The Getaway...Crom's build and adventures

Normally i don't, but occasionally I feel I need to clean it so I can see if something is wrong.

The mud river I drove through on Thursday was intense. I can't believe how much mud came out from frame, skids, rear bumper.

My neighbors thought I went hillbilly washing it on the front lawn. But when they saw how much water it was taking to clean, and the mud coming out, I think they understood. lol

Highly recommended! Makes oil changes a cinch and keeps everything clean in the process. Today for the first time ever, not one drop spilled and only about 10 paper towels used.

 

Well I turned a few more wrenches today and changed the front and rear diffs, and xfer case.

Unfortunately It seems my front diff may be leaking. Either from the drain bolt, or gasket--can't tell yet. My factory mid-spash guard was molded (dented into) around the front diff clamshell housing. I did the drain, replace, clean procedure and will keep an eye on it. Everything else was normal.


Leaking, wet front diff.


Cleaned everything.

 

subbed for future reading..... sick truck dude! well thought out

 

X2 Very awesome truck. Very cool organizational skills! I like how everything has its place!

 

Thanks.

Thank you.

Welcome. So glad!

 

I was never big into stickers for the truck, but over the years I've added a few to the ABS pipe on the roof rack. They are all stickers that represent where we have camped or explored. Recently I've had fun designing my own, with my own pictures and text. It's creative and fun.

Here are three that I whipped up today.

 

When I was younger, I collected stickers so that "one day when I had my first car" I would plaster it with all of them. Everything from bands, speed parts, and stores/brands that I liked. Needless to say, 6 cars later and I still have them, now collected in a drawer in my toolbox. I currently have two stickers on my truck (not counting the mandatory TW sticker at the top of my windshield) and one of my toolboxes in the garage is plastered with them, but I still have a ton of them squirreled away. To me they are now collected memories from places I've been or experiences I've had. Every time I think about putting one on something, I think to myself how long that particular item will last or how long the sticker will hold up... and I put the sticker back in the drawer...

 

Thanks for taking the time to detail what you've done with/ to the truck. Very helpful.

I'm looking forward to seeing how the ST MAXX tires work out for your needs. My next set will be 255/80/R17, and so far I was planning to go with BFG KM2.

 

I like the sticker on the back window.

I run the same one.

 

Today I made a ceiling attachment system for the shell. I used wire rope, ferrule, home made captured brackets. I added loops at ends.

This is a nice mod, as it allows me to hang lightweight items from the roof, like fishing poles, clothes, wet stuff, etc.




I'm pleased with it. My almost 5 year old daughter immediately started hanging things. Good to have a helper.


Also, i could not find what i wanted in a home store so, i hand made these brackets. Made in 'Merica!

 

Thanks. That's my primary usage for this thing. My kids are always playing in whatever water they can find. It's ridiculous at times. Last year when we played in the Merced river I ended up using Velcro to secure the kids shoes and clothes to the flat roof rack. They dried out in the sun and cruising at low speeds is no big deal. Now today I finally have a nice place inside the truck to hang stuff. . The vinyl coated wire rope is good stuff too. Strong, durable, cheap, won't stretch, 96 lb. working
load

 

^lol

 

More fine tuning happening today. Today's mod pivots on yesterdays success. It's the fridge lid holder. I kept the green theme alive too. Having been bonked on the head with the lid, wife strongly approves this mod.

 

I was goofing around with the camera yesterday and took some pictures and used my phone to make a collage.

This is a tribute to that which holds my stuff in place during adventure transit. lol

Ratchet straps, cam buckle straps, tarp straps.

 

Thems a lot of straps right there!

 

California can be a very burdensome state to live in due to exorbitant fees. California imposes a "truck tax" on all pickup trucks, although they do not call it that. They call it a "weight fee", the heavier the GVWR, the more the fee is, and for me it was $80 a year, every year--forever, due at registration time. I discovered that this fee can be eliminated in perpetuity by installing a shell on the truck and doing some paperwork at the CA DMV. I did this in 2013 and as of June /2016 I'll have saved $320 (4 years x $80). I wrote the long story about how to do this March 20th 2013, and posted about it in this thread here.

Long story imported here

Okay folks. I'm all done paying the ridiculous California truck tax, a.k.a. the $80.00 annual "weight fee." My new plates and registration came in the mail on March 19, 2013

My experience was different from Bay Taco's, although reading his gave me a place to start. There is an additional form to be filled out and the DMV wrote about in this press release

PART 1
I made an appointment and went to the DMV in January 2013. I explained that I want to change the body type of my vehicle. In my possession I had a DMV from 256 titled "Statement of Facts." I had completed section G. with one sentence that read: "Vehicle has a permanent camper shell installed on the bed." The DMV rep on the spot made me fill out DMV form 256A titled "Miscellaneous Certifications," on this from I had to fill out section E. titled. "Certification of Vehicle for Human Habitation." this filling out basically means I checked a box that read "This vehicle was permanently modified" and another check box to indicate "camper attached." Singed and dated. Now, the DMV rep asked me for my title which I did not have, because vehicle was financed. He explained that in order to complete the process they need title, and that the finance company would have to mail the title in to to local DMV to complete the process.

PART 2
I initiated the process with the finance company over the phone and finally made contact with someone who could actually do something. I stated what I wanted to do and then faxed over copies of the incomplete application that was given to me by the DMV rep along with a letter which was short and explained what I was trying to do.

They scoffed at sending the title to the DMV, and explained that it only existed as electrons in a database held at Sacramento. Nevertheless they finally agreed to order the paper title, and told me that I had to send them all original documents including the incomplete application from the DMV and that they would take care of the rest.

I reluctantly agreed. The DMV rep told me to keep the original and not give it to the finance company, but I did it anyway. Much to my surprise the plates and new registration arrived yesterday in the mail.

The former "Body Type Model" of my registration used to say "PK" for "Pickup", now it reads "PM" for Permanently Mounted"

 

Great idea for holding the fridge lid open, I'll have to try and implement something similar in my own truck.

 

Do me a solid and pass on anything you find. I think I could live with that solution just fine.

 

Yup. I

Very nice indeed.

 

When my truck was only (3) months old in Oct. 2009, I decided it would be a good idea to rip apart the dash and see how Toyota put it all together. This was jaw dropping for my wife, but to me it was just plain fun.



The result of the work was three mods.

1. 400Watt Inverter all the time.
2. Extended AC outlets in back seat.
   
3. Extended DC socket in back seat.

All those mods are listed in the cheap / free mod thread.





Put the dash back together and everything has been great for (6) years now.