1999 Tacoma SR5 TRD Imperial Jade Build, Sweat and Tears

Thanks dude.

 

Lol..I appreciate the laugh this morning.
Couldn’t agree with you more on your reasoning.

 

I switched over to the unicorn tears today (Motorcraft fully synthetic

$33 XT-M5-QS Full Synthetic Manual Transmission Fluid - 1 Quart , black

XT-M5-QS).

For some reason the Redline was super aerated. It was parked over night and wasn't driven before the change. So IDK why it would be. I wonder if this was causing the harder shifts.




I put about 30 miles on it and the initial impression is, its pretty good. The gears engage a little better and first and reverse seems a little easier.
Ill update when I have some more driving on it.

*update* after a few hundred miles, the Motorcraft trans fluid is working great. I think it edges out the Redline MT90. Ill update again when it gets cold out.
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Slapped 2 more washers in the center bearing support while I was under there. Which I think makes 4 on each side. I think Ive hit the peak. I didn't notice it get much better.
The driveline is either 1 tooth off somewhere or its something else. I might just give in and have the driveline checked for balance.




Also greased everything. The passenger lower joint had a plug in it. So I had to get a fitting.









I thought I bought the heat shield that had the velcro on it but I guess not. IDK what Im gonna do with this now.

 

Just put a new motor in this thing

 

Okay Taco, I'm eagerly awaiting to see what you're working on today.
Are you located near South Dakota??

 

Im in PA, all the way west near Youngstown Ohio, IDK how far that is from you.

Got some stuff coming in a few minutes.

 

Got this stuff in today.

Baja Design S1's in wide. I really wanted the S2 pro's in combo lens but I didn't want to spend $308. Im kinda thinking I should have, but, I still might get them and then
maybe mount these to my rear and take off the KC C series. I really like that Baja Design uses 5000k color temp. I don't really like 6000k which is what the KC ones are.





USB quick charge with volt meter in the middle.

 

I was so dead tired, I didn't want to do anything today but just chill but some how this happened.

As of now Im only changing one socket. The factory hole is too small so I had to make it bigger.




I split the connecter so I could use the stock one instead of wiring new ends on.

 

and then, beyond tired, this still happened.

Started taking the fender off.




Then started mocking up a template for ditch light brackets. At this point I was kind of wishing I just spent the $50-70 bucks for some.
But custom is cooler so whatevs.


Mocked is out of the same super thin aluminum that I used for my heat shield.

 

Also while I was mocking the mounts/brackets up I used the same material to cap the end of my heat shield because it was funneling
a lot of heat on my power steering reservoir.

Kind of ghetto but its barely thicker than a beer can so the welder would probably blow right threw it, so I just pop riveted.

 

Then I went back to the mounts/brackets.

I copied the templet out of thicker aluminum (1/8 inch).








I wanted to go even more low profile but I wanted to keep it up just a little so the front end of the truck doesn't shadow too much. Also the aluminum is just soft enough I can
bend it with a little bit of force. Ill be able to bend the mount tab down a little to level it.


Bent and leveled.


Not too bad, all in all it probably took 5-6 hours. It was kind of a bitch to fab. The tolerances to pass through the crack of the fender and the cowling are very tight, so everything has to be dead on.


For their size they are ridiculous!


Heres a shot with my stock headlights. I was too tired to get my wide lens, so this will have to do for now.


Heres with the ditch BD S1's. They are stupid bright. Especially for wide lenses. They are actually brighter than the headlights by quite a bit. Ill take a wide shot later.
Most of the light is cut out of the shot since they are pointed towards, you know, the ditch. Also might be time for some retro projectors for my stock headlights. Im planning on some more front lights too, but IDK what yet.


Im definitely a Baja Design fan after these S1's.

 

Im thinking of cutting the front bumper.

Did a little bit of mock up in photoshop.












I think this might be the one. I made the cut lines a little more swoopy to fit the body lines better and made the cuts a little more proportional.


Id like to make a bumper but I don't have a mandrel bender.

 

Mocked it up with masking tape. IDK


I used these type of connectors for my lighting relay. I don't want to crimp the wires, I want to be able to move them around if I change things.


The lights loosely connected until I figured out what I was going to do.


Done.
Still 3 open slots. I feel the money burning already.

 

Thanks. Kinda nervous though. If it looks like crap I can't go back.

Just looked on eBay and found an after market one for $100. I may get that and cut it. \

 

Baja S1 wide lens with a wider shot.

Stock headlights


Stock headlights and S1's.


If you used 10 of these, 5 wide and 5 spot to make a light bar, it would be insane.

 

I live in South Dakota and am looking for a wheeling pals

 

I thought from some of Taco’s pics he may be out west. I was asking because I’ve been watching the Sturgis Bike Week on YouTube. I’ve only seen one fairly new Toyota 4Runner and the rest all Chevy, Ford & Dodge. I know that’s a small sample but I was wondering if Yotas are scarce out that way.

 

Its 16 hours from me, but Ill eventually be driving back that way to get back to LA.

 

That’s a long way from the house, and a lot of window time!

 

Covid (city of Los Angeles and California) fucked my life so, time to find a new one.



Got this in today to extend the breather on the rear diff.