mightytacoman build thread.

haha you might have something there. I've only heard it called a "demon eye" before but maybe calling it a terminator eye would increase the number of people buying it

 

Well I guess im out of chronological order here but I had better add the pics of the snorkel install which actually happened before the retros and the body lift.

The first step I took was taping like a mad man the side of the truck where I was gonna start drilling some small holes and one very large hole into a perfectly good fender. The tape helps prevent any paint chipping I'm told. Here the tape is on and where to drill is marked. Liquid courage also strongly recommended.


I took my time and drilled VERY slowly. All the holes were done


It took a bit of work getting the snorkel connecting tube in the right spot inside the inner fender well but eventually I got it where it needed to be.


I'll close this post out with a bit of a warning to those interested in getting a snorkel.. At every 5th gas station you stop at, you will have someone ask "what is that?" (pointing at the snorkel of course) or you will get asked if it is the muffler

 

So one night while doing some night wheeling, I clipped a tree pretty hard


pounded most of the dent out at this point. I havent been home for almost 9 months now. when I do get home. I'll fix this up right and make it look like it never happened. Till then the truck has got some character.

 

After a while of Anya living in NY winters, her E-locker wouldn't work. I priced getting a new one and got quotes for around 600$ and was told it is a non-rebuildable part. IMO anything is rebuildable so after some research I took it off the truck and got to work. I rebuilt it and it worked again for about 6 months then it shit the bed again. so once again I took it off the truck and it looked like this




The housing was shot. I could crumble the metal in my hands. But I was in luck, I knew of someone selling an entire 3rd member with the e-locker on it for $300. I bought it ripped my new e-locker apart and found it to be like new on the inside.


At this point, I wiped out all the factory yellow di-electric grease and put in permatex grease instead. Also knowing from experience that the original rubber gasket sucked, I put Permatex RTV high heat gasket maker in its place. I also bent the 3 connection tabs upwards slightly so that it had a better connection. Its now much better then factory and turns on quickly without hesitation.

 

Added a cb mount from relentless fab and some e-locker armor from marlin crawler




upgraded my cheap slap on seat covers to marathon seat covers. almost went with the wet O's but I read to many reviews of them being to hot and not breathing causing back sweat. Marathons are made from cordura, are waterproof, and as far as im concerned dog proof. the choice was clear. Marathon for the win

Before- seat covers picked up at advanced auto or similar store


and with the Marathon seat covers installed

 

added some bumper to frame reinforcement brackets.
before


and after

note image is mirrored (passenger side is without, driver is with)

 

It was time to finally get some 35's on Anya. After much research I decided the Goodyear Mt/r was the tire that suited my needs the best.
Pic is the new tire next to a treadwright Guarddog in a 285/75/r16 with about 5000 miles on it. They were simply a temp tire for me until I could get 35's thats why I switched them with so few miles.

 

Kelby truck looks sick nice build. What part of ny you from . And how did you like the treadwright

 

Nice truck man, makes me miss my '09 Pyrite AC. Kinda... lol You've done some nice work.

 

I'm from Brookfield N.Y.. It's a real small farm town south of Utica about 25 miles. You're likely so see me anywhere in the country these days though. Im a traveling nurse. For instance right now I'm in California.

 

Nice looking truck!

 

Finally added on board air. Some disassembly/reasassembly required. Set to turn on and off via pressure switch. No tank for now. Fills my 35" tires from 8 psi to 32 psi in 2 1/2 minutes a tire. Not to shabby

 

this is genius! I do not know electrical at all..... so i'll have to figure out How to make it connect to the truck, unless you have a write up on that procedure?? Thanks!

 

I don't have a write up for it. The pressure switch sends power to a lawn mower solenoid which then allows a 4 gauge wire to run the compressor off the battery. I've since upped the size of the wires inside the compressors motor for better power/reliability and I've installed a home made 4 gallon tank under the bed in front of where the spare would go. This way u can rub pneumatic tools and precharge the air system to fill up tires even faster. Compressor also powers my front locker. I need to update the build page apparently.

 

All in all how much did you spend on this conversion. I’ve got a couple extra sets of oem assemblies in my garage and I’ve been mulling buying everything to do the retrofit myself.

 

I think it ended up costing me about 400$. They are holding up great still

 

Nice. Did you use one of the threads on here for the build?


I’m going to snag your camgears on the first. Saw you replied on your thread for them. Appreciate it man!

 

I did use a how to thread on here. After mulling it over for a while, I decided it's difficult to do but you can't really mess it up if you take your time, and any error made can be fixed. Hence I did it myself.
My build has come so far since I updated this last, I really need to post more pics

 

Bed cage and rtt added July of 2018. Had to redrill holes in the floor of the tent to make them line up with the brute force bed cage. Two man job but lock nuts on the inside of the tent to aid in theft deterrent.
New bedside added too to remove the old crushed one.