4x4 dbl cab tacoma build

[jonsangel]

I have this on TTORA but figured I'll put it on here too for more input.

11/16/09

my new truck

I had orginally bought a tacoma xtra cab prerunner (my first truck) thinking I'd never really drive offroad and would never need 4wd. After getting the truck I actually took it offroad and loved it. I built a pretty ghetto bolt on bumper for it and made it mid travel up front but the 2wd wasn't cutting it rock crawling. I traded that truck in and got a 4wd double cab. I got a double cab because I always read about people selling their 2 door trucks when they had a family and need to fit a child seat in and what not, plus its cool having friends along.

My goal is to have a sweet ass truck that I can offroad on trails and in the dunes but still be functional because it is my DD and I use the bed frequently for work. This is my first build and I'm going to try and make this thread someone else on their first build can use. Anyway, here are my plans for the truck...


Suspension-
Front:
Designed my kit, 20". 4WD
Hubs - Manual locking 81-85 Solid Axle Toyota Pickup
Spindles - http://www.lowrangeoffroad.com/oem-replacement-chromoly-spindle-for-toyota-solid-axle.html
Fox 2.5 x12" Dual Rate Coilovers
Fox 3.0 12" Triple Bypasses
Fox 2.0 x 2.5" Bumpstops, shortened to 2" stroke

Rear:
Ford 9" Full Floater. Grand National Cone Hubs
(31 spline, detroit locker, 5.29 gears,seal #417349, o-ring 2-223 2-243)
Willwood Ulta-Lite calipers, .81 x 12.188 Rotors
All Pro 50T Pack w/ 12" Richer Racing shackles
Fox 2.5 x 16" triple bypass with custom layout (Outboard of Frame)
Fox 2.0 x 4" Bumpstops, shortened to 3" stroke

Drivetrain:
LS1 - 2004 Pontiac GTO
Cam - http://www.compcams.com/Company/CC/cam-specs/Details.aspx?csid=1086&sb=2
Alternator Relocation Bracket - https://www.dirtydingo.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=1488
Torque Converter - Oceanside Converters made from powerglide
Flexplate - http://www.turnkeyenginesupply.com/p...Flexplate.html
TH400 - Custom Built with Manual Valve Body
NP241 - 1995 GMC K1500 Suburban
SYE - https://www.jbconversions.com/products/sye/np231j_std_sye.php
Output Flange - http://www.northwestfab.com/Toyota-Triple-Drilled-32-Spline-NP205-Billet-Flange_p_3221.html
Front Diff - Mid 90's MKIII Supra
Inner CV - https://www.rcvperformance.com/ultimate-plunging-930-cv-joint-chromoly-cage-300m-race-and-30-spline.html
Outer CV - https://www.rcvperformance.com/ultimate-30-spline-cv-joint-for-toyota-axle-kits.html

Steering:
Steering Box - 1966-1976 Chevy Impala, 4 Turn Saginaw
U-joints - https://www.borgeson.com/xcart/product.php?productid=458&page=51


Fabrication-
Bumper
Front Diff Mount Protective Crossmember
Hitch
Engine Cage
Roll Cage
Boxed in Frame
Spare Tire Carrier

Other
Glassworks 6.5" Front fenders
Glassworks 6" Rear Fenders
Magnaflow Muffler
17x9 Robby Gordon Beadlocks
Sliders
Front Tundra Brake Upgrade
4x HIDs
Remote Tranny Cooler
Ammo Cans


Here is a list of some links I used as reference on my build
Front LT installation
http://www.off-road.com/trucks4x4/ar....jsp?id=186292
Rear Suspension:
http://www.trailslesstraveled.com/viewarticle.php?id=37
http://www.dezertrangers.com/vb/showthread.php?t=85240
Manual Proportioning Valve:
http://www.trailslesstraveled.com/ar...removing-lspv/
Service Manual:
http://www.ncttora.com/fsm/index.html
Mounting shocks outside of frame:
http://www.dezertrangers.com/vb/showthread.php?t=88249
OBD Codes:
http://www.ttora.com/wiki/index.php/OBDII_Trouble_Codes
Rear shock angle:
http://www.dezertrangers.com/vb/showthread.php?t=64624
Steering rack bushing replacement:
http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/mainte...ering_bushing/
Tundra brake conversion:
http://www.ttora.com/forum/showthrea...ake+conversion
Tire Carrier:
http://www.ttora.com/forum/showthrea...light=TIREGATE
http://www.tacomaterritory.com/forum...carrier&page=2

Front Coilover
90/30
6"x500#/16" x 700#

Front Bypass, low flow piston
3,3,2 (.020s)/30
Short 1, Long 1, Rebound 9

Front Bumpstop
350 psi


Rear Bypass
4,3,2/ (08,08,012,012,012,012- didn't have the right shims for a #60 stack...)
Short 2.5, Long 2, Rebound 5.5

Rear Bumpstop
75 psi

 

[jonsangel]

7/11/09
Here's a few pics of my bumper build. Sorry for the crappy cellphone pics. I wanted to tie my skid plate to the diff skid but I would have lost some clearance the way I was planning on doing it so I'm just going to do them seperate. The tube that protects the radiator is .120 DOM and the rest is thin wall chromoly. I wanted the bumper to be able to crunch if I get in an accident for saftey reasons and also because I'd rather have my bumper give than my frame.

