Build Truckasaurus - linuxgod's Build Thread

[tbisaacs]

Personally I prefer no to cut the stock bumper n instead do a full replacement. My searches came back empty got the full replacement bumpers so I got excited when I saw yours. Do u know of other companies that do full replacements?

Cutting the bumper is not a big deal. Don’t over think it. The reason that you aren’t finding no cut options is because they compromise the main benefit of a bumper which is clearance.

Dobinson is the only one I know of and it’s so compromised—it has worse departure angle.

 

[grinchy]

Personally I prefer no to cut the stock bumper n instead do a full replacement. My searches came back empty got the full replacement bumpers so I got excited when I saw yours. Do u know of other companies that do full replacements?

Rival 4x4 is a full replacement for the TLC

 

[DallasTide]

Pretty sure the newer TJM bumper is a full replacement as well.

 

[poppe]

Would you mind show some photos of your light bar on your Gamiviti? I'm getting that rack eventually as well, and I like how the light is ahead of the deflector. Did you drill a slot for it?

 

[linuxgod]

Would you mind show some photos of your light bar on your Gamiviti? I'm getting that rack eventually as well, and I like how the light is ahead of the deflector. Did you drill a slot for it?

Here's an old photo before the light bar was installed:

Tim just welded the tabs facing forward instead of backwards. I had to cut holes in the fairing to slide them through. The light bar feet can slide to any width.

 

[linuxgod]

Trying to get things sorted out before the LCDC.

• Fixed the leaking locker grommet in the rear diff just before I went to Cruise Moab
• Straightened the rear bumper after twisting it on a rock on Hells Revenge while at Cruise Moab
• Dropping the truck off later this week to get the winch swapped out (details below)

My Warn VR12 winch apparently seized up after CM. Just before I left I had unspooled it, checked the rope, and then spooled it back in, so I know it was working in April. However I went to swap the hook on the end recently for a BossHook that Jon Snow (awesome name) from Comeup sent me in exchange for use of a Hells Gate photo in an upcoming Toyota Trails ad, when I discovered the control pack relay will click but the motor wasn't turning. It doesn't unwind in freespool mode either. Chi-town 4x4 is squeezing me in next week and we're swapping it with a Warn Zeon XD 12S, then the VR12 will go back to Warn for warranty repair/replacement. If anyone needs a winch, let's make a deal...

 

[linuxgod]

A few updates for posterity...

7/1/24: Chi-town pulled and rebuilt my winch. Wiring was corroded and the winch motor had a bit of water at some point. Contacts cleaned, winch motor cleaned and re-greased.

8/9/24: I've had a single loud popping sound on initial gas from a stop sign, or if I was coming to a stop and hit the brake hard at the last moment. Dealer traced it to a bad driver's side CV.

9/9/24: Water pump was leaking... dealer replaced the water pump and thermostat.

I picked up an ARB twin last month and will install that sometime in Sept/Oct, hopefully.

 

[linuxgod]

ARB twin installed on the SDHQ passengers side mount. I need to wire it up before it gets too cold. I didn’t want to use the whole harness for air lockers so I just purchased a basic switch and the 3-pin 150-series connector.

Swapped my sunroof seal yesterday. Part is 63251-12190 if anyone is interested. Technically it’s the LX part as the LC version is only sold as a $1000 sunroof assembly. Installation took under an hour. What I did was:
1. Tilt moonroof up, and remove old gasket with my hands by stretching it. The old rubber was pretty hard.
2. Lower moonroof and slide back half way
3. Fit gasket around the front half. You have to slip it on and press to lock in place.
4. Lay the rest of the gasket on top. Close moonroof and tilt up. You might have to hold the button or tap it a few times to get it to “close” before you can tilt it.
5. Install the rest of the gasket around the top half
6. Close and make sure it’s tight.
7. Wash hands repeatedly to get rid of the dog poo smell the new rubber had

 

[Boston Mangler]

ARB twin installed on the SDHQ passengers side mount. I need to wire it up before it gets too cold. I didn’t want to use the whole harness for air lockers so I just purchased a basic switch and the 3-pin 150-series connector.

