asteffes' '06 Taco DC (because I want to be a cool kid, too.)

[asteffes]

I purchased my 2006 Toyota Tacoma in October of 2005. Factory specs:

Double cab, short bed configuration
4.0L V6 - 245 HP
5 speed automatic
SR5 trim package
TRD Off Road package
Towing hardware package
SnugTop SuperSport shell
Rubber bed mat

Goodies:
ARB bullbar
Superwinch EP9.0 winch
Winchline.com synthetic line w/safety thimble
BentUp sliders
Donahoe Racing suspension
BFG All Terrain T/A-KO tires, 265-75-16
Hella 80/100 watt headlamp bulbs
IPF 968 driving lamps
Garmin GPSMAP 276c GPS
Kenwood TM-V700A transceiver with Diamond NR770HB antenna
Husky Liner rubber floor mats
SilBlade FlexBlades silicone wipers


Anti-bling:
Decals and badges removed from body, shell and roofrack.

[asteffes]

Then, I took her wheelin' with UncleChris at Hollister OHV area. :)

[asteffes]

After removing the mudflaps and getting an oil change, I bought a GPS before a 3,000 mile trip from San Jose to Denver and back. My Garmin GPSMAP 276c, with Gilsson antenna on roof works exceptionally well. Updated pic of the permanent mount coming soon.

[flyingwil]

Looks good! BTW any one on this forum is a cool kid in my book!

Have you notived any glare or negative impact from your lights mounted uptop?

[asteffes]

Have you notived any glare or negative impact from your lights mounted uptop?

Glare isn't a problem. With the double cab, the lights are mounted waaaay far back. It would probably help to bump them up to 100 watt bulbs because of this. I have them mounted differently now, using Yakima hardware to make them easily removable. I don't leave them on full-time.

[datrupr]

Adam, very nice. Thanks for sharing. I really like the looks of the new Taco's. Keep it up and keep us posted. And I like Wil's question. Do you notice any glare, or are they set back far enough that the glare is pretty much removed?

[asteffes]

Thank you, Aaron. See my previous reply regarding the glare issue.

Other small modifications include:

Hella 80/100 watt H4 headlamp bulbs. The '05+ trucks have such good headlamp reflectors, with extremely sharp cutoffs, that it's a shame they don't offer xenon headlamps as an option. However, this bulb upgrade works *extremely* well and doesn't seem to offend oncoming traffic. I've tried it myself and they are no worse than xenon HID lamps on various European cars. $22 total cost, from rallylights.com

Husky Liner floor mats. I had to buy a set after seeing Chris'. The factory mats seem to soak up dirt like sponges. I got the front and rear Husky set and they are excellent.

[Ursidae69]

Wow, those 06s look nice. Modding it should be fun! :victory:

[asteffes]

Here's the GPS mount (idea courtesy of UncleChris' '05 Taco) and the roof antenna farm (magnetic NMO mount for 2m/440MHz transceiver, Gilsson GPS antenna and Delphi XM radio antenna.) Note that the external speaker is for the GPS' turn-by-turn directions feature, and will also be wired to a Kenwood dual-band transceiver in the near future.

[UncleChris]

Damn that looks good!

Now you just need to drill a hole in the roof for that antenna!

[flyingwil]

Damn that looks good!


Dito!

[asteffes]

I had to clean up the look of my truck a bit. I peeled off the large TRD and SnugTop decals. Still considering a complete sterilization (removing the rear and side badges.) One should blend in with one's natural surroundings when in the outback. :D

[Desertdude]

That is one nice truck! I like the GPS mount location - keeps the windsheild clean for view - next time I am out in CA I we will have to wheel..

I wanna see a photo of that roof drilling :Wow1:

[asteffes]

You'll have to ask Chris about the hole in his truck's roof. You won't ever find one on my truck. :D

[Scott Brady]

First modification was to install Thule roof rack tracks, towers and crossbars on the shell for attachment of ski carriers, cargo basket, lights and the like.

Sweet! I am a big Thule fan. Over 20 years using their products with great success...

[TACODOC]

Nice truck! Great color. Looks kinda like... mine! :D
I really like the snugtop and rack setup you have there.

[Scott Brady]

I also like the de-badging.

I removed my TRD sticker a few years ago :)

[asteffes]

Thanks guys. I removed the SR5 and V6 badges the other day... I'm going to go all the way once I buy more dental floss. :D

[asteffes]

Nice truck! Great color. Looks kinda like... mine! :D
I really like the snugtop and rack setup you have there.

The rack is very easy to do if you're interested in one, too.

[TACODOC]

The rack is very easy to do if you're interested in one, too.

