TL;DR - Couldn't be happier. I was considering getting some CVJs to replace my CVs, but I don't think I will anymore.
Leave a CommentCategory: Rig Review Section
TL;DR - The 12V power cord has a design flaw. ARB is good about standing behind their warranty however, and sent me a new one.
Leave a Comment
TL;DR - The wheels are awesome and the bronze is a great color IMO. It does not however hold up to brake fluid that sits on the paint for an extended period of time.
Leave a Comment
TL;DR - It's more valuable than I'd given it credit for. Mine is a little "sticky" going up and down - likely a result of how I store it.
Leave a Comment
TL;DR - The new rack works just fine, but I have no idea if it's preventing bed cracking until I take it off.
Leave a Comment
TL;DR - the dual battery system is working amazingly great. It was extremely nice to not have to worry about powering the fridge, even when the overnight temps were in the 50°F's.
Leave a Comment
TL;DR - If you don't carry a small 2'x3' door mat for the bottom of your tent ladder, or in front of your tent, you should. Keeps the tent clean and is a great mat to work on when something goes wrong with the truck.
Leave a Comment
TL;DR - One of my 13WL brake calipers seized on the trail and had to be replaced. The issue was that Napa no longer carries a workable caliper, and the 13WL caliper really wants a hard brake line connection, which Tacoma banjo bolts don't offer. I'll be switching out my lines.
Leave a Comment
TL;DR - The question for me when it comes to recovery tracks is, are they worth it? For me, I think the answer is still "not yet," but I'm more on the fence than I've been in the past.
Leave a Comment
TL;DR - I think I often overlook the little stuff that I take on trips that just does its job, or that may not be used every trip, but is really handy when the time comes. A few of those things saved the day this time and I think it's worth highlighting their value.
Leave a Comment
TL;DR - After rebooting my CV axles with Toyota OEM boot kits, I am extremely happy. I think this is absolutely the best way to go - even better than custom boots or extended boots from CVJ or doing the boot slide mod.
Leave a Comment
TL;DR - I recommend running front suspension with as little pre-load as possible. Having removed about a third of the pre-load from my ADS setup for this trip, the ride was much better and the suspension felt like it was able to work in situations where it was previously hitting full-droop.
Leave a Comment
TL;DR - I found solutions for both the wind screens and keeping the bottom of the grill clean of drippings. I really like this stove now.
Leave a Comment
To get the tent all squared away, I purchased some Gear Aid (previously McNett) Zip Care Cleaner and Lubricant. It's probably some expensive scam for what it is, but I spread it on the zipper and it was like magic. I'm not sure how often I'll need to reapply it - but with 2 oz. of this stuff, I've got plenty to last quite a while.
Leave a Comment
Perfect. Thanks Bobby. 
TL;DR - I replaced the rainfly on the CVT Mt. Shasta tent with one that had no Stargazer windows. It is so much better, and now dries (relatively) quickly when it gets wet.
Leave a Comment
TL;DR - I found two cracks in the bed of the truck, likely from the weight of the RTT bouncing around up there. I'll need to fix them and come up with a way to reduce/change the stresses in the future.
Leave a Comment
Igor on the left, the Tacoma on the right.
TL;DR - To solve the problem with mud being flung everywhere with my SCS wheels that stuck out past the fender flares, I installed some new-to-me 1999 4Runner wheels on the truck, which sit under the fender flare. This solved the mud issue, but introduced a slight incompatibility with my new ADS front suspension - the tires rub on the shock reservoirs at full lock.
Leave a Comment
Not only functional, but they look good too!
TL;DR - the ADS setup is working great. We didn't do much dirt travel this time, but what little we did do was no problem at all. More to come in the future.
Leave a Comment
Those are a lot of promises in one marketing picture.
TL;DR - if you ever feel like your RTT mattress leaves a little something to be desired, don't buy a foam topper to try to increase it's thickness. Get an Exped MegaMat Duo 10 LXW. You won't regret it even though it's pricey - this is the most comfortable sleeping experience I've ever had.
Leave a Comment
The zipper for the rubber cover got dirty (muddy, not dusty) and that made it really hard to get closed. I'm going to clean it well, and then keep an eye on it over time, since I've never had an issue with it before.
Leave a Comment