Boy Blue - The build thread

After many years on Internet forums and close to 20 years with different car, truck, and motorcycle builds, I decided it was finally time to document a build thread.


I picked up my boy Blue at the beginning of August 2022, and we’ve made pretty steady progress over the last month.

He was just a bone stock SR5 with 94k miles. I immediately jumped off the deep end with some pretty hefty mods.

I debadged, installed a center console organizer, and replaced the air filter. While I was under the hood, I cleaned up a good bit of corrosion on the battery.

At this point, I had a good baseline, so I drove the truck for a couple weeks, while I decided what mods I was looking for to make the truck meet my needs.

 

After driving the truck for a few days, I knew that I wanted the stock SR5 wheels and tires gone. I spent a week or two obsessively pouring over TW forums trying to choose a wheel. (Thanks to all the contributors to the BBP thread.) After looking at 80+ pages of that iirc, I narrowed it down to the TRD OR wheel or the SEMA wheels. I chose the 265/76-16 tire size, so I ordered a set of OR wheels.

I knew I wanted a roof rack, and I really wanted to retain the OEM look, so I went with the Rhino Rack RTS system.

The installation of the RTS rack was my first major modification.

 

During the week I installed the Rhino rack, I acquired an OEM bed mat, some rear seat jackers, and a set of SmartLiner floor mats.


I researched different lift options for a good bit and pretty early on, landed on Dobinsons.
After a short wait, and FedEx temporarily losing one of my leaf springs, I got to installing my suspension parts, which are as follows.

Front: 314 coils with 221 struts
Rear: 111R leaf springs with

$315 Gs59-940 Dobinsons Pair of Rear Shocks Compatible with Toyota Tacoma 4x4 2005-2018 - GS59-940

Gs59-940 shocks

Just prior to the lift, I got the Goodyear Durashock 265/75-16 installed on the OR wheels.

 

Above is as it sits now. It’s got a Bakflip tonneau cover, but I’m wanting a camper shell. I’ve toyed with the idea of a tan softopper, but I think my heart wants a hard shell like I had on my Suzuki Euqator.

 

Today, Discount Tire swapped E-load DuraTracs for the C-load tires I actually ordered in the first place. Initial impressions are that there has been a 2.5mpg increase in fuel economy.

After reading about someone’s tailgate being stolen on Labor Day, installing the OEM power tailgate lock has moved up to the top of the desired mod list.

Also on the list, rock sliders, aftermarket head unit with wireless CarPlay, window tint.

I have 100ft of 20% film in the garage, I just have to stop being lazy.

 

Looks good so far, how do you like the Rhino Rack?

 

It would appear OP is currently on a 'vacation'; if they come back they might get back with you.