Very interested. First things first though!
1. Suspension/Tires
2. Bumpers/Winch
3. Snugtop/Rack
4. I dont know yet, maybe a nav system :rolleyes:

Sigh... this will take at least another year :o

[asteffes]

Today, I installed a Kenwood TM-V700A dual band transceiver. I wired its GPS input to one of the serial ports of my Garmin GPSMAP 276c GPS, enabling tracking of APRS stations as well as a beacon of my own position data to other APRS receivers. This is basically a copy of Chris' setup, but I'm using a glass-mount Larsen antenna to maintain a low profile.

Pictures to follow soon.

[asteffes]

Here are a couple pictures of my power distribution block and control head for the Kenwood TM-V700A transceiver. You'll note that the red wire feeding the block is a bit small. It's the same wire included with the Kenwood wiring kit and is sufficient for powering the transceiver and Garmin GPSMAP 276C GPS, but I will bump it up to an 8 gauge line if I get around to adding any more significant devices (I doubt that will happen anytime soon.) The nice thing is that even if I added a second radio (a CB, perhaps) I would really *need* to upgrade the feedline since I can't really transmit on two rigs at once. :rolleyes:

[asteffes]

I installed a Larsen glassmount antenna on the shell. I like this antenna for its low-profile looks. I didn't want an antenna farm on the roof attracting too much attention, so this fit the bill. I cut the antenna element down to a length more appropriate for the 70cm/440MHz band, where I spend most of my time.

[asteffes]

Very interested. First things first though!
1. Suspension/Tires
2. Bumpers/Winch
3. Snugtop/Rack
4. I dont know yet, maybe a nav system :rolleyes:

Sigh... this will take at least another year :o

I bought my shell with the truck. I can't imagine owning a truck without a shell over the bed. It doubles your storage volume, keeps stuff dry and mostly secure, and makes a platform for a roof rack. :) I'm also one of those people who thinks the DC/SB combo looks awkward without a shell. :p

[asteffes]

The Larsen antenna didn't work so well, so it has been removed and replaced with a magnet-mount Diamond whip until I devise a superior solution.

In other news, UncleChris helped me install my Donahoe coilover suspension today. This suspension consists of 2.5" diameter front coilover dampers and remote-reservoir rear dampers. I have not raised the ride height for now, and chose to retain the front swaybar. I'll adjust the coilovers to maintain a close-to-stock ride height once I install an ARB bumper.

For now, though, the truck's highway stability and ride quality have improved quite a bit over the TRD Off Road suspension package. The new dampers are huge compared to the factory-installed Bilsteins. While the TRD suspension was pretty good compared to many trucks and some cars, it always felt a bit nervous or twitchy, especially the rear when going over bumps. The Donahoe suspension is smoother and more refined - something you don't always associate with a truck suspension. I expect it to get a bit firmer when the coilovers are raised a bit but I don't expect it to get dramatically rougher. I'm quite pleased with the new setup.

I owe UncleChris a huge thank you and a beer or three for all of his help.

[asteffes]

Here's a picture illustrating the visible differences between the TRD package Bilstein dampers and the Donahoe Racing dampers.

[BigB]

I just purchased my very own 06 taco. Essentially the same truck that you have, good taste by the way. Question, when installing the Donohoe Suspension, did you have any issues that I need to be aware of, and also did you need to get an alignment done afterwards?

I just orderd mine online this morning. So it will be my first project on my new truck. Wish me luck.

Brian

[asteffes]

I just purchased my very own 06 taco. Essentially the same truck that you have, good taste by the way. Question, when installing the Donohoe Suspension, did you have any issues that I need to be aware of, and also did you need to get an alignment done afterwards?

I just orderd mine online this morning. So it will be my first project on my new truck. Wish me luck.

Brian

Congrats on the truck, Brian. As far as the DR suspension, you will want to have a strong friend handy to assist you. Getting the suspension to droop enough to slide the struts out and coilovers in takes some muscle. You'll also want to buy a tube of Loc-Tite to apply to all the various fasteners.

The rear dampers are pretty straightforward but you'll need to raise the rear of the truck until the rear tires just barely touch the ground. If you can't raise it this high because your floor jack is too small it will be very difficult to get the new shocks in. They are under pressure and impossible to compress by hand.

My truck did not require an alignment because I did not raise it any taller than stock. I wound the DR coilovers all the way up to 0" of lift, as my goal is only to compensate for the weight of an ARB bumper, not to lift the truck beyond stock (for now, anyway.) Since there was no change in ride height, everything is still operating at the same angles as before. Toe and caster have not changed.

