Builds 2010 LX 570 -AHC Delete, Tundra Swap, 4.5" BDS Lift (1 Viewer)

[GJamisonUT]

Hats off to the tech that installed the ARB in the front diff. Already a hard job setting the backlash with a clamshell housing, then add in the complexity of that airline.

Looking good so far!

Yes sir, he did a great job. One of the few guys around that is willing to take on a clamshell gear and locker install period.

 

[GJamisonUT]

Rear diff is complete. Time to get this thing done!

 

[GJamisonUT]

Quick update on my progress. The drop bracket is now welded in and braced for strength. Only a handful of items to complete before I can get this thing on the road: extended brake lines front + rear, extended rear diff breather, and most importantly the custom upper-rear trailing arm extensions & panhard drop. Oh, and tires...I decided I want to go with 37x12.5R18 Toyo Open Country ATIII's but I'm having a hard time getting my hands on a set. I purchased 5x Fuel Shok 18x9 wheels...I just need the tires and I really want to go with a 12.5 wide tire to minimize rubbing.

As for the drop bracket, the bolts and square washers are welded in place, and most importantly the openings above the brackets have been braced to lock them in place. There are also welds inside the original control arm pockets. The areas outlined in blue show the material that was added to brace the drop brackets.

 

[GJamisonUT]

Finally back on 4 wheels, time to finalize the trailing arm extensions and panhard drop. Tires should be on their way to my local shop. Getting close!

 

[TeCKis300]

Those calipers look clean enough to eat off of! Those brake components all look new. Any thoughts to bigger brakes?

 

[GJamisonUT]

Those calipers look clean enough to eat off of! Those brake components all look new. Any thoughts to bigger brakes?

I thought about it but decided to just refresh for now. There was a seized piston on the passenger side caliper and the rotor on that side was a bit fugly. Plus I have a hard time bolting old rusty stuff onto nice new stuff, ya know? The OEM calipers came completely bare, so I gave them a good coating of silver caliper paint.

 

[TeCKis300]

Would have been a perfect time to upsize the brakes for about the same cost as it was to replace. Might want to keep it in mind as 37s are going to need some more brake torque stop. If you haven't gotten the brakes lines yet, might still be a good time.

DIY Tundra Brakes (BBK)

Time for bigger tires and with that, need a big brake kit (BBK). Thanks to the pioneers @TexAZ, @bjowett, and others before me, it's been known that upsized Tundra front brakes, rotor and caliper, largely bolt in. Here's my attempt to simplify the install for others that may want to tackle...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[TeCKis300]

It would be funny to break some necks rolling down the street with the small stock chromies on.

I keep coming back in here to look for updates and stare at at the shiny bits. Liking what you did with the KDSS relocation.

How's the panhard relocation going?

 

[silverhorse]

I might do the same thing.. being as I'm running the tour Flex rear coil. But not sure if I want to raise the bracket or just S shape the link..

 

[GJamisonUT]

It would be funny to break some necks rolling down the street with the small stock chromies on.

I keep coming back in here to look for updates and stare at at the shiny bits. Liking what you did with the KDSS relocation.

How's the panhard relocation going?

Haven't had any time this week to work on things until today, but I am trying to finalize my design for the rear upper arm extensions this weekend so I can have a local shop cut and bend the pieces I need to build them. I'm going to keep the panhard drop as simple as I can, just some square tubing and a bracket like I had done on my Sequoia.

 

[GJamisonUT]

Sneak preview! Need to do some light trimming on the back-side of the rear wheel well, and definitely have to do the cab mount chop up front. The rear axle is off-center a bit without the panhard drop (I don't have the panhard connected at all right now) and I need to adjust the camber of the SPCs. Really happy with the stance, although I'll probably add fender flares to my to-do list. The OME 2423 springs appear to be a perfect match for the 4.5" BDS lift. Going to have to roll it out of the garage on the stock 20's.

 

[SWUtah]

Beautiful job will it go in and out of the garage with 37‘s on it or are you going to have to modify your garage

 

[GJamisonUT]

Beautiful job will it go in and out of the garage with 37‘s on it or are you going to have to modify your garage

Thanks! Luckily I can still roll it out of the garage on the factory 20" wheels and tires...and the wife parks in the garage so it won't be an issue once I get it out.

