Snowy's 3-Linked 98 Xtra Cab

Went on a couple trips to Harlan and Flat Nasty, took very few pictures as usual but had a great time on both. Made a road trip out of Harlan and hit some distilleries along the way home. Great way to spend a week in KY during October















The trailer works awesome and sure is nice for heat retention. So far I've taken in refugees on both trips and hosted a party during a rainy night at Flat Nasty. A propane Buddy Heater is the ticket for heat compared to running the generator and electric element heater.

 

Needed corner weights for shock tuning and I don’t have race scales...so this seemed like the next best option and free.99 at work. Truck has gotten fat. 4490 without me in it...apparently the 80 axle and 17” beadlocks are heavy compared to 15” steelies and the stock tacoma rear axle that I had last time I weighed it.

 

Driveshafts double as nice sawzall’s...Fortunately I had a spare case in the garage to swap in for this one.

 

What happened to do that?

 

That string of bad luck was insane. Did John confirm it was a longfield birf?

 

Where are all the pics of this alleged carnage fest?

The green trail own you guys??

 

I broke driveshaft bolts and it turned into a sawzall as they broke. Found all the heads so it wasn’t a full on Todd maneuver but they were 10.9’s I had picked up from Menards in college. Lesson learned on oem bolts only.

Was hearing a funny noise from the RF when I drooped out. While I was under the truck today I noticed the frame was 75% broken around the shackle hanger so that explains the noise as it was peeling away from the frame. Pain in the ass to fix since the frame is so thin and it had pulled apart a decent amount.

 

It was the trail behind the quarry where you broke winch line a couple years ago. Made us all it’s bitch. Toyota bottle jack and a couple rocks came through to save Rome

 

Oh yea sounds like good times!

Yea lessons learned for sure on that bolts, I stop listening when people start giving me the "just buy them from fastenal, menards etc....".

That sucks about the frame, sounds like a fun repair!

 

Oh yea, fuck that trail!!

 

Shocks are headed back to Accutune for a re-valve. Having them soften the rears up a touch. They ride great with a little weight so a little adjustment should do the trick.

 

Starting to dive into some deferred preventative maintenance. I always get so busy in the spring and summer that nothing extra ever gets done. The Tacoma hadn’t been touched in detail since June and the Ford hasn’t had any real service in the last 3 years and 80k miles. Need to be 100% ready by mid March for an April EJS trip to Moab and Sand Hollow. I hate last minute thrashing, so I’m hoping to avoid that by starting to prep in mid-January.

Tacoma:
-Change gear oil in both axles
-Go through knuckles and repack birfs
-Install shocks
-Figure our why the PSC resi is leaking from a weld
-Nut and bolt check the whole truck

F250:
-Change trans fluid
-Change gear oil in both axles
-Install Ford AIS in place of the 6637 filter...tired of intake noise
-Install billet turbo compressor wheel. Trying to pick up a few numbers and cure some surge in the hills towing heavy
-Change leaking power steering pump

 

Things are starting to move and a box of goodness showed up... Definitely valved softer than originally delivered so I’m hopeful the Tacoma will ride even better now. Accutune was extremely appreciative to have corner weights



Got the F250 in the shop over the last week and knocked out ball joints, new tires, power steering pump, AIS intake (should have done that years ago, the truck is soooo much quieter), and a billet turbo compressor wheel. I fell in love all over again with a truck that drives better with less lag, is quieter and tracks down the road great on new tires and ball joints.

 

Is that Bryan's new place?

 

Our old 7.3 turned into an animal when we swapped the turbo wheel out for a billet wheel

 

Yep! It’s an awesome place

I could see that, especially on a 6 speed truck that has to dump boost between every shift.

 

Pulled the tcase again, the one I originally installed had some funny vibes and wasn’t shifting well at all between low and high range. Fluid came out super nasty after just a couple trips around the block too so I think it may be rusty inside. Another used case installed and it’s 100% better. 2.5 hours from the driveway shuffle to get in the garage to pouring a beverage watching the shootout at KOH.

Checked off some odds and ends last Sunday while it was warm too.

-New gear oil front and rear on the Tacoma
-Changed the engine oil on the Tacoma
-Installed the revalved shocks on the Tacoma, it rides even more awesome now
-Added friction modifier to the Ford’s rear axle to calm down the LSD when the gear oil is hot from towing.
-Changed the gear oil in the front axle on the Ford
-Dropped the pan on the transmission, installed a new filter and exchanged fluid on the Ford

Getting down to the details now before Moab/Sand Hollow
-Grease the trailer bearings
-Adjust the trailer brakes
-Nut and bolt check the Tacoma
-Pack my shit

 

Went out and wheeled the badlands with some full size guys. Drove the Tacoma there and back. Had a great time and it felt good to shake the Tacoma down before Moab.

This ledge has a tendency to deny even guys on 40’s.... Sometimes you just get lucky

https://youtu.be/Bg3WJu8hsNU

Same story here too

https://youtu.be/Iu5XCQ23EaE

 

NAXJA was having winter fest so you know there would be carnage.





https://www.instagram.com/p/B9fUDXfJIeC/?igshid=1r3iwu5vke043





Then the full size guys and my buddy Joe in the 80

 

*desire to wheel intensifies*