Clutch’s deep thoughts thread...

[Clutch]

Nice. That would be too much distraction for me. Like going to college in Hawaii.

I'll be getting my share of armor. I'd like to get some skids and maybe a rear bumper, perhaps this Black Friday. I bashed the stock one up pretty good wandering in Colorado.

It is a good thing I am self employed. My boss is fairly flexible on how long I take my lunch. Go to Whole Foods or the new Whole Foods-esk Albertsons...grab some lunch, look at yoga pant wearing girls...then head to the hills. What a great time to be alive!

 

[DaveInDenver]

Doesn't that apply to most protection and recovery mods though? Just because you have full skids and sliders doesn't mean you should go around trying to put them to use, but it could very easily mean the difference between thinking to yourself 'well, guess I smacked a rock' before carrying on with your trip and a very expensive day.

I bought a Pelfreybilt front skid cheap from a local selling it to fund moving to all aluminum RCI. It's heavy and kind of a pain to work around so I keep wanting to go back to a stock splash plate but I keep hitting the sucker as soon as I think to myself "I haven't hit anything for a while." The reason I got it in the first place is I seem to drag the front skid more on my Taco than I ever did with my '91. I actually had a full set of Budbuilt plates on it and I pared down. Went back to the stock front, kept the t-case plate. I also had an IFS truss which while not a skid did protect quite a bit. I'd also made a mid skid to protect the carrier bearing. I didn't seem to touch the front skid on that truck nearly as much for some reason.

Long way of saying I kind of doubt I'll ever be unloading the 50 lbs of front skid on my Tacoma at this point. I haven't so far really needed the tranny and t-case skids, although I do plan to make something a bit more substantial for under the t-case. I'd also like to put on a proper metal fuel tank skid to replace the plastic one Toyota uses on the TRD OR. That'll just be an aluminum one, though.

 

[Clutch]

Clutch, we're probably all posers, given the armor on our trucks vs. actually using it. I only wonder how many get so caught up in the "look" without realizing they're adding 350 -500 lbs to their rigs...

Wife and I were lucky enough to spend 2 mo's in Australia back in 2003. This was our rental car:

View attachment 481624
(Diesel, of course!)

We picked this up in Sydney and drove most of the Eastern coast. I'll never forget checking out everything with the mechanic when we picked it up. Picture this gruff guy with a thick german accent, "When you're driving, don't worry about the kangaroos, they'll bounce. BUT, watch out for those wombats, they'll mess you up!". We later stopped at a zoo and I got a close look at a wombat; picture a sawed-off buffalo without horns...

Weekend warrior at best. At least I live in area that it is literally right out the front door. It was kinda like that in AZ too, but I don't have to deal with the extreme heat here.

Man, if only we could get those here.

Time to time I'll wander on over the Toyota of Gibraltar site and drool...

https://www.toyota-gib.com/eng/index.html

Gimme one of those 79 Utes...

 

[Clutch]

Nice. That would be too much distraction for me. Like going to college in Hawaii.

I'll be getting my share of armor. I'd like to get some skids and maybe a rear bumper, perhaps this Black Friday. I bashed the stock one up pretty good wandering in Colorado.

I like the CBI stuff...might because they are local to Idaho...but looks good too.

https://cbioffroadfab.com/?v=7516fd43adaa

Was a time I wanted just the bumper (no swing-out)

https://cbioffroadfab.com/product/bushmaster-1-0-rear-bumper-1st-gen-toyota-tacoma/?v=7516fd43adaa

Do like this too, which I could make. But honestly like looks of the stock chrome the best

 

[DaveInDenver]

The CBI Trailrider is on my short list for rear bumpers. I'm not going high clearance like the Bushmaster since I don't have any desire to cut my rear fenders. If I'm going to that trouble it's going to be in pursuit of a tray. I like the CBI plain bumper because they're one of the few low key looking bumpers and include a receiver. Most bumpers require you to keep the stock factory trailer hitch and that's what hangs so low. I'd like to make something but the cost of materials and my time, just hard to really justify when for a couple of Ben Franklins more CBI will get something to my door step done.

 

[phsycle]

I like the CBI stuff...might because they are local to Idaho...but looks good too.

https://cbioffroadfab.com/?v=7516fd43adaa

Was a time I wanted just the bumper (no swing-out)

https://cbioffroadfab.com/product/bushmaster-1-0-rear-bumper-1st-gen-toyota-tacoma/?v=7516fd43adaa

Do like this too, which I could make.

Yup, I'd like a simple rear bumper like that. No swing out. That would drive me nuts, every time I had to get into the back of the truck. But wouldn't mind some protection back there, as the long back end drags everywhere. RCI ones aren't bad, either, and has a hitch (which I'll need).

Stock front isn't bad at all. I've come close to the rockers, so I'd probably need to get some sliders as well. That would probably do it for me, other than suspension for long, washboard roads.

 

[Clutch]

The CBI Trailrider is on my short list for rear bumpers. I'm not going high clearance like the Bushmaster since I don't have any desire to cut my rear fenders. If I'm going to that trouble it's going to be in pursuit of a tray. I like the CBI plain bumper because they're one of the few low key looking bumpers and include a receiver. Most bumpers require you to keep the stock factory trailer hitch and that's what hangs so low. I'd like to make something but the cost of materials and my time, just hard to really justify when for a couple of Ben Franklins more CBI will get something to my door step done.

