'03 Tacoma Build

racemedic

Observer
Curious as to why you went with the XRC8? Im looking to buy a winch this week and have been looking at the XRC8, the Engo E-9000 and also the Warn vr8000. I like your build and the winch mount is great.
 
Just catching up on some reading tonight- looks like I missed a lot. Anyways- I ought to pass on what's been passed on to me about drill bits.
I couldn't help but see all your busted up titanium-coated-gold-plated-fancy-looking-bits.

Buy bits made from cobalt steel. They'll cost you more, but they last longer and cut through mild steel like butter. A HUGE difference. They are more brittle, and have no rust-proof coating, but I still think they're worth it. The biggest thing is that they hold an edge better at high temps, so they don't blue out and dull-up. If they don't dull as fast, you won't be cutting spurs and breaking bits or your wrist :D
 

01tundra

Explorer
Just catching up on some reading tonight- looks like I missed a lot. Anyways- I ought to pass on what's been passed on to me about drill bits.
I couldn't help but see all your busted up titanium-coated-gold-plated-fancy-looking-bits.

Buy bits made from cobalt steel. They'll cost you more, but they last longer and cut through mild steel like butter. A HUGE difference. They are more brittle, and have no rust-proof coating, but I still think they're worth it. The biggest thing is that they hold an edge better at high temps, so they don't blue out and dull-up. If they don't dull as fast, you won't be cutting spurs and breaking bits or your wrist :D

I'm a step ahead of you....they're sitting on my bench already :)!

http://www.roarksupply.com/29pc-black-oxide-Drill-Bit-Set-MADE-IN-USA-p/blackoxide29pc.htm
 

01tundra

Explorer
After thinking about it a little, decided to cut the safety chain hoop off the factory receiver hitch and weld it onto my new bumper. I was orginally going to just loop the chains over the lower hoop if I ever towed a trailer......but that would scratch up my pretty rattle can paint job, so I figured having the chain hoop underneath made more sense.....plus, I was bored and felt like welding the other day :D!



hitchchainhook.jpg
 

01tundra

Explorer
Any of you still have your factory mud flaps and mounting brackets laying around by chance? I'm looking for an entire factory set w/ mounting harware if somebody has a set they want to sell.
 

01tundra

Explorer
Price and Paypal account please :D!

Do you still have the mounting brackets also?

Seriously, if you have a full set of mud flaps that you would consider selling, I'll take them.

I actually e-stalked you a few minutes ago on your build thread to see if you were still running them, was planning on sending you a PM if you didn't reply.....ha :)!
 

TangoBlue

American Adventurist
I kind of feel violated now... could you do it again, please?

The fronts have no brackets, just that dog leg molded in the plastic at the top. The rear flaps have the metal brackets. No nuts - I replaced them in the mounting holes and they'll stay.

I thought I might use them but that would be pointless as it stands now. Maybe when I put 215's on it...

They're just taking up space in the attic; I have no idea what replacements cost so I have to check it out, but yes, consider them sold to you. We can haggle via PM later as I have to leave in a little bit.
 

01tundra

Explorer
I kind of feel violated now... could you do it again, please?

The fronts have no brackets, just that dog leg molded in the plastic at the top. The rear flaps have the metal brackets. No nuts - I replaced them in the mounting holes and they'll stay.

I thought I might use them but that would be pointless as it stands now. Maybe when I put 215's on it...

They're just taking up space in the attic; I have no idea what replacements cost so I have to check it out, but yes, consider them sold to you. We can haggle via PM later as I have to leave in a little bit.

Ha :)! That works, just shoot me a PM with price. They are high dollar new - like $80ish each......sure glad I threw all of mine away the night I got it home :rolleyes:. I figured I was going to put larger tires on it and wouldn't need them.....oh well.
I see them sell on the boards for varying prices. Just missed a set of rears on TTORA for $30.
 

Box Rocket

Well-known member
I did something similar with my safety chain loops except I just ran a straight peice of solid bar stock from the rear of the receiver tube (on both sides) up to the lower tube on the bumper. So it kind works like a gusset or brace for the receiver tube but is also where I attach the safety chains.

Keep the up-dates coming.
 

Haggis

Appalachian Ridgerunner
While I miss your old Tundra your new ride is damn sweet. These models are definitely my favorite of the Tacoma flavors...if only they had a V8. Your front bumper/winch mod is just to cool and looks like a factory job. Well done sir!
 

01tundra

Explorer
Got my winch switches installed.

I was about to pull the trigger on building my own bed rack, had it drawn up in AutoCAD and had all the material in the shopping cart online yesterday......but after adding it all up, it was going to only save me about $150 (minus consumables and time) to build it. So I decided to go with a Thule base rack. Where then get you is all the mounting accessories for the kayaks.....all that crap cost 3X what the rack does. They kind of have you over a barrel if you want to be able to lock your items down and also want a rack that is quickly removed. Oh well, it should serve us well. I'm sure I could have spent a month trying to build something, but you have to pick your battles and I didn't really have time for this one.

WinchSwitches.jpg



WinchSwitch2.jpg
 

TangoBlue

American Adventurist
Looks very nice. OEM-ish. Well done! How will you ever manage without the clock-of-which-we-cannot-see? :rolleyes:
 

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