I know everyone's saying, "Yeesh, another newbie," but rest assured, I'll make this brief, and I'll include some pictures for your photographic desires.
My name is Thomas, I'm in my last year of the bizarre pschycological condition known as teenager-itus, and I've been wheeling for less than a year. While it's only been a year, I've been on more runs than some people attend in many years. I've wheeled Moab twice, a little of Idaho, and a lot of the 5-Mile Pass area of Utah (The Rattlesnake and Little Moab). I've only wheeled two trips in Alaska. The mud in Alaska can be fun, but I really fell in love with rockcrawling in Moab and in other parts of Utah.
I heard a lot of good things about this forum from some of my co-workers, CRUNCHY and BLACKWIDOW, whom I go to everyday when I need parts for the Toyotas and Lexuss (Lexi?) that I work on as a technician. The lame handle I bestowed upon myself came from my daily work as a Toyota technician slash Lexus servant. I get to do the gruntwork on some of the Lexus vehicles that come into the dealership, but that's when I'm not changing their oil. However, I absolutely love the job, and my first month has gone by like only a few shorts days.
The rig I am pleased to call "mine" is a 1998 Toyota (what else?) Tacoma. It's packing the gnarly 2.7L four-cylinder, a 5-speed (W59), and the stock t-case (eventually a Taco Supreme will find its way in there).
Modifications so far are pretty limited, but have allowed me to traverse some fairly intense trails. To make it simple, here's a list.
Engine: stock 3RZ-FE
Transmission: W59 with Centerforce Dual Friction clutch
Transfer case: stock with Front Range Off-Road Fab. twin stick
Axles (f/r): stock IFS/non-TRD with Powertrax No-Slip locker
Gears: 4.88
Suspension (f/r): Cornfed Suspensions spacer, stock coils and shocks/Pro-Comp AAL and Pro-Comp ES3000 shocks
Tires: 33x12.50 BFG All-Terrain
Wheels: 15x10 Mickey Thompson Classic II with Duplicolor HP wheel coating (gunmetal)
Body: front bumper and sliders built by C.B.I. (Can't Break It) Off-Road Fab.
The future (next 1-2 years) will see a fullsize width reverse-spiral Dana 44 for the front, with high-steer, stock shafts, Longfield Super Joints, and an Ox-Locker. This will be suspended by a 3-link with panhard suspension and Rock Equipment 12- or 14-inch coilovers. Out back, the stock leaf packs will be tossed for the typical 63" Chevy packs, or maybe a coil sprung dual triangulated 4-link. It will be rolling on 36x13.50 bias IROKs for the street, and possibly some 38.5x11 Boggers for the trail. I already have the axle, shafts, flattop knuckles, tires, and some brake parts. Hopefully I can buy the parts for the T-100 oil pan swap since I'm working for a Toyota dealership.
Okay, I managed to tangle myself up in yacking, so back to the point, the pictures. Here's a couple of action shots, as well as one of the truck nice and clean (you know, for the ladies, LOL).
