Home About Contact Advertising Feedback Website Help Change Website Color

  • Welcome to Tacoma3G.com, a free resource for 2016-2023 Toyota Tacoma owners!

    This website is the passion-project of a USMC veteran/mechanic, @Tyler. I created Tacoma3G.com to share my knowledge of this subject with others and to provide like-minded folks with a comfortable space to ask questions and create 'build threads' within our Tacoma Forums. Now, if the format of this website is confusing to navigate for you, or if you're interested in my full mission and T3G's history, check out the Help and About pages.

Reference Ask a beginner question, get a serious answer!

Which interior fuse should I tap into in order to enable an aftermarket switch’s illumination feature if I want it to illuminate with the parking lights/side markers, dimming of the head unit, lighting up of dash and climate control backlights, etc? “Tail”?

I assume I also need to match the amps of the added fuse to the existing fuse, or at least use a smaller one?
2364D0CD-1190-4CEE-A8F4-086139E833C1.jpeg
 
Last edited:
joechef said:
Which interior fuse should I tap into in order to enable an aftermarket switch’s illumination feature if I want it to illuminate with the parking lights/side markers, dimming of the head unit, lighting up of dash and climate control backlights, etc? “Tail”?

I assume I also need to match the amps of the added fuse to the existing fuse, or at least use a smaller one?
2364D0CD-1190-4CEE-A8F4-086139E833C1.jpeg
Click to expand...
Disregard as I’ve figured it out.
 
I'm about to order a cab rack and would like to put a 40" baja designs light bar up there. I already have a 30" combo beam pattern behind my grill.

I would like to do the Wide beam pattern up top to illuminate out where the grill bar doesn't. Does this make sense to do or should I just get another combo pattern?

I should add I'm not looking for at the Spot pattern because I feel the Spot in my existing combo goes out far enough.
 
Last edited:
jchooley13 said:
I'm about to order a cab rack and would like to put a 40" baja designs light bar up there. I already have a 30" combo beam pattern behind my grill.

I would like to do the Wide beam pattern up top to illuminate out where the grill bar doesn't. Does this make sense to do or should I just get another combo pattern?

I should add I'm not looking for at the Spot pattern because I feel the Spot in my existing combo goes out far enough.
Click to expand...
I'm no expert, but it sounds like it makes sense to do a wide. But do you have ditch lights already? Ideally, you want a spot as there's a transition zones between lighting areas. @Baja Designs can better chime in here, but have you seen their graphic on lighting zones? It was pretty helpful for me when I was determining light patterns in my lighting set up. https://www.bajadesigns.com/Science-of-Lighting/Lighting-Zones.asp

I went with a Spot 40" at the top, because I have a 20" in my front bumper and like you, it does a pretty great job at lighting up ahead, but the Spot would cover way down range, if I ever needed it. I do have Squadrons for ditch lights with a wide/cornering pattern though.
 
3cent.Taco said:
I'm no expert, but it sounds like it makes sense to do a wide. But do you have ditch lights already? Ideally, you want a spot as there's a transition zones between lighting areas. @Baja Designs can better chime in here, but have you seen their graphic on lighting zones? It was pretty helpful for me when I was determining light patterns in my lighting set up. https://www.bajadesigns.com/Science-of-Lighting/Lighting-Zones.asp

I went with a Spot 40" at the top, because I have a 20" in my front bumper and like you, it does a pretty great job at lighting up ahead, but the Spot would cover way down range, if I ever needed it. I do have Squadrons for ditch lights with a wide/cornering pattern though.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I read Baja designs light science stuff. Thats what has me thinking wide beam, because the combo I have (not Baja designs) doesn't seem to shine has far left and right as it probably should. I don't have ditch lights yet, I want to get the light bars squared away and see if I feel I need them or not.
 
jchooley13 said:
I'm about to order a cab rack and would like to put a 40" baja designs light bar up there. I already have a 30" combo beam pattern behind my grill.

I would like to do the Wide beam pattern up top to illuminate out where the grill bar doesn't. Does this make sense to do or should I just get another combo pattern?

I should add I'm not looking for at the Spot pattern because I feel the Spot in my existing combo goes out far enough.
Click to expand...
Typically you want your lights with range or a spot pattern to be up high. And then you can have the driving and flood patterns lower like in the bumper and what not. If you’re just trying to fill in that wide pattern that your current light bar isn’t filling, then ditch lights would probably be a better and cheaper option for that in my opinion. I’m not trying to steer you away from what you want though. You could always get the wide beam pattern and then if you don’t like it, swap out the lens for a different pattern. That’s the beauty of Baja designs lol
 
jchooley13 said:
Yeah, I read Baja designs light science stuff. Thats what has me thinking wide beam, because the combo I have (not Baja designs) doesn't seem to shine has far left and right as it probably should. I don't have ditch lights yet, I want to get the light bars squared away and see if I feel I need them or not.
Click to expand...
The combo is going to spread the light intensity out from near to far through the use of both the wide cornering and spot optics whereas the wide cornering will focus all of the intensity closer and wider. Your current combo light spread could be limited by the behind the grille mount.
 
