On An Island's Sort Of Build

I'm not sure this is really a "build". Starting out, it's going to be simple mods that add to the functionality or looks of my black 2012 TRD Sport DCLB and we'll see where it goes from there. She came off the lot with the JBL/Entune system, and was bought at Foothills Toyota in Mt. Vernon, Washington.




The first thing I added was a Leer 100XQ cap primarily to allow us to haul our three dogs around.



We relocated from the PNW back to the Houston area (dammit )

With kids running around bending antennas into pretzels, I decided to get a shorter, flexible one. I went with the AntennaX Eurostyle 13". It's given me good reception with everything I listen to, and looks better, too.



I've run K&N high-flow air filters on all my cars and the Taco is no exception.



I saw the thread on the TRD wheel spinners from the FJ and had to have a set. They look good.

 

I put a Console Vault in this weekend. It was a snap to do.

Tool-wise, all it takes to install are a #2 Phillips screwdriver, a #3 Phillips and a 10mm socket with extension (I used a 14" extension to clear the entire housing). Note that the instructions show the vault fits a 2005-2008 Tacoma. Don't worry, it fits the 2009-2013 just fine. Also, the instructions show that you need a #1 and #2 Phillips. Uh, no - see my earlier tool list.

Here are some pics I took during the process. First remove the 5 small screws from the underside of the armrest lid. I've highlighted two of them - the other three are on the other edge (out of frame). Remove the inner shell - it comes right out.



Remove the 4 screws holding the armrest to the spring loaded arm. All four are highlighted. Place the armrest aside.



Gently pry up the 2 plastic covers at the ends of the spring hinge. I did it with my fingernails. Both are highlighted.


Remove the 4 screws (two on each end) attaching the spring hinge to the console body. Two on one end are highlighted. Remove the spring hinge.



There are 2 hex bolts in the bottom of the storage cavity. Both are highlighted. Remove those with a 10mm socket and extension. I used a 14" extension to clear the entire housing.


Now, set the combination if you haven't done that already. It's easier to do it with it out of the console, trust me.

Slide the Console Vault into the storage cavity and align the two holes in the Vault with the holes where the two 10mm bolts went. Insert into those holes and tighten, the two supplied #3 Phillips head screws. Insert the supplied piece of fabric to cover the bottom (or trim the one that was in the original cavity).



Re-assemble the hinge, caps, armrest and inner armrest cover simply by reversing the process and you are done!



The finished product is invisible to anyone looking in.

 

Concerned about the storage capacity of the Console Vault? Well, in my Taco it's not as roomy as you'd think. It will hold my un-holstered S&W 1006 10mm in a useable position, but it's hard to get it out quickly and smoothly.


It will NOT hold the gun in a useable manner if I put it in something like the Uncle Mike's soft-side holster in the pic. It will go in the Vault but it sits crooked and it is not coming out of there easily.


Aww darn. I guess I'll have to go buy a new pistol for my CCP use. More on this soon. . . .

I've got a Glock 30S on order: .45ACP, 10 + 1 capacity, it's basically the factory version of the G30SF frame/G36 slide hybrid that a lot of people set up on their own for CCP use. More on this to come. . . .

After a 7-month wait the Glock finally arrived. It is substantially smaller than the 1006 and fits in the Console Vault with plenty of room to accomodate it, a second magazine and a mil-grade Cree flashlight.

 

What's coming up next (I think) is 5100 Billies for the front and 5160s for the rear.

Update: The 5160 reservoir rear shocks are in. Took about an hour and a half to do it, mainly because I'm slow.


Rear axle area after factory shock has been removed





This is my first attempt at aligning the reservoir with the shock body. While it looks nice, this IS NOT how you want to set things up.

Slide the black mount all the way up onto the shock body and the reservoir. Slide the lower spacer between the body and reservoir, then slide the screw-clamp into place immediately over the spacer. Tighten screws on the mount and the clamp just enough to hold things in place and then hold them in place against the truck's shock mount to get the vertical alignment correct. You want just enough space between the reservoir and frame/mount to keep things from rubbing. Mark them and then take the assembly back to the bench and tighten everything down snugly. Bolt into place, making sure the torque numbers are right and you are good to go.





Here's the finished product after installation. Note the way the reservoir is aligned with it's top a couple of inches below the top of the shock body itself. This is necessary to clear the mounting bracket.

 

The height-adjustable 5100 Bilsteins are up next. I've wrecked my shoulder (surgery for torn biceps/torn rotator cuff/torn labrum) and am out of commission for several months, so this will be done by a shop.

 

Reserved for expansion 3.

 

Reserved for expansion 4.

That should cover things for a while.

 

Woo Hoo, another Spruce Mica build.

 

Check again oh keene one. It's black.

 

Guess I caught the grass reflection and thought it was. Nice truck none the less.

 

Thanks. I'm pretty crazy about our trucks even though mine's awfully stock compared to a LOT of the trucks here. Oh well, with time we'll see.

I like the Spruce Mica's too!

 

Nice job on the console vault, great idea.

 

That vault is a great idea. Just checked into it, and they are backordered.