New Tacoma Owner

Hello everyone! I’ve been a fan of Toyota for a long time and just got my first vehicle this past summer. I am now a proud owner of a 2004 Tacoma. Despite the plates, I’m currently living in Colorado, and I want to get involved with the Tacoma scene and learn the ropes.



It’s only a 2WD, but it was difficult finding the perfect Taco within my budget, and it didn’t help that I was on a time constraint. But I’m very happy with the final result. So far I’ve added the Bestop and a 2m Ham radio, and it came with a rear differential lock already installed. The next project I’m looking into is a set of all-terrain tires, though I’ll have to pull together the money first. I’ve also got a Raspberry Pi/IR camera that I’m looking to install as a voice activated music player/dashcam, but not sure how ambitious of a project that’ll be.

Given that this is my first vehicle, I’m new not only to off-roading, but auto maintenance in general. I’m hoping to learn a lot about both by joining the site (I’ve actually been lurking around for some time), and I’m hoping for a little bit of advice in this thread. What kind of stuff can/should I be doing on my own, and what are some good resources to learn how to do it? What projects and modifications should I be tackling first? For anyone who might be from the Colorado Springs area, where are the most trustworthy/quality mechanics, and what are some good beginner trails?

Thanks, and looking forward to joining the community!

 

Welcome and congrats!

 

Welcome! I'm new also.

Where did you mount your 2m antenna and radio? (Any chance for pics?)

 

Welcome! Nice looking truck, those first gens are rugged.

Here is one piece of advice when it comes to maintenance: Sometimes you save a TON of money, sometimes you break stuff and end up spending more than anticipated, usually you learn something, and occasionally you end up SUPER pissed. That said, this site will set you straight. There is a wealth of knowledge on here.

Congrats!

 

Thanks for the welcome and advice guys!

I have the antenna mounted in the center of the roof. It's a bit hard to see in the picture, but it's there. I'm using a mag mount at the moment, but I intend to get more of a permanent mount when I have the means to install it. The radio itself sits in my glove box. Again, I'd like to have it more permanently mounted, but there wasn't enough room for it in a spot that made sense. I'll see if I can get some pics for you if I remember to bring my camera with me.

 

I'm looking for ideas for permanent mounting of antennas with a cap and no NMO hole in the roof. I bet that someone makes some nice brackets, but I can't seem to find them.

 

Welcome!