Wisconsin Tacomas and bad financial advice

Haha! I guess with the amount of money they spend on everything else around here, $20K is nothing.

 

So, they're also Toyota truck enthusiasts?

 

No, Chevy unfortunately.. I snapped a picture this morning because the parking lot looks like a dealership.

 

I would definitely assume they are weaker in the sense that a flat plastic sheet will bend much easier than the OEM fiberglass/composite with the ridges molded in.

And I know you said not talking about metal but if you change and want to talk metal then definitely look at the Relentless panel. I want it but still on the fence if I want to roll the dice with potential issues with how it mates up to the camper shell. Other than that, it looks bombproof and flat.

 

I've had the Mountain Hatch version installed for 4 years without issue. It doesn't seem to bend when I stand or kneel on it, and I'm pushing 265lbs.

I really like the flat insert for camping or using the tailgate as an impromptu work bench.

 

That's your bonus for last year.

 

Mobtown had the best tailgate panel. It's made of aluminum, wraps around over the top, and has reinforcing ribs in it.
I was lucky enough to get it before he closed up shop. I beat the heck out of it daily, I use my truck for construction, and have had close to 500lbs on the tailgate with no bending.

Currently Relentless is the only company that I know of that makes a wrap around panel.
https://www.relentlessfabrication.com/products/2016-tacoma-tail-gate-reinforcement

 

I have the Mobtown tailgate panel in steel, heavy duty, opens a bit quicker. That guy at Mobtown was awesome, sorry to see him close shop.

 

I love the Tacoma tailgate soft opening feature, but I always forget our company super duty doesn't have it and drop the tailgate full force at least once a week.

 

Well, today I confirmed that I'll be moving forward with a shop in Washington state for the drivetrain refresh of the 80; OEM+ is what I'm going for. The shop is called Torfab and they're renowned in the land cruiser world for their work.

Most of you know that I intend on having a road trip to Alaska and back with my cousin next year, likely around August. I want all of the mechanical to be 100%, and this will be the biggest step towards that.

I wanted to work with a shop like theirs because, frankly, they know what they're doing and have the international resources to source parts. I do look forward to other things I will be learning and doing myself, especially with the new welder (thanks again @Pixeltim!).

If anyone is curious, my build thread can be found here:

https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/tokyo-to-wisconsin-jdm-hdj81-build-thread.1280150/

 

Seems incredibly legit!

 

You do know that the best time to visit Alaska is in June, right?

 

I heard January is pretty stellar.

 

This is a true statement

 

I would go in late June next time. Last time was early June and Hatcher Pass was still snowed shut.