Nighthawks Garage - 08' Taco/ 86' Runner

The Basics:
*2008 Tacoma TRD Off-road
*Access cab
*4WD Automatic

Modifications/ Toys:
*Bilstein 5100's w/ Eibach coil overs in front (set at 3" of lift).
*Front diff drop kit.
*Extended Bilstein 5100's in the rear.
*Deaver 2" AAL in rear w/ axle shims.
*285 x 75 r 16 Goodyear Duratracks (SOLD).
*285 x 75 r 16 Goodyear MTR's w/ full size spare.
*Wheelers steelies type B (SOLD).
*16"X8" ATX Chambers w/ 4.5" backspacing.
*AFE cold air intake.
*Sway bar delete.
*All Pro Apex front bumper (rattle canned Rustoleum primer + flat black).
*Black Plasti-dipped emblems.
*Diff breather relocation.
*Relentless bed bars w/ Hi-lift mount and 4 quick fist mounts
*AP front skid
*Axle dumped exhaust
*Camburg MOOG UCA's
*3'x5' Wyoming state flag w/ 6' pole.
*Truper camp axe.
*Truper camp shovel.
*48" Hi-lift (red) w/ black handle keeper.

Next in line for Mods/ Repairs:
*New leaf pack.
*U-bolt flip kit.
*Extended brake lines.
*Rigid fogs.
*High clearance rear bumper w/ swingout tire carrier.
*AP Sliders, need to get them welded on.



Maintenance Log:
*Oil changed, air filter cleaned, cabin air filter replaced. (1.30.16)

*Oil changed, U-joints greased, front skid plate installed. (5.14.16)

*Transmission drain and fill, Front and rear diff drain and fill, T-case drain and fill, serpentine belt replacement, accelerator pedal recall remedy, passenger seatbelt assembly recall remedy. (5.17.16)

*

Helpful Links:
*5 Tire Rotation Pattern: https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=43

*

22RE Head Gasket Replacement:

PARTS:
* LC Engineering Gasket Kit: http://www.lceperformance.com/Head-Gasket-Set-22R-RE-85-95-p/1024051.htm

* Engnbldr Build-a-Kit: http://www.engnbldr.com/build-a-kit-85-95.html

* 22RE Parts:
http://www.22reperformance.com/22RE_Performance_-_Installation_Parts.html

INFO:
* Slapahoe's 22RE Top End Rebuild Thread: http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/toyo...asket-everything-else-while-you-re-build.html

* Step by step 22RE HG Replacement: http://toyotaminis.com/forum/threads/step-by-step-22r-e-hg-replacement.16785/

http://toyotaminis.com/forum/threads/22r-e-head-r-r-part-2.16786/

* Some Storybook Bullshit:

It all started when I was just a young fella living out on the plains north of Laramie. My father had a late eighties gray Toyota pickup. Some of my earliest memories were driving around with him in his truck. Whether it was loading the bed full of building materials or taking the weekly trip to the dump to drop off our trash, If we were cruising around I was a happy camper.

When I was 15 in high school my buddy bought an old beat up red 87'. We used to take it out in the snow, throw chains on the tires, and see what it would take to get it stuck. Needless to say, I had made the decision that I needed one for myself. I started searching for trucks shortly after. I found a gray 91' V6 pickup and went to test drive it. Unfortunately they wanted $3000 dollars for it, which at that time was out of my price range. I ended up having to settle for a 1984 Ford Brougham LTD that I bought for $800. As you can probably imagine, I was a little bummed out. The winters being how they are in Wyoming, I continued to get stuck in this car for almost the next two years.

I graduated from high school and went to work as a carpet/ tile installer. I was determined to save up enough money to get out of this car. Two and a half months later I had finally saved up enough money to start hunting again. I found a red 95' single cab in town for sale for $3500. As quickly as my old LTD could move, I puttered over to meet the owner and go for a test drive. We agreed on $3250 and I took it home. Probably one of the most exciting days of my life. I was having a blast with this truck, still getting stuck just about as much, but having a lot more fun doing it! I quickly started changing things on the truck. Bigger tires, lift, exhaust, CAI, and a roll bar. What more could a kid fresh out of high school want?

I drove the truck throughout the majority of my college career. During my senior year, I started to realize that I probably wouldn't be able to get a job as a mechanical engineer in Laramie, or possibly even Wyoming for that matter. The job market was tough. I knew that if I was going to frequently drive long distances, it would be nice to have something that could do more than 55 up a slight grade on the highway. I decided to put the truck up for sale. I didn't realize it at the time, but it would be really tough to let go of that truck.



But there was good news too. I had finally found a 2nd gen Tacoma for sale in Laramie , and it was right in my price range. I test drove the truck, did a pretty rigorous inspection, and wrote the check. I was ecstatic, it was my first vehicle manufactured in this century! The first pictures I have of it are a from a few days after I bought it. It did initially have a topper, but unfortunately I didn't get a picture of it until I had already taken that off. I've never been much of a topper guy, something about the freedom to just toss shit in the bed and go.




After about a month or so of research I ordered the lift kit from Toytec. In retrospect even this wasn't nearly enough research. I'd have loved to have had the patience to wait and save money, so I could have went with KING's right off the bat. However, the Bilstein lift has still done a pretty good job. My apologies for the lack of pictures of the lift install. It was my first solo lift install. I would learn later that people actually document these things.




