2012 Tacoma 2wd Access Cab -- Building My Perfect Knockaround

I got this for a screamin' deal from my buddy. I wasn't expecting to get a truck that day, but it all fell into place and here I am with my first Tacoma. It runs great. The mechanic said it was in great condition with the exception of some cosmetic stuff.

My goals are three-fold:

1. Have a second set of wheels that runs reliably -- I share another vehicle (Highlander) with my girlfriend. It has been easy 95% of the time. 5% of the time it's a pain. With a second set of wheels I can get to the gym or elsewhere without an issue.
2. Use the truck as a truck -- haul mulch, help friends move, tailgate before football games, etc.
3. Get out there -- use the truck to get into the mountains for camping and hiking

Within those goals my approach is as follows:

• Do it myself as often as I can to learn -- I'm handy but don't consider myself to be a car guy
• Invest when I need to and favor stock/simple/repair
• Put together a nice, understated aesthetic -- I like the grey and want to amp up the darker motif

I'm starting to put together a list of things that I'll tackle and they fit more or less into the following buckets

Bucket 1: Get It to a Good Starting Spot

• Needs new tires -- there's a nail in the back left that can't be patched plus I want to get some all terrains on there. Also with this, my TPMS is always on. My buddy says the batteries are out in three of the sensors, which he determined via some previous tire purchases/service and just never did anything about it. Tires are at pressure right now, so it's something with the system
• New front pads and rotors -- down to 3mm
• Clean it out and shine it up -- my buddy used it as a work truck and was not super concerned with keeping it looking good

Bucket 2: Improve the Utility

• Rack/Topper/Toolbox -- need to pick which option makes the most sense
• Get gear I might need for camping -- air compressor, tent, shovels, etc.
• The locks are janky so the key can unlock but not lock the doors

Bucket 3: Give It a Little Juzh

• Flat Black wheels -- buy new? salvage? paint?
• Updates to the interior -- seats are stained and there's plenty to be done with the radio and whatnot

 

One of the easiest things to do was clean it out and try to get all the dirt out of it, wipe down the dash, and the like. I forgot to take some before pictures but trust me when I say it was dirty. Used the ol' Dyson and got in there as best I could. Tried to get all the cupholders cleaned up and whatnot. Some of the dirt runs deep and there's a stray blade or two of grass but visually this is looking much better.






I also polished up the headlights and upgraded the bulbs (forgot to mention one was out in my original post). I sprang for the higher end Sylvania Silverstars at O'Reilly, mainly because they were out of the cheaper middle tier. I think my buddy had the lowest tier in prior.

Before:






After using some Blue Magic Headlight Lens Restorer. I thought it did a pretty good job but I do wonder if there are other things I could do to get it even better:

 

You have a 5 lug as you know. We have a dedicated 5 lug forum. While much of our truck is the same as the 6 lug brother, the suspension is totally different, so caution is required when you see adds for stuff. Our choices are more limited.

Michelin Defenders in a 235 75 15 are a great choice. Use the same specs as the stock wheels and there is no rubbing. Got mine from Costco.

I used a collection of wheels from spare tires as they fit the same but look different. Added some trim rings for a touch of old school and roll on. Cheap and easy with a smidge of labor and spray paint


You can spiff up the seats with something like CoverKing neoprene. Mine are from Costco as well, at a significant savings over other sources.



Proceed carefully with the camping stuff. The Highlander will go as many or more places that this will, allow inside sleeping and likely get better MPG.

 

@Clearwater Bill -- thanks for photos and guidance. The seat covers look good. TBTC (Thanks Be to Costco)

Understood about the 5 lug/2wd limitations for camping. The hope is to get this to a place where it's comfortable enough to get out on dirt/forest roads and that way we don't dirty up the Highlander. Nothing crazy, though. I'm not a rock crawling guy

 

$18 CERAKOTE® Ceramic Headlight Restoration Kit – Guaranteed To Last As Long As You Own Your Vehicle – Brings Headlights Back to Like New Condition - No Power Tools Required - 10 Wipe Kit

Cerakote

 

I ordered from Amazon. Thanks

 

Another thing I'm thinking about is the body. It's pretty scratched up. I don't mind it all that much, but if there are straightforward ways to deal with some of the dings and dents I would do it.

