Winkle99 Build Thread

Superb write up I did the same thing in my first gen taco just a different steering wheel! Best thing I ever did the headunit Is excellent!
One tip when I was doing the conversion for my cruise control stalk I went through a bunch of crap and it wouldn’t work later found out that it wouldn’t activate because the grommet on the clutch switch broke.

 

Thanks!
When I first bought the truck in 2017, one of the first mods I had to do was to adjust the clutch switch so the cruise control would engage. When I bought the new clutch pedal and bushing earlier this year, I realized why the clutch switch needed adjustment.

 

This is a typical issue and it will fail again,
Auto nation toyota off Arapaho did the mod (swap) for me for around 150 if I remember.

 

I installed the backup camera. I created a 2 piece bracket out of sheet metal, drilled a couple of holes in the gusset of my 4xInnovations bumper, and attached with stainless steel hardware. The bracket has a 30 degree angle, which matches the angle in the universal bracket that came with the camera.





I spliced into the wires for the rear light on the drivers side tailight to provide power to the camera when I shift into reverse. I plugged the camera’s RCA connector into the Dasaita RCA connector labelled VIN (video in). I also soldered the camera power wire to the Dasaita wire labelled BACK.

 

Thanks! I would have never guessed when I was younger that my mid life crisis sports car would be a 99 Toyota Tacoma. I’ve had a lot of fun meeting new people, visiting new places. Its been awhile since I’ve been to Grand county. Yet another beautiful area to visit in Colorado. Enjoy your Tacoma!

 

X2

 

Is that what were are calling this addiction, a midlife crisis?

 

Hmmm … addiction. That is true also.
I had a '67 Mustang convertible as my play vehicle before kids. I sold it to help buy our home 21 years ago. It includes a three car garage. I had the optimistic thought that one day I'd fill the extra space with another play vehicle. A few years ago I had enough time and $ to make that thought a reality. It's time to play!

 

Spray painted Winkle’s skid plates today with Rust-Oleum self etching primer in a make shift basement paint booth. Used two 12’ x 12’ tarps hung from the rafters and a fan to exhaust the paint fumes out the window. I would normally paint these outside but it is warmer in the basement today. The 4xInnovations plates get their final coats of Rust-Oleum flat black enamel tomorrow.

 

June 6, 2020 - 153,116 miles.
I performed some preseason maintenance. Checked torque on various bolts, changed engine oil, changed front diff, rear diff, transfer case gear oil, rotated tires.
Added the Lexus front diff drain plug (part number 90341-24-16) that @turbodb and others recommend. Fortunately, I had no problem loosening my stock allen head drain plug but its deformations indicated someone in the past did have problems.


I installed my front skid plates from 4xInnovations for the next time I go wheelin' with @In4aride.

The next day I wheeled with my brother in law at Kelly Flats.

The next weekend I took an easy cruise with my daughter to Saylor Park, which is directly west of Palmer Lake.

 

Before my recent trip to Medano Pass, I stopped off at Sante Fe Sand and Gravel to find out what Winkle weighs loaded with my typical camping setup.
@Squeaky Penguin and his "What Cracks Next" post has been scaring me. Every time someone posts I go inspect Winkle.
I know Winkle weighs 4200 pounds with me and 1/8 tank of gas and armor that includes front bumper (~90#), rear bumper (~35#), and rock sliders (~100#).
With me (170#), a full tank of gas (93#), two 5 gallon water containers (83#), cooler with 20# bag of ice, 5 gal gas tank (30#), recovery gear, camping gear and the new skid plates (100#), Winkle weighs in at 4845#.
When I go wheelin', I offload the water and the camping gear. I am running 275 70 R17 BFG KO2s (32.2" - 55 pounds) and NO cracks ... yet.

 

Wednesday June 24 through Friday June 26, took a wheelin trip south to explore Modano Pass with family.
I took a more scenic route down Hwy 67 through Westcreek, Woodland Park and down to Cripple Creek, where I wheeled on the Shelf Road/Red Canyon Road to Canon City. The shelf road is very scenic forest service like grade with 100 - 150 foot drop off in parts along Four Mile Creek.













I met up with the family and friends at the Alvarado Campground southwest of Westcliff. 4 Jeeps and my lone Taco.
Thursday June 25, we ventured out over Medano Pass. I showed my grand niece how to drive a manual transmission and she drove Winkle through the first of around 10 water crossings.
The fluffy Sand Pit section near the Point of No Return required keeping your momentum up in order to get through without getting stuck. A Subaru Forrester and an F150 were stuck on the way out and a 2nd Gen Tacoma was stuck on the way back. This picture is just before the fluffy sand where the ground is firm.


At the Great Sand Dunes National Park ...


... we tried some sand sledding. Wood sleds perform better in the sand compared to plastic sleds. The creek through the dunes was dried up.




From the sand dunes we ventured south to Zapata Falls.
The pleasant cool hike was energizing after playing on the dunes.






Around 6:00 pm headed back through Medano Pass ...


... past Creager reservoir towards the Alvarado Campground.


On the way home Friday June 26, I meandered through various highways. 215 north out of Westcliff, 27A, 28 ( Gulch very scenic), 3, 50, 9, 11. Winkle performs as good on these fun, curvy, rolling, roads as it does crawling over rocks.
I checked out the ancient Sequoia Tree fossils at Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument.


A great experience and welcome break from working at home.

 

Wasn't the water cold hiking up (I take it the trail is still in the creek) to Zapata Falls?

 

Yep ...

… but it's really not too bad once you are in

 

Awesome trip. Did it last year and had a blast. That sand pit is no joke. I got stuck the first time through, but aired down and never had an issue after that.

 

Easiest upgrade ever! Installed the Genuine

$16 Honda 76810-TK8-A01 Windshield Washer Nozzle Assembly

Honda 76810-TK8-A01 Windshield Washer Nozzle Assembly. Took me all of 5 minutes including adjusting them up slightly.

 

7/25/2020 Met @johntoyota and @Littles and rode the Switzerland Trail as well as Pennsylvania Gulch. It was a partly cloudy day, which kept the temperature pleasant and the previous day's rain kept the dust away.

We found a fairly steep set of rocks to climb. John made it up with no problem. I failed in my attempt due to a poor line choice, poor clutch and throttle control, and my obstinance to run street tire pressure until I find a case where it is needed like in sand and snow. Well, I think I found a case where it may have helped since I slipped off a rock and baptized my new skid plate. But, I think it was my poor line choice that was the dominant cause.


Bryan went next. He also runs a manual transmission. It was quite the education for me to watch "Three Tons O' fun" crawl up and over with his recently installed crawl box. So much smoother than I.

Pennsylvania Gulch was a fun challenge. There was enough steepness, rocks, and exposed roots that I used the easy button a couple of times just to make sure I climbed over some larger obstacles. The max off camber was 25 degrees. I only have this poor quality video of Bryan crawling up.

We finished the trails before lunch. As we entered HWY 72 the rain poured and washed the mud off our trucks. A great way to spend Saturday morning.

 

Always a pleasure to ride bud.

 

https://trail-gear.com/drivetrain/trail-creeper-tacoma-crawl-box.html

Just gonna leave this here for you to think about. Great wheeling with you again!

 

Next time y’all are up this way for a trail run, let me know! That is, if you don’t mind me tagging along, of course.