January 3, 2018 When I got my Alcan leaf pack, I knew it was top quality. I really liked how the guys at Alcan asked what I wanted from the pack, as far as "every day" weight in the back, as well as "loaded" weight for adventures. So far, I've…
2 CommentsTag: mechanical
Modifications to the truck's mechanical systems - drive train, brakes, etc.
Before leaving JT's Parts & Accessories, I'd gotten the rundown from Jared and Chris on how to best break in the gears they'd just installed. Essentially, it boiled down to what gear manufacturers recommended as well... Break in Procedure New gear sets MUST be broken in correctly to prevent damage.…
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December 6, 2017. Over the last 17 years, the truck has been amazing. Truly a joy every time I get in it, work on it, or even just get all googly-eyed looking at it. But, as we've started bigger and longer adventures, and turned it into an adventure truck as…
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December 4, 2017. Having recently installed bigger-than-stock tires, it was of course clear that I needed to do something to get them to fit up front, even before I get my new wheels installed... I mean, they didn't rub when driving on perfectly level ground which was nice, but pair…
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October 28, 2017 New brakes nearly installed, I waited anxiously to see how the replacement brake line that Steve @Wheeler's Off Road sent was mailed - was it fast, or would it be slow? It was great - he sent it 1-day and I had it Saturday morning. Not only…
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If you're here looking for how to install Tundra 13WL or 13WE brakes on a 1st gen Tacoma, you can read how I did it on this particular day, but the more useful page for you will probably be this guide: Step by Step Tundra Brake Upgrade on a Tacoma…
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Post by BigFishAllDay, circa 2011. Captured here for posterity, given the wealth of info the post contains. For my Tundra Brake Upgrade, see New-to-me Tires and a Tundra Brake Upgrade. I’m in the process of doing the 231mm Tundra Brake Upgrade and I realized while I was searching for information on the…
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October 13, 2017. Two wise men once told me: If you're going to get bigger tires, then you should consider bigger wheels at the same time. Because with bigger wheels, you can fit Tundra brakes. So yeah, these showed up today... When they did, the UPS guy said, "Were you…
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September 09, 2017. With a low mile truck that's been stored in ideal (covered, underground) conditions it's entire life, maintenance for me has been minimal. With regular oil changes (done at the dealer until 2016) and services, I've pretty much done nothing. But the last couple years have seen more…
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July 15, 2017. The truck has always had a bit of rake, with the rear being ~2-3” higher than the front. And I like it that way - it looks good. Until the constant weight of the bed rack and CVT, the combination of stock leafs, Deaver AALs, and air…
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It seems like just about everyone does this mod sooner or later, and I chose a little later. 17 years a little later. The fact that we have to do this mod at all is a bit unfortunate. Designers at Toyota placed a breather for the rear differential right on…
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June 12, 2016 Epic journey behind us, it was time to find out what was wrong with the engine and get it fixed. Step 1: Read the error code. To do that, I bought a Kiwi3 OBDII adapter and the DashCommand app. Error code P0131 - which in mechanic-speak is…
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July 26, 2013. We're headed home from work, just about to get on the freeway and I push the clutch in to change gears. The clutch never comes up. I reach down while trying to keep an eye on the road, squirm my fingers behind the pedal, and physically pull…
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