Here’s what I would recommend. Buy the light bar that you want.
Order the lens cover for the two middle lights. With this you will have a 20” spot in the middle and then you will have 2 10” corners on the side. I would highly recommend going with a spot on top with your ditch lights being a corner and your front grill being a mix of spot and corner.
 
Jay said:
Here’s what I would recommend. Buy the light bar that you want.
Order the lens cover for the two middle lights. With this you will have a 20” spot in the middle and then you will have 2 10” corners on the side. I would highly recommend going with a spot on top with your ditch lights being a corner and your front grill being a mix of spot and corner.
Click to expand...
Mixing it up in the light bar is a good idea. I didn't even think about that. Good call. I may end up doing that.
 
2020 TRD OR: Has anyone found a rear license plate frame that fits with the stock rear bumper?
I've bought 3 and none of them fit
 
rmreid20 said:
2020 TRD OR: Has anyone found a rear license plate frame that fits with the stock rear bumper?
I've bought 3 and none of them fit
Click to expand...
I bought a silicone one off amazon. I’ll try and see if I can find a link.
 
Wheel question.
What is the offset on oem trd pro wheels. The stamp says 16x7j 13. I'm guessing the "13" refers to the offset but as it doesn't say et I'm not 100%
Tried to fit some other wheels the other day (8j) and they didnt fit.
So need to know the minimum offset. Any ideas?
IMG_20200103_101643_resized_20200103_101926007.jpg
 
Last edited:
Nacho_tacoyota said:
Hey guys, any advice on PSI to run on 285/70/17 Nitto ridge grapplers C load?
Click to expand...
As mentioned before 35psi is about right. Can go 5 either way depending how nobbly your tyres are. The more mud terrain softer is better so more rubber on the road.
The smoother the tyre, a higher psi will get you better mpg.
 
I recently bought a 2017 tacoma trd off road. 45,000km. What problems are there in that year. I have seen a lot of recalls. And I find the throttle and the transmission annoying. I did order a pedal commander just haven't received it yet. The more i read on regearing the tacoma the more I want to get it done.
 
Looking for recommendations on air filters. Not intakes. K&N vs AFE or is there something better? Also oil vs dry. Which to use when, or at all?
TIA
 
FSHNTCO said:
Looking for recommendations on air filters. Not intakes. K&N vs AFE or is there something better? Also oil vs dry. Which to use when, or at all?
TIA
Click to expand...
Personally, I think the stock filter is perfect. Unless you ride in a lots of dusty conditions and need to replace very often. Then a reusable filter becomes beneficial.
 
Relic said:
Personally, I think the stock filter is perfect. Unless you ride in a lots of dusty conditions and need to replace very often. Then a reusable filter becomes beneficial.
Click to expand...
I live at the beach around mostly sand and I cruise into the desert. Also I am in CA so everything is dry. I would consider the area dustier than normal.
 
Not sure how kn filter is maintained for auto, but there is one on my motorcycle. Was there from previous owner. I have to clean it with warm water and dish liquid (or proper kn cleaner), let it dry, then oil it. Bit of a process,and it's a small filter.

That's something to think about. Buying disposal stock air filters so much easier. So, it basically comes down to how much you want to save in filters by maintaining kn.

As for any expectation in performance... It's negligible
 
FSHNTCO said:
I live at the beach around mostly sand and I cruise into the desert. Also I am in CA so everything is dry. I would consider the area dustier than normal.
Click to expand...
id use a non oiled filter. I live in a desert and had an oiled filter on my last truck and it became annoying how often it would need to be cleaned
 
mgmyota said:
id use a non oiled filter. I live in a desert and had an oiled filter on my last truck and it became annoying how often it would need to be cleaned
Click to expand...
This is the input I am looking for, thank you. I have used K&N oiled filters before so I can see how that would make sense.

Did you get a reusable dry filter or do you just replace it each time? I was looking at the AFE dry filters as a possible reusable option.
 
FSHNTCO said:
This is the input I am looking for, thank you. I have used K&N oiled filters before so I can see how that would make sense.

Did you get a reusable dry filter or do you just replace it each time? I was looking at the AFE dry filters as a possible reusable option.
Click to expand...
I tried cleaning and re oiling once or twice but they were never clean enough for me so I started just replacing them. I even tried the little fabric kind of filter cover things but really at the end of the day it’s just a damn filter lol. Too much work with an oiled filter in my mind if you’re in a sandy kind of terrain so I would just run a dry one and replace when needed.
 
Snorkel and OEM filter. Seems to be doing the job. The wife has a K&N on her FJ and that also seems to be doing well.
 
Bird dog said:
Snorkel and OEM filter. Seems to be doing the job. The wife has a K&N on her FJ and that also seems to be doing well.
Click to expand...

I have been starting to get interested in snorkels since I found out why they are used.
 
What’s gentlemen just bought my 2020 Tacoma TRD off road a week ago and wanted some advice on different suspensions, wheels, tires and lift kits to get. I want to do a 3in lift and plan on doing a lot of off roading just trying to see what direction to go!
 
Hi! Im new to tacomas and im looking to buy one. What should I be looking for and how do I know which model to choose. Also its great to see so many vets on this page
 
Back
Top