Project510's 2012 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport

[Project510 24]

So almost 13 years ago, I sold my 2003 Supercharged Nissan Frontier to help pay off our wedding. Plan was to buy a new Tacoma after the wedding. That never happened, wife got a new car. We got a new baby. A new job and rented a huge new house. Almost moved out of state. Pandemic.. etc It seemed like I would never be able to get back into a 4x4.

 

But thankfully my brother in-law decided he was buying a Cybertruck and wanted to sell me his Tacoma. It was an immediate yes. And I think I got a good deal.

Purchased the truck in October of last year. Ive been real busy with work so since then I have just been making easy important upgrades, and repairing issues.

 

2012 TRD Sport 102,980 miles

Purchase Price: $16,000

Single owner truck (purchased from brother in-law)
All Stock - it did have a lift and TE37's but I get it as it came when he bought it.
All services done at Toyota minus the later oil changes. Just took it for 100k service and inspection. Nothing bad to report. SAIS filter is in tact.
Runs fine, shifts smooth. There is a small hard shift from 3rd when truck is cold.
Interior is an 8.5/10 Exterior Id say is like 7. You'll see below but the roof paint is fading. Typical Toyota.

 

 

 

Its got its positives and negatives like any used vehicle.

 

Straight truck no damage.

 

All the chrome was swapped out. However, he painted over the chrome emblem which you can see is chipping. I've got it sitting in paint stripper already and Ill repaint it.

 

Not a fan of these tail lights at all. So hopefully something less "hey look at me" can be found.

 

Brother in-law also painted the headlights so well see how that goes. First thing I do might be headlight mod. As long as these have no condensation I figure they look ok.

 

Also if you couldn't tell, I am not a fan of chrome so these Chrome-Clad wheels are not exactly my favorite. Also 18's isn't ideal. Ill eventually save up some cash for something used. Sell these to get some money back.

 

No rust besides these truck bed bolts. I thought these were galvanized so they wouldn't rust. I guess not.

 

Looks good underneath. At least I think it does. Minus the lack of any protection.

 

 

Clean under the hood.

 

Paint is pretty good everywhere except the roof. Slightly annoying. I'm debating repainting it, or wrapping it to cover it up and prevent it from bubbling like my Highlander.

 

Well, thats it for now. Wont see a whole lot of changes for a while. Just fixing what isn't right. But at least I am finally back in a decent 4x4.

 

Future Plans? Just a good old fashioned trustworthy camping and family vehicle. Initially camping trips will hopefully be a few times a year, but hopefully that increases as we get everything sorted. My boy just turned 8, so he is primed and ready to learn how to enjoy the outdoors. He is also super excited to drive the truck haha. All those stories of me driving my uncles trucks at 9 has him expecting to be sitting in the drivers seat real soon.
 

[Project510 24]

Current condition:

5/15/26

 

Current Upgrades:

 

Suspension

 

Drivetrain

• ECGS Bushing install 12/4/24 103K miles $340 (Parts/Labor)

 

Interior

• WeatherTech molded floor mats front/rear $242
• Center Console & Glove Box Organizer $34
• 12-15 Tacoma TRD factory full rubber carpet $432

 

Electrical

• Headlight Services Harness $160
• Osram Super Bright 100/90w 2900 Lumen H4 Bulbs $20
• Interior & License Plate LED bulbs $22

Engine

• UNI Filter Mod $20

 

Body/Chassis

• All-Pro Bed Supports $142
• Meso Customs Gasshole $17
• Beyond wraps Tacoma TRD Sport Hood Stamp (Stop glare on hood) $98
• Spiker Engineering Hood Strut Kit $99
• MiloGen Fab Cab Mount Chop $450

 

Wheels & Tires

• 17x8.5 Method NV (Set of 5) Used from forum member $750
  • M12x1.5 Open end bulge acorn black lug nuts $27
  •  Gorilla Automotive 12x1.5 Black Chrome wheel locks $23
• 285/70/17 Falken Wildpeak A/T4W Load E tires $1360

 

Parts waiting to be installed

• PelfreyBilt Hybrid bumper $900
• Fox Front coil overs 2.0 EXT Mid Travel with DSC Used $500
• FOX 2.0 Performance Series Reservoir smooth body rear shocks as a kit with AP Exp Leaf pack, U-bolt flip kit and ext. brake lines $1,060

Wishlist

Morimoto XB LED tail lights
Respray of roof to correct damaged clear coat and top coat

Total Cost (Including purchase price)
$20,836

Edited May 18 by Project510

[4x4tographer 3,642]

Truck looks cleeeeeean. A nice blank slate for ya.
 