Swapped my sunroof seal yesterday. Part is 63251-12190 if anyone is interested. Technically it’s the LX part as the LC version is only sold as a $1000 sunroof assembly. Installation took under an hour. What I did was:
1. Tilt moonroof up, and remove old gasket with my hands by stretching it. The old rubber was pretty hard.
2. Lower moonroof and slide back half way
3. Fit gasket around the front half. You have to slip it on and press to lock in place.
4. Lay the rest of the gasket on top. Close moonroof and tilt up. You might have to hold the button or tap it a few times to get it to “close” before you can tilt it.
5. Install the rest of the gasket around the top half
6. Close and make sure it’s tight.
7. Wash hands repeatedly to get rid of the dog poo smell the new rubber had

Without pics, this will be flagged as Misinformation BS

Thats the rules man

 

[linuxgod]

Without pics, this will be flagged as Misinformation BS

Thats the rules man

FINE! .

Well the compressor photos will prove I did it. I don’t have any sunroof photos from the swap, and TBH you really can tell the difference visually, it’s only obvious when you feel the difference in rubber softness. Still I wish I’d taken a couple pics while I was doing the sunroof, so maybe in another 10 years I’ll oblige

 

[Boston Mangler]

FINE! .

Well the compressor photos will prove I did it. I don’t have any sunroof photos from the swap, and TBH you really can tell the difference visually, it’s only obvious when you feel the difference in rubber softness. Still I wish I’d taken a couple pics while I was doing the sunroof, so maybe in another 10 years I’ll oblige

View attachment 3780856

View attachment 3780857

Excellent

 

[linuxgod]

I guess I haven't posted any updates to this thread in a year. Wow. Well I've been busy

1. I caught my rear diff drain plug on a rock at Windrock in Oct '24. I noticed around Thanksgiving I had a little drip, so I replaced the plug and the rear diff fluid. The drain plug was a little "sludgier" than I'd like (is that a word) so I'm going to keep an eye on it. No concerning metal bits per se, but definitely a little extremely fine powder that had been in the fluid. Is that normal after 55k miles?
2. New (Toyota reman) Transmission at 174k miles. I lost 2nd gear engine braking (and 6th gear engagement) coming down from Poughkeepsie/The Wall. Ended up driving it to Slee and leaving it, while @nakman was kind enough to haul my camper to Denver and help me find a spot to park it. I suspected a buggered solenoid from one of the harder hits at/after the wall, but the solenoid or the B2 brake in the trans might've been slowly going given I'd put 125k on the truck since I bought it, and at least 50k of that was towing. Still, disappointing and an almost $7k expense.
3. Slee took care of a leaking power steering line and some bad upper balljoints. Anyone wanna guess the brand? Next time I'm swapping my SPC uppers for Dobinson's UCAs. They also swapped the starter as part of my little project, as well as a bad O2 sensor.
4. Getting ready for Cruise Moab I swapped my Asfir skids for Slee, swapped out the medium duty 220-880# Ironman rear coils for heavy duty 880#-GVM ones, replaced the rear p/s sway bar end link, replaced the d/s rear KDSS arm, and tracked down a transfer case leak which turned out to be a loose fill plug. Oh and removed my diff drop because it's a PITA to deal with any skids.

I have a couple weekend projects remaining but might as well note them since they're gonna happen this weekend or next weekend:

• My p/s rear BP51 shock is leaking at the shaft. 2.5 years and about 38k miles. ARB sent me a replacement, which will get swapped tomorrow I hope.
• Decided I wanted Apple CarPlay and picked up the GROM VLine. Hoping my install goes ok
• The T-handles on my rear swingout are a bit rusty and one pin bent so I have replacements awaiting install
• The front bumper has a bunch of light rust, but the powdercoat is flaking so I plan to scrape, sand, clean, etch, and paint with POR15. I'll do LineX in the future, maybe in the fall, but I can't really afford 3-4 weeks of downtime right now.

 

[linuxgod]

Knocked out the bad BP51, GROM, and T-handles last weekend. Planning to clean up the bumper before Cruise Moab.

Replaced my Falken Wildpeak RT01 LT 35x11.5R17 C load with Nitto Ridge Grappler LT 35x11.5R17 E load. For the record, the Nitto's are way better... I've had 2 sets in 34" and they're quieter, better traction, and have much less side-to-side lateral wiggling going on. The Falken's had 30k on them and with 5 tire rotations were well over 50% usable tread left, so I can't really complain about lifespan, but the ride just felt soft and mushy and imprecise on the highway and potholes around town would cause sooo much rocking side to side. Also they had a higher pitched whine so more of an MT sound but AT traction vs their claimed AT level noise/ride but MT performance.