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  • 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.

Ask Tyler anything!

Tyler

Tyler

🔟 Mythical
Badministrator
Volunteer T3G Editor
Joined
Apr 12, 2018
Messages
8,591
Reaction score
17,710
Age
32
Location
Long Island, NY
Website
tacoma3g.com
2017 TRD OR DCLB Auto
Quicksand
I got the idea to make this thread from @Meclizine's "ask me anything" thread here: https://tacoma3g.com/threads/ask-an-entomologist-anything.12804/

This actually sounds like a fun thread to have, so here we are. Feel free to make one of your own if you'd like.

Some quick notes about me that might spark some questions:

  • I'm 30 with a wife and two dogs. We're from New York
  • I have been doing forum stuff, on and off, since 2005
  • I was in the Marine Corps for 6 years. I was medically retired due to a lower back injury
  • The day I bought my Tacoma in 2017 was literally the first day I paid any attention to Toyota and the Tacoma. Prior to that day, I was a diehard square-body (1973-1991) Chevy and Jeep guy. I bought my Tacoma in the most spontaneous way possible
 
B-Man said:
What twist rate on an AR do you prefer? 1X7......1X8......or 1X9?
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I know I’m in the minority, but I’m really not a gun guy despite having been in the Marines. My rifle was a work tool while in. Now that I’m out, I have too many hobbies or wannabe hobbies as it is.

Similarly, I don’t really enjoy turning wrenches on trucks anymore. That was my job in the Corps and it kind of ruined it as a hobby.
 
The term "medically retired" sounds like something a lot worse than it actually is.

Q: When are you going to get to the Pacific Northwest? The natural home of the Tacoma?

Q: Any future plans for your Instagram or Youtube channel?
 
TCOTUE said:
@Tyler How was the trip?
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Amazing. It's the best place for me to be.

We're in limbo right now but the goal is to be on the road again around April. That run will hopefully last much longer; at least until winter. The end goal is still to drive to Alaska.
 
RevN3 said:
The term "medically retired" sounds like something a lot worse than it actually is.
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It's a weird term with a lot of clauses. To make it even weirder, I am specifically considered "Permanently & Totally Disabled" for life.

The DoD rates all of your medical records and uses confusing calculations to give you a final rating. My lower back injury, which was caused by the Marine Corps (rather than being found as caused by outside/personal), is considered to be unfixable. That means I spent years taking all of the proper steps to try to fix my back to go back to a "Fit for Duty" status. They were not and will never be able to fix me, therefore I was medically separated from the Corps. At that point, the DoD reviewed my case (which took around 8 months), and gave me my final rating. My back is the bulk of my final rating, but I do have other physical and mental issues that were caused by the Corps, so those are also factored in. In my case, I received what some would call "the golden ticket"; a rating of 100% disabled. Moreover, I have a 100% rating AND the "Permanently & Totally Disabled" part that I mentioned earlier. As a whole, this is being "medically retired". This gives me free medical care for life, as well as monthly compensation for life. I receive above $1k but under $4k (being vague on purpose), for life. But I'm also in chronic pain, for life (unless something amazing happens). I can't even shovel snow.

With that being said, I got "lucky". There are guys with missing limbs from combat and such weren't rated as severely as I am. This subject is very controversial and a huge wtf on the DoD.

RevN3 said:
Q: When are you going to get to the Pacific Northwest? The natural home of the Tacoma?
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This spring/summer, 100%. And I will let you know. I've been to Crater Lake but beyond that, I'll need a guide for OR. ;)

RevN3 said:
Q: Any future plans for your Instagram or Youtube channel?
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Actually...

Last week I decided to take a break from Instagram. I've been using Instagram since the app was created and I used to love it because it was a no bullshit photo sharing feed for your friends and family. We all know what it's like now. I still don't hate it though, but I was getting burnt out from feeling obligated to "make a good post" every few days. I'm sure I'll download it again eventually. But for now, Tacoma3G.com is my happy place.

YouTube: Man, I really did want to make content. We've done things that people would love to watch. But it always felt so unnatural to make sure we are considering the camera and what the viewer would see. It was like having a 3rd person with us and having to always ask them, "is this good or should I do it again?" But... I do still want to get into it and I think it might end up clicking for me one day.
 
