Scott B.'s 2015 Tacoma AC Build - Expo Style

Tailgate Reinforcement

Between all I've read about the Tacoma tailgates easily bending, and sitting on the uncomfortable ribbed plastic tailgate cover, I decided to upgrade the tailgate cover.

Looking around, I found Mobtown Offroad was having a sale. I ordered the tailgate reinforcement skin and cap. I did not order their hardware kit, as I had some leftover rivnuts from my sleeping platform install as well as the installation tool.

Here are the parts, as delivered

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And the mounting hardware - pan head 1/4-20 bolts, rivnuts, backing washers

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To begin, remove everything from the tailgate, including the plastic nuts the cover screws go into. All the nut holes get drilled out to accept the rivnuts. I also cleaned all the dirt/dust out of the tailgate.

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The tailgate skin came with some insulation tape, but not enough to cover the entire tailgate. I finished the job with some pipe insulation tape I had on hand. I also put some sound deadening on the inside of the tailgate. At the very least, it makes the tailgate sound less tinny when closing.

Here, the rivnuts are installed.

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I have been using a Bedrug tailgate rug, and wanted to use it with the new skin. However, it did not want to mount the same way. I ended up sewing bias tape on the top edge (it did not have any from the factory) and sewing Velcro to the back of the Bedrug, and sticking Velcro to the tailgate skin.

Works great!

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Skid Plates, cont.

I had to modify the transfer case skid plate with the new exhaust. As you can see from the pictures, the main (combined) exhaust pipe doesn't get to the right side of the vehicle until the back of the cab, so the relief cut in the PelfryBilt skid plate was in the wrong place.

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And a nice view of all 3 plates, clean and oiled. Obviously, this didn't last long...

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Headrest Mod

The headrests on the front seats have (had) a very forward lean. I assume it is a new government regulation "designed to keep us safe" in the event of an accident. (Not going to debate the merits of government regulations...)

The problem, however, is since I like to keep the seatback in a fairly vertical position (the upright seatback is much safer than a reclined seatback in an accident) the headrest pushed my head forward when driving - very uncomfortable. I have read others complaining about the same thing.

The solution was quite simple - bend them back a few degrees. OK, easier said than done. The headrest frame is quite strong. However, by clamping the vertical support in a vice, and carefully putting all my weight into it, I was able to bend each leg, and re-position the rests to a more upright position.

In this picture, the driver side seat has been re-positioned, the passenger side has not.

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Transmission Cooling, Part 1

Heat and dirt kill automatic transmissions. Our trucks have small external coolers and minimal filtration. In an effort to extend the service life of my transmission, especially since I tow a trailer off-road, I made a couple of simple changes/improvements to Toyota's sealed transmission system.

Part 1 replaces the factory transmission oil cooler with a much larger one. The larger cooler has a greatly increased fluid cooling capacity, which will yield lower operating temperatures. Permanent internal damage to an automatic transmission can start to occur at a fluid temperature of 220 degrees, and does occur at a temperature of 240 degrees. Towing a trailer, slow going off-road, even sitting in traffic all load the transmission, which increases fluid temperature. Aside from decreasing the load on the transmission, the best way to lower the fluid temperature is to increase the size of the cooler.

Here you can see the factory cooler (under the horns)

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I picked up a bigger cooler from Derale

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To mount the new cooler, I fabricated mounting brackets from aluminum flat bar. I used one factory threaded hole, and drilled three new holes.

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Testing the cooler fit

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The finished product. I moved the horns to the passenger side.

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Plumbing was simple - a direct replacement of the factory cooler plumbing. I just used the longer hose that came with the new cooler.

Unfortunately, I do not have my transmission temperature gauge plumbed and wired yet, so I don't know exactly how much cooler the fluid is.
 
Transmission Cooling, Part 1

Heat and dirt kill automatic transmissions. Our trucks have small external coolers and minimal filtration. In an effort to extend the service life of my transmission, especially since I tow a trailer off-road, I made a couple of simple changes/improvements to Toyota's sealed transmission system.
If not so originally equipped, IMHO this should be one of the first performance modifications to make to an off-road truck.
 
ABS OFF (Kill) Switch

I have done a lot reading on the forums about the Tacoma's something-to-be-desired ABS system. While never having had an issue with it (yet), I decided to install a kill switch anyway.

I procured a switch from Air On Board to fit in the center console (next to the USB/Aux stereo port). Since my truck does not have VSC and the electric locker, I was able to do this mod the easy way - all I had to do was break the green wire. However, the switch was not a simple open/closed switch. I decided to use a relay.

Simply put, +12V goes to the switch. When pushed, the switch sends +12V to the relay, activating it. The green wire of the ABS is wired across the relay, in the NC (normally closed) position. Switch off, relay closed, ABS functions. Switch on, relay open, ABS circuit open, ABS do not function. As an added bonus, I tapped into the light circuit to illuminate the logo on the switch when the lights are on.

First thing to do was find the green wire:

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As you can see, for 2015, the IA4 connector is now white, instead of blue.

