Sold Bronze Bonnie and Black Betty now BS and random questions

So update from the weekend. Changed the oil, rotated the tires, found a nail in one, got a full size spare (265/70R17) mounted up, and got my wheel spacers on.
Wanted to do the diffs service but waiting at the tire shop killed the day.


New stance with 1inch wheel spacers










Real Pain in the ass this was, especially in brand new tires

 

Got the Iggy Switch panel in. S-pod is fully wired up. Just need to get the lights and such hooked up.

Also side project in the works...

 

Well due to not being impressed at all with the Falkens in the snow and winter weather. Went on the hunt on Craigslist and scored a set of 265/70R17 Cooper Studded M&S mounted on sport rims. Just in time for impending snow and ice storm

 

So drive through the night to Michigan to visit the fiancées family. Weather was little warm today so was able to get the taco all washed up before the leg back.
After 10 hours and 700 miles on studded snows you start to go little crazy from the noise. Did cook a few studs off but I was only expecting these to last a season so works out.

 

Sooooo the ponder of what to do next is upon me. Getting married in April and the future Mrs is saying a lift is ok after the wedding... Also squeezing a house into the mix so this might get tricky.

Doing the numbers crunch its looking like the Bilstein 6100s in the front with the 5125s in the rear and the Dakar Leaf Packs from Head Strong Offroad (appears to be the best price and that free shipping seals the deal). Might toss in the Light Racing upper control arms but we shall see what happens. Trying to keep it under that $2k all said and done. Been thinking about it a lot and since I DD the truck so much I really shouldn't be doing crazy trails, so just light off roading, beach, and camping it will be. Learned from the last truck that there's no need to go stupid crazy with the suspension for how I drive.
Tires are up in the air. Might go 255/75R17 Cooper AT3s next fall, dependent on how much tread is left on my winter set and if the Falkens will make it through the summer. I actually like the sport rims (really want the Level 8 Mk6s though) so I might just keep running those, maybe due a paint job on them idk yet.

Did the 30k spark plug service two weekends ago now. Passenger side was a breeze, but the driver was a huge pain in the ass. Upgraded the plugs in the hopes I can stretch the next change a bit. At the 40k mark going to change the transmission oil out, front diff, and transfer case. Did the rear at the 25k service. Other than that the truck is ticking along just fine. No real issues to report. But planning to move the fiancee and the rest of our stuff from Michigan to New York next month and in March so truck is gonna get a hard workout the rest of the winter.

 

Sounds like a good plan! If you keep the lift to 2.5 inches, you might not need the UCAs. You can take a leaf out of the pack.

 

I like that "low with bigger tires" route. 2.5 inches I think will keep on road driving civilized, won't be to difficult getting in and out of, still fit in parking garages, but will allow me to fit a true 32 inch tall tire or a 33 if I go a little mental. I know the 2.5 inch lift will be right on the edge of "UCA or no UCA". When I had my Old Man EMU kit on the last truck it didn't need them.

Hope is to shoot the gap between budget, quality, looks, and practicality.

 

Cranes make everything better lol. So I swapped these back on since I'm about to do 3,000 miles of driving in the next couple weeks and didn't want to listen to the studded snow tires for 20 hours back and forth to Michigan. And of course last week and a half we have been in and out of snow storms and ice storms

 

Nice!

 

Since the weather finally decided to be nice. Figure spend the day and do a serious wash, wax, and clean the inside out. Truck is looking good just need to save up for the lift kit now!

 

Boredom struck and I need to wash the truck again since winter decided to come back again

 

Update to a not so much a build page lol

So installed a Tacoma Tech Deck over the weekend (https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/fs-the-tacoma-tech-deck-new-product.290066/) waiting on a few last pieces from Ram Mount to wrap it up and I'll be sure to take some pictures then. But it turned out pretty slick have to say, def will help with the GPS mount and for the Mrs iPhone mount shes been asking for, and also keeps shit off the windsheild and the cup holders free for those delicious beverages .

Also ordered the Timbren U-Bolt Flip and SES bumps for the rear. Leaf pack is going to stay stock for a bit longer so need to give it any towing/hauling help I can. Those should show up Thursday and I'll get them in this weekend, just before moving the Mrs out of Michigan next weekend

 

Well looky what showed up a day early. Ordered these things yesterday and here they are! Amazon Prime for the win!
Going to get these bad boys in this weekend

 

Had a fairly successful day. Got the Timbren bumps in and also the last remaining Ram Mounts to finish up the interior. Was surprised how loose the stock leaf pack bolts were when I took it off, and kind of noticed how much these stock leafs sag already. Very least the new bumps will let me hold out a bit longer before the Dakars go in. Have to say the bumps help a lot for body roll and keeps the Tacoma planted, look froward how they work with towing

 

Not much rust on the frame for NY! Lookin good

 

It should be! Haha the truck is a 2015. There's some spots here and there I need to touch up once the weather clears up

 

Same here, 2015 and a few spots of rust. How do you touch up? Sand and paint?

 

Wire wheel prime and paint. Seems to do the trick

 

Probably should add that I'm shooting for the weekend of the 8th to re-paint everything. So primer I usually go for some self etching stuff to help bite into it. Do about 2-3 coats of primer, and then 3+ coats of paint (usually till I'm out of paint). For prep work I power wash the frame as best as possible, and then take an air gun to help dry everything and blow any dirt or stuff thats stuck somewhere, then take a wire wheel to the rusty spots, usually its around welds and corners or if rocks have been getting picked up, blow any rust dust off and thats it.
Its a process but seems to work.
I will add that I'll never put fluid film on my truck again, did it to my last tacoma and it almost did more damage then good, everything sticks to the oil so if it starts to wash off all this sand and salt sits there and just goes to town