 

[jonsangel]

11/7/09
I mounted 6.5" Glassworks fenders this weekend in preparation for LT next weekend and the came out pretty good however it was a lot more shaping and sanding than I had imagined. I couldn't get the stock mounting for the turn signal to work in the new ones. It only mounts using that screw from the top of the headlight and a bracket that comes off the side of the headlight. How are you guys doing it? i also put in a magna flow exhaust and it sounds pretty good

pretty goofy looking w/ stock width

from this

to this

welds came out pretty good but Im not baller enough to weld while I walk around it so I had to start and stop a bunch of times

 

[jonsangel]

11/13/09
I got all my parts in for LT (thank you poly pro). I got the Camburg LT kit and was originally going to go w/ SAW shocks but I couldn't get them in by friday so I switched to FOX (Im inpatient). I also got the total chaos spindle gussets. I started the install friday afternoon and worked til about midnight but only got this far:

I didn't have the correct size socket to take out my CV's or get the lower ball joint back in. Also, the upper arms weren't tapped for the zerk fittings so I thought I had to tap them before I could move on. I ran around all of saturday morning searching for the right tap only to find out the fittings go in without having to tap the holes. There were absolutely no instructions for the camburg kit so I didn't know. I worked all of Sat and half of sunday and limped my way to an alignment shop. The tires were squealing everytime my wheel wasnt completely straight. here are some pics from the install:

ball joint tool haha

I got tired of the ball joint moving while I was trying to press it out

spindle gusset

LT vs stock

bump

droop

Poser pic

I also Upgraded my brakes to the tundra S13WL. I had to grind my lower are because the rotors were hitting them. I painted blue with duplicolor caliper paint. It actually matches my rings pretty close

clearance after grinding

Booya

 

[jonsangel]

11/28/10
This week I trimmed my fenders so they wouldnt rub at bump. I relocated my windshield wiper fluid pump higher so it wouldn't get destroyed and put my stock bumps on the frame until I got actual bumps stops. Lastly, I made gussets to go on the outside of my spindle. I heard they were weak so I decided to reinforce it before I broke it.

Before:

After:

Bump stops:

I drilled and tapped the frame and they screwed right in. M10-1.25

Spindle Gussets

templates

plasma cut then grinded

Welded on and painted

There's just enough room to get an end wrench in there

 

[jonsangel]

1/4/10
I received some parts. still waiting on the bypasses and steering rack bushing kit

I found the shocks I need on dezertrangers today used and a bunch cheaper than the ones I just ordered so I canceled my order and picked them up after work. Since I am putting the shocks on the outside of the frame I was a little worried that they were piggyback and not resi because the overall width is bigger. The width of the shock in the orientation I need it is just under 5", the gap between my frame and tire is just under 4", and I am adding 3" per side with the tundra axle. That leaves about 2" extra. I will probably favor the frame side since the tire will move closer on articulation. Here are the shocks

I also took off my bed and made some sweet temporary mud flaps to make the popos happy.

Here is the clearance on the stock axle so imagine this but with 3 extra inches

 

[jonsangel]

1/11/10
I did a ton of work this weekend. My parents let me borrow their car for a week so I took that oppurtunity to decommision my truck. I started off by welding in a temporary crossmember,taking out my spare tire crossmember, and pulling the gas tank. From there I started boxing the frame. I ended up doing in three pieces because it made it a ton easier. I've only done 2/3 of each side because I have to wait to take out the gas tank crossmember to keep my frame from springing. I made cardboard templates and got the CNC plasma cut out of 1/8" plate. Here's a few pics

I tacked it in place then ground the edges to make it flush with the frame before I welded

One section welded up

After that I had to cut off stock brackets and I ended up having to cut off my sliders because they mounted right were the front spring hanger needed to go. Im going to tuck them in tighter when I put them back on

