darkfader's mild build and pic thread

i've had my '13 DCSB Sport for a couple weeks now, and thanks to this site, i'm dying to throw money at it.

after some exhausting research, i'm pretty sure i have a good idea for my parts list. i've read almost the entire suspension and wheel sections here and still just a little confused, but i think i have a good idea of what i want to do and need to buy to get there. i'll be using this thread for pics and updates, and a log of sorts to keep track of my mods. please, by all means, if anyone sees something wrong, or just wants to comment on anything at all, feel free to chime in.

i bought my '13 used with 16k miles on it. it had a Body Armor rear bumper on it that i did not like so i traded mine for a stock bumper with Bob who is 'Drainbung' on here. helluva nice guy and his taco is badass. i'm sure you all know what a body armor bumper looks like, but here's a pic of what my truck looked like when i bought it.





my new stock bumper is magnetic gray, and currently at my dealership getting shot with silver to match my rig. once i get it back, i'll mount it up and take a pic for the thread.

now for the list of mods i would like to do.

- small lift with the end result being a level truck
- wheels and tires with a slightly wider stance than stock
- tint driver and passenger windows to match the rear
- laminX headlights to prevent dulling
- front skid plate
- side steps
- some kind of grill mod(undecided)
- some kind of bed cover, undecided on a tonneau or cap

 

FOR MY LIFT, i have read so many threads and i believe my best bet will be billsteins all the way around, eibach coils, and a wheeler's progressive 3 leaf AAL. i'll install the 1/4" spacer on the driver's front while i'm in there to eliminate the taco lean. i'm not exactly sure if this will get me what i want. i know this is a topic that is beaten to death and there is so much info out there, it's overwhelming. i've measured my heights at each hub and fender on a fairly flat garage floor, and here is what i have:

driver's front - 20.5"
driver's rear - 21.75"
pass front - 20.75"
pass rear - 21.75"

i'm measuring from the center of the toyota symbol on my hub cover so i'm doing the best i can on these measurements. my main thing is having the truck as close to level as possible while bringing it up just a little. if i don't need to invest in UCA's, i'd rather not.

i THINK that billsteins with the eibach coils and a 1.5" 3 leaf pack can get me there, yes? not entirely sure which setting the front shocks need to be on, but i haven't ordered anything yet and will not until i have talked to vendors and gotten enough feedback from you guys to know i'm doing the right thing.

my main issue is, even though i already have 3+overload factory leafs, they look awfully flat to me, even with only 17k on them. so part of me believes that i should save for a complete new leaf pack. should i mention this to the dealer while i still have warranty? with brand new factory leafs, would the 3 leaf progressive pack be good for me. my lift will be more for looks than for any serious off roading. at most i will hit trails and farm roads during hunting season. typically this truck will see highway commuting so i will still want a comfortable ride.

thanks for any advice on this matter as the possibilities and combinations seem endless.

 

WHEELS AND TIRES

another topic that scares me. i know i want the ultra maverick. i have no freakin clue what size or offset to go with though.

here are my options:

17x8 with a 0, 10, or 25 offset
18x9 with a -6, 10, or 25 offset

i want a wider stance than stock but don't want them to stick out too far. i know that's vague but i hate to sling rocks up on my flawless paint at this point.

i will go with hercules terra trac AT II no matter what because i get a great deal on them. wheel size will obviously dictate tire size, but i'd rather not have any trimming. i'm not against removing mudflaps, but i'm apprehensive to do any cutting. i refuse to chop a cab mount.

how much offset can an 8" wheel have without trimming? and a 9" wheel?

if i understand offsets and backspace, my stock 17's are 7.5 wide with a 30 mm offset. so an 8" wheel with a 0 offset would stick out about a 1 3/4"?? this is what i need help with. i want the wider stance without trimming or rubbing. i will post up in the wheel and tire thread when i get closer to purchasing of course, but if anyone knows the answers to my questions here, feel free to post up. i will do my lift first so i have an inch or two more height, and i realize stock is what fits. i don't need to go larger like 285s or anything.

i think these will look nice against my silver paint:

 

i should be getting the tint done this week and of course i will post pics. but for now, here's a few pics of my taco with others at work. about half of my department own tacos whether first gen or second. there's several 4runners as well as a couple tundras. we all love our yotas!

 

just a little update, i got my new stock bumper back from the dealer's body/paint shop a couple days ago and got it mounted up. i'm so happy to have the proper part and color back there finally! i think it looks great and the color is a perfect match. it only cost me 80$ for the paint.





i'm struggling on my decisions for the lift. i'm thinking of just getting 5100's front and rear and just raising the front enough to level it. i don't want to deal with vibes or any other problems, so maybe just level the front to the rear, get it aligned and call it good. if i decide i want to go higher in the future, i suppose i still can.

