X2 on the bed mat..does wonders for keeping stuff in place. I bought a set of use bed bars and haven't used them like it thought I would too. But since they are basically one of the cargo rails I am thinking of using them in the '81, just need to pick up a few more of the mini cargo tie downs...
BTW, nice write up...

 

heres how i did my lights on the rails. pretty ugly lights, but for $8... i've gotten used to it. im gonna buy some real ones within the next few weeks.

 

Yeah I have seen those from your sig at ttora.... I am thinking I am going to bolt them to the cargo staps on the side. Then I can slide them for and aft based on gear in the bed so I can still see the campsite to setup camp.

 

Wow, very nice!!! Good job on the truck.

On another note, I wouldnt buy a truck at the lot that the red truck was on....on the window sticker it said "DRT Offroad package $9995," if they cant read TRD on the back of the truck I dont think I would be doing buisness with them!!!!!!

 

Hey John, your rig is looking great. What kind of bedmat did you get? Factory or aftermarket?

 

I went with the OEM one. It is really cool and says "Tacoma" on it. Actually I got it because the price wasnt much higher than other, didnt require trim to fit, and has cutouts for the D-rings. PM Tacozilla and get a quote.

 

Looking good John.

How is that DICE unit working?

 

Its working great... I love that thing.. .much better than CD's

 

Thanks, I will have to do that. Right now I have a 1/4" sheet of hardibacker board in there so that my dog can ride back there.

 

Update:

Most of the parts are here and I started goofing under the hood yesterday trying to find room for the air pump and dual remote filter setup. I can get them both on the pass side between the air intake and the firewall. I made a cardboard mockup of the mounting bracket I need for the airpump. It will bolt to the 3 studs that most tacos have their ABS attached to. It moves the compressor as far as I can from the fenderwall, which is where the remote filter setup will mount. Its going to be tight overthere but oh well.. I took the carboard mockup into the local machine shop yesterday and for $15 I got a nice piece of aluminum cut how I need it. I need to stop by a hardware store today and get a doublenut in whatever thread that is on the ABS studs, since one sits about 3/4" lower than the other two. Then in the next few days I'll start bolting it all up. I havent yet ordered the blue sea fuse box, but will here in a few days.

 

I called to check the price on the toyota tool box at the dealership today, and they had a demo one in stock, they are asking $450 so I put my name on it. Going to go check it out tomorrow, and see how "like new" it is, but thats a killer price, retail is 599.

 

Busy day today.. .wasn't planning on wrenching so much, but the weather was nice and the daughter enjoyed chilling in the bed as I worked....



Started the day by pickup up a Toyota tool box, demo model so I got a GREAT deal on it... That led me to working on my backup lights. I had the Toyota cargo cross bars, but wasn't impressed with them so I returned them and applied the credit to the tool box. I am pretty happy with where the backup lights are now, they are attached to the cargo tie downs, which makes them movable and easily removable, while retaining the functionally of the tie towns. I still have to wire them up, but wanted to make sure I liked the location first.



Then I have been needing to do the bypass install so I can change my oil. But that also meant doing the air compressor at the same time, because they are going to live in the same corner, and its a tight corner. So I got out the plate I had made last week for the compressor. It bolts to the 3 studs that are normally for the ABS, but thats to the TRAC I don't have that... The 3rd stud sits lower, so I got a 8mm nut and a connector nut. Worked perfectly, the nut and connector nut came up to the same level as the fwd two studs. The bottom nut was there to lock the connector nut into place. I then marked the compressors location and removed the plate, drilled and installed the compressor and put it back. I then started on the dual remote filtration mount. I mounted it to the fender, which has limited access to the back side, but I figured out if I removed the intake and moved the washer fluid reservoir I could stick my arm in the intake hole and put fender washers and nuts on the back of the mount bolts. I then started working on the hose adapter and the fittings, then worked the hose lengths, buttoned everything up and started filling the filters, almost 2 quarts to fill them both. I did have to modify the engine cover, but nothing difficult. Everything fits in there pretty nice, I need to wire and plumb the air compressor, but the mounting was the hardest part to figure out.

 

Very nice job and excellent documentation (and cute daughter)!

 

thanks.... she is great

 

Nice job with the plate and compressor! Where are you looking to mount your air tank?

 

is your warranty voided with the oil bypass system u set up?

 

hey all, im a newbie just looking for some ideas, you all have some mean looking lil tacos. im looking for a midsize something (taco, fj, frontier) to replace my Z71 so ill be around a lot. nice trucks to all.

 

Thanks, I have decided not to go the airtank route. I feel I dont need it. I would need 7+ gals to make it worth-while. Right now it fills my OEM tires from 25-35 in less than 2 minutes, which isn't bad.


Nope, no reason it would. It keeps the oil cleaner than the stock filter does, and cleaner oil is better oil

 

Really good write-up John... your daughter is cute as a button... looks like she really digs the yota... if you were to put a piece of bed mat stuff against the tool box and another against the tailgate she would have a safe playpen for out on the trail...
Aviator

 

If something goes wrong and causes a loss of oil to the motor though, and there is any possible way that Toyota can pin it on the remote filter.... You will be out some big $$$ for a new engine. Logic doesn't always apply, although you're right that it doesn't void your warranty automatically (nothing does, in theory). Amsoil's answer doesn't mean ☺☺☺☺ when a Toyota rep iis facing paying out for a problem.