Marshmallow (Ashlee)-Bankrupt Armor-Mid travel-Chevy 63s-Kings-B.S.-#EAF build

Ive updated as ive gone I havent been updating the OP haha.

 

I hope everyone is being safe with this virus going around. It has obviously given me time to do some research and gather ideas from this page and other areas on what i can improve, install and change as time goes on.

First up is to update the original battery. This will be done with an X2Power deep cycle battery (if all goes to plan I will run this to replace my secondary, thus having them the same)

https://www.batteriesplus.com/produ...toyota/tacoma/2015/v6-4.0l-710cca/sli27fagmdp


After this I plan to get a solar panel to help charge and maintain the batter so i can run my accessories as I go on long trips and take some of the stress off the main battery as well as the secondary I already have.

$130 Renogy 100 Watt 12 Volt Solar Panel Starter Kit with 100W Monocrystalline Solar Panel + 30A PWM Charge Controller + Adaptor Kit + Tray Cables + Mounting Z Brackets for RV Boats Trailer Off-Grid System

https://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Monoc...253496011&rnid=386419011&s=automotive&sr=1-17

This will help maintain the battery so my alternator will not be pulling so much. I plan to test this on smaller camping trips before I run it going to Colorado.

Next is another set of Maxtrax, this will hopefully come from a GB i am trying to put together but have to be patient with everything going on (not easy haha)

Other things I need to do is fix some of the wiring. Thats still from the time i completely took out the rats nest under the hood and replaced it with 2 bussman fuse boxes. I also need to wire up the winch which I have to take another look at, if anyone has a way to help with this I would greatly appreciate it.

last thing is the fridge mount, instead of buying one that costs $300 I want to try and build a platform that is secure in order to tie down the fridge. there are a lot of good ideas on the site which I will continue to look at.

Still need to grab a pair of bed stiffiners to help straighten it out.

https://www.chaosfab.com/accessories/2005-2015-Tacoma-Rear-Channel-Bed-Stiffiners-48675

One thing to help clear up more space will be a @MESO Molle rack

https://mesocustoms.com/collections...ucts/tacoma-molle-rack?variant=18067466354801

This will give me a better place to store some emergency equipment (first aid, fire extinguisher and other items) So much planned and I cant wait for the weather to get nicer so I can get started

Too many things I need to get done another is the horn set i got through TWSS so much stuff and I cannot wait!

OH! I also am finishing my welding classes since they are still opened and I have some free weekends

 

What have I been up to? Not much except stockpile projects that I’ll finally start getting to this weekend

Including but not limited to: sound deadening, new Plano cases on the rack (one of the old ones started leaking), radiator bushings, @MESO Roof molle panel and starting to determine my solar panel set up.

 

Weather still didn’t want to agree with me so I said f**k it and decided to get some stuff done.

I finally put in my total chaos bed stiffeners and moved the antenna mount



I put the sound deadening inside the doors 80mil on the inside and 150 on the outside and there is a definite difference there





I didn’t care to do it as neat as possible because no one will see it but I wanted to make sure I did enough that it was worth it and I love it. It’s also much cooler when I get in now so I’m glad I did both layers

I also installed my bankrupt armor battery tray (ignore the decal I did it a long time ago)



Now I just need to grab my 31m deep cycle to put in it and figure out a new mounting spot for my oil catch can


Next up is new LED bar, solar panel and making a fridge mount for the back seat

 

Welcome to your new home little one

 

@Acerwin looks like he saved the money to buy kings

 

Was a busy last few days. Sunday I got quite a bit done even though it was hotter than satans asshole (stolen from @geekhouse23)

I was able to finally fix my exhaust. The old one broke off at the end of the muffler and had a hole by the welds. Found a “dent and scratch” for the price of them cutting the old one and putting a new one on and I was able to break in my new saw









after that I installed my Baja LED bar but still have to wire it up



Upgraded my grille to a pro style one. Thought of moving the LED bar but I like it



I was able to install my @MESO molle panel inside the cab and I have some ideas





I also got around to replacing my radiator bushings





I also went darker on my tint. And added some

 

Have been getting a lot done with my trip coming up

Finally swapped out my body mountbushings but the last one gave me a fight so I had to buy a brand new $14 bolt



Built a fridge shelf for the trip. Keeping it in the cab so I don’t have to worry about it




Installed the solar panel and it’s almost finally wired up



I had my UCA uniballs replaced with icon deltas



And yes I already know about the rust. Will be taking care of that after the trip

but that droop though



Finished up the @MESO molle panel and have to wire the inverter



Got some wiring done for the new Baja designs bar and it is CLEAN have to remove the old silicone but it’ll fit right in the crevice



Still have to do the oil change, check fluids, wire the inverter and the solar panel as well as put together a temp power plug for the fridge

and I’m doing the rear brakes next Wednesday

 

So I was able to get everything done for Colorado and Utah Trip and boy was it incredible. If you have the opportunity to go do it. I have to post up some of the photos for the trip but it was amazing.