If you intend to raise the ride height you will, of course, require an alignment, as camber and caster will be altered and probably sub-optimally. Anytime you change ride height you will also change the front toe which will greatly affect tire wear and steering feel. You will also change the caster angle which will affect steering feel and vehicle stability. If you plan to raise your truck you should also plan on spending an hour at local shop rates on a front alignment to get the most out of the setup and to preserve your tires.

[BajaTaco]

Congrats on the truck, Brian. As far as the DR suspension, you will want to have a strong friend handy to assist you. Getting the suspension to droop enough to slide the struts out and coilovers in takes some muscle.

You could always try the bottle jack trick (http://www.bajataco.com/SAW-Install-2.html). Works great for me.

http://www.bajataco.com/saw-bottlejack.jpg

[asteffes]

I think UncleChris and I just wanted to be Tough Guys(tm) and muscle through it. :D

[UncleChris]

I think UncleChris and I just wanted to be Tough Guys(tm) and muscle through it. :D

I actually used the bottle jack when I put mine on, as I had no assistance.

It worked pretty well, but you had to have it positioned just right, otherwise it would slip out.

[asteffes]

The Donahoe suspension, now with about 2,000 miles on it, is awesome. The on-road ride quality and stability are incredible. Off-road manners are excellent, as well. The rear does not feel so jittery over bumps. The truck is stable under braking. It doesn't get tossed side-to-side over slow-speed bumps, even with the front swaybar in place.

The Donahoe kit is good-to-go.

[Scott Brady]

Great feedback :)

That suspension does kick up the fun factor quite a bit

[asteffes]

AJ at BentUp in Sacramento installed rock sliders today. They're made from 2"x2" square tubing, and weigh about sixty or seventy pounds per side. Very beefy, and they make for a convenient step, too. They're welded on to the frame in four places. Custom bling Rustoleum job by yours truly.

[UncleChris]

Looks nice Adam!

How much did they cost you with install?

[asteffes]

$275, as advertised on BentUp's website. Bolt-ons are $425. AJ's a great guy to do business with, too.

[TACODOC]

$275, as advertised on BentUp's website. Bolt-ons are $425. AJ's a great guy to do business with, too.

Those 05 pics on Bentup's site are of my truck! :hehe:
Mine were the first ones made back in June of 05... that is so cool to see my ride on there! :Wow1:

http://www.bentup.com/trailarmor.html

[asteffes]

Yep, I noticed. I took some more pics for AJ today. It's good to see more support for '05+s.

[flyingwil]

Those 05 pics on Bentup's site are of my truck! :hehe:
Mine were the first ones made back in June of 05... that is so cool to see my ride on there! :Wow1:

http://www.bentup.com/trailarmor.html


Missing the Giant TTORA sticker!


Adam-

Looks great! I love AJ's front bumpers!

[BajaTaco]

Cool sliders - congrats. Some peace of mind too :)

[asteffes]

Adam-

Looks great! I love AJ's front bumpers!

He had some crazy Darth Vader/Mad Max-looking sliders on an FJC that he bought from someone who trashed it on the Rubicon. The sliders consisted of two sheets of steel with some tubing in between to create a 1" or so gap between the sheets. The entire sheet of steel would simply slide against any obstacles. They looked really evil.

We briefly talked about a rear swing-out bumper/tire carrier for the '05s. He just needs a truck for a week or two to make it happen. I live two hours away and can't leave my truck at his shop, so we'll have to find another way (or another truck in Sacramento) for him to do the design work. He had an example from an older Toyota pickup in the lot which looked very stout.

I would prefer something with a removable tire carrier so I don't have to suffer with the reduced visibility during everyday use.

[FourByLand]

Nice sliders!

Can't wait to see them getting used!

:archaeolo

[asteffes]

It looks like things are just going to be too crazy before the Trophy. I'm moving this weekend, and have no time to do any more mods. So, coming this winter will be:

New tires, probably Bridgestone Revos in 265-75-16 (+1" over stock)
ARB bumper w/Hella Rallye 4000 Eurobeam lamps
Warn winch

I'm holding out on the rear suspension for now. I think I'll be unhappy with an add-a-leaf, as I want to get rid of some of the rear sway with an aftermarket leaf pack. However, that's a complicated ball of wax figuring out payload vs. flex vs. stability. I don't really want to mess with it at the moment.

[asteffes]

I installed new tires this weekend. The factory 265-70-16 BFG Rugged Trail tires were getting too shallow for rain and snow, so I replaced them with 265-75-16 BFG All Terrain T/A-KO tires. These are an inch taller overall, with no suspension lift required to accomodate them. These are LT-type tires, load range D and also have the snowflake-on-the-mountain designation for use in snow.

