Hi, I am very familiar with the Kankamagus Highway. I fished alongside the road and been there during foliage at its peak in October when the highway is a parking lot! I'm from Boston had a 2nd home in North Conway where I would ski all over that area. I moved to Kansas City in the late '70s. I miss being back there hiking the Presidental Mountains, fishing, and Overlanding the back beat-up login roads from the fifties and sixties. Anyway, it's a great place to live as long as you don't need to make a living up there due to high prices and low wages.
It's a really beautiful place, used to traverse it all the time when I was younger on family trips, never fished the river though. Hopefully you can make a trip back sometime soon!
Thanks, really glad you liked it! I'm psyched for the VARP, and am looking forward to meeting in person. Also...DO IT...you absolutely won't regret getting into welding even just as a hobby, it opens up an entirely new world of fabrication and truck modification. Would be happy to teach you what little I know if you ever feel like diving in.
I grew up with manual transmissions and want one in a tacoma also but they are hard to find. I used to have a first gen 4runner back in the day and i used to wish it was a manual also. The automatic was giving me problems before the old 22re finally went out.
Ditch the 15's and get some 17's, your going to tear through bearings and ball joints with that much offset. I just did the tub on a 97 4runner and can clear 35's on 17x9" with 3.75" backspacing full lock no rubbing without the strut and bumstop installed. All that offset is killing your clearance. Also get a upper controll arm, I got the SPC and it allows you to move the center of the tire forward along with adjusting the lower control arm forward you might gain enough clearance to not have to tun anymore.
May get some 17s soon, but it’ll be to run some 37s, so I’ll absolutely need to tub a LOT more. I’m currently running steelies with a lot less offset than the wheels shown here. Surprisingly, the bearings and ball joints are all in great shape, despite pushing the truck pretty hard on rocks. Definitely not going to be spending money on aftermarket UCAs any time soon 😂.
Nice walk around! Can't wait to meet up with you sometime! ('01 DCSB Taco, owner of Northeast Overland). I've been in your backyard a few times, lemme know when/if you ever get to Maine ;)
I'd love to meet up sometime and get some wheeling in! I think I've seen your rig on IG..awesome truck, would be psyched to see it in person. I'm hoping to get up to Maine in the near term, just slowly seeing how this thing fares on longer trips. So far so good!
Bro! This setup is so sick…i first saw this video last year and I am still aspiring to build my rig similar! It’s funny….I too have a first gen (98), 5 speed SR5, red with the glass tite camper shell 😂 Currently am saving for the addicted off road bumper, and NEED to learn to weld still!! I wanted to ask you a question, if you didn’t mind ! I too have the old man emu nitro’s in the front (on 32’s) and I am curious what you did to help your angle for your CV’s? My tires aren’t nearly as big and I am wearing my CV’s like they’re going out of style! 😅 figured I’d ask you cuz we got such a similar rig !! Was gonna try a smaller coil over next but wanted to see what you did! Thanks for the vid, keep it up, and CHEERS!
Hey thanks for the kind words! Sounds like you’ve got an awesome build going! Regarding the CVs, I actually did nothing at all to lessen the angle. I replaced one when I bought the truck with a Toyota OEM, but that was all the work I did. I’ve heard there are significant differences in quality between parts store replacements and the OEM CVs, so I’d recommend finding some Toyota ones and throwing them in there. If you watch my later videos with the truck, you’ll see I put quite a bit of abuse on those CVs and never blew one up. On the flip side of that, I had a buddy with a 1st gen who was putting parts store versions in his rig and they would just bind and fail randomly even with very mild use. Toyota OEM parts are your best bet. If that still doesn’t work (or you already have OEMs), you could probably space the front diff down a bit, I think they make little spacer kits that’ll do that for you, although I imagine some drilled steel blocks would do the same thing.
Absolutely bro! Thank YOU for the response! Yeah I def have parts store CV’s in it right now .. When I first bought the truck, she was garage kept her whole life, and I knew nothing about wrenching 😅 Fast forward to now and I’ve learned more than I ever imagined, and am obsessed with doing my own work! In this journey however, I have learned the hard way about parts store parts vs. Toyota OEM. Def gonna look into OEM CV’s now .. it’s just the boots that I’m having issues with. My angle is so extreme for some reason it just chafes and rubs those boots to oblivion. But I will cough up the extra for OEM and try that!! Also will do the dif drop mod… again, thank you for the killer vid, and the quick and incredibly helpful response! 😎 You motivate me, my dude!! Cheers!
