The Getaway...Crom's build and adventures

Got some maintenance done on the truck this weekend. 71,745 mi

• Engine oil, and filter changed. Went with some Penzoil Platinum Full Syn because Wally world was out of my Supertech that I like.
• Cabin Air filter changed.
• Greased Swing gate lock pin strike plate thingamajig
• Replaced all ABS pipe hold-down hardware, hose clamps, and tarp straps.
• Replaced ABS pipe plug.
• Also cleaned out interior, reinstalled seat cushions, and kids car seats.
• Took inventory and pictures of what was under the seats.
• Put new-in-box JB-Weld, RTV Grey, and 2-part epoxy under the seats for storage.

I will install new engine air filter on Wednesday.

 

Here is the new ABS pipe hardware, minus tarp straps.

New hardware
​

Here is the old below, Notice I aim missing a large worm clamp. The clamp had sheared off in two places. The only bit that remained was trapped under the smaller hose clamp! After careful inspection, the larger still-intact hose clamp had also begun to shear as well! Glad I do these inspections.

When I installed this thing four years ago, I always wondered how long it would last. The violence from off-road vibrations, certainly takes their toll in the form of fatigue cycles. Fortunately, the tarp straps do well to help control vibration and act as a secondary or primary retention mechanism, depending on how you look at it. When reinstalling the new tarp straps, I subtracted one hook from the strap and used the remaining hook and passed it through the vacant hole on opposite end to hold it down. This simplifies things, and gives better retention. Interestingly enough, the original tarp straps, exposed to four (4) years of sun, were not cracked or torn. They were about 2" longer than when originally installed, but otherwise in decent shape.

Old Hardware, note broken clamp​

The ABS pipe which holds tent poles​

 

This is the best and most informational build thread I have came across.
Thank you sir for all your time and badass knowledge. Keep on keep'n on.

 

Thank you.

 

Interesting stuff on the wind turbines. I drove out to Santa Fe last year and was amazed at how many were not running (1/3 or less were in operation). I know a few places like New York are looking to shut down their nuclear fleet and replacing with wind and solar. They will shut down the plants before replacing the power and when they do, they'll be short. It's kind of hard making up a 600-1100MW deficit with a wind farm. 34% Capability factor on 256MW? That's around 86MW? The nukes generally run in the mid 90% range.

Anyways, interesting. BTW, beautiful pics as always.

 

As long as energy is a limited resource the prices will always be high. The energy companies have one primary goal, and that is to look after their shareholders.

 

They do like high prices, but in the NE the utilities are unregulated and have to compete with each other. The generating side of the business will want to keep capacity in order to complete.... especially with base load plants (which all nukes are). The price of natural gas being really low now is what is really driving things at the moment.

My original comment was really about wind power as a real power generation solution.... between property taxes, real estate, number of assets required, maintenance.... etc. Wind doesn't really seem to panning out like many want.

Sorry to derail.

 

Thank you.

Getting out in that section of the desert has really renewed my interest to explore along the Int'l border. In my youth I spent time over there and there is much to see.

In that vein, I found this really interesting article by a journalist named Luke Dittrich, who writes for Esquire magazine. Anyways he chronicled his experience walking for 22-days from the Pacific Ocean (imperial Beach) to Lukeville, AZ all along the border. He pushed a stroller (a jogger) with clothes, tent, and 8-gallons of water. He camped in wilderness areas along the border fence, and stayed in nearby motels. He shared some fascinating history about incidents along the border, some recent, and others going back 100's or more years. Luke has no idea how interesting, and at times humorous I found his writing. Having camped out there alone, I can relate to his experience. lol His article is titled "Walking the Border", 2011.

For grins I checked. Ocotillo Wind Farm forecast for today's production: Expected load rate: 0 %, Expected production: 0 kWh, lolz , but not really, Not really sure I trust that site, but it does exist.

On the nuclear side of things. Yeah it sounds like NY will have to be careful with what it does.

Nuclear is neat cause it works 24/7/365, waste issues though.

A family member of mine worked at U.S. NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Commission), had some interesting talks over the years. My info is now dated, in searching around it looks like the NRC has some early site permit applications pending. (ESP's). This is one of the fist steps in building a new reactor. So after some 30 years, I guess we'll build some more.

I also did some searching around on Pebble Bed Reactors. Heard about them 18+ years ago. They are neat because they don't need an external cooling source, so no risk of melt-down (still have waste issues though), looks like China is building the first large scale one (The twin 105-megawatt reactors), with an aim to export the reactor plans globally.

And interestingly enough, the Department of Energy is interested in advanced reactor development as well.

