Cynicalriders "J0hnny5 is ALIVE!" 01 build thread.

Well the New Hampshire exploration trip that @Rockbaron1 and @avw4x4 and I went on will be one for the books. 500ish miles with around 200+ of that being class 6 roads turned out to be a huge adventure. Awesome camp sites and meals every night, excellent views on Mt. Washington, and actually challenging and fun trails, something that is a dying breed on the East coast outside of an offroad park. Significant trail damage and issues arose, overheating engines and transmissions on Mt. Washington, a busted radiator fan and subsequently radiator, a chocolate swirled front drive shaft, fried wiring, flat tire, and failed power steering. I have a fuck ton of videos and photos from the good camera, but for now here are a bunch of random cell phone shots before I can do all my editing and proper trip report.





Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr

This was also Mac's first time on a wheeling/camping trip longer than just 2 nights. She was great and everyone loved her on Mt. Washington.

 

Nice. Looks like a good time. With some trail damage/repairs to boot.

 

Looks like a good run for sure! Curious to hear what happened to that radiator.

 

Damn that’s some excitement

 

Haha it definitely was an adventure. Probably my second best one.

Short story is fan blade snapped in one of the ridiculous water crossings we hit (we think) and damaged the shit out of the rad on its way out.

 

Haha definitely was. I already have everything to get the PS rebuilt, just gotta find some time. I heard you have some RC trips in the works for Sept?

 

Updating the list, and adding new shit because it never ends!

As always green was just completed, BOLD is priority/realistic. Anything previously green gets deleted (though I still need to update the build specs lol). Of course this is all for my sanity's sake.

 

Alright making this it's own post. I took a deep dive into the goals for the truck, and the things I want to improve. This list is always changing/ being improved upon, completed or added to.

As always green was just completed, BOLD is priority/realistic. Anything previously green gets deleted (though I still need to update the build specs lol). Of course this is all for my sanity's sake.

Box frame, u bolt flip, new shackles, AAL and new shocks

Replace gas tank and mount gas tank skid

Maintenance:

Armor up rear diff, fix plug, or weld plug permanently shut and replace two studs with bolts to drain

Replace bearing and seals on drivers side rear axle

Plugs

Wires

Fuel Filter

OEM PS Pump, replace lines, and add PS cooler, fix drivers side steering rack boot bellow

Check out popping noise in front end

Carrier Bearing (Might wait on this, still feels tight)

Rear diff (Drain and fill after welding) I had to pump this out to replace it.

Paint rear bumper, drill holes out bigger to accept 3/4" shackles

Anti seize cams

Rebuild the spare alternator (need rebuild kit)

LED bulbs/New Headlight housings

Replacing cracked trim on windows

Rebuild spare cv's

Fix the temp switcher behind the dash


Interior Mods:

RSX Seats

Platform in back with taller rear locking storage, a place Mac can be raised up on while the fridge stays at the same height)

Lit up cup holders

Tablet lighting solution using Raspberry Pi

Switch reconfiguration

Fridge Insulation

Fix deflator markers

Put in cubby under the fridge:

Change of clothes, canned foods with long expirations, fire starter kit, emergency blanket, MRE's. Stuff that is worst case scenario survival shit.


Exterior Storage Mods:

Build dual jerry can/jack stand carrier under bed (when bed is off again for this, address cracked exhaust, build battery tray under the bed)

Build new water carrier/ Move CO2 so water is accessible without removing the can

Move towards tool box deletion, find alternative solution for storage (ammo can's on each corner)

Build a dual swing out tire carrier. The one swing out will contain the 35" tire, and a fold down table. The left side will hold the high lift and chain saw and will also have a fold down table. The goal is to make everything more accessible without needing to unload the truck.

Build a bed rack style frame, have it be modular, and wrap it in canvas. An interim solution would be a softopper brand soft top. The goal is for relatively dry storage for the bed without the weight and permanency of a cap.

