I've already picked up the replacement transfer case I'll be swapping in.
TL;DR - I need a new transfer case.
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It's amazing what a little metal glue can accomplish. This fix was a huge success.
TL;DR - I've put 10K miles on my reinforced axle housing and it's working great. I'm really in no rush for my new one to arrive.
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September 12, 2021. Whereas my previous update was several months in the making, it seems that I've already got several updates regarding the Tacoma after my trip to Canada and a few days in California, so let's get right down to it. Seemingly solved from previous Rig Reviews Relentless Skid Plate Attachment Hella HIDs fail to turn on, sometimes Unchanged / Still an issue from previous Rig Reviews There are some things that have been featured in Rig Reviews that are - as yet - unchanged from when I originally reviewed them. Rather than highlight those things again, I'll simply…
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To say I was not happy upon noticing this would be the understatement of the day.
TL;DR - My rear axle housing cracked at the passenger spring perch. I've ordered a new axle housing.
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Ready to protect the paint for another bunch-o-thousand miles.
TL;DR - Just a little bit of maintenance, replacing the insulator under the hood. Easy and done.
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The Accuterra maps I had with me (left) vs. some actually useful maps I should have downloaded (right). 
TL;DR - I got lazy with my offline maps this trip, since they've become so "easy" for me over the years, and it really bit me in the butt.
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In this photo, note the clearly defined beams of the fogs and Hellas, with a nice transitional area between the two. Additionally, note how much yellow light reaches the mountainside some quarter-mile away.
TL;DR - I love these lights.
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It's always fun to drill a square hole.
TL;DR - I finally got off my butt and fixed the skid plate by cutting a square hole so I can use a carriage bolt to secure it to the transmission crossmember, rather than the small welded ears that kept breaking off.
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The Hella's (and the related HID components) were never the actual problem.
TL;DR - My Hella's are working again, and the problem wasn't the Hella's or the HID upgrade at all. It was my Bussmann relay/fuse block.
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August 1, 2021. It's been a while since the last Rig Review. Since then, I've put five trips and 20K more miles on the Tacoma. It has - as always seems to be the case - been fantastic. Scouting Black Rock Desert (Apr 2021) Owyhee West (May 2021) Forty-One Miles of Mesa (May 2021) New Mexico Backcountry Discovery Route (Jun 2021) Smoke in the Sawtooths (Jul 2021) One Night at Mt. Rainier (Jul 2021) Let's do a quick rundown of things that are working well, and places that need a little TLC after the last bunch of miles. Seemingly solved…
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A few seconds with the grinder, and I've reduced the threaded section by 1/8" or so. Problem solved!
TL;DR - The NMO mount on my Ham Antenna was just a little too deep, and the antenna would contact the roof when it was tightened down, leading to rust. I've fixed that with a bit of judicious grinding.
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My first experience with the new chair was blissful.
TL;DR - I've traded in my low camp chair for a normal-height one. I'm liking it so far.
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Time for more new bushings.
TL;DR - Replacing my LCA bushings didn't resolve my squeaks. Time to start thinking about UCAs and rear leaf spring bushings.
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The dreaded leak. Perhaps I'll rebuild it once the new rack is installed.
TL;DR - I noticed on the NMBDR that the steering rack was leaking. I'm going to replace it with a new OEM Power Steering Rack (44250-35042)
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I'm not as happy with the HIDs in the Hellas as I was when I initially installed them.
TL;DR - My Hella's are working less and less now; I'm biding my time until the end of the year, when I hear that Diode Dynamics may have something fun coming.
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All the bushings I replaced.
TL;DR - All the new bushings I installed recently seem to be doing great.
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I definitely recommend genuine FKS bearings at -F1 tightness; not sure about the stainless steel variant yet.
TL;DR - The stainless steel bushings seem to be doing a bit better, but I'm not ready to say that they are the right way to go. Yet.
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Swapping seat bottoms isn't hard, and can eek a little more life out of existing seats at no cost.
TL;DR - After 21 years, my seats are worn out and I need to get new ones or refurbish the ones I've got.
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