Building a Toyota that fits Douglas

[DouglasVB]

Here's some close up photos of the guts of the StarGard SG950MV.

I wonder what fun things I could do with that micro SIM.

 

[DouglasVB]

I did the A/C drain hose extension today. I also took off the D-rings that a prior owner or the original dealer added.

The drain hose should not drip water on the A-arm but I'll keep an eye on it. I don't think I'll have any interference issues with this location, either. But I'll watch it and then make an assessment in a few weeks if I want to keep this in place or not.

It looks way better with the D-rings removed. And it was a bit challenging to remove the D-rings because whoever had installed them really tightened them down hard.

 

[DouglasVB]

I'm looking at the Archive Garage u-bolt flip kit. They've also got an interesting spring hanger they call Hammer Hangers. I kinda also want to get their rear wheel ABS sensor armor because it's so small and cute. I ordered the RCI Off-Road skids and sliders today.

How often are there issues with Tacomas running stock suspension bending or breaking their spring hangers?

 

[DaveInDenver]

If you're thinking about welding on heavy duty hangers you might as well consider a shackle flip. That puts them into compression instead of stock tension shackles and gives you the option to run 63" Chevy leafs. That helps articulation and clearance even more and removes any chance of flex through the mounts. Just think things through since you can easily configure stuff and start to stress shocks in the factory location, so you also need to be thinking shock relocation. I still have stock hangers and shackles but my biggest headache is breaking shocks, which are also stock configuration still. I've one through 3 of them so far.

 

[DouglasVB]

If you're thinking about welding on heavy duty hangers you might as well consider a shackle flip. That puts them into compression instead of stock tension shackles and gives you the option to run 63" Chevy leafs. That helps articulation and clearance even more and removes any chance of flex through the mounts. Just think things through since you can easily configure things to really stress shocks in the factory location on a 2005+ Tacoma when you changes the rear spring geometry from stock, so you also need to be thinking shock relocation. I still have stock hangers and shackles but my biggest headache is breaking shocks, which are also stock configuration still.

I'm trying very hard to leave the suspension mostly stock until the Toyota warranty expires 😅

 

[DouglasVB]

This little $7 plastic part is such a quality of life improvement. It's crazy Toyota didn't include a gas cap holder.

 

[DouglasVB]

I installed a Snail Armor flat tailgate panel and a SaBellCo tailgate security lock yesterday. I'll RTV the Snail Armor panel to seal it after I put in an electronic lock in a few weeks into the tailgate. I feel so boujie getting an electronic tailgate lock 😅 but it'll be super useful especially for SCUBA diving in the future.

I'm looking at various receiver hitch recovery point solutions for the truck. In the past I had a cheapo D ring receiver hitch on my old 4runner. But now I'm looking at the various receiver hitch recovery options that have a built in skid plate. There seem to be several companies making various similar designs. Does anyone have a recommendation?

 

[KC Masterpiece]

This little $7 plastic part is such a quality of life improvement. It's crazy Toyota didn't include a gas cap holder.


View attachment 124958

I need one of those. Im on gas cap 3 for Imelda because I keep setting it on the pump like a moron.

 

[DouglasVB]

Another cheap quality of life improvement is this little glove box divider. I need to pick one for the center console next.

 

[DouglasVB]

Today I pulled off the Toyota side steps, TRD skid plate, and plastic fuel tank skid plate. I had enough time to put on the fuel tank skid plate and A arm skid plates before the rain moved in. Tomorrow I'll get the new engine skid plate on and hopefully I'll have time to do the sliders. If I have more time on my hands, I'll put the rear differential armor on. The transmission skid plate is waiting for the catalytic converter guards to show up on Monday before I install it. The transfer case skid plate will go on after I get the exhaust rerouted towards the end of the week.

I'm still looking at what I'll do for a hitch receiver recovery point. And I'm still thinking about swapping out the spring hangers (and if that's something I can do on my own or if I need a shop to do it for me). I'm also thinking about what I'll do for on board air.

Oh and I got the windshield and front window tint removed. The window tint guy said there was 50% tint on the windshield!

I had to do some rattle can touch up to the powder coating. One of the A Arms had some powder coating issues with clumping. I'm a bit surprised RCI Off-road would send that part out. But I can live with it and some rattle can makes it all better.

