Builds Do I need to buy a flat bill now? Chap79 Tacoma Build (1 Viewer)

[Brake Weight]

The Taco is looking great. I will caution you though, as based on the photos from 4WD Toyota Owners thread, you are on a slippery slope. I’d say you are only a dorkel and supercharger away...

View attachment 2523403

LOL. I put a dorkel on my '99 and coworkers used to make fun of it. So, we were in Midland, TX during a surprise flood and they all were scared to cross the little dip on the service road. I forded that isht at 20mph and had water rolling over the hood and the front tires became rudders. It was static water and not flowing, BTW. Dorkels are a lot like carrying a sidearm or fire extinguisher. You may never need it but when you do, you'll glad you have it. Plus if you put a few wrap of electrical tape around the weep holes on the head you can pick up 1-2 MPG on the interstate and that makes a difference in a 1000 mile trip if you're making 2gal further per tank.

 

[joseywales]

I’ve offroaded in Australia, South and Central America in 60 and 80 series rigs. I had my BJ60 in water up to the mirrors in central Mexico one time, without a snorkel, and that time I would definitely have wanted one, but we made it through ok. I’ve had a snorkel on one of my trucks (below), so I am familiar with the advantages and disadvantages. I was poking fun at this point, since 95% of the Pros sold with snorkels will never see water above their hubs or enough dust to warrant their use. For the other 5%, it’s still fun to poke them.

 

[chap79]

Been a minute since I updated this thread. Truck is running great, just rolled over 14,000 miles.

I recently installed a Uniden CMX760 Bearcat CB since CB is required for Cruise Moab. The CMX 760 has a small body for power and antenna connections that is easily hidden and all the controls/speaker are integrated into the mic. Given the limited mounting space in the 3rd Gen this proved to be the cleanest option I could find aside from a hand held. Went with a 3’ firestik antenna mounted to the rear of the bed rack. Ohm’d out the coax and mount and everything checked out.

SWR tuning specs for future reference:
Chan__Value
1______1.5
20_____1.1
40_____1.8

I probably could have gotten lower SWR across the board by using a 4’ antenna but then would have it catching on every trail limb out here. Time will tell if I keep the 3’ or swap it out after I get some real usage with it.

Amazon product ASIN B06XJG6NYB

 

[Brake Weight]

Been a minute since I updated this thread. Truck is running great, just rolled over 14,000 miles.

I recently installed a Uniden CMX760 Bearcat CB since CB is required for Cruise Moab. The CMX 760 has a small body for power and antenna connections that is easily hidden and all the controls/speaker are integrated into the mic. Given the limited mounting space in the 3rd Gen this proved to be the cleanest option I could find aside from a hand held. Went with a 3’ firestik antenna mounted to the rear of the bed rack. Ohm’d out the coax and mount and everything checked out.

SWR tuning specs for future reference:
Chan__Value
1______1.5
20_____1.1
40_____1.8

I probably could have gotten lower SWR across the board by using a 4’ antenna but then would have it catching on every trail limb out here. Time will tell if I keep the 3’ or swap it out after I get some real usage with it.

Amazon product ASIN B06XJG6NYB

If you stick with the CB look into the Wilson Trucker series. They are a base load type and therefore have shorter antennas. Can be mounted on a ditch mount light bracket. A Uniden 510 fits in most ashtray slots and can be tweaked to about 15-20 watts, IIRC.

 

[chap79]

If you stick with the CB look into the Wilson Trucker series. They are a base load type and therefore have shorter antennas. Can be mounted on a ditch mount light bracket. A Uniden 510 fits in most ashtray slots and can be tweaked to about 15-20 watts, IIRC.

I’ve been running ham for a while, which reminds me to check when I need to renew my license.
3rd gen doesn’t have an ashtray slot, and I tried every which way I could to fit a Uniden 520 I already had in the truck somewhere. But the only places it really fit were on the side on the console or up on top the dash. no beuno.

I used a Larsen 27NMO antenna on the 80 and had really good luck with it. But with the loaded NMO base it was still pretty tall.

CB is one of those things I really don’t use all that often unless there’s someone in the group that doesn’t have ham. But the lack on ham use out here in the Midwest has really surprised me. The repeater infrastructure and use is pretty poor, enough so that I’ve been thinking about setting up a Raspberry pi to hit internet linked systems. I guess time will tell.

 

[chap79]

Since everyone likes pictures

 

[chap79]

Getting ready for our upcoming trip to Moab and a buddy mentioned that I might think about a hitch skid plate for the Tacoma given the overhang. I looked online and got some ideas then searched through the shop through the scrap pile.

Not my best welds since one of the 120v legs to the shop is currently dead (just another thing to add to the project list). Double passed the hitch to plate welds and I think with a couple of gussets it will be strong enough for this trip.

 

[Reedo311]

Looks great and it’s a really great idea. I wish I had thought of that. Was down there this weekend and took ours through Fins and Things. The hitch was definitely the spot that hit the most. That and the exhaust hangs way low behind the tcase, scraped that a few times also. It did surprisingly well given the stock suspension and tires. Took some getting used to the long wheel base on the DCLB.

 

[chap79]

Overall the hitch skid turned out alright. I don’t think I’m really sacrificing much clearance/departure angle with it. Sprayed it with some rust oleum bed liner and added some under coating on the welded area.

 

[Broski]

In my full size 4x4 Van days I would cut the hitch invert it and have it come out of the bumper. I know it's a lot of work but looks clean when it's done.
What you have done will definitely help, especially if you need to back up in the case of a failed attempt.

 

[chap79]

How fast time flies when you’re having fun.
Stretched its legs out in Moab with the folks out at Cruise Moab. Hit Fins and Things, Top of the World, Porcupine Rim, Onion Creek, Fisher Towers, Thompson Canyon, Polar Mesa, Shafer Basin, and Fallen Peace Officer. Plus toured all the back roads of Arch’s and some other stuff in Canyonlands. Too many pictures to post.

There’s was some careful planning involved to make the happy without frightening her too much while still having some challenging fun.

After Moab we hit Grand Teton NP and Yellowstone. Then made a stop at Mt. Rushmore before starting the drive home. Over 5000 miles in total for two weeks on the road. Truck performed great as expected.

 

[Overlandeffex]

Great picture with the two trucks up by Bull Canyon!

 

[Spike Strip]

Beautiful ...

 

[chap79]

Installed a 100w solar panel and MPPT on the Tacoma. Hoping this will allow my auxiliary battery to stay topped off with the fridge running while parked. Still need to make some extensions so that I can angle it but that can wait until I get some more hardware from McMasterCarr.

 

[chap79]

Almost forgot, I also got in some off-roading when I made my California trip last month. Snuck out to one of my favorite spots with the new owner of my old LX450.

 

[chap79]

And a little milky way reflection with the hood

 

[RET2]

And a little milky way reflection with the hood
View attachment 2830120

Now that's a shot I've never seen before.

 

[chap79]

Now that's a shot I've never seen before.

It’s not bad for a cell phone picture.

 

[RET2]

It’s not bad for a cell phone picture.

A perfect example of why they refer to pictures like this as a capture.

 

[chap79]

It’s that time of year again. Pressure washed the undercarriage, touched up the paint on the sliders and other places that have been scratched up, and resprayed everything underneath with Woolwax. Should be set for another Midwest winter.