I cut the ABS wire, and put connectors on the ends. The connectors serve 2 purposes - first, they allow quick and easy connection to the wires going to the relay. Second, they allow me to reconnect the green wire, to back to stock.

Next, I built a wiring harness:

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The green connector to the right goes to the switch. The black piece at the top is the relay, plugged into a yellow socket. The other wires are power, lights and ground. The ABS green wires attach to the short light blue connectors coming off the relay.

Hook up the wires and pop the switch in:

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Simple and works great.

OK, simple yes - but it took a few hours to complete. Everything I have read about this did not include a 2015 truck - so I guessed about the wire. Once I cut it, I spent time verifying it was the correct wire. Building the wiring harness took some time, too - I wanted the wires to be the correct length, so that meant multiple trips between the workbench and under the dash. And then tie-wrapping everything in place.

One more project off the list!!!!!
 
Flags

Like most of you, I peruse build threads. I get a lot of ideas from them, and either use (steel?) them directly, or modify the idea for my use. I know - we all do that.

That being said, I've seen this mod on many other trucks, and really, really like it.

So, thanks to the folks at Far North by Design, I have a set of matte black die-cut American flag stickers on my doors - and they look great!

Before:

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I used the infamous blue tape to position the flags. The tape made it fairly easy to place the flags in the same position on each door.

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Here it is!

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Close up:

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And the passenger side:

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They look great!
 
The truck looked great at the Rendezvous Scott - thanks for you and the wife for coming. Your work on the truck sets an all new high for meticulous craftsmanship.
 
The truck looked great at the Rendezvous Scott - thanks for you and the wife for coming. Your work on the truck sets an all new high for meticulous craftsmanship.

Thanks, Tim. We had a great time, as always!

I've learned over the years, to take my time and do it right - it pays off in the long run.

Oh, and Happy Birthday!
 
Raising the Roof

I originally purchased a cab-hi shell thinking that it provide enough room inside and decent aerodynamics outside - the best of both worlds, if you will.

Unfortunately, with the sleeping platform in the bed, inside room was compromised. There was room for gear, and actually enough room to sleep (but not sit up). But, there was not a lot of excess room, and the low top of the door limited any large objects fitting back there.

A friend of ours bought a 2016 Tacoma and put a hi-rise shell on their truck. After seeing it, and contemplating a while, the ARE went up for sale and a SnugTop was put on order.

I am a big fan of ARE products, and initially looked at their hi-rise model. I also looked at Leer models. Each had minor details that I didn't care for. I looked at SnugTop, and decided that it was the way go.

Unfortunately, the closet dealer was 8 hours away, in Missouri. Decided to go with one anyway - if I am changing the shell, I may as well get exactly what I really want. Besides, what's an 8 hour drive? I travel west once or twice a year, so I am not exactly un-familiar with driving...

Before the trip to pick up the shell, I had to prep the truck. Remove the shell, and remove the sleeping platform. It is amazing how much desert dust accumulated under the platform. I need to seal the tailgate better...

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Taking weight off the back end allowed the springs to relax more, raising the truck an inch or two.

Here it is, at Mid-America Truck Tops. The owner told me he has sold toppers to someone in every state east of the Mississippi. I guess I'm not the only crazy one!

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These folks were great to work with. I ordered the shell over the phone, they stored it for a month-ish until I was able to get up there to pick it up, and the installation was a breeze.

Another view:

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Overall, I am very happy with the new shell. It makes the truck look "bigger".

Now, to re-install the sleeping platform...
 
Ceiling Straps

Occasionally, while carrying things in the back of the truck, I have thought it would be nice to keep some items up against the ceiling - mainly to keep them from getting tossed around and damaged. I have seen multiple ideas as to how to accomplish this feat - here is my way.

I wanted something simple - just a couple of adjustable straps along the ceiling. I can put undelfated sleeping pads up there, or fishing rods or my PVC target stands. Nothing too heavy, just bulky things.

Start with the obvious - how to attach to the roof. I have Yakima tracks through-bolted through the roof. But, the bolt spacing is not quite right for what I want to do.

I fabricated some mounting plates out of 1/8" aluminum:

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Test fit:

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Paint, and straps made of 2" webbing. (For those wondering, I purchased the webbing in bulk, footman loops and buckles from Strapworks.com.)

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The result

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Transmission Cooling and Filtering, Part II

Earlier, I added a larger cooler to the transmission. Toyota installed a cooler, but as I offroad and tow, both of which build a lot of heat in the transmission, I wanted to increase the cooling ability. Heat kills a transmission, and I want mine to last a long time.

Likewise, dirty fluid also kills a transmission. Toyota has a screen (not really a filter) in the pan, but I wanted more. I added an external filter to the transmission.

I used a standard filter mount. The brass piece sticking out of the left side is a temperature sender for the soon-to-be-mounted transmission temperature gauge.

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While I was here, I pulled the pan and replaced the screen.

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I mounted the filter next to the passenger side headlight. I plumbed the filter in the cooling line with the fluid traveling from the transmission to the cooler. This allows me to monitor the hot temperature in the transmission, rather than the nominal temperature in the pan.

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And lastly, I put a magnet on the filter, to help contain any metallic particulate matter in the fluid.

