ROTM- Spaldam's 2000 Tacoma [re-]Build (1 Viewer)

[spaldam]

I started with a used 2000 Tacoma v6, SR5, 4x4, A/C, automatic, with manual everything else, including the hubs, with 177K miles. I got it for about half of book value for it, knowing it needed some fixing up, but it's ended up being more then I originally expected.

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I started with a tune up (spark plugs, belts, hoses, etc.), and had the windshield replaced (lots of cracks). I also replaced the tail lights, and added some extra highlights to it.

I also made sure the frame was in good shape and didn't need to be taken in on the extended frame warranty. Other then the after market tow hitch sagging down off the back of it, it appears to be in good shape.

After all of this tuning up, the vehicle still wanted to overheat after about 30 minutes of driving. It also started making a loud ticking noise. After having the heads pulled to investigate a possible bad head gasket, it was discovered that one of the cylinders was in bad shape and slowly leaking coolant into the combustion.

A few thousand dollars, and a month latter with an engine out of a 4runner with 98k miles, and I was ready to start replacing the rusty sagging suspension.
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[spaldam]

Suspention and Parts

Over Thanksgiving weekend, I started by removing the old wheels (they were a pain to remove) and putting the vehicle on stands.

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I had acquired the parts over the previous weeks:

• Suspension - Toytec coilovers, Blistin rear shocks, Wheelers Off-road Leaf Springs and accessories, Downey Shackles, and an Allpro U-bolt flip kit.
• Electrical - Aftermarket Taillights, Stereo that's been sitting in my garage for a while, HAM and CB radios pulled from my old FJC, undercarriage rock lights and wiring also left over from the FJC.
• Wheels & tires - Wheelers off-road 16" black steal wheels, and some slightly used Goodyear MTR's 285/75/16.

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I spent most of the first weekend pulling off the old suspension, but did manage to get the front put back together:

Before:

After with a new set of Toytec coilover shocks, and some new break lines from Wheelers Offroad.:

 

[spaldam]

Bolt Repair Problems

And here's what happens when you use a cheap torque wrench that's past it's years:

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That along with the few lug nut bolts that I had problems with when taking the wheels off, meant I have about 5 bolts that needed repair and/or replacement.

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After taking a break for Black Friday (watching the kids and sleeping on the couch while the wife spend all night and day shopping)...

I cleaned up and identified some broken and damage bolts including the radio antenna:

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After comparing the broken break line bolt that came with the kit from Wheelers, I decided I was better off staying with the more robust looking stock bolts:

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I also finished up the front end with a front diff drop kit.

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After spraying the rear bolts with some PB Blaster, and loosening up the bolts...

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I was tired of wrenching and decided to work on wiring up the electronics I pulled from the FJC (and an old stereo I've had laying around for some time).

That was the extent of my Thanksgiving Weekend in 2009.

 

[spaldam]

2nd Weekend working on the truck

A couple more days of working on the rig, and it's starting to come back together:

The rear suspension was replaced with Blistin shocks, Wheelers Off-road Leaf Springs and some accessories, and Downey Shackles, for a total of 3" of lift.

Before:


After:


The interior wiring was also come back together, but still wasn't completely done.

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I'm going to use the new cuby hole created by the new stereo mounting bracket to put the CB and HAM radio mics and displays into.

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I also re-wired one of the power outlets to have constant power, instead of being off when the accessories are off, and put in an extra fuse box in the storage compartments in the rear of the cab:

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[spaldam]

3rd Weekend working on the truck

Two more evenings of putting the vehicle back together and hopefully it will now get me to work and back for the next week without any problems...


The wife picked me up a new torque wrench (early Christmas Present), so I don't break any more bolts, after which I got everything torqued down properly:

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I also got a friend to help me take the wheels and tires to get mounted and balanced:

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I Re-filed the break fluid, and got the wife to push on the peddle while I got the air out of the new break lines:

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Did some lug bolt clean up as well so I could get the wheels on:

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And here's how it sat over the Christmas and New Years Holidays while I was out of town visiting relatives:

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[bowyer2002]

Keep the info coming - always interested in what others are doing to their trucks!

 

[raydouble]

x2 Good looking truck, interested to see more.

 

[spaldam]

Next up, mostly in order, will be:

Alignment (always a good idea after any suspension modifications/replacements).

Probably another tune up (more basic this time), as I'm not sure what kind of maintenance was done on the 98k engine that was just put in it.

The exhaust will needs some work as well, but hopefully will be fine until the next emissions test is due. The Y-pipe that was with the engine from the 4runner doesn't exactly match the flange to the rest of the exhaust system, and I believe it's causing vibration noises just above 2000 RPM.

The throttle needs to be looked at as it stuck on me the one time I floored it, but I still have the original, so worse case I just need to swap them (hopefully).

I still need to finish hooking up the CB and HAM radios. Mostly just need to find mounting locations to hook up the antennas, and get the mics a place to live.
The GPS mount needs some Velcro to stick it to the dash.

Custom Rear Bumper, Front Tube bumper, Rock Rails, and off-road lights...

By the time the 33" tires are warn out, I'll either re-gear, or get a size smaller tire... We'll see. Eventually I plan to rebuild the axles with new gearing, but when is the question.

Alarm system with Keyless entry (I'm not used to having manual locks) and remote start (since I've been banished from my garage now that it's filling up with kid stuff).

 

[spaldam]

So last week I:

Got an Alignment

Un-hooked the aftermarket cruise control, and the throttle hasn't gotten stuck since. Hopefully that's all it was.

Finished hooking up the CB and HAM radios.

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Attached the GPS mount to the dash with some stick on Velcro.

Put half of the stock skid plates back on. The other half just seemed flimsier then what it protects, and I only have enough bolts for the one anyway (it was held on with bailing wire before). I had to take a breaker bar to the recessed rear mounting brackets to get them to line up correctly, and thankfully I had some new extra long bolts that came with the front diff drop kit or I wouldn't have had enough nor long enough bolts to get it back on.

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All of this was done in an effort to get ready for the 2010 Toyota Lonestar Jamboree.

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I'm now thinking I need to check the wheel bearings and U-joints a little closer as the steering wheel has some vibrations and noises in them that seem consistent with wheel travel. Then check the spark plugs to see how the engine is doing; and put a different set back in.

 

[spaldam]

Flattening TacoMaria's Pinch Weld.

I kept having issues with the large front wheels rubbing on the "Pinch Weld". Mostly When turning while compressing.

So I cut a bit of plastic off,



And hammered them down. Problem solved.



O, and the Moon was interesting that night as well.