2010 Baja 1000

[jmelrose]

http://www.hamradio.com/

go to the "Mobile 2M FM" section on sale for 154 now but i've seen it cheaper

MOD: http://www.kb2ljj.com/data/kenwood/TM-271A-E.htm

[RIDEitINTOtheGROUND]

if u have time/are into the dialing in you can do the stuff urself (mod looks EZ enough) ...antenna is separate, does it have to be tuned too? buy one with the motorola base so its rather universal in the offroad community..
if you dont want to deal with it you can go to HRO and they will do the mod and program in all the channels you want i think for 30 bucks (not cheap but = easy)

I think i was out the door with the antenna and base and modded and programmed for around 230, this was about 3 years ago

[jmelrose]

Antenna is tuned to a desired frequency by cutting it to a certain length, also pretty easy but they can do it. Modding it a big no no for a business so they can't legally do it

[eazyethan]

Originally Posted by ua taco

once again, the only time they say it is worth it is if building something like this, that is not available at the dealer

As long as we can still do it for <$1000 I'm in!!

I read about the radio mod and sounds like something right up my alley.

[eazyethan]

Thanks for all the info...I will probably order one soon and find a nice place for it in the taco.

Staying somewhat on topic, any other gadgets or gizmos I should have for a baja trip (i.e. winch, tow strap, smoke grenades, .50 cal, etc.)?

[doc]

Originally Posted by eazyethan

Thanks for all the info...I will probably order one soon and find a nice place for it in the taco.

Staying somewhat on topic, any other gadgets or gizmos I should have for a baja trip (i.e. winch, tow strap, smoke grenades, .50 cal, etc.)?

anything resembling ammo, firearms etc. will earn you long years in a mexican jail. Be certain to clean all target range waste products etc from your vehicle before heading to MEX.

[brian]

Originally Posted by doc

anything resembling ammo, firearms etc. will earn you decades in a mexican jail. Be certain to clean all target range waste products etc from your vehicle before heading to MEX.

Haha, I don't think Ethan was being serious Doc

[doc]

Originally Posted by brian

Haha, I don't think Ethan was being serious Doc

I didn't think he was, either, but certain topics don't leave room for misinterpretation.

[jmelrose]

ahem ... Chris!

EZ does the taco have easily accessible tow hooks up front? (nothing worse that having to get towed around backwards, right Jose?) Also a full size spare if you went bigger with the BFGs. Thankfully you'll be cruising with a bunch of other toyotas so you can poach things if need be.

The most important thing not to forget is lots of cash for fireworks!

[RIDEitINTOtheGROUND]

Originally Posted by doc

I didn't think he was, either, but certain topics don't leave room for misinterpretation.

Dang and I was about to pack the BOHICA
+1 on cohetes dinero

[eazyethan]

Yes, totally joking about any weaponry down south. I just want my truck to be as prepared as possible without turning it into Ilya's wet dream. I already have or plan to have: BFG AT's, Optima YellowTop, fire extinguisher, air compressor, race radio, reverse/bed lights, inverter, first aid kit.

I suppose aftermarket coil-overs and a skid plate are not out of the question before Baja. I also may look at improving the camping situation in the bed.

Yes, I do have a nice big hook on the front for yanking me out

[bomber]

Originally Posted by jmelrose

(nothing worse that having to get towed around backwards, right Jose?)

Haha, seriously. That was a time when a little strip of brightly colored tape on the steering wheel locating center would have been awesome. Tomas says I was turning the wrong way at some points and the wheels were being dragged perpendicular to the direction of travel, glad I didn't blow a balljoint!

Tow hooks up front are a future mod for my truck, but for now I'm rolling on brand new Hankook RF10's.

[ua taco]

Originally Posted by eazyethan

Yes, totally joking about any weaponry down south. I just want my truck to be as prepared as possible without turning it into Ilya's wet dream. I already have or plan to have: BFG AT's, Optima YellowTop, fire extinguisher, air compressor, race radio, reverse/bed lights, inverter, first aid kit.

I suppose aftermarket coil-overs and a skid plate are not out of the question before Baja. I also may look at improving the camping situation in the bed.

Yes, I do have a nice big hook on the front for yanking me out

It's a pretty good list. and yes, I think, if you are serious about this then upgraded suspension (front coilovers and rear springs/shocks) as well as a good skidplate at least for the engine should be high on your list, because only having 2wd means you'll have to hit harder stuff faster - thus a need for better suspension, and since you are hitting it faster you will be more likely to hit bottom of the truck on stuff, thus needing skidplates. plus, good suspension should make it considerably easier on your back.

another small but very important addition would be a rear facing orange dust light, so that other vehicles, like say trophy trucks prerunning the race course, have a better chance seeing you in the cloud of dust.

do you have a hitch on your truck? if so, you could get one of these for it to make pulling it back easier or so that you could pull others. about $35 at Off-road Warehouse

technically you could easily just use a regular hitch pin to hook up a tow strap loop to hitch as shown below, but then there is higher risk of chafing/cutting the tow strap during hard pulls at a sideangle. still, a very viable option though.


if you do not have a hitch you could buy a pair of these, drill a couple holes at the back of the frame rail and bolt them down. about $10 at Off-Road Warehouse.


also, when buying a tow strap, be sure to buy it at off-road parts store (not just regular auto parts sotre, because they don't usually have good quality (ones that stretch quite a bit and can take 30000lbs) straps for off-road pulling) and be sure it is rated to 30000 lbs.

getting a tire plug kit might also be a good idea, in case you get more than 1 puncture we could potentially just fix it on the trail, assuming it's not in the sidewall.

and ofcourse, you gotta have a shovel!

[ua taco]

interesting looking tire, Jose. looks like it should be better in the dirt than your old ones!