I like your idea on just wrapping the roof. Might be able to find matching vinyl, or maybe a matte or high glossy black would look good. A sheet of vinyl might run you about $50.

 

I’ve used RVinyl in the past. Fast shipping and good customer service if they get it wrong.

I’ve been happy with the 3M dead matte black I used on my Jeep’s hood. It’s held up well for 7 years now, although I park in the garage and out of the sun.

[Project510 24]

1 hour ago, 4x4tographer said:

Truck looks cleeeeeean. A nice blank slate for ya.
 

I like your idea on just wrapping the roof. Might be able to find matching vinyl, or maybe a matte or high glossy black would look good. A sheet of vinyl might run you about $50.

 

I’ve used RVinyl in the past. Fast shipping and good customer service if they get it wrong.

I’ve been happy with the 3M dead matte black I used on my Jeep’s hood. It’s held up well for 7 years now, although I park in the garage and out of the sun.

 

Thank you, Ryan. Yea she's a clean slate. My brother wasn't into actually taking the truck off-road. Just liked the look. Worst she has seen is a trip to Tahoe.

You will see below but for the hood I went with a pre cut decal from Beyond Wraps and installed myself. Still undecided on the roof.

[Project510 24]

First thing I did to the truck was ditch the warm interior lights. They hardly worked anyways. All of these interior lights (and some exterior) must be original because they were all super dim. Started replacing the bulbs with LEDs. They look brighter in the photos, but its much better now. Truck has actual usable interior lights now.

 

 

 

 

Even with the leds the license plate lights look dim. I think the lens is fogged up due to age. But at least we lost the amber.

 

 

I removed the TRDsport stickers from the bedsides. I never did like that look. To me this is better.

 

 

Uni Filter Mod

 

Added the UNI filter and removed the old foam insert on the air pump. My Foam pieces was old and discolored, but in one piece. Before I bought the truck my brother in-law took it to the dealer and they ordered him a new filter and the cover. Ill save that for visits to Smog for registration. But the air pump works fine and thankfully filter element was not deteriorated. My Brother in-law had no idea it was a recall.

 

 

Also installed the Headlight Services harness as part of the Ultimate headlight mod from Tacoma World forum.

This made a world of difference. $20 bulbs and the harness and my light output increased id say maybe 50%? The headlights even have a nice cutoff which I have never seen from Halogen bulbs. 

 

 

 

I also installed the All-Pro bed supports. I was not going to install these as I saw them at first as a gimmick. But when I actually looked at the truck I noticed I had a decent gap on the passenger side tailgate. I was pretty surprised at how bad my bed was out of shape. So I figured what the heck. I had no idea it was actually a thing. Added the supports, gap is now reduced and equal on both sides of the tailgate.

 

4000 miles in and I am settling in to the truck. Getting used to its noises and random issues.

• The brakes suck. They bite nice when the truck is cold, but once they get some heat in them. Garbage. I already ordered replacement pads and rotors. This is probably an age thing more so than Toyota issue.
• The rearview camera is almost useless. I mean, its my first vehicle with one, so I don't need it. But it was a cool bonus. Its either wet or foggy in the winter, or during sunny days the glare makes it almost totally useless. I was thinking about one of those rear view mirror camera upgrades since I want to add front/rear facing cameras anyways. We will see
• There's a new, or well now that I have added the ECGS bushing I have felt a new vibration. I'm hoping its the tires. I will be changing tires soon as I got new wheels. It could also be the carrier bushing, I have a new one to install. It has play but I need to research how much play is too much. I grease all the u-joints and they seem to be good. Im guessing its is coming from old bushings, improper wheel balance, or the u-joints/drive shaft.
  

 

I also bought new wheels. I cannot wait to ditch these chrome 18's. They are not even real chrome wheels. The sad thing is, under the chrome clad is a nice looking wheel. But I want to run 17's because my group of truck friends run 17s so in a pinch we can all share spares.

