• 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.

hellopuppie's 2018 Grey Guthe Trail Limo TRD Off-Road DCLB 4x4 Build and BS

hellppy

6️⃣ Aficionado
Tacoma3G Supporter
Tacoma3G O.G.
Joined
Jun 21, 2018
Messages
558
Reaction score
900
Location
Scottsdale, AZ
Website
tacoma3g.com
2018 TRD OR DCLB Auto
Cement
Hi Everyone!

Welcome to my build thread and thanks for taking a look! I'm creating this mostly to document everything I do, have done, and plan to do to my latest Tacoma. I'll also be posting pictures of off-road adventures with friends and feel free to BS in here. This is my 4th Tacoma and I've also had 2 other Toyota pick-up trucks before they went to the Tacoma branding. So basically, I've been driving a Toyota truck since before I got my driver's license at 16. Here's a list of them:

1983 Toyota Single Cab Long Bed Pick-Up 4cyl 4-speed Manual, Tan - Sold
1992 Toyota XtraCab Long Bed 4cyl 5-speed Manual, Dark Gray Metallic - Totaled (my fault)
1999 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road XtraCab PreRunner V6 Automatic, Black Metallic - Traded
2008 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport DCLB PreRunner V6 Automatic, Black Sand Pearl - Totaled (not my fault)
2012 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport DCLB 4x4 V6 Automatic with JBL, Black - Sold

Current Truck Purchased 12/19/2017:
2018 Cement TRD Off-Road DCLB 4x4 V6 Automatic with Premium Off-Road/Tech, Leather and JBL.

12/19/2017 - The day I took delivery.
20171219_135426-jpg.2524223


20171221_145817-jpg.2524225


20171220_101738-jpg.2524226


1/26/2018
20180126_083649-jpg.2523815


8/6/2018
20180806_062538.jpg


12/8/2018
1545142977897.png


Suspension:
ICON Toyota Tacoma Suspension System - Stage 10
ICON S2 Secondary Bypass Shock System - Stage 3
ICON Rear Hydraulic Air Bumpstops
ICON 2.5" Extended Travel Remote CDCV Coilovers
ICON 700# Springs
ICON 2.5" Extended Travel Remote CDCV RXT Rear Shocks
ICON RXT Multi-Rate Leaf Springs Setting 2
ICON Billet Aluminum Delta Joint UCAs

Wheels/Tires:
ICON Alloys REBOUND Satin Black 17"x8.5" Zero Offset
TOYO OPEN COUNTRY M/T 285/75R17

Lighting:
ME-SO Customs v3 Ultimate LED Turn Signals
@Baja Designs Amber Squadron Sport (Driving/Combo) Fog Pocket Kit
@Baja Designs Squadron Pro Ditch Lights
@Baja Designs Amber Squadron Sport Chase Light
@Baja Designs 30" OnX6 Plus
@Baja Designs 10" OnX6 Plus x2
@Baja Designs 20" OnX6 Plus

Performance:
TRD
Cat-Back Exhaust
T-SB-0062-18

Armor:
@SDHQ OFFROAD
Prototype Double Cab Long Bed sliders
@SDHQ OFFROAD Billet Aluminium ABS Guards
Pelfreycriminal IFS skid (very temporary for protection) Anybody want it in the Phoenix area? free99
RCI
Aluminum Fuel Tank Skid Plate
M.O.R.E full skid package
CBI High Clearance Rear Bumper
SSO Slimline Hybrid Front Bumper
SSO Slimline Hybrid Stage 2 High Clearance kit

Misc:
De-badged
@SDHQ OFFROAD Cab Mount Chop
@SDHQ OFFROAD A-Pillar Light Brackets
@SDHQ OFFROAD Stealth Winch Mount
@SDHQ OFFROAD Dual Battery Kit
Toyota Bed Mat
Toyota Door Sill Protectors
Toyota Factory All-Weather Floor Mats
OEM Tacoma TRD Pro Grille
AJT Designs Injection Fob
5% Window tint all around
Toyota SR5 Fog Light Bezels
Nitro 4.88 REM Polished Gears
Hypertech Speedometer Calibrator
@Motorsport36 Custom Blacked Out Headlights
Prinsu Designs Cabrac
Prinsu Designs Load Plates
Tufskinz Interior Foam Inserts
Tufskinz Side Door Foam Inserts
Rago Fabrication Hi-Lift Jack Mounts
Hi-Lift Jack
Powertank 20lb. mounted in bed
Switch-Pros
WARN
ZEON 10S Platinum Winch
Optima Group 34 batteries x2
Maxtrax
CVT
Mt Shasta Extended Roof Top Tent (thanks @Stormy)
CBI
Overland Bars

Future Planned Mods:
Dynamat Interior Floor, Doors, Back Panel
 
Last edited:
Ok, so I'm just going to start from the beginning and work up from there. I don't have the best pictures because I wasn't really planning a build page, but for future mods, I'll be sure to get some good ones.

