Truck Mod Help? (1 Viewer)

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Kyitty

Kyitty

Joined
Mar 18, 2016
Threads
14
Messages
198
Location
Bozeman, MT
So. Moab gave me a new list of required mods. I dropped my truck on my rear leaf spring mounts pretty hard. Just ordered really beefy replacements. The factory ones are riveted to the frame. Rivets need cut off so new brackets can be bolted on.

I don't have anything to cut them off and not sure how to pull leaf off and put them back on.

Also want to get my fenders cut to make room for 35s. Would like to not have to pay Dark Horse to do all this stuff. Lol

Anyone have the skills & tools to help me do this?
 
Right angle grinder to take the head of the rivet off, drill a hole in the middle part way through and drive out with a hammer or air chisel and punch. At least if they are like the ones on my 40. If your pulling the leaves off the axle, may want new u-bolts/nuts.

For the fender cutting measure 10 times, cut once, use lots of blue painters tape to protect the rest of the body and to draw your shape with. Air saw is nice, can use a sawzall or jigsaw if you have to.
 
Sounds like I'm paying for install.

No way I'm doing that shtuff myself. Don't own the right tools, have the time, knowledge, skillset, etc. I used a saws-all to install a doggie door in a metal door. Butchered that pretty bad. LOL I can't cut a straight line... let alone a smooth curve.

Daily driver. Can't screw it up or get half way done.
 
The leaf springs are pretty quick and easy. Would have to look into the fender trimming piece. Not hard, just slow and steady. If you feel like travelling your welcome to use the garage.
 
@Kyitty cutting a truck up is not as scary or hard as you think. I cut my girl friends 4Runner up right before I moved out here. She had major rusting out that 1st gens all have. Measure ten times and follow the current line of the fender and cut once and er on the side of cutting to little because you can't add more back but you can take more off. To follow the original line of the 4Runner wheel well I took string, made a loop to hold onto a sharpy. Then measure on the string how much you want gone. In her case it was 2 inches. And then go around the wheel well and make a bunch of dots at 2" (or whatever) perpendicular to the wheel wells curve and then connect them. Perfect guide for cutting and keeping everything the same shape as it was originally. I used a 4.5" grinder with a cut off wheel to do the cutting. A Ryobi is like $30 from Home Depot and worked great. Took my time and it turned out awesome. I helped Kevin cut his tacos bed for his high clearance rear bumper. Was super easy. Leafs are easy to mess with. Jack the truck up, put some jack stands under the frame and start unbolting just do one side at a time so the axle doesn't move on you or undo everything (driveshaft brake lines parking brake etc) and roll the axle out then you have lots of room to get in there and get things done. Also I'm sure if you pm'd Kevin on Facebook he could tell you all about the shackle hangers and how he did it since he did his like two weeks ago. Probably can't get both projects done in one weekend so plan for 2.
 
JohnnyOshow22 said:
@Kyitty cutting a truck up is not as scary or hard as you think. I cut my girl friends 4Runner up right before I moved out here. She had major rusting out that 1st gens all have. Measure ten times and follow the current line of the fender and cut once and er on the side of cutting to little because you can't add more back but you can take more off. To follow the original line of the 4Runner wheel well I took string, made a loop to hold onto a sharpy. Then measure on the string how much you want gone. In her case it was 2 inches. And then go around the wheel well and make a bunch of dots at 2" (or whatever) perpendicular to the wheel wells curve and then connect them. Perfect guide for cutting and keeping everything the same shape as it was originally. I used a 4.5" grinder with a cut off wheel to do the cutting. A Ryobi is like $30 from Home Depot and worked great. Took my time and it turned out awesome. I helped Kevin cut his tacos bed for his high clearance rear bumper. Was super easy. Leafs are easy to mess with. Jack the truck up, put some jack stands under the frame and start unbolting just do one side at a time so the axle doesn't move on you or undo everything (driveshaft brake lines parking brake etc) and roll the axle out then you have lots of room to get in there and get things done. Also I'm sure if you pm'd Kevin on Facebook he could tell you all about the shackle hangers and how he did it since he did his like two weeks ago. Probably can't get both projects done in one weekend so plan for 2.
Click to expand...

lol Yeah none of that sounds like something I'll enjoy.

