What have you done to your Tacoma today? 1st Gen Edition

I did that on mine a while back. What a lesson in learning how to weld thin sheet metal that was

 

yup... blows through quick!

spot welds not all in the same place help keep the heat down... at least that's what they tell me, I haven't mastered it yet *grin*

 

Going to a thinner wire helps too.

 

yeah, I got some

$40 WeldingCity Mild Steel MIG Welding Wire ER70S-6 10-Lb Roll 0.023" (0.6mm) 8"-spool

thin wire (0.023") for the side panels and I was getting better with things so hopefully this round I'll be better. Practice makes perfect and all that jazz.

 

For the adjuster all you need is a power and ground. Run an inline fuse in the power supply. I ended up having to put a 20 amp fuse in it. Tried a 10.. pop. Tried a 15... pop. Tried a 20... no pop.

 

@DJB1

Never came back to reply about the paint I use but here it is-

 

Thank you.
I modified the passenger seat so it actually folds forward more than the factory seat. I just need to swap out the brackets.

 

@CrustyTaco there’s a bracket holding the power steering lines up on the inside of the frame, unbolt that for a few extra inches to work with

What’s it take to make that happen? I have a set of wrx seats in my truck, could definitely use a little more access

 

Got myself a new center shaft bearing installed, not by me though.

Put in a new fuel filter, but had to waste a gallon of gas with it continuously leaking.

New bulbs in the third brake light

Rear diff mod to gas cap.

 

Yeah I saw that post of yours. That’s awesome.

 

What's the verdict for these vs. blue on blue?

 

Good stuff. I’ve painted hundreds of horns using that Rustoleum Enamel.

 

Better I’m sure. I have a cart loaded on the ads site....sleeping on it tonight and see how I feel tomorrow. The ticket price for front and rear is steep. Don’t know if I had enough whiskey tonight to make it happen.

 

I just ordered my CBI rear swing out bumper!

 

It was a major PITA getting that off, I'd just completely remove the rack to get it off, there is a bolt holding the lines down that once removed gives you more room. Go ahead and watch Timmy's video on removing steering racks as it'll help. I also had to buy a 17mm flex head line wrench as I still couldn't get any leverage on the nut

 

Thanks for the advice. I have removed all of the bolts that hold the lines down, and I have the return line completely removed.

As it would happen, I watched Timmy's steering rack video last night, so I'm feeling a little less intimidated by that job now. I'm hoping I can keep the tie rod connected on the passenger side and just loosen things up on the driver's side.

 

You may be in a tougher spot since I was replacing the rack, but it may just be easier to bite the bullet and remove the rack and throw new bushings in since you came that far

 

I got new steering rack bushings when my frame was replaced last year, so I shouldn't need to replace those. But based on Timmy's video, it doesn't seem like the steering rack is going to have any wiggle room until all of the mounting hardware is removed. So I'm expecting I will have to pull the rack. Thanks again.

 

There is a significant performance improvement. I am lovin' the ability to adjust the compression damping too.

Quite a bit better. If you pockets are deep enough, go for it. You wont be disappointed.

Are you going for bypasses in the rear?

 

I think it was @Shortman5 's review I read that made those coilovers sound amaze-balls. Hearing a former blue and blue praise another brand is big to me. Got anymore details? I like to geek out on shocks- valve graphs, NVH, dynamics, slow speed, high speed, etc. Gravel road, high speed ruts, road feel etc.

If SoCal had a giant meet up I'd go 1) duh, its a meet but 2) I would love to ride in multiple and different setups.

I guess everyone has their gear head thing- some members here are auto trans SMEs, others suspension (like 4 link vs. 5 link, geometry etc), some boost and EMS (I kind of geek on EMS too). But one of the things I really enjoy about riding in friends cars/trucks is feeling the suspension. For instance the Lexus IS300 Feel coilovers have been by far so amazingly impressive (on my friends ride)- I have Tien Flex- nasty characteristics. BCs are nothing to write home about either. I have Ohlins on that CBR600RR I posted- I get a smile on those all of the time- they are stiff, can't get around that, but the compression and rebound is so f'ing perfect, to this day it still blows my mind how composed and controlled the bike stays over rough crappy roads.

Suspension valving and tuning is like the dark arts to me, I'm not good at it (vs the guys here that casually rebuild and tune their Kings into perfection), but just like someone can't cook but can appreciate a really good meal, I guess from my autox days I really appreciates me a dialed in suspension.