What Have You Done To Your 3rd Gen Today?

I've been busy today.
AJT radio knobs and front cup holder.
And 2 pairs of Charvonia bed tie-downs.

 

That's a great price

 

Installed Baja Designs Squadron SAE amber fogs

 

So I hacked my truck up today, still want to clean up the lines a bit and add edge guard.

 

Busy weekend; installed Vleds footwell lights (front & rear), KTJO 4x4 One touch up/down window controls for front/rear and back windows, and lighted door cups. Also put on the Tacoma letters in the glove box.

 

Ouch. Been there, done that. Not a bit of fun. Best of luck in your job search.

 

Ha! I did that yesterday with the other truck and also clean up all of the few thousand acorns

 

What did you install in the taillights?

 

https://mesocustoms.com/products/stage-1-3rd-gen-tacoma

 

Ve

Very sorry to hear that. My wife was laid off too after 3 yrs with the same company. Right before a major surgery an Christmas. Glad she’s in my health insurance. wish you good luck

 

Meso total tail stage 1 and gas hole

 

That's about what mine looked like. Once it starts it's impossible to get rid of without taking all the film off. The only thing I didn't do was the hood, but when I have it taken off I'll have the hood re-painted due to the rock chips in it. The film just doesn't do a whole lot of good in my opinion, but maybe for some folks it's a useful thing.

 

4 WD question.
How long can I drive in 4WD ?
On a slippery snow covered road?

 

Until you run out of gas

 

great because today in this messy New England storm my Tacoma’s ass end slid all over the road until I put it into 4 wheel drive.
This truck drives nothing like my old Ram did.

 

Little wheeling trip with some new friends

 

Longest I've actually run in 4hi on a freeway was about 120 miles, averaging 50mph and I've been up to 75mph in 4hi.
If the roads are slick you have nothing to worry about or if you are going in straight line.
Only time it's bad to be in 4x4 is when you have good traction and are turning the truck. Since the front wheels spin at a different speed than the rear wheels when turning the drive train will bind and worse case is you break a cv axle or shear some gears.

 

As long as the tires can slip you're ok: snow, ice, dirt, probably even just wet.

 

Well it was another teeny tiny purchase that was otherwise unremarkable....




But when I entered it into my mod tracking spreadsheet , it tipped me over a milestone.

I have now officially pissed away more than $8000 on stupid purchases for this truck.

 

Ok, you left me no choice, I have to ask why?

I get it that many like modding their trucks and cars, a hobby of sorts. If the hobby satisfies and makes you happy, that is good enough reason in my book.

My trucks however over the last 40 years are the exact opposite.

Better tires, better shocks, no lift, no lights or doo-dads. Roof rack and/or canopy for a boat, a toolbox for emergency recovery gear, and thats the extent of it. I have maybe made 5 trips in all the years where a lift would get me where my stock ride would not. Now if rock crawling and such is your hobby, for sure you need a lift.

Here in BC though, 95% of the most remote locations do not require a lift or better suspension or bigger tires or such. Stock works just fine, and 90% of the trucks I see offroad are stock. I very seldom see lifted trucks in remote areas of BC.

Maybe 600 off road trips and counting over the years. Always solo remote, and for exploration and fishing and hiking in nature. Truck is just a tool that gets me there.

I did one mod based on what I have seen on the site. Put one of those $5 trays inside my arm console. Makes it easier to find my tire gauge, pocket knife, tread depth tool, valve stem tightener etc. That was my one mod that was not essential to my off road activities, but handy. Did not want to go overboard and spend over $5.

I do wonder though about our consumer society now and where it is leading.

I guess I am just old fashioned, to a fault. My wife wants new countertops in the kitchen. Me, I am like why, what benefit does it provide me? My pots and pans and coffee maker rest quite comfortably on the current countertop.

I guess it has a lot to do with your environment. I grew up hunting and fishing and exploring in BC with my parents, and they had no interest in extra stuff unless it was essential. We had little money, and at one point we had 11 family members living in our 800 sq ft 2 bedroom house. Sardines in a can. So my parents ways became mine.

It is interesting though how much of a consumer society we are now. I am not immune to that, other than in the case of my trucks where it does not interest me. I can understand the anguish of spending a lot as it seldom results in a return when its time to move on to another vehicle.

We are all different though, so if it makes you happy, don’t sweat it. Life is too short for regrets….