Flatland's ROTM

[FlatlandTRD]

In 2001 I became a Toyota man in Texas. My bronco went up in flames and was a total loss, so I had a check in hand and on the prowl for a new 4x4 (because that’s all I’ve ever owned). Luckily I was acquiring wisdom and had decided to pause a few weeks before taking the plunge. As I began searching for something more refined, reliable, capable, "Toyota" continued to pop up. To make a long story short, I was at the dealership looking at used Tacomas when the guy said, "Well, we just got a 2001 with 11K highway miles that the manager is driving, would you be interested in looking at it?" Apparently I was, and drove off the lot with it.

This was the newest vehicle I had ever owned. Had the new car smell, and looked like it had never been used. It was a white extended cab 4wd with the 3.4 and 5 speed plain-jane, but I loved it. The only problem was I didn’t like the looks of the new front clip, so what better way to cover it up then a black brush guard. A note on brush guards: save up a little more and get a replacement bumper. However, I did have a good size bird fly into the wire grate protecting the headlights. If it wasn’t for that, I would have had to replace a housing, so it kind of paid for it self, but I think "bird guard" is the threshold of protection.

The year was 2004, and we were now in Kansas. What a great truck, decent mpg, great power, cold ac (never had that), but… it wasn’t a TRD darn it. And those ugly 4-doors I had disliked so much, sure did look good and made sense. So I mentioned this to my wife, who said, "They just don’t look as tough as yours, but 4 doors would be great. I guess if you swapped things over, it wouldn’t look so bad." As I made a tactical maneuver into a lot that had a used ’01 double cab TRD. After explaining to the salesman how I wasn’t paying that price unless my tires & wheels were swapped on that one, (besides the TRD wheels were fancier than my 4runner wheels) and I was keeping the bird guard. He yielded to my superior logic. I don’t know what it is, but I just can’t stand the 01-04 wheels.

This is where my long-term project begins. I pulled in the garage, and off came the running boards. A day later I was pulling out the driver’s side kick panel to perform the grey wire mod, and also found an after market car alarm brain. Of course the dealer knew nothing about this, so I did a little research, ordered a key fob, wired things up, and presto, now I’m armed. Next the fluids were drained in favor of the synthetics, and the front pads were replaced as they were on the wear indicators.

My wheeling started out very modest. Some dirt roads around the farm, some areas on the farm, and figuring out the quirks because this is a daily driver that averages 60+ miles a day. So a small lift was the next rational step, and since I’m tight I went with a daystar. Spacers and progressive rate springs equal junk. But we bought a new house, I was landscaping, finishing a basement, working all the time, etc, and the mods were put off.

Over time I’ve added some things. An optima red top, a large transmission cooler for the slush box, and intake mods (although the deck plate mod is a waste of time, mine is closed back up with an oem filter and it runs so much better). I made some removable decking to fill in the rear foot-wells so my dogs would have a nice big flat surface. Talked to a guy about a bed bar, because I wasn’t spending the going rate for some tube bending and tabs, and it was done.

The stock coil springs were shot, and living in the rust belt I wasn’t buying coil-over bling. So after a lot of reading, some patience, and a smoking deal, on went the TRD tundra coils. Wow, what a difference. While I was in there I went ahead and slapped in some OME shocks and yanked out the stabilizer bar. Pleaded at how worn out my rear leaf springs were (negative arch), and got some Alcans. Per Alcan instructions, I modified my daystar shackles so they were 1.5" longer than the stock ones (because the leaves are slightly longer). Rides great!

My tacoma’s body is still straight, clean, and uncut (or at least it was, but we’ll get to that). This was about the time I discovered Ih8mud. There was going to be a local meet-n-greet (Tornado Alley Cruisers), and the wife and I went. This was a totally different group than the ‘angry adolescents’ I had become accustomed to. This was a group of mature, easy going, fun and helpful people (hopefully I didn’t offend any). As I was admiring KSCruiser’s rear bumper on his 80, I said I had never seen this design. He casually mentioned that he made it in his garage, and still had some more work to do for a complete rear tire carrier. Little did I know he would become my new pal. Now we were excited and looking forward to events.

So for X-mas ’06 I got some unfinished un-welded sliders. For bolt on sliders similar to the 80s, I would be required to get a body lift. I was anti-body lift, and 1" was too much. But after being intimidated by KScruiser and IBCRUSN, I went with a 4crawler .75" BL. For the outriggers to come out straight in the middle of the plate we only needed about .5", but I stepped it up a whole .25" to help with tire rub. Get some guys together burning metal and the bright plasma starts to generate brain waves. Pretty soon I’m talking about a rear bumper and once again, I crumble under the peer pressure. Before I know it, we’ve got schematics, metal, hinge, latch, and working on the weekends. Yet again, the voices start up and are telling me to cut the rear quarter panels on that truck. Okay.

Now for some pictures...


Here you can count 4 Toyotas, there's also a 40 just behind me.

[FlatlandTRD]

I needed to increase my departure angle before I worried about the tacoma’s already decent approach angle. I gained over 10" from the stock bumper, and that darn BL was perfect for the mounting brackets to run straight back from the newly boxed rear frame. Sure would be nice to have a 2" receiver hitch incorporated into the bumper. And a swing out tire carrier on a Tacoma? There’s a few, but not like this one. These rear quarter panel sliders have saved my bacon on several occasions now. It’s not finished yet, there will be some hoops to protect the upper area of the body, and maybe some skids. But I couldn’t be happier, and I still owe KSCruiser for all his expertise and dedicated weekends (Thanks man).







I'm bad about not taking pictures while wheeling, wrenching, or while parked in the garage. So I took some updated ones today.