Potentially add a roof rack above the cab to hold traction pads/a plano case that contains recovery gear. The jury is still out on this concept. I would like to avoid adding anymore weight that high if I can.


Performance upgrades:

Tundra brakes: still need pads and rotors, extra lines and manual valve, ideally ABS controller delete/LSPV delete/manual valve install

Dual battery setup, one battery in current location, the other under the bed. This will be the house battery that the fridge, and all lighting accessories will run on.

Crawl box: I need lower gears to really take the truck to the next level crawling wise.

Build/get built beefier drive shafts

Start saving for UCA's first, then get extended travel ADS shocks so the front can keep up with the rear. Still undecided between a closed style ball joint like JBA/LRA or a uniball style UCA. The uniball style have proven strength but if a closed ball joint can perform just as good, it's worth a shot

Ebay dorkel: Getting water in the air box last trip was an eye opener

Airbags? If I want to start hauling a bike, I need airbags.

Custom Alcans or Deavers: Once I get the average weight of the rear figured out as a typical always on rolling weight, I want leaves to be able to hold the weight of my normal everyday load. Airbags will be the interim solution.

Beef up the IFS skid


Lighting Mods:

3 additional floods to rock lights (one facing from the rear bumper to the diff, and two near the front facing down near the bumpers, goal is to eliminate the current dead spots)

Hood lights on pin switch

Two Toyota rock lights as additional turn signals

Build a glare shield for the light bar

Amazon spots behind the grill again with Bamf mount


Misc Exterior/ Camp Mods:

Redline Hood struts

Heat exchanger in engine bay for warm showers

Fiberglass fenders and bedsides (this will eliminate some of the body glamage I have gathered over the years)

Half doors

New bedside decals

Print up decals of trails from Moab, put on cab


Full LT or 3-link is way to far out of reach currently

 

Kind of intimidating when you write it all down isn’t it? Haha. Gotta start somewhere.

 

Haha nah, I've had these types of lists on my phone since I got the truck. It's just easier to keep track of it here as well. Every time I feel I get further on the build, I find more shit to make the truck perform better, or make life easier. There is no DONE with these trucks, we all knew that, and these lists prove it. I am really excited for the rear bed reconfiguration.

 

QFT

 

I had a revelation the other today that the only stock parts left are the motor, smashed up gas tank, 75% of the frame and most of the body.

 

Body, motor, trans, and axle are basically all that’s still original for me.
It’s easier to list what’s original than what’s not.

 

Sounds like a challenge.

 

I was pondering that same thought when I swapped out the motor a couple winters ago. I'm down to literally just the cab and frame being original. Best part of starting with a beat wheeler is having no regret about objectively destroying an otherwise nice Tacoma

 

Some more photos from NH with @Rockbaron1 and @avw4x4 :

https://www.flickr.com/photos/140166547@N02/albums/72157710196320136

And some favorites:

IMG_3767 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_3786 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_3818 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_3820 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_3826 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_3867 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_3874 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_3883 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_3891 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_3890 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_3969 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_3846 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_4064 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_4073 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_4121 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_4125 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_4130 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_4267_2 by Michael Halat, on Flickr]
IMG_4286 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_4291 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_4305 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_4337 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_4385 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_4404 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_4407 by Michael Halat, on Flickr

Trip report and video edit to come, eventually.

 

Oh and my first successful milky way capture:

IMG_4221 by Michael Halat, on Flickr

 

Sick photos man.

Seeing how to get the starry sky photos was a trip - all the booze didn’t make it any less complicated.

Was such a good trip!

 

Yeah being half in the bag the first night but still getting a successful star/truck shot is kinda hilarious.

 

I like that spare tire idea. do you feel like the bed rail needs additional support to hold the weight of the tire? I've had my hi lift hanging off the bed rail and am wondering if it would warrant some bed supports at the least.


PS your heeler (Mac?) is the cutest pup