New here from the USA

awsumdc · Post by **awsumdc** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 5:57 am

Hey guys, I'm new here and would just like to introduce myself. My name is Wyatt and I own an off-road company here in the states ad I'm co-owner of another one. I have a 2005 Toyota Tacoma that I did a solid axle swap on when I bought it new.

I really love the Hilux but unfortunately we can't get them here in the states o I had to settle for the Tacoma and build it the way I wanted it. Here are a couple of pictures of it and here is a link to the build up of it.

Here is a link to the build of the truck.
http://rocksolidtoys.com/forum/showthread.php?t=28

DOELLOOS · Post by **DOELLOOS** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 6:05 am

Hi Wyatt,

Welcome to an excellent community of helpful and enthusiastic Hilux owners. Hells Bells, that is one hell of a nice 4x4x4 you have there.

Simply awesome...

As they would say in American:

"goddang, that's one serious mother4ucker trucker!"

awsumdc · Post by **awsumdc** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 7:06 am

Thank you very much. I've read a lot of your posts and yes, it does seem to be a very helpful forum. Look forward to sharing what ever information I can on what we are doing here in the states.

Post by **CasKru** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 7:17 am

Welcome Wyatt. Hope you enjoy it on our forum. You've caught it at a bit of a slow time it seems with the holidays being on us. You will see a lot of Afrikaans posts. If you can't get sorted with the translators available please feel free to request for someone to translate.

PS: Love your truck

awsumdc · Post by **awsumdc** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 7:26 am

Thank you very much. My wife has a very good friend that is from South Africa and her family is still there. As a matter of fact, we are spending tomorrow with her and her Boy friend. She has spoken Afrikaan before and your right, I will probably need some translation help when that happens

Anyway, I'm looking forward to this forum and I'm looking to share what we are doing here in the states.

Post by **CasKru** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 7:29 am

awsumdc wrote:Thank you very much. My wife has a very good friend that is from South Africa and her family is still there. As a matter of fact, we are spending tomorrow with her and her Boy friend. She has spoken Afrikaan before and your right, I will probably need some translation help when that happens

Anyway, I'm looking forward to this forum and I'm looking to share what we are doing here in the states.

One thing you will realise soon as that we love photo's

The more the better!

DOELLOOS · Post by **DOELLOOS** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 7:34 am

CasKru wrote:
awsumdc wrote:Thank you very much. My wife has a very good friend that is from South Africa and her family is still there. As a matter of fact, we are spending tomorrow with her and her Boy friend. She has spoken Afrikaan before and your right, I will probably need some translation help when that happens

Anyway, I'm looking forward to this forum and I'm looking to share what we are doing here in the states.
One thing you will realise soon as that we love photo's The more the better!

Unfortunately Cassie doesn't have an imagination...

Post by **Family_Dog** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 10:00 am

V8 Interceptor wrote: Unfortunately Cassie doesn't have an imagination...

That's because a picture is worth 1000 words!

Welcome, Wyatt!

-F_D

Hoppy · Post by **Hoppy** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 11:27 am

Welcome, i think we can get some good advice from you!

Looks like Dana/Spicer axles under that van, awesome professional job!

andrevt · Post by **andrevt** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 11:54 am

welcome wyatt from us here in the freestate that is the best province in the whole of south africa nice looking bakkie

Post by **pietpetoors** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 2:52 pm

Welcome Wyatt, amazing truck.
Hoppy, in the post where Wyaat shows how they built the truck it says

Code: Select all

And here is the jewel that will relace all that IFS stuff. It's a Currie rock jock 60 that is high pinion with reverse cut 5.38 gears, an ARB locker, 35 spline axle's Ford F-450 knuckles, Wilwood 4 piston disc brakes, and Warn premium hubs.

chopper · Post by **chopper** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 6:14 pm

Awesome Wyatt, or as you would put it "awsum" - still very, very impressive!

Sifu-Lux · Post by **Sifu-Lux** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 6:31 pm

Welcome Wyatt, nice truck!

Bandit · Post by **Bandit** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 8:19 pm

Welcome to the forum Wyatt, thats one good looking vehicle you got there. Enjoy!

2.8 d/cab SFA · Post by **2.8 d/cab SFA** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 8:51 pm

wow awesome, welcome

rock solid · Post by **rock solid** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 9:27 pm

nice doublecab. kinda weird, i own a 4x4 shop in co called rock solid motorsports

ToyX4 · Post by **ToyX4** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 9:35 pm

Shaait, I wish my Hilux can articulate like your truck!!!