@@tylerb7198 The boots are a pretty common issue with people running lifts on these things, even mild ones. I think there are some companies out there who make high angle boots, but again I had pretty good luck with mine just stock. Enjoy the journey! That truck will take you far, and it will take some serious abuse if you feel like dishing it out. I'm now in the process of building my 2nd gen back up, and am remembering how fun it is wrench and build, part by part. Glad to have motivated you, hit me up if you're ever around New England and we'll do some wheeling!
Yeah man I’ve read all over about the lifted boot issue… it’s wild you don’t have issues! But also, hell ya! Can I ask one more question? How hard was it for you to trim your fender wells? What did you use to do it? I think I’m ultimately going to have to lower the front of mine to help with my CV issue with my current setup, but I believe I’m gonna have to pinch weld mod as well as trim some fender :/ It is def a journey!! It is forever worth it tho, the joy I get out of taking this place everywhere and anywhere. Bro I will def hit you up if I’m ever in New England again! You seem super chill! Same goes to you if you’re ever in the Pacific Northwest 😎 I’ll show you some hella rad trails! Thanks again man. I appreciate the responses and input 🙏
Unless you're lifted beyond 2-2.5", I don't think lowering the truck would be necessary to fix the boot issue. You either just need some higher quality CVs, or some high angle boots. I just used an angle grinder to trim outer fender, but had to tub the entire fenderwell to fit 35s...lots of cutting and welding. Unless you're going to run over 33s, it shouldn't be necessary so long as you run the correct offset wheels. Good luck! @@tylerb7198
ok but! 35s are ideal for a FIRST GEN, how bout a larger second gen? 40s? agreed. 40s are ideal I am getting there. are you going to the pilgrimage? see you there!
Lol depends what you’re doing...I’m gunna make the bold claim that to do Class 4 or Class 6 style stuff...33’s or MAYBE 35’s are all you need. Off-road parks are obviously a different story. I’m not 100% on the pilgrimage, but I’m hoping to make it for at least a day. Hopefully see you there!
It’s very reasonable in its current state. I’m unlocked up front, I’m betting if it was locked it’d be a very different story. The real weak point for me is the steering, I’ve gone through one rack already, but my second one has been holding up well. I’d say 35’s are fine for the truck, but I wouldn’t go bigger.
Thanks for the sub! I’m flattered you’re interested, but unfortunately i have zero time to build another one right now. I’m hoping by summer/early fall I have some time to start designing and selling some fabbed parts!
Pretty cool rig!!🤟 Can't wait to go out wheelin with you. I had the same covered campsite and after a week of vacation in the rain, water infiltration and humidity which freezes at night. I made the decision to buy a roof tent. By the way I'm the XS RANGER on Instagram.
I'm also really looking forward to it! Hopefully the border opens up in the near term so we can get some wheeling/camping in! Roof top tents can absolutely be a great idea, I'm just currently happy with my camper shell =]
Nice build. The 5 speed really adds a fun to drive factor to the 3.4
Thank you sir! Agreed completely. With the 4.30 gears and 35s pretty sure this thing would be awful with an auto.
Damn nice work. 👍 Just the way it should be done - "because it works". Great fab skills and creativity.
Thanks so much! It’s just too much fun to hack this thing up, I’m happy some of it has turned out okay 😂.
Hi, I am very familiar with the Kankamagus Highway. I fished alongside the road and been there during foliage at its peak in October when the highway is a parking lot! I'm from Boston had a 2nd home in North Conway where I would ski all over that area. I moved to Kansas City in the late '70s. I miss being back there hiking the Presidental Mountains, fishing, and Overlanding the back beat-up login roads from the fifties and sixties.
Anyway, it's a great place to live as long as you don't need to make a living up there due to high prices and low wages.
It's a really beautiful place, used to traverse it all the time when I was younger on family trips, never fished the river though. Hopefully you can make a trip back sometime soon!
