It's been another few months, and more than half a dozen trips! As usual, the Tacoma has performed well, though it's certainly starting to show its age in a few places... mostly having to do with the emissions system. Of course, these summer months - and trips - were also the only time of year that the Tacoma is at tome here in the Pacific Northwest, and as such, the best time to perform any preventative maintenance and modifications that will carry it through the winter and into next spring. As such, in addition to the items that I've mentioned…
10 CommentsCategory: Rig Reviews
TL;DR - I've started seeing P0420 and P0466 check engine lights (CELs) as often as once a day on trips.
Easy to clear but still annoying.
TL;DR - The lithium system provides so much more power than I know what to do with, that I find myself turning off the charger so that the battery has a chance to cycle below 90%. The cabinet that I built is good, but needs a few updates.
This battery is a beast.
TL;DR - I've needed to rebuild my front coilovers for a few months now but have procrastinated the job since it's rather time consuming. However, when I heard my front lower spherical bearings starting to make noise, I knew I couldn't put it off any longer.
Time for a rebuild.
TL;DR - The spot where my NMO ham radio antenna mount punches through the roof has been rusting for years. I think this was due to poor design of my original antenna. I've cleaned up and repainted the roof, and I think the antenna I use now will not cause the same problem again.
"Factory"-ish.
TL;DR - I had driveline vibes that I thought were a result of the center carrier bearing, but I now think were due to a bad u-joint. Both were replaced and the vibes are gone.
U-joint. aka "little f#ckers."
TL;DR - I tried to swap back to my OEM Tacoma seats because I wanted their functionality, but it only lasted one trip; the scheel-mann are way more comfortable.
Original TL;DR - I'm swapping out my scheel-mann seats and going back to the originals. Their functionality (sliding, folding) is better, and they weren't that much less comfortable.
Back to stock seats.
Nevermind.
TL;DR - I replaced my greaseable SPC upper ball joints with the "lifetime" variant that SPC now offers. I'm not sure I believe that it's a lifetime part, but time will tell.
How can a ball joint never go bad?
It's hard to believe that another several months have passed since the last rig review! Since then, there've been several more trips, including a couple that were more hiking than driving and one that was our first time backpacking, for 5 days, through Upper Grand Gulch. That trip spawned a whole new kind of "rig" (equipment) review, so if you haven't had a chance to check those out and are curious, please do: The remainder of the trips were of the more traditional type, exercising the Tacoma in addition to our legs, and putting the gear we use to the…
2 Comments
TL;DR - I continue to get better gas mileage with the new 5th gear. Still collecting data.
Every tank lasts longer than it used to. Barely.
TL;DR - A loose alignment cam led me to discover that my SPC Upper Ball Joints (UBJs) are toast. Luckily, the alignment cam was an easy on-the-trail fix, and the UBJs could wait until I got home.
Someone's front end looks a little off.
TL;DR - Almost all of the electrical wiring I've done in the last 7 years has used shitty wire that needs to be replaced.
Copper Clad Aluminum. Over time, turns to wire powder. Wish someone had told me that earlier.
![I've Worn Out My TPS (Throttle Position Sensor) [P0120 Check Engine Light]](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54550578694_197ca25c09_c.jpg "I've Worn Out My TPS (Throttle Position Sensor) [P0120 Check Engine Light]")
TL;DR - I'm not doing anything yet, but having gotten a few P0120 check engine lights, I think I've worn out my Throttle Position Sensor.
This little bugger is starting to cause trouble.
![My Cats are Empty [P0420 Check Engine Light]](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54550567999_6bda364eed_c.jpg "My Cats are Empty [P0420 Check Engine Light]")
TL;DR - I've been getting P0420 check engine lights for a while now. I'm not planning to do anything about it for the time being.
This is annoying, but I can live with it to not put a new catalytic converter in.
Our first backpack - a somewhat crazy introduction to physically carrying all of our gear - through the Grand Gulch from Government Trail to Kane Gulch could have gone horribly wrong, but it didn't! I generally recommend getting started with whatever you already own and then buying what you discover you need when you're out on trips. But boy, if we don't look like a walking REI ad the first time out. In fact, I'd say that overall, it was a smashing success. At the very least, it was a success, and there was some smashing. Luckily, that smashing was…
12 Comments
TL;DR - We loved this water filter. It made some pretty nasty looking water look and taste like home!
Magic water filter.
TL;DR - We got the wrong tent. It has been returned.
This tent didn't work out.
TL;DR - Quest protein bars were a "fine" breakfast, but the Crispy Cookies and Cream were the only ones I'd buy again.
More satisfying than we expected; still a bit like sawdust.
TL;DR - The Jetboil Zip was amazing. It boils water quickly and doesn't use much fuel. It is light and packs conveniently.
Compact convenience.
TL;DR - Very few of these rehydrated properly, even with boiling water and extra time. Next time, we'll probably try something different.
Crunchy, but not in a good way.