 

[DouglasVB]

I got the RCI engine skid plate on this morning. It annoyingly does not come with all of the necessary bolts because it assumes you're removing the factory non-TRD skid plate and salvaging the bolts from there. The TRD skid plate I took off yesterday uses different length bolts. So I need to track down one more bolt to have it complete but it is at least together enough to drive around with.

The skid was a bit beat up and required some rattle can touch-up. One corner was slightly bent from a bit hit it took in the FedEx truck but it doesn't impact the skid plate's function. I'm a bit surprised that RCI doesn't package this stuff better.

Those front stamped metal parts go between the radiator cross member and the front engine cross member, and are not needed with the RCI skid plate installed. Hashtag weight savings.

I need one of these bolts. Anyone know what it is? The directions from RCI indicate it's an M12 and I'm guessing it's fine pitch thread.

I'm out of shape so now I'm tired after manhandling that skid plate into place. I'll work on the sliders tomorrow after work.

 

[DaveInDenver]

All Toyota bolts are JIS, thus end up either fine or super fine metric pitches. In this case it's super fine, M12-1.25 x 35mm long on mine, not including the captured washer.

Bench pressing the IFS plate into place, eh? I gave up that crap long ago and use a floor jack. The balance point on mine is approximately under the lift point/horn in the middle of the cross member that the two front diff brackets hangs on.

 

[DouglasVB]

All Toyota bolts are JIS, thus end up either fine or super fine metric pitches. In this case it's super fine, M12-1.25 x 35mm long on mine, not including the captured washer.

Bench pressing the IFS plate into place, eh? I gave up that crap long ago and use a floor jack. The balance point on mine is approximately under the lift point/horn in the middle of the cross member that the two front diff brackets hangs on.

For the remainder of the skid plates, I'll be using a floor jack or transmission jack 😅

Do you have any idea what the Toyota p/n on that bolt might be? I've tried looking through the Toyota parts database but haven't figured out where they give the bolts.

 

[DaveInDenver]

90119-A0173

 

[Inukshuk]

I'm still looking at what I'll do for a hitch receiver recovery point.

Can you share a picture of the concept you are thinking?

 

[KC Masterpiece]

I'm looking at the Archive Garage u-bolt flip kit. They've also got an interesting spring hanger they call Hammer Hangers. I kinda also want to get their rear wheel ABS sensor armor because it's so small and cute. I ordered the RCI Off-Road skids and sliders today.

How often are there issues with Tacomas running stock suspension bending or breaking their spring hangers?

That ABS armor is the tiniest bit of bolt on protection I have ever seen.

 

[DouglasVB]

That ABS armor is the tiniest bit of bolt on protection I have ever seen.

It's so adorable!

 

[DouglasVB]

Can you share a picture of the concept you are thinking?

There are several companies that make a variation of this: https://www.chaosfab.com/product/2016-2022-Toyota-Tacoma-Rear-Hitch-Skid-Plate-48420

Otherwise I could go with a very standard receiver hitch recovery point. But with the butt on this truck being so long and low, I feel like a little bit of a skid plate would be beneficial. Cheap insurance until I get a high clearance bumper.

I'm just not sure which to get out of the several options out there.

 

[Inukshuk]

There are several companies that make a variation of this: https://www.chaosfab.com/product/2016-2022-Toyota-Tacoma-Rear-Hitch-Skid-Plate-48420

Otherwise I could go with a very standard receiver hitch recovery point. But with the butt on this truck being so long and low, I feel like a little bit of a skid plate would be beneficial. Cheap insurance until I get a high clearance bumper.

I'm just not sure which to get out of the several options out there.

So you want a receiver recovery point or to protect the existing receiver?
Regarding protecting the existing receiver, I have dragged mine all over the place for 20+ years with no ill effect. No question spreading the impact a bit with flat metal on the bottom is a decent idea I may consider.

 

[DouglasVB]

So you want a receiver recovery point or to protect the existing receiver?
Regarding protecting the existing receiver, I have dragged mine all over the place for 20+ years with no ill effect. No question spreading the impact a bit with flat metal on the bottom is a decent idea I may consider.

Oh sorry I think I'm getting my terms mixed up.

I'm talking about a part that slides into the existing hitch to act as a recovery point.

Looking at the rear end of this 3rd gen taco, it seems like there's a lot to drag back there compared to my old 4runner. I'm a bit worried I'll forget I'm driving something much nicer and much less capable 😅😅 Hence wanting as much protection as possible.