Great location choice! Loved the walk around and I'll look for you at the Pilgrimage. Time for me to learn how to weld...
Thanks, really glad you liked it! I'm psyched for the VARP, and am looking forward to meeting in person. Also...DO IT...you absolutely won't regret getting into welding even just as a hobby, it opens up an entirely new world of fabrication and truck modification. Would be happy to teach you what little I know if you ever feel like diving in.
Good looking truck. Hope to see ya on the trails
Thanks..and same here! Let me know if you feel like meeting up at any point, always looking for new people to explore/wheel with.
I grew up with manual transmissions and want one in a tacoma also but they are hard to find. I used to have a first gen 4runner back in the day and i used to wish it was a manual also. The automatic was giving me problems before the old 22re finally went out.
Looking good as always
Thank you sir!
outstanding rig 👍💯🏆
Thanks so much!
Ditch the 15's and get some 17's, your going to tear through bearings and ball joints with that much offset. I just did the tub on a 97 4runner and can clear 35's on 17x9" with 3.75" backspacing full lock no rubbing without the strut and bumstop installed. All that offset is killing your clearance. Also get a upper controll arm, I got the SPC and it allows you to move the center of the tire forward along with adjusting the lower control arm forward you might gain enough clearance to not have to tun anymore.
May get some 17s soon, but it’ll be to run some 37s, so I’ll absolutely need to tub a LOT more. I’m currently running steelies with a lot less offset than the wheels shown here. Surprisingly, the bearings and ball joints are all in great shape, despite pushing the truck pretty hard on rocks. Definitely not going to be spending money on aftermarket UCAs any time soon 😂.
love the truck! mine is a 5 spd also with the rear locker
Thanks!! They’re fantastic rigs, glad you’ve got one too!
Great video thank you
This is QUALITY content and truck! Subbed bro!
Thanks SO much dude!! More coming soon!
Nice walk around! Can't wait to meet up with you sometime! ('01 DCSB Taco, owner of Northeast Overland). I've been in your backyard a few times, lemme know when/if you ever get to Maine ;)
I'd love to meet up sometime and get some wheeling in! I think I've seen your rig on IG..awesome truck, would be psyched to see it in person. I'm hoping to get up to Maine in the near term, just slowly seeing how this thing fares on longer trips. So far so good!
Bro! This setup is so sick…i first saw this video last year and I am still aspiring to build my rig similar!
It’s funny….I too have a first gen (98), 5 speed SR5, red with the glass tite camper shell 😂 Currently am saving for the addicted off road bumper, and NEED to learn to weld still!! I wanted to ask you a question, if you didn’t mind !
I too have the old man emu nitro’s in the front (on 32’s) and I am curious what you did to help your angle for your CV’s? My tires aren’t nearly as big and I am wearing my CV’s like they’re going out of style! 😅 figured I’d ask you cuz we got such a similar rig !! Was gonna try a smaller coil over next but wanted to see what you did!
Thanks for the vid, keep it up, and CHEERS!
Hey thanks for the kind words! Sounds like you’ve got an awesome build going!
Regarding the CVs, I actually did nothing at all to lessen the angle. I replaced one when I bought the truck with a Toyota OEM, but that was all the work I did. I’ve heard there are significant differences in quality between parts store replacements and the OEM CVs, so I’d recommend finding some Toyota ones and throwing them in there. If you watch my later videos with the truck, you’ll see I put quite a bit of abuse on those CVs and never blew one up. On the flip side of that, I had a buddy with a 1st gen who was putting parts store versions in his rig and they would just bind and fail randomly even with very mild use. Toyota OEM parts are your best bet.
If that still doesn’t work (or you already have OEMs), you could probably space the front diff down a bit, I think they make little spacer kits that’ll do that for you, although I imagine some drilled steel blocks would do the same thing.
Absolutely bro! Thank YOU for the response! Yeah I def have parts store CV’s in it right now .. When I first bought the truck, she was garage kept her whole life, and I knew nothing about wrenching 😅 Fast forward to now and I’ve learned more than I ever imagined, and am obsessed with doing my own work! In this journey however, I have learned the hard way about parts store parts vs. Toyota OEM. Def gonna look into OEM CV’s now .. it’s just the boots that I’m having issues with. My angle is so extreme for some reason it just chafes and rubs those boots to oblivion. But I will cough up the extra for OEM and try that!! Also will do the dif drop mod… again, thank you for the killer vid, and the quick and incredibly helpful response! 😎 You motivate me, my dude!! Cheers!