 

[Atwalz]

Thanks! Luckily I can still roll it out of the garage on the factory 20" wheels and tires...and the wife parks in the garage so it won't be an issue once I get it out.

You can also deflate tires to get out. What rear shocks are you using? Looks great!

 

[GJamisonUT]

Quick update. I got the LX mobile, and took it out for the recommended 45 mile break-in drive. I noticed some mild vibration coming from the front end when letting off the gas at speeds over 40-45 MPH, and again when hitting the gas pedal. So, I took it back to the gentleman who did the gear and locker install to have him check it out. We were out for a test drive so he could hear/feel the vibration for himself and got rear-ended while stopped on a freeway on-ramp. Mild damage, only $700 to fix but I've opted to cash out rather than repair, and I ordered a bumper from RLC Weld Fab which I expect to arrive sometime in the spring. I ended up pulling the front diff so my homie can open it up and ensure that there isn't anything amiss. Still waiting to hear back, hopefully I'll have answers this week.

I've also been working on the panhard correction brackets. The panhard angle is definitely the biggest issue with the rear suspension...the angle is so steep that the rear end just can't move the way it wants to, so the ride was really stiff and unforgiving. I decided to split the correction between the axle and the frame, rather than just dropping the mount at the frame like I was originally thinking (due to being lazy). Pictured below is the close to final design for the axle side panhard correction.

Rear-end damage:

 

[TeCKis300]

Beast! Sorry to hear about getting rear ended but maybe that was always a part of the plan...for a rear bumper =P

Are you running a front diff drop or how are you brining the axles closer inline with the bracket drop?

 

[GJamisonUT]

Beast! Sorry to hear about getting rear ended but maybe that was always a part of the plan...for a rear bumper =P

Are you running a front diff drop or how are you brining the axles closer inline with the bracket drop?

Ya, I can't say that I'm upset about having to buy a steel bumper. Getting half of it paid for by an insurance company makes it even better!

The drop bracket replaces the factory cross member that the front diff sits on (cross member gets cut out) so the diff is about 4.5 inches lower than the stock location...but the end result is that the diff actually stays at the same position in terms of height from the ground and the rest of the vehicle is lifted up "over it". So the CV axle angles are stock or pretty darn close to it. The big change is the angle of the drive shaft between the transfer case and the front diff. That change in drive shaft angle could potentially be a source of vibration, but my thought was that any vibration would be constant if that was the case, and not just when accelerating or decelerating at speeds over 40-45. I did decide to have both front and rear drive shafts rebuilt and lengthened, but I'm going to wait until I have the diff back in place to allow the shop to see them on vehicle and determine exactly how much to extend each one.

 

[TeCKis300]

Throwing this out there from my re-gear thread, looks like the CV output on the drivers side needle bearings potentially can invite play and cause a vibration? Not sure that it's the source of yours and I've not had any issues.

Tundra front diff on the driver side has a needle bearing for the CV axle shaft. I believe that design is different than full-time four-wheel-drive LC diff. East Coast gear supply sells the bushing to replace that needle bearing to reduce the play in the CV axle shaft on diff side. This replacement bushing helps eliminate future oil seal leaks. You may want to replace that if you are using the tundra diff and only swapping the LC parts on the passenger side. TOYOTA CLAMSHELL BUSHINGS - 2007 Up Tundra and 2008 Up Sequoia. ECGS also sells tools to replace that bushing.

 

[GJamisonUT]

You can also deflate tires to get out. What rear shocks are you using? Looks great!

Sorry, missed your question here earlier. I just used the Fox shocks that came with the BDS kit, but it's just temporary. Although intended for a Tundra they fit the bill in terms of length and travel for 4.5-5 inches of lift, and once I have a chance to drive on them a bit with the drawers loaded up and the steel bumper installed I'll have a better understanding of what type of shocks I will need long term. Ideally I'll end up with some remote reservoir shocks to compliment the Fox coilovers up front.

BTW, I went with your suggestion of dropping the tire pressure to get the truck in and out of the garage...works great at 6 PSI.

 

[GJamisonUT]

Throwing this out there from my re-gear thread, looks like the CV output on the drivers side needle bearings potentially can invite play and cause a vibration? Not sure that it's the source of yours and I've not had any issues.

Ah ha! That is some good info! I will definitely look into that as a potential cause and fix. Thanks!