An Aberrant Build in 307

2007 Tacoma Crew Cab - TRD Off-Road

I'm getting my pictures together while I start making my sections here. I didn't build my truck in logical order, because that's boring, so my headings might be a little askew. That's how I like it!


The Long Trip Mods

My Tacoma lived it's early life in a tiny Colorado mountain town. It's job was to put a tiny camper, and to get to the store in the snow. It came bone stock, but well taken care of. On the stock rims were Goodyear Dynatracs. I bought the Tacoma to haul me from the middle of Wyoming to Baltimore for a short-term job. That job required driving from Baltimore to Bethesda every day. I realized quickly that the Dynatracs weren't going to make me a happy commuter.

When I got the truck home I sold the stock rims and Dynatracs and put on 17" 6-spoke FJ wheels, that I painted black, with Goodyear Silent-Armor tires. My trip to pick up the truck also convinced me that I needed a far better stereo. I had Amazon send me a Pioneer AVIC-6100NEX with a back-up camera and XM antenna. My girlfriend at the time bought me an Access Limited Tonneau Cover to cover all my stuff.

City Mods

While in Baltimore I got a check from the insurance company for my old 4-Runner that had been hail damaged. Sweet! I bought some Konig Six Shooters (17") in Graphite Gunmetal from FN Wheels. As I was heavily reliant on the stereo, so I had all four doors coated with dynamat and put Focal components in.

When I put my gunmetal rims on, I decided the chrome needed to be muted. Plastiderp went on all my badges. To keep the cab cool I had the front windows tinted to match the rear factory tint.

Relentless Pursuit of Silence

The dynamat in the doors was the first step. After that I decided I wanted to run more aggressive tires without driving myself crazy. When I got back to Wyoming I went crazy with Dynamat and Dynaliner. The whole cab is covered in both. The headliner has 3M Thinsulate as a thermal and sound barrier.

The next step is to put the mass-loaded vinyl down and shove extra Thinsulate in the pillars. The 1lb/ft^2 vinyl will cover the floor and run as far up the firewall as possible. They say you should cover your doors in the stuff too, but we will see if I can find a way to make it stick. This is all in the works because...

The Stereo Laying in Wait

Mr. Marv built me an amazing box and I ordered a sub and amp for that project. It's been sitting while I work on other projects. I'm dreading to ask Marv on how to install this thing finally because it's been sitting on my shelf for far too long.

The Mid-Travel Lift with Extras and More Extras

For the longest time I've thought the truck rode like a prairie wagon. The TSB rear springs helped, but it still rode harshly. I called Down-South to fix this. I ordered all King shocks, with adjustments, Total Chaos UCA's, and OME Dakar rear springs.

The rear flexed too much and was too tall for the stock lines. Therefore, I put in Crown 3" longer brake lines in blue, even though they look purple.

While I had the truck torn apart, I decided it was time to put on the Tundra calipers I had sitting on the shelf. I ordered EBC green stuff pads and slotted rotors. I changed the hard brake lines from the L to the soft line, and from the soft line to the caliper, on both sides. Instead of DOT 3, I went to DOT 4 and used high-temperature Rotul fluid.

Looking in my front wheel wells with the rotors off I saw that the hubs looked a little worse-for-wear. I ordered Jersey Built hubs for both sides. Since I had to take the spindles off, I ordered Total Chaos spindle gussets. These are being installed now.

All of this new and shiny stuff in the wheel well lead me to believe that my LCA's needed to come out too. I ordered Total Chaos (of course) LCA's. These are being shipped this week after being powder coated.

ORW cab mounts are going in to allow for 285s. Also happening now.

In Search of Comfy Seats

I have never been a fan of the stock seats. Having dogs I put Ruff-Tuff covers on them. That doesn't help them to be comfortable. I also want heat for when it's freezing outside. I found the answer (I hope) inside a rolled Acura TL with black leather heated power seats. I am in the process of trying to adapt the rails to my stock holes so I don't have to buy a Wedge or Planted bracket. It should be interesting.

To Be Continued...

Pictures will be coming up in the next few days. I understand text is boring, but give me a chance to remember what all I have done. Then find photos.

 

Subd for the pics, sounds awesome by the write up.