Time for a NAS Defender buddy.This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
Time for a NAS Defender buddy.This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
So last weekend I finally had a chance to really test the limits of the Tacoma (well, not really, but still my first time out in this level of trail). It was alot of fun and I really enjoyed it. Managed to get the Tacoma stuck a few times, this one was pretty fun. It looks waaay worse than it actually was though (just because of all the mud spraying up haha!)
Pretty easy to pull out, just need a little tug and we were on our way again..
Some clips from the day out...
Shortly after the part where we were stuck, I was coming around a sharper corner and the rear wheel had lifted slightly, as I came down I landed ontop of a chunk of ice that was seemingly indestructible. It left a small 2" dent on the lower rocker, can't even see it unless you really crouch down. After some back and forth deciding if I wanted to fix I figured I'd just do a little touch up paint on the spot and then leave it. I'll be covering it soon anyways with sliders.
DSC05370 by Spencer, on Flickr
DSC05383 by Spencer, on Flickr
I was also out there shooting some work for a company called MORRFlate. I'm really happy about this one because it's starting to feel like this could become a full-time type of thing someday, doing photo and video work for companies, etc.!
Here's a few shots and a video I put together.
A few more recent shots by @The CarCreative (www.instagram.com/thecarcreative)
DSC05405 by Spencer, on Flickr
My RTT also arrived!!
I like all of this a lot. Man years ago I did the "jeep safari" think in vegas, and had a blast, and the guide had something like that morrflate device to do all four tires at the same time. Blew my mind, but makes so much sense.
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Interested to hear more on MORRFlate. Price? Quality? Get any deals??
Are you using the factory hook for recovery, or did you add something specific?
It came to $179 USD for the Morrflate + $40 USD shipping, but thankfully no additional duties or taxes upon arrival. Shipped via Canada Post and arrived within 7 days after in my community mailbox. I'm actually really happy with the quality because of one specific reason. When you look at hoses and stuff like this, (and before I was pricing out a DIY kit and making it myself and the price was starting to get up there above $100 with the fittings and hose, and I hadn't found a gauge that would work) alot of the hoses were that hard type of hose. Not even sure the name, but it's way stiffer. I wasn't sure what to expect but when I got it I was really surprised how light weight and loose the hose is. It reminds me of a very flexible type of rubber if that makes any sense LOL...... Very easy to maneuver it around the truck, no problems getting things lining up with the valve stems, very easy to neatly loop the hose back up after. (I thought it would never fit back into the bag after I opened it lol)This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
Sorry this probably sounds stupid but TLDR; Hose came in and whatever it's made of, makes such a nice difference.
Yup we just used the factory tow hook on the front (open loop) BUT we used a soft rope shackles and a kinetic recovery strap, from these guys here: https://www.gemstoneoffroad.com/This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
Picked up some sequential turn signals for the mirrors. Install was the easiest I've done so far, only took about 5 minutes each side! Very happy with them and how they now match the headlights turn signals!!
If you've got a few minutes to check out the video I did and leave a comment, I would be very thankful!
We also had an awesome day out in Banff this past weekend too driving the Tacoma! I'm reminded especially on highway drives into the mountains how much I enjoy this truck. Just feels so solid cruising through the mountains and pulling over to check out the views.
DSC05547 by SHPIXX, on Flickr
DSC05473 by SHPIXX, on Flickr
DSC05538 by SHPIXX, on Flickr
DSC05511 by SHPIXX, on Flickr
DSC05549 by SHPIXX, on Flickr
Lookin sharp!
Been a while since any updates here, things have been busy! Hope you guys are having a nice Christmas / Holiday time!!
With the recent dump of snow I was pretty stoked to take the Tacoma out in the deep stuff to see how it performed. I found the General Grabber A/Tx's made easy work of the snow, but as expected, significantly less performance on ice! The added weight on the back with the bed racks, tent, and new rotopax I found made a nice difference in just helping gain traction from a stop / slow speed. You definitely need to turn traction completely off though before you head into any super deep stuff. It felt wrong to have a truck and not use it so the day of that storm I was out the whole day helping cars that were stuck. Only needed to pull two cars out though, I tried using the recovery board and such as much as I could (and they actually did a fantastic job!)