I'll rebuild a computer all day long but I just don't do automotive stuff.

Also worried that when I do 35's my 4.56 gears (which I think we FINALLY have right) are gonna be too small. lol
 
Kyitty said:
lol Yeah none of that sounds like something I'll enjoy.

I'll rebuild a computer all day long but I just don't do automotive stuff.

Also worried that when I do 35's my 4.56 gears (which I think we FINALLY have right) are gonna be too small. lol
Click to expand...

Definitely wasn't fun but saved a lot of $$$ doing it myself. No way we could afford to have someone else do it so... I did it lol!

by to small do you mean too high of gearing at that point?
 
JohnnyOshow22 said:
Definitely wasn't fun but saved a lot of $$$ doing it myself. No way we could afford to have someone else do it so... I did it lol!

by to small do you mean too high of gearing at that point?
Click to expand...

Yes. I can just see myself wanting 4.88. LoL
 
Do the tacos experience the same issues as the FJC's with going bigger then 33's? I.E. broken CV's etc. i would love to get 35's but the cost to get one more inch and run the increased risk of breaking stuff i kinda decided it wasn't worth it. I think we share a lot of front end parts.
 
ttFJC said:
Do the tacos experience the same issues as the FJC's with going bigger then 33's? I.E. broken CV's etc. i would love to get 35's but the cost to get one more inch and run the increased risk of breaking stuff i kinda decided it wasn't worth it. I think we share a lot of front end parts.
Click to expand...

How would tire size impact CVs? Should not change angles.

Your lift would change CV angles.
 
not the angle but the increased forces associated with bigger tires is more then the CVs can handle so they break. And upgrading is a surefire way to grenade a front diff. IDK i read it on the internet.
 
ttFJC said:
not the angle but the increased forces associated with bigger tires is more then the CVs can handle so they break. And upgrading is a surefire way to grenade a front diff. IDK i read it on the internet.
Click to expand...

First I've heard of that. Interesting. I know lots of guys on TacomaWorld do 35s... even seen 37s.

Would those forces I wonder only matter while in 4WD?
 
It's all torque... don't have enough to break loose a bolt you get a bigger breaker bar. Tire acts the same way against the CV
 
Removing the leaf springs is pretty easy. It's really nice to have a couple of jacks on hand to maneuver your rear axle around. I still have my factory mounts so I can't offer any help there. I'd suggest getting the U bolt flip kit from AlPro if you don't already have them. I've heard that when you upgrade to 35's you stark breaking all kinds of stuff and you are always upgrading the next weakest link. I think it's mostly guys continually getting in over their head with a false sense of security with a "more capable vehicle than before". I've tapped and scraped my leaf mounts before, but those instances never did anything but superficial scratches. I'm curious how 35's will go without serious modification. There are some $2000 long travel CV joints on the All Pro website right now..
 
I've heard of guys finally upgrading everything in their front end (as it breaks) only to find their front diff mount winds up breaking.... You'll probably want those 4.88's too...
 
catfishwboots said:
I've heard of guys finally upgrading everything in their front end (as it breaks) only to find their front diff mount winds up breaking.... You'll probably want those 4.88's too...
Click to expand...
Or a doubler since you guys have that option
 
Kyitty said:
First I've heard of that. Interesting. I know lots of guys on TacomaWorld do 35s... even seen 37s.

Would those forces I wonder only matter while in 4WD?
Click to expand...

i see similar things on FJC forum. Huge generalization here but theres alot of:

them: You don't gotta re-gear or worry about breaking anything with 35's. Just look at my ride. My pro-comp lift looks great with my rock stars and 35's. Does great on the Jersey beaches don't even need to air down in the sand brah.

Me: those must really help clearing the curbs at the mall. looking good brah

and then i see the serious guys be like...33's and skids learn how to drive

and this is why i hang out on mud.
 
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