Welcome, and enjoy!

awsumdc · Post by **awsumdc** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 1:21 am

rock solid wrote:nice doublecab. kinda weird, i own a 4x4 shop in co called rock solid motorsports

Wow! That is weird. You live a couple states away from me and we meet on a forum from South Africa....

My wife actually came up with the name Rock Solid Toys.

Thank you for the comps on the truck.

awsumdc · Post by **awsumdc** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 1:22 am

CasKru wrote:
awsumdc wrote:Thank you very much. My wife has a very good friend that is from South Africa and her family is still there. As a matter of fact, we are spending tomorrow with her and her Boy friend. She has spoken Afrikaan before and your right, I will probably need some translation help when that happens

Anyway, I'm looking forward to this forum and I'm looking to share what we are doing here in the states.
One thing you will realise soon as that we love photo's The more the better!

Great! I'll post up more tomorrow.

awsumdc · Post by **awsumdc** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 1:26 am

Family_Dog wrote:
V8 Interceptor wrote: Unfortunately Cassie doesn't have an imagination...

That's because a picture is worth 1000 words!

Welcome, Wyatt!

-F_D

Thank you very much.

Here is a video of the truck in Calico Ca. going over Doran Falls at the gate keeper.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiGNkBG6eAg

awsumdc · Post by **awsumdc** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 1:37 am

Hoppy wrote:Welcome, i think we can get some good advice from you!

Looks like Dana/Spicer axles under that van, awesome professional job!

Thank you very much. Actually the axles are both custom built Currie Enterprises axles. The front one is a Currie Rock Jock 60 with an aluminum center section with Dana60 reverse cut gears. The rear is a high pinion heavy duty Currie 60 with reverse cut gears as well.

awsumdc · Post by **awsumdc** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 1:39 am

andrevt wrote:welcome wyatt from us here in the freestate that is the best province in the whole of south africa nice looking bakkie

Thank you. What is a "bakkie"?

awsumdc · Post by **awsumdc** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 1:42 am

Wow! Thank you all for the warm welcome. I think I'm gonna like it here

Spartan · Post by **Spartan** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 3:50 am

awsumdc wrote: What is a "bakkie"?

A pick-up

DOELLOOS · Post by **DOELLOOS** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 7:37 am

Spartan wrote:
awsumdc wrote: What is a "bakkie"?
A pick-up

Actually they call it a TRUCK...

A Hilux would be a compact truck...

We can laaik to be calling it a bakkie...

A BAK in Afrikaans refers to a bowl or some sort of container, hence the term bakkie...

Spartan · Post by **Spartan** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 7:53 am

Ok then a Pick-up truck

Post by **Mammabeer** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 9:01 am

Welcome! Nice to see some more extreme vehicles..... Myself, Creamsoda, Blom and Throttleboy were really beginning to feel very lonely.....

DOELLOOS · Post by **DOELLOOS** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 9:33 am

But I was here the whole time...

Post by **Mammabeer** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 12:07 pm

V8 Interceptor wrote:But I was here the whole time...

Bosfebok · Post by **Bosfebok** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 1:02 pm

Welcome Wyatt! Your bakkie is certainly one of the best looking one's I've seen before. Really cool!!

Post by **Family_Dog** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 8:32 pm

awsumdc wrote: Thank you very much.

Here is a video of the truck in Calico Ca. going over Doran Falls at the gate keeper.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiGNkBG6eAg

I just have to ask the question... did you ever get the truck out of there??

Not too much room to turn around

-F_D

awsumdc · Post by **awsumdc** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 10:41 pm

Family_Dog wrote:
awsumdc wrote: Thank you very much.

Here is a video of the truck in Calico Ca. going over Doran Falls at the gate keeper.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiGNkBG6eAg

I just have to ask the question... did you ever get the truck out of there??

Not too much room to turn around

-F_D

LOL Yeah it was tight but not as tight as this one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uScHxxhkS6U

Here are some other video's of the "BEAST"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijOKLM1OAxA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAmeDEES_Oc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6YoEiY6-aY

I did make it out. he trail continues on after that point.

awsumdc · Post by **awsumdc** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 10:50 pm

Here is another video.
http://s594.photobucket.com/albums/tt30 ... keeper.flv

ThysdJ · Post by **ThysdJ** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 7:32 am

Awesome Wyatt. I am sitting here at my desk with adrenalin pumping..