DSC05947 by Spencer, on Flickr
New Rotopax, 7.5L each, they're way heavier than expected!
DSC05961 by Spencer, on Flickr
DSC05987 by Spencer, on Flickr
DSC06013 by Spencer, on Flickr
DSC05982 by Spencer, on Flickr
Good call on turning off traction control. @killramos needed that tip.
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Not enabled in 4Lo my friend.This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
Do Fords even have transfer cases?
Originally posted by Thales of Miletus
If you think I have been trying to present myself as intellectually superior, then you truly are a dimwit.
Originally posted by Toma
fact.This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
Cool video
@Kijho , where did you get your SCS wheels? Assume you got an OK price on them shipped to you? I saw them new in a box so assume you purchased yourself.
Hey, I got directly from SCS in the US and shipped them up (Montana to DYK to save a bit on shipping etc.) but they also hooked me up with a pretty good deal in exchange for some photography work.This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
I think Krave here in Calgary might be the only distributor local or nearby, I know they (sometimes) have some stock, I usually hear from people getting some from them. But otherwise, back when I bought the wheels at the start of 2020, there wasn't such crazy long wait times and price increases.. I guess just global impacts and such, my suspension took 4 months delay to buy this year haha all due to shipping and market conditions.
Which SCS wheels do you like??
The past few months of camping & road-trips with the Tacoma have been so awesome, forgot to post many photos or updates here, but here's a bit of a photo-dump of some recent happenings..
Started the season off with some -4C camping, that was a bit of a shock to begin with but I slowly got better and better prepared, meanwhile the weather also got way nicer
DSC07236 by Spencer, on Flickr
The trail in. The truck was still on stock suspension in this, and maybe this photo doesn't quite do justice, but this particular section was enough to slide down rubbing against the sliders
DSC01618 by Spencer, on Flickr
We had some really nice nights camping..
DSC08031 by Spencer, on Flickr
Bought these $20 string lights off Amazon. Each trip, 1 more light would burn out They were incandescents, so the filament would break just from transport. Swapped out for the same thing off Amazon again $20 but LED's and they worked much better.
DSC08138 by Spencer, on Flickr
Inside our tent
DSC08254 by Spencer, on Flickr
Camping at Dinosaur
DSC08302 by Spencer, on Flickr
Then after a 5 months wait (due to back-order on the leaf springs from Australia) suspension arrived! Dobinson MRR completely kit, light/medium duty springs, 2" lift.
KRave June 2021-7206 by Spencer, on Flickr
DSC08429 by Spencer, on Flickr
TLDR on the Suspension;
- When fully loaded up with all the camping gear weight in the back, the truck drives significantly and noticeably smoother, especially highway speeds over bumps. Going over bridge joists doesn't upset the overall steering anymore whatsoever, while before, that was a noticeable dislike.
- Slow speed manoeuvring is alot more comfortable, almost a floating feeling going thru parking lots, over speed bumps, etc., no more rubbing anywhere also. I kept tire sizes at 265/75/16 but might upgrade.
Woke up the next day after suspension and drove to Vancouver Island - first time ever being there.
DSC08803 by Spencer, on Flickr
By this point we had everything pretty much down pact and dialed in for the Tacoma setup, and all the camping gear. Didn't forget a single thing (thanks to using a checklist) and we just camped around the island for a week pretty much, visited Tofino, Victoria, Pacific Rim, all the usual touristy places I guess, and we even ventured down a couple FSR's and I quickly learned the trails in BC have an abundance of growth, and when people say you'll get some pin-striping, they aren't joking haha...
DSC08850 by Spencer, on Flickr
DSC08620 by Spencer, on Flickr
DSC08956 by Spencer, on Flickr
DSC08950 by Spencer, on Flickr
The willow carwash is a mandatory feature on BC trails
Definintely time to get rid of the 265s!
Awesome editing