What Have You Done To Your 3rd Gen Today?

1. Hoisted and rigged my A.R.E. contractor cap to new Gen3 truck. Has swing-up door above tailgate having sweep lapping over flat tailgate.
Toyota changed the Gen2 bed configuration with a newly radiused rear tailgate, and fully level bed surface (previously the front was lower.)
Numerous mods required with newly purchased sweep from ARE (also a poor fit widthwise!) and grinding, alum. plate, and lots of caulk on rear door sweep.

1a. Pulled left taillight asssembly and wired in mandatory Third Brake Light on cap. Removable connectors and inline fuse.

2. 12v Towing Controller, Red-D-Arc. Painless install. Amazed Toyota left this out yet installed transmission cooler. Misled by Toyota advertising and descriptions of heavy tow capacity.

3. Extra (third) key fob, purchased and programmed in person at a chain store called Batteries Plus. $230. I heartily recommend.

4. Locking gas cap

5. Mudflaps. Plastic OEM. How can Toyota make a 4x4 without mudguards? Uses existing sheetmetal screws into plastic clips, comes with four additional screws.

6. Installed RCI aluminum skid plate package with catalytic converter protectors. Steel transmission rear crossmember from RCI a poor fit, mods required on 2023 model.
Will need to weld up my own aluminum replacement crossmember at a later date.

7. Scangauge II.... but after 55 minutes on phone with them to program first item to monitor transmission temp, decided to ditch it and returned to Amazon. 8 Code sets did not work, the ninth did but exceeded my tolerance.

8. Front seat covers... still on order

9. 1/4" Luaun and furniture blanket over folded-down rear seats, for now.

10. Leaf spring bump stops- Sumo supersprings.

11. USB CD Player. Still fooling with it, no on/off button and a purchased USB switch fails to communicate with auto, not enough wires perhaps. Annoying.
Also tried a radio-frequency relay with poor sound, returned. Not going the USB memory stick route.

12. Various console organizers purchased online.

13. Mounted EZ Pass, magnifying glass case, swiss army knife within reach.

14. After using the Toyota link to phone maps (Google, Waze) for a few days ditched it and installed a ball and socket mount for my old Garmin GPS. Need GPS anyways for rural /mountain areas where no cell service.

15. Learned to turn the bright screen OFF for night vision. Learned to turn the YELLING DIRECTIONS way way down on the directions App. Not done with volume controls, there's a setting Low-Med-High.

And on the eighth day after purchase .... the buyer rested.

Remaining on the To- Do list:
a. Pending, 500 and 1500 mile oils changes. Bought the new filter wrench and filter inserts.

b. Dealer Claim for poor undercoating job. Not looking forward to this fight. Lots left uncoated.

c. Move my L-track tiedowns over to new truck. Drill and bolt through bed with backing plates and bimetallic corrosion protection.

d. Change out dealer-installed license plate logos. I do NOT "love" them as they currently state ....

e. Start designing rear seat storage needs

f. Run 50A 12v circuit length of chassis for a future DC-to-DC inverter link to charge camper batteries while driving.

g. investigate and normalize jack and tire tool requirements between truck and camper as necessary, to carry one set for both.

h. fabricate aluminum-clad ply on stud kneewalls 18" high and mount between on flat aluminum plate at top of bed, to heighten A.R.E. cap to clear specific equipment carried.

No doubt a few more needs and wants will arise.

 

I assume you have never been accused of being self-effacing or humble.

 

Not with those tires on j/k

 

Enjoyed some drinks together…

 

How much for a standard bed version? Mine says TACOMA on it and has no side gaps. Used it since 2007. Expect it will fit a 2028 when I get ready.

 

I saw prices around $150 for Toyota OEM. This one is just farm-class dense rubber for $50. The angled pieces from the front of the bed just need a little trimming and they will fill the gaps. There is also a 10"x4' rectangle cut from the end that can be used.

 

Thanks @WaitingOnMyR1T, I ditched the Qi charger today. I'd ordered the part (58810-04010-CO) as part of the Black Friday sales and finally put it in.

Non Qi on the left, Qi on the right


Pull the center console top (first couple of minutes of the video below)
https://youtu.be/qxdZdo__4l8

Then remove the screws (circled in red, they're 8mm hex or you can use a Phillips head) and unplug the Qi (green square)


There are clip assemblies (circled in red) that require the console box to be pulled back.


Which requires the two bolts (10 mm hex) be removed from the bottom of the box


Reassemble and you get this.

 

I did the same thing and it’s held up great for over 2 years now. Haven’t looked back or even thought of replacing it. I’ve seen used mats for $50 but I already spent that much and have something thicker and I think nicer. Mine looks pretty much identical to yours

 

man i would much rather have a pocket for my sunglasses down there.. so theres a void space if we already have the charger there? wonder if i could sell my charger for anything.

 

I wonder what you would pay for your charger. That amount, minus shipping, is probably what you could sell it for. It's probably negative.

 

Charge you mean? Shit I’d give it away lol I don’t use it.

 

Speaking of self-etching (effacing?) . . . . Sure, but the added weight will cost you in fuel mileage. Back of the napkin: lighter, Toyota version will save you $212.83 over the next 476,334 miles with gas at $3.78 9/10 per gallon. There’s that!

 

Like most people of my age, I have already wasted $8000+ in lost items, meals unfinished, services I did not use because the provider was being a dick but the argument was not worth it, ...

I accept your $212.83 and will add it to my already extensive list.

 

did you add more insulation in the cab?

 

The original with the Qi charger looks bigger than the non-Qi one. The Qi charger doesn’t seem to work with the larger phones like mine, but seem to work with the smaller ones. I like that oversized cup holder in the video. That looks like it should work with my Kleen Kanteen water bottle. I may have to get one of those cup holders for my Taco.

 

Spotted this earlier today…..

 

It's custom made https://www.instagram.com/p/Cz2zE6Qo2Aa/?igsh=eXJjbXdrcjk5emdu

 

Curious about the front bump stop you installed, do you have the icon dynamic part number for those

 

I did the same thing. Works great and saved some money.