Post by **Family_Dog** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 9:20 am

Kaspaas wrote:Awesome Wyatt. I am sitting here at my desk with adrenalin pumping..

Aren't you supposed to be working...

-F_D

ThysdJ · Post by **ThysdJ** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 9:27 am

With that much adrenalin flowing all my work is done for the week...

Post by **Mud Dog** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 10:07 am

Hi Wyatt and welcome!

The guys here have already said it all, great 'bakkie' and your username 'awsumdc' is appropriate!!

mushroom · Post by **mushroom** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 1:37 pm

Hi Wyatt - welcome to the forum. Getting around the Afrikaans will be easier than trying to work out the provincial rugby teams over here, and the good banter that goes along with it. Dont be surprised to hear a shark giving a cheetah hell, while a bull laughs on the sideline with the pumas and the elephants. The odd puffin is know to hang around a stormer now and then as well.
Your cab looks well neat

Dadz Toy BFI · Post by **Dadz Toy BFI** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 5:45 pm

Awesome Truck Wyatt - glad that you get out and play often

BenHur · Post by **BenHur** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 3:24 am

Welcome

Dang but that is a lovely truck you have there, I'm green

awsumdc · Post by **awsumdc** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 7:17 am

Thanks again guys And your right. I wen exploring in this board and ran into some posts that I didn't know what they were saying. I did pick up a word or two but got lost all over again. Cool forum though. I'll be here for a long while.

awsumdc · Post by **awsumdc** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 7:35 am

Some of you wanted more pictures so here you go.

awsumdc · Post by **awsumdc** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 7:45 am

I let one of my friends take my truck 1,000 miles away and have a good time with it in the mountains. This is all I got back...

Post by **CasKru** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 7:48 am

Geezzz but that is an awesome group photo. Wish we could see the FJ Cruiser on our shores as well but alas... Seems like you guys have a lot of fun over there

Post by **Family_Dog** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 8:16 am

BenHur wrote:Welcome

Dang but that is a lovely truck you have there, I'm green

Much better colour than that blue you've been wearing for so long!

-F_D

awsumdc · Post by **awsumdc** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 4:44 am

CasKru wrote:Geezzz but that is an awesome group photo. Wish we could see the FJ Cruiser on our shores as well but alas... Seems like you guys have a lot of fun over there

Thank you. My daughter took that picture.

BenHur · Post by **BenHur** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 12:45 am

awsumdc wrote:Thanks again guys And your right. I went exploring in this board and ran into some posts that I didn't know what they were saying. I did pick up a word or two but got lost all over again. Cool forum though. I'll be here for a long while.

Try http://translate.google.com/ and use the translate from Afrikaans option, not perfect as it will get the grammar and sentence construction wrong, but understanding more of the words may help a bit.

http://translate.google.com/#af|en|Die% ... ka%20foute

awsumdc · Post by **awsumdc** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 2:49 am

BenHur wrote:
awsumdc wrote:Thanks again guys And your right. I went exploring in this board and ran into some posts that I didn't know what they were saying. I did pick up a word or two but got lost all over again. Cool forum though. I'll be here for a long while.
Try http://translate.google.com/ and use the translate from Afrikaans option, not perfect as it will get the grammar and sentence construction wrong, but understanding more of the words may help a bit.

http://translate.google.com/#af|en|Die% ... ka%20foute

Thanks a lot Bennie. I'll do that.

blom · Post by **blom** » Mon Dec 28, 2009 2:17 pm

Wyatt
have you gents got some experience with "full" hydraulic steering ?
i have seen that the "usa" dudes run this setup successfully on their trucks and can do some "highway" driving?
i run the setup on my fighting machine with a reactive open center orbital valve which works fine.
however the steering is "to soft" at high speed ? any advice ? tricks ?

while we are at it
i am looking at purchasing a 4 to 1 gearset for my dana 300, which is best terra or lowmax, google is "biased" some guys reckon terra is better others reckon lowmax is better. i need some "advice from experience"

yep you guys are lucky. Dana 60 does not exist in SA (they are considered the holy grail IF you can find one) then i don't want to talk aftermarket parts !!!

BTW
when are you joining us fore some reeeeeel wheeling ? AFRICA STYLE!!!!

