Jerzsubbie's 2018 Cement DCSB TRD OR **Lots of PICS & Links**

<This post will be used for the most recent pic and mods summary. See post #2 for Day 1>



Current mods:
SCS SR8 17" wheelset
Dynapro ATM 255/75R17
Front windows tinted
Hyluxtech HID lows
Auxbeam S2 LED's in the highs & fogs
LED map, dome, reverse lights
Shackle tow hitch
TRD Pro grill (2018 OEM)
American Flag decals, matte black, front doors
Rexing V1 4K Dashcam w/ 3D printed adapter for GoPro mount
Tailgate letters, raised black
Blacked out bed hardware
Blacked out "Tacoma" badges
Hondo Garage radio knobs BFL
Salex OCD console & glovebox organizers
Door sill protectors, rubberized
Bilstein 5100's, extended rears
Dakar medium leaf pack
OME 888 coils
JBA UCA's
ECGS mod
+4" extended ss brakelines
SOS Concepts Sliders
SOS Concepts IFS skid
Rear diff breather mod
Bussman RTMR in Paranoid Fab Mount
3D printed cubby switch panel
Rear facing pods
Ditch pods
Rear wall sound deadening
Removed JBL sub, remounted JBL amp
Full JBL audio rebuild, retaining factory HU
JBL Club components Front
JBL Club coaxials Rear
Sound Ordnance 8" underseat sub
Kicker Key compact 4ch amp

Future mods: (many already on hand or on order)
AC drain mod
OV Tune 2.0 tablet
Wheeler’s Poly 3/8" top spacers
Replace rusted JBA ball joints with new Cerakoted ones, covered by warranty
Marlin Crawler LCA mount reinforcements
Spindle gussets, retain sway bar
SuperBumps F&R w/ U-bolt flip
Archive garage Hammer Hangers and possibly some 12” 5160’s to replace my 11” RCD/Bilstein 5100’s
OV Tune Twin Turbo kit!!!!

 

Well I'm super excited... I just took delivery of my 2018 Tacoma TRD OR DCSB 4x4 loaded, in CEMENT! I absolutely love the cement color!

I got a smoking deal on it, better than I thought was plausible, and got the dealer to install my SCS wheels for me.

I have some plans for the truck but nothing too crazy. It will be my daily and my weekend warrior adventure vehicle, while also aiding in my DIY weekend projects. This will be more of a chronicle of my ownership rather than a Baja/overland build.

Day 1
Current mods:
SCS SR8 17" wheelset
Dynapro ATM 255/75R17
Front windows tinted


Future mods: (many already on hand or on order)
Hyluxtech HID lows
Auxbeam S2 LED's in the highs & fogs
LED map, dome, reverse lights
Blacked out badges
Tailgate letters, raised black
TRD Pro grill (2018 OEM)
Rear diff breather mod
AC drain mod
SOS Concepts Sliders
SOS Concepts IFS skid
Bilstein 5100 lift w/ Dakar leaf pack & OME 888's
JBA UCA's
ECGS
Bussmann RTMR
Caliraised 3 switch panel
Lightbar in lower grill or ditch pods
Rear pods

 

Reserved.

 

Ordered a few more things last night:
Shackle tow hitch
Smittybilt tow strap

Installed my LED lights and some decals today, and I removed the V6 badge on the tailgate.

 

Installed my Hylux CNLight HID kit last night and OMG!!! I hate the stock lights on my wife's 2016 4Runner and the Tacoma's are identical in performance, or lack thereof. When I first turned on the HID kit, I immediately noticed a pretty clean cutoff and easily twice the light output.

I took it for a short drive down a country road nearby. That road is nothing but trees and/or open fields on each side of the road, no light source in sight. The throw was easily 25% greater and the light output had to be double. I could actually see everything clearly rather than fighting to make out what was only 75ft in front of me, barely illuminated by the stock nearly-yellow H11 halogens.



I spent $90 on the HID kit and $60 for 2 sets of the LED bulbs for my fogs and highs, and it completely transformed my lighting. I was set on adding a lightbar, but I'm not sure I need one now.

 

Tailgate letters and shackle tow hitch installed.

Tailgate Letters
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01JJ7HCE6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Hitch

$40 motormic Unique Shackle Hitch Receiver 2” + 5/8" Trailer Lock Pin and 3/4" D Shackle (35000 lbs Max Capacity) – Heavy Duty Off Road Recovery Black D Ring with 4 washers + Red Isolator for Towing

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B072V6V352/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

My truck is 4 days old and I just realized the JBL "premium audio" absolutely sucks! I feel like I'm listening to Klipsch horn tweeters on the dash, el cheapo 4" 1 way mids in the doors, and a 6.5" sub set to 200hz cut off. This is fine for listening to talk radio, which is admittedly what I do on my short commute into work, but on my way home I listen to music and enjoy quality sound. Specifically, I like a clean, crisp sound across the range, and more of a warm midrange (think: Polk).

