New 100 owner

[thorleyb]

Just picked up my first 100, a 99 with rear diff lock. Pics to follow. So far it is living up to my expectations of a Toyota truck, feels like it was machined from billet. Solid, no rattles. However: the first time I dropped the tail gate, the passenger side center tail light lense fell out on the ground, cracking it nicely. Investigating revealed a missing body clip, which I ordered from the dealer. My question is how secure is that? 3 posts on the lense holding it in... every time the tail gate goes down I am going to worry that the tail light will fall out.
I am wondering if there is a fix, something that will secure those lights.

Lots of good stuff here on the forum..

I bought the hundy as a Baja runner, my wife and I go to Todos Santos in the winter.

More to come.

 

[Dwight S]

Welcome, to MUD, you can learn a lot here.
I've got a 98. I don't post much. Just lurk and learn mostly.

Take a look in the owner's manual about accessing the bulb in the tailgate lens. There are also some threads on here. Let SEARCH be your friend. I know you have to remove the tailgate carpet panel to replace the bulb in that lens. There should be screws securing it to the tailgate....

 

[thorleyb]

yeah.. actually accessing the bulb is easy, as the lense just pops out. I've searched and so far it looks like I'm the only one that has an issue with Toyota installing the lense with 3 friction posts, in a tailgate that gets dropped pretty regularly.
If it were secured with a screw or two, I'd feel a little better.

No one has had this problem? maybe, when the third clip is installed it is secure?

 

[hoser]

I believe there are nuts to secure the lenses. Remove tailgate carpet and compare both sides. Or take a pic of lenses and post.

 

[thorleyb]

thanks, will do.

 

[1loudLX]

There are clips on the outer edge of the lens and 3 nuts that thread onto the studs on the light assembly.

 

[thorleyb]

OK, that makes sense. Looking at it now, the studs are pulled out of the light housing. The only thing holding it in are the posts and clips.
I can glue the studs back into the housing, and as they say, Bob's your uncle.

 

[thorleyb]

Tail light now properly secured. <facepalm> obvious

The truck had 305's on it when I bought it, I'm putting 285's on it today. Front seats are a bit worn, Leatherique on order.

Got 15 mpg overall coming back from the East to Flagstaff, with a low of 13.5 going uphill with the AC on. Speedo error with the 305's is about 5%, so I'm guessing going down to 285's should give me a nominal mpg increase.

Got a Speski pet barrier on order, thinking about what we'll need for our next Baja trip in January.