DOELLOOS · Post by **DOELLOOS** » Mon Dec 28, 2009 2:44 pm

blom wrote:BTW
when are you joining us fore some reeeeeel wheeling ? AFRICA STYLE!!!!

When trucks can swim?????

blom · Post by **blom** » Mon Dec 28, 2009 3:54 pm

Joshua · Post by **Joshua** » Mon Dec 28, 2009 4:32 pm

Welcome Wyatt.

Awesome Truck, hope to see more of it.
A bit of transcontinental networking can always benefit everybody.
Hope to see you on African Soil sometime, you would enjoy the great African outdoors.
In the Meantime, keep those photo's coming.
Once again, be welcome, but be warned, this site can become addictive......

awsumdc · Post by **awsumdc** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 5:42 am

blom wrote:Wyatt
have you gents got some experience with "full" hydraulic steering ?
i have seen that the "usa" dudes run this setup successfully on their trucks and can do some "highway" driving?
i run the setup on my fighting machine with a reactive open center orbital valve which works fine.
however the steering is "to soft" at high speed ? any advice ? tricks ?

while we are at it
i am looking at purchasing a 4 to 1 gearset for my dana 300, which is best terra or lowmax, google is "biased" some guys reckon terra is better others reckon lowmax is better. i need some "advice from experience"

yep you guys are lucky. Dana 60 does not exist in SA (they are considered the holy grail IF you can find one) then i don't want to talk aftermarket parts !!!

BTW
when are you joining us fore some reeeeeel wheeling ? AFRICA STYLE!!!!

Ok, Lets start from the beginning. Full Hydro steering is great for off road use only. It is not legal nor advisable for the highway. If you loose a hose you loose all of your steering. Thats why I went with hydro assist. You can make hydro assist so light by putting on a larger ram that it feels like full hydro but if you loose a hose you can block off the ram and still have manual steering control. That wuld be the trick for using a soft hydro assist on the street. Myself, I have found that I have full control up to 90mph with a small ram and can still push the truck away from a wall wit the tire while turning. That means I have full control on the highway and full control in the rocks. I'm using a PSC 1.5" ram with 6.75" throw and a TC style pump with a cooler and remote resevior.

I've not had any experience with the 4:1 gears in the Dana 300. Just the 3:1 and both are great. The Dana 300 is super strong and I would imagine the 4:1 gears will work well in it. I have Marlin Crawler 4.70:1 gears in my crawler box and they are super strong and are in a smaller box than the Dana 300. I feel either will be great.

Man, I would love to bring the "Beast" over there and wheel for a month. That is a dream of mine. Maybe someday.

awsumdc · Post by **awsumdc** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 5:46 am

Joshua wrote:Welcome Wyatt.
Awesome Truck, hope to see more of it.
A bit of transcontinental networking can always benefit everybody.
Hope to see you on African Soil sometime, you would enjoy the great African outdoors.
In the Meantime, keep those photo's coming.
Once again, be welcome, but be warned, this site can become addictive......

Thank you very much. I would love to come there and wheel with you guys. That would be a dream come true for me.

Since you wanted some photo's, here are a couple of video's for you.

Stuck???? I don' think so!!! 8 )

awsumdc · Post by **awsumdc** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 6:01 am

Lets break up the truck pictures a bit.

On the cover

motor
My tow vehicle. It's a Ford F250 Super Duty with a 6.4L V8 Diesel motor. The thing will tow a house.

DOELLOOS · Post by **DOELLOOS** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 7:06 am

I like FORD engines...

Post by **Mud Dog** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 7:32 am

Wyatt, how many leaves in the rear spring packs? ..... I count about nine from what I can see in the pic .... looks like you have greaseable sliders inbetween them as well? ......

blom · Post by **blom** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 7:33 am

I like FORD engines...

Garage owners too !!!

awsumdc · Post by **awsumdc** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 3:51 pm

blom wrote:
I like FORD engines...

Garage owners too !!!

Thats the truth. Strong as heck but always in the shop

awsumdc · Post by **awsumdc** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 3:56 pm

Mud Dog wrote:Wyatt, how many leaves in the rear spring packs? ..... I count about nine from what I can see in the pic .... looks like you have greaseable sliders inbetween them as well? ......

There are twelve leafs total in the leaf packs. They are very soft for flexing but I needed the heigth, thats why there are so many. There are anti-friction pads in between the leafs but they are not greaseable. They are some type of poly material