And the taco saga begins (1 Viewer)

[Walking Eagle]

So, I picked up that 2006 Double Cab TRD Sport in November. Haven't done much to it other than catching up on maintance and fixing the little used car issues. I've been having issues with the rear bottoming out pretty hard even on bumps on the street. I thought shocks at first so I replaced them, and those that came off seemed fine, and I even replaced them with the correct TRD Bilsteins. Only thing I can think of is tired springs. Because it is the sport it only has a three leaf pack, well actually only two and then the overload. The truck sits pretty level and it really should have a rake to it, which also makes me think tired rear springs. So I ordered this...

http://m.summitracing.com/parts/fip-2407

And since I had a little money left over after paying uncle sam way more thousands of dollars than I really expected, I got this.

http://m.summitracing.com/parts/exp-65205

I know it's just a cheesy strut spacer leveling lift, but it will put the truck at a level that I can fit the size tire I want when I replace them in a couple months rather than stick with stock size. And believe me, these tires definately need to go. They probably have a couple thousand road miles left, but even a little mud and they are worthless (photo from taking Elliot out to shoot his BB gun last weekend). And then I can spend my time and money on sliders and bumpers, then come back around once all that is set and have a better idea what I want for a real lift (the bags will likely remain). Just can't decide what I'm going to o for tires. I like the tall skinny 255/85R16 but have 17" rims and only BFG makes a tire in the equivalent 17" size. iThe parts show up today. Just in case anyone was looking for something to do Thursday and Friday night.

 

[Walking Eagle]

Airbags went on last week without issue. I'll have to snap some photots to add. Really helps out the tired springs at about 5-10psi. At 70psi they lift the truck several inches and it rides horrible without any weight in there - just like adding a stiff add-a leaf. My brother sent me a couple firestone compressors, so I'll have to hook an in-cab control system up.

Started taking off steps and putting All-Pro Off-Road sliders on Wendsday and actually got one on last night. Bit of a pain as didn't come.with instructions, and the instructions they directed me to on the net pretty well suck. You have to pop brake line holders out of the holes in the frame so you can put bolts in and they don't tell you that. And one of the holes is supposed to give clearance for putting a bracket bolt back in and it doesn't line up. Bought a cobalt drill bit to make the holes in the frame and it dulled way too quickly even with lube and pilot hole, so going to have to pick up some fresh titanium bits tonight. Frame steel is tough. One of the bolts I'm going to have to weld onto a rod to get it mounted. It's way far up the inside of the boxed frame. I got the nut plate started by destroying my forearm sticking it up there, but dang plate is spinning so I can't tighten it down. Going to do passenger side tonight. Should go faster without brake lines in the way on that side. So I should be good to go on Saturday.

Now I just need to put the coil over spacers up front and get some bigger tires. I think I've settled on Duratracks in 285/70R17. I keep bouncing back and forth on how agressive a tire I want/need and these seem like a reasonable middleground - unless someone else has an idea.

 

[petrotk40]

looks great, looking forward to wheeling with it Saturday. I'll be taking the mild trails with you.

 

[Walking Eagle]

We'll see if I can work my way UP to mild

 

[Walking Eagle]

Not a huge deal, other than I've had the box sitting in the garage since April tring to find the time and the energy and the physical capability with this dam leg thing to actually install it. Perhaps I should have gone to bilstein 5150's or some other inexpensive lift, but all I wanted at this stage was the cheapest way to get 33's on. I'll worry about gaining a little more travel later on, Biggest thing now is getting rid of street tires that are now completely to the wear bars in the back. Well, before that it seriously needs aligned as the alignment got knocked way out of wack during assembly. And before that can be done the RF wheel bearing needs to be repacked or even replace. Realized it was loose during the install.*Install was pretty straight forward was able to do both sides in about two hours wendsday night without killing myself and only a little swelling of the bad leg. Still have a ton of dirt packed in there from mudding over toward OKC months ago, and multiple car washes and sprinkler treatments. Gotta get the wheel bearing and alignment donetomorrow, then hopefully tires next week.

 

[petrotk40]

ih8mud, amirite?

 

[Delancy]

If you need a hand with the coil spacers, be more than happy to install.

The Taco front is the same as an FJC, and I've got the lifts (front coil overs, rear coils, rear shocks, and rear links that don apply here) down to about a 4 hour job, by myself.

If its a top plate spacer and the fasteners were marinated in PB blaster, can't imagine it'd take more than an hour.

Live near 121st and Memorial and you could critique my uber $$$$ POS 80 front arms to pass the time.