For anyone wondering, yes, the 265-75-16 will fit in the factory spare location without modifications to the truck. The tire shop guys had no trouble with it.

These should be a good compromise between on-road manners for everyday commuting and snow/off-road traction when needed.

[Mlachica]

Today, I installed a Kenwood TM-V700A dual band transceiver. I wired its GPS input to one of the serial ports of my Garmin GPSMAP 276c GPS, enabling tracking of APRS stations as well as a beacon of my own position data to other APRS receivers. This is basically a copy of Chris' setup, but I'm using a glass-mount Larsen antenna to maintain a low profile.

Pictures to follow soon.

Can you elaborate on this with pictures? I'm planning on using the same radio and I already have a 276c. Is your 276 powered from the vehicle or do you just use its own battery?

[asteffes]

Can you elaborate on this with pictures? I'm planning on using the same radio and I already have a 276c. Is your 276 powered from the vehicle or do you just use its own battery?

I'll see if I can get some pictures this weekend. I don't really have any of the whole setup at the moment.

I made a little hack that I should document for the board. I took the Garmin cig plug power cable apart and replaced the cord with the hardwire cord also included with the GPS. I then spliced in a second lead with a headphone plug on it for the Kenwood's GPS port. This lead connects to the serial port pins on the Garmin cord. The turn-by-turn speaker and everything else works and fits like original. I just have a second long cord coming out of the cig plug body for the Kenwood. It makes it very easy to set the Garmin on the dash, plug in the power and plug the second lead into the Kenwood for APRS use. I don't leave the GPS in plain view all the time, as I don't want it stolen. Anyway, it's slick and I'll have to take pictures and/or make a schematic to illustrate what I did.

[asteffes]

ARB bumper and Hella Rallye 4000s installed today! Pictures to come.

[Mlachica]

congratulations! Did you ever get the roof rack installed?

[asteffes]

Here is what she looks like today.

[OnlyNaTaco]

What do you have bolted in the top holes of the bumper rail abouve the hella's, I have an exact set up on my 02 taco and never knew what those holes could be utilized for except 2 more lights but that would look ridiculous.

[asteffes]

It's an antenna mount from Diamond. More info here:

http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4555

[OnlyNaTaco]

isnt it kinda annoying having those 2 antennas sticking up front of your vision?

[asteffes]

I don't leave the antenna mounted all the time. I'm going to move the mount to the passenger side, as well, which will reduce the distraction when it is mounted.

In other news, I ordered a Superwinch EP9.0 with synthetic line from Winchline.com today! ARB just received one a couple weeks ago to test-fit the winch on their various bullbars. They confirmed it would fit the '05+ Tacoma bullbar. I got a great deal from Winchline.com, too. Just under $800 shipped with installed synthetic line and their safety thimble, roller fairlead and Superwinch snatchblock (so I'll have two now. :) )

[daverami]

Hi, I've been following your progress. Great job. I really like the ARB bumper. What was your deciding factor on the BFG A/T's? Also,have you decided what to go with yet for the rear suspension? I have an '06 and am getting great ideas from all of you on this site.

Thanks,

David

[asteffes]

Hello, David. I hope you're finding the site useful.

I wanted a tire that would work for everyday commuting while being acceptable for mild off-road and snow use. I use my truck for ski trips to Tahoe during winter, so snow-capability is important. The BFG AT-KOs have the Snowflake-on-the-Mountain designation for use in snow while being mild enough for commuting. The AT-KOs also have a rugged sidewall and have a "D" load rating. They're much beefier than the stock BFG Rugged Trail tires, while being very tame on-road and much gripier off-road.

I went with a 265-75-16 which is 1" taller overall than the stock 265-70-16 tires without requiring any lift or new wheels to fit the truck. This is an almost-free 1/2" of extra ground clearance since I needed new tires, anyway.

I have the Donahoe dampers in the rear with the stock leaf packs. I don't intend to lift the truck at all so, if I need more weight capacity, I'll likely use an add-a-leaf kit. I used the DR coilovers in front to compensate for the weight of the bumper and eventually the winch, too.

[Davids90toy]

Hello, David. I hope you're finding the site useful.

I wanted a tire that would work for everyday commuting while being acceptable for mild off-road and snow use.

The M/Ts lasted my dad more than 60k miles commuting 200 miles a day

[asteffes]

The M/Ts lasted my dad more than 60k miles commuting 200 miles a day

That's pretty great! Congrats on getting that many miles out of *any* off-road capable tire. I don't need a mud tire and it seemed that the AT-KO with all its siping would be a better snow tire. I imagine the AT is quieter on-road than an MT, too. But hey, whatever works for you.