It remained a goofy looking truck with tires that were too small for it for months. I had no money for wheels and tires. Once I did get money for wheels and tires, the Wheelers steelies I wanted were on back order for an indefinite period of time. I waited, and waited, and waited. Finally, I got a call from Wheelers about a month and a half later and they were soon after shipped my way. I took them to the shop, had some dirtytracks slapped on them and was in business. This transformed the look of the truck.




Since the stereo was working only intermittently, I had to get that taken care of next. Crutchfield had some good deals on their Alpine head units, so I found one I liked for relatively cheap, they threw in the fit kit for free. Also, their customer service was great. I had to call and ask a question while wiring it up, and they were happy to help.




I initially wanted a CAI, but then decided it wasn't worth it because I knew from having put one on my 95, that it wouldn't increase power much, if at all. I flip flopped back and forth for awhile and then decided to just try it anyway. Found a good deal on Amazon and figured hell, even if it doesn't have an effect on performance it should still sound cool when I put the pedal to the floor .




Nothing new happened with the truck for awhile after the CAI. I found a job and moved. I didn't have a whole lot of money for quite some time while I tried to acquire all of the things I needed for my new place. Initially I was getting acquainted well with my new life. Two really good friends had moved to Casper a few months prior to me and were helping to show me around and get me out of the house.

At dinner with them one night they informed me that one of them had lost their job, and they would be moving away in search of work since they could not afford to keep their place in Casper. I was pretty bummed because I hadn't made many other friends in Casper yet, and most of my friends from Laramie had moved away to find work in other states. I wasn't very happy about my situation after that for some time, and I quit doing a lot of the things I did for fun before, including wheeling and modding. I had started living on auto pilot. Work. Home. Work. Home. Work. Home. It got worse and worse until I finally realized I needed to take action and change things in my life if I wanted to be happy. No more auto pilot, I needed to start living every day and not just hoping things would change in the future.

The point of that long drawn out story was not to put you to sleep (although I wouldn't blame you if it did ). Rather, to point out that wheeling/ modding/ being involved in the TW community has been one of my methods for living a more fulfilling life (especially being the introvert that I am).

SO, after much research and financial debate, I called All Pro and ordered an Apex front bumper.

It showed up, in a semi truck. The delivery dude said he didn't feel like helping me haul the thing up the stairs. So I huffed and puffed and about keeled over.


Proceeded to rattle can it, which took more cans than i had anticipated. I also didn't intend on using two different types of Rustoleum but wally world ran out of the bigger cans of "professional" stuff, so i just finished the job with the regular enamel. Some of the more difficult to reach places on the bumper were hard to get and even coat on, so it turned out mediocre. I know it will get banged up anyway so that's ok.


Getting the old bumper off was pretty easy. Getting the new one on required a lot of hammering with a rubber mallet. All-Pro sends washers that are too small for where the main bumper connects to the lower valence, not too big of a deal but it did make install take an extra 30 min because of the trip to the store. All in all it took maybe 3 hours to get the old stuff off and the new on.



Bought an air compressor from Harbor Freight Tools because I couldn't justify spending what ARB wanted for theirs. Its slow but I've used it twice so far and its plenty good enough for me!


Tested 25 psi up at Rodgers Canyon. Words can not explain how much better the ride quality was going over rocks. It takes about 6-7 minutes per tire to get them back to about 38 psi from 25.


And we saw a lot of sheep.


Got the Toyota parts in the mail to do the diff breather relocation, have been talking about doing this mod FOR EVER. Didn't want to buy the parts at the Laramie stealership because they are a bunch of dipshits (at least the management seems to be) so I got them online. There's a story behind why I hate the Laramie dealership I just didn't want to clog up the build more than I already have, so if you guys want to hear that just ask below.

 

Looks great! Nice front bumper!

 

Thanks! I am really happy with the way it turned out. Needs another coat of paint but I refuse to take it off again until next summer haha.

 

Thanks to @FreidTaco for the Wyo decals, they are great quality, and a fantastic way to represent the least populated state in the Union!

 

Any one know if the Pelfreybilt IFS skid will fit with the All-Pro Apex front bumper? It looks to me like it covers more than the AP skid, if anyone has input on this I'd like to hear it.

 

Nice write up OP!Lookin good!

 

Thanks! Its certainly been in the works long enough haha

 

Some AAL flex, Its crap, but hey that doesn't stop us from having a good time!





@WyoTacoma just swagged his way in to this pic somehow

 

Your truck looks great! I'm over in Glenrock if your ever looking for someone to hit the trails with. I havent had a chance to get out with my Taco yet.
Justin

 

Great looking tuck man

 

Thanks man! I definitely need to get this thing off the pavement more, lately shes been a pavement princess. Been trying to get around to it, once work slows down a bit I'll get some wheeling trips planned.

Thanks! Looks like you have caught a case of the mod bug as well!

 

Lol yep caught the bug back in 2010. To date there is no cure for it so it's constantly making me spend more money on my truck.

 

Driver side hub bearing and lower ball joint replaced on 11/3/2015. No more grumbling under my feet

 

Sliders and front skid ordered. Hopefully it will warm up enough to put them on before spring.

 

oh, we'll get them on soon...then we can really do some 'streme spoats! ha

 

Sounds like it wont take too long to get them, there was a little wait on the sliders but only a week or two she said. Looks like you finally got back on TW! haha

 

Well initially I was waiting until I had more done on my truck, but now I realize that's not happening anytime soon. But at least I can watch as you build your truck.

 

Sub

 

There's a lot of guys on here with slow builds, including me! I think the trick is just to enjoy it at every stage because it will never really be "done"

Hey Marc!

 

Looking good in here, you'll like having the armor no doubt!