Anyhow, around August of 2017, I wanted a new truck and I knew that it would be another Tacoma. I had originally "ordered" the usual from my buddy at Toyota, Black TRD 4x4 Sport DCLB. The only problem was that they had no idea when the 2018s were coming out, and they pretty much had no information on them at all, so obviously I had to wait. In the meantime, allocation finally went through in September 2017 for my new truck... cool! Thanks to the interwebs, I did a ton of research on the 2018s and found out a few things that would have pissed me off had I not been so excited to get a new truck and done my research.

  • The black for 2018 was Midnight Black Metallic. (Not a fan of metallic blacks. My 2008 was Black Sand Pearl and actually hated it although technically, not a metallic)
  • Toyota was bringing Cement over to the TRD Off-Road and TRD Sport
  • You could finally get factory leather seats in the Tacoma.

Within hours, I had changed my allocated "order" to the truck you see here. A Cement TRD 4x4 Off-Road DCLB with Premium Off-Road Package and Technology Package which included my leather trimmed seats that I'd wished they had done a long time ago. I added OEM all-weather floor mats and the TRD performance exhaust because I always do that anyhow. I didn't have to deal with all of the bullshit dealer add-ons or anything like that. Total MSRP came out to be $42,252.00 but I got it less than "invoice" cuz, well I know a guy. Allocation on this truck finally went through in early November with a build date for the week of December 11th. It actually got built on December 12th and was delivered to me on the 19th. This was 1 of 2 Tacomas in this configuration allocated for the Denver region, which for whatever reason, we're in. So it looks like I got one of the first ones like this. Merry X-mas to me!

Once I got word that my truck had been allocated, I started buying stuff for it! Once again, I did my research and knew exactly what I wanted to do for suspension, wheels and tires.

ICON - 2.5" Extended Travel Remote CDCV Coilovers with Factory 650 lb. Springs
20171118_213231-jpg.2533258


ICON Billet Aluminum Delta Joint UCA's
20171118_213906-jpg.2533289


ICON Alloys REBOUND 17"x8.5" Zero Offset
20180113_164151-jpg.2533309

20180102_162538-jpg.2533311


TOYO OPEN COUNTRY M/T 285/75R17
20171207_151414-jpg.2533314
 
Last edited:
1/12/2018 - The first big mod was to upgrade the suspension. Huge thanks to @JerryTaco2.0 for the full suspension installation, use of his garage and payment in IPA!

Loading the truck up before work with suspension components and currency.
20180111_175210-jpg.2533395


At work before suspension.
20180111_072708-jpg.2533428


During install.
20180112_165527-jpg.2533424


Front done.
20180112_184702-jpg.2533436


Jerry goin' to town on a bolt that needs cuttin'.
20180112_192306-jpg.2533441


Such a huge difference over stock in the rear! Front too, but no side-by-side of that.
20180112_191938-2-jpg.2533448


20180112_192426-jpg.2533470


20180112_192452-jpg.2533471


After suspension install waiting for an alignment.
20180113_090649-jpg.2533472


20180113_094941-jpg.2533475
 
1/19/2018 - Wheel & Tire and CMC day! Dropped her off at SDHQ to get the wheels & tires mounted and the cab mount chop done.

Tires loaded in the bed, wheels loaded in the back seat. I love the space in my long bed!

20180119_070300-jpg.2533614

20180119_070327-jpg.2533615


Cab mount chop completed. SDHQ does a great job at this and looks factory. They even trimmed some plastic for me.

20180125_160446-2-jpg.2533626


Wheels & Tires and Cab Mount Chop... done!

20180119_125828-jpg.2533625

20180119_140327-jpg.2533651
 
2/1/2018 - Stopped by @JerryTaco2.0's house on the way home today and got the TRD fog bezels switched out for SR5 fog bezels. Thanks buddy!! The SR5 fog bezels really do flow better with the lines of the truck. They even match the shape of the bezel frame behind the bulky TRD bezels.

Here are the part numbers if anyone is interested:
Driver's Side: 52128-04020
Passenger Side: 52127-04020

TRD fog bezel
20180201_155415-jpg.2537841


SR5 fog bezel
20180201_155815-jpg.2537843


TRD on the left, SR5 on the right.
20180201_155501-jpg.2537846


20180201_172515-jpg.2537857
 
2/18/2018 - In the meantime, I did some sticky foil (Dynamat Xtreme) on the back wall of the cab. Surprisingly, it does make the cab a little more quiet and the bass from the sub seems to hit a little harder. I'm actually kind of confused with the 3rd gen JBL system. My 2012 Tacoma with JBL sounded way better! Has anyone else experienced this or is there some kind of issue with mine? @JerryTaco2.0's 2017 JBL sounds 10 times better than my 2018 at much lower volume levels.

upload_2018-2-19_20-39-32-jpg.2567699


upload_2018-2-19_20-41-2-jpg.2567710

upload_2018-2-19_20-42-23-jpg.2567714
 
3/2/2018 - Along with the gears, my Prinsu came in! The box is a little jacked up but I haven't had a chance to look at it yet.

20180302_143452-jpg.2586977
 
Back
Top