Cutting out brackets

From there I started locating the spring hangers and shackle mount. I took the length of the spring from the hole where the axle mounts to the front eye to get a rough locating measurement (something like 28" i think). I took that measurement to go from the stock bump bracket on the frame to the eye of the hanger. I tacked the front hanger then used the magic 52.5" to located the rear. I have F67's and a 12" TC shackle FYI. I cycled the leaf to see where the axle mount would be at bump. It ended up being .25" too far forward so I moved it back. I also remounted the rear shackle at 52.5625 to give a little more clearance between the leaf and the bottom of the frame at bump. To get the location of the other front hanger I copied the measurements from the back of the frame and also from a random hole towards the front of the frame. I got it to within a 1/32", I think that should be okay. I tried using the cab mount to locate it but I found out that they were actually 1/16th off of each other. Everything cycles really good but I ended up forgetting to get the travel numbers after all that haha. Here's a few pics

Spring at bump

Spring under its own weight (the frame sprung in a little after I removed the bumper and hitch) The shackle will be centered once I get a crossmember back in there

Shackle at bump (I think the bottom of my frame is bent a little)

Both springs in

I'm pretty happy with all the progress I made this week. I only ran into a few minor problems. I didn't know that the shackles didn't run parallel to each other. The mount to the frame is wider than the leafs and the shackles were on upside down so there were massive gaps at the bushings. I also wasn't expecting to have to cut off the sliders. I'm picking up my rear axle from getting a trusset at the Truck Shop today so I'll be able to cycle it with an axle and check my clearance for the shocks. I also need to get a new welder to weld all the thicker stuff. Everything is just tacked now.

 

[jonsangel]

1/11-1/17
I did a ton of work over the last week. I was hoping to be done by today but I'll definitely have to carpool this week. Here are some pics of the progress

Center crossmember added. I plated the frame with 3/16" where they meet. I'm going to add some gussets soon

The end of the frame sprung in when I took off the bumper so I straightened it using a bottle jack

Crossmembers in and painted. The back crossmember is just a temporary one until I figure out what I want to do for the rear bumper and spare tire carrier

I decided to notch the frame to make a little extra room for the shock. I used 3/16" on the outside, top, and bottom, and then 1/8" on the inside. I took out about 1"

To find out where I needed to mount my shock I drew two arcs on a board by putting a sharpie through the eye of the shock. The blue arc is the compressed length of the shock (+.5" so it wouldn't bottom out) drawn with the axle at bump and the red arc is the extended length (-.5" so the shock would over extend) drawn with the axle at full droop. the green arrow indicates where they intersect and where I need to mount the shock

Checking for clearance on articulation

There is a ton of room which sucks because I ordered custom shocks last week

I made the shock hoop from 1.75" .120 wall DOM. I plated the frame where they meet with 3/16" plate. I plan for the shock to come up directly under the hoop and plate the sides

I got the limit straps mounted as well

I still have a lot to do before it's drivable but I'm hoping to have it there by this weekend.

 

[jonsangel]

1/25/10
my new shocks:

I wanted to have the resi come out of the top cap but FOX said they didn't perform as well

 

[jonsangel]

2/01/10
My truck is driveable again!
I decided to regear the front right away so my truck was an entire mess from front to back haha. It was completely on cinder blocks.

The powdercoat load came out pretty good. its pretty close to the fox blue, just a hair darker

While I had the front apart I also did the bumps and straps. It came out alright but I'm definitely going to have to shorten the stroke from 2.5 to ~1.75 because the bumps hit way too early

I finished my bedcage. It should tuck up pretty tight once my bed is back on and it shouldn't stick past my wheel wells

I decided to change up the crossmembers a bit haha

for those wondering how Im gonna get my bed back on my plan is to have the front seperate from the bottom and sides so I can slide the front section in between the cage and cab and the other section will slide in from the back. If I do it this way I'll be able to take my bed on and off fairly easy

Here's a pick of my pinion angle with the shortened dshaft. Im glad after all the work it took me to find it it actually lines up

Rear bump

Rear end finally getting put back together

I got it all put back together at about 3am sunday morning but the brakes were super soft and I couldn't make it better by bleeding it. I took it to express tire and they just kept bleeding the rear a load and it finally got better. It still doesn't feel 100% so I may try some more. I got to do some test driving and the truck feels amazing. The rear shocks are tuned for a buggy and they are super soft so I'm really only feeling the travel numbers but just that makes a world of difference. On the freeway it drives awesome, absolutely no vibrations. The amount of body roll is ridiculous and I think it is because of the shock valving being off but I dont want to deal with that until I get my new shocks. The ride hieght is also really low, I only have about 8" of uptravel with 9" droop. I'd like to have my truck sit about an inch higher in the rear so i guess the solution is to get the leafs rearched. All in all I am extremely happy with how the rear turned out