UT Hack (slow) build thread/ intro

Small update:

Redid the gauges using the million threads there are on here.. finally thanks to Rickashay's part list I found the right bulbs.

Before:
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/hacksays/9274926496/" title="IMG_0401 by HackSays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7378/9274926496_01ed60b03e_c.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="IMG_0401"></a>

After:
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/hacksays/9272144031/" title="IMG_0442 by HackSays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5486/9272144031_bb82d19285_c.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="IMG_0442"></a>

Really happy with how it turned out, I realize in the second pic it looks like there are some serious hot spots in the climate control and on the right side of the gauges, but they're actually very faint in reality- just using the iPhone camera after all.

Next thing is to start planning my rear bumper... I'm deciding whether I want to build a swing-out or if I want to build a whole new bumper when the time comes for that. So many options when you can do it yourself!:happy:

I'm also coming to grips with the fact that I should probably wait until I do that to continue modding, I really need to save up some money... But as you all know, it's addicting. :doh:

I think tomorrow I'm gonna be trying to figure out how to get the TRD logo as the background on my in-dash! Fingers crossed I can do that.
 
:rockon:
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/hacksays/9279688076/" title="Untitled by HackSays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5506/9279688076_d18ca77d72_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="Untitled"></a>
 
Running Warm?

My Ultragauge says that my truck is always running around 210 degrees. I don't know if that's hot or not, because I used to drive a chevy and that was perfect for that truck so I've never thought about it.. but I'm reading that the optimal temp is between 190-200? is this something that I should be concerned about?

EDIT:: truck only runs that warm on the freeway at 75-80 (live in North Dakota) and I neglected to factor that in. It runs about 200-204 around town.
 
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Try turning the heat on full blast and the windows down (for heat to escape) to see if it goes down at all. Maybe radiator is getting clogged, water pump blades rusted,( most likely not because it doesn't get any hotter) thermostat stuck closed at all. Could be running lean causing higher temps.
 
shootmymime said:
Try turning the heat on full blast and the windows down (for heat to escape) to see if it goes down at all. Maybe radiator is getting clogged, water pump blades rusted,( most likely not because it doesn't get any hotter) thermostat stuck closed at all. Could be running lean causing higher temps.
Click to expand...

I was thinking about the thermostat- the water pump is barely over a year old so I don't think that's it.. possibly the rad. It's probably the original radiator.
 
Decided to see if I could quickly improve my MPG's any since I was only getting between 15 and 15.5 around town.. Pulled the EFI fuse to reset the computer because it was used to the mountain air back home and now I'm getting 18 MPG around town, so I'm pleasantly surprised that it made that big of a difference!

Looks like I'm gonna be getting a screamin' deal on a full set of Weathertec's at the end of the month too. $100 bucks for the whole set because my teammate's dad is the main dude in the parts department of a Toyota dealership.

Also-
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/hacksays/9331985934/" title="Untitled by HackSays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7403/9331985934_416c457690_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="Untitled"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/hacksays/9331994650/" title="Untitled by HackSays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2835/9331994650_5f41b52520_b.jpg" width="768" height="1024" alt="Untitled"></a>
Love these tails. Look completely stock until you hit the brakes but they're SUPER bright and they were a breeze to install, obviously. Looking for an LED replacement for the reverse lights now. The brighter the better.
 
UT Hack said:
You stopped reading just a moment too soon! I have those exact ones and I picked them up because I saw them in your build thread- they were exactly what I was looking for. Thank you sir!
Click to expand...

Not a problem, but I was referring to the LED back up light bulbs, I replaced them with brighter LED's. The link goes to the post in my build thread with a part number for you.
 
Gear Question

So I've run into a dilemma.

I want to run 33's when it comes time to buy tires again. I can't decide if this would be prudent, however, because I have 4.10 gears, and the power loss/high altitude of being in UT is going to make the truck gutless, at least from what I've read.

So my question: can I run 33's with the stock gears and not kill my power because my truck is a 5spd? I've seen some people who say that the manuals handle it better than the autos, but I don't know what to believe.

A close friend of mine advised that I run 4.56 gears for 33's an not worry about it anymore, but I can't decide if it's worth it to go that route and spend the money on gears. I will be spending a decent amount of time off-road, but I also spend a lot of time on the highway... So I guess I'm caught in between. Thoughts?
 
Got my 42" LED Light Bar from Undead Offroad. They're pretty small and based out of Yakima, WA. The guy over there is a great guy and answered all of my questions that I had. $330 shipped. I'll get an up close shot of it later, it's flood pattern on the outer thirds of the lights, and the middle thirds are spot pattern, so this thing has a really wide light pattern.


Untitled by hacks_fantasy, on Flickr

Rated at 23,500 lumens and this thing is BRIGHT. I was expecting a lot and I was still blown away.

The mounting process was relatively simple, although I wish that the wire connected to the light wasn't in the center of the light, I'd rather have it on the end so that you wouldn't have to drill a hole in the center of the roof. This didn't make it any harder though, so it's not really a complaint.

In my garage because I don't have any night time output shots yet...

Parking lights

Untitled by hacks_fantasy, on Flickr

Headlights

Untitled by hacks_fantasy, on Flickr

Light bar

Untitled by hacks_fantasy, on Flickr

Lights in the garage off, this is just the light from the bar lighting up the garage like this. I'm still really impressed, I'm going to get some output shots tonight.

