. I broke out the Dremel to try and make the slots deeper, which seemed to work... up until I broke 2 of the 6 bolts when trying to thread them in:



Apparently I didn't grind them deep enough. I now have to remove this whole assembly again to drill the broken bolts out, then drill the threaded inserts out, then through-bolt them with a nut on the back. I'm going to stop writing about this so I don't rage out again.

In addition to the problem above, I was unable to fit the bedside cubby "faceplate" back over the compressor mount. The AC power outlet protrudes too far into the compressor mount, making reinstallation impossible. Expedition Essentials does make a part for this specific application, which I ordered yesterday:

https://expeditionessentials.com/products/toyota-tacoma-bcm-power-outlet-adapter

In the meantime, I cut the AC power outlet trim the same way I cut the cubby, leaving a 3/4" lip all around:



I discovered something interesting when hoisting the compressor and mount into place. I wasn't entirely sure that the EE compressor mount could be used with a high clearance bumper, so I rolled the dice. Turns out that it does fit, although the clearance between the compressor and Mobtown's frame brace tube is pretty tight at one end:



I do think it's kind of cool that the tube runs directly beneath the compressor, offering a sort of "backup" support in case the compressor mount fails. When I eventually reinstall the compressor mount with new hardware, I plan on padding the aforementioned frame brace tube with something to reduce the chance of metal-on-metal impact due to vibration and flexion.



Completely unrelated to bed upgrades: I replaced my front camera because it was looking pretty rough after only a few months in service.



It was functioning just fine, but I had my doubts about long-term water intrusion. I decided to completely redo it, using the following:

New Natika WD-011 front camera
48-53mm bull bar clamp
Black stainless oversized clipped washer
Stainless M8 acorn nut, with a slot cut in the side for cable passage
Stainless zip tie mount (McMaster P/N 5253T64)
Stainless M6 tamper-resistant Torx screws
An embarrassing amount of RTV sealant




The view is a little clearer than before, which is a nice added bonus:



As compared to the previous setup:

 

Does moving house count as a mod?



I’ll be moving into a new place next week. One of the big selling points was the garage, which has been a want of mine since I got a vehicle worth caring about. Garages and regular maintenance are two easy ways to keep your vehicle happy.

https://www.yourcarcave.com/do-garaged-cars-last-longer/

Fitting the trail limo into this dinky garage is a challenge. Forward-to-aft clearance is… toight.




The close quarters will require a little extra caution when parking, but the long-term benefits will be worth it.

 

Looking for something like this. Can you explain why it would not fit without the wood spacers? Below and to the sides?

 

The lid requires a little clearance at the hinge to open; mounting the toolbox flush against a wall won't work. I had to add 2x4s (used as spacers) to the back face of the toolbox, where it mates up to the front of the bed.

Unfortunately, the wood spacers on the back face pushed the toolbox a little too far rearward, resulting in the lower corners of the protruding "shelf" digging into the wheel wells. I added a bit of height to the toolbox to introduce some standoff.

So, in short: add a 2x4 across the back face of the toolbox, and two 2x4s underneath the toolbox. After that, you should be good to go.

Side-to-side clearance is fairly forgiving. There's enough space for me to keep a couple large tools in cargo rail mounts between the toolbox and the sides of the bed, which is great for maximizing utility space by keeping everything tucked up tight at the front of the bed.

 

As I get closer to the projected end of my build, peculiar things have started to pop up on my shopping list. Recovery gear, while not an oddity for most offroading TW folk, is definitely an odd accessory for someone who rarely leaves pavement.

I used to carry an ancient, neglected tow strap in my old F150. The webbing was stiff and half the stitching was blown out, but it served its purpose the handful of times I needed to pull someone out of a snowdrift or muddy field. Since I'm now paying significantly more attention to my vehicle and its accessory complement, I figured it was time to retire the strap and get something a little nicer.

I decided early in the build process that I wouldn't install a winch, despite the yawning cavity in the front of my ARB demanding to be utilized. It would be a heavy, expensive, power hungry, relatively failure-prone, and rarely used accessory that exceeds even my healthy appetite for overkill. Traction boards were another option I considered; while they're great for most types of adverse terrain, they aren't a very good choice when dealing with slick icy surfaces. That left only one realistic option: a recovery rope/strap.

The one glaring downside of recovery ropes is that they require another vehicle to function. This is not the case with winches and traction boards, which are the obvious primary recovery tool options for the bold solo wheelers out there. For daily driver duties like mine, recovery ropes are perfectly adequate.