I've always had aftermarket $1k-4k audio setups in my cars, until my previous 3 series, which had Harman Kardon audio, which was pretty nice. Audio is much less of a priority for me these days, but I do have standards, and this JBL system is a joke considering this is what they call "premium audio". My wife's 2016 4Runner has the base audio, no sub, and that is marginally better. I've played with the audio settings in the Tacoma to no avail.

Thankfully I see there is a wealth of info on TW and it doesn't have to cost a ton. I see an audio upgrade in my very near future!

Update: It turns out that's only the Bluetooth audio that sounds like complete garbage. FM is actually OK. So I may or may not upgrade the audio.

 

Truck looks great, congrats

 

I stumbled upon some Hondo Garage radio knobs and do dislike the OEM knobs because they're so shallow. The Hondo knobs give you a little more to grab onto and what sold me was the AR15 bolt engraving, that was a done deal. Knobs inbound!

I've noticed some rubbing while pulling in and out of my driveway, so I'll have to investigate this weekend when I can get a friend to help me pinpoint the spot. Hopefully it's just the wheel liner or some other plastic that a heat gun can take care of.

 

Good to see another turd gen in the area. Are you gonna bring her out to URE and do some wheelin?

 

Absolutely. Just ordered some SOS sliders and an IFS skid yesterday. I'll just have to be careful not to gouge my purddy SR8's.

 

You'll be fine without those for now, just watch your lines or have a good spotter. I didn't have any armor last season and did fine the three times I went.

 

I had to modify the base of the H11 HID bulbs to fit the Tacoma's H11B socket, so that the return wire wasn't in the 12o'clock position which created a long shadow directly in front of the vehicle. This shadow can be seen in previous pics.

I also leveled the fog lights so to not blind oncoming drivers.

I'm really liking this Hylux HID kit with CNLight ball type bulbs! Super bright, clean cut offs, no humming/buzzing, or bouncing. Can't beat it for $80.

Low beams only


Low beams + fogs

 

Added Hondo garage radio knobs. @wileydavis

I disliked the short knobs from day 1 and came across the aluminum Hondo knobs. Admittedly, I balked at them until seeing that they offered an option with the AR bolt face logo (BFL). I'm a big AR guy so it was a done deal.
I received them yesterday and they're perfect.

Before


Comparison

After

And I applied a matching BFL on the rear glass

I also grabbed a Smittybilt tow strap off Amazon, just in case.
Smittybilt CC330 3" x 30' Recovery Strap - 30,000 lb Capacity

$50 Smittybilt 3" x 30-feet Tow Strap (Yellow) - CC330

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001CF4UXU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_QlzIAbK0CVK8N


I 3D printed a couple bed rail hooks based on this model from Thingiverse.
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2347251

 

Well I took car of the rubbing today. The areas outlined in white were where the tire was rubbing while pulling into my driveway. I'll have to do a little more trimming and heat gun work to prevent rubbing at full stuff but that'll be another weekend.

Before


After


I took her off road for the first time to see how well the trimming worked. And it worked great.


I blacked out the Tacoma badges with plastidip, just as I did on my wife's 4Runner 2.5yr ago. Since her's is holding great I didn't see the value in getting the Nox Lux overlays for $100 when I only needed 2 pieces.



A $7 can of spray bedliner made easy work of blacking out the silver bed bolts. I would highly recommend bedliner and NOT the rubberized underbody spray. I did the forward tie down hooks in underbody spray and they are not as nice.


Using this box made the masking much easier!

 

Bought an OCD console organizer for $13

$14 Vehicle OCD - Center Console Organizer for Toyota Tacoma (2016-2023) - Made in USA

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016ZB4VZC?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

Before


After

I wish they made one for the 3rd gen glove box but they only offer 2nd gen and there are significant differences. I may mock one up in cardboard then design and 3D print one. We'll see.

 

you rub much with the 255s? CMC?

 

Rubbing was very minimal, I trimmed a tiny part of the fender flare inside the wheel well and took a heat gun to one spot on the fender liner.

 

Good looking rig! You'll love the JBA's. I just put them on my truck and they are awesome.

I also agree about the 2016 T4R headlights sucking, my wife's are awful, but I feel like the tacomas are better.

 

By the way there is a huge JBA UCA thread to reference if you put them on yourself or you can ask if you have any questions but the directions aren't super clear and guys put them on differently as far as the washers are concerned.