Now for the bad of it. I tore 2 CV boots on Black Bear Pass in Ouray but was able to finish it out, do Imogene and Alpine Loop before heading to MOAB in order to get them replaced. Thanks to Dixie Offroad in MOAB for fitting me in. Had them in and out in about 2.5 hours and was super happy with it.

When I got back everything was running fine and then last saturday I started to notice i was having issues with my alternator. I cleaned it a bit but taking a power washer to it yesterday and it seems better already. Time to monitor. I also ordered a Ford part (i know i know) but its to help with the output of the alternator for the deep cycle batter, will install this when it arrives and continue to monitor in the hopes it doesnt need to be replaced.

 

October update on Marshmallow: I got back from Colorado and Utah about a month and a week ago and let me tell you it was incredible. Definitely the trip of a lifetime and I met some more amazing people that I will be friends with for a long time I feel. Im going through the 600 photos i took with just my phone and then however many i have on my DSLR so I will post some here and on my IG.

Now for a stupidity update. The truck ran great, i need to clean/change the filters and oil but it ran fantastic out west and has continued to. I ran into some issues about 2 weeks ago when the truck would randomly shut off or restart completely. I checked everywhere and every wire I could think of and see and they all seemed fine. I was still getting issues while driving and had to basically jump the truck just to start it because it was reading 2.80-4.00 on my voltmeter (I have one on the main and the secondary). So finally i jumped it again and I thought "this is insane it shouldn't be giving me any issues" so i went back and checked the wires again. Turns out the answer was literally under my nose. The ground wire that attaches to the side of the engine bay had slowly started to back itself out. I had to replace this right before my trip because the old wire was corroded and I didn't realize it was pulling back on the bolt so much that it began to back out. So i tightened it really well almost too tight and then backed it off about 1/4 turn and all seems well. If it backs out again ill through on some thread locker. Luckily it seems to have fixed the issue *knock on wood* but i will continue to monitor it closely.

Now that that has been taken care of I am going to replace the u bolts and install new superbump bumpstops since the old ones dried out.

 

Very odd issue. Are we still going to replace the alternator?

 

Im going to leave it and monitor it for the week and if theres no other major issues im going to return the alt

 

With all this nice weather we are having in the Midwest I decided to take full advantage of it and get some small stuff done on the truck and am starting to upgrade the garage

Installed the frame caps under the front bumper (forgot to take photos)

changed out gas tank straps thanks to @geekhouse23



Moved my compressor to its final home



Starting to clean/organize the garage over the winter so I can do more and I installed new lights





and we’ve started upgrading @geekhouse23 electrical wiring

 

I really need to upload some of my Colorado/Utah photos but in the meantime

Time to upgrade fogs (old rigids will be sold) and then I will finally replace my headlights to be fixed.

 

Did maintenance for mom



Installed blinding fog lights





@geekhouse23 snapped this to send one of his friends

 

I did a thing

took advantage of cyber Monday @Wheeler's Off-Road Inc and got another set of coils. Overkill? Maybe but I need to have the current ones rebuilt probably going to use @AccuTune Offroad for that. I went with a custom tune and 650 pound coils



We also had a local meet up which will probably be one of the last ones off 2020 since winter is coming too chicago

 

When you find rubber mat at Home Depot but there’s nobody to help you cut it so you cut it yourself find a price tag laying around and use that to check out. Hahaha. Got this $18 worth of rubber mat for $10. Now I just need to find someone willing to share the stencil so I can see if I can utilize it forthe wheel well one piece rubber

 

Got a few things done this last week

finally got my Christmas lights on the truck

(Screenshot from a video)

I did my T4T shopping after fund raising we were able to donate $550 worth of toys



With the help of @geekhouse23 we were able to change out my moms front and rear brakes

 

@geekhouse23 finally found the mud flap template so it’s time to test out the mat I got to see if it will work. Not paying $100 when I’ve spent $10 so far on materials.



I also finally mounted this tv that I got for free off a local recycle page



It fit even better than I had hoped.

I also got my early Christmas gift from my mom set up. It’s a rolling storage for nuts/bolts and other misc pieces.



I also went over to @geekhouse23 house to help him set up my new tool box and then promptly switch with him so he now has the black and of course I have the neon green



I’m thinking a nice tacomaworld sticker will go between the magnetic strips very nicely.

 

Man...our free stuff pages never have stuff like that