Tacoma is not so reliable as folks think

[Trigganometry]

Priceless! You'd better reward her with a nice 93 premium dinner. lol

94 fillup tonight! ?

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[JACKSMYDOG]

Interesting because Ford had same issue in the 70's with the Pinto if I remember right.

I remember hearing some stuff about Pintos being unsafe, but it's either before my time, or I'm too old to remember those details.

 

[Dr. Zaius]

Ate another Taco for lunch today. He wanted to race so who am I to not oblige? 1/4 mile later I see him pounding on the steering wheel. Yup Natasha buried another fan boi! ?

He's probably already posting about how he beat a Ranger.

 

[F150stxguy]

Ate another Taco for lunch today. He wanted to race so who am I to not oblige? 1/4 mile later I see him pounding on the steering wheel. Yup Natasha buried another fan boi! ?

Theres quite a few here in West Texas. I’ve left a few in the rear view mirror within the last few months. It’s not fair I know, because I have the 2.7 in my F150 but when they oblige……

My favorites are the on ramps here…. I’ve had a few right on my ass as we enter the interstate and I purposely go the exact speed limit until the ramp and just let it go to the floor. It must piss people off because I get a lot of evil stares as I move to the right hand land as they fly by me lol. The ones in the know don’t even try to keep up. Some actually try - they’re the ones that get pissed.

I can keep up with pretty much any truck if it’s stock 0-60 - even the GM 6.2. If the Ranger gets the 2.7 or 3.0 hot damn, there’s going to be some envious wannabe truck racers out there.

 

[VAMike]

I remember hearing some stuff about Pintos being unsafe, but it's either before my time, or I'm too old to remember those details.

I think that's the one where bolts would go through the track with the right/wrong impact angle, due to an engineering change on one part of the car that wasn't validated by the guys working on the tank.

 

[VAMike]

The numbers show Toyota, including the Tacoma, the last few decades that they are in fact the most reliable vehicle manufacturer, period. Whether or not the new generation vehicles will fare the same, no one knows. But history is usually a good indicator who will be more reliable in the end.

That's not actually true anymore. If you're adding cars from the 70s and 80s to the equation then sure, but why would you do that?

 

[FoD]

I remember hearing some stuff about Pintos being unsafe, but it's either before my time, or I'm too old to remember those details.

Here's a link to Popular Mechanics article Got a Light

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Here's a link to Popular Mechanics article Got a Light

Hi Terry,

Okay...the Pinto was a couple years before I got to Ford. When I arrived in 1973, the infield of our test track was littered with crashed Pintos. Here is what we found....The rear gas tank was located behind the Rear Axle. The rear of the Pinto folded up like a piece of tinfoil in a rear crash...The rear axle rear diff cover was installed with a bolt on the top right in a rearward direction and was too long for some reason. In a rear crash, this bolt acted like a can opener, harpooning the steel gas tank. So Ford revised the process but for the field released a shield to protect the fuel tank from being punctured by the bolt. Why they did not want to turn the bolt around is a IDK for me. I raced a Pinto in SCCA Road Racing for a few years but had a ATL fuel Cell in the car and an 8" rear gear with 4:56 rear gear removable pig...a rare animal... 4:56 was never offered to the public...I got it from Sterling Axle as my Pinto was very fast... Under the table OEM racing.... In fact I was told the Pinto was a Pig...so I made it an awfully fast pig....

BTW. The mirror SCRAP on the hood stood for Small Car Racing and Performance... My side business as I developed quite a few Pinto racing pieces to make the car handle...

Best,
Phi Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

 

[FoD]

Hi Terry,

Okay...the Pinto was a couple years before I got to Ford. When I arrived in 1973, the infield of our test track was littered with crashed Pintos. Here is what we found....The rear gas tank was located behind the Rear Axle. The rear of the Pinto folded up like a piece of tinfoil in a rear crash...The rear axle rear diff cover was installed with a bolt on the top right in a rearward direction and was too long for some reason. In a rear crash, this bolt acted like a can opener, harpooning the steel gas tank. So Ford revised the process but for the field released a shield to protect the fuel tank from being punctured by the bolt. Why they did not want to turn the bolt around is a IDK for me. I raced a Pinto in SCCA Road Racing for a few years but had a ATL fuel Cell in the car and an 8" rear gear with 4:56 rear gear removable pig...a rare animal... 4:56 was never offered to the public...I got it from Sterling Axle as my Pinto was very fast... Under the table OEM racing.... In fact I was told the Pinto was a Pig...so I made it an awfully fast pig....

BTW. The mirror SCRAP on the hood stood for Small Car Racing and Performance... My side business as I developed quite a few Pinto racing pieces to make the car handle...

Best,
Phi Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

Thanks Phil, nice background.

When I got released to the Reserves after active duty in the Navy in 1975, took about 6 months to find any work (didn't quite understand the odious stigma attached to returning Vietnam veterans at the time). That first job was a salesman for the local Ford dealer. We all got a vehicle to use as a demonstrator car and one time I got a Pinto wagon, 4 cyl 4 sp, basic pig and another time it was a Pinto coupe with a v6 auto and special black graphics on good and sides. Car was yellow and everybody called it "Bumble Bee". Pretty dang fast for the times.

