000Doodie000 - 15 DCSB - TRD - OR - Build Thread

Next up I will have to get my weboost installed.

(I’m still waiting on suspension parts from Dobinsons. I ordered them end of November, darn COVID wait times. )

 

Well the Icon’s are off and the Dobinson’s are on. So why Dobinson’s?

I looked at Icon (since I have a stage 3 and liked them), OME BP-51 setup, The Dobinson's, and a few mixed combos Fox Rear + Icon Front, etc.
But bang for the buck Dobinson's seemed to check all my boxes. I also had 3 people highly recommend a local shop (Armorology) and like supporting local folks so I purchased through them and decided to have them do a BMC for me. Jed from Armorology was awesome. It sounds like Mike from Exit Off-road helped get him set up as Dobinson's reseller so far quality folks all around which excites me more about the products from Dobinson’s In general I asked many people a bunch of questions, watched as many YouTube videos about the products as I could find, pulled everything out of my rig and weighed everything to get an accurate assessment of all my gear and how I run empty and full. (I am pretty confident I made a good decision)

So What more did I want that I didn't have...
1. Full adjustability on all 4 corners, and I wanted it to be simple)
2. More OEM style bushings and joints.
3. Longevity in the rebuild lifespan.
4. More load capacity.


What did I order?

• Black Coil Springs (just could not do the turquoise)
• Shooting for 2 - 2.5" Lift Selected the following:
  • 110-240LBS Front Coils (C59-352) (considered the MRA59-A220 but didn't want to end up pushing 3")
  • MRA59-A221 Front adjustable Struts
  • 213MM SEAT HEIGHT (Stock Seat Hight)
  • SC59-001 DOBINSONS STRUT TOP PLATES
  • BS59-560 DOBINSONS ADJUSTABLE FRONT BUMP-STOP KIT
  • MRA59-A940 Rear Shocks
  • L59-111-R DOBINSONS 2.1" LIFT 600LB CONSTANT LOAD HD
  • PB59-110K Bushing kit bundle
  • Greaseable Bolts for leaf bushings
• SPC UPPER CONTROL ARMS (Considered the JBAs and almost went with Red Coils but the deal on SPC was too good)
• Timbren Flipkit with new U-bolts and bumpstops
• I'm also going to do a BMC along with the install (no more rubbing!)

I also run 255/80/17 Cooper ST Maxx, (skinny is the new sexy) ;P


*Last, a quick Note about my Icons... The Icons are great, but with the weight I am carrying now and traveling I am starting to do (last year even with covid and travel restrictions, I put 8k miles on in backroads) I figured I'd pull the Icons and see about getting them in the hands of someone who will appreciate/use them more effectively. Between that, rear springs not cutting it, and November pricing it was time to make the change.
(My Icon Kit sold fast, I probably under priced them a little but the rears did need a rebuild so I think it was a win/win for me and the new owner)

Things I didn't like about the Icons:
1. I didn't like the idea of having to rebuild every 30k ish miles
2. Ihe Icon UCA (uniballs)were noisy and I was meticulious about trying to keep them clean and I even tried the caps on them. This is not Icon's fault, I should have chosen better.( I will never use uniballs again, I should have went with Deltas, but they were not super common at the time )
3. I did not plan for the weight I am carrying now when I purchased them and I was doing some trips about one weekend a month to wheel and some camping on the off weekends. That is far different than where
I am now. (up to 2 weeks at a time on the back roads and exploring, I don't use the truck for much daily driving.)
In short all this just means I did not plan well when I was struck with the TW upgrade sickness and I had to do a fairly spendy re-purchase.


with all that said here are the photos...

 

During the installation I learned a bit about our Tacoma UCAs as well. The bushings tend to rust and seize which makes it very difficult to align. My truck is only a little over 6 years and had just over 50k miles. The bolts came out (barely) the LCA ball bearing was also bad. (I could move it with my pinky) so I replaced the LCAs during the change as well. The shop I used recommended anti seize and I had them use it on the LCA and the rear bolts in the leaf springs rather than the greasable bolts that came with the kit. I also used new bolts. (Why not while its all apart, if it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing it right.) I could have cleaned up the bolts but now I have a few spares.

I was a little disappointed in the Timbren flip kit as the U bolts were only 1/2 vs 5/8. In terms of time I went ahead and used them as it seems like a common size for the flip kits and not having a direct bend like the square 5/8 bolts it’s probably fine. (I will see about getting larger ones and replacing them since it’s an easy change to make now that it’s all back together.

here are a few photos of the LCA bushings.

 

We boost was next up... but I need to get that custom steel cap finished up. I’ll update with some photos soon.. (we-boost install will have to wait.)

 

Well I put the pause button on the cap. Might even go for selling it.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/colorado-trading-post.148930/page-1690#post-25616652

If I can find a good powder coater. I have yet to get all of the weather stripping ordered too.