 

[Walking Eagle]

Delancy

Thanks for the offer, but that photo is actually post spacer. When I had it aligned, they ended up replacing the wheel bearing. Called today on tires, they are special order but should be in in a couple days. Hoping for a Saturday install on them in they are in. Finally settled on 285/70R17 Duratracs. One of the GCC members had a good deal on some 285/75R16's, but they really should be on a 16x8 rim not the stock 16x7's that are easy to get cheap so that sorta squashed that deal for me.

I'd still like to take a look at your uber $$$ arms sometime!


petrotk40 -

I actually love playing in the mud, I mean as long as it's straight shot and open, not sliding sideways down a mud hill into trees - something really juvenile about throwing big rooster tails and sliding around. Just REALLY REALLY hate the clean-up. I've never had a vehicle packed this badly before, and I guess there is just something about all those nooks and crannies on IFS that makes it suck that much worse.

 

[Delancy]

I gotcha.

I read "box....garage.....hurt leg...."

Apologies.

 

[Walking Eagle]

Apologies for what? Offering to help? Misunderstanding what, after rereading it, was a confusing post? Certainly not nessesary.

Install went pretty good actually. I came home from work on the third, took anhour nap, and started on it about 6:30. By 8:30 I was wheeling my tires into the garage for safe keeping and putting up tools. I'd hoped to get one side done that night ended up getting both sides done. Slept in in the morning, powerwashed the undercarage (which even after powerwashimg with wheels and skid plate off is still packed with mud!) and then put the dif drop on. Friday I had to work, so I rode my cycle and Saturday got it aligned. Seemed to give more like 3.5-4" of lift so I put a few miles on to settle the suspension before alignment. Bad idea as I can now feel that the tires where scrubed. But since the backs are below the wear bars and the fronts aren't far off it really doesn't matter. The rear springs sag soo much that if I let all the air out of the bags it sits rear down now. Reminds me of a short course truck. 10-15psi and she sits pretty level and rides decient. I've read that sagging springs is an issue with second gen tacos. The forums out there for them aren't nearly as good as for the 80 series here on mud. Too many know nothings and posers. And those that are knowledgeable are knowledgable about long travel suspensions that cost more than my truck and going 100mph across the dessert and jumling sand dunes. Which is all really cool, but not within budget or needs at this point.

Assuming my tires come in today or tomorrow I should have some new photos up this weekend.

Next project I'm considering is an auxillary fan on the a/c condenser. At low speeds it really struggles to keep the truck cold. Then when the leg is better (finally am seeing a specialist tuesday) Some skid platage is sorely needed. That's gonna have to be a roll my own deal, they're too damn expensive. I mean even bud built is nearly a grand!

 

[Walking Eagle]

Went to get tires on and they wouldn't fit. Rubbed on bumper and a arm. So they sent me home on my spare and one fitted so I could test fit for trimming. Cool on them. They also gave me the replacement warantee for 20 rather than 40 cause I said I wasn't interested. So 1241 mounted balance lifetime balance rotation and free replacement for holes punched in sidewalls!

The trimming started pretty easy, the bumper yeilded easily. But the hitting on the a arm was too much so I called my buddy that happen to have 1.25" hubcentric spacers. Put those on and no more hitting on the a arm, bumper still clear but dam close on the front cab mount. A little work with a cut off wheel and welder and it should all be good. Sitting at discount tire in broken arrow right now waiting for the other three to be installed.

 

[Walking Eagle]

Yeah! It looks like a real truck now! Might have to trim bumper a little more. Since it's already cracked no biggie. A real bumper will give more clearance in time.

 

[Delancy]

The body mounts are obtrusive and have been chopping them off on the FJCs and T4Rs for a couple years, but after seeing one in action...



have gone to an angular cut, still leaving it full length, instead of only leaving enough for the body mount, only.

Looks good.

Time for a bumper with a skull, though.

 

[Walking Eagle]

I just cut out a small section of the bottom front. Then I took the L that I cut out and flipped it into a 7 and welded it back in. Was thinking at the time "I'm cutting and welding for tire clearance, what could possibly go wrong." - which is only funny if you know what happened to the white trash lexus.

I've not found a bumper that just screams Heath yet. I thought there would be more tube bumpers readily available. And finding one with a six foot tall stinger is even harder. I kinda like the looks of the trail gear one. But hear spotting things on their quality and it would be nice to actually see a picture of the bumper on the truck.

This is a maybe

http://www.4wheelparts.com/Bumpers-...out&ppcfon=1&gclid=CKmyv7uLrrgCFTRo7Aod7SIAzw

but the shackle mounts are just sticking out there waiting to catch stuff.

Any suggestions? Something that would work well with this?

http://blujay.com/item/Plastic-Human-Skull-Head-7300500-3544849