How to build a T Rex

Cha! its on my build page. but i went the easy route (although i don't really know if it was easier in the end) but i did a grillcraft and it flush mounts. i had thought about doing a thin lip like yours, but i didn't want to mess with remelting the tabs that hold the inner grill and outer cover together (sport grills are melted together which seems lame to me). so anyway, i just went with the flush mount. some of those screws were really tricky to get in there tho. actually had to put a few in backward because i couldn't get a screwdriver in there... haven't put my emblem back on yet. i kinda like the clean look for now. (i think it would look better with an emblem if it wasn't flush mounted)

 

Nice! You do the extra tie downs yet??

Well today i did (most of) my 90k maintinance. Also replaced the lower idler pully. Had some whining show up after mudding. Whining still there so ill have to look into the upper idlers and try and figure out what is going on.

The 90k went pretty well. New plugs, tires rotated, checked suspension components. Ended up stripping the fill plug on the rear diff so ill have to deal with that . Also greased all my zerks on the drive shaft .

 

Got a new plug for the rear diff... just need to get the old one out now.... stupid thing was $10 at the stealership Im getting it online next time!

Anyway, some pics from the work this weekend.


found some adhesive traction pads and figured i would see how they hold up... that tail gate gets slick... especially in the winter.


New vs old plugs. The gap on the old ones was .06 to .075... i wonder if they have ever actually been changed before.....


Tire rotation time!


Broke the damn key while loosening my lugs... got the rears all nice and loose and couldnt get the last one broken loose... luckily another member on here (akhunter) was in the area and had the same tire lug key and I was able to finish the job


Changing the idler pully (SUPER easy!!)


Replacing the skid plate after the idler pully switch

 

no, and i had never given much thought to it until Memorial weekend. I went to use my cargo net to hold some things down and was like, "what? there's no tie down up here in the front of the box? wtf?" so yes, i think that will be on my list of things to do now. I'm also comming up on my 90k maintenance in about 5k. I've just been hoping these last few miles that the 60k stuff got done before I bought it

 

Bret (AKhunter) is coming up on his too. Looks like we should have a 90k maintinance party . Minus the diff issue.... I am a pro at it and my hands fit pretty well in the engine bay to do the plugs.

 

that is a plus to small hands! I spent at least 3 hours doing plugs on my S-10 this spring (but then again, it's a V8 in an S-10...the space for spark plugs is barely physically possible...)

 

Sub'd!

 

I really like the build. Modified stock is a great way to go with the 2005-2011 Tacomas. I didn't like my 2012 bumper after about a year so I got a new bumper.

 

Cleaned up the truck (in preparation for our meet this weekend ) and mall crawled at the local bar...



check out all that flex!!!!!

On another note, after changing the lower idler pulley, I still had a whirling/whining noise from the front. (developed after playing in the mud) Changed the uppers and the truck is quiet again.


Also, did the color run this weekend... the wet okoles did a lovely job of protecting my seats from the rainbow cornstarch shit that was all over us

 

Had our June taco meet in Sutton last weekend.

show up to work on Monday and a coworker asks... "hey anna, you actually use your truck like a truck?!?! It's all dirty
!" Haha, yes, who do you think I am??

Good run until we hit an impassible mud bog (not for lack of trying) and got stuck and hit the bumper a bit.







I can do it!!! if you promise that someone will pull me out.....






And did:




Popped right back into place

So I tried again




"I can dig it out, right?"



Time to relocate the 5 pin...

 

Looks like bumper time.

 

Ya def time to upgrade, and you planning on doing suspension while you were at it?

 

TC ucas and fox coil overs up front. Probably gonna pair them with fox and my dakars in the back.

Ill upgrade the bumper sometime. I like the stock look though and will probably wait until i have the time and resources to fabricate my own bumper

 

Why not go with something like the Avid Off-road bumper protector? Keeps it looking stock but protects from those nasty ditches.

 

I like the look of the Avid and was originally thinking about going that route... but the plate bumpers have been growing on me and I could fab mine so I could get rid of some of the rubbing I am getting and I feel like it would be better all around protection.

I know the avids are petty beefy but being an engineer, I can just imagine what moment force would be on the top/edges if I did hit anything with much force. I would imagine it would be enough to bend the steel. Haven't done any calcs on that yet (nor will I )

 

Got my fire extinguisher and shovel mounted up





Pickin up some Fox coilovers and TC UCAs from another member today.

And orders some fox remote resis for the rear from DSM

 

Summer of suspension upgrades, eh? . Our august meet is gonna have lots of new stuf to check out!

 

Looks like you could use some bed liner or a holder for the gas can. But hoorays for suspension upgrades!

 

Haha, it's my gas can for my dirtbike. I took the bike out and didn't want to unlock my storage shed so the empty gas can is just chillin right now...