 

I am currently trying to figure out the best way to wire up my new hood mount solar panel so it charges both my aux and primary batteries. Parts are on the way so hopefully soon.
I also have to get my antenna wired up for the we-boost. Ill post some images on where I ran the wires soon as well.

Soooo much to do.

 

Mounted up the panel, but decided to go for less complexity to start. I will likely update it later to trickle charge both batteries, but it puts out enough juice that the fridge stayed cold in 100 degree weather all day and night.

 

I realize that I am not really keeping up on the mods nor the outings I am doing. So here is another recent outing to Crystal Mill, Keebler Pass Devil's Punchbowl (Scofield Pass).

 

Wow, I am slow on the updates... WeBoost installed. and mounted using a FrontRunner side mount.
Sad thing is I broke it backing into the garage on the first night I went out to test it.




I also installed a GMRS radio as well. although I didn't wire it into the electrical, instead I opted to just use the cig plug for power. Call me lazy but I didn't feel like removing the console again. Although, I may run it when I have the radio out to install the anytime front camera mod.
Next up: Front facing Camera mod

 

I am terrible at updates. Since Feb, I did complete the front camera mod, a a BBK, picked up a new RTT, built an extruded aluminum custom reinforcement for the topper, and have been working on building a solar generator just to keep power flowing on my short 1 - 2 week outings. Its probably overkill, but im having fun so why not. Looks like I didn't post any photos from my summer outings. /sheesh. Im a slacker.



Since I didn't really get any photos of the install for the front camera, Ill just start with a couple of the projects... ... Think of it as a 2022 Summer Season release of all episodes at once. You can binge or check them out one at a time. ;P

 

First up ... With all the fire restrictions just about everywhere I figured I would put together an ammocan firebox. It works amazingly well and actually puts our a fair amount of heat. Its not as good as a wood fire. But it does take the edge off a cold night and fire is well.. ... nice.



I ended up using some old airconditioner grate instead of what you see in the picture, because it was free and a little thicker. Other than that all the parts are there and if I were to do it again I would forego the high temp paint on the outside of the box. It baked off anyway and I like the patina that is now present. The image is a bit blurry below, but as you can see, its a decent flame.

 

After that, I found a great deal on a bigger tent.



It was great... but with the added weight it was time to come up with either a better something to put the tent on or time to strengthen the topper... So, I decided it might be fun to try my hand at design and make something new.

 

So the reinforcement design commenced.



After several iterations it was time for CAD... (which I had never used before). My son was taking some classes in school so he shared a few tricks and after several frustrating days I had a design to scale that was workable. I order the parts and started building. After several iterations, and a lot more $$ than I wanted to spend, I had designed a few parts to make it all work... ordered up some more parts, went down to a local shop and welded some parts together, spent many more weeks testing and fitting, cutting, cursing, grinding, re-welding... heh anyone who has designed something from an image in their mind knows what I mean... Ended up loving the process. Still not exactly what I want, but its close. I still have a final all aluminum bracket I need to finish, but I really wanted a summer to test it first.

 

As projects go, one thing leads to another... so after climbing in and out of the bed I was sick of the ribs on the tailgate so I made my own smooth one. I liked the design I had used on the side of the bed and had some additional vinyl made for the tailgate as well..

 

Finally on to the first overnight trip of the summer up to Medno Pass and Sand Dunes. Took this trip with my bronter, nice, and a few guys from the Coloado Land Cruiser Club. It was pretty wet, but it made the water crossings fun, and its alwyas better with you can share the travels with some good friends.

 

A few weeks later my daughter really wanted to go out camping in her Subaru. She sold her old Xterra because she wanted something with better miles for driving back and forth to university in Arkansas. So my wife, my daughter and the dogs took a short weekender. Out around Deckers Colorado.

 

So next escape was out to Idaho, Sawtooth National Forrest. Specifically CopperBasin. We spent a full week with no cellular service or wifi and just enjoyed Nature. (The kids I think missed the connectivity, but they were able to cope with the withdrawls) ;P

We had some family from Idaho and a few friends from Maritias, (a little Island in the Indian Ocean) us up at camp. So many places we could have gone, and we decided we would visit an old family favorite we had not been back to in years... That was an awesome trip.

 

Back to a project or two... It was time for the install of the new BBK...

 

Next trip was out to Leadville, Mosquito pass and then back over Weston Pass. Its always more fun when you can take a few days to do that trip. I am getting to the point where I just don't take enough photos during the trips. As a group we just have too much damn fun to be pulling out the cameras all the time.

 

Heh.. I am starting to get tired of posting and editing images for a quick "season of wheeling and camping"

Here is a quick shot of my first "baby generator" I have a little suitcase (2X 50 watt) panels to run this one. Its enough to keep power for the short trips. Between this and my second battery, I get about 60ah (~720 watt hours).