What Have You Done To Your 3rd Gen Today?

wcoffman · Oct 30, 2023

mabupa said: ↑

Added some OEM led headlights

i wonder if Toyota engineers feel ashamed of themselves seeing that Tacoma owners have to spend money fixing such stupid design. I would’ve loved to be part of the meeting where it was decided how they were going to arrange the buttons and what the argument to do so was.
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There was a meeting?

wcoffman · Oct 30, 2023

mabupa said: ↑

Added some OEM led headlights

i wonder if Toyota engineers feel ashamed of themselves seeing that Tacoma owners have to spend money fixing such stupid design. I would’ve loved to be part of the meeting where it was decided how they were going to arrange the buttons and what the argument to do so was.
Click to expand...

Easy fix. I only change volume when the steering wheel is turned 90 degrees anti-clockwise.

Norcal_PWRstroke · Oct 30, 2023

OBXPaul said: ↑

One thing you may try, I get this stuff at NAPA called "Kroil", it a penetrating oil that's the best I've ever used. It's expensive, about $20 for a small can, but it's worked for me when nothing else has. Also, if the penetrating oil doesn't work, try heating the bolt, I've gotten many a stuck both out using heat. I'm on the coast of NC, so rust/corrision is a big thing, I'm always dealing with bolts that don't want to come out. Best of luck to you.

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Kroil has never failed a stuck bolt, although it seems to go up in price every year

RichochetRabbit · Oct 30, 2023

wcoffman said: ↑

Easy fix. I only change volume when the steering wheel is turned 90 degrees anti-clockwise.
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I bet I could change to that position turning the wheel only clockwise!

wcoffman · Oct 30, 2023

RichochetRabbit said: ↑

I bet I could change to that position turning the wheel only clockwise!
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I use any excuse to type with a British accent.

rgljr831 · Oct 30, 2023

SwerdnA said: ↑

Used CBI Baja Bumper. Cleaned, rust spots sanded down, rattle canned, and mounted.

Now to get the bumper caps color-matched.
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Looks good! Awesome you scored a used one!

rgljr831 · Oct 30, 2023

mabupa said: ↑

Added some OEM led headlights

i wonder if Toyota engineers feel ashamed of themselves seeing that Tacoma owners have to spend money fixing such stupid design. I would’ve loved to be part of the meeting where it was decided how they were going to arrange the buttons and what the argument to do so was.
Click to expand...

I just don’t understand everyone’s obsession with “fixing” this. I think it’s just another thing to modify. Waste of money and time. On the screen volume is left to decrease, right to increase, just as the button is set up. But I digress, to each their own. I’m sure the engineers don’t feel ashamed, they laugh all the way to the bank when they hear people complain about such petty things lol!

TRD-Troll · Oct 30, 2023

rgljr831 said: ↑

I just don’t understand everyone’s obsession with “fixing” this. I think it’s just another thing to modify. Waste of money and time. On the screen volume is left to decrease, right to increase, just as the button is set up. But I digress, to each their own. I’m sure the engineers don’t feel ashamed, they laugh all the way to the bank when they hear people complain about such petty things lol!
Click to expand...

It is funny because the stock button set up actually matches the function.

rgljr831 · Oct 30, 2023

TRD-Troll said: ↑

It is funny because the stock button set up actually matches the function.
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Concurred.

RIX TUX · Oct 30, 2023

mabupa said: ↑

Added some OEM led headlights

i wonder if Toyota engineers feel ashamed of themselves seeing that Tacoma owners have to spend money fixing such stupid design. I would’ve loved to be part of the meeting where it was decided how they were going to arrange the buttons and what the argument to do so was.
Click to expand...

if you dont know why it is like that you then you may be the one who is not smart

RIX TUX · Oct 30, 2023

TRD-Troll said: ↑

Tires
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tires

RIX TUX · Oct 30, 2023

wcoffman said: ↑

Easy fix. I only change volume when the steering wheel is turned 90 degrees anti-clockwise.
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i remounted my steering wheel

"MESO A'INT GETTIN MY MONEY"

rgljr831 · Oct 30, 2023

RIX TUX said: ↑

i remounted my steering wheel

"MESO AINT GETTIN MY MONEY"
Click to expand...

Glad I’m not the only one!

Concrete_taco · Oct 30, 2023

rgljr831 said: ↑

I just don’t understand everyone’s obsession with “fixing” this. I think it’s just another thing to modify. Waste of money and time. On the screen volume is left to decrease, right to increase, just as the button is set up. But I digress, to each their own. I’m sure the engineers don’t feel ashamed, they laugh all the way to the bank when they hear people complain about such petty things lol!
Click to expand...

From my hotel room. They got it right.

rgljr831 · Oct 30, 2023

Concrete_taco said: ↑

From my hotel room. They got it right.

Click to expand...

OBXPaul · Oct 31, 2023

rgljr831 said: ↑

I just don’t understand everyone’s obsession with “fixing” this. I think it’s just another thing to modify. Waste of money and time. On the screen volume is left to decrease, right to increase, just as the button is set up. But I digress, to each their own. I’m sure the engineers don’t feel ashamed, they laugh all the way to the bank when they hear people complain about such petty things lol!
Click to expand...

Like you said, to each their own. I've had my Tacoma since March of '16, I got used to the button orientation. To me it is what it is and I'm not going to change it. I can see why some do, and if that's their desire so be it.

To me it's just like the windshield wiper stalk, in my Tacoma it's on the right side of the steering column, my Chevy work van the stalk is on the left. Which side is correct? Hell, I don't know and don't care. When I get in either vehicle I know which side it's on.

OBXPaul · Oct 31, 2023

RIX TUX said: ↑

tires

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OMFG!!! I guess someone finally had to do this!