[asteffes]

What do you have bolted in the top holes of the bumper rail abouve the hella's, I have an exact set up on my 02 taco and never knew what those holes could be utilized for except 2 more lights but that would look ridiculous.

It occurred to me you could also put a GPS or satellite radio antenna on those tabs if you didn't want them on the roof for some reason. They're usually magnetic so they'll just snap into place.

[daverami]

The more I think about it, the more I like your idea of not doing a lift. With the larger tires, and the DR coilovers to compensate for extra weight up front, then do something like an AAL in the rear like you suggest. Has anyone tried the Deaver 3-leaf pack yet? That may be a good option with the factory springs. Although a custom Deaver leaf pack would be nice too if you indeed ever decided to do a lift.

David

[asteffes]

An AAL will lift the rear about 1 to 1.5 inches. You'll want to even it out in the front by dialing up the coilovers. So I could end up with a 1-1.5 inch lift eventually. You could also go with a custom leaf pack setup for whatever lift and extra weight capacity you want. The standard Deaver pack that Wheeler's carries reduce the overall load capacity in trade for better flexibility. I have no need for an extra-flexy suspension nor do I want to spend $500+ on a leaf pack, so I don't plan to go that route.

[daverami]

Yes, I have been getting so many ideas it makes my head spin! Well, almost. TACODOC and BajaTaco have some great write-ups, as well as others I can't remember at the moment, sorry. I think I will end up going your route as far as the suspension goes. Several people have said the stock suspension does well, just needing a little extra help with larger loads. The AAL sounds like a viable alternative. Does anyone have any comments on the Nitto Terra Grappler or the Cooper SST? I have read BajaTaco's write-up on the SST and except for the fast wear, it sounds like a good tire. The BFG's are on my list. I ran them on my '85 and '89 Toyota pickups with good success. Kind of thinking of trying something different. I know tires are a big decision. Keep up the great work on your truck.

David

[Haggis]

Another tire you might want to consider is the Dick Cepek Fun Country II. I use to run BFG ATs on my Dodges, and they were a good tire in the snow and on the highway, though in the PA muck they were less than stellar. I replaced a set of Pro Comp Mud terrians ( wouldn't recommend those) with the current Cepeks and have been really happy with them. Great on-road, handle snow and ice really well, dig in the mud fine even for a AT (though they don't like clay), handle sand well, and as for rock, we're limited in its scope out here, but they do fine on the sandstone and aggregate ledges and boulders. I will need new tires this fall and I think I'll get another set or I might try out the new Cepek Mud Terrians, though I don't know any one that has tried those yet, might as well be the guinea pig.

[slooowr6]

Yes, I have been getting so many ideas it makes my head spin! Well, almost. TACODOC and BajaTaco have some great write-ups, as well as others I can't remember at the moment, sorry. I think I will end up going your route as far as the suspension goes. Several people have said the stock suspension does well, just needing a little extra help with larger loads. The AAL sounds like a viable alternative.
David

Just to confuse you more.:peepwall: Air bags for the rear is also an option. I've it on my Taco, it handle great with 1200lbs load. I run them at 70/60 psi when loaded and 10psi when I have the camper off the truck. I like the way stock suspension feels so I'm keeping the stock setup, with 1200lbs it does need a little more help on damping. I'm getting a set of 5100 to help.

[daverami]

The Larsen antenna didn't work so well, so it has been removed and replaced with a magnet-mount Diamond whip until I devise a superior solution.

In other news, UncleChris helped me install my Donahoe coilover suspension today. This suspension consists of 2.5" diameter front coilover dampers and remote-reservoir rear dampers. I have not raised the ride height for now, and chose to retain the front swaybar. I'll adjust the coilovers to maintain a close-to-stock ride height once I install an ARB bumper.

For now, though, the truck's highway stability and ride quality have improved quite a bit over the TRD Off Road suspension package. The new dampers are huge compared to the factory-installed Bilsteins. While the TRD suspension was pretty good compared to many trucks and some cars, it always felt a bit nervous or twitchy, especially the rear when going over bumps. The Donahoe suspension is smoother and more refined - something you don't always associate with a truck suspension. I expect it to get a bit firmer when the coilovers are raised a bit but I don't expect it to get dramatically rougher. I'm quite pleased with the new setup.

I owe UncleChris a huge thank you and a beer or three for all of his help.


How are the Donahoe remote-reservoir rear shocks working out for you with the stock rear suspension?

[asteffes]

They work very well. The rear of the truck is much less jittery and feels more planted under all circumstances.