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I plan to change this filter every 15,000 - 20,000 miles, when I do a fluid drain/fill.
 
I've been busy working on several projects for the truck (write-ups to follow) as well as re-tiling a bathroom floor.

Earlier this week, we had some unseasonably warm weather for Georgia. Taking a break from the bathroom floor, and taking advantage of the weather, we headed to a friend's place in middle Georgia with the teardrop for an overnight shooting/camping adventure.

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Good friends, good food, and shooting! Doesn't get any better than that!
 
Sliders

The saga of my sliders. Well, yes and no. I had intended to install sliders as one of the very first mods to the truck. It didn't quite work out that way...

Shortly after taking delivery of the truck (and probably even before that), I spent countless hours reading on this forum about sliders. I learned of every manufacturer, of every style/design, of every everything. I perused all the information, compared one to the other against my intended use, all with the idea of finding the ultimate (for me) slider. Sure, we all do that, right?

After all that, I decided on the All-Pro HD Sliders. (At the time, they manufactured 3 levels of sliders - I don't think they do anymore.) I liked the frame mounting system, mounting to both the side and bottom of the frame rail. I also liked the appearance, and the weight of steel used in the construction. These met the approval of the engineer in me - not to say anything bad about any of the other designs.

I saved my pennies and ordered a set. When they showed up, they were not exactly what I ordered. More importantly, they did not have the proper business address on them, and the UPS guy almost did not deliver them. Additionally, the mounting hardware box looked like it had been through the ringer - I doubt that is how it left the manufacturer. :(

Here is a picture of the sliders, as delivered:

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I did not order the fill plates, and was not sure I liked them. However, given the cost of shipping, I decided not to worry about it. I think I can learn to like them. (Spoiler alert - I did. I really like them, and they protect the truck paint too!)

As life happens, several months went by before I got around to do the initial fitment to the truck. I knew going into this that several holes needed to be drilled in the frame, so any excuse could be used to procrastinate that task.

I get the frame marked and drilled. I also determine that I can use 3 (1 on the driver's side, 2 on the passenger side) factory welded nuts on the frame. I have to modify a hole on the slider, but no big deal. I have to get some metric hardened bolts. I am starting to see that these are not exactly "just bolt right on"...

Here, you can see the slider held in its mounted position:

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Here, you can see the mount to the frame, front to rear:

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A couple more holes on the slider need slight adjustment. Again, no big deal. The big deal is how to bolt the front of the sliders to the frame. (The 3 holes in the first picture, above.) See, behind each hole in the slider is a huge opening in the frame - way too big for a nut and fender washer.

After thinking on this for a while (remember, months are passing) I came up with a simple solution. I welded nuts on backing plates. Simple, and I got to use my welder!

Here are the plates I made:

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The large ones slide into the boxed section of frame, and the small ones slide into the transmission crossmember.

One more issue. Since I started this project, I replaced my exhaust system, which allowed me to mount my PelfreyBilt transfer case skid plate. Unfortunately, both the sliders and skid plate mount to the underside of the frame. This solution was easy. I cut a notch out of the under-frame part of the slider mount. Crisis averted.

There were still 2 questions I hadn't answered yet. One, how to prep the metal for finish, and two, how to finish the metal. I ruled out powder coating because it would be difficult to repair - I am sure these will get scratched. I went 'round and 'round between epoxy paint, frame coating, Line-X, and truck bed coating. I settled on Rustoleum Truck Bed Coating. Working backwards, I decided to prep the metal myself as opposed to having it blasted. Again, when repairing the finish, I will be doing it and not blasting it, so I figured it was not worth it. I really did not want to wire brush these things! I selected another Rustoleum product - Krud Kutter Metal Clean & Etch. I must say, I was pleasantly surprised! This product is great! It easily cleaned all the gunk off the metal - even light rust. And, it was fast!

Here is everything all cleaned up (drying in the sun):

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Temperature is in the low 60s - let's start painting! (Finally :rolleyes:) Two coats of Rustoleum self-etching primer in my outdoor spray booth...

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For the finish coat, I used Rustoleum gloss black on both sides of the frame mounting part, and Truck Bed Coating (TBC) on the rest. Since the TBC is textured, it will probably hold dirt. The gloss will clean easier, and not hold dirt between the mount and the frame (at least that's the idea).

So now I am playing a waiting game with the weather. I spray, and let it dry, and have to wait for warm enough temperatures to continue the process. It took about 2 weeks, but everything got painted - 2 coats:

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On the truck!!!!! :stars

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And a view from the bottom:

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So, after making custom mounts, modifying mounting holes (both off and on the truck), multiple trips to the hardware store for more Grade 8 bolts/nuts/washers, and waiting on the weather, they are finally on the truck. And they look good. Really good.

The other half says they "finish the truck". They hide the pinch weld and visually clean up the bottom of the truck body.

I like them. They follow the lines of the truck, and don't stick out too much. The fill plates give a very different appearance - it makes the sliders look trimmer. And I really like the textured TBC finish. So far, it has proven very durable (they get used as a step...)

I can't wait to try them out in the woods!
 
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