What have you done to your Tacoma today? 1st Gen Edition

Does anyone elses E-Brake handle not require pressing the button to turn and unlock? My E Brake clicks and locks in fine, but when I go to disengage it doesnt require pressing the button on the handle to turn it and disengage the brake. Is that pretty normal? Never seen anyone address it.

 

She finally passed smog.

Only took both O2 sensors, both catalytic converters, new gas cap, a transmission temperature sensor, and driving it over 130 miles to get the ECU monitors to be ready for test.

But no check engine light... We'll see what happens in a year and a half when I need to get the next smog.

 

Did a rough install on my Btech HAM radio tonight so I can listen in to the local HAM’s and air traffic control. Mounted the main unit behind the back seats and put the head almost dead center of the dash and I think it turned out pretty good, not a huge fan of the RJ45 cable running across the dash but it works for now and maybe a few days in the sun will loosen it up so it lays down well.

 

Since my ECM doesn’t output transmission temp for the Torque app to monitor, I installed a transmission oil temp gauge.

$45 Gazoz Performance 52mm Transmission Trans Temp Gauge Kit | Boost & Temperature Gauges, Automotive Replacement Gauge Set, Cylinder Head Temperature Gauge| Transmission Temperature Gauge

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07V7Y286X

tapped into the output line of the transmission and mounted the gauge in a pod on the A-pillar.

$13 GlowShift Universal Black Single Pillar Gauge Pod - Fits Any Make/Model - ABS Plastic - Mounts (1) 2-1/16" (52mm) Gauge to Vehicle's A-Pillar

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001PHY8HS

Mike

 

Replaced upper ball joints on both sides yesterday, then today built a little skid plate to cover the radiator and replace the chicken wire i'd been running there for about a year. Also got a reman driver's side caliper since the one I rebuilt a year ago decided to seize up again and was pissing me off. Next up, gotta fix a gaping hole in my driver's side floorboard );

 

…..

 

Installed wheel spacers and some 285’s, gotta pull the mud flaps off though.
Tomorrow the UCA’s should come in and maybe I can get those replaced this weekend and get an alignment next week.

 

Sweet! Check out Atomic Filament for some top notch USA made goodness. Their carbon PETG is amazing and perfect for automotive applications. The carbon is abrasive so you need a hardened nozzle but their regular PETG and PLA is also top notch. Makes Hatchbox look like a box of crap.

 

Wondering what the advice is, when it's time to replace the rear brake shoes, between just putting on new shoes and hardware kit, turning the drums, or replacing drums with shoes. And if OEM is best here to work well with fronts (that tend to get too hot if rears don't work well and are adjusted).

If there's a thread on this happy to read it if you point me in that direction.

@ 169,033 miles: Replaced the front brakes (Toyota discs and pads - Advics actually - and pins).



Rears are original: disassembled and serviced them and reassembled then adjusted the rears to spec, but didn't replace.

Shoes have about 4mm left at lowest edges.



LH shoes thickness:
Top front: 6mm
Top rear 5.2 mm
Bottom front 3.9 mm
Bottom rear 6 mm

RH shoes thickness:
Top front: 5.5 mm
Top rear 5.4 mm
Bottom front 3.9 mm
Bottom rear 6 mm

Drums measure 294.48 mm, well within spec (<297 mm) with a slight groove




Can't find a sticky or thread on rear shoes recommendations after digging about 7 pages into the search on 1st gen forum.

I've swapped OEM pads up front a couple times without turning before with success.

TIA.

 

Well, I guess it was more this week, but the -20 or colder degrees overnight did in my battery, mostly because I don't drive it as much as I used to, and I left my CB on, so I put in a new primary battery. Since I wanted to prevent that from happening again, I switched the CB, and Ham radio (installed before the auxiliary battery) over to the Auxiliary battery. The auxiliary battery also happens to have a charger/maintainer on it and I didn't want to run a second charger, but wanted to keep the primary charged, so I added a Victron Cyrix-ct combiner replacing the solenoid isolator I had previously. The Cyrix connects based on voltage, in either direction to charge both batteries based on where the charge is coming from.
While I had things apart, I finally installed the in cab winch controller switch I have had for the last 3 years.

 

Did you fab the grille? Looks good.

 

Sweet! I just spoke with them last week and will probably soon be sending in the 2 of mine that were completely out of stock everywhere. It's hard to tell from the photo on my phone. Is that tan or gray? How good was the color matching?

 

It's tan.

My truck is buried in snow and I haven't checked how close the color match is. I also don't have the original carpet or seats, so not much fabric to compare it to.

Looks pretty close from what I recall.

 

Aaaand they’re in. My old seats will be in the BST soon.

 

Niiiiiiice!

 

Pulled the cluster yesterday to swap all the lights to LED. Straightforward process took a couple hours start to finish going slow. Was also hoping to figure out why my heat gauge always goes right to the middle, no luck so will try to search for a new/old one to swap in.

Also found out why the check engine light never worked... ha

 

The after photos look great. What part numbers did you use for the swap? Expect they work on all 1st gens, so a 2004 DC? TIA.

 

All wired up with quick disconnects and all of the lights work

 

Making the mad thrash to get ready to leave for Hammers on Tuesday.

Airing out the tent and washing the bedding



Fixed the steering rack



Also figured out a sort of fix for the rack bellows with the steering links.

Hung the diff skid



Finished up some wiring odds and ends, cleaned up the interior a bit. Adjusted the DSCs on the shocks. I had forgotten to do that when I installed the rears.

 

The next time I do this will def be with 16ga and 18ga vs the 20. So much easier to weld.