Untitled by hacks_fantasy, on Flickr
 
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Transcontinental Railroad, Dec 27-28

Went on a pretty solid wheeling trip last night and today.

Transcontinental Railway, December 2013 by hacks_fantasy, on Flickr

We went out to Wendover, and then shot straight north to the Sun Tunnels just south of the abandoned railroad town, Lucin.
Landmark Sign

Transcontinental Railway, December 2013 by hacks_fantasy, on Flickr

Cool old phone booth

Transcontinental Railway, December 2013 by hacks_fantasy, on Flickr

Transcontinental Railway, December 2013 by hacks_fantasy, on Flickr

Abandoned food storage shelter, inside this thing was about 6' tall (so I couldn't stand up) but it was pretty neat to see regardless.

Transcontinental Railway, December 2013 by hacks_fantasy, on Flickr

Crappy phone pic of the truck and new light bar in Lucin

Transcontinental Railway, December 2013 by hacks_fantasy, on Flickr

Output shot from the 42" light bar- this thing is crazy bright!!

Transcontinental Railway, December 2013 by hacks_fantasy, on Flickr
This is also where we camped for the night, in the middle of the tunnels. For those of you who don't know, when you go out there if you go for the summer or winter Solstice the tunnels line up just so that you can see the sun right through them for that one sunrise - it's pretty cool but we weren't there for it.


Transcontinental Railway, December 2013 by hacks_fantasy, on Flickr

Transcontinental Railway, December 2013 by hacks_fantasy, on Flickr

Transcontinental Railway, December 2013 by hacks_fantasy, on Flickr

Transcontinental Railway, December 2013 by hacks_fantasy, on Flickr

Transcontinental Railway, December 2013 by hacks_fantasy, on Flickr
Random shots from today.

All in all, it was a fun trip. Covered about 130 miles of the Central Railway off-road, and we saw some really cool stuff.

Testing the OME suspension over some whoops at high speed was pretty fun too! :driving:

EDIT:: I forgot to mention that I also got a set of Weathertech floor mats for my birthday from my cousins who are visiting.. It's just like everyone else has said, they're totally worth the high price (even though they were a gift) now that I have them I can't believe I didn't buy them before.
 
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UT Hack said:
So I've run into a dilemma.

I want to run 33's when it comes time to buy tires again. I can't decide if this would be prudent, however, because I have 4.10 gears, and the power loss/high altitude of being in UT is going to make the truck gutless, at least from what I've read.

So my question: can I run 33's with the stock gears and not kill my power because my truck is a 5spd? I've seen some people who say that the manuals handle it better than the autos, but I don't know what to believe.

A close friend of mine advised that I run 4.56 gears for 33's an not worry about it anymore, but I can't decide if it's worth it to go that route and spend the money on gears. I will be spending a decent amount of time off-road, but I also spend a lot of time on the highway... So I guess I'm caught in between. Thoughts?
Click to expand...

I've got a 5 speed and I have 33s. they come along just fine, i can't tell that i'm pulling 33's. make the jump. chicks dig it. I also am not in a high altitude environment. I have taken up in the mountains, and it performed just fine.
 
SR5Runner97 said:
I've got a 5 speed and I have 33s. they come along just fine, i can't tell that i'm pulling 33's. make the jump. chicks dig it. I also am not in a high altitude environment. I have taken up in the mountains, and it performed just fine.
Click to expand...

I think that's gonna be the way that I go. It's not a fast truck in the first place, what's 20 or so more pounds of unsprung weight? the 5spd has an extra gear than the auto so I don't see why it will be that big of a difference.

Thanks for the advice, I think I'm gonna be goin 285 Duratracs on ProComp 7069's next summer. I don't want to ruin these nice Yota wheels on rocks and stuff and I want black wheels, plus the procomps will have the backspacing that I won't have to run spacers.
 
UT Hack said:
Thanks for the advice, I think I'm gonna be goin 285 Duratracs on ProComp 7069's next summer. I don't want to ruin these nice Yota wheels on rocks and stuff and I want black wheels, plus the procomps will have the backspacing that I won't have to run spacers.
Click to expand...

buy me a pair while you're at it. :thumb:
 
SR5Runner97 said:
buy me a pair while you're at it. :thumb:
Click to expand...

Haha it's gonna be a stretch to buy mine!

MattAK said:
I'll be happy to take those FJ's off your hands when you get the procomps. :D
Click to expand...

Where are you located in Utah? I have a full set of 5 FJ wheels, the spare doesn't have a tire on it because I still have the stock one underneath, and my 4 Michelin LTX AT2's will still be mounted with probably 25,000 miles at least left in them. Do you want those as well?

Most likely looking at the end of July, I have to save up enough money to pay for my last semester of school before I spring for the new ones.
 
UT Hack said:
Where are you located in Utah? I have a full set of 5 FJ wheels, the spare doesn't have a tire on it because I still have the stock one underneath, and my 4 Michelin LTX AT2's will still be mounted with probably 25,000 miles at least left in them. Do you want those as well?

Most likely looking at the end of July, I have to save up enough money to pay for my last semester of school before I spring for the new ones.
Click to expand...

I'm in Highland, so north Utah County. I wouldn't be interested in the tires, as I'm getting some Duratracs on Saturday. Hope the 265/75 Duratracs would fit those FJ's.

I hear you on the college thing. I'm getting my second bachelor's degree so it feels like I've been paying for school for forever.
 
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