@@tylerb7198 The boots are a pretty common issue with people running lifts on these things, even mild ones. I think there are some companies out there who make high angle boots, but again I had pretty good luck with mine just stock.
Enjoy the journey! That truck will take you far, and it will take some serious abuse if you feel like dishing it out. I'm now in the process of building my 2nd gen back up, and am remembering how fun it is wrench and build, part by part. Glad to have motivated you, hit me up if you're ever around New England and we'll do some wheeling!
Yeah man I’ve read all over about the lifted boot issue… it’s wild you don’t have issues! But also, hell ya! Can I ask one more question? How hard was it for you to trim your fender wells? What did you use to do it? I think I’m ultimately going to have to lower the front of mine to help with my CV issue with my current setup, but I believe I’m gonna have to pinch weld mod as well as trim some fender :/ It is def a journey!! It is forever worth it tho, the joy I get out of taking this place everywhere and anywhere.
Bro I will def hit you up if I’m ever in New England again! You seem super chill! Same goes to you if you’re ever in the Pacific Northwest 😎 I’ll show you some hella rad trails! Thanks again man. I appreciate the responses and input 🙏
Unless you're lifted beyond 2-2.5", I don't think lowering the truck would be necessary to fix the boot issue. You either just need some higher quality CVs, or some high angle boots. I just used an angle grinder to trim outer fender, but had to tub the entire fenderwell to fit 35s...lots of cutting and welding. Unless you're going to run over 33s, it shouldn't be necessary so long as you run the correct offset wheels. Good luck! @@tylerb7198
Hey sick! I had the same exact campershell and color on my 04' Single Cab Tacoma. Out of curiosity, how do you have the back hatch window sealed?
It wasn’t sealed too nicely, just some weather stripping and plastic trim. It held up well through many cold nights and rain storms!
Did you have any issues with axle wrap or vibrations with this set up in the rear?
I had some driveline vibes before I reset the pinion angle, but haven’t noticed any axle wrap.
How many miles does this beast have now?
252,000!
What’s the mileage on the beauty now?
ok but! 35s are ideal for a FIRST GEN, how bout a larger second gen? 40s? agreed. 40s are ideal I am getting there. are you going to the pilgrimage? see you there!
Lol depends what you’re doing...I’m gunna make the bold claim that to do Class 4 or Class 6 style stuff...33’s or MAYBE 35’s are all you need. Off-road parks are obviously a different story. I’m not 100% on the pilgrimage, but I’m hoping to make it for at least a day. Hopefully see you there!
@@S0nnenberg oh, need? I don't need it for that no. See you there maybe!
How does your front end hold to the 35s? Too much breakage or is it reasonable?
It’s very reasonable in its current state. I’m unlocked up front, I’m betting if it was locked it’d be a very different story. The real weak point for me is the steering, I’ve gone through one rack already, but my second one has been holding up well. I’d say 35’s are fine for the truck, but I wouldn’t go bigger.
Where did you buy the nerf bars..
Check the description!
New subscriber how much will you sell one of those rear bumper for ?
Thanks for the sub! I’m flattered you’re interested, but unfortunately i have zero time to build another one right now. I’m hoping by summer/early fall I have some time to start designing and selling some fabbed parts!
do u happen to know the brand/model for the camper?
It’s just an old Leer camper shell, I don’t know more than that, sorry!
What antenna/comms?
I have a very cheap CB (Firestik antenna) and just run a handheld GMRS if needed. Nothing fancy!
Pretty cool rig!!🤟 Can't wait to go out wheelin with you. I had the same covered campsite and after a week of vacation in the rain, water infiltration and humidity which freezes at night. I made the decision to buy a roof tent. By the way I'm the XS RANGER on Instagram.
I'm also really looking forward to it! Hopefully the border opens up in the near term so we can get some wheeling/camping in! Roof top tents can absolutely be a great idea, I'm just currently happy with my camper shell =]