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Meclizine said:
What other forum stuff have you done?
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A while back, I actually posted screenshots of a lot of my stuff from over the years:

And here's a little "About Me" regarding the forum stuff:
Hi, I'm Tyler. I have an enduring interest in "old school" web design, message boards (forums), and general frontend web development.

Those interests sparked in 2005. However, when I later joined the Marine Corps, I filed that web dev notion straight into my archive of Hasty Hobbies to be Forgotten... or so I thought.

Today, about seventeen years later, nostalgia dug deep and pulled a little bit of HTML, right back outta the HHtbF archive!

I'm stoked and having a lot of fun teaching myself HTML and CSS, alongside a few other frontend dev areas. Hopefully I'll level up in 2022 and help make your site look sweet.
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It's weird. I'm kind of the exact opposite of the type of person that would stereotypically write code. It can almost be awkward to tell friends that it's something I do because they don't "get it" because they're rough and dirty and such. And that's how most of us in the outdoor/4x4 scene are, which is fine. I'm like that too - I was a diesel mechanic in the military.

But I just happen to have a sidepiece and her name name is web development nerd. I'm 30 now and still enjoy this stuff, so I'm beginning to accept that this might be what might want to do as a (self-employed) career.

I've been casually building myself a personal website where I intend to create pre-made designs and eventually do custom work for people when I feel like it. I haven't really committed to it yet, but here's the site. It's basically in a "beta" form and this is the first time I'm linking to it in public.

Alternative XenForo Styles | Alt⟨div⟩

I miss 2000s-era web design. I still use internet forums. Enter: Alternadiv. Aka, alt⟨div⟩. Welcome to my little collection of peculiar website designs and other web development shenanigans, primarily in the form of custom styles and add-ons for XenForo.
alternadiv.com
 
Tyler said:
The usual. Not the best; medical stuff as always, running out of $$, always tired and lack motivation, physical pain, hate not being on the west coast, etc. 🙃
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In the same boat. sucks

here's one. are you tired of people asking when you are having kids? im in my mid 40s and they still look at me like I farted in their mouths when I say don't want em, don't need em.
 
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solscooter said:
In the same boat. sucks

here's one. are you tired of people asking when you are having kids? im in my mid 40s and they still look at me like I farted in their mouths when I say don't want em, don't need em.
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Yes.

Although it seems to be getting more common to see 30s and 40s folks without them.
 
bonifacio said:
What's the percentage ratio of posts in the Keep-a-Word-Drop-a-Word Thread vs other threads for top posters on the forums? :)
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Idk but damn that thread is annoying. I was thinking I should see if I can have it not show up in the latest posts block on the top of the site. Unless people like seeing it there?
 
maybe I missed it.. what took you to Cali and where were you hanging out?
 
solscooter said:
maybe I missed it.. what took you to Cali and where were you hanging out?
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We lived in Cali for about 3.5 years while I was in the Marines so we came to love it. I know Cali gets a lot of hate but I'm all about the beach, weather, and endless outdoors possibilities.

My "area" there is in SoCal but I've been around NorCal plenty, I just don't know it as well as I do SoCal.
 
I was in so cal for about 10 years. My wife’s whole family still lives there. Not sure I wanna I wanna go back at this point. I had enough. Monterey and Big Sur are probably my favorite places def check ‘em out if you haven’t.
 
solscooter said:
I was in so cal for about 10 years. My wife’s whole family still lives there. Not sure I wanna I wanna go back at this point. I had enough. Monterey and Big Sur are probably my favorite places def check ‘em out if you haven’t.
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That place is my style. I've been a beach bum my whole life, there's cool cars and trucks everywhere, everyone is covered in tattoos and has long hair regardless of age, people are in better shape than New York regardless of age, etc.

But I do get why a lot of people want nothing to do with it.
 
Lived in San Diego for 18 years. Still go there for work. Glad I moved away 5 years ago. It's not the same it was back then. I know, I sound like an old guy, but it's true.
 
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