Whoops, that is the one I meant to link the Trailrider. Since they are kinda close I would drive over, there are some riding spots over in that neck of the woods I want to check out...make a trip out of it. Klim does the Cowtag ride out that way I have been wanting to do.

https://www.klim.com/cow-tag


https://cbioffroadfab.com/wp-conten...IL-RIDER-1.0-–-REAR-BUMPER.jpg?v=7516fd43adaa

 

[Clutch]

Wyeth-Scott

That is nice. My dad had something similar when I was growing up. Pulled out many a thing with it. Had an old Thor winch on our F250...but that damn thing never did work. Kind like the homemade log splitter he built with a Wisconson engine, that thing never did work either...had to split wood by hand mostly.

Can see it here in the weeds, looks like the engine is off it...changing out the starter in my old '72 Chevelle...the 5 spoke Cragers, primer red, cinder blocks, RR ties, and burn barrel are a nice touch. Where the redneck side of me comes from. I am wearing Vans, have a skateboard in the trunk, and probably blasting The Cult on the stereo to balance it all out though.

 

[2manyprojects]

Don't s'pose you still have the Chevelle, do ya'? I can sure relate to the burn barrel, and laying out in the dirt working on my car. My folks had a custom home built in the woods when I was in my early teens, and decided not to add a garage. Learned to work fast when the rain and snow were coming...

 

[Clutch]

Don't s'pose you still have the Chevelle, do ya'? I can sure relate to the burn barrel, and laying out in the dirt working on my car. My folks had a custom home built in the woods when I was in my early teens, and decided not to add a garage. Learned to work fast when the rain and snow were coming...

Unfortunately no...had to sell that one, when I got busted for drag racing and had my license suspended. Was only 16, had my license for a couple months, have been driving since I was 10 or 11. There are reasons why I drive so slow now-a-days. Did buy another once I got my license back...that one my dad hit a tree with. Story is...he brought home a '66 Charger when he was a teen...his dad (being the ************** he is) made him take it back, and never was able to buy another. So when I got another Chevelle he asked if he could drive it. He is in a wheelchair... had to put handcontrols on it for him. One day he was driving it, came up on stopped traffic, the brakes failed, instead of rear ended a car he cut the wheel into a tree.

Bought a front clip from a buddy whose mother caught the rear of his on fire, their burn barrel caught a field on fire near where the car was parked. Fixed it...but sold that and my '76 F250 to buy my first Toyota, that '85 4Runner I pictured elsewhere. He built the house I grew up in, had a garage too, which was built before the house actually, lived in a trailer as the house was being built. If the weather was nice would work on the vehicles outside.

Just put that Cowl Induction hood on it too, couple weeks later it was wrecked.

He made me put down these chunks of RR ties as decorative pieces in the landscaping...doesn't get more redneck than that.

 

[phsycle]

Speaking of skid plates, I was watching a ZR2 Bison video yesterday. The skid plates are boron steel that needs to be hot stamped. AEV says due to its strength, they can be made quite a bit thinner. And it will spring back into shape after impact. Interesting. I’m sure expensive and out of my price range. I’ll probably stick to aluminum.

You can tell that guy is totally out of his element. Like a conversation between a sales guy and an engineer. “Wow. Really? Uh-huh. Hmm. Wow.”

 

[Clutch]

Speaking of skid plates, I was watching a ZR2 Bison video yesterday. The skid plates are boron steel that needs to be hot stamped. AEV says due to its strength, they can be made quite a bit thinner. And it will spring back into shape after impact. Interesting. I’m sure expensive and out of my price range. I’ll probably stick to aluminum.

You can tell that guy is totally out of his element. Like a conversation between a sales guy and an engineer. “Wow. Really? Uh-huh. Hmm. Wow.”

I like it. Couple little things, those wheels look like they would get chewed up pretty quick in ruts and rocks. If Chevy can't figure out how to mount rear shocks and a spare tire...what else did they cut corners on? Even my 1st Gen Tacoma has the rear shocks tucked up better...and that thing is how old?

Solo Motorsports even has a relocation kit for the 1st Gens to tuck it even more.

https://www.solomotorsports.com/sho...ion-toyota-parts/toyota-w-y-shock-hoops-rear/

 

[Buddha.]

If those figures are correct, the 2UZ is ~50% heavier than the 1GR. I'd say that's a pretty significant. I just looked at my payload and it's at 990lbs. Adding in a 2UZ would mean it'd be down to 800lbs. I think that's lower than a Subaru Forester! Ouch.

Maybe the 4Runner got away with the weight as it's more balanced F/R. Truck is already front biased.

My foresters payload was almost 1,200#, about the same as my s10 blazer.

 

[Buddha.]

Yup, Auto 4wd has been available since the mid or late 90s in GM stuff. That option engages front axle disconnect so the CVs spin, and uses two VSSs to detect a difference or speed between the front and rear driveshafts. When it senses that, it electronically engages a clutch in the transfer case. Its a bit clunky, and if you are hard on the throttle you feel it engaging harshly. Under normal or light throttle most people wouldn't notice it. My truck has 2wd, auto, 4 high, and 4 low. I've found most late model Chevys are equipped that way.

My blazer worked like that. Worked good on my side of town where only half the streets get plowed.

 

[Clutch]

Would really like to build up a 70's F250 Crew Cab, and have OVRLND build me a camper for it, and skin it like a vintage FWC.

can you dig it?