I already partially popped out the front driver fender dent with my hand. It's mildly better and basically catches the eye less, but still has a pretty big gash and plenty of disfiguration. I'll probably have to head to a salvage yard to see what they've got.

You can see the first post for the original pic and here's the pic after I popped it out. It almost looks like I didn't do anything.



Here are some other scratches. Some can be buffed out and others are deeper. The passenger side is pretty clean.

 

Final thoughts for today:

The gear configuration plate is really bad. It looked like someone took a key or knife and scratched it out. I have identified the part through another thread here but they are discontinued. I'm going to poke around to see if there's a sticker or something I could put on, or again, head to salvage to see what they might have.

 

Got new tires today. Nokian nAT 235/75/r15 — very pleased. Also replaced TPMS sensors. The tech said he was having some issues with the sensor light staying off and that if it comes back on to hit the reset button. If it came on again he said to bring it back in and he’d try something else. It is off now and seems to be staying off.

Another note, these Nokian were a real deal compared to AT3s, Falkens, and others. According to the guy at the shop, Nokian built a factory in Tennessee recently so is not affected by tariffs.



Josie likes the new look

 

Looking good so far!

 

Tried to deal with the key/lock issue today with no success. I read somewhere that trying some graphite might help. This is what I’ve used and thus far to no avail. Did ten or so squirts, three at a time in each lock.

 

Did the Cerakote headlight treatment today and woah — 10 out of 10, even with the other stuff I did a few days ago. Thanks to @Clearwater Bill for the recommendation.

before




After

 

At my dealership we use penetrating oil, it beats most Upper Michigan stuck locks. I would recommend having your local dealer cut you a specific door key off the VIN. Sometimes the door lock cylinder or ignition cylinder will get replaced and the keys will be different for both.

 

@lowmower thanks for suggestions. At this point the dealer might be the move. Especially since I'm not looking for a fob, just a key.

That said the graphite has worked some. The passenger side lock did see some improvement. The key locks the door but only if it's facing a particular direction -- if I insert the key facing the other way, it is still stuck.

 

See if they can cut you a dummy metal key, I've had a couple bend a little while trying to break a lock loose. Sometimes smacking the back of the key while it's in the lock helps too, my manager calls it the "Fonzi Slap"

 

When I got the truck a couple of weeks ago and learned that there was no intermittent wiper I didn't think too much about it. Then it rained a couple of times and I realized it's a real pain. Ordered this part off of Amazon
"ACROPIX Turn Signal Headlight Switch Front Windshield Wiper Switch Fit for Toyota Camry 2.4L 2007-2010 8465204141" for $20 and it took all of fifteen minutes to put it in. As everyone else has said, the hardest part is getting the plastic steering wheel coverings on and off.

the famed starting screw:




all done, works great:

 

Picked up a toolbox off of marketplace a couple days ago. Decided to go for the toolbox instead of a rack or cover mainly because I'll be using the bed to haul things and didn't want to deal with the hassle of taking things off and on.

It's a Husky 61.8" box. Pretty basic, but does the job. That said, the J hooks that come with it did NOT mount well or at all to my bed. Unlike other makes/models, this base model Taco doesn't have a metal underside on the rails. They are the plastic rail covers with limited space for mounting. I poked around and saw that someone else has had this issue and discovered a part from a topper mounting kit that would do the trick. On Amazon you can now just get that one piece instead of having to buy the whole mounting kit, which saves about $20 off the kit price.

Pic of the rail. You can see here that it's only a small overhang, all plastic. J hooks couldn't catch it without contorting and would not stay secured.