Shayne · Oct 31, 2023

MikeyMcFly said: ↑

Today was a collection of epic fail after epic fail after epic fail. I reminded myself why I hate fluids so much. The goal was to change the diffs, transfer case and transmission fluid. Let’s begin.

The Rear Diff
I had the correct Toyota fluid ready to go. Of course it’s cans because this is 1965. No biggie, I have a hand operated transfer pump ready to go. I go to loosen the fill plug and it’s not budging. Not an issue, I fire up my compressor and hit it with the ugga dugga and it pops loose. The drain plug, same deal. Of course I don’t get my finger off the trigger fast enough and it sprays fluid everywhere because of course it does. I whip the drain pan under the diff and let it drain. I’m grumpy because I hate getting fluids everywhere, but here we are.

So I start pumping can one into the diff. I didn’t realize the pump was directional (because why wouldn’t it be, pumps only work one way, it’s not like you don’t have a chemical engineering degree, Mike). So I aerated the can and it overflowed. This is spill #2. Whatever, I re-orient the hoses and cans 1-3 go in. Toyota says that its 3.8 liters or 0-5 mm below the fill. I’ve read some people take more, some people take less. I only have two cans for the front diff which is 1.6L. There’s some heels in the cans, so I’m trying to consolidate to use up as much of the fluid as I can.

It was at this point I noticed that the drain pan isn’t draining. Think I pulled the plug out? Of course I didn’t! So I reach in and spin it open, only to overflow the pan onto the garage floor…again. My truck is covered in Fluid Film, so now I’m covered in Fluid Film from being under there. Life’s just grand.

I decide to dip a bit into the 5th can and pump some more in until I’m fairly satisfied I’m less than 5mm below the fill line. During the 5th can the pump lines disconnect and dump more fluid all over the garage floor, because why wouldn’t it, right? I torque the bolt and decide to move to the transmission next. I’m already grumbling to myself.

The Transmission
This one should be easy, right? 2.6 quarts, I have 3 quarts of Motorcraft Synthetic GL-4 which is the hotness in the Miata world. I bought a bottle pump so this will screw in, I’ll bang the fluid in, zip the bolts back in and I’m golden. Wrong.

I get the fill plug off and promptly punch the underbody. I’m going to have a nifty under nail bruise, because that’s a great look. I get the drain plug off and put my pan under the flow. I aimed right this time and right into the pan it’s going. I’ve got the drain plug open on the basin open, we are truly banging on all cylinders here. Until we’re not. The flow, which was right into the pan decides to shift and dump yet more fluid all over the floor of my garage. This is an omen. It's not until after I pulled the drain plug do I notice the crush washers I purchased using one of the guides on here aren't the right crush washers for my truck. At this point everything's open, so I have no choice but to reuse what I have. Hopefully I'll be good, but I'll keep an eye on things to be safe.

The bottle pump won’t fit the neck of the bottle, it’s too big. Luckily I have a spare hand pump. So I put the fluid under the truck, rig up the hand pump and start to move under the truck. Of course, right into the quart of fluid which promptly falls over and dumps guess what, more fluid on my garage floor. I yell a few choice words, and reorient myself. I finally get the first quart in and when I’m almost out the tension on the hose knocks the bottle over because why wouldn’t it. More profanity.

Bottle two, I won’t make the same mistake, I line everything up and start pumping. Things seem to be going bang up and then the hose disconnects at the pump and I don’t notice immediately. Another puddle? Another puddle! I finally get so fed up I yell into the house to get the wife to help me. We finally get the fluid into the transmission, slightly over full so it’s dripping out. Fine, I throw the pan under and take some time to think about my life choices while it equilibrates. Two down, two to go.

The Front Differential.
I have the TRD skid plate on my truck With the skid it has to come off to access the drain bolt. I despise removing that thing, but off it comes. I get the truck up on jack stands and pop the driver side front wheel. I grab my hex key socket and pop the fill plug. Maybe things are finally changing for me. I then go to open the drain and the bit spins in the plug.

So yeah, no way in the world I'm going to deal with that. I will get it done at 70,000 miles, so that will put me at just about 30,000 on the fluid.

The Transfer Case
Two plugs, this can't be hard, right? Pop the fill plug without drama. I line up my drain pain (now saturated in oil) and pop the plug. I swear this is getting comical at this point. The fluid defies physics and hits the floor again!

So I grab my trusty hand pump since again it's 1950s metal cans and just pump in the liter as it's a 1L capacity. I don't have the correct washers for that either (I haven't a clue how I screwed this up when I was ordering everything) but the existing ones look decent, so I torque them down to factory specs.

I then fight getting the skid plate back on. At this point my wife has to leave and the little one is home sick, so I bang the plate back on, jump in the shower since I'm covered in FF and oil and then put it all back together and clean up after the wife gets back.

Did I mention I hate fluids?
Click to expand...

So... What were the correct washers?
I need to change the fluid on mine, maybe you're experienced enough to help..? haha

Shayne · Oct 31, 2023

MiTacoTRD said: ↑

Unplugged the PRO shifter button ECT mod. Reinstalled the original ECT button location. Truck is tuned so I don’t really need to activate it on the fly.
I kept hitting it when I drive. I’ve driven MT all my life, so I grab my stick majority of the time.

I just use it for my garage opener.
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There are probably 1,000 write-ups for the garage door opener, but do you have simple instructions? maybe something without soldering? Out of the many things in this world I'm not good at, that's definitely one of them.

Shayne · Oct 31, 2023

McHale said: ↑

Those radio knobs...

Click to expand...

I'm too OCD and would have to have the Corona bottle caps completely level (to read)

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