What Have You Done To Your 3rd Gen Today?

Added LED taillights

 

Took the family up to max patch today. First time going. Definitely will be back!

 

I think those plates the biff had posted we’re actually pressed from the original presses at Folsom.

 

Quality work!

 

Got rid of the phallic oem knob

 

So about 3-4 hours later I finally got my @tacomalifestyle 3rd brake light installed. My thoughts are as follows...

1. 10/10 for coolness factor, smoked lens, super bright led's and for the option to choose flashing/pulsing or steady on. (I left it on flash for now)
2. 4/10 for ease of installation (nut pegs are significantly shorter than the oem light, so bolting it up takes a bit of patience and trial and error. I used a 10mm deep socket, 3" extension, and stubby gear wrench 120xp ratchet to remove and 8mm deep socket, 3" extension, and stubby gear wrench 120xp ratchet for install. I found it easiest put a dap of lithium grease in the socket to hold the nut, and then thread the nut onto
the posts by hand. Once hand tightened connect your ratchet while still holding the socket and extension on the nut and finish up tightening. If you have large hands like me you have my sympathy. This project was a bit of a bear. Also, if you drop your extension, socket or nut simply pull the light back off and you'll find them resting right behind the light. You may need an extra socket and extension just in case. It took me a couple of times of dropping the nut and having to pull the light back off before I finally got it.

3. 5-6/10 for the gasket. While the gasket surrounds the entire rear portion and it squishes down quite a bit after install I'm not convinced that over time or at any point it is 100 percent waterproof without the tsb recall gasket surround. Also, the foam is less dense than the oem gasket and has no double side adhesive like the oem does. My gasket was actually glued onto the left outside of the light a bit.

I've still got a new oem third brake light and may swap back to that at some point. We'll see how it holds up. For now it's cool and fun I guess. If I keep it I'll probably get the tsb gasket for extra insurance of staying waterproof.

 

Since they emptied the prisons!

 

Seems like it wasn’t worth the hassle with the potential of it leaking

 

So sorry to see that. Bummed for you. Question. Have you tried Meguiars Scratch X? I have heard good things about it but have not had the need to use it yet. Might be worth checking out as a next step, if you have not already (if you have, apologies, I may have missed that).

Link:
https://www.meguiars.com/automotive/products/meguiars-scratchx-g10307-7-oz-liquid

 

Well, I still had the original oem light and the gasket was about completely dissolved, so whether I did the @tacomalifestyle 3rd brake light or another oem one it needed to be done. Don't get me wrong, I quite like it. I just wish a few things were different about it.

 

I finished installing my new decals but I’m still doing a few other things too. But so far this is what I’ve done to Snow…

 

Here at the tire shop switching my tires to expose the white letterings to make it look a bit old school. I’ll post an after pic.

Okay, as promised…here’s a few pics with the tires showing the white letterings.

 

Who makes the grill? Looks really good.

Lynn

 

Love the retro center caps!!!

 

Thank you my friend…I had the center cap decals custom made to match the Ivan Stewart retro theme.

 

I’m totally with you! You described everything perfectly. I had the same issues installing it. I taped around the light and the roof of the truck and added a bead of black silicone. For the silicone it was a thin line all around and then I smooth it with soapy water and my finger. It actually looks great. But I’m with you on holding on to my OEM light just in case.

 

Do you have a link for the black silicone you used? I was tempted to make a bead around the posts and the light opening with black permatex gasket maker seen here at the 24 second mark, but your method seems much easier.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xll5_BiqKzA

$6 Permatex 82180 Ultra Black Maximum Oil Resistance RTV Silicone Gasket Maker, Sensor Safe And Non-Corrosive, For High Flex And Oil Resistant Applications 3 oz

https://www.amazon.com/Permatex-821...t=&hvlocphy=9061147&hvtargid=pla-432399660406

 

I actually purchased a silicone sealant used for wet area like bathtubs or kitchen sinks. I got it at Lowes and I followed this YouTube video. I wished I took pictures but I’ll recreate it and take some pics and post them. But the YouTube video helped me a lot for a clean look.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nbKcZLSbr3Q

 

Thanks!

 

Don’t apply silicone gasket maker or rtv silicone. They are too messy. We just need a small bead line around the light so a good black kitchen/bathroom silicone will do. Like GE Silicone or something similar.