ESME - 98 REBUILD (4 Viewers)

[TRAIL TAILOR]

Curious about this. Why wouldn't anyone sell you the diff drop? Are they only selling as part of a full lift kit?

I have a diff drop and was underneath the land cruiser today replacing the front skid plate that Discount Tires used as a jack point. Also had to remove the rear/mid heavy plastic skid plate and twisted off the two bolts that secure the skid plate to the diff drop. After removing the skid plate I noticed the diff drop coating was peeling with corrosion, and suspect the corrosion may have been the cause of the two bolts seizing up. Seemed odd that the diff drop coating would flake off as badly as it was. I don't think there is a huge urgency to do so, but with the corrosion, I thought I'd work towards replacing the diff drop.

I came across your post when doing some research on diff drop options. Curious why you have not been able to purchase just a diff drop and am now wondering if I'll have the same issue.

I inquired with 3 companies.

2- never called me back
1- said I didn't need it... so A) either they are out of stock, B) not selling them anymore or C) I was talking to an idiot that should be fired. My vote is C!

I don't have patience, especially when I want/need something. I've got mine all laid out now and will get it into production in the next 30 days.

 

[cmck]

I'll be making a run of these for the 100s first then the 80s. But, need to get all the tailgate lids out first.

Not sure on price, but should be close to MTs price or slightly lower on the standard units. The others will be higher of course. Just need to spend some time with the calculator this weekend.

Which are you interested in?

Jason

I think, I want lowers and upper. I don't know the difference between flex and ulti-flex to comment on that aspect..... When you provide more details please outline the benefits of flex and ulti-flex. Thanks

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

I think, I want lowers and upper. I don't know the difference between flex and ulti-flex to comment on that aspect..... When you provide more details please outline the benefits of flex and ulti-flex. Thanks

The ULTI will allow for more articulation due to the Johnny Joint on one end vs a standard poly bushing setup that would come on the Flex arms.

J

 

[cmck]

The ULTI will allow for more articulation due to the Johnny Joint on one end vs a standard poly bushing setup that would come on the Flex arms.

J

More flex please. We need all rear flex in the 100 we can get........

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

More flex please. We need all rear flex in the 100 we can get........

True!

I should have a good price on them by Fri, Sat at the latest.

J

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

My buddy just dropped off the small diff drop spacers. He ran them through his tumbler. NICE!

I received the large aluminum bar stock for the other spacers and my buddy will get these ready in the next few days when he's slow at the mine.

J

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

Got word that my Tour Flex HD spring revisions are completed and they also made me a set of 3" 0-300kg springs 250/170 dual rate rears for the 100 series.

I should have these in a week or so and will report back.

Once I'm happy with everything I will place my order on the suspension components.

For the 100 (available early '17 from Trail Tailor and Tough Dog)

*Foam cell shocks (big bore and 9 stage adjustables)
*HD torsion bars
*Torsion strength brackets
*Tour Flex Med (0-300kg) & HD (300kg +) coils (TD standard spring offerings as well)
*Adjustable panhard bars
*Fully adjustable RUCA & RLCAs
*Control arm skids
*Diff Drops
*Vinyl flooring kits
*Extended brake lines
*HD sway bar extensions

(working on skidplates, adjustable UCAs and a few other items from some of my AUS and ZA contacts)


Jason

 

[benc]

The vinyl floor kits would be awesome.
I was looking at these for my 100 a while back but could not find any in the US.

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

The vinyl floor kits would be awesome.
I was looking at these for my 100 a while back but could not find any in the US.

B,

All my carpet and vinyl kits are molded in Perth. I bring them in about every 2-3 months.

J

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

The medium TourFlex set up is sold. I have room on this incoming pallet if anyone wants anything.

Short notice, but need to know ASAP.. PM me if anyone is interested.

Adj panhard bars, foam cell shocks, torsion bars, brackets, lift springs.

Jason

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

Got started on some rear lower control arms today. If my math is correct... these will allow for up to 2" of adjustment from the stock length (shorter to longer).

Will start on the uppers this weekend.

J

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

RUCA's and RLCA's are made up.

J

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

Light switches arrived.

J

 

[plaidwagon]

I'm excited about the vinyl floors (and everything else)!

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

I'm excited about the vinyl floors (and everything else)!

I'll be ordering one or two sets to see how they fit. My suppliers vinyl vendor discontinued their old material and they've been running molds with various other new materials and finally found one they like.

Jason

 

[SNLC]

Curious about this. Why wouldn't anyone sell you the diff drop? Are they only selling as part of a full lift kit?

I have a diff drop and was underneath the land cruiser today replacing the front skid plate that Discount Tires used as a jack point.