My setup consists of the following:





Bubba Rope, 7/8" x 30 feet, P/N 176680
4.75T 19mm ARB shackle, Type S/premium, P/N ARB2015
3/8" Gator-Jaw soft shackle, P/N 176746NGRB, with chafe guards, P/N 176820CG
Blue Ridge Overland Gear recovery strap bag/line dampener, P/N 21SB-1

I went for the 7/8" diameter original Bubba Rope based on the calculations listed in the beginning of their FAQ section:
https://www.bubbarope.com/frequently-asked-questions/
Assuming I'm the stuck vehicle, multiplying my gross weight of 5500 lbs by 4 yields 22,000 lbs. The breaking strength of the 7/8" Bubba Rope is 28,600 lbs, so I have overshot manufacturer's recommendations by 30% (28,600 / 22,000 = 1.3). This isn't ideal for fully engaging the elastic properties of the rope, but it does allow me to safely attempt recovery of a vehicle heavier than my own.

The 4.75 ton ARB shackle has a breaking strength of 56,000 lbs and is intended to be hooked onto any of the recovery points of my vehicle. That could be the bolt-on ARB recovery point up front, or either of the recovery points integrated into my Mobtown HC bumper in the rear.

The 3/8" Gator-Jaw soft shackle has a breaking strength of 47,000 lbs and is intended for use on the other vehicle.

The BROG recovery strap bag is a slick way to keep everything in one tidy, easy to deploy package. The rope never fully leaves the bag and can be packed with dirt or sand to function as a line dampener. I consider this an essential safety function, reducing the risk of injury or damage if the line separates. The only downside of this bag is the size; it's too small to fit the Bubba Rope in a daisy-chained configuration, which is my strong preference for ensuring tangle-free unspooling:

https://www.animatedknots.com/chain-sinnet-knot

There is a logic to the parts I selected. I want the recovery rope to break before anything else, since a line separation is fairly unlikely to cause extensive damage with the line dampener affixed; hence, its breaking strength is lowest. If that doesn't pan out, the soft shackle should be the next to fail; if it manages to make contact with my truck, it is a lot less likely to cause damage than a hard shackle. The last thing to fail, at nearly double the breaking strength of the rope itself, is the steel shackle. If this breaks, something has gone very wrong and someone is going to need some extensive repairs.

 

Looking good!

 

Well, the day has finally come. As someone who isn't a vehicle hobbyist (as advertised in the title of this thread), I knew it was only a matter of time before some other shiny thing caught my eye and convinced me to refocus my efforts elsewhere. 1 year, 5 months, and 1 week after I drove my truck home from the dealership, I came to the realization that I was very close to crossing the financial threshold between me and a much-loved old hobby of mine:



You think LT-ing your truck is expensive? Rest assured that drums are worse, especially the top-shelf electronic variety. Not that I prefer electronic over regular acoustic; it's that I prefer having a volume knob so my neighbors don't hate me. Add the cost of amplification (for playing with others) and you're in for five figures.

With 400 hours of overtime this year (and counting), and almost nothing remaining on my build sheet that's available right now, I figured this was the best time to switch gears and pull the trigger on something I've been without for 9 years. Ironically, the reason I sold my last drum set in 2012 was to fund repairs for my F150. I doubt I'll have to deal with that situation again.

I'll endeavor to keep this build thread updated as time goes on. I have a few remaining tasks outstanding, such as electrical hookups for my ARB twin compressor and bed lights. The bulk of the modding is done at this point, so all I have to do is settle in for the long haul. 500k or bust!

*Edited to add*
I would be remiss if I didn't thank all those who helped me along the way. @caribe makaira for his electrical know-how, @crashnburn80 for his lighting expertise, @boogie3478 for his helpful videos, tons of other helpful folks around TW who offered their input on various other questions...

And last but certainly not least, the illustrious @EatSleepTacos for coaching me through component selection, walking me through troubleshooting processes, dealing with my neurotic sh!t, and being a genuinely good friend. Randy, you are the man.

 

I took my truck for its first proper road trip a couple weeks ago. I loaded up with 3 other dudes and about 400 lbs of gear, which put me about 500 lbs over my payload capacity. A buddy of mine with a Gladiator took the remaining 3 guys, plus a trailer-full of gear after we collectively failed to tetris all the stuff into the truck beds alone. The lot of us then set off for Perry, GA in the wee hours of the morning.

I was a little nervous about making a near-1300 mile round trip drive with an overloaded vehicle. It turns out that my excessively-stiff suspension (while empty) rides smooth as butter when carrying a lot of weight, and the truck's other major systems didn't seem to mind the extra ~40% over payload capacity. Hell, I managed to get about 20 mpg when I was on flat terrain clipping along around 65 mph, which isn't bad at all. That figure dropped to about 18 mpg when we got into the hills and higher speed limits of SC and GA. For reference, my buddy with the Gladiator and trailer managed 14 mpg average for the trip.

The truck performed as expected. No drama, no vibrations, no flashing warning lights of death, just a smooth trip as my Michelin grandpa tires ate up the miles with ease. It really is nice having a reliable vehicle.