 

I have been lazy and have not chosen what tires to run. I'm looking at KO3's, Baja Boss, Grabber A/TX, & Wrangler Duratrac.. Also, my close friend George is giving me his front coilovers. We are removing them on Saturday hopefully so I can send them out to be rebuilt. Once that's done, I have real fox shocks to match the fox front coils, new leaf pack and bushings to lift her up 3 inches. Then I can order 33's do the cab mount chop so I don't rub and I think I am set for suspension.

[Project510 24]

Got these from my buddy today. They are rough, but I am dropping them off this week for a full rebuild. They not be shiny and new but this build isn't about that. Its about better than stock and affordable. These are exactly that. Once they are rebuilt we will install rears, leafs bushings and new brakes. Then she goes under the knife for a cab mount chop and we put the 33's on and we are ready for an adventure!

 

[Project510 24]

Not much to update with regards to the truck. I have all the parts for my lift, the only thing I do not have is time. Ironic, isnt it. In the past I had all the time in the world and no money. Now I have all the parts, and the vehicle... and no time. I did have time to drop the truck off to get my wheels mounted. I took a risk on how bad it would rub adding the 33's without any lift. The cab mount relocation was enough. It rubs under load, like entering the freeway if I go to fast, so I jsut keep it slow. 

 

Here is aphoto from our first trip with the new tires. It was all paved except for a one very muddy, dirt road to our cabin in Arnold we rented for a weekend trip. Im really enjoying these Falken AT4w's. THey are quieter than any previous AT tire I had on my old frontier. And they handled the mud without me having to engage 4wd. They do fling it all over the place, but so far thats the only negative I can find. Hopefully our lift is instlled shortly, and we get a few trips in before its too damn hot in Northern Ca.

 

[theksmith 5,778]

looking good! i'm hoping to get a mild lift and some just slightly larger A/T tires on my Frontier early next year - not sure if i'll be able to swing new rims at the same time though.

[Project510 24]

23 minutes ago, theksmith said:

looking good! i'm hoping to get a mild lift and some just slightly larger A/T tires on my Frontier early next year - not sure if i'll be able to swing new rims at the same time though.

 

Now I know I have been gone too long. You bought a Frontier!? Also, my wheels were not new. I got them used. But like many MANY trucks here in the bay. THey never saw a non paved road haha. I got a set of 5 for $750 so I have a matching full size spare.

[Project510 24]

I totally forgot that I made one other upgrade to the truck. The carpet.

 

During a rainy period, I noticed water drops on the inside of the truck. After looking at the window, it was clear I had a problem. It looked like the seal had dried up or gone bad as the window could be pushed out from the inside. When I took the truck to have it corrected, they informed me that the window was missing all 4 bolts that secure it to the truck. There is no way Toyota forgot to install these I thought. But after a call to my brother in-law, he confirmed that he never replaced or removed the window. As confirmed by the Nissan stamp on the OEM glass. So this entire time, the window was held in place only by the sealent.

 

Because of this, I pulled the interior out on a hunch. How long had it been leaking? And before I got far I noticed this. I remember seeing this during the purchase, and assumed it was spilled cleaning fluids, or who knows.. He raised two kids in the truck. Turns out it was mold.

 

 

 

Instead of cleaning it, I took no chances. I have a child with asthma, and an immunocompromised spouse. I had already wanted to replace with a rubber, this just sped up that process.

 

I gutted and cleaned the heck out of the truck. Using steam and other cleaning products. 

 

 

The 2nd Gen Tacoma TRD OR was sold with an special package of some kind that included a full rubber carpet. I called several Dealerships, and was able to locate one in another state. Had it shipped to my local dealership, after having the purchase cancelled twice by two seperate sales managers becasue they " knew it wouldnt fit my truck." I was only able to get it purchased by agreeing on a no return policy if it was opened, and undamaged. 

 

 

It fits perfectly, with 0 alterations because it was literally made for my model truck. I have no idea why the reluctance to let it get to me. Becasue its a full replacement, it goes all the way up and around the center console, so its great for spills mud snow etc. 

 

 

oh yea... I also had the cab mounts relocated to fit the 33's 

 

Edited May 18 by Project510