I am going to post a small rant here, Toyota when they serviced my truck (only time I have let them do it) left out several spacers on my skids for the diff drop kit. Now they are lost and I am stuck trying to find replacements and fix myself. I do most of my work myself but once a year or less make an exception due to time or whatever. I almost always regret it.

On a separate note, I am moving to Latin America and taking my Cruiser. If you read up on the subject of mechanics in Latin America you will find a lot of frustrated people, I am talking more travelers who are driving the Americas. I have done it before and it is true, they lack tools so often do things in a "hack" fashion. However, what is nice is I can supervise their work unlike up here. I can sit there in their shop drinking cold beers and make sure what they do is done right. A lot of shops will even let me work on it with them if I want. That offers some relief, I am giving up my shop and all my tools (besides a small bag) so after years of doing 95% or more of my own work I do need some kind of relief for the road ahead!

Cheers

 

[SNLC]

Hey Jason,

Control arms look nice! JJ are the way to go but it is easy to overpack them with grease and blow the seal out. Were you able to get a JJ with the right size bolt hole or does it require a weld washer to fit? Is that just DOM and it looks like pretty thick wall? I have bent some pretty gnarly DOM before but that was hardcore rock crawling. You could easily offer a Chromoly lower at extra cost, I don't think anybody else is really offering that. Here is another suggestion too, 2" 7075 solid aluminum. You would have to buy two taps, RHT and LHT, but with a lathe you can easily tap them. A small flat spot is machined into one end for a wrench and adjustment. Done deal. Way better than anything out there right now and I would think you could sell a lot of them to 80 owners and a few to 100 owners too. If you had a set of 7075 when I bought my MT RLCA I would have bought them from you. I had the RHT tap but not the LHT and I had some 7075 links but sold them. I did consider using them on my 100 but didn't want to buy the 2nd tap and I couldn't use the JJ in them without a weld washer. Just didn't want to deal with all that so bought MT.

Cheers

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

Hey Jason,

Control arms look nice! JJ are the way to go but it is easy to overpack them with grease and blow the seal out. Were you able to get a JJ with the right size bolt hole or does it require a weld washer to fit? Is that just DOM and it looks like pretty thick wall? I have bent some pretty gnarly DOM before but that was hardcore rock crawling. You could easily offer a Chromoly lower at extra cost, I don't think anybody else is really offering that. Here is another suggestion too, 2" 7075 solid aluminum. You would have to buy two taps, RHT and LHT, but with a lathe you can easily tap them. A small flat spot is machined into one end for a wrench and adjustment. Done deal. Way better than anything out there right now and I would think you could sell a lot of them to 80 owners and a few to 100 owners too. If you had a set of 7075 when I bought my MT RLCA I would have bought them from you. I had the RHT tap but not the LHT and I had some 7075 links but sold them. I did consider using them on my 100 but didn't want to buy the 2nd tap and I couldn't use the JJ in them without a weld washer. Just didn't want to deal with all that so bought MT.

Cheers

I,

My lowers are 1.75" x .250" wall DOM. I thought about the CrMo tube ( since all fittings are CrMo) and that is easily sourced. I may make that an option. These JJs are for a M14 (100/200 series) and a M18 (80 series)

The Currie JJs offer a narrow single seal or 2 halves. Talking to a tech at Currie he says to stay with the 2 half bushing/seals as they hold up much better. Great thing is they are fully re-buildable and I'll stock all my maintenance components.

Once I get moved I'll have a lathe and be able to play a little more. Also, be in an area with full machine shops for more intricate products.I have LH/RH taps up to sizes that you can't afford fittings for.. HA! Oilfield days...

I started using Green Grease in my joints and really like the stuff.

Are you still wanting a tailgate lid?

J

 

[SNLC]

ya nobody really offering much for the more "hardcore" guys, I do see a market. Like I say I would have bought if you had what I was after.

The stuff I had to play with was all old from previous builds, I was just thinking about recycling it but that would have took more work and dollars than I wanted to out in it.

I would still take a tailgate lid but am running out of time real fast. If you are offering it "raw" I would want to get it powder coated and that will delay the finsished product even more for me. I am out 1-1-17.

Cheers

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

ya nobody really offering much for the more "hardcore" guys, I do see a market. Like I say I would have bought if you had what I was after.

The stuff I had to play with was all old from previous builds, I was just thinking about recycling it but that would have took more work and dollars than I wanted to out in it.

I would still take a tailgate lid but am running out of time real fast. If you are offering it "raw" I would want to get it powder coated and that will delay the finsished product even more for me. I am out 1-1-17.

Cheers

I,

Only thing I could do to speed it up is ship directly to your coater. No worries.

J