Here's the part I ordered off of Amazon. Did the trick.
"4PCS Truck Tool Box Mounting Kit Comes with Fastening Nuts, Truck Tool Boxes for Bed of Truck, Aluminum Allo Mount J Hooks Crossover Tie Downsfor Fix Tool Boxes(Black)"



Final setup. Looks great imo.

 

Upgrades to the truck are fast and furious right now. I think it'll slow down after this. But I've added an internal/external thermometer to my project list, in addition to taking care of the brakes and putting in new spark plugs. I've got some wonderings about my front struts, too, but will post about that on a different thread separately.

Kudos to @TacoGlenn for this inspiration for this next project. I painted my wheels black and I'm loving it. I didn't want to shell out for black wheels but something had to be done about the wheels I had. So glad I found this solution.

That said I give myself a B on the execution of this project. I had just gotten off a work call so was a bit distracted and made some slip ups in terms of sequencing steps and didn't have a ton of patience.

First thing I did was wash down the wheels. In addition to soap and water I used this Black Magic stuff, which worked well.




After a good wash I stuffed the holes in the wheels with some torn up paper bags and got to work.



You, intrepid reader, have probably already realized my mistakes, but it was at this point I made my first two flubs. After some research, I picked up Rustoleum Wheel Paint in Matte Black from Walmart. However, I was so excited/distracted, I forgot to sand with 220/400 grit papers on the first wheel. In fact, I didn't even let the wheel dry more than a wipe down with a micro fiber cloth before I started spraying away. Shame on me. Not only did the paint run because of the wetness that was hiding behind lug nuts and in the bottom hole, but it also was too smooth. 3/10 do not recommend following these steps.

Horror below -- "Look at what they've done to my boy."




Fortunately, all of this was sand-able, and so once it dried a bit I had to start over. I also remembered the right steps for the other three wheels. I ended up doing three coats+ on each wheel, and unfortunately I ran out of paint right as I was finishing up the last wheel, leaving none for touch ups later on, of which there are a few to do, especially around the edge of the rims. I tried to use a cardboard cutout to protect the wheel, which worked OK, but would not recommend if you are keen to keep all paint off your wheels. If I had to do it over again I'd use the playing card method I saw somewhere.

All that said, overall I'm really pleased with the results. I have achieved the look I was going for without having to shell out hundreds of dollars for new wheels. With a few touch ups it'll be even better. I would happily get some new wheels if a deal presented itself, however for now I'll rest easy.

 

The key saga has had a successful conclusion.

Per @lowmower's suggestion, I went down to the Toyota dealership and they cut me a new dummy key ($16, no chip). I had high hopes that this would solve it, but unfortunately it made no difference. In fact, the dealer key almost seemed harder to use than the copies I had, which concerned me -- hopefully the locking mechanism hadn't worn out. From the parking lot I called a locksmith and told him what I was dealing with. He said based on what I had shared there was a possibility that it was the locking mechanism and not the cylinder, since I could unlock the door but not lock. However, after asking if I was handy he told me I could remove the cylinder myself to see if there was anything visibly at issue and determine if it was the cylinder or the mechanism, just to be sure to "be brave" (exact quote) and unscrew the securing screw all the way and it wouldn't fall.

Found the access to the lock mechanism here (black cap on the profile of the door), popped it off with a flat head screwdriver



Had to use one of those hex screwdriver bits, but probably could have gotten away with a phillips head. The screw won't fall so like the locksmith said, "be brave and unscrew it all the way."



Pulled out both locks and they were covered in crud. Blew off what I could and picked at it a little bit with my screwdriver, but what really seemed to do the trick was working it back and forth with the key, and cleaning it with a towel.

Dirty lock



Cleaned up a bit



Did it on both doors and now they are working like a charm. Very easy for a novice like me to get it in and out, too. Funny enough, now the worn copies don't work, but the key I cut from the deal does.

 

Glad you figured it out!