c_walters build

Since I’m a post whore who likes to post pics of every thing I do it’s time to start a build rather then spam the “what did you do to you third gen today” thread.

We can start in the beginning; when I got back to driving from the months of not, dealing with OCD and anxiety taking over my thoughts and life I decided to reward myself with picking up another Tacoma.

In the past I’ve had a 96 taco that was SAS’d on 37” creepy crawlers, a 80 pickup that was on 35’s with a custom back half frame build, a handful of jeeps, then a 2nd gen taco, amongst all my go fast stuff.


Our latest jeep


I guess I can’t forget my 94 explorer that was custom long arms around 5.5” lift on 35’s

 

I picked up my 2019 TRD Sport M/T in October of 2021 used with around 25k miles on it. It was listed as a Off-road and not really knowing much about 3rd gens I hadn’t known any difference at first glance until I dug a little before heading to the dealership.

It matched my personality to a “t” and had everything I wanted minus the rear locker, so with that said we purchased it.

The day it came home


Previous owner had installed;
-Method NV wheels
-Nitto terra grapplers
-TRD Pro grille
-Diamondback bed cover
-LED interior lights
-Kicker speakers

Of course I tell my wife “it’s perfect, I don’t have to do ANYTHING!” That is until it’s not, because of not getting off of tacomaworld…

 

First order of business was to debadge the truck



Drove it for a few weeks (maybe days, I get excited okay!?) took it out to the trails with my mountain bike



Found a OR grille and swapped out the Pro grille and also put some DD amber fogs in along with some cheap Amazon smoked mirror lights.

 

Then it was time for some suspension because the factory sport stuff blows! Ordered up some bilstein 6112/5100’s front was set at 4/5 and put a 1” block in the rear.




Found some 265/70r17 BFG K02’s on the market place for cheap and got them installed



Marketplace is both my friend and enemy, my wife tells me I’m on it too much…but none the less I found a brand new TRD skid plate.

 

Traded my skewped hood for a flat hood because eff those blinding reflections (I know, it’s the best picture to show off the non scooped hood)



We got some snow, so I drove in it…



And because I’m never satisfied I had some 255/80r17 Toyo AT3’s installed after only 500 miles on the K02’s.



Got rid of the diamondback bedcover in anticipation of a shell I found (yet again) on marketplace. Also found a set of factory aluminum running boards and installed them.



Had to figure out a way to run a spare, low and behold searching this site I find that redrilling the hanger and moving the winch back fits in the stock location!

 

Found a stromung “tucker” catback forsale on here (removing it soon as the wife and kiddos vetoed it on the last road trip) and installed a TRD “air flow accelerator”




Before

After


One of my favorite picture of the truck thus far



Buddy of mine in the shop behind ours is a fabricator and machinist, had him mill out my clutch accumulator.

 

Chalk bag mod in black multi cam



Somehow I’m missing a bunch of pic from the meso interior chrome delete, meso total tail stage one, and @daveeasa DIR harness but here is the meso flip fob.



Ordered up a battery hold down off this site, I swear the members here are so talented!

 

Replaced the rear block with a set of icon RXT leafs set at stage 1, also installed a archive u-bolt flip along with their bumps in the rear. Swapped the bilstein 5100’s with 5125’s, and rear brake lines to wheelers +2” lines.





Front bumps were replaced with wheelers super bumps



And to bring us up to date, the FN wheels were installed today and feeling 40lb drop in rotating weigh is instantly felt on the first drive.

 

Is your truck still a sport with the different suspension. Asking for my truck.

 

Beautiful truck!! I really love what you’ve done with it. Once I get my cap next month, our trucks will look very similar with the exception of mine being black.

Really nice write up

 

I’d say it’ll always be a sport, just with better stuff. I could have bought a pro (if I found one) but I like to tinker and build things how I want them

 

I see that and wish I could do the same.

 

Looking good so far!

 

Along with the meso TT1 I added a single DD rear fog tied into the reverse circuit. Then frenched it into the bumper, kind of balances out the trailer plug on the other side.



On the Sport models there isn’t a gas tank skid and that didn’t go well in my head. We have a trip planned and I didn’t want to go unprotected so back to the marketplace I went, found a stock take off (better then nothing, and plenty for the lite trails we have planned) and then ordered up the straps that have studs off Amazon.

 

OTT flashed today

@Boltripper @JustDSM

 

Quick mod I’ve been meaning to do, with an up and coming trip and nice weather what better time?

 

The wifey asked if we could go out exploring this morning, so we loaded the family up and hit old NC 105 for a nice easy scenic ride.

I’m very impressed with the new bumpstops, they both are very pleasant when bottoming out.

 

Swapped the locknut off the shifter to this collar I found another member run, feels much better then fondling a nut…




Also received my GMRS license so have been installing a radio, that led into mounting a fuse block…it’s a never ending spiral

 

Looks awesome!

 

ECGS bushing done