Other additions, the Cobra cb, e-locker skid, custom pin stripes, polyurethane steering bushings, ss braided brake lines, and matching spare wheel. Since I had over 50K on my Revos, it was time to step up again. More reading, more phone calls, and I had 5 Cooper S/T 255/85R16s. I’m very happy with my old school choice, and the veterans tend to comment on them. These tires do great on rocks (boulders according to my wife), mud, rain, and hopefully I’ll find out about snow this winter. I also added Dynabeeds in the tires, but I’m less than enthused about the results.

Right now I’m working on a belly skid to replace the tin foil piece and continue to the transfer. I’ll update when I’m done with that. I have also bit the bullet and ordered an ARB for the front, it’s an important safety addition. Just got my ARB and now some more pictures...







I think that's good enough for now. I'll update as additions mandate. PS, sorry I got a little wordy.

[IBCRUSN]

Awesome!!! Great to finally see some pics of your rig online.

I don't recall any intimidation involved at all. It still amazes me the departure angle you've created, almost on par with a bed bob. So that's what a roo bar looks like on a Taco?

Keep up the great work!

[Jacket]

Looks good Flatlander; I like that rear bumper setup. What did you use to cut the rear quarters, and what did you do to the exposed metal afterwards?

[FlatlandTRD]

Originally Posted by Jacket

What did you use to cut the rear quarters, and what did you do to the exposed metal afterwards?

The rear quarters took all day, after the measuring and remeasuring, staring. It was just hard to cut perfectly good metal, but it has paid off. I just used a cut-off wheel on my grinder. Sheet metal cuts extremely easy

After cleaning up the area, sanding, priming (paint on a roller), and painting the underside (black so it disappears). My plan is to cover in something like durabak, right now it's just several coats of white primer on the seam line down. The rocker panels and front of the hood are done in this fashion also (had a lot of rock chips), with a few coats of industrial white paint.

[Ron Helmuth]

great write up

good looking rig

[Jacket]

Originally Posted by FlatlandTRD

The rear quarters took all day, after the measuring and remeasuring, staring. It was just hard to cut perfectly good metal, but it has paid off. I just used a cut-off wheel on my grinder. Sheet metal cuts extremely easy

After cleaning up the area, sanding, priming (paint on a roller), and painting the underside (black so it disappears). My plan is to cover in something like durabak, right now it's just several coats of white primer on the seam line down. The rocker panels and front of the hood are done in this fashion also (had a lot of rock chips), with a few coats of industrial white paint.

Cool. I've heard most have had good success with a cut off wheel.

I've heard of guys putting that black rubber door plastic protector over the cut area to finish it off. 2cents...

[FlatlandTRD]

Originally Posted by Jacket

I've heard of guys putting that black rubber door plastic protector over the cut area to finish it off. 2cents...

Yeah, forgot to mention that I had done that already. Just details.

[Happy Trails]

Very nice rig!!

[Renaud33]

Looks good Jason. I enjoyed reading about how you got involved with wheeling and TAC.

[FlatlandTRD]

Thanks Kurt! (If I was better at taking pictures, it wouldn't seem so windy I guess) Maybe I'll get some snow shots this weekend if we get more.

[MOfj40]

Very nice rig!

I'm curious to know how the cooper s/t have done in the snow now that we've had some white stuff. My tundra's due for a new set in the spring. I've run the discoverer LTs in the past but they have a tendency to cup unless you're really attentive to pressure. I'm debating between the s/t and bfg a/t. Right now it's got bfg rugged trails on it, so either one should be an improvement.

[FlatlandTRD]

Originally Posted by MOfj40

I'm curious to know how the cooper s/t have done in the snow now that we've had some white stuff.

Just got another 5" last night. So far I'm impressed with these, even more so than the previous revos, and definitely more so than my past bfg a/ts. Handling in ALL conditions is improved, as is noise. I've also heard good things about the Hankook and Maxxis, which were part of my consideration. Also, the siping on the cooper's is very nice, and they've held up to wheeling on rocks.

I'd throw the bfg idea out the window though, IMHO. It's a prime example of just because you pay more, doesn't mean you get a better product. Even if they were the same price, I'd still go with the coopers.

Maybe we'll see ya at the meeting

[FlatlandTRD]

Since I'm still alive, here's a few snow pictures..

(sorry they're only driveway posers)

[Mars]

Just re-reading your post, and saw that you built a flat platform in the footwells? Do you have any pics of this that you could post up? I'm looking for some ideas for flattening out the rear of my extra cab.

[FlatlandTRD]

Originally Posted by Mars

Just re-reading your post, and saw that you built a flat platform in the footwells?

I can take some pics, it was mostly for the dogs. Since I've added an extinguisher to the driver's side, I now need to modify that platform also. I'll finish up my belly skid, then get some pics of everything.

[Mars]

Originally Posted by FlatlandTRD

I can take some pics, it was mostly for the dogs. Since I've added an extinguisher to the driver's side, I now need to modify that platform also. I'll finish up my belly skid, then get some pics of everything.

That's exactly why I want a platform in the back of mine. Keep the dogs from being so uncomfortable on the long trips...and from sliding around so much on the bumpy ones.

[FlatlandTRD]

The dog platform is two pieces made of oak plywood and 2x4s. Quick and easy. For me it was easier to make two pieces that could be quickly removed and thrown in the bed if I needed to tranport humans. Also, it made more sense to use a sheet and some blankets rather than a seat cover so they could be removed, folded, or washed easier (plus I already had those items, and my dogs aren't concerned about color coordination).


The driver's side now trimmed thanks to Mars




After a long weekend of wheeling

[Mars]

Noice! I'm sure they appreciate it.

Good looking workmanship there.