On this episode of Baby Yota, we give our little Tacoma a tough challenge at the ‘Happy Yak Ranch’. We didn’t know it could actually complete it. The truck is our 2002 Toyota Tacoma 4×4 regular cab. It’s our latest project truck that we purchased around a month ago for $7,700. The goal of this project is to build it up into a simple overland rig on a tight budget and auction it off for charity at the end of the series. All proceeds from this project will go to the Mountain States Children’s Home in Colorado.
The task is to bring some hay to a herd of yak that is grazing on a nearby mountain. How much hay? A round bale that weighs about 1,500 lbs. Hmm. This bale of hay a bit too big and a bit too heavy for the Baby Yota to carry itself. To solve the problem, David, Tommy, and Kase decide to put the bale onto the flatbed of our old F-150 ‘Six Shooter’ truck. The Ford truck is a 2WD with an open rear differential. The hay needs to be taken up to a mountainous pasture up a very steep trail. The Ford will not make it there on its own. The solution is for the Tacoma to tow the Ford and the hay up the mountain. This is one ‘crazy train’ idea.
The Tacoma is powered by a 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine that is mated to a 4-speed automatic transmission. The truck does have a low-range 4×4 transfer case, and Tommy will be using it to get the power for moving the hay up the mountain. Tacoma’s older tires add another element of uncertainty to this whole project.
Once the boys get the bale up the mountain, the idea is to roll it downhill, and let the bale spread itself. Sound very dangerous. Watch the episode below for all the details!
