As seen in Toyota Trails!
Various articles written here have been published in TLCA's Toyota Trails magazine and on their website. After roaming around our site, click on the magazines to visit TLCA.
Tech and Fabrication
Welding and Metal Work
By Tony K
Don’t let anybody fool you, welding is not that hard to learn how to do. Frequently all it takes is someone to show you the basics and get you started. You don’t have to know all kinds of theory or go to a tech school , all you need is a little guidance to get started. If you are hesitant to believe me, I taught my 70 year old mother to arc weld in less than an hour. She had a piece of art she had always wanted to make and it was the perfect opportunity to learn. I also taught her how to use a cutting torch which I happen to think is even harder to do than arc welding.
Welding a spring hanger
Day 1 of Rubicon 2010, I hear and feel an occasional clanking sound coming from up front. Now the first thing that comes to mind is a broken birf, and that would not be the first for me. As I press on to catch up to our trail leader, Don, I get out to asses the situation. What I see definitely stands out, my driver front spring hangar is about 6-10 inches below the frame rail. It was a clean break, right at the weld, or lack of weld I will say. These spring hangars are not welded on how I would have thought. Only a few short spots around the edge and thats it. Not even a center rivet helps attach it to the frame.
The Eric Throttle
By Tony and Eric
This may be the best and cheapest mod I have ever made. I call it the Eric Throttle because the first place I ever saw one was in his rig. A left over mountain bike brake lever and a $5 set of cables are all you need to make up this throttle that is attached to your stick shift.
Small Changes
By Tony and Eric
There are a lot of things you can do to your rig that don’t cost a lot of money or time. Plain and simple good ideas that are usually cheap or free. And some of them can make a huge difference in how you wheel. And still others are just plain fun.
3B Diesel Tech
By Tony K
One of the great things about my diesel is the simplicity of it. But there are some areas that I have improved and others that will get changed in the near future.