^Fixed it for you. j/k

No worries. Interesting discussion for sure.

 

I do think we will deal with the waste when it is economically feasible. Right now though, all the waste generated is stored on site. Plants that have been making ~1000MW for 30+ years have that waste still onsite. Pretty small footprint for the power made.... 0 emissions to the atmosphere.

There are a couple of new plants being built, Votgle units 3 and 4. I think STP had stopped. A few other early site permits have stopped due to the price of natural gas.


Anyway, what made you pick a MT over AT? MT seems more appropriate here, but not so much in CA.... just looking for input.

 

Thanks.

I choose mud terrain tires for maximum off road traction, and when I knew I'd be picking up a daily driver commuter car. My truck rarely sees snow or ice. By sound proofing the interior I don't have problems with tire noise. Tires are wearing evenly and are in good condition. It's been a good fit.

 

If I call them and ask about it are they going to know what I'm talking about?it's been a couple months since this was completed. Was that a 1 time thing or is that something they do regularly?

 

Sorry about your broken spindle. I'm glad Shane and Greg got to help you out. Pretty awesome, IMO.

I don't work there, but it's my understanding that the design as been around for a long time. The long travelers have beat the daylights out of them from what I've heard, and design is solid.

From what I know, it takes a lot of R&D to make custom parts. I surmise once a customer requests a set, they push a few buttons on a CNC machine to cut them out, assemble in a jig, with spindle, and weld them.

Call the number, talk to James. AFAIK, you have two options, bring your truck to them, or in my case, I brought them my spindles in a cardboard box.

Good luck!

 

What mud flaps did you go with?

 

Front are modified stock ones, shortened length wise and ground down to reduce size in wheel well.

I have yet to mount the rears, but bought them. They are 18-wheeler mudflaps that will be cut to fit. They are well made and will do the job nicely.

 

I'll take this opportunity to say the work you did on the front end is awesome! Hopefully in a year or two I can follow your lead and go through the front end top to bottom like you did, and get a little more aggressive with it. Right now everything seems good at 64K mi. But before stuff starts going out I want to do that. This depends on weather it's a DD or not. I hope to get into a sports sedan by then . Then when the truck is all dialed in the car will get modded . Man after seeing that broken spindle I'm going to have my eyes peeled when going at speed off road! One big dip or rock is all it takes. Yikes.

 

Thanks Curt. 64K mi is great. For sure you can save a ton of money doing it yourself and you know it's done right.

I know I'm a little overkill with maintenance, but I love the peace of mind that it brings when we are in far off places. The only thing left for me to do is a power steering flush. I've done syringe in reservoir thing a few times, but now thinking I'd like to change the remaining OE fluid out. I think 10-12 years / 100-150K miles is good time to think about front end rebuilds. Really all depends on how the rig is used.

Sports sedan! Hope you get one!

I know there is debate about the cause of the recent two broken spindles in the forum. I'm going to decline to speculate on exact causes. It is very curious though, after all these years of weld on spindle gussets, that within a few months two broke under seemingly similar conditions. It made me wonder if something went wrong with process manufacturing at Toyota? Or other factors were involved when welding the gussets that altered their properties to make them brittle. I have briefly looked into process manufacturing for carbon steel (annealing, quenching, tempering). It's a complex subject for sure.

I do think if you have stock spindles, you do stand a good chance of bending them when adventuring at velocity and encountering objects. Plenty of reports of that! I worried about it for years, glad it never happened to me.

I've never heard of an unmodified one breaking outright.

I beefed mine so that I wouldn't have to worry, and I really don't want to carry spares, heavy, bulky, etc.

Plus I think the risk can be substantially lowered by as you said, paying attention to trail, situational awareness, etc.

 

Oh, come on...

Traction? You got them because they look cool!

LOL

 

Okay then. Well it would be much better to bend one than break it! I didn't realize Tetten's was a modified one? Is the spindle cast steel? If you weld on a cast piece of steel you absolutely alter its structural integrity. Adding gussets would stiffen it up though, but possibly causing it to be brittle? IDK I only have minimal mods really and haven't had any issues? Knock on wood In fact the only thing that's failed for me was a 5100 front shock and the CV ( edit -Bearing) issue after lifting.

 

First gen spindles are cast. Second gen are forged. Both can be welded to if the proper methods are used.

 

Yeah his had a gussets added. Good pics in his build over here.

Right there with you, I have been extremely pleased with how reliable the Tacoma has been. It's one of the reasons I bought one!

I'm also really happy that I bought when I did. In '09 there were several enhancements made that year.

Appreciated!