 

[Langwilliams]

Hi Terry,

Okay...the Pinto was a couple years before I got to Ford. When I arrived in 1973, the infield of our test track was littered with crashed Pintos. Here is what we found....The rear gas tank was located behind the Rear Axle. The rear of the Pinto folded up like a piece of tinfoil in a rear crash...The rear axle rear diff cover was installed with a bolt on the top right in a rearward direction and was too long for some reason. In a rear crash, this bolt acted like a can opener, harpooning the steel gas tank. So Ford revised the process but for the field released a shield to protect the fuel tank from being punctured by the bolt. Why they did not want to turn the bolt around is a IDK for me. I raced a Pinto in SCCA Road Racing for a few years but had a ATL fuel Cell in the car and an 8" rear gear with 4:56 rear gear removable pig...a rare animal... 4:56 was never offered to the public...I got it from Sterling Axle as my Pinto was very fast... Under the table OEM racing.... In fact I was told the Pinto was a Pig...so I made it an awfully fast pig....

BTW. The mirror SCRAP on the hood stood for Small Car Racing and Performance... My side business as I developed quite a few Pinto racing pieces to make the car handle...

Best,
Phi Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

Terry I posted earlier about my brother's accident in a pinto where he spun out an hit a telephone pole square with the rear of the car. His tank didn't rupture or leak an the car had a perfect U in the back, well into the hatch area. It had the all glass liftgate which rained glass into the back seat. I'm pretty sure his was a later one like 78ish. Did ford correct the offending bolt on later run cars or was he just lucky. It was very wet an rainy when this happened so I don't think there was a big fire risk if it would have.

 

[FoD]

Terry I posted earlier about my brother's accident in a pinto where he spun out an hit a telephone pole square with the rear of the car. His tank didn't rupture or leak an the car had a perfect U in the back, well into the hatch area. It had the all glass liftgate which rained glass into the back seat. I'm pretty sure his was a later one like 78ish. Did ford correct the offending bolt on later run cars or was he just lucky. It was very wet an rainy when this happened so I don't think there was a big fire risk if it would have.

That, I don't know, I hated the bs involved in a cutthroat business and moved on by then (1976 sometime)
, That article may have timeline info for you though

 

[JimG_AZ]

Theres quite a few here in West Texas. I’ve left a few in the rear view mirror within the last few months. It’s not fair I know, because I have the 2.7 in my F150 but when they oblige……

My favorites are the on ramps here…. I’ve had a few right on my ass as we enter the interstate and I purposely go the exact speed limit until the ramp and just let it go to the floor. It must piss people off because I get a lot of evil stares as I move to the right hand land as they fly by me lol. The ones in the know don’t even try to keep up. Some actually try - they’re the ones that get pissed.

I can keep up with pretty much any truck if it’s stock 0-60 - even the GM 6.2. If the Ranger gets the 2.7 or 3.0 hot damn, there’s going to be some envious wannabe truck racers out there.

LOL, I can’t tell you how many full sized trucks I used to race in my 2008 Rav4. It was a great sleeper in it’s day. It used to do low to mid 6 second 0 to 60. It was fun from a stop light or getting on a highway. I could beat or run side-by-side with most full sized trucks. I can’t tell you how many looks I got from people in disbelief that a small Toyota SUV was running side by side with them. Of course, if you regularly challenge cars on the street, you will lose from time to time. I usually didn’t take on Mustangs, Camaro’s, etc. I do remember getting my ass kicked from a Cherokee SRT8 and a Genesis v8. Fun times!

 

[JimG_AZ]

Lets just ignore the rusted frame replacement issue. After all, its a Toyota.

I see the Toyota fanboys all over. I have a friend - Toyota lover all his life. He's had several Tacoma's and raves about them. He fails to mention the many replacements of U-Joints (yes, MANY), wheel bearings, paint peeling, rust and so on. He feels that because he does the repairs himself, and doesn't go to the dealer or other shop, there's not really a problem. He puts way over 100,000 miles on them but also spends lots of money and time in constant repairs.

I don't mind that he rags on my 2019 Ranger for all the issues I've had (not ONE issue, by the way) because facts are facts.

After all, it IS a Toyota.

Jump on me for what I've seen if you want. Facts ARE facts.

Edit - add: I DO like comparing my higher tow ratings and MUCH BETTER gas mileage to his. Same exact trips, I consistently get 5 mpgs better. Facts are still facts.

Yes, facts are facts. Tacoma's may be known for many things, but eating U-Joints and wheel bearings certainly is not one of them. My 2011 Tacoma Double-Cab v6 4x4 has 93k miles on it and still has the original U-Joints and wheel bearings. I know it sounds amazing, but it is true. So, what lift and tires is he running on his Tacoma?

 

[FX4Offroad]

Yes, facts are facts. Tacoma's may be known for many things, but eating U-Joints and wheel bearings certainly is not one of them. My 2011 Tacoma Double-Cab v6 4x4 has 93k miles on it and still has the original U-Joints and wheel bearings. I know it sounds amazing, but it is true. So, what lift and tires is he running on his Tacoma?

His only mods are cosmetic. Everything else is stock...including tire size.

 

[TBR17]

I hear people say the Ranger interior is dated, boring, etc..., but WTF is this???

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