Greetings from San Diego (Newbie) (1 Viewer)

[TallCanDan]

W O W what a great forum and a great bunch of people! I figured I should introduce myself first, as I have the urge to chime in to other threads and I have ALOT of questions!!
Danny and Alexis Croudy
San Diego, CA.
I am a door hanger in commercial construction and the Wife works at Autoanything.com.
'Wheeled the Tacoma a few times, and got the Wife interested in LC's... fell in love with this blue one and we had it for $3,250.00 (rust free)!
Looking forward to doing some weekend wheeling/ short excursions.
So when we bought the LC, I quickly ran out and purchased the OME Medium 4+ kit as well as the shackle reversal (Yeah, I should of read around this great forum alot more before doing this.)
So now that everything is back together, the rear shackles on the front axle are straight up and down and not at an angle. What's up with this? I have read here that the rear perch can be relocated forward on the frame, putting the shackle at an angle. And since the frame starts to curve up, this would I think twist the axle slightly which would help my driveline angle. I do in fact have vibration issues above 25 mph in 4- high. The front driveshaft is also slipped out 2 inches. The Sunday night when I was finished with the lift I was eager to flex it out so we found ourselves in a Jack in the Box parking lot and I put the driver's front tire up on the planter to flex it out. The driveshaft had slipped out of the splines and both pieces just hanging there. I put it back together and from the clean, newly exposed spot that it is extending 2" longer than before the lift. I read here that the driveshaft can be extended, and should be done so to the female side, as this will not pose an issue when the driveshaft compresses when the passenger's front tire is up on something. The driveline shop can extend my driveshaft, but only the male side. I am concerned with the fact of hurting either the T case or axle when it is compressed. Anyone have any light to shed on this?
Thanks!!
Danny

Sent from my iPad using IH8MUD

 

[Big Cruiser Guy]

Welcome to the madness!

 

[robustbambi]

PICS!!!! I want to see her.

 

[Benjaman]

Lets see the rig! As far as we know, your a 10 year old in your uncles basement.

 

[harm]

Welcome, and pics!

 

[Rigger]

Here you go . . . .

 

[TallCanDan]

Well everyone here you go, a before and after shot as taken close to the same spot at Fiesta Island here in S.D. Lemme know what ya think!

 

[TallCanDan]

S O R R Y GUYS, a little info: OME 4plus kit with shackle reversal, same 32x 11.50 15's in the 2 pics. Don't know the gearing, but at a corrected mph of the vehical, Iam taching 3k at 70 mph. I run her at 65-60 though!!! Another pic of the shackle in question as well as the poor front driveshaft...
I hope these phone pics turn out!!

 

[robustbambi]

looks excellent!! hows the ride with the 4in OME meds? is it pretty smooth or stiff because you don't have weight on the front or rear? great job at getting such a clean cruiser.

 

[dbleon]

You would be wise to do two things:

-remove front drive shaft until you can get it lengthened
-weld the shackle reversal front spring hanger to the frame if you have not already done so.

Nice truck BTW!!

 

[TallCanDan]

Thanks! The springs are kind of bouncy (short and kind of stiff bounces) when the wagon is empty, only the Wife and I. But we had two adult in the back seat this weekend, and I also had alot of tools in the cargo area last week I had to work out of it because I was having a clutch put in the Tacoma (with the seat folded down I had a cross bed Weatherguard tool box from a fullsize truck. went from hatch to back of front seat)!!! The ass end rode alot different and really well with weight in the back. The ride in the front went unchanged, still stiff. I hope the springs will soften up a bit in the front, as I have read here they will sag a bit.
Yes I did weld the front ridgid spring perches to the frame, but it looks like I might need to move them back to get an angle on the front axle rear shackles.
Thanks again for the complements!
Danny

Sent from my iPad using IH8MUD

 

[bbing]

Just finished the same suspension kit on my 62. I had the same issues with the drive shaft length(s) so I took it over to Oceanside drive line. Jerry lengthened and shortened my drive shafts respectively..he also add additional shims ( the did not come with the maf kit). This corrected the angles and the vibrations went away almost completely. They also took the time to paint both shafts.. made it clean and pretty. I'm quite happy with a ride.just last week I think it's really softened up quite a bit . I live up in Cardiff if you ever make it to NC. Sure we will see each other@!
Welcome to Mud

 

[TallCanDan]

Thanks bbing, have you had your rig flexed out both ways with these shafts? As in the front right and left stuffed and drooped? If so, no problems? I am not experiencing any vibrations in the rear end. I can't wait till the springs soften up!
Thanks

 

[rchalmers3]

Hi TallCanDan from a native from 92107!

I have the OME heavies with no other shims or other mods and while the shackles are straight like yours, my truck has not puked the front drive shaft splines. However the U-joints in the rear shaft have a very short life span. I am changing them a little over once a year.

Regards,

Rick

 

[TallCanDan]

Good to know, thanks Rick
Danny

 

[rcmccars]

you really should fix your shackle angle if you are going to wheel at all. having the shackles t a 45 will give you a better ride and prevent this.

this is what hapens when you invert a shackle. you loose an expensive lift spring. and have to drive the rest of the 10 or so mile trail and all the way home very nervous and pissed off.

 

[TallCanDan]

So I wound up at the gas station on level ground with a make shift plumb-bob. Considering my measurements in the photo, the hub is 3 1/4" wide so half would be 1 5/8". The string is resting at 7/8" for a difference of 3/4" the axle needs to move back! Crap thats alot of work for a short distance, considering the front perches are already welded in!! I guess a small step considering safety and the fact that we are keeping this thing till we die! Iam going to get it looked at by a recommended driveline shop in Oceanside, and if I don't have to move the axle I won't, I like the improved approach angle since the axle is a "little" forward of center.

 

[TallCanDan]

Oh yeah, the pic