 

i finally had the time to drop the taco off for tint this morning. i'm happy with the results.





i ordered 5100's from headstrong off-road, and marie was very nice to deal with. she told me she only had 3 sets available and 2 were already spoken for so i quickly paid for the last set and she had them drop shipped straight from her supplier. ups tracking shows them only an hour away from my house as of last night so i'm hoping they arrive today but if not it's ok as i will probably wait until i can get into the dealer for the driveline vibes TSB now that i know the 6speed manuals have been included.

i'm still torn on wheel sizing. i can't decide whether to go with the 17x8 with 0 offset or the 18x9 with -6 offset. if anyone has any suggestions, i'm all ears. thanks

 

i just got home from work and this was waiting for me!




i also stopped by the stealership this morning and scheduled an appointment to 'diagnose' my driveline vibes. the service manager said they would diagnose it and then order parts so hopefully i don't get the run-around on it. once that is complete i will install the 5100's.

 

just a quick update:

the little lady got me front and rear weathertech digital liners for my birthday a couple weeks ago:





and i ordered and installed my rear view mirror relocate from immryo:



5100's are still in their boxes. i'm still debating between 885's and eibach springs. i will most likely install icon progressive leafs in the rear. i'll wait untill all the parts i need for my lift are on hand before installing anything.

i think i've also decided on the ballistic jesters for wheels. 17x9 -12offset, but i'm still unsure of what tire will fit the best and look good with this setup. any suggestions, i'm all ears.

 

Looking great so far! Did you end up get the maverick wheels?

 

no i haven't gotten the mavericks or any wheels yet. i change my mind almost everyday on the wheel situation.

recently i picked up some junk yard leaf packs to do my own AAL. these are out of a 90 chevy:



i broke them down and will use one leaf per side to lift my rear. here's a pair cleaned up and ready to cut to size and paint:



i will be ordering eibach springs for the front hopefully next week if i can get this side job done between the weather and my real job. i still need light racing UCA's and some miscellaneous small parts and i can lift. AND THEN i will make a decision on wheels.

 

oh and i finally got my pro plates registered to this vehicle. that only took about 8 weeks.



and i made this decal for moar horsepowah!! not sure if i like it or not.

 

just a little update. i bought a set of spidertrax 1.25" wheel spacers because i just couldn't make my mind up on aftermarket wheels. and i do like my stock wheels, but i wanted a little bit wider stance. i bought them slightly used from a member here and will try to get them on tomorrow to see how it looks. i still haven't installed the brand new 5100's sitting in my garage, i wanted to wait and install some eibachs and the rear donor springs all at once and be done with it. with all the badass trucks on here, i have a hard time making my mind up on anything, but i have an overwhelming desire to mod! lol i did grab a tool box on sale at lowes yesterday, which i love because it has just enough room for the tools i like to keep in the truck without dirtying up the back seat, and it locks so that's a bonus. i didn't realize it but i guess the PO installed a pop-n-lock or similar also. my tailgate locks with the fob but there's no keyed lock and the camera works normally in my rearview. another bonus.

 

installed my spidertrax 1.25" wheel spacers today and it was the exact look i was wanting. i followed the directions for install and will recheck torques after about 50 miles. cant wait to mount some more aggressive tires now! it should've had this offset/stance from the factory but i'm happy now.

before:





after:

 

Last week I finally got around to debadging my truck. It was easier than I thought. I just used a hair dryer and some fishing line. A little automotive goo gone to clean up the residue and you can't even tell the badges were there. I'm happy with the result.











I had also ordered an OEM roof rack on sale and installed it. Another easy addition that I thought really changed the look of the truck. I'm happy with it.









And today, I just couldn't wait any longer. I installed my 5100's all the way around. I set the fronts at 1.75 and I have about a quarter inch reverse rake that I can deal with until I decide what I want to do in the rear for lift. I'm liking how it turned out. Alignment is scheduled for Monday morning. Also painted my coils red.







My customcargrills mesh also arrived and I plan to get started on that tomorrow. Lots of other additions coming soon!

 

I got my grill done, and just waiting for the "goop" to dry. I was able to fit the mesh between the insert everywhere except the bottom by making some strategic bends to form a little closer around the lip of the outer piece of grill. I'm really happy with how it turned out. I've been wanting to do a mesh grill on my truck since my first 4Runner. Lol. Now I'm trying to decide on no emblem or emblem. If I add an emblem, I'll do it satin black. No chrome. What do you guys think?

 

My TRD skid arrived Tuesday. Took about 5 minutes to install. I think I want to paint it black.

 

sub'd

 

Received and installed my Quicklift Elite kit from Redline Tuning. Good price, fast shipping, easy install. I'm happy with these.





I got my plugs changed today as well. I'm just a shade over 30k on the clock now so I'm sticking with the recommended service intervals. I went with Denso for all six since like everyone else, the three NGK plugs were worn a little more than the three Denso plugs from the factory.

Lots of odds and ends are coming up. Blue Seas 12 slot fuse block has been ordered along with some miscellaneous electrical bits to get ready for a light bar install, and later heated seats, and probably heated mirrors. I've decided to go with some Firestone air bags to get rid of my sag from the full tool box in the bed. Hope to have them by the end of next week.

 

Truck is looking great brother. Especially in that bay.

 

Thanks brother! I need to get pics with it and some of our other apparatus.