BigMike’s Big Journey: New 2016 Tacoma

@BigMike do you have a solution yet for the MT crawl box and 19 spline output shaft issue? I'm ready to buy a TacoBox!

 

Same here. Was hoping to have one in before the summer.

 

I can’t do my axle swap until this 19 spline issue gets resolved. No one makes them.

 

@BigMike hey mike any videos of the exhaust? I’m interested in doing a similar setup just not sure what it sounds like.

 

Many updates coming soon

From April 22...

 

Yet still no release of the marrack?

 

Dun dun DUUUUUUN

 

Hmmm, land cruiser solid axle?

 

I say , It"s gotta be the new IFS system he"s been working awnnnnnnnnnnnnn ?
But a solid front axle is TITS ????

 

new mid travel they raced with would make the most since.
no way they would spend that kind of R&D time for a one off set of arms, knuckles, rack ect.

 

He already had a one off set of arms, knuckles, and rack.

 

Back from the dead, it's this thread!!

What's up guys and gals?!!

My last actual update was April 29 of last year. I know there are a few pages of replies since my last post and upcoming postings will address most questions. Brief overview is that once the wheel'n season got underway I didn't have time to work on the truck. Then, during my normal winter season I spent the better part of 6 months designing and producing our first 4WD Independent Front Suspension system which set any work to my truck back until March of this year. Since March I've been on a non-stop cram of all my lost winter months and have gotten a LOT done. Due to the extremely short off-season, I have missed a few events and will be ready for my first of 2019 in 8 days from now so I have to get this thread back on track stat!

I'm gonna move fast and gloss over info; If you're curious about specifics post up and I'll provide more details later! 行きましょう！！LET'S GO!!

April 30, 2018: Driver rear Brake Repair

I've seen other 3rd gen owners complaining about the rear drum brakes locking up and this happened to me twice during the 2017 wheeling season. The first time was in July 2017 during FJ Summit after having set the e-brake at the very top of Imogene Pass and then resuming down the other side. It was very cold and sort of wet and the rear brakes would not unlock. I rocked the truck forward and rearward a few times with the clutch and then after a loud KA-POW they free'd up and everything seemed fine. Then again during MCR16 on the Rubicon in Sept 2017 while entering RTF property I set the e-brake so I could jump out to unlock the gate and when I resumed driving I noticed straight away that the driver rear tire was not rolling. I got to mad that I just put it in Double Low Range and idled forward until it went KA-POW and the brakes free'd up and never gave me any trouble the rest of the weekend.

The rear brakes and parking brake was all 100% stock at that time and brakes were adjusted properly. Fast-forward to late April 2018 and I finally was ready to see what was going on before taking off for the Texas Jamboree. Here is what I found out:





One of the two pivot rivets had come loose so I just welded em to the backing plate. Done.



Man I dislike rear drum brakes. Pile of crap. Gonna have to do something about this.

 

Winter & Spring 2018 Trips

Feb 5-9: Drove the Tacoma for the first time on 40s + stock steering to the King Of The Hammers (Johnson Valley/SoCal) to feature it in our vendor booth
Apr 27: First test of prototype V1.0 MarRack at a local trail called "Cheapo Saddle"
May 1-8: Drove to east Texas for the Toyota Jamboree. Live! Trip Report: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/lone-star-toyota-jamboree-live-2018.547019/
May 14-21: Drove to Southern Utah and wheeled the Hole In The Rock trail as well as over to Moab for a few days
June 1: Went up to a local trail called Bald Mtn to take some awesome videos for product marketing
June 21: Returned to the Rubicon for my 3rd time north and 3rd time south through the trail. Triple Marlin Crawler + 40" tires + HD IFS steering worked flawlessly

 

June 3, 2018: Installed LED interior, license plate, and backup lights

I don't have images for all of these but I installed LED dome and map lights, license plate, and reverse/back-up lights. The main priority was LED backup lights which I'll post about later.

The LEDs I went with are as follows:

SMD License plate (and I think also map lights? can't remember)

$12 Yorkim T10 LED Bulbs 6500K Xeron White Non Polarity 6th Generation, 194 Interior LED For Car Dome Map Door Marker License Plate Trunk lights 168 W5W 2825 Socket, Pack of 10

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MAG6RMM/

SMD Dome Light

$11 Yorkim DE3022 LED Bulb 31mm Festoon LED Bulb White Super Bright CANBUS 10-SMD 4014 Chipsets, 3175 DE3175 3022 LED For Car Interior dome map Lights, Pack of 4

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0142WSPA8/

SMD Backup Lights

$20 JDM ASTAR Super Bright Error Free 921 912 3035 Chips White LED Bulbs For Backup Reverse Lights

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CRGU91Y/

Much better lighting all around. Will be posting pics on lighting later

 

June 18, 2018: Update photo with my '81 Hilux

It had been a while since my two rigs were side-by-side so here come some pics.

The Hilux is on USA-made Marlin Crawler leafs and 37x12.50x15 IROKs on 66.0" WMS front and 64.0" WMS rear axle widths

Cab height compared to the '16 Taco on 40s is within an inch

 

Mid June, 2018: RCV Prototype work

Around this time I was on my second replacement RCV boot which had also tore. As a result dirt had gotten into the CV and it had begun clicking. RCV promptly replaced the joint for FREE and also sent me some new prototype boot and CV designs that I was helping test for them. This is old news today, but they are working on some really neat updates that I'll be posting about soon!

 

July 11, 2018: New Tailgate sticker and Subaru Tweeters

*Finally* did something I had been wanting to do ever since installing the Triples. Finally, these idiots in full-size American trucks can get it through their thick skulls that I am not competing with any of them.





After reading many recommendations on these, I finally pulled the trigger and upgraded my tweeters. It was a big improvement on maximum volume output; No longer am I constantly maxing the headunit out on low volume / poor quality podcasts!!

Genuine Subaru H631SFJ101 Tweeter Kit -- 100% direct plug'n'play upgrade

$98 Subaru Genuine Tweeter Kit Kicker WRX STi Forester Crosstrek Impreza H631SFJ101

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PV6F8I2/ (price has increased $15 since)

 

(Prelude) July 15, 2018: Driver Rear E-Brake Repair, Longer E-Brake Cables, Mounted CB Antenna

During the Rubithon, I pinched my driver rear e-brake cable between a rock and my leaf spring. I'll need to post these to my Trip & Trail Report thread, but figured I'd share some here. Pics incoming!

Climbing out of the new RTF Property







Dropping into Buck Island Campground



Dropping down the Big Sluice

 

The famous Rubicon River Bridge



Southern entrance to the Springs Campground



Leaving Springs property in route back to Loon Lake



Back up the Big Sluice



Just after the Loon Lake Gatekeeper.... or what's left of it anyway

 

And here is how the cable got pinched. It happened somewhere between the Little Sluice and Walker Hill.

Extra bummer because I had just done the above Driver Rear brake repairs only two months prior...





Tried everything I could and the emergency brake would not release. So out came the tin snips!

Sorry little buddy. Thank you for your many miles of service!