Once we arrived at our destination, it became apparent that our campsite didn't have the tree spacing needed to hang hammocks. This was a pretty key consideration, since the ground was rife with fire ant mounds and other bitey things. My truck ended up pulling additional duty as a hammock hanging point for myself and one of my passengers:



I had done a bit of research to see if the ARB was rated for this sort of loading, which was inconclusive. Turns out it'll do the job just fine.

 

I just returned from my second proper road trip, this time northbound to Indiana. I clocked just shy of 1500 miles total, hauling only myself and a day bag. Gas mileage was significantly better than my previous excursion to Georgia, clocking between 21 and 24 mpg on each leg despite the mountainous terrain.

The only drama I experienced was a TPMS light upon my departure, which was undoubtedly caused by the significantly cooler weather. This light persisted after I inflated my tires, which leads me to assume that the culprit was an underpressurized spare. It must've been pretty close to the appropriate pressure, since the light extinguished once I got into warmer temperatures back home in Virginia.

Other than the dummy light, there were no issues with the vehicle. The engine brake did its thing when going down mountainsides, saving me from cooking my brake fluid and pads. My sway bar and grandpa tires kept me glued to the pavement when taking hairpin turns, maybe a little too fast on occasion. Deer were plentiful, which I spotted well in advance thanks to my Cibie driving lights. If I didn't see them in time, I imagine the ARB bumper would've handled the impact without issue. And, of course, the Mobtown high clearance bumper with the "hit me, I dare ya" rubber dock bumpers attached encouraged people not to follow too closely.

I'm creeping up on 58k miles. So far, so good.

 

Don't know if the 2nd gen allows 5 TPMS to be stored, since the 3rd gen only stores 4...I do a 5 tire rotation, often the techs overlook that detail, so I always double check that they resync the newly rotated-in's sensor.

 

You are correct, it does not allow 5 TPMS sensors to be stored. I have the 4 stock sensors programmed into the truck, with the 5th sensor remaining unprogrammed. Since all 5 of my wheels are identical, I use them all when doing tire rotations. There's an 80% chance that the one unprogrammed sensor is in use, meaning one programmed sensor is in the spare slot. I do tire rotations myself, and I don't have the tool required to rerack the stored sensors upon rotation.

Trip after-action aside, I did perform one mod recently that might be of use to someone later on. I hacked up my bed mat to allow tidy, compact storage of my two Coleman Woodsman II camping chairs.



Why these chairs? That's a damn fine question. I wanted camping chairs with a backrest and no armrests, the former for comfort and the latter for minimizing interference when wearing body armor. They aren't exactly top-tier quality, which makes them a notable deviation from the other stuff I've selected thus far. The reason I opted for these decidedly "budget" accessories is because of their dimensions: when folded, they just barely fit under the tonneau when stowed vertically.



... or rather, they should've fit under the tonneau. The bed mat adds 3/8" to the bed floor, making space-saving vertical stowage impossible with the cover closed.



With the above-pictured chunk of bed mat cut out, everything packs away nicely. This minimizes their footprint, leaving as much of the bed unobstructed as possible. Ya know, for grocery runs or whatever.

 

Groceries are great, but you ever just get 2000W RMS of face-melting amplification freighted in?



One pair of QSC KW153 powered 3-way loudspeakers, pumping out a sustained 1000W each. Once I get the matching QSC KS118 subwoofer (pushing a sustained 2000W by itself), these drums are gonna sound ridiculously good.



Now back to your regularly scheduled boring road trip reports.

 

Quick interior update. Shift knobs aren't exactly critical items, so I never gave mine much thought. That is, up until the chrome coating on mine started flaking off on my hands, leaving me looking like I got handsy at a strip club:



Since shift knobs don't have any appreciable impact on vehicle performance or longevity, I figured I'd try to save some money by getting a cheap no-name replacement. This deviation from my usual "OEM or better only" approach also gave me the opportunity to simplify the aesthetics of my vehicle, which is in line with the rather understated overall theme.



Enter the eBay special shift knob, branded under JDM and sold by a plethora of stores. This particular one has 3 separate thread sizes cut into it for maximum compatibility: M8x1.25 in the top section, M10x1.5 in the middle stepped section, and

$13 M12x1.25 mm Self-Locking Nylon Insert Hex Lock Nuts, Pack of 6

M12x1.25 at the base. I prefer this design to the other one from JDM, which uses threaded inserts secured into the shift knob via 3 set screws. This design requires tool usage for installation and removal, which is an additional step I'd prefer to skip.

The only (semi) important design consideration with a shift knob is thread engagement: the more thread depth, the more solid the attachment. The thread depth on the eBay special shift knob is 8 complete turns, so 8 x 1.25 = 10mm. This is significantly less than the thread depth on the OEM component, at 12 complete turns (12 x 1.25 = 15mm). That said, for $13 shipped, I think I can live with a theoretically less solid shift knob.