ETAV8R's 09 Tacoma Build-The Gini

[ETAV8R]

Quick update from the drive back...no shift whatsoever and that includes 100 miles of the White Rim Road.

 

[cnynrat]

Waiting for that trip report ...

 

[WASURF63]

Quick update from the drive back...no shift whatsoever and that includes 100 miles of the White Rim Road.

:victory: Glad it worked out.

 

[ETAV8R]

Just got in. Will focus most of tomorrow on cleaning the truck and doing the trip report. It was an amazing few days. Even got a quick go at Arches NP this AM due to a weather scare. More about that later.

 

[ETAV8R]

Trip Report from our recent trip...photos coming asap
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/68213-Canyonlands-National-Park-October-2011

 

[ETAV8R]

Ok you guys were right. After several hundred miles for some reason the whole unit began to shift. After unloading two times, cleaning, and putting it back I decided to put a turnbuckle on the unit hooked to the D-ring. Last week's trip to DV/Saline Valley proved it to work, i.e. no shift.
:26_7_2:

 

[Sempertoy]

So I either saw your truck or it's twin today on pendleton. Looked great either way!

 

[ETAV8R]

Not mine. I do have a twin out there somewhere.
Wish I still had base privileges.
Ooooh Rah!

 

[Dave Bennett]

So I either saw your truck or it's twin today on pendleton. Looked great either way!

I'm on Pendleton most every day but mine is silver

 

[ETAV8R]

For those of you following this thread I have some questions about off-road lighting. My original plan was to get some Hella Blackmagic lights and mount them behind the mesh grill. Now I'm thinking about getting a Smittybuilt lightbar and putting four lights on it. KC HiLites get pretty good reviews and come in 3 varieties, fog, driving, and long-range. What are the general recommendations for lighting? I'm thinking fogs on the outer tabs and long-range lights in the middle. This way I could throw them all on and have good coverage close and far.

 

[ETAV8R]

Got some new shoes...General Grabber AT/2s in 235/85/16. Had to revert back to the stock rims for these. I didn't have the money to do a suspension upgrade for 285/55/16s so when with the 235s. I don't have my first tank MPG yet but did do a shakedown road trip up to Big Bear yesterday. No off-roading but overall I like this size better than my other set of Grabber AT/2s in 265/70/16. I don't have any rubbing like I did with the older set but I am certain that has to do with the rim/tire combination. The only drawback so far is the tracking on-road is different. The new ones seem to need more attention but it isn't anything problematic. Here are some pics:

Tire Tread Comparison: Old vs. New

 

[WASURF63]

Nothin' like new rubber...

 

[clcoyle]

looking good!

 

[Clutch]

Love that color, Magnetic Grey. So much more stealth than white...really blends in no matter where
you are. City, mountains or desert...

AT has picture on their site of another Taco with the same color
but can't get a good look at it, because their watermark is so flipping huge.

Actually can't see much of anything with that water mark. It really detracts
from trying to see the detail. Kinda funny since they didn't design the Flip-Pac
in the first place...:ylsmoke:

 

[Flagster]

Love that color, Magnetic Grey. So much more stealth than white...really blends in no matter where
you are. City, mountains or desert...

AT has picture on their site of another Taco with the same color
but can't get a good look at it, because their watermark is so flipping huge.

Actually can't see much of anything with that water mark. It really detracts
from trying to see the detail. Kinda funny since they didn't design the Flip-Pac
in the first place...:ylsmoke:

View attachment 106183

gotta keep the